In the previous update, I made mention of the fact that one of Islam’s most important feast days is coming up early in the month of July. The yearly Hajj begins July 7 and continues through July 12. The Eid al-Adha feast is celebrated in the last three days, ending on the 12th. I explained the significance of the feast in the previous update and so won’t repeat the information here.
As has been the practice of the House of Blessing, special arrangements have been made every year especially emphasizing evangelism during this time. Usually, this evangelism begins well before the actual Muslim observance, and this year is no exception. In the previous update I shared a story of how God arranged a divine appointment between HOB missionaries and a large number of Sheikhs and Imams. A great harvest of souls was brought in to the Kingdom of God and a special financial blessing was brought about as well. Today, I would like to share another story. I believe you will find it astonishing!
Brother Suleiman, his adult sons, and some additional HOB missionaries, about 20 in all, decided to go and visit 20 refugee camps and reach as many as they can with the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus. Because of the upcoming Hajj and Eid al-Adha sacrifice and feast days, their message included a powerful teaching about the one and only sacrifice necessary to pay for the sins of the world—that being Jesus Christ at His first coming as Messiah. Since Jesus, by His death and resurrection paid the full price for sin, no other sacrifice has been needed ever since. The teaching was proving quite effective and was bringing great responses from the people, but then the missionaries were caught by Muslim extremists and taken to a place where they could be dealt with.
The men were severely beaten and tortured for a day and night without being given any food or water. Their captors demanded that they recant their belief in Jesus as Messiah and come back to their Muslim faith. The men, to the very last one of them, refused.
After this had continued for a day and a half, a large group of 180 sheikhs and Imams brought a blind man to the captive missionaries. One of the Imams, the spokesman, said that since the HOB missionaries were teaching that Jesus Christ heals, they should be able to heal as well. The Imam then challenged Suleiman and said, if you heal this blind man, you will all live. If you fail, you will all be executed today!!
As Suleiman was trying to decide how to proceed, the Lord spoke to him and said, “Go pray for the man.” As he moved near the blind man, the Lord spoke again and said to pick up a handful of dust from the ground, mix it with water until it becomes mud, and smear it all over the blind man’s face and head. Suleiman was then instructed to pour oil over his head and pray for his healing. As Suleiman laid his hands on the man, he said that it felt like electricity going through his arm and into his hand that was on the man’s head. He had never experienced anything like this before in his life! The blind man reacted to the surge of power going through his body as well but didn’t know how to respond other than shock. The Lord then told Suleiman to now go ahead and wash all the mud off the man’s face and head. As he did, the blind man’s eyes were totally healed. As the man confirmed that he really could see, the group of sheikhs and Imams who were there to execute Suleiman and his team of missionaries, were so shocked at what just happened right before their very eyes that they asked Suleiman to tell them about this God they serve and their Messiah, Jesus Christ!
After a time of testimony and sharing, every single one of the 120 Muslim leaders confirmed their recognition of who Jesus really is and were helped to pray the sinner’s prayer. These 120 are now believers and followers of Jesus Christ, our soon coming Lord and KING! There is no doubt that, not only will their families be reached with the Gospel, but so will a large portion of those who had seen these men as their spiritual guides! This is a story that will continue in waves. God is good!
This experience had such an effect on these Muslim leaders that they gathered up about 200 sacrificial animals (mostly goats) and, instead of taking them to the Eiid al-Adha sacrifice and feast, sold them and presented the funds to the House of Blessing. HOB was then able to order 20 truckloads of food to distribute all across the HOB community of believers to share with the refugees they were embedded with. This included 10 flatbeds of wheat sacks, 3 loads of rice, 3 loads of sugar, 3 loads of beans, and one lead of tomato puree.
This enormous blessing has been distributed all across the Mideast where the HOB missionaries are evangelizing, and all before the actual Muslim Hajj and feast observance! Large feasts have been prepared everywhere the food has been distributed. The people have been fed by the many tens of thousands and the harvest of souls is almost beyond accurately counting! Incidentally, the food has continued to multiply as the people have been feasting!
While all this was going on, the other HOB missionary teams were able to evangelize and bless nearly 3,000 entire families. The people are very open to the Good News of the Gospel. They are finding a message of hope and assurance of forgiveness of sins where there is no other hope! Praise God!!
I am out of my home state for a few days and will have to cut this update a little shorter than I’d like. I do pray that you can catch a glimpse of the tremendous things God is doing in our day. He is bringing the last of the harvest of the Age of Grace in very quickly now. It is time…!
I would like to share one Scripture in closing. It is found in the Book of Joel. We find in Joel 2, a passage that the Apostle Peter quoted from during his Pentecost sermon. It is a good passage to ponder today.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions, 29 and also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, .30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 32 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD, shall be saved…Joel 2:28-32a
There are several things to ponder in this passage:
- “Afterward” in verse 28 is speaking of the hinder parts of the age, last days
- Many of God’s people would experience genuine dreams and visions
- There would be a great outpouring of grace and resulting harvest of souls
- Wonders in the heavens and on the earth
- All these signs would appear before the beginning of the Day of the LORD (The Apocalypse)
- Anyone calling upon the name of the LORD shall be saved, as said in John 1:12-13
I cannot expound on these bullet points at this time, but it is worth noting that these things are to come about before the time of the Apocalypse. For those that are looking, the signs in the heavens (cosmos) have become more and more distinct and noticeable , as are the earth changes, geological signs, weather anomalies, and much, much more…
Jesus is coming SOON! Are you ready?
Forever in His Service,
Jake