One Thing I Know!

John 9:25 One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see!

Second oldest of nine children…

My name is Hikmat. I was born in a village in Northern Iraq, called Bahgra. My parents had nine children of which I was the second oldest. Our family moved to the capital, Baghdad in 1980.

Studying to be a priest, but something was missing in my life…

Four years later I entered a seminary to study religion. I felt I could please God by becoming a Catholic priest. The studies included the reading of the Bible; I did not believe that all the Scripture was God’s Word. When, however, I read in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “all Scripture is inspired by God” I bowed to the truth of it. I did not have any settled peace in my heart and I would say that I was still searching. Something was missing in my life.

2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God

I and my two brothers fled…

Life in Baghdad was tranquil until 1990 when the Gulf War broke out. We, as seminary students were told to go home because of all the turmoil that followed. Eventually, I and my two brothers fled from Iraq into Turkey. From that country we immigrated to Canada in 1993.

No assurance…

Life in our new country was difficult, with new challenges in the work world in order to survive. At the same time I was living a very unhappy life. Everything I did to please God never gave me the assurance that He was pleased.

God loves you…

In 1998 I received a little note which said “God loves you!”. This message captivated me and I thought that it perhaps had came to my hands because I was a good person! A year later, a friend of mine in Sarnia Ontario called me to tell me that I could be saved without doing any good work. This statement did not register with me. A visit with my friend gave him an opportunity to read the Bible with me. We read, Ephesians 2:8, 9 “For by Grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

How can I be saved?

Another Scripture in John 1:12 impressed me: ”As many as received Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) to them gave He the right to become the children of God, even to them who believe on His name.” I asked myself a question when I was alone. It was: “How can I be saved?” If my works cannot save me and my religious activities cannot save me, who then can save me? Many questions came to my mind and I started to read my Bible.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

I could not sleep…

My sins troubled me. If I should die with my sins I would not go to heaven. I could not sleep .The Scriptures were so very clear: ”All have sinned” and that meant I was a sinner! It was not only what I had done or hadn’t done but what I was in God’s sight that became my greatest problem.

I cried to God for mercy…

I needed to be saved! Helpless in that desperate moment I cried to God for mercy. He heard me, a lost sinner, and became the king of my life. Now I could sleep, for I would be in heaven, not because I was a good person but simply because the Lord Jesus Christ had died for me.

I saw the cross of Jesus
      When burdened with my sin
I sought the cross of Jesus
      To give me peace within
I brought my sins to Jesus
      He cleansed them in His blood
And in the cross of Jesus
      I found my peace with God!

My best friend…

This lovely Man has become my best friend! My heart is now totally satisfied with Him! I have rest of soul that I never had before and peace floods my days since I know that all is well for the great eternity. I have proved personally that Jesus’ invitation is trustworthy: ”Come unto Me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” He waits even now to save you too!