Cold Water Podcast
Cold Water Podcast
Dr. Mohammad Farsi MBE
Dr Mohammed Farsi MBE has a remarkable testimony of how he accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour.
He is now part of Good News For Everyone (formerly known as the Gideons UK).
Good News For Everyone
Welcome to Coldwater Podcast. I’m Nicola Halton. We all know the importance of getting out there and doing a great work for Jesus. In this podcast we will learn more about the people who are involved in changing lives for good, for God. I would like to welcome Mohammad Farsi to do the Cold Water Podcast. Hello Mohammad.
Mohammad – Hi Nicola, I am pleased to be in this meeting with you.
Nicola: That’s wonderful. How did you become a Christian Mohammad?
Mohammad: That is a very good question. It is a longer story but how much time do I have?
Nicola: Emm as much you need.
Mohammed: As much as we want. Ok. I’ll start. I’m Mohammad Farsi. I come from a Muslim background first. Where everybody now knows what Muslims mean in fact. Just in the family of Muslim children they have to, or at least encouraged that they are encouraged that they have to go to mosque. I wasn’t a very good one. I must admit. I never followed what my parents said I should admit that. Anyway at the age of 18 I left mum and joined the Iranian armed forces and married at the age of 21 and then military academy of Iran, I went to 1964. And then joined the Iranian navy and went to the United States.
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: Then I came back to Newcastle in fact in 1977 for ship building and then a revolution happened in Iran in 1979 and the ship that we built to the Iranian navy was not delivered because of American hostages were taken in Iran, so we had to leave the ship completed in fact as Swan Hunters ship building in here and went back home in 1980. I was commanding officer of the Iranian navy in intermain/mediate activity. And regardless of what I was doing during the war, it was necessary as a military person who served my country. I ended up in military revolutionary court. It was part of the God plan, going into that military revolutionary court that the file, the dossier that they made for me. It was so heavy that I could have been shot dead in 20 minutes.
Nicola: right
Mohammad: That evening I never forget. I was alone in Pandora Pass Iran I raised my head alone somewhere about 12 o clock. I had been let out of court but if I have got time I will explain a little bit about that but it was all God’s work but my prayer was, maybe simple although I never practised Islam, still believed in God. I raised my head, “I said God are you there, are you really true. If you are true what have I done to be executed by these revolutionaries. For what I have been doing, serving my country.” I believe God heard me and saved me.
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: Because that was from the depth of my heart.
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: The quote from psalm 145 verses 18 to 19 in this as well. “If you pray really from the depth of your heart. God will listen.” And I believe God heard me and from then onward like a brick, or a builder it just put the bricks of my life together, from then onward. I was planning to get out of Iran, and then of Jesus I came out of Iran very easily and very simple landed at Heathrow and I came home. I won’t go in too much detail. When I went back in 1980 to Iran my wife and two sons had stayed back and they were going to join me in Iran and when I went back there she had a little bit of difficulty to sell what we had in here and then come back. I had to smuggle a letter because every action of mine was under the supervision of them and jurisdiction and then I smuggled a letter by a friend of Pandora pass to .. which was the other side of Persian Gulf and told her don’t come. That’s why I said in here when I landed in Heathrow when I just called my wife, up to that point at Heathrow I could not tell her because I wasn’t sure if I could get out of Iran.
Nicola: yes
Mohammad: and join my family so anyway I came here and asked for political asylum and they said ok the best thing is refugee asylum and at this time I was also contacted by an opposition group it was Doctor Bachtiari in Paris, he was assassinated. Then I joined the Newcastle University because we were a little bit involved with the politics there was a threat on my life in Britain as well.
Nicola: Right
Mohammad: So Jesus was with me, I mustn’t stress.
Nicola: yes
Mohammad: with Jesus I didn’t have any issue, they could not do anything, he has heard me and I was saved.
Nicola: That’s just amazing.
Mohammad: Then he came to the year say nearly 2000, 1998. My son was a Christian and he has prayed and he has asked a lot of others to pray because he had this vision, that dad will become Christian, although I had prayed God still I have not decided to give my life to Christ Jesus. When he raised it with me I did not really accept. I said no you do what ever you want with our life but he didn’t give up because God directed. He said, “OK dad you and mum would you go to his house with his brothers and his wife’s brother and his wife as well on Sunday afternoon after they come out rom church and come home and we go there for coffee, cake.” And I said, “That’s excellent, family get together.” And he said, “Dad ok we will put a little dvd for the kids to watch, it is nothing, don’t worry about it.” I said, “ Alright that is no bother to me, a military man, still commanding. That’s ok son.” But he has gone and bought the whole series of alpha video.
Nicola: Right ok
Mohammad: and he was putting them one by one on every Sunday that we were there. By seeing these dvd’s I became interested in John Stott which was Nicky Gumble who was presenting it. John Stott was mentioned quite a bit so I went and purchased a book from John Stott, a book Basics of Christianity. It didn’t make too much difference. Then my son said John Stott was coming to the North East to give a talk and one of them was at the new Bethany Christian Fellowship Centre, Hetton le Hole.
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: My son said, “You are interested in John Stott. He is coming to give a talk would you like to go and see what he has got to say.” I said, “Yes.” But he couldn’t go but unfortunately he was going with his wife to London and I had to go on my own. And I did, I found the church and I went in there. This is the time. I went in there and from the start of the worship,
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: To the end that I was in there my tears never stopped running,
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: And that was the time that Jesus said ok, “That is the time.” And I had mixed feelings. I did not know what was happening to me. I was a commander of the Iranian navy and tears running. I didn’t know what was was… well crying to be honest. When I was coming out of the church that evening, first of all to say, I never heard what John Stott said because that feeling, being with the Holy Spirit, he never allowed me to see what John Stott has got to say. When I was coming out of the church, I remember there was a shortish lady sitting behind the desk selling the tape of John Stott, same as speech, they had done at Middlesbrough. I went and I purchased one and the lady looked at me and said, “Are you a Christian. Are you a believer?” I said, “No I am not. Just give me the tape and just like that I let my son know what had happened. And he said, “Dad that is what it is.” God contacted me and amazingly that night I always claimed this that nobody took me to church as you see. Nobody has really tried to evangelize me as such although my son has done it behind the scene, It was Jesus directly and the Holy Spirit made contact with me even in that church and that’s it. My life changed completely from there onwards.
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: And this has how I became Christian and from here onwards several things has happened in my life. That is could explain if you wish.
Nicola: Yes I am definitely keen for that to happen. So if you need a drink of water you are very welcome to have one. Just keep going its wonderful. The one thing I do… that has struck me is I wonder how many people have called on God’s name without any intervention from Christians, from all faiths, you know, really cried out to Him and I think, you know as a child I can remember being.. my nana always said, “Pray to Jesus and you pray to Mary,” because we were Catholic and I can just remember saying the word, “Jesus,” and that was enough to get saved. No one was there for me when it happened. You know so e does work in very, very marvellous ways. And I know Bethany very well, Bethany Christian centre at Houghton le Spring, I was a member there or 10 years it is a beautiful church so I would love to hear the other things that God has done in you life if you want to share them. Yes.
Mohammad: First you say that because of my background and I mentioned military revolutionary court back home and coming and also being member of the opposition and an attempt on my life I had bad dreams always. I would admit that I did not..a. that I would jump out of the bed but I woke up in the middle of the night with revolutionary thoughts following me and eventually I would just wake up.
Nicola: yes. Jolts.
Mohammad: After being you know… that evening that I gave my life to Christ I always say Jesus found me that evening. Immediately all those bad dreams went away.
Nicola: Yes, yes wonderful
Mohammad: that is something that I really never forget what happened it was gone. When God called me I joined Jesmond Parish church and then somebody informed that at the City Church which was close by to Jesmond Parish Church on the city road that there are some Iranians there and would I like to go and see them, I said, “Yes I would love to.” I would go to Jesmond parish church and then after there was a service, Jesmond Parish church service is always one hour. Then I would go back to City Church which was the start of the worship.
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: First of all I want to say that they asked me would I like to translate for these Iranians because they were 15 of them and the translation in the bible teaching sessions that they had for them on Sundays, they wouldn’t really be able to understand what was going on. I admitted.. I accepted to do that and believe me in a year, that 15 Iranian became 120.
Nicola: That’s amazing. That is absolutely wonderful.
Mohammad: That is something that I would never forget.
Nicola: yes
Mohammad: Jesus and the Holy Spirit was working among the Iranian. It was absolutely fantastic and at that time there was Elim Ministry would organise some Farsi speaking prayer at various parts of the UK and one was in Leeds in a church. I have forgotten the name of the church and in there I had become a Christian I had all of these experiences or what ever but still as a new Christian you have as a question, are you really a Christian?
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: You need something else to prove that for you, and I was in that meeting in Leeds because we just hired a bus for other Iranians that went there, from here to Leeds. And that day, I never forget, there was a single cross at the front of the church hall that we were in and I prayed God from the depth of my heart, “God am I a Christian.” And all of a sudden the whole church became crosses and crosses and crosses.
Nicola: Right
Mohammad: It was full of them.
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: Indicating to me “Mohammad, you are a Christian, pick up your cross and follow Jesus.”
Nicola: yes, that’s right
Mohammad: When I say that I get emotional. It was absolutely fantastic.
Nicola: Amen
Mohammad: And then I became baptised in City Church
Nicola: yes
Mohammad: and as I mentioned I used to go to Jesmond Parish Church my original.. my church and then go to City Church for translation and helping or a couple of years
Nicola: Yes
Mohammad: I was there. When I was baptised I had to go early to City Church and I couldn’t go at the 9.30 am service at Jesmond Parish Church I went to the 6.30 pm service. 3 services. 9.30 am 11.00 am and 6.30. I went in the 6.30 pm in the same pew that I always did with other people chatting and what ever and I was still carrying that cross by the way, I forgot to mention that and from that day in Leeds I carried that cross where ever I went. It didn’t matter where I went that cross was with me always until that evening I was sitting in there, still cross was with me in the Church and I was a bit early I was praying and I felt somebody tap my shoulder, He said, ”Is enough, you don’t need to carry the cross any more, You’re accepted. “
Nicola: yes
Mohammad: And I looked back and there wasn’t anybody.
Nicola: Wow thank you.
Mohammad: Well there you are there is another.. and also the time again…
Nicola: No I’m fine for time, I’m fine for time you can talk as much as you want, because those moments are very special and they are to encourage people. Christians and non-Christians on the reality of Jesus and how he speaks to people. The question I’ve got is something that is tied in with Iran. What is your hope for Iran?
Mohammad: My hope for Iran is that I have mentioned this before as well that somehow Iranian people over come this difficulty that they have with the regime of Iran and a new constitution comes into being that the religions are… freedom of religion for people and they.. and I believe that many, many Iranian become Christian.
Nicola: Amen
Mohammad: And that is my hope for Iranian people to be saved by Christ Jesus.
Nicola: That’s wonderful.
Mohammad: Iran has a lot of Christians they are known as Armenian which is from the past. They are still worshipping Jesus in their churches but it is very restrictive and there is a lot of home churches secretly being held.
Nicola: yes
Mohammad: I know it from the information that we have that is being held in Iran now 2 million Iranians are secretly living in Christ Jesus.
Nicola: That’s wonderful.
Mohammad: My hope for Iran is they don’t have to do that.
Nicola: No
Mohammad: They should be open and many, many others come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Saviour.
Nicola: Amen thank you. Well that’s our prayers too. Thank you. Can you talk about good news for everybody, everyone even.
Mohammad: Yes
Nicola: would you like to talk about your role in that.
Mohamad: Yes when I became a Christian it was 3 years into it, I had a mentor help me actually, into Christianity at Jesmond Parish Church. His name was John Gray and I’ll never forget John, John is still alive. I haven’t seen him for a long time. Pretty old now. And he told me, he invited me to go to a one to one meeting of Gideon’s. I said, “Who are Gideon’s.” He said, “He didn’t know who Gideon’s were.” Now it is good news for everyone. “Let’s go and find out.” I went there it was in one of the houses in Gosforth and I loved it. It was then that I asked if I wanted to join. I joined immediately and became a Gideon. It was the year 2003 and Gideon work, I have been bible secretary for our branch. I have been zone – now it is area – zone secretary I have been. I have been training officer of the area. 33 branches as well. To teach the training officer of the branches to teach to train them to be ready to accept the new members or train the new members and also and other training that is necessary for the members. I have been quite a bit involved with that and I have enjoyed every moment of Gideon ministry, - Good News for everyone especially the school ministry.
Nicola: yeah, yeah, yeah
Mohammad: School ministry is.. when you go and place the bible in the hands of year 11, 12 year old student it is absolutely fantastic. A joyful feeling that you get from that you cannot express. It is a fantastic experience.
Nicola: Yes thank you. I mean it feels like we don’t realise how much children want to receive the Gospel and they do. There is a passion and a hunger there as well. Thank you so much Mohammed. It has been absolutely wonderful. Really appreciate you joining me and answering those questions. You have got a very special testimony on how God is close to you and close to your heart. You know, yes, it is really remarkable thank you.
Mohammad: Thank you for this meeting and just want to make a statement that since I became a Christian my life changed completely, completely. I was a military person. Very strict military person and it would even propagate into the house into day to day life at home but that completely changed.
Nicola: God dissolved it.
Mohammad: My life is in Christ.
Nicola: Amen thank you Jesus for your love. Thank you. Amen. Thank you good bye.
Mohammad: Thank you God bless.
Nicola: Thank you for listening to the Cold Water Podcast, please remember to subscribe and join next week.