The devil persecuted
the Christians of Smyrna.
00:00:01.30\00:00:03.60
Why? He is in the
business of persecution
00:00:03.60\00:00:06.30
and he is still in
the same business today.
00:00:06.30\00:00:08.03
As a matter of
fact he may even use
00:00:08.03\00:00:10.30
family members to do it for him.
00:00:10.30\00:00:12.36
Izmir is the great
port city in western Turkey.
00:01:01.63\00:01:04.66
It is the country's
third most populous city.
00:01:04.66\00:01:07.80
Its port is
second only to Istanbul
00:01:07.80\00:01:10.13
and its one of the most
beautifully situated cities
00:01:10.13\00:01:12.96
in all of Asia Minor.
00:01:12.96\00:01:15.03
It lies at the head of a gulf
that reaches 30 miles inland
00:01:15.03\00:01:18.96
and has a harbor well protected
by surrounding mountains.
00:01:18.96\00:01:22.43
The urbanization of Izmir
dates back over 3,500 years
00:01:22.43\00:01:27.30
and was known as Smyrna,
00:01:27.30\00:01:29.00
perhaps named after
a goddess of the Greeks
00:01:29.00\00:01:31.10
who founded the city.
00:01:31.10\00:01:32.96
It is the second of the
Seven Churches of Revelation.
00:01:32.96\00:01:35.96
The ancient remains of the city
00:01:40.20\00:01:41.83
are located in
middle of the Smyrna.
00:01:41.83\00:01:44.20
In the last few years
00:01:44.20\00:01:45.60
buildings around the
original excavation site
00:01:45.60\00:01:48.13
have been torn down
to make way for more
00:01:48.13\00:01:50.60
excavations of
this historic site.
00:01:50.60\00:01:52.63
A primary school
which burnt was not rebuilt
00:01:56.46\00:02:00.06
and has been incorporated
into the excavation site.
00:02:00.06\00:02:02.63
You know as I stroll through
00:02:07.20\00:02:08.30
the ancient part
of the city here,
00:02:08.30\00:02:09.86
it's not too
difficult to imagine
00:02:09.86\00:02:12.00
what it must have been
like almost 2,000 years ago.
00:02:12.00\00:02:15.86
Because some things in
Turkey today have changed,
00:02:15.86\00:02:18.43
but some things really
haven't changed that much.
00:02:18.43\00:02:21.33
Or just imagine the
shopkeepers and the sellers,
00:02:21.33\00:02:24.86
these people know how to sell.
00:02:24.86\00:02:26.43
They know how to
barter, they know how to trade,
00:02:26.43\00:02:28.46
because they've been doing it,
00:02:28.46\00:02:29.60
for thousands and
thousands of years,
00:02:29.60\00:02:32.03
they're experts at it.
00:02:32.03\00:02:33.80
Imagine over here
the little shopkeeper
00:02:33.80\00:02:35.76
with her bread selling her wares
00:02:35.76\00:02:38.10
and in the next
one the fine carpets,
00:02:38.10\00:02:41.36
the next one the linens.
00:02:41.36\00:02:43.30
And as the
people nudge and jostle
00:02:43.30\00:02:45.90
one and other through the days,
00:02:45.90\00:02:47.23
of the hot days,
they buy all their wares.
00:02:47.23\00:02:50.83
They come over here to a
natural spring that is so cool,
00:02:50.83\00:02:54.20
so cold, so refreshing.
00:02:54.20\00:02:56.33
Why is this tap so wonderful?
00:02:56.33\00:02:59.66
It's so exciting to think
00:02:59.66\00:03:01.13
we're here
Smyrna, biblical Smyrna.
00:03:01.13\00:03:04.76
What a phenomenal area?
00:03:04.76\00:03:06.63
So much history, but you realize
00:03:06.63\00:03:11.53
they were only here
for a short amount of time.
00:03:11.53\00:03:14.20
We talk about thousands of years
00:03:14.20\00:03:16.03
but it's only a short
amount of time you see
00:03:16.03\00:03:18.20
because God create us
for eternity not for time.
00:03:18.20\00:03:23.20
And that's the whole difference
00:03:23.20\00:03:24.60
that's what made the difference
here to the Christians
00:03:24.60\00:03:27.00
when God could point them
to the heavenly universal luck.
00:03:27.00\00:03:30.16
Today the most important
result of the new studies
00:03:35.33\00:03:38.06
has been the discovery of
the Agora's northern gate.
00:03:38.06\00:03:41.50
Embossed figures
of the Goddess Hestia
00:03:41.50\00:03:43.90
found in these digs were
continuation of the Zeus altar
00:03:43.90\00:03:47.33
uncovered during
the original digs.
00:03:47.33\00:03:51.16
The gods Hermes,
Dionysus, Eros and Hercules
00:03:51.16\00:03:55.03
have also been found.
00:03:55.03\00:03:56.16
As well as many statues, heads,
00:03:56.16\00:03:58.66
figurines and
monuments of people and animals
00:03:58.66\00:04:01.50
made of marbles, stone, bone,
glass, metal and terracotta.
00:04:01.50\00:04:06.46
We're in a beautiful
city here at the city of Kiev.
00:04:14.33\00:04:17.16
Lilya where were you born?
00:04:17.16\00:04:19.86
I was born here in Kiev.
00:04:19.86\00:04:22.43
Tell me a little
bit about yourself?
00:04:22.43\00:04:23.86
What's your occupation?
00:04:23.86\00:04:25.63
What do you do?
00:04:25.63\00:04:27.96
I work for a construction
company as a manager.
00:04:27.96\00:04:30.90
That building
here over my shoulders
00:04:33.90\00:04:36.40
was built by our company.
00:04:36.40\00:04:38.90
How many years
have you done that?
00:04:38.90\00:04:40.46
In this organization
I worked for four years,
00:04:42.50\00:04:45.93
but I used to work
for a different company
00:04:45.93\00:04:49.40
that deal with a
construction as well.
00:04:49.40\00:04:51.86
Now I know
you're a Christian now,
00:04:51.86\00:04:53.40
but how about all your life.
00:04:53.40\00:04:55.50
What, tell me
more about your life?
00:04:55.50\00:04:57.06
Yes those are
old days of course,
00:04:59.63\00:05:03.06
but I'm a
Christian since year 2000.
00:05:03.06\00:05:07.53
What was your
life like before that?
00:05:07.53\00:05:10.73
A life of an original person.
00:05:10.73\00:05:13.53
I was a person who
believed in human power
00:05:17.13\00:05:20.60
believe in only
myself and my close one.
00:05:20.60\00:05:23.86
So was there any happiness
in the life of the old Lilya?
00:05:26.00\00:05:29.83
Of course the birth of my son
00:05:33.76\00:05:36.76
and the love of my
life say it merits.
00:05:36.76\00:05:39.93
Life brings a lot of happiness.
00:05:42.60\00:05:46.66
So you're like many people,
good job, marriage, child,
00:05:46.66\00:05:53.73
don't really care about God.
00:05:53.73\00:05:56.33
I always thought
that God was there.
00:05:56.33\00:05:59.06
But I believe that
He was too busy for me.
00:05:59.06\00:06:04.30
Something changed for
you, tell me what that was?
00:06:04.30\00:06:09.30
I believe that God
didn't want the person like me
00:06:09.30\00:06:12.66
to go through with
so many sufferings.
00:06:12.66\00:06:15.26
My son was a good
kid until eighth grade.
00:06:19.93\00:06:23.33
In high school I
started noticing things,
00:06:23.33\00:06:26.26
but I couldn't
understand what just yet.
00:06:26.26\00:06:28.83
But later I found out
that he was doing drugs.
00:06:34.23\00:06:37.96
For those that
know about this problem
00:06:41.40\00:06:44.40
maybe some of you are
going through these problems
00:06:44.40\00:06:47.90
and you do realize
that this is hell on earth.
00:06:47.90\00:06:52.70
And I was the woman who
came so close to this hell.
00:06:52.70\00:06:57.73
Fourteen years my
son was taking drugs.
00:06:57.73\00:07:02.40
Me and my husband tried
to put him through treatments
00:07:02.40\00:07:05.80
and tried to get
help nothing helped.
00:07:05.80\00:07:09.53
He came and said,
listen mom everything that you
00:07:09.53\00:07:13.60
and the rest of
the people told me
00:07:13.60\00:07:16.00
I let in one ear
and out of the other.
00:07:16.00\00:07:19.96
He said his only
wish is to do drugs.
00:07:19.96\00:07:23.60
My husband at a
point told me that
00:07:26.10\00:07:29.10
I don't have a son anymore,
00:07:29.10\00:07:31.46
we lost our son.
00:07:31.46\00:07:33.50
Foreign Language
00:07:33.50\00:07:37.00
With me lives my
mother who is 87-years-old.
00:07:39.56\00:07:43.66
We were going
through a rough time.
00:07:43.66\00:07:46.20
My son sold everything we had.
00:07:46.20\00:07:48.83
My only option at this time
00:07:52.70\00:07:54.96
felt like I
either had to kill myself
00:07:54.96\00:07:58.10
or start drinking heavily.
00:07:58.10\00:07:59.93
Even though I was not baptized
nor did I come to Christ,
00:08:03.13\00:08:07.43
I still had Christ help
me through my tough times.
00:08:07.43\00:08:11.30
We know that Alexander
the Great was in this area,
00:08:16.40\00:08:19.53
but the rest of it is legend.
00:08:19.53\00:08:21.43
He fell asleep one day after
a hunt up here on this hill.
00:08:21.43\00:08:25.30
In a dream God
has appeared to Him
00:08:25.30\00:08:28.03
and said you should
relocate the city up here?
00:08:28.03\00:08:31.00
Well before he did that
he traveled some distance
00:08:31.00\00:08:33.46
and checked with an oracle.
00:08:33.46\00:08:34.63
The oracle too had the
same idea and said, yes.
00:08:34.63\00:08:38.00
It will be a
blessing for you to do so.
00:08:38.00\00:08:40.30
So he directed his general
to rebuild the city up there.
00:08:40.30\00:08:44.96
Now what seems to be fact
00:08:44.96\00:08:46.46
is Lysimachus his general
actually constructed walls
00:08:46.46\00:08:50.10
in some of the area
of the city up there
00:08:50.10\00:08:51.83
and lived there
himself for sometime.
00:08:51.83\00:08:53.83
Through the radio waves of AWR
00:09:03.46\00:09:05.56
God is reaching
people around the world.
00:09:05.56\00:09:09.23
We'd like to offer you
an addition of Making Waves.
00:09:09.23\00:09:11.93
Its four of our episodes
00:09:11.93\00:09:13.26
brought to you
from around the world.
00:09:13.26\00:09:15.73
God speaking to hearts,
00:09:15.73\00:09:17.36
the hearts of the listeners
of AWR exciting stories.
00:09:17.36\00:09:20.43
We hope that you'll share those
00:09:20.43\00:09:21.63
with friends and
neighbors, acquaintances,
00:09:21.63\00:09:23.73
anyone you come in contact
with join us to make waves.
00:09:23.73\00:09:26.96
It's completely free right now
00:09:26.96\00:09:29.16
the information
is on your screen.
00:09:29.16\00:09:32.20
For your free no obligations DVD
00:09:32.20\00:09:34.50
write to Adventist World Radio,
00:09:34.50\00:09:37.10
12501 Old Columbia Pike,
Silver Spring, Maryland, 20904
00:09:37.10\00:09:43.30
or call 1-866-503-3531
00:09:43.30\00:09:48.40
or log on to www.awr.org/mwdvd,
00:09:48.40\00:09:55.60
be sure to request offer # 10
00:09:55.60\00:09:58.03
that number again
is 1-866-503-3531.
00:09:58.03\00:10:03.60
Here is another story of
hope from Adventist World Radio.
00:10:06.16\00:10:10.53
My name is Benjamin Schoun,
00:10:10.53\00:10:12.10
President of
Adventist World Radio.
00:10:12.10\00:10:14.66
We've been amazed by
God's work in Afghanistan.
00:10:14.66\00:10:18.03
Recently a relief worker told me
00:10:18.03\00:10:20.06
that many Afghanis
have great interest
00:10:20.06\00:10:22.43
in learning about Christ,
00:10:22.43\00:10:24.10
but are afraid
to purchase Bibles.
00:10:24.10\00:10:26.30
Instead they
listen to Christian Radio.
00:10:26.30\00:10:28.73
Adventist World
Radio is broadcast
00:10:28.73\00:10:31.80
to Afghanistan in Dari,
Wigar and Arabic languages
00:10:31.80\00:10:36.43
allowing us to reach a
large number of the population,
00:10:36.43\00:10:39.90
the response
has been incredible.
00:10:39.90\00:10:42.13
Just one example
is a letter we receive
00:10:42.13\00:10:44.63
from an orphaned teenage refugee
00:10:44.63\00:10:46.76
saying Jesus is now the hope
I cling to in my seed of faith.
00:10:46.76\00:10:51.53
How can I become a Christian?
00:10:51.53\00:10:54.93
Adventist World Radio
shares the hope of Christ
00:10:54.93\00:10:58.73
with millions
of people everyday.
00:10:58.73\00:11:01.40
For more
information visit awr.org.
00:11:01.40\00:11:05.46
We're here in Izmir, Turkey.
00:11:43.16\00:11:44.90
It's actual the ancient
biblical city of Smyrna.
00:11:44.90\00:11:48.06
It's an active
archeological site.
00:11:48.06\00:11:50.93
This whole area was destroyed
by an earthquake in A.D.178,
00:11:50.93\00:11:54.93
but Marcus O'Reilly has took
it upon himself to rebuilt it.
00:11:54.93\00:11:58.40
I understand all
these architraves
00:11:58.40\00:12:00.10
all of these columns were
his edition to fortify the city
00:12:00.10\00:12:03.46
and fortify this area
against future earthquakes.
00:12:03.46\00:12:09.50
If you've ever
wondered what the wife
00:12:09.50\00:12:11.16
of Marcus
O'Reilly has look like.
00:12:11.16\00:12:12.80
Well there she is right
up on the top of the ark,
00:12:12.80\00:12:15.10
her name was Fovestina.
00:12:15.10\00:12:16.53
So you are drinking,
you are considering suicide,
00:12:19.80\00:12:24.56
what happened from that moment?
00:12:24.56\00:12:26.83
One day I heard
my door bell ring.
00:12:26.83\00:12:29.90
And when I
answered it in front of me
00:12:29.90\00:12:32.50
people stood
that attended church.
00:12:32.50\00:12:35.46
I made sure to identify myself
and to see what they want it.
00:12:35.46\00:12:41.46
I find out that he was
actually attending a church
00:12:41.46\00:12:45.20
and I believed
that God guided him.
00:12:45.20\00:12:48.20
I was worried that
my son would end up
00:12:54.90\00:12:58.06
where he started,
00:12:58.06\00:12:59.33
so I decide to
meet those people.
00:12:59.33\00:13:01.80
They agreed to meet with me
00:13:04.93\00:13:07.06
and I decide to
tell them everything.
00:13:07.06\00:13:11.10
Then people started
telling me who I am.
00:13:11.10\00:13:15.30
They invited me to
visit their church.
00:13:15.30\00:13:18.76
This church is
located here in Kiev
00:13:18.76\00:13:21.43
and it's called
the Victory Church.
00:13:21.43\00:13:24.03
The pastor here in
Kiev, he is from Zimbabwe.
00:13:24.03\00:13:28.86
I spent four
years in this church.
00:13:28.86\00:13:32.00
My son stopped going to
church and continue using
00:13:32.00\00:13:36.00
and
experimenting with the drugs.
00:13:36.00\00:13:39.10
Who were you, where
did you find out you were?
00:13:39.10\00:13:43.36
After I read
the Ten Commandments
00:13:43.36\00:13:45.80
I compare my life to it.
00:13:45.80\00:13:47.76
And I realize I was sinner.
00:13:47.76\00:13:50.36
I understood and felt
guilty in front of my son.
00:13:52.36\00:13:57.00
I decided to wash his
cloths keep him clean,
00:13:57.00\00:14:00.66
get feed him good food
00:14:00.66\00:14:02.43
and basically try
to keep him near me,
00:14:02.43\00:14:05.26
so he wouldn't go away.
00:14:05.26\00:14:07.96
The way it was
when he was younger
00:14:07.96\00:14:11.23
that would be enough for me.
00:14:11.23\00:14:12.66
This wasn't a month,
00:14:17.53\00:14:19.23
this was a year,
this was 14 years.
00:14:19.23\00:14:22.23
Can you even imagine?
00:14:27.66\00:14:29.00
God whispered in my ear,
tell your son you love him.
00:14:32.46\00:14:36.40
With all the
problems that were going on
00:14:48.66\00:14:51.86
and all the money
00:14:51.86\00:14:53.13
that I had to
spend on him in the end
00:14:53.13\00:14:56.16
I was supposed
to say I love you.
00:14:56.16\00:14:58.43
Now he is in the
church for a while
00:15:06.63\00:15:08.10
and you said he left
your son, what, what happened?
00:15:08.10\00:15:11.10
He wanted to stay but
his soul wouldn't let him.
00:15:13.03\00:15:17.40
I know that God was the one
00:15:17.40\00:15:19.23
who is quite at him
in that direction first.
00:15:19.23\00:15:22.70
But his soul wouldn't
let him, he wasn't ready.
00:15:22.70\00:15:26.30
I tried to bring my sister
as well her son was alcoholic.
00:15:30.13\00:15:34.10
Together I and my
sister started praying,
00:15:39.80\00:15:43.06
her son was dying.
00:15:43.06\00:15:45.76
How can this be?
00:15:45.76\00:15:47.53
We prayed and praying
and her son still died.
00:15:47.53\00:15:50.86
So we both left this church
00:15:52.00\00:15:53.93
and decided to not
come for a whole year.
00:15:53.93\00:15:56.66
Prior to the
destruction of the area
00:15:58.40\00:16:00.06
by an earthquake there
were mainly government buildings
00:16:00.06\00:16:03.73
establishments
that type of thing here
00:16:03.73\00:16:05.86
and the Altar of Zeus.
00:16:05.86\00:16:07.86
After that time
in the lower areas
00:16:07.86\00:16:09.63
especially a lot of
shopkeepers moved in,
00:16:09.63\00:16:11.93
so it became more of a general
marketplace for the area.
00:16:11.93\00:16:15.86
However still the
main attraction was Zeus.
00:16:15.86\00:16:19.26
The God that
looked for sacrifices,
00:16:19.26\00:16:22.06
the God that looked for
that type of thing and perhaps
00:16:22.06\00:16:25.10
a child from a Christian
snatched from his arms.
00:16:25.10\00:16:27.26
I don't know
it's just my thoughts
00:16:27.26\00:16:29.10
of what could have happened
00:16:29.10\00:16:30.10
because there was a
great deal of persecution
00:16:30.10\00:16:32.60
to the Christians in this area.
00:16:32.60\00:16:34.86
In and into the angel of
the church of Smyrna write.
00:16:46.06\00:16:49.03
These things say at the first
00:16:49.03\00:16:50.46
and the last which
was dead and is alive.
00:16:50.46\00:16:53.80
I know they works in
tribulation and poverty,
00:16:53.80\00:16:57.13
but they aren't rich
00:16:57.13\00:16:58.60
and I know the blasphemy of them
00:16:58.60\00:17:00.30
which say
they're Jews and are not,
00:17:00.30\00:17:02.76
but are the synagogue of Satan.
00:17:02.76\00:17:05.00
"Fear none of those things
00:17:05.00\00:17:06.36
which thou shalt suffer: behold,
00:17:06.36\00:17:08.66
the devil shall cast
some of you into prison,
00:17:08.66\00:17:11.40
that ye may be tried,
00:17:11.40\00:17:12.96
and ye shall have
tribulation ten days,
00:17:12.96\00:17:16.20
be thou faithful unto death,
00:17:16.20\00:17:18.06
and I will give
thee a crown of life.
00:17:18.06\00:17:22.00
He that hath an ear,
00:17:22.00\00:17:23.13
let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches,
00:17:23.13\00:17:26.33
He that overcometh shall not
be hurt of the second death."
00:17:26.33\00:17:30.30
As you can see AWR is
frontline mission radio.
00:17:32.00\00:17:36.06
Our first priority is to travel
00:17:36.06\00:17:37.80
where missionaries cannot go.
00:17:37.80\00:17:40.36
We broadcast thousands of hours
00:17:40.36\00:17:42.33
each day in 70 major
languages of the world.
00:17:42.33\00:17:46.20
AWR has the capability
and capacity of blanketing
00:17:46.20\00:17:49.06
almost 80% of the
world's population.
00:17:49.06\00:17:52.36
Not only do we
broadcast via shortwave radio,
00:17:52.36\00:17:55.50
but our signal is on
over 1000 FM and AM stations
00:17:55.50\00:17:59.23
around the world as well.
00:17:59.23\00:18:01.40
Our podcast
subscribers, Internet users
00:18:01.40\00:18:04.46
0satellite
downlinks are growing rapidly,
00:18:04.46\00:18:06.83
evidenced by the
hundred thousand plus
00:18:06.83\00:18:09.06
emails, letters, and phone calls
00:18:09.06\00:18:11.66
we receive each and every year.
00:18:11.66\00:18:13.70
Yes, AWR is your mission radio.
00:18:13.70\00:18:17.00
No walls and no borders.
00:18:17.00\00:18:18.86
For AWR that means changed lives
00:18:18.86\00:18:20.76
and changed
hearts around the world,
00:18:20.76\00:18:22.60
because God is
using the airwaves of AWR
00:18:22.60\00:18:26.16
to reach people everywhere.
00:18:26.16\00:18:27.70
Here is another story of
hope from Adventist World Radio.
00:18:31.93\00:18:36.46
My name is Benjamin Schoun,
00:18:36.46\00:18:37.93
President of
Adventist World Radio.
00:18:37.93\00:18:40.33
Let me tell you about
our work in North Korea,
00:18:40.33\00:18:42.80
a Nation
governed by a powerfully
00:18:42.80\00:18:44.90
repressive communist regime,
00:18:44.90\00:18:47.00
where any form of evangelism
is strictly forbidden.
00:18:47.00\00:18:50.13
Adventists World Radio makes
00:18:50.13\00:18:51.86
daily shortwave
broadcast to North Korea
00:18:51.86\00:18:54.36
spreading the hope
of Christ to a nation
00:18:54.36\00:18:56.50
utterly devoid of Christianity.
00:18:56.50\00:18:59.30
It's extremely rare
00:18:59.30\00:19:00.93
that we make any contact
with listeners in North Korea.
00:19:00.93\00:19:04.56
However through communication
with North Korean refugees,
00:19:04.56\00:19:07.86
we're encouraged to know
00:19:07.86\00:19:09.16
that people are
listening to our programs.
00:19:09.16\00:19:12.10
We pray that our
listeners in North Korea
00:19:12.10\00:19:14.46
will receive God's word
and find salvation in Christ.
00:19:14.46\00:19:18.73
Adventist World Radio
shares the hope of Christ
00:19:20.70\00:19:24.50
with millions
of people everyday.
00:19:24.50\00:19:27.40
For more
information visit awr.org.
00:19:27.40\00:19:31.26
John speaks of
tribulation lasting ten days.
00:19:34.76\00:19:38.13
The suffering and poverty
00:19:38.13\00:19:39.40
of their
community was well known
00:19:39.40\00:19:41.43
and caused by Roman oppression
and the Jewish community
00:19:41.43\00:19:44.23
that did not
accept Christianity.
00:19:44.23\00:19:47.46
The city was famous
for its loyalty to Rome
00:19:47.46\00:19:50.00
and was happy to persecute
Christians to please Rome.
00:19:50.00\00:19:54.26
The ten day
period of tribulation
00:19:54.26\00:19:56.00
has been viewed by
scholars in two different ways.
00:19:56.00\00:19:59.50
The first is the day for a year
00:19:59.50\00:20:00.96
principle the Bible sets
forth in Numbers and Ezekiel.
00:20:00.96\00:20:05.16
If it is
understood in this manner,
00:20:05.16\00:20:07.00
the ten years fits
with the period 303 to 313.
00:20:07.00\00:20:12.00
During this time
Diocletian and his associates
00:20:12.00\00:20:14.66
conducted the most
bitter campaign of annihilation
00:20:14.66\00:20:17.80
of Christianity ever suffered
at the hands of Pagan Rome.
00:20:17.80\00:20:21.06
If on the other hand
00:20:23.50\00:20:24.86
it is a literal ten day
period and not prophetic time.
00:20:24.86\00:20:28.60
It could then mean a
brief period of persecution
00:20:28.60\00:20:30.93
that the Christians of Smyrna
00:20:30.93\00:20:32.26
no doubt suffered
in apostolic times.
00:20:32.26\00:20:35.40
This too is a sound
biblical interpretation.
00:20:35.40\00:20:39.13
Gladiator games could
have been referenced here
00:20:39.13\00:20:41.30
as their time of persecution.
00:20:41.30\00:20:43.83
Inscriptions have
been found in the Agora,
00:20:43.83\00:20:45.80
speaking of
gladiator games for five days.
00:20:45.80\00:20:48.16
The stories of martyrdom
00:20:50.63\00:20:51.76
associated with
these games is very common.
00:20:51.76\00:20:54.50
Popular punishment
00:20:57.50\00:20:58.63
reserved for
Christians were crucifixion,
00:20:58.63\00:21:00.90
burning or been
thrown to wild animals
00:21:00.90\00:21:03.56
often carried out in
open places of assembly.
00:21:03.56\00:21:06.10
Your son is still a
drug addict apparently,
00:21:08.46\00:21:12.53
your sister's son has died.
00:21:12.53\00:21:15.16
Now what happens in your life?
00:21:15.16\00:21:17.30
And the charismatic church
00:21:17.30\00:21:19.40
they never talk
about the Sabbath day.
00:21:19.40\00:21:21.90
So I decided to pray to God.
00:21:25.43\00:21:28.33
I prayed Lord you
see and know the pain
00:21:30.80\00:21:34.30
that I'm going through inside.
00:21:34.30\00:21:36.33
Please guide me
to the real church.
00:21:36.33\00:21:38.93
I heard that over
Saturday and Sunday,
00:21:41.03\00:21:44.13
they have
translated Bible messages
00:21:44.13\00:21:46.73
by the name of Voice of Hope.
00:21:46.73\00:21:49.73
I heard them
talk about Saturday.
00:21:49.73\00:21:52.83
They told us to write them
00:21:52.83\00:21:54.46
and they will sent my way
free Bible study homework.
00:21:54.46\00:21:59.63
So I wrote them a letter
00:21:59.63\00:22:01.30
and received my first
lessons from the Bible school.
00:22:01.30\00:22:06.16
I was studying for about a year.
00:22:06.16\00:22:08.50
And then they offered to
go little bit more in-depth,
00:22:08.50\00:22:12.86
I passed that as well.
00:22:12.86\00:22:15.40
At the end of my lessons
00:22:15.40\00:22:17.40
they offered me a
church where I went.
00:22:17.40\00:22:20.60
It was an Adventist
Church of the Seventh-day.
00:22:20.60\00:22:25.03
Everything that
is said in church,
00:22:25.03\00:22:27.60
I always make sure
to check for myself
00:22:27.60\00:22:30.36
before following
what the word says.
00:22:30.36\00:22:33.43
I was baptized
there and for two years
00:22:35.76\00:22:39.46
I'm a part of this church.
00:22:39.46\00:22:42.36
I see the smile on your face,
so I know you have happiness.
00:22:42.36\00:22:45.83
But I imagine you still
have trails and problems,
00:22:45.83\00:22:48.50
but God has helped you.
00:22:48.50\00:22:50.00
I want to say that today
00:22:53.00\00:22:54.70
my son has been
drug free for four years.
00:22:54.70\00:22:57.80
I praise the
Lord, he is a Baptist
00:22:59.63\00:23:03.06
and he is
walking with God today.
00:23:03.06\00:23:06.16
I use to attend a Baptist church
00:23:06.16\00:23:08.76
and I know that God is with him
00:23:08.76\00:23:11.43
and will guide him.
00:23:11.43\00:23:13.40
So God is
working in his life too.
00:23:13.40\00:23:15.70
Yes of course praise
Him, praise the Lord.
00:23:17.46\00:23:20.66
Today I hug my son,
00:23:23.83\00:23:26.13
we tell each other how
much we love one another
00:23:26.13\00:23:29.83
and we pray together.
00:23:29.83\00:23:31.40
My son has changed a lot.
00:23:31.40\00:23:34.16
He even appreciate his father.
00:23:34.16\00:23:38.26
Christ the Lord, God bless us,
I can't ask for anything else.
00:23:38.26\00:23:44.16
So all of the time
and energy and the money
00:23:44.16\00:23:47.66
and the people that are put
00:23:47.66\00:23:49.53
into producing the AWR
programs are all worth it,
00:23:49.53\00:23:52.80
because you are here.
00:23:52.80\00:23:53.93
I pray to God and I told God,
00:23:55.30\00:23:58.10
said if you take my
son away from these drugs,
00:23:58.10\00:24:01.30
I promise that I
will share this gospel
00:24:01.30\00:24:04.23
everywhere I go,
I'll spread Your word.
00:24:04.23\00:24:08.00
Really, I'm really so happy
00:24:08.00\00:24:09.50
that your story
does have a happy ending.
00:24:09.50\00:24:11.56
Many years after the persecution
00:24:18.13\00:24:19.80
by the early
church of Revelation,
00:24:19.80\00:24:22.16
another person was persecuted
by the name of Polycarp.
00:24:22.16\00:24:25.63
Polycarp was the bishop
00:24:25.63\00:24:27.10
here of the church in the
area lived here for many years.
00:24:27.10\00:24:29.86
But he too for his
faith was martyred.
00:24:29.86\00:24:33.03
A letter known as
the Martyrdom of Polycarp
00:24:33.03\00:24:35.20
states that he was taken
on the day of the Sabbath
00:24:35.20\00:24:37.96
and killed on the Great Sabbath.
00:24:37.96\00:24:40.00
They hung him on the
funeral pyre of fire,
00:24:40.00\00:24:42.80
but he was not
destroyed, and in frustration
00:24:42.80\00:24:45.46
they finally
stabbed him to death.
00:24:45.46\00:24:47.90
He was faithful to the
end for his faith also.
00:24:47.90\00:24:50.23
But persecution only
made the Christians stronger.
00:24:54.83\00:24:57.86
They grew in numbers
00:24:57.86\00:24:58.96
and in faith as
they endured the pain
00:24:58.96\00:25:00.80
and suffering heaped upon them.
00:25:00.80\00:25:03.43
Lilya is the same.
00:25:03.43\00:25:05.40
She has endured
tremendous hardship
00:25:05.40\00:25:07.50
and suffering even
from her own family,
00:25:07.50\00:25:10.40
but despite the devils onslaught
00:25:10.40\00:25:12.60
she has remained faithful.
00:25:12.60\00:25:14.33
Lilya suffered the heartache
00:25:19.10\00:25:20.86
of so many parents
all around the world.
00:25:20.86\00:25:23.66
She watched her son go down
00:25:23.66\00:25:25.66
into the depth of
hell in drug abuse.
00:25:25.66\00:25:29.53
For her, it was a
kind of persecution.
00:25:29.53\00:25:33.33
How could she stand it?
00:25:33.33\00:25:36.06
She even suffered
physically and materially
00:25:36.06\00:25:38.53
from it as her son
sold the possessions
00:25:38.53\00:25:41.76
of their house to
support his drug habit.
00:25:41.76\00:25:45.30
But God was
faithful and she responded.
00:25:45.30\00:25:49.83
The Voice of Hope did its job
00:25:49.83\00:25:54.03
as an instrument of
God and gave her hope.
00:25:54.03\00:25:58.13
I'm standing here
00:25:58.13\00:25:59.23
in the place of
the old city of Smyrna.
00:25:59.23\00:26:02.50
There was a Christian
church here in Smyrna.
00:26:03.83\00:26:07.50
It received the
letter from our Lord
00:26:07.50\00:26:10.03
as recorded in the
Book of Revelation.
00:26:10.03\00:26:12.66
In this letter it told how they
would be severely persecuted.
00:26:12.66\00:26:17.06
But then it also said
00:26:17.06\00:26:19.90
keep faithful even
to the point of death
00:26:19.90\00:26:23.30
and you'll
receive a crown of life.
00:26:23.30\00:26:27.06
Lilya is looking
forward to that heavenly reward.
00:26:27.06\00:26:30.66
But she also found that God
00:26:30.66\00:26:33.53
gave her a sustaining
power for her life even now,
00:26:33.53\00:26:38.46
power to cope, the
encouragement of hope.
00:26:38.46\00:26:44.33
You may have a
trial in your life
00:26:44.33\00:26:46.60
that you're facing right now.
00:26:46.60\00:26:48.56
God will help you.
00:26:48.56\00:26:51.33
I invite you to
join with AWR as well.
00:26:51.33\00:26:54.90
As we bring hope
00:26:54.90\00:26:56.26
to the thousands of
people around the world
00:26:56.26\00:26:59.06
who have very difficult
circumstances in their lives.
00:26:59.06\00:27:02.76
Let's give them
something to live for.
00:27:02.76\00:27:04.80
Christians are no longer
dying in Roman amphitheatres.
00:27:06.43\00:27:09.36
But they're dying nonetheless,
they're giving up their lives,
00:27:09.36\00:27:12.53
because they love the
gospel of Jesus Christ so much.
00:27:12.53\00:27:15.56
I hope that
you'll partner with us
00:27:15.56\00:27:17.56
to spread the
gospel to these people
00:27:17.56\00:27:19.50
who're hungry and thirsty.
00:27:19.50\00:27:21.06
If you've like to
do that, give us a call
00:27:21.06\00:27:23.26
1-866-503-3531 or
you can write us at
00:27:23.26\00:27:28.40
12501 Old Columbia Pike,
Silver Spring, Maryland 20904
00:27:28.40\00:27:34.93
or log on to www.awr.org.
00:27:34.93\00:27:40.10
Thank you for watching
and please join us again
00:27:40.10\00:27:42.03
for another
exciting gospel adventure,
00:27:42.03\00:27:43.96
because around the
world AWR is making waves.
00:27:43.96\00:27:47.33