Participants: Jim Ayer
Series Code: MW
Program Code: MW000041
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00:01 As a Communist she thought
00:02 that there just must be more to life than this. 00:03 But what was it? 00:05 Jesus told the Ephesians to persevere, 00:08 and that's exactly what she did. 00:10 She persevered until she found 00:13 that loving relationship with Jesus Christ 00:15 Stay tuned to find out more. 01:21 Istanbul, historically known as Byzantine and Constantinople 01:26 is the largest city in Turkey 01:28 and sits on the border between Europe and Asia. 01:50 The city straddles the Bosporus strait, 01:53 which is the waterway between the Black Sea and Marmara sea. 01:57 It is world's narrowest strait 01:59 used for international navigation. 02:01 And is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. 02:05 Giving Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, and Georgia 02:09 access to the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. 02:21 Behind me is the Bosporus, 02:22 the dividing point between east and west, 02:25 between different civilizations, different cultures. 02:28 Yesterday we took a cruise 02:29 that I want to share with you right now. 02:31 Some phenomenal things we saw. 02:34 You'll be amazed at the castles 02:36 and buildings of the culture of the people you see. 03:13 Along the nineteen mile route 03:15 are the remains of the Rumelian Castle. 03:18 Built at the narrowest point of the strait 03:20 by the Ottoman Sultan Mohammed II in 1451. 03:24 Before he conquered Constantinople. 03:27 At the confluence of the Black Sea 03:29 and the Bosporus on the Asian side 03:32 of the Straits sits Yoros Castle. 03:38 Remains in the area date back to centuries B.C. 03:41 remains of Yoros Castle date back to 1305. 03:56 Lidia, it's so good to be with you in your home today. 03:58 I appreciate the invitation. 04:01 I'm very happy that God planned for us to meet. 04:05 It's all about the Lord, isn't it? Yes. 04:10 Now, I understand we're here today 04:12 because you're now a Christian but it wasn't always so. 04:17 It wasn't always like this. 04:19 Can you share a little of that. 04:22 Foreign language 04:27 Christ lives in our hearts since our birth 04:31 and Holy Spirit is always working in our heart. 04:38 I became an Adventist in 1995. 04:41 But I was baptized in 2003. 04:45 So did you go to church at all when you where child? 04:49 No. Later on in life did you go? 04:53 Yes, to the Orthodox Church. 04:56 Now I understand you're a schoolteacher. 04:59 Yes, I was a teacher. 05:01 Did you teach communism to the student? 05:08 During the communism I wasn't a teacher then. 05:15 I was a bookkeeper and a tax inspector. 05:19 It's hard for me to imagine, 05:22 growing up in a totally free country. 05:25 What was it like for you at the time before Perestroika? 05:31 Each family had their own opinion back then, 05:34 about the communists then. 05:37 It wasn't clear to everyone back then like it is today. 05:42 But somewhere along the line here 05:44 over these years as you're thinking 05:47 you came across the radio program is that correct? 05:52 Yes. Share with me what happened if you would. 05:58 I started to have a different attitude with my close ones. 06:02 But in the first place, it was my way toward life. 06:06 And my relationship with my neighbors, 06:09 slowly I started changing as a person. 06:14 You say a miracle way. 06:16 Why do you call it a miracle way 06:18 that you had these changes. 06:21 This happened slowly and steady. 06:24 The first time I noticed that I started to change. 06:27 It was a conversation with my son, 06:30 when he asked me why are you going 06:33 to this church on Saturday. 06:36 If I can I want to go back just for a second to. 06:40 Tell me what the Lidia of the old days 06:42 used to be like before, 06:44 because if everyone started seeing these changes, 06:47 you must have been very different. 06:54 Well, I was left without my husband 06:58 and having no money followed with that. 07:01 All my problems in life were almost like small explosions. 07:05 This made me jump. 07:07 I wasn't stable, I always told my son more 07:10 than he needed to know while raising my voice at him. 07:20 When he asked me the questions, where are you going? 07:23 I ask him if he sees the difference in me 07:26 from before and how I'm now. 07:30 And what did he reply to you? 07:34 He didn't answer me 07:35 and never again did he ask me why I went to church. 07:40 Now your neighbors also noticed the difference. 07:43 You must have been fairly, you say loud, 07:46 but it must have been quite a bit to notice the difference. 07:57 Actually with my neighbors I always have a peace. 08:11 But we use to celebrate with a lot of people 08:14 behind a table of food and wine. 08:18 Foreign language 08:23 And after a while I stopped drinking wine. 08:25 And they start to label me. 08:30 So Russians are known for quite a bit of vodka consumption. 08:34 You too before you knew Christ? 08:37 Yes, of course. 08:38 But no alcohol now? 08:40 Yes, somber and it wasn't a bad thing. 08:44 I actually felt a lot better. Amen, amen. 08:48 Now did your students, you were a schoolteacher, 08:51 did your students know the difference? 08:58 I always tried to be very respectful to my students. 09:06 They wouldn't have known the difference in my behavior 09:09 because they knew me when I was with Christ. 09:15 Through the radio waves of AWR 09:17 God is reaching people around the world. 09:21 We'd like to offer you an edition of Making Waves. 09:24 It's four of our episodes brought to you 09:26 from around the world. 09:27 God speaking to hearts, 09:29 the hearts of the listeners of AWR exciting stories. 09:32 We hope that you'll share those with friends and neighbors, 09:35 acquaintances, anyone you come in contact with. 09:37 Join us to make waves. 09:39 It's completely free, 09:40 right now the information is on your screen. 09:44 For your free no obligations DVD 09:46 write to Adventist World Radio, 09:51 Silver Spring, Maryland, 20904 09:55 or call 1-866-503-3531 10:00 or log on to www.awr.org/mwdvd, 10:07 be sure to request offer # 10 10:10 that number again is 1-866-503-3531. 10:18 Here is another story of hope from Adventist World Radio. 10:22 My name is Benjamin Schoun 10:23 and I'm the President of Adventist World Radio. 10:27 Everyday listeners around the Americas 10:29 tune in to Clinica Abierta. 10:31 Quite possibly our most popular program. 10:34 It's a live Spanish language program featuring real doctors 10:38 answering listener phone calls and emails. 10:41 The goal is to provide simple practical medical principles 10:45 to people who often don't live close to a hospital 10:48 or can't afford to see a physician. 10:51 Listener response has been tremendous. 10:53 Each program receives far more questions 10:56 then we can answer in one broadcast. 10:58 It's part of our effort to meet the physical 11:01 as well as the spiritual needs of our listeners. 11:05 Adventists World Radio shares the hope of Christ 11:09 with million of people everyday in their own languages. 11:13 For more information visit awr.org. 11:23 Mohammed II combined the Old Byzantine administration 11:27 into the Ottoman State. 11:29 His reign is also known for religious tolerance 11:31 especially among the conquered Christians. 11:34 Which was very unusual for Europe in the middle ages. 11:39 He kept the Byzantine Church functioning. 11:40 However, in 1453, he also ordered the Hagia Sophia 11:45 to be converted to a mosque. 11:47 The bells, altar icons and sacrificial vessels 11:51 were removed and many of the mosaics 11:53 where eventually plastered over. 11:57 The Mehrab is a Niche in the wall of the mosque 12:00 in the direction of Mecca. 12:02 And the member's pulpit with stairs elevating 12:05 the Imam above the worshipers. 12:07 Here, he can both be seen and heard. 12:11 At a later date before minarets were added. 12:20 Now I understand we have the privilege today 12:22 of being here and it's your first day of retirement? 12:28 They offered me a job as an accountant. 12:32 Now if I can go back when you heard the programs on AWR 12:37 and your life begin to change did you also apply 12:42 for studies at our studio? 12:51 Yes, Voice of Hope sent Bible homework. 12:59 And even if I open the Bible everyday 13:02 and read the text, over that is familiar to me. 13:06 But in this text I find something new 13:10 and something astonishing. 13:15 So you as an educated woman discovered 13:17 something new and exciting. 13:24 It's very nice to hear educated people 13:26 but when a person opens the Bible 13:29 looking for Christ he will always find something 13:32 in the book to help him every time. 13:37 So the foot of the cross is the leveler for all people. 13:41 Yes, yes. 13:43 What would you tell people, what do you tell people, 13:47 why is your life changed? 13:49 How do you share that message with others? 13:51 Because before we got out here today 13:53 you told me that you do share. 13:56 Foreign language 14:04 It's hard to say I usually repeat 14:07 the same things over and over. 14:09 But usually it just depends on 14:12 who the person is and what his situation is. 14:22 One person will be sad 14:23 and another will have challenges in his life. 14:27 And with all these people, 14:29 I try and direct them towards Christ. 14:32 And he's suffering- 14:40 I tell them that it's not about us 14:43 but how we live our lives. 14:49 There's people around the world listening 14:52 and watching to this program 14:53 and they're listening to you, Lidia. 14:56 What would you tell them or why they need Jesus also? 15:01 What kind of comfort have you found? 15:10 I can't imagine my life without Jesus. 15:13 But what can I say about people 15:16 they chose their own road in life. 15:19 But if you want a good life here on Earth 15:23 and life in heaven then we have no other way to Christ. 15:35 Ellen G. White said, path to heaven starts out 15:38 from the road that are here on the Earth. 15:43 I bet you're extremely happy that you've turned 15:45 on that radio there on that day 15:47 and found AWR, aren't you? 15:51 When I first heard that it was something big 15:55 and not understandable. 16:06 In the year 538 God's 1260 year prophecy began 16:12 But one year before that in 537 16:15 the Emperor Justinian built this massive chapel Hagia Sophia 16:20 right on top of two other Christian churches. 16:24 It's is massive, it is tremendous, 16:26 but another interesting thing happened 16:28 in the 15th Century, Islam came in and took it over. 16:32 And that's why you noticed many of the Islamic signatures 16:36 on all the different walls and things. 16:39 Today also you can see outside massive buttresses 16:42 that are building up. 16:44 over here we notice structures 16:46 that are supporting walls. 16:47 They're reworking the place 16:49 but you know if you were over 1400 years old, 16:51 you need some help too. 16:55 The Hagia Sophia was originally constructed 16:57 between 532 A.D and 537 A.D. 17:01 by Emperor Justinian I 17:03 and was the 3rd church to be built on the spot. 17:07 The previous churches were destroyed by riots. 17:14 Its massive dome is considered 17:16 to be pyramid of Byzantine architecture. 17:19 And have to have changed the history of architecture. 17:22 For nearly 1000 years, 17:24 it was the world's largest cathedral until the completion 17:27 of the Seville Cathedral in 1520 A.D. 17:33 Justinian chose the physicist Isidore of Miletus 17:36 and the mathematician Anthemius 17:38 of Tralles as the architects. 17:42 Materials were brought in from all over the empire. 17:45 Including columns from the temple of Artemis at Ephesus 17:48 and various colored stones from Egypt, 17:51 Syria and the Bosporus region. 17:56 Worn by the feet of century 17:58 after century of Christian worshipers. 18:01 And then worn by century 18:02 after century of Islamic worshipers and now tourists. 18:06 Look at where it started out. 18:11 It seems like solid marble 18:12 and it's worn that's far by human traffic. 18:23 As you can see AWR is frontline mission radio. 18:26 Our first priority is to travel where missionaries cannot go. 18:31 We broadcast thousands of hours each day 18:33 in 70 major languages of the world. 18:37 AWR has the capability and capacity of blanketing 18:40 almost 80% of the world's population. 18:43 Not only do we broadcast via shortwave radio, 18:46 but our signal is on over 1000 FM and AM stations 18:50 around the world as well. 18:52 Our podcast subscribers, Internet users, 18:55 satellite downlinks are growing rapidly, 18:57 evidenced by the hundred thousand plus emails, letters, 19:01 and phone calls we receive each and every year. 19:04 Yes, AWR is your mission radio. 19:07 No walls and no borders. 19:09 For AWR that means changed lives 19:11 and changed hearts around the world, 19:13 because God is using the airwaves of AWR 19:17 to reach people everywhere. 19:23 Here is another story of hope 19:25 from Adventist World Radio. 19:27 My name is Benjamin Shoun, 19:28 President of Adventist World Radio. 19:31 Let me tell you about our work in North Korea, 19:33 a nation governed by powerfully 19:35 repressive communist regime 19:37 where any form of evangelism is strictly forbidden. 19:41 Adventist World makes daily shortwave 19:43 broadcast to North Korea. 19:45 Spreading the hope of Christ to a nation 19:47 utterly devoid of Christianity, 19:50 it is extremely rare that we make any contact 19:53 with listeners in North Korea. 19:55 However, through communication with North Korean refugees 19:58 we're encouraged to know 20:00 that people are listening to our programs. 20:02 We pray that our listeners in North Korea 20:05 will receive God's word and find salvation in Christ. 20:11 Adventist World Radio shares the hope of Christ 20:15 with millions of people everyday. 20:18 For more information visit awr.org. 20:24 On May 7th, 558 A.D. 20:26 an earthquake destroyed the main dome. 20:28 The emperor ordered an immediate restoration. 20:32 Isidorus, the nephew of Isidore of Miletus 20:35 was entrusted with restoration. 20:38 He used lighter materials and elevated the dome 20:40 by more than 20 feet, 20:42 bringing the height up to its current 182 feet. 20:46 But this was not the last time the dome 20:48 would be damaged by earthquakes. 20:50 It was again shaken January 869 20:54 and also in October of 989. 21:00 Over the centuries the church was decorated 21:03 with beautiful mosaics 21:04 and at onetime contained many religious relics. 21:11 Designed as a earthly mirror of the heavens 21:14 the interior of Hagia Sophia succeeds 21:16 in imparting a true celestial field. 21:22 The artistic highlights a number of glistening 21:24 figurative mosaics, remains of the decoration 21:28 that once covered the walls 21:29 but have otherwise mostly disappeared. 21:33 The remarkable works of Byzantine art date 21:36 from the 9th Century or later after the iconoclastic era. 21:42 Many churches of this period contain 21:44 icons or images of the Holy Family, 21:47 including Christ at various ages and the apostles. 21:51 Some of the greatest pieces of art 21:52 were to be founded in these cathedrals. 21:55 In 726 Emperor Leo issued a series of edicts 21:58 against the veneration of images 22:00 and ordered the army to destroy all icons. 22:04 It was during this period that the statues 22:07 and all religious pictures 22:08 were removed from the Hagia Sophia. 22:15 In 1935 the first Turkish President Ataturk 22:19 transformed the church turned mosque into a museum. 22:23 The carpets were removed and the marble floor decorations 22:26 appeared for the first time in centuries. 22:28 Expert restorers painstakingly removed 22:31 the plaster covering mosaics. 22:37 The Hagia Sophia was so richly and artistically decorated 22:40 that Justinian proclaimed, "Solomon, I have outdone thee." 22:48 Lidia, tell me how did you first find the AWR program? 22:54 I lived in Ural and there I was searching 22:58 for the program Voice of Hope and I listened to it. 23:03 Also you were actually tuning the dial 23:05 looking for something Christian. 23:08 Yes. Was AWR the first program? 23:12 Yes, program of Voice of Hope. 23:15 What caused you to stop right there or not look anymore? 23:19 Foreign language 23:24 Because the program was built in a very friendly way, 23:28 it was comfortable to listen to Victor's voice 23:39 The good feeling that I receive inside continued, 23:42 so I had no problem listening to it. 23:48 Let's go back to that day share with me if you can, 23:51 and I imagine you can remember, 23:53 what was going through your mind 23:55 and your heart at the moment, 23:56 when you came across that first Christian program? 24:00 They felt like my close friends. 24:04 Wow, I don't know what to say after that. 24:05 That's just wonderful. Okay. 24:09 What's your favorite part of the program 24:11 or do you have a favorite part? 24:13 Well, of course, I waited for the preaching, 24:17 they had small sermons. 24:19 Yes, that's what I was waiting for. 24:22 So that really touched your heart then? 24:24 Yes. Now did they have also a little health talk? 24:31 Yes. There were topics on health. 24:38 But I was mostly waiting for the sermon. 24:46 Isn't that wonderful how God speaks 24:48 to each one of us in a little different way? 24:51 It's a miracle and it's amazing 24:55 and it's all about our life. Amen. 25:03 What a sweet and friendly lady. 25:05 She's the kind of person you just enjoy being around. 25:09 She's so hospitable and happy. 25:12 But apparently she wasn't always that way. 25:15 She told us that earlier in her life sometimes 25:18 she wasn't very patient. 25:20 And sometimes she spoke rather sharply to people. 25:24 But a change came in her life 25:27 and she attributes the change 25:29 to listening to the Voice of Hope. 25:31 Change, transformation, that's what happens 25:37 when the love of Jesus fills a person's heart. 25:42 We're standing here in the- 25:44 what remains in the city of Ephesus. 25:47 One of the churches that the Apostle John 25:50 established so many years ago. 25:54 This is the Temple of Hadrian here 25:56 and that maybe that the Christians worshiped 25:58 in a building somewhere up along this road. 26:02 The Apostle John wrote to the church here in Ephesus 26:05 and in Chapter 5 of his Book of Ephesians verse 1, 26:09 He tells them to be "imitators of God. 26:11 To live a life of love just as Christ loved us." 26:17 That's our goal, that's way Lidia lived 26:20 when she found Christ and I'm sure the people of Ephesus here 26:24 show that kind of love to one another as well. 26:28 We invite you to share your encouragement 26:31 and support with AWR to keep this message on the airwaves. 26:38 There's certainly a lot of people to help. 26:40 The message of Jesus Christ must reach these people. 26:43 If you would like to join AWR 26:44 and partner with us give us a call 26:46 1-866-503-3531 or you can write us at 12501, 26:53 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, 26:55 Maryland, 20904. 26:58 Or log on to our website at www.awr.org. 27:04 Thank you for watching and please join us again 27:06 for another exciting gospel adventure. 27:08 Because around the world AWR is making waves. |
Revised 2014-12-17