Participants: Jim Ayer
Series Code: MW
Program Code: MW000043
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00:01 We can't show you his face and we can't tell you his name,
00:03 But wait till you hear his story. 01:15 Modern day istanbul was most likely settled 01:17 Shortly after noah's flood. 01:20 Settlements have been discovered 01:21 Dating back before the phoenicians. 01:25 Many will know the first name of the settlement as byzantine, 01:28 Name for king byzas in 667 b.C. 01:32 Until it was renamed the city of constantine 01:34 Or constantinople in 330 a.D. 01:40 During the reign of justinian i in 527, 01:43 The population grew to over 500,000. 01:47 From that point the population began to decline 01:49 Over the next 900 years to low of approximately 36,000 in 1453. 01:57 Today istanbul is a city of more than 12 million people. 02:01 Historically the city has been one of the world's largest 02:04 And most important cities during much of its history. 02:13 I'm standing here in the middle of the hippodrome. 02:16 The hippodrome in the middle of istanbul, turkey, 02:19 One of the oldest cities i'm told of all the world 02:22 Over 5,000 years old they say. 02:26 Right here is an obelisk that was brought all the way 02:28 From egypt from luxor actually. 02:31 How they got it here, i don't know because they say 02:32 It was three times the size it is now. 02:36 Right around me is where they had the chariot races. 02:39 Constantine's palace was right here, 02:41 Perhaps he watched the chariot races in flock, 02:44 Makes me think of ben-Hur. 02:45 What a phenomenal city of history. 02:54 The obelisk is placed on a base 02:56 That depicts actually theodosius. 02:58 Theodosius was the ruler at the time 03:00 And he is holding the laurel wreath 03:02 And he is ready to crown the riders. 03:04 Now the riders are down here at the chariot races. 03:06 And hopefully we'll be able to get a good look here 03:09 At what the riders, i mean everyone of them, 03:11 They are awful lot in the race. 03:14 This country is so full of history 03:16 And so full of excitement, it's amazing. 03:25 I'm here today with a very special guest. 03:27 Unfortunately we can't reveal his real name to you 03:30 And we can't tell the exact location where we are, 03:34 Although people will be able to figure that out very soon. 03:37 And you can't see his face because of security reasons, 03:40 Because of issues he is going to share. 03:43 Hakan, thank you for being with us today. Thank you. 03:47 Hakan, we can't show your face today, 03:50 Why, why is that? What's your story? 03:54 Well, because of the security problems in my country. 03:59 It's not safe to show my face to people, 04:01 Because it will be easy for them 04:04 To figure out who this person is. 04:07 Because you actually have a story 04:09 About being a muslim in islam religion 04:13 And you are no longer a muslim. 04:17 Yes, i am no longer a muslim. 04:22 Let me tell you my testimony if you want. Please. 04:26 When i was a child i grew up in a muslim family. 04:33 And my parents were strong muslims, 04:36 Though they were not fanatical. 04:38 My father used to push me to go to the mosque. 04:42 And i used to listen to the sermon at the mosque, 04:45 Given by the imam. 04:48 And those sermons didn't make any sense to me. 04:52 Because the imam used to tell us that even if we are good people 04:59 All along our lives that was no guarantee 05:02 That we would be saved in a way. 05:06 And our salvation only depended on god's last decision. 05:11 So in my childish mind 05:16 That seemed to be a contradiction to me. 05:20 And i started to keep away from religion for awhile. 05:25 And then years passed by, 05:28 But still i had this hunger in my heart to follow... 05:32 To find the truth. 05:35 And i started to work in tourism. 05:42 And one day we had a family from a country in europe. 05:50 And we made friends with them, 05:54 Because they were so polite, they were so friendly. 05:58 And i made friends with some of the family too. 06:04 Then i noticed something 06:06 Which was very different in his character. 06:09 He was willing to listen to me. 06:12 That was something very important to me, 06:15 Because even my own parents, 06:17 They were not willing to listen to me 06:19 When i tried to ask them questions, 06:22 Especially about my religion. 06:25 Maybe they were thinking that in my childish mind 06:30 I was not intelligent enough 06:36 To grasp the truth or i was not able to understand 06:41 What they were going to explain to me. 06:44 But this guy was listening to me. 06:46 And one day i tried to ask about his religion, 06:56 But i was hesitant to ask it. 07:00 I tried to find out the source of his humbleness. 07:05 And then he told me that he was a christian, 07:10 But he was adventist. 07:13 Well i was surprised to hear two things at the same time. 07:18 Because until that time i didn't hear of anything 07:23 Called adventism and i heard only-- 07:27 I heard of only christianity until then. 07:31 And plus when i was working at the hotel, 07:37 We had some visitors from european countries. 07:43 And whenever i tried to ask a question to them 07:46 About their religion and they told me 07:49 That well "are you muslim?" 07:53 I told them yes, yes i am. 07:55 And they asked me, "so why are you asking these questions?" 08:03 "It's none of your concern" 08:04 They told me. And i was sad. 08:08 Do you know why they said, it's none of your concern. 08:11 I don't know, i don't know. 08:13 Maybe, i thought to myself. 08:17 That maybe they don't-- 08:18 They didn't like the muslim people. Probably. 08:23 But this guy he didn't tell me anything negative. 08:30 And then i asked him, 08:32 "Would you explain to me what adventism is? 08:35 I heard about christianity before 08:38 But i don't know what adventism is." 08:42 So he told me about the seventh day, 08:45 He told me about the sabbath 08:48 And he told me about the second coming of christ. 08:52 And he pointed out jesus as the savior, 08:58 Not for the christians, but also for the whole world 09:03 If they accept him as the savior. 09:06 So, well, finally i was happy to hear the salvation message 09:11 Because i had no salvation message in my religion. 09:16 Right then from a tourist, 09:18 You heard the salvation message. Yes, exactly. 09:23 On the 29th of may 1453, 09:27 Sultan mehmed ii captured constantinople 09:30 After a 53 day siege 09:32 And proclaimed constantinople 09:34 The new capital of the ottoman empire. 09:37 The first duty of the sultan was to stimulate 09:40 The failed economy of the city. 09:43 He created the grand bazaar 09:44 And invited the fleeing orthodox 09:46 And catholic inhabitants to return. 09:51 The bazaar is here, the people, they are incredible. 09:54 They are friendly. 09:55 They probably know every language on planet earth 09:58 Because they are salesmen. 09:59 They are historical salesmen 10:01 From hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years. 10:03 From europe, asia, this is the area 10:06 That everybody came to trade. 10:08 Matter of fact i am told on a regular basis 10:10 Every year they trade 220,000 pounds of gold 10:16 And jewels, carpets, 10:18 Their carpets are absolutely fabulous. 10:20 You've got to come and check it out. 10:37 As you can see awr is frontline mission radio. 10:40 Our first priority is to travel where missionaries cannot go. 10:45 We broadcast thousands of hours each day 10:48 In 70 major languages of the world. 10:51 Awr has the capability and capacity of blanketing 10:54 Almost 80% of the world's population. 10:57 Not only do we broadcast via shortwave radio, 11:00 But our signal is on over 1000 fm and am stations 11:04 Around the world as well. 11:06 Our podcast subscribers, internet users, 11:09 Satellite downlinks are growing rapidly, 11:12 Evidenced by the hundred thousand plus emails, 11:14 Letters, and phone calls we receive each and every year. 11:18 Yes, awr is your mission radio. 11:22 No walls and no borders. 11:23 For awr that means changed lives and changed hearts 11:26 Around the world, because god is using 11:29 The airwaves of awr to reach people everywhere. 11:38 Mehmed ii also built great architecture monuments 11:42 Including the sultan mosque in topkapi palace. 11:45 Initial construction began in 1459. 11:49 The complex is made up of four main courtyards 11:52 And many smaller buildings. 11:58 Right behind me, perhaps in this very spot 12:02 Is where mehmed ii actually walked, 12:04 The great sultan of his time. 12:06 In 1459, i believe it was, he built his palace, 12:09 His home right here on the bosphorus, topkapi. 12:14 You can see through the gate here, the blue mosque 12:16 Above my shoulder hagia sophia. 12:19 It's an area that's filled with history, 12:21 Filled with excitement, filled with grandeur. 12:23 Let's check it out. 12:30 This royal residence in its glory days 12:32 Was home to as many as 4,000 people. 12:36 The palace was the main residence of the sultan 12:38 And his court and initially the seat of government 12:41 For the ottoman empire. 12:45 I'm standing in the sultan's imperial hall, 12:47 This is where he greeted guests, this is where he entertained, 12:51 It's not hard to imagine 12:52 Looking right out there seeing the sultan 12:54 And all of his guests right now. 13:04 We are at the sultan's harem. 13:05 At the height of its glory there were 1200 concubines. 13:09 Let's see what's inside. 13:25 Perhaps the women of the harem stood right here 13:28 And looked into this mirror to see their beauty. 13:30 Was this beauty good enough for the sultan 13:32 That they could be chosen as one of the wives, 13:34 One of the special ones. 13:43 Here is one of the fireplaces in the harem. 13:45 Why do you need a fireplace? 13:47 I couldn't imagine why 13:48 Until i talked with someone here in istanbul. 13:50 They said it gets three feet of snow. 13:53 No wonder the sultan prepared a fireplace for his ladies. 14:01 Apparently this is some more of the ice in tile, 14:05 The area where they made tile for sultan 14:08 For anybody who is anybody. 14:14 I am told there are over 20,000 different pieces of tiles 14:17 In some of these areas. 14:18 The sultan made it illegal for anybody else to order tile 14:22 Until his project was done, but beauty beyond compare. 14:31 Great kitchens provided lavish meals and nourishments. 14:35 And dormitories, gardens, libraries, 14:37 Schools and mosques were available. 14:42 This grand gate was built in 1524. 14:45 From this location the sultan would greet the official guest 14:48 And if he didn't like you, after he disapproved 14:51 He would strangle you in the very spot. 15:01 After the end of ottoman empire in 1921, 15:05 Topkapi palace was transformed 15:07 Into a museum of the imperial era. 15:10 The palace is filled with large collections of porcelain, 15:14 Robes, weapons, armor, and religious relics. 15:26 What happened next, i mean 15:27 I know your life has been totally changed. 15:30 Share more with me. Yeah. 15:33 After two week he went back to his country. 15:40 And then we started to correspond with each other. 15:44 And he sent me a letter and he told me in his letter 15:47 That he had a friend in my city who was a pastor, 15:53 Who was an adventist pastor. 15:55 And he asked me whether if i would meet that pastor or not. 16:01 And i told him that i was going to be glad to meet him. 16:07 And then i met that pastor in my city 16:11 And he had the same kind of character 16:15 And he was so polite and humble. 16:18 And then we made friends with that pastor too. 16:23 And he started to teach me about the bible and christ. 16:29 And he gave me bible lessons for two years. 16:34 And at the end of these two years 16:36 I decided to be baptized 16:40 And i accepted christ as my personal savior 16:44 And i joined god's family in 1997. 16:50 Tell me about the family, your mom, your dad, 16:53 And your wife now, do they know you're a christian 16:56 And how did that happen if they do? 16:59 Well, my wife and my father, they know about that. 17:06 And they already know that i am an adventist now. 17:10 And i lost my mother seven years ago. 17:14 And they are learning too. 17:17 But you had to keep this secret from them 17:20 And even secret from your wife for years you told me. 17:23 Yes i didn't dare to tell her about my faith for a long time. 17:29 Because i didn't know how she would react. 17:33 I noticed that god also had a plan for my wife too, 17:39 So that she could find out about my belief, finally. 17:44 Our viewers, they need to understand that this just isn't, 17:48 Isn't a little thing that when we need to keep you secret now 17:52 And the things you are sharing. 17:54 This is not a topic 17:56 That the muslim religion tolerates. Yeah. 18:01 Even if we keep it secret for a time 18:07 And god has a plan to reveal this truth to other people. 18:12 And i believe that god has a certain time 18:16 For both my wife and my father 18:21 And with all my heart i believe that 18:23 They will join god's family someday. 18:31 During the reign of sultan mehmed i 18:33 Early in the 17th century 18:36 He decided to build a large mosque to placket allah. 18:39 The mosque was built on the side of the palace 18:42 Of the byzantine emperors 18:43 And facing the hagia sophia and the hippodrome. 18:47 Both sites of great symbolic significance. 18:54 Today the sultan mehmed mosque 18:56 Is commonly known as the blue mosque 18:58 Because of the blue tiles adorning the interior walls. 19:02 There are some 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles 19:05 In more than 50 different tulip designs. 19:10 When the mosque was under construction 19:12 And it was revealed that the plan called for six minarets. 19:15 The sultan was criticized for presumption. 19:18 How could he ever consider 19:20 The idea to rival the number of minarets 19:23 On the great mosque in mecca? 19:25 Who would dare do such a thing? 19:27 He overcame the criticism by paying for seventh minaret 19:30 To be built in mecca. 19:35 The minaret of the muslim mosque 19:37 Has a function specific to worship. 19:39 About 80 years after the death of muhammad, 19:42 Minarets appeared to provide a vantage point 19:45 From which the muezzin called the faithful to prayer. 19:48 Today the mosques are equipped with loudspeakers 19:51 And a microphone. 19:55 The crowds have thinned down little bit, 19:56 So common let's check out the inside. 20:09 The decorations include verses from the qur'an 20:12 And the floors are covered with carpets, 20:14 Which are donated by faithful people 20:16 And are regularly replaced as they wear out. 20:24 Through the radio waves of awr 20:26 God is reaching people around the world. 20:30 We would like to offer you an edition of making wave. 20:32 It's four of our episodes 20:33 Brought to you from around the world. 20:36 God speaking to hearts, 20:38 The hearts of listeners of awr exciting stories. 20:40 We hope that you'll share those with friends and neighbors, 20:43 Apprentices, anyone who come in and contact with. 20:45 Join us to make waves, it's completely free. 20:49 Right now the information is on your screen. 20:52 For your free no obligation dvd, 20:55 Write to adventist world radio 20:57 12501 old columbia pike silver spring, maryland 21:01 20904 or call 1-866-503-3531 21:09 Or log on to www.Awr.Org/mwdvd. 21:16 Be sure to request offer number 10, 21:18 That number again is 1-866-503-3531. 21:30 Early, early in the morning, i mean very early, 21:34 From these loudspeakers at top of all these minarets, 21:37 Not only these but mosque all over the country, 21:40 The sound for prayer goes out. 21:43 Calling, calling, come to prayer, come to prayer. 21:47 Now, what's very interesting is while 99% of the population 21:52 In this country is muslim, it's a secular state. 21:56 It's a very interesting mix of how secularism 22:00 And the muslims work together here in the country. 22:10 As in 2007, there were 2,944 active mosques in istanbul. 22:15 Anyone who visits will realize that during prayer time. 22:22 The songs of muslim prayers ring out five times a day, 22:25 Early morning, noon, afternoon, sunset and evening. 22:30 In istanbul the sound of prayers coming 22:32 From almost 3,000 mosques simultaneously, 22:35 It's a sound you won't forget. 22:55 But not all is good for you, i understand the police 22:58 Kicked you all out of church. 23:00 How was your church, 23:01 Tell us a little bit about that? 23:03 Well, our church building here is not registered 23:07 As a church building. 23:09 And according to the turkish constitution 23:13 It is not legal to meet for praying purpose, 23:17 For worshipping purpose in a building. 23:22 So when we meet together on sabbath day 23:28 It is considered to be an illegal meeting, 23:31 According to our constitution. 23:33 So that's why police come every now 23:36 And then to check whether we meet there or not. 23:41 And a couple of months ago they came again 23:45 And they found us worshipping and they took our identity cards 23:51 And they wrote our names down. 23:55 And they warned us not to meet there again. 23:59 So it's very disturbing situation for us. 24:06 Hakan, have you heard of awr? 24:08 Yes! Yes, i did. 24:10 You told me that you have talked with many muslims 24:14 That are searching and our programs, 24:17 You understand they are making a difference in their lives. 24:21 Yeah, yes. 24:23 If they hear these programs, so they can maybe practice 24:33 What they heard on the program in their own lives. 24:37 So that can be opportunity for them to change their lives. 24:44 So it can be a very good example for them. 24:49 Your brother muslims, there are probably be muslims watching. 24:52 What would you like to tell them? 24:57 I want to tell them that god has always a plan for everybody. 25:02 Even if they are away from the truth 25:06 There is a certain time that god determined for them 25:09 To find out the truth. 25:12 And they should never think that 25:15 it is impossible to find the way of God. 25:20 And just like with me, 25:23 God will always make it possible 25:27 for them to come to Himself. 25:30 And they must keep in mind that they have a savior 25:39 and they have a message of salvation. 25:42 And God is always taking care of them. 25:48 My brother Hakan, hold fast to the end brother. 25:51 Thank you very much. 25:53 We appreciate this a great deal. 25:55 Thank you very much. God bless you. 26:01 In the Old Testament Book of Isaiah 65:1, 26:06 God says, "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me, 26:13 I was found by those who did not seek me." 26:16 That's what happened in the story we saw today of Hakan, 26:20 here in this greatcountry of Turkey, 26:22 some 70 million plus people. 26:26 It's amazing when you think about it. 26:28 This was the place of the founding 26:30 of church growth in Christianity. 26:32 The Apostle Paul came here on his missionary journeys 26:35 and founded a number of churches. 26:38 But then through the centuries things changed 26:41 and Christians almost disappeared from this land. 26:44 Isn't that wonderful that once again there are people 26:48 who are making the decision for Jesus Christ. 26:51 Those who want to follow Him 26:53 and they are the seed of the beginning 26:56 of another new growth of Christianity 26:58 in this country of Turkey. 27:00 I want you to join us at AWR 27:02 as we broadcast to people like Hakan, 27:06 not only here in Turkey, 27:07 but in another places all around the world. 27:11 If you would like to partner with us 27:12 to reach people around the world, 27:14 give us a call right now. 27:15 1-866-503-3531 or you can write 27:20 to 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 27:26 or log on to our website at www.awr.org. 27:32 Thank you for watching and please join us again 27:34 for another exciting gospel adventure. 27:37 Because around the world AWR is making waves. |
Revised 2014-12-17