Participants: Jim Ayer
Series Code: MW
Program Code: MW000052
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00:01 He was a kind young man, but he was thrown
00:03 into a pit. He was a faithful young man 00:05 of God, but he was thrown into prison. 00:08 Eventually, he was raised to the second command 00:10 of all of Egypt. Two hundred years later 00:13 they carried his mummified remains out 00:15 of the country. Stay tune to find out why. 00:56 Egyptology, the study of the language, history 01:00 and civilization of ancient Egypt. 01:02 The great pyramids and pharaohs, hieroglyphics, 01:06 and the worship of Ra, the sun God. 01:09 Ancient Egypt has been studied by some of the 01:11 world's leading archeologist in the 01:13 subject of countless movies and myths. 01:16 Achievements of the ancient Egyptians 01:18 include a system of mathematics, 01:20 a practical system of medicine, irrigation 01:23 and agricultural systems and the coring, 01:26 surveying, and construction techniques 01:28 that built the ancient pyramids. 01:30 Way of life of these early peoples remain 01:33 much the same for thousands of years, 01:35 but as the climate became increasingly arid, 01:38 the population left the areas of desert for the 01:41 bank of the Nile river. Travel with me now 01:46 to the country of Ethiopia where Haben, 01:48 our AWR producer share stories 01:50 about his listeners from Eritrea. 01:54 When you read letters and I know you 01:56 get letters here at the studio 01:57 and you have people respond about 01:59 your programs. How do those letters touch 02:03 your heart when you hear about other people 02:05 who have struggled like you in such a 02:08 war-torn country empowers on things. 02:10 Okay, after I am working in Eritrea about 2 years 02:13 as a pioneer, I am coming here. 02:15 I am starting to serve here in AWR, 02:17 so I am starting to get some letters 02:20 from our listeners, so many letters 02:23 from Eritrea, e-mail us something, 02:25 from Ethiopia letters and phone calls. 02:28 I got one friend again like this 02:31 who was in military in Eritrean army, 02:35 but now he is in Ethiopia. 02:37 He told to me that when we are producing 02:39 our programs in a radio, when he was in the 02:42 Eritrean battle, I mean in Eritrean country. 02:45 They are starting to hear our radio there, 02:48 and I got so many letters from Eritrea, 02:51 if you have a Bible you cannot read it, 02:55 it's illegal in Eritrea, even the churches 02:58 are all closed in Eritrea. AWR is reaching 03:01 in there and changing lives. Yeah. 03:05 The strategic importance of Eritrea because of 03:09 its Red Sea coastline and mineral resources 03:11 was the main reason for Ethiopia to annex Eritrea 03:15 as a province in 1962. Even though Eritrea 03:19 favored independence, the Eritrean, 03:22 Ethiopian war took place from 1998 to 2000 03:26 between these two African neighbors. 03:28 Eritrea broke international law 03:31 and triggered the war by invading Ethiopia. 03:33 These are two of other world's poorest countries 03:36 and they both spent hundreds of millions 03:39 of dollars on the war, and suffered tens of 03:41 thousands of causalities. The direct consequence 03:44 of the conflict resulted in minor border changes. 03:49 Gideon, an Eritrean Christian served 03:52 in his country's military and like Joseph Abboud 03:55 who spent time in an Egyptian prison 03:57 because of his fidelity to God. 03:59 Gideon was cast into prison no less than 04:02 five times for his strong belief in God. 04:07 You and I have been talking already today 04:10 but I want everyone to hear 04:11 your incredible story. Start early on, 04:13 you were born and raised where? 04:15 In Eritrea. Eritrea. From 1991, it was 04:24 in the corner out of Ethiopia 04:27 and it is independence now. 04:29 Broke out from Ethiopian in 1991? Yeah. 04:34 And what were you doing at that time? 04:36 I was ministering in the orthodoxy's minister. 04:39 What was your position in the Orthodox Church? 04:42 When I was in my high school, 04:45 I was a leader of the fellowship in high school. 04:49 You've always been a Christian then? 04:51 Yeah, when I was 8 just I received 04:56 Jesus Christ as my savior and my Lord. 04:59 But there has been many changes 05:01 in your life I understand. From 1997, 05:05 the Government hit the priests of the orthodox, 05:08 they kicked out. They used ministry 05:11 as the church orthodox and we are searching 05:14 with five of my partners just we are starting 05:21 a church, charismatic order of power. 05:23 How did that happen? The Government kicks 05:25 the whole church out of the country, 05:27 they shuts it down, but now you start 05:28 another church. Yeah, but the Government 05:31 is illegally but the police of the orthodox 05:34 they pushed by the Government to kick out 05:37 the use ministry. And what was the next steps 05:41 in this process of this new church 05:43 that you were forming? From that time up to 1999 05:48 when I had gone to the military by gathering 05:52 the Government order at that time for the use 05:57 the church is growing. This was the time 06:01 that Eritrea and Ethiopia began fighting 06:04 amongst one another. Yeah, and the military 06:10 side of Eritrea, they used all of, 06:13 they used boys and girls and they took 06:17 from everywhere when you are 18 06:21 it is just you go to the military place. 06:24 And during that time what happened 06:26 to your church congregation that you had? 06:29 Of course, some of the ministers 06:31 they remained in that place 06:33 and they lead the church. But now you are off 06:36 to the military, what happens next? 06:38 Already just I will stay for 4 years 06:41 in the military place. The military is 06:44 very bad, but I received the chance 06:47 to preach gospel in that place. 06:49 You are like Paul wherever you were 06:52 you were sharing the gospel message. 06:54 Yeah, sure. Through the Radio Wave of AWR, 06:58 God is reaching people around the world. 07:01 We'd like to offer you an edition of Making Waves. 07:04 It's four of our episodes brought to you 07:06 from around the world. God speaking to hearts, 07:10 the hearts of the listeners of AWR 07:11 exciting stories. We hope that you'll share 07:14 those with friends and neighbors, acquaintances, 07:16 anyone you come in contact with. 07:17 Join us to make waves, it's completely free. 07:20 Right now the information is on your screen. 07:24 For your free, no obligation DVD, 07:27 write to Adventist World Radio, 12501, 07:31 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904, 07:35 or call 1-866-503-3531 or log onto 07:42 www.awr.org/MWDVD. Be sure to request offer 07:49 number 10, that number again 07:51 is 1-866-503-3531. Here is another story 08:00 of hope from Adventist World Radio. 08:03 Tong hated his life always on edge. 08:06 He often found himself angry at the actions 08:09 of others. I lived under the control of people's 08:11 words he says. The anger and hopelessness 08:14 led Tong to wonder if anyone would miss him, 08:17 if he killed himself. The classmate suggested 08:20 Tong tune in to Adventist World Radio. 08:23 Listening that night, Tong heard for the 08:25 first time of a God who loved him 08:27 unconditionally. That night I got back my life 08:31 he says. Tong knows there are many others 08:34 like him in China living in hopelessness, 08:36 believing that no one loves them. 08:38 I pray they find God soon he says. 08:41 Jesus will help them to leave the world of sin. 08:47 Adventist World Radio shares the hope of Christ 08:51 with millions of people everyday. 08:53 For more information visit: www.awr.org. 08:59 We tend to forget or maybe we never think 09:01 about it but of Joseph being an Egypt. 09:03 The children of Israel spending so much time 09:06 in Egypt over 400 years, but Joseph was a 09:09 man of God who did so many mighty things 09:12 in the land of Egypt for the Egyptian too, 09:14 but then one day it records as Joseph died 09:17 and while the Bible does not use the word. 09:20 They mummified Joseph, and when the children 09:23 of Israel left this land they carried 09:25 his mummified remains with them. 09:33 One of the Bibles greatest figures lived 09:35 most of his life in Egypt. His name 09:38 was Joseph. His life was one of trials 09:41 and struggles, sold by his brothers 09:43 into slavery in Egypt, cast into prison 09:46 for a crime he did not commit and forgotten 09:48 by someone he helped, a man from Pharaoh's 09:51 own court. But through it all God did not forget 09:55 him nor leave him. As a young man Joseph father 10:00 sent him out into the desert to take food 10:02 to his other ten brothers. 10:04 But the brothers when they saw Joseph 10:06 they were mad at him, they were upset, 10:08 they were jealous of him because they saw 10:10 his coat in many colors. They took him 10:12 and they cast him down into an area perhaps 10:15 something like this for his certain death. 10:17 Well later on we know the story Joseph 10:20 was sold in the slavery, ended up in the 10:23 house of Potiphar, an Egyptian ruler. 10:25 He was in-charge of all the goods eventually 10:28 because he was so faithful, 10:29 all the goods of Potiphar. The wife had 10:32 designs on young Joseph and she wanted to get 10:34 closure to Joseph but he would have nothing to do 10:37 with it because he was faithful to his God. 10:39 Finally one day she literally rip 10:41 the shirt off his back as Joseph ran away 10:43 but this conniving woman ended up 10:46 making certain death. Joseph ended up 10:48 in Egyptian prison. What to do, what to do, 10:53 would you blame God. Well, Joseph didn't, 10:55 He kept looking up to heaven and knew that 10:57 some day somehow God would deliver him 11:00 from this ugly awful prison. Some people never 11:06 want to share what the war is like 11:07 because it's so traumatic, but do 11:10 you mind sharing just a little bit about 11:11 some of your experiences in the war? 11:13 When I was in the military, the Government 11:16 sent me to a garage to prepare tanks 11:23 something like that. How did you end 11:26 your service? Was the war over, 11:28 you no longer in the military? 11:31 No, no, just after 4 years, just the 11:35 Government gave me a rest to reach my family. 11:39 Then at that time when I was sitting at the church, 11:45 the ministers all gone to the military place. 11:50 Up to this time the church already 11:52 1300 membership and the flocks is not a leader. 11:57 They haven't a leader. Then when I saw 12:00 this church, I would stay in Asmara to lead a 12:03 Church for one year something like that. 12:07 After one year just the Government followed me 12:14 and they catch me and they send me 12:16 to the prison. But before this one when 12:19 I were in the military four, five times just 12:23 I am gone through the prison even 12:25 one of the longest time when I was staying 12:28 in the prison for 9 months 10 days. 12:32 This is very bad place. You were sent 12:35 to the prison? Yeah, of course, 12:37 five times something like that. 12:40 Specifically what reason did you, 12:43 were you put in prison? All the believers, 12:46 the father and the son and the Holy Spirit, 12:49 they persecuted in the Eritrea, 12:51 still up to now the persecution started 12:54 in Eritrea is starting in Asmara legally 12:58 in the Government. And in 19, no, no 2001, 13:04 January' 17th, the whole soldiers in there, 13:11 the military when they got into the church 13:15 and they rounded and they caught 137 13:20 something like that Christians soldiers. 13:23 They caught and they threw to the prison. 13:27 This sounds to me a little bit like a story 13:30 of Joseph and you are following God. 13:32 You've got this big church. You are doing 13:35 everything you can, you've witnessed 13:37 in the service, you are telling everyone 13:38 of the love of God, and you are thrown in prison 13:41 because of it. Did you ever blame God 13:44 for you being in prison? No, no, no, I am not 13:47 blame God but this is the way of gospel. 13:52 I will pass so many hardships in this prison, 13:56 even the officials of the prison they beat me 14:01 and I have so many samples here 14:06 like this one. And those are all over your body. 14:09 Yeah. Scars like that. This one is the sample 14:12 but in all my body. I have so many. 14:16 I know there is many people who eventually 14:19 going to be watching this program, 14:22 listening to your story, their lives are following 14:25 apart and many of them blame God, 14:28 but you don't. Where did you get that faith? 14:31 Where did you get that hope? 14:32 This all I found from the Bible. Jesus Christ 14:36 hanged at the cross, at that time father forgives 14:43 for these people they didn't know 14:45 how the way of you. So many even they, 14:50 so many dead in the prison but there is 14:54 entry search. The Government do 14:57 at this time by the persecution 14:59 and they killed them even so many, 15:03 they passed hardship, but all the Christians, 15:06 they didn't blame God. God gave Pharaoh a dream 15:13 and in the dream God revealed the future 15:15 of Egypt but he could not understand it, 15:17 so he called for Joseph in prison. 15:19 Joseph through the power of God revealed 15:22 the vision to Pharaoh. Seven years are plenty 15:24 for Egypt, but followed by seven years of famine. 15:28 Pharaoh placed Joseph in a position of 15:32 high authority, number two to Pharaoh himself. 15:34 He began gathering all of the crops, 15:37 everything during that seven years aplenty for 15:39 what was to soon follow seven years of famine. 15:43 All of Egypt was to bow to him as he passed 15:46 by on his golden chariot. His task was to save 15:49 Egypt from the coming famine soon to blanket 15:52 the land. As with every job he undertook 15:55 he performed it with excellence, 15:57 soon foreigners were coming from every 15:59 neighboring land to seek grain. 16:01 Among that group were abandoned brothers 16:03 from Canaan. His own family who years before 16:06 sold him into slavery. You see God use Joseph 16:10 in a mighty way to not only bless Egypt, 16:13 but he had a special purpose. 16:14 He wanted to bless his own people. 16:15 His own people were beginning to starve 16:18 in the land of Canaan. The 70 members 16:21 of the family came to Joseph, looking for food, 16:24 looking for shelter. They had no idea 16:27 who was Joseph for a while. 16:28 That's an incredible story in itself, 16:30 but God blessed mightily the children of Israel 16:34 because of Joseph, because of a dream, 16:36 because of a young man's loyalty 16:38 to the king of the universe. 16:42 No harshness or retribution was seen 16:44 in the mighty leader of Egypt, no, only 16:47 the tender love of one who knew God. 16:50 Even though he passed through the terrible 16:53 trials of slavery, false imprisonment 16:55 and much more, he was still faithful 16:58 to his Lord. According to the Bible, 17:00 he lived to the age of 110 and saw 17:04 his great grandchildren grow up. 17:05 Before his death, he made the children of Israel 17:08 take an oath that when they left the land 17:10 of Egypt they would take his bones with them. 17:12 At the exodus, his bones accompanied Moses 17:16 and were finally buried in Shechem. 17:19 I know that you received hope from the Bible. 17:22 I understand you received hope from 17:24 another place too. Would you tell me about that? 17:26 Yeah, sure, I got from another radio programs. 17:32 One of the radio program is the Adventist Radio. 17:37 In Eritrea even especially in the prison, 17:41 in the military place, you can't speak of 17:46 Jesus Christ loudly. The only way legally 17:51 to preach some even to hear good news 17:57 for the other soldier is the radio program. 18:00 Now were you able in prison to hear 18:03 the radio program? You were in prison also? 18:06 Yeah, it is not allowed for us, 18:10 for the Christian prisoners but for other 18:13 prisoners who injured in the prison, 18:18 they allowed the Government to use radio. 18:23 I borrowed from the other prisoners 18:28 and they are hearing. So you were listening to 18:31 Adventist World Radio in the prison? Yeah. 18:34 How many people? So many people, 18:36 even the unbeliever Christian people 18:40 they hear the Radio Adventist, 18:44 even can I give you a testimony of one day, 18:51 seven people in one room. At that time 18:58 in the morning, I will open the radio program 19:03 of Adventist, at the last when finished the program 19:07 just I will ask for these people to receive 19:10 Jesus Christ from such 7 people, 19:13 28 people just they allowed to receive 19:17 Jesus Christ as a personal savior. 19:20 From the radio program 28 people. 19:23 Yeah, 28 people from such 7, 28 people. 19:27 Are you saying that AWR is making a difference 19:30 all over Eritrea in the whole country? 19:33 Yeah, yeah. As you listen to the radio program 19:37 and you listen to the speaker of the 19:39 radio program that was bringing you hope. 19:41 Did you ever think that some day you might be 19:44 able to meet him in person? 19:45 At that time when I left my mother country 19:51 just I am thinking at that time 19:55 I will find Robin. You thought you have 19:59 might find him some day? Even when I am coming 20:02 in Asmara I am asking for Robin to follow 20:07 and to appreciate his preaching. 20:11 When you first heard that program 20:13 you were in the military, fighting against 20:16 the Ethiopia. The program is coming from Ethiopia 20:20 is making a change in your heart. 20:22 That is so like God. Yeah. As you can see AWR 20:29 is frontline mission radio. Our first priority 20:33 is to travel where missionaries cannot go. 20:35 We broadcast thousands of hours each day 20:38 in seventy major languages of the world. 20:41 AWR has the capability and capacity of 20:44 blanketing almost eighty percent of the 20:46 world's population. Not only do we broadcast via 20:50 shortwave radio, but our signal is on over 1000 FM 20:54 and AM stations around the world as well. 20:56 Our podcast subscribers, Internet users, 20:59 satellite downlinks are growing rapidly, 21:02 evidenced by the hundred thousand plus e-mails, 21:05 letters and phone calls we receive each 21:08 and every year. Yes, AWR is your mission radio. 21:12 No walls and no borders. For AWR that means 21:16 change lives and change hearts around the world, 21:18 because God is using the airways of AWR 21:22 to reach people everywhere. 21:27 Here's another story of hope 21:30 from Adventist World Radio. 21:32 My name is Benjamin Schoun, and I'm the 21:34 President of Adventist World Radio. 21:36 Everyday listeners around the Americas tune 21:39 into Clinica Abierta quite possibly our 21:42 most popular program. It's a live 21:44 Spanish language program featuring real doctors, 21:48 answering listener phone calls and e-mails. 21:51 The goal is to provide simple, practical, 21:53 medical principles to people who often 21:56 don't live close to a hospital or can't afford 21:59 to see a physician. Listener response 22:02 has been tremendous. Each program receives 22:04 far more questions then we can answer 22:07 in one broadcast. It's part of our effort 22:09 to meet the physical as well as the 22:11 spiritual needs of our listeners. 22:15 Adventist World Radio shares the hope of 22:18 Christ with millions of people everyday 22:21 in their own languages. For more 22:23 information visit awr.org.. 22:29 You know fellows it's exciting to me today 22:32 because here we are together as brothers 22:34 in Christ. You were on one side 22:36 in the military conflict. He was on the other side, 22:39 but yeah, we are here today together. 22:41 How did you ever meet? We meet each other 22:44 when I crossed the border of Eritrea 22:48 and I found the Christians here in 22:51 Addis Ababa just one of those I found, 22:56 I meet brothers and sisters in Ethiopia 23:00 is one of Haben. So you have been listening 23:04 to AWR, you have been hearing him on the radio? 23:07 Before him I meet so many militaries 23:10 from Eritrea. I am so happy to airways. 23:12 He was in a bad condition during war that time 23:16 in different side, but now we are in one side 23:19 in the battle, in a new battle against the Satan. 23:23 When you were saying that microphone 23:26 it's just you and a microphone. 23:28 You can't see any of the listeners out there, 23:30 but then to meet this brother 23:34 and you get so many others people you hear 23:37 from too and find out that God is using you 23:41 to change hard some lives in so many places 23:43 in so many countries. How does it make you feel? 23:46 I remember always there are hearers 23:51 of my program. The God is always dearer, 23:55 God, he didn't give me what I want 23:59 but he make what he want on my life. 24:01 So I saw so many souls now today 24:04 accepting Christ, he is preaching, 24:07 he is serving the God and he is making a ministry 24:11 for souls, I am so happy about it. 24:13 You've mentioned to me that it's even illegal 24:15 to have a Bible in your country or to share 24:18 the gospel. But now this brother voice through 24:22 AWR is getting into that country 24:24 and changing lives. This is the end time 24:27 of the world. I think Jesus Christ is 24:30 coming soon. Yeah. Even this is, 24:35 God gives us the opportunity to preach 24:38 gospel, the hope of God, to preach, to tell, 24:42 to preach the good news for the 24:45 unbelievable people. In Eritrea, 24:48 when I serve the only opportunity is to hear 24:53 the voice of hope from outside Eritrea by radio 25:01 or by television, and this is the only way, 25:04 at this time the Eritrea people to hear 25:07 the good news of the kingdom of God. 25:11 Fellows I just want to tell you, 25:12 I appreciate so much being able to be a part 25:15 of the excitement in you too. 25:17 Can I give you guys a big hug? Okay. 25:22 Amen, it's so good. So, great you guys. 25:25 It is so wonderful to even know you. 25:28 You are doing so much for the Lord's Kingdom 25:30 and keep it up. Amen. Amen. 25:33 Brothers thank you so much. 25:34 God bless you. Thank you. 25:36 I have been noticing the reports on the country 25:38 of Eritrea for the last several years. 25:40 I've noticed how the country is tightening 25:43 down in their restrictions on the 25:46 Christian religion. They forbid Christians 25:49 from worshiping, closing churches. In our story, 25:53 we find an example of how people in difficult 25:57 circumstances learn how to maintain their faith, 26:00 kind of like the times of Joseph that we've 26:04 talked about in this episode. We see Joseph, 26:08 a young man in the Old Testament thrown into 26:12 a pit as a young man, taken off to Egypt, 26:15 treated unfairly and yet God was able to use him. 26:19 He was able to stand faithful and accomplished 26:23 a great thing for the people in Egypt 26:25 and for God. Gideon the man in our story 26:29 also suffered. He went to prison five times 26:33 and he has the marks of his suffering 26:35 on his body. Adventist World Radio is the only 26:39 connection for these people with the 26:41 larger church. They are able to hear it because 26:44 the radio waves travel in over the borders 26:47 of the country and they can hear it. 26:49 It's the only source of Bible instruction 26:52 for them. It's their only assistance 26:54 with their worship, but they have to listen 26:57 in secret. Gideon is one of these people. 27:00 We are so happy to hear his story 27:03 and to try to encourage him 27:04 and strengthen his faith. Adventist World Radio 27:08 will continue to broadcast the message 27:11 of hope to these people in Eritrea 27:13 and we will do it with your help. 27:16 If you would like to partner with AWR to take 27:19 this gospel to the ends of the earth. 27:21 Give us a call, 1-866-503-3531, 27:25 or you can write us at 12501 Old Columbia Pike, 27:29 Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 or log on to: 27:33 www.awr.org. Thank you for watching 27:38 and please join us again for another exciting 27:40 gospel adventure because around 27:42 the world AWR is making waves. 27:45 to the ends of the earth. 27:46 Give us a call, 1-866-503-3531, 27:47 or you can write us at 12501 Old Columbia Pike, 27:48 Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 or log on to: 27:49 www.awr.org. 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Revised 2014-12-17