Istanbul Greater Grace

CHRISTMAS CAROLS, Dec.23 at 7 p.m. in Santa Maria Church, Istiklal St. 431, Dec.25 in Greater Grace Church in Gumushsuyu at 7 p.m.

2011-12-15T05:51:00.000-08:00

Cappadocia

2011-09-12T06:12:00.000-07:00

Cappadocia

2011-09-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

Cappadocia

2011-09-12T06:02:00.000-07:00

2011-09-12T05:57:00.000-07:00

Cappadocia

2011-09-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

Nevshehir

2011-09-12T05:46:00.000-07:00

Nevshehir

2011-09-12T04:41:00.000-07:00

Cappadocia

2011-09-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

with Pastor Jon Boyce and Nikolai

2011-08-30T23:29:00.000-07:00

with old friends in London

2011-08-30T23:26:00.000-07:00

being answerable

2011-08-30T23:24:00.000-07:00

Nobody is perfect, but everybody is responsible.
Our faith will not do away the corruptive influence of sin on everything.
The tree lies where it fell and man reaps what he sows. Eccl.11:3, Gal.6:7
Faith doesn’t stop the natural course of life, but it gives us an amazing
opportunity not to be limited to it.
Faith gives us new eyes to see further and new decisions to make according
to God’s eternal purpose.
By faith we deal with issues following the examples of those saints who
“Subdued kingdoms,
worked righteousness,
obtained promises,
stopped the mounts of lions,
quenched the violence of fire,
escaped the edge of the sword,
out of weaknesses were made strong,
became valiant in battle,
turned to flight the armies of the aliens.” Hebrews 11:33-34
Wow, what a list!
Wouldn’t it be right to say that faith is our responsibility?
When Jesus encouraged his disciples to believe in Him,
He was not bossing around demanding obedience from them.
He invited them to a life-style that they had to learn anew like a child,
step by step, word by word, decision by decision.
Every new step , word and decision enlarges the child’s area of influence
and increases his responsibility.
The English word responsibility refers to an ability to answer.
It doesn’t always guarantee that the answer is right but by being
responsible we actually just continue fellowshipping with Him.

"Like A Window" opening in Helsinki

2011-08-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

Helsinki

2011-08-23T21:53:00.000-07:00

like a window

2011-08-20T13:14:00.001-07:00

LIKE A WINDOW
paintings
matti sirvio
22/08 – 25/09
Bulevardin Kahvisalonki
Bulevardi 1, Helsinki
WELCOME
TO THE OPENING RECEPTION
Monday , August 22
7 p.m.
Classical music will be performed by
Elina Eirola – violin
Tuomas Juutilainen ja Risto Kyrö – piano

like a window, ART EXHIBITION in Helsinki , opening on August 22, Monday

2011-08-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

like a window

2011-08-20T13:03:00.001-07:00

For some people it’s never been more than just
an empty hole next to the ceiling.
For others it’s the most important means to manage life
as it opens and closes from situation to another.
You can cover up your soul when you don’t want
the disturbing light, when privacy and insecurity take over.
You can also pull it wide open for everyone to see.

Some people’s windows have been broken into zillions
of pieces. There they are, travelling around the globe, trying
to pick up at least some of their soul crums in order to see again,
so many pieces, broken lives, shameful memories.

Jesus said to be The Door.
You come in and go out.
But He is also a window ,
a view beyond time to eternity,
where no one ever opens or closes again,
heaven.

That’s where every piece will be
restored to it’s right place.

Every painting is like a window.
It invites you to see, to open and to close.
Sometimes you are seen from there.
You are the glass placed between time and eternity.

Maybe it is a picture of your soul.
Maybe it is just an empty hole waiting to be filled.

London

2011-08-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

London

2011-08-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

London

2011-08-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

London

2011-08-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

London

2011-08-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

He leads me beside the still waters, Psalm 23:2

2011-08-16T01:40:00.000-07:00

a call to sacrifice

2011-08-16T01:36:00.000-07:00

We often talk about God loving us unconditionally.
That is a powerful truth that continues revealing God's greatness.
Don't you think that he would like us to learn to love him the same way,
unconditionally?
We will learn to love him when we accept him as he is and continue talking
with him even when he doesn't say only the things we want to hear.
Unconditional love is sacrificial.
Jesus challenged his disciples to love one another by laying down one's
life for his friend. John 15:13
Without a total availability to sacrificial love a person will have no capacity
to forgive as God has forgiven.
With sacrificiallove comes joy that cannot be found otherwise.
It's the same joy that will fill heaven one day.

from my window

2011-08-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

Giving to God

2011-08-11T22:45:00.001-07:00

Lying to God sounds so incomprehensible.
How can you lie to someone who is omniscient?
The Bible gives examples of people who were caught up in lying to God.
Ananias and Sapphira are probably the most famous liars in the Bible.
Peter made it clear, ”You have not lied to men but to God.” Acts 5:4
They lied to people and God took it personally and dealt with it
firmly. They both died because of their lying.
Hiding from God sounds as impossible.
If God is everywhere present where could you hide from him?
Nevertheless, Adam and Eve managed to hide from him.
Their existence was not unknown to God but their connection was broken
by the power of their will. God’s question, ”Where are you?” expressed
his concern of the broken relationship.
Adam was there , but he was not connected.
Genesis 3:8-9
Negotiating with God sounds similarly like an oxymoron.
You cannot make a deal with God.
Abraham debated with God concerning the fate of Sodom.
I believe it was a real conversation , not just a play with words.
God listens emphatically , not just mechanically from his almighty position.
He listens to man much more than what Satan would ever want him to.
Could we give God something that isn’t His already?
In the end of Matthew 25 the Lord comments on the actions of the righteous
and the unrighteous. They both are surprised to hear that they did something
to God, something that they thought was done only to people.
They gave God something to eat , something to drink etc.
God has chosen not to violate the free volition of man.
When man surrenders his will to God, he gives God something that he
doesn’t have. Everything in man’s relationship with God relates to this.
What a strange thing for us to hold back something that God is so interested in.

Faithful servants

2011-08-09T23:51:00.000-07:00

We have received a kingdom.

2011-08-09T23:50:00.000-07:00

When Jesus told his disciple,
“It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper
will not come to you…” John 16:7
I’m sure all the disciples disagreed with him.
Everything was so exciting and meaningful when Jesus was in charge.
When they tried, even the elementary things, on their own,
things became a mess.
For the disciples it was too early for Jesus to go.
They had hardly learned how to cast out demons.
Jesus was becoming extremely popular as His miracles never failed.
His words were discussed all over Jerusalem in people’s conversations.
The disciples were ready to roll.
His surrender to the cross seems to have come as a great surprise
for his followers.
He had told them clearly that His kingdom is not of this world.
Their blindness to heaven discouraged them.
We are in a similar place today.
When God’s plan all the sudden pops up from the dust, we start panicking,
holding on to our earthly possessions and diplomas.
We behave as if Jesus never taught us to be prepared for these changes.
It’s all for our advantage.
“Now this,’ Yet once more’, indicates the removal of those things that are being
shaken , as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we have received a kingdom which cannot be shaken ,
Let us have grace (for the changes), by which we may serve God acceptably
with reverence and godly fear. ” Hebrews 12:27-28

from my window

2011-08-08T23:38:00.000-07:00

Man can be like God

2011-08-08T23:34:00.001-07:00

God is not like man, but man can be like God.
Jesus demonstrated this thorough his earthly life.
He showed what man is like when he agrees with God
in everything.
God listens.
We have been given an ability to “hear what the Spirit says to the churches”.
Many things we haven’t heard because we haven’t listened.
Listening often demands a lot of patience and self-control.
No wonder that God is called the God of patience. Romans 15:5
When we listen we connect.
God speaks.
He doesn’t play childish games of punishing others by not speaking.
He created the world by speaking and continues to speak from heaven
and in heaven.
God gives. He is not sparing his gifts. He is not holding back his mercies.
He gives to his own hurt, to the point of laying down his own life.
He loves the world by giving freely.
God forgives.
Whenever we forgive we are like God.
Our animal nature doesn’t agree with forgiveness.
Our new nature finds it’s strength in uncompromising forgiveness.
God loves to the end. John 13:1
He doesn’t love only for pleasure in comfortable times.
He loves for better for worse, when things are for us and when they are not.
His love never fails.

Forgive as he has forgiven. Ephesians 4:32
Love as he has loved. Ephesians 5:2
Be holy as He is holy. I Peter 1:16

Congratulations Erhan and Valentina!

2011-08-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

Erhan's and Valentina's Wedding

2011-08-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Erhan's and Valentina's Wedding

2011-08-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Erhan's and Valentina's Wedding

2011-08-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

It's a Door!

2011-08-05T23:32:00.000-07:00

His favor is for life

2011-08-05T23:24:00.001-07:00

The thought of facing even a little bit of God’s anger is terrifying.
If man’s anger can have devastating magnitudes, how much more
could God’s anger scare the mankind.
God’s anger is not an emotional reaction, it’s rather an unavoidable
consequence of man’s revolt against the Creator.
“ He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not
believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
John 3:36
Christ made the difference. He tasted God’s anger on the cross in our place.
Believers have been saved from God’s anger and
will never become objects of it. I Thessalonians 5:9
We will be removed from this planet before God pours
his irreversible judgments on it.
However , we are here to testify how God’s anger is mounting up in the world.
In our modern history we have experienced a lot of “big” things,
The Bolshevik Revolution, The Collapse of the Soviet Union, Chernobyl, European Union,
The Rise of China, Tsunamis, Katrina,
Internet, Cellphones, 9/11, Financial Repressions, Arab Spring, Volcanoes…
What’s next?
Whatever will precede God’s judgments will be another moment of grace,
a call from God to be reconciled with Him.
God’s wrath will be poured with no negotiations nor voting.
Christ is the only way to His favor.
“But His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life.
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

the whole world travels through Istanbul

2011-08-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

later we will understand

2011-08-04T22:25:00.001-07:00

Jesus had to assure his disciples in the midst of a storm,
“It is I; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:27
That what seemed so scary was actually an opportunity for
God’s work to be revealed.
In another occasion the disciples were again surprised by Jesus’
unusual behavior. He was found sleeping in the storm
when everybody else was busy saving the boat.
They went from fear to fear.
First they were afraid of the unknown,
then they were afraid of their best friend.
“They marveled, saying to one another, ”who can this be?
For he commands even the winds and water, and they obey him?”
Luke 8:25
The disciples loved him, but they didn’t really know him.
They followed him, but often they didn’t understand him at all.
They worshipped him, but didn’t always know how to read him.
Jesus said to one of them, ”Have I not been with you so long,
and yet you have not known me, Philip?” John 14:9
After he had shocked them by washing their feet he said,
“What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
John 13:7
We have no choice, but following him without fully understanding him.
Later we will understand why he led us so strange ways.
Later we will understand that he actually never left us.
Later we will understand that he loved us unconditionally,
just as he had promised.
The more we get to know him, the more we desire to worship him.

window of opportunity

2011-08-03T23:27:00.000-07:00

happily spinning around with God

2011-08-03T23:26:00.000-07:00

The whole world is crying out for justice. The Arab Spring, the foreign
troops in Afghanistan, the shocked Norwegians who try to hold
their head together in the midst of their national tragedy.
Justice can never be found without the truth.
Truth is not a human invention. Man is frustrated and angry about
the Truth, because he cannot change it. Finally he crucifies it, Him.
Death cannot keep the Truth. He overcomes death and leaves this
planet freely, just as he had entered the world without permission
from the world counsel of wise men and women.
It’s like the huge universe where man is sitting offended on a tiny
planet refusing to spin around. He doesn’t like it.
He doesn’t like it, because he cannot control it.
He writes books against spinning, he fills his planet with signs against
spinning, he broadcasts endlessly news against it, still spinning himself
inescapably. Hmm…
God is said to be the Father of the Fatherless, the defender of widows.
Psalm 68:5
He will bring forth justice His way.
“He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench.
He will bring forth justice for truth.” Isaiah 42:2-3
Man’s system of justice cannot accept grace.
If grace is not allowed in the picture, forgiveness loses it’s divine value.
It becomes just a human commodity, traded for money and
manipulated by manmade markets.
I’d rather have God as my defender.

whatever you do,do all to the glory of God, I Corinthians 10:31

2011-08-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

well organized dust

2011-08-02T22:03:00.000-07:00

“Set your minds on things above.” Colossians 3:2
Sometimes believers’ indifference towards the affairs of this world
gets out of balance.
As the old saying has it,” He is so heavenly minded that he is no earthly good.”
We call this hyper spirituality.
It’s a form of religiosity that is used as an excuse to laziness, passivity and
irresponsibility.
Some Thessalonian believers used it to justify their idleness. II Thess.3:11
Paul makes it clear that they are out of balance.
Jesus worked most of his adult life as a carpenter.
It’s amazing that he had time to work and make earthly goods (I would
love to sit in a chair that Jesus made).Wasn’t he on an urgent mission to save
the world! Aren’t we!
Time is for eternity. Time is not the opposite of eternity.
The earth is God’s work. It’s not a mistake nor a failure in his plan.
The balance comes when we do our earthly work with a heavenly attitude.
We have an ability to put an eternal quality into everything we touch.
Without a heavenly mindset all human endeavors would be nothing more than
just moving sand from one place to another, endlessly, without a purpose.
In the hands of God’s Spirit sand becomes a perfect vessel to fulfill God’s
eternal purpose on the earth.
The sand will pass away, the purpose will last forever.
The Holy Spirit can organize this dust to glorify God in a way
that all eternity will remember it. II Cor.4:7

on the shores of the Aegean sea

2011-08-02T01:13:00.000-07:00

love means to follow

2011-08-02T01:05:00.000-07:00

There is only one way to love Jesus and it is by following him.
“He who has my commandments and keeps them , it is he who loves me.
And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and
manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
When you follow someone on an easy road you don’t worry about their
character too much. When going gets more demanding and tough your
relationship with the leader stirs up more questions,
“Does he know what he is doing; Can I trust him; Does he know where I
am at? ”
Following from a distance is not possible for a long time. You loose your
connection. Following means nearness.
I think that Jesus lived a very dynamic life on the earth.
When he called people to follow he was moving.
When people responded to his call, they knew that their life would never
be the same.
That’s what it means to follow him, constant changes.
If I don’t want any changes in my life, I’d better stop following
and – loving Him.

In Athens

2011-07-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Our Greek Diaspora

2011-07-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

Alacati

2011-07-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

Alacati, Turkey

2011-07-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

In Alacati, Turkey

2011-07-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

GG Summer Hat Collection from Alacati, Turkey

2011-07-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

New Art Walk in New York

2011-07-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

New York

2011-07-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

June

2011-07-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

Visiting Toronto, Canada

2011-07-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

Baltimore Summer Convention

2011-06-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Selvin and Evelina in Montreal!

2011-06-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

SUMMARTIME Art Exhibition in Istanbul is open the whole month of June, Welcome!

2011-06-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

SUMMARTIME in Istanbul

2011-06-16T20:20:00.000-07:00

SUMMARTIME in Istanbul

2011-06-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

Elchin's and Dasha's wedding in Ashgabat

2011-05-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

Turkmenistan

2011-05-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

Greater Grace in Mary, Turkmenistan

2011-05-13T12:29:00.000-07:00

2011-05-13T12:25:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS Elchin and Dasha in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan!

2011-05-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

Spring in Istanbul

2011-05-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

Izmir Art Biennale

2011-05-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

Spring in Istanbul

2011-05-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

SPRING BREAKFAST on Sunday May 01 9.30 -10.30 a.m. WELCOME!

2011-04-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

SPRING BREAKFAST May 01, 9.30-10.30

Everybody, bring something eatable with you!

Easter celebrations

2011-04-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

Jesus is risen!

We are starting our Easter celebrations with sunrise service and breakfast at 7 am, on 24/04-2011
At 11 am we are going to have Easter morning church service and at 7 pm the Easter Play "FRAMES" (in Turkish).
Come and join us as we praise our Lord and Savior together.

WELCOME

AZERI CONCERT on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in THE GREATER GRACE CHURCH in Gumushsuyu

2011-03-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

hmm... I'm in Finland

2011-02-26T00:06:00.000-08:00

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy..." Matthew 6:19

2011-02-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

faith, life unlimited

2011-02-16T23:56:00.000-08:00

When Christ became man he limited himself to faith.
He was not a superman , but a determined believer.
In his daily life he trusted the Father and spoke
always about his dependency on him.
Some might question the genuineness of his faith, but nobody
can deny the fruit of his walk of faith.
He didn’t starve to death. He was fed by the Father and taken
finally to the cross – by the Father.
Heaven will reveal fully what really happened.
Now we behold it as in a dim mirror. I Cor.13:12
In heaven our faith will come to it’s completion.
We will be with God face to face.
For us faith works the other way around. It doesn’t limit us.
It actually “unlimits” us.
It gives us a supernatural capacity to live a spiritual life.
Certain things in our life can be operated only by faith.
It’s impossible to worship the living God without faith.
Idol worship doesn’t require any faith. It works only with
visible things.
Living faith is directed by the invisible.
Where our human strength and understanding ends, faith steps in.
Living faith doesn’t depend on circumstances.
That’s why it works everywhere in all times.
Is it easier today to be a believer in Jesus Christ
in Europe than in Saudi-Arabia?
What do you say?
I think that
both are great privileges and opportunities to
be led to the cross daily.
“That the genuineness of your faith ,
being much more precious than
the gold that perishes,
though it is tested by fire,
may be found to praise,
honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” I Peter 1:7

forgotten or missed ?

2011-02-14T00:50:00.000-08:00

witnessing turned into twitnessing

2011-02-14T00:45:00.001-08:00

In my youth I was wondering why do all great miracles and
incredible healings happen only in California or in Tibet.
Those were probably the two most distant places
of my life in that time.
Now, as Internet and cell phones have seemingly ,
or rather audibly, shrunk our world, everything seems to take
place next door. We can from our kitchen talk to people who are
fighting dictators and their tanks.
The world has become smaller, but noisier.
As Anand Giridharadas, one of my favorite reporters said,
“ It becomes easier to hear, but harder to listen.”
So many voices are fighting for our attention.
“The modern culture tends to reward speed over cognition.”
The value of our personal testimony has become more precious
than ever. Did we hear something from God? Can I say, “ I prayed
and God answered my prayer.”
Do I still have time to wait for God’s personal “Rhema” in
a world where even the message of many believers has
turned from witnessing to twitnessing.
Did I really hear from God or from CNN, Al Jazeera or from
an anonymous tweet on Twitter?
The Samaritan women reached the whole town with her personal
testimony.However, people were not drawn to her.
They came to Jesus.
They testified back to her:” Now we believe, not because of what
you said, for we OURSELVES have heard Him and we know that
this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” John 4:42

Pray for Cairo!

2011-02-08T23:31:00.000-08:00

let God deal with things

2011-02-08T23:30:00.001-08:00

God deals with things.
I ‘m sure he also knows how to deal with everything.
Sometimes people are too eager to straighten out other
people’s private issues. Some speak in the name of justice.
Often those who have the loudest voice have the most to hide.
The WikiLeaks phenomena that has shaken up the political world is
an embarrassing example of the untamed nature of the fallen man,
dirty hands washing other people’s dirty laundry.
Even though we probably see just the top of the iceberg in the matters
of people’s private corruption, it’s always shocking to understand
that” there is none who does good, no ,not one.” Romans 3:12
The more we understand the total depravity of the mankind
the more we see the importance of the doctrine of salvation
merely by grace.
Enjoying grace is not a sin. It’s the only thing that we fully can enjoy
without hypocrisy.
Covering the ones who have failed is not challenging the system of justice.
It goes beyond that. It is a way to minister grace to those who are covered
and to those who would otherwise be effected by that what would be uncovered.
It’s grace that we don’t know everything about everybody.
“If you ,Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared.” Psalm 130:3-4

Praying for Egypt

2011-02-02T04:04:00.000-08:00

your grace still amazes me

2011-01-25T06:28:00.000-08:00

continuing surprises

2011-01-25T06:27:00.000-08:00

Surprises should not surprise us .
They are an exciting part of life that help us to fight familiarity
and false security.
When something unusual and unexpected happens it gives us
an opportunity to get back to the basics.
What is the purpose of life? What are my priorities?
Why do I have a believing heart?
So many things that engage our time don’t matter at all.
Surprise, God is still God.
Nathanael was really impressed by Jesus’ knowledge of him.
Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree.
You shall see greater things than that." John 1:50
Jesus let him know that this was just a little foretaste of what was to come.
Two things continue surprising believers, the depth of our own corruption and
the never ending source of God’s grace.
Every genuine believer has at least once in his life felt that he has not
deserved the grace of God anymore.
This thought, of course, is an oxymoron, as grace cannot
be deserved in the first place.
I don’t think that God can be surprised by anything due to his
omniscient character.
Nevertheless, I think that he must be amazed by people’s absurd unwillingness
to enjoy the abundant resources of His grace.

looking for the five

2011-01-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

Five things

2011-01-22T00:15:00.000-08:00

A Jordanian trend magazine challenged people,
”Have you ever asked yourself who in your life matters to you the most?
Who are the people you cannot live without, the people who keep you sane?
What if we told you to choose five- who would they be?”
Then the challenge went on to five things that you can’t live without?
Among the editor’s picks were items such as milk, high heels and morning coffee.
On Friday morning as I was strolling downtown Amman I obviously met
another crowd there.
The list of their five things would be very different.
To pick up the five people would be a difficult task for many around the world.
Most of the world’s population have to manage their life without the five,
things and people.
The masses are in a survival mood, not struggling with too many choices.
Jesus promised to his followers an abundant life. John 10:10
It’s clear that he was not talking about high heels and morning coffee.
What was he talking about?
The abundant life cannot be a bubble, materialistic or emotional, that gets you
excited for a moment, maybe even for seventy years, and then bursts
dramatically.
I believe that he is talking about the continuing relationship that every child
of God has with his Creator.
It is abundant because it’s secure. It’s satisfying because it develops daily.
It’s more valuable than any five or more things that are bound to last less
than a hundred years in our lives.
It’s an eternal journey that will one day take us up and beyond.

Friday morning in Amman

2011-01-21T22:57:00.000-08:00

Amman

2011-01-21T22:53:00.000-08:00

Jordan

2011-01-21T22:49:00.000-08:00

Istanbul

2011-01-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

Unchanging fashion

2011-01-19T21:33:00.001-08:00

Probably they didn’t even notice it until God told to Moses,
“And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out
on you , and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.” Deuteronomy 29:5
That what could have been accomplished in eleven days ended up taking forty
painful years.
They were not in God’s perfect plan, but God’s provision never failed them.
They didn’t see the supernatural shoes they were wearing.
They were just walking.
Being in Turkey is a daily decision for us.
It’s a faith decision, based on those things that the eye cannot see.
There are so many reasons not to be here.
There are so many cultural, political and humanistic reasons not to disturb
the deep spiritual sleep of this giant nation.
It’s the supernatural life that keeps us going.
Seeing the invisible and hearing the voice of God cannot be explained in human terms.
Only the revelation God will point to our unworn clothes.
The Israelites had seen the sea divided for them and God causing bread to rain from
heaven for them, but God’s provision was personally revealed to them in their
own clothes. They walked on a miracle and they wore a miracle.
The loving hand of God was not revealed only in the starry skies, but right next to their skin.
Look at the bottom of your shoes.
They are “Made in Heaven”.

parked in Istanbul

2011-01-18T22:34:00.000-08:00

Any breath left?

2011-01-18T22:33:00.001-08:00

I heard a political leader explain their new multimillion project,
“Everything that is worth something can fail because it always involves a risk.”
Christ came to this world to look for a precious pearl and he found, us.
What did he see?
Why was he so determined to redeem us?
I believe that he saw in us himself like he had never seen before.
He saw people’s eternal value and treated them accordingly.
All those who had failed and ruined their earthly opportunities
found a rescue in him.
I like how the book of Psalms ends with saying,
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”
Psalm 150:6
That might be the only thing that people have left in their lives.
After loosing their jobs, families, health and reputation, they only have
their “breathing” left.
Praise and thanksgiving that rises from that kind of a soul must sound
like the most beautiful symphony in heaven’s chambers.
As the song says it, ”You are the air I breath…”

Building bridges?

2011-01-17T01:34:00.000-08:00

town talk

2011-01-17T01:29:00.000-08:00

The value of our lives comes from our personal relationship with God.
In difficult times this relationship has a potential to become even more personal.
Every believer can directly speak to God and hear God speak to him.
No mediator except Jesus, God Himself, is needed. I Tim. 2:5
This leaves no room for religious manipulation.
This is the basis for us respecting people’s individuality and
their private conversations with God.
God calls born-again believers by name.
The famous Jewish midwives, Shiprah and Puah, are mentioned in the book
of Exodus , but the powerful pharaoh is just called a king who did not know Joseph.
The rich man’s name is not known to God, but he calls Lazarus by name in Luke 16.
So many politicians and world rulers have left their mark in earthly history books,
but their names are not mentioned in heaven’s book of life. Rev.13:8
We will have a distinct name forever.
I don’t believe that we will be called by our earthly names in heaven.
We will have a new name. This name will somehow describe our new life and our
personal relationship with God. Everyone will have a different name.
It’s probably similar to the angels’ names.
God includes his own name in them.
GabriEL – Mighty man of God
MichaEL – Who is like God
Maybe we will be called Murattel, Rogertel, Lizel, Alpel, Ninael etc.
I like the idea that God gave new names to people after they had a personal
encounter with him:
Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, Sarai became Sarah,
Saul became Paul.
It’s so interesting to think what would the Trinity call us when they speak
within their relationship about us?
Yes, I believe that we are talked about in heaven
as we continue to be the most interesting thing happening on this planet.

new team members, Ilgar and his daughter Ramina from Azerbaijan

2011-01-13T00:56:00.000-08:00

It's written in your face

2011-01-13T00:54:00.000-08:00

Almost everything is written in our face.
In the time of desperation people often cover their face with their hands.
An ashamed person wants to hide his face from other people’s
scandal seeking eyes.
God also has a ”face”.
The Bible says that no man can see God’s face and live. Exodus 33:20
Yet, thorough the whole Bible we are encouraged to seek His face.
I Chronicles 16:4, Psalm 105:4…
I think that the story of Jacob and Esau gives us an interesting view to this.
The story is an unique fulfillment of God’s prophecy and a revelation
of His character.
Jacob stole the birthright which he actually had bought earlier.
His brother gets furious and Jacob escapes in God’s plan.
During those forty years much happens in the life of both brothers.
Jacob tastes his own medicine of deception with his uncle Laban
and still prospers in everything he does.
It looks like Esau had the best possible thing happen to him in his situation.
He chose to forgive.
When the brothers finally meet there is a lot of insecurity and uncertainty
because of the painful past.
The meeting is very emotional, kisses , hugs and tears.
Jacob says to Esau, ”Inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen
the face of God, and you were pleased with me.” Genesis 33:10
Forgiveness had beautified Esau’s face.
God speaks today and he often chooses to do it through people.
God shows his face also through people.
What could possibly be a higher call in this world than to be chosen
to express the loving and forgiving character of God in our countenance?
May His character light up our face daily.

" for there is no one who acknowledges me;refuge has failed me;no one cares for my soul...Happy are the people whose God is the Lord." Psalm 142,144

2011-01-12T00:48:00.000-08:00

What would you say?

2011-01-12T00:46:00.000-08:00

During the Christmas time I asked many people a provoking question,
“What would you say to a dying man?”
Most of the people were surprisingly lost with this question.
A good Turkish friend of mine said spontaneously, ”Goodbye!”
Then he got embarrassed by the superficiality of the answer and tried
to explain that he didn’t understand that I meant “really dying”.
Hmm…
Other as little comforting answers would be:
“Everybody dies one day.”
“Dying happens only once.”
“Nobody knows what happens after death.”
Christ gave us the hope of resurrection.
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me
even if he dies will live.”
John 11:25
This is so powerful.
It means that God is waiting for us.
It means that we have been forgiven and bought with a high price.
It means that we shall never be rejected unto condemnation.
Have you ever held the hand of a dying man?
Those hands are all around us.
Christ is the answer.

The year has not really become any newer, but we walk in the newness (quality) of life.Romans 6:4

2011-01-09T23:59:00.002-08:00

His quality in us

2011-01-09T23:59:00.001-08:00

Faith continues to be our greatest treasure in this world.
Nothing compares with the testimony of the Holy Spirit
in our hearts.
“The spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
Children of God.” Romans 8:16
It’s so powerful . Nobody can buy forgiveness.
It disarms all worldly value systems.
How do you measure prosperity?
True prosperity cannot be measured by numbers,
but by qualities.
What is the spiritual quality of our thoughts, words and emotions?
What are our relationships, plans and schedules like?
Healthy faith is always leading us to add more quality to our soul.
Balanced, yet well defined doctrine; continual interest in the will of God;
seeking Him in prayer and worship and an unselfish interest in serving
others are great , yet very rare qualities in a person’s life.
Peter speaks about adding virtue to our faith in II Peter 1:5.
Quality refers to those things that will past the test.
In I Corinthians 3
silver, gold and precious stones are speaking about the divine
qualities in a person’s character.
Christ-likeness is seldom found in fast, superficial solutions.
He desires truth (Himself) to the uttermost. Psalm 51:6
“His name will be called Wonderful…” Isaiah 9:6

Have a Blessed Christmas!

2010-12-25T00:58:00.000-08:00

Have a Blessed CHRISTmas!

2010-12-25T00:49:00.000-08:00

Full house for the Christmas Carols concerts!

2010-12-21T02:19:00.000-08:00