RESTORE YOUR FIRST LOVE BY GOD’S GRACE by M. P. L

First of all I thank you for your prayer for Istanbul UBF, for your prayer God has been gracious to us. I also thank you for all kinds of support we have been receiving from you.

1. We prepared our FBC by ourselves in another city, for the first time. (Nov.22-23) God blessed the conference with 5 Muslims (brothers) except for our regular students (brother Y, sisters H, L and Y). The biggest problem of Muslim people is that they have no concept of sin. They have no idea that the wages of sin is death. We focused on Rom.6:23 and Mark.7:20-23. S. H was moved by the Grace of God. She has been changed a lot since she had been baptized 3 years ago. Br. S was moved too. Sister H continues to study the Bible.

2. During November-December Satan was trying to threaten us twice. First, he used H’s family. H is one of our disciples now. She was about to be sold for prostitution but other believers brought her to our house church that day at 11pm. She was saved and 2 weeks later was moved by God’s Grace.

She is from Kurdish family and has had a bad dream of her dad chasing her with a knife because she is a Christian. When she lived with my family, Istanbul police was searching her. Finally, I met her brother and she went back home but her brother promised not to prevent her from attending church. Right after that Satan attacked us once more.

S. L came to our house church 1 year ago. She repented and grew as a shepherd. Then, a very powerful governmental nationalist organization related to the cultural affairs of Turkey began to persecute her and us. They threatened us. We removed Bibles and song books from our house church and prepared to welcome police. But police didn’t come. Then I changed my phone number and L was sent to another chapter urgently.

Please pray for these two sisters. Pray for H to become a bible teacher and L to become an independent shepherdess.
These days we come closer to understanding who Jesus is and what it takes to be a servant of light in this dark world.

In 2008 I was very lazy and was greatly ashamed. All I can see are my sins. I did all wrong in the family and in the church. I wasted time and lost my passion towards the word of God.

That is why, my key verse for 2009 is 1Tim.4:13 “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” From the depth of my corruption I come to Jesus as I am. Only by his Grace I live, only by his Grace I can be called his child and his servant in a Muslim country.

Please pray for me to seek first God’s kingdom and to serve God without any fear in Turkey. Please pray for Istanbul UBF to raise 12 disciples of Jesus and never compromise.

Since in 2008 Please pray for us to go back to the Bible in Istanbul UBF and raise 12 disciples of Jesus.

One word: Only by God’s Grace