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Counting the cost

Tags: Europe, Macedonia, Muslim Ministry, Story

Editor's note: V, a man from a Muslim background, shares in his own words about how he came to know Christ and to join the outreach ministry in a predominantly Muslim city full of mosques, but not one Bible-believing church.

I come from a Muslim area, and all of the members of my family are Muslim. But I had no knowledge about God, nor did my family, so I started going to the mosque. I learned more about Islam and the religion of Muslims, but I was still empty inside. In the meantime, I was living in sin: stealing, lying, cheating, copying and other things.

On the other hand, I began going to English classes. I started to learn more about English, and then I met a foreign teacher who came to teach. When I was learning English I was also reading the Bible. When I read the Bible, I understood many things that Jesus speaks about. I learned about sin, about God, about us and about His love. My heart was drawn by that, and I wanted to read more often and to learn more.

I will never forget when the time came to accept Jesus because I took three days to think about what would happen. I considered how my life would change, and I was afraid of what was going to happen if people knew.

Then one day, when I went to read the Bible with my teacher, she said, “Let me know when you’re ready to make a decision.” I told her that I was ready, and that night I accepted Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior.

From that moment on, my life completely changed. I did not steal any more and I wouldn’t lie. I started to live in a godly way, to live for the glory of God.

I started to tell others who had never heard about Jesus. I told my family, and even though I was having problems with my friends and family, God was always with me and led me. After I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I started to be more interested in God’s Word, to pray and to meet more with people. I went to a church where they worship God. An opportunity opened up for me to go to a Bible school in Albania and I went for two years. When I was there I studied more about God and about the unreached people in the world.

After my time in Bible school, I came back to work together for this town. Now I am here as a student studying computer science and sharing my life and testimony with other students and teachers, while also serving in different ministries that God has placed here.

Please pray that V will continue to be a light for Jesus and an example to those around him. Pray that he will continue to grow in his relationship with Christ and that he will do well in his studies at the university.