Apologetics

  • The Cost of the Cross: A Struggle Fought in Body, Mind, and Community

    Gabriel 0 Comments

    The Cost of the Cross: A Struggle Fought in Body, Mind, and Community

    There is a moment in every believer's life when faith stops being an idea and becomes a decision,  a decision that will cost something. For those who come to Jesus while living in a country where Islam is the majority faith, that cost is rarely abstract. It shows up in the body, in the mind, and in the everyday rhythms of family and neighborhood life. This is the story of that threefold struggle,  physical, mental, and social,  and of the grace that carries a person through it.

    The Physical Struggle: A Body Under Strain

    Faith is not lived only in the heart; it is lived in a body that gets tired, that gets sick, that sometimes fails. For many new believers, physical illness becomes part of the walk itself, a kidney condition that drains energy, disrupts sleep, and forces long hours in hospitals or in bed, all while trying to hold onto a newfound hope. The pain is real. The fear of what tomorrow's test results might say is real. And in a culture where illness is sometimes seen as a verdict on one's spiritual state, that fear can carry an extra weight.

    Scripture does not promise an exemption from suffering,  it promises presence within it. Paul, who pleaded three times for his own "thorn in the flesh" to be removed, was told: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). That verse becomes very different when read from a hospital bed rather than a pew. It stops being a slogan and becomes a lifeline,  the reminder that weakness is not disqualification from grace, but the very place grace chooses to dwell.

    The Psalms, too, speak directly into sickness: "The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health" (Psalm 41:3). This is not always a promise of physical cure. Sometimes it is a promise of being sustained,  of not being left alone in the fight. For a body weakened by disease, that sustaining presence is often the difference between despair and endurance.

    The Mental Struggle: Standing Firm Amid the Storm

    The second battlefield is the mind. Coming out of one worldview into another means confronting things that once felt normal but now feel spiritually heavy,  practices, images, and atmospheres that the new believer experiences as darkness pressing in. This is exhausting in a way that is hard to explain to someone who hasn't lived it: the constant internal vigilance, the effort of guarding one's thoughts, the loneliness of feeling spiritually out of step with the very culture one grew up in.

    Paul's words to the Ephesians name this experience without flinching: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). That verse can feel almost too vivid , until you've lived the tension it describes. It validates the struggle instead of minimizing it, and it points toward the armor that follows just a few verses later: truth, righteousness, faith, and prayer as the tools for standing firm, "having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13).

    There is also renewal, not just resistance. Romans 12:2 calls believers to be "transformed by the renewal of your mind" rather than conformed to the patterns around them. That renewal is not instant. It is a daily discipline,  choosing, again and again, to fix the mind on what is true rather than on what is oppressive. And 1 John offers a short but sturdy anchor for the days when the darkness feels close: "greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

    The Social Struggle: Standing Alone in a Crowd

    Perhaps the hardest struggle is the most visible one, the social pressure to participate in the religious rhythms of the surrounding community. In a Muslim-majority context, communal prayer is not a private matter; it is woven into family expectation, workplace rhythm, and public identity. Declining to join, or quietly stepping away, can be read as rebellion, shame, or betrayal. For many new believers, this is where the cost of following Christ becomes most concrete, not in abstract theology, but in the very real risk of strained family relationships, whispered suspicion, or outright exclusion.

    Jesus did not hide this cost from His followers. He said plainly: "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32–33). This is a hard verse, but also a clarifying one. It reframes the discomfort of social friction as something with eternal weight,  a small, temporary cost measured against a larger, permanent faithfulness.

    The story of Daniel offers a companion picture. Daniel, serving in a foreign court under a decree that forbade prayer to anyone but the king, "got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously" (Daniel 6:10). He did not make a public spectacle of defiance, but he also did not abandon his devotion under pressure,  and he paid a price for it, one he trusted God to see him through. Peter and the apostles, facing a similar demand for public conformity, answered simply: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). That is not a call to hostility toward neighbors or family; it is a quiet, resolute commitment to one's own conscience before God, even when it is misunderstood.

    Carrying the Weight Together

    None of these struggles,  physical, mental, or social,  are meant to be carried alone. Hebrews 10:25 urges believers not to neglect meeting together, "encouraging one another." For someone isolated in a context where open fellowship is rare, this may mean a small, hidden circle of trust, an online community, or even just one faithful friend. And Philippians 4:13,  so often quoted, so easily worn thin,  regains its full weight in this context: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Not without difficulty, but through it.

    The struggle to accept and live out faith in Jesus, under the weight of a failing body, a contested mind, and a watching community, is not evidence of weak faith. It is, in many ways, the very shape that faith takes when it costs something. And Scripture, again and again, meets that cost with the same answer: not the removal of the struggle, but the promise of a presence that does not leave.

    May Lord give us strength. Let’s fight all these together…

     

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  • Following Christ in Secret: The Hidden Faith of Bangladeshi Believers

    Gabriel 2 Comments

    "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." — Matthew 5:10

    Every day, thousands of believers around the world worship Jesus freely. They gather in churches, sing songs, carry Bibles openly, and share their faith without fear.

    For many Christians and seekers in Bangladesh, that freedom remains a distant dream.

    At Global Radio Outreach (GRO), we have the privilege of witnessing God work in places where the Gospel is often difficult to share openly. Through our Bengali outreach website, Alordisha, we are seeing a growing number of people reading Scripture, listening to audio Bibles, and discovering the love of Christ. Yet many of these individuals walk a lonely road.

    Their faith is real. Their commitment is sincere.

    But their journey often remains hidden.

    Many of the messages we receive carry the same request:

    "Please do not share my name."

    "Please use an alias."

    "My family cannot know."

    "If my community finds out, I could face serious consequences."

    Behind every anonymous message is a real person wrestling with life-changing questions about faith, identity, family, and the cost of following Jesus.

    For many seekers, discovering Christ begins quietly. A late-night search on a mobile phone. A Bible audio recording listened to in secret. A Gospel message read while alone.

    What may seem ordinary to us can be life-changing for them.

    One young man, whom we will call "Rahim," discovered Alordisha while searching online for answers about forgiveness and salvation.  Rahim's story is not unique.

    Again and again, we hear from individuals who are drawn to Christ but fear the consequences of openly expressing their faith.

    Another reader, whom we will call "Shila," shared her journey after discovering our Bengali resources.

    Her words remind us that the Gospel continues to reach hearts even in places where conversations about faith are difficult.

    The Apostle Paul understood what it meant to endure hardship for the sake of Christ. He wrote:

    "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." — Romans 1:16

    Yet courage does not always look dramatic.

    Sometimes courage looks like opening a Bible app when no one else is watching.

    Sometimes courage looks like sending a message asking questions about Jesus.

    Sometimes courage looks like praying quietly in a room where no one knows you are seeking Christ.

    God sees every one of those moments.

    We recently heard from another Bengali reader whom we will call "Karim."

    "When I first found your website, I only wanted to understand why Christians believe in Jesus. 

    These testimonies reveal something beautiful: the Holy Spirit is working even where human efforts seem limited.

    The Gospel does not stop at borders.

    It does not stop at cultural barriers.

    It does not stop because someone must keep their faith private.

    Jesus Himself promised:

    "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." — Matthew 16:18

    Every day, through Alordisha.com, people encounter Scripture in their own language. They hear God's Word spoken through audio recordings. They learn that salvation is found not through human effort but through the grace of Jesus Christ.

    Many of these readers may never be able to publicly tell their stories.

    Many may never stand in a church and share a testimony.

    Many may never have the freedom to openly discuss their faith journey.

    Yet God knows their names.

    God hears their prayers.

    God walks with them through every challenge.

    This is why your support matters.

    To our faithful GRO partners and donors, thank you.

    Because of your generosity, people searching for hope can access the Bible online. Because of your support, seekers can listen to God's Word in Bengali. Because of your prayers and financial gifts, men and women who might never meet a Christian in person can encounter Jesus through digital outreach.

    When you support this ministry, you are helping place the Gospel within reach of those who may have no other access to biblical teaching and encouragement.

    You may never meet Rahim, Shila, or Karim. *To be honest, I only met one that too only once for 5 minutes. 

    You may never know the names of countless others who quietly visit Alordisha each month.

    But eternity will reveal the impact of every prayer, every gift, and every act of faithfulness.

    As Paul encouraged believers in Galatians:

    "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." — Galatians 6:9

    Today, we ask you to continue praying for the people of Bangladesh who are exploring the Christian faith. Pray for wisdom, protection, courage, and spiritual growth. Pray that God's Word would continue reaching hearts through every article, audio Bible, and Gospel message shared through Alordisha.

    And above all, thank you.

    Thank you for standing with Global Radio Outreach.

    Thank you for believing that every person deserves the opportunity to hear the Good News.

    Thank you for helping bring the light of Christ into places where many seek Him quietly.

    Together, we are witnessing God transform lives, one heart at a time.

    May the Lord bless you richly as you continue to partner with us in this mission.

     

    —- Gabriel. 

    A fellow Christian in a Muslim counrty who is also usiang a fake name just to save his life. But I am little bit known in the GRO community. I hope I am safe. Haha.

     

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  • Faith in the storm.

    Gabriel 5 Comments

    I’m writing this from a Christian hospital in India, and the last february have been unlike anything I’ve experienced before.

    It started suddenly.

    I found myself dealing with bleeding — blood coming from my urine, vomit, and stool. It was confusing and honestly frightening. Things moved quickly, and before I had time to process it, I was admitted and placed under observation.

    In the middle of all that, there was another layer I couldn’t ignore.

    I didn’t come here with financial security.

    Money has been a real concern. Even before the hospital, things were tight. Then suddenly, I’m in a situation where medical care, food, and daily expenses all matter even more.

    What made it more unexpected was how I even got here. When I was trying to travel to India my flight was arranged at the last minute by someone who stepped in to help. I still have to repay him later, so it’s not a complete solution — but in that moment, it felt like a door opening when I had no way forward.

    “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
    — Philippians 4:19

    I’ve been holding onto that, even when it doesn’t fully make sense yet.

    Being in the hospital has not been easy.

    Physically, there have been moments of weakness. Emotionally, I’ve had ups and downs. There were times I felt overwhelmed — even breaking down internally. Questions came up that I didn’t have clear answers for:

    Why is this happening now?
    How will I manage everything?
    What happens next?

    There were moments where my faith felt shaken. Not gone — but not strong either. Just uncertain.

    “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?”
    — Psalm 42:5

    That verse felt real in a way I hadn’t experienced before.

    At the same time, this hasn’t been a place of only struggle.

    This is a Christian hospital, and that has made a difference.

    I’ve met people here — patients, staff, others — who have shown kindness in simple ways. Conversations started naturally. I didn’t expect to build connections here, but I did.

    I even joined some Gospel sharing times within the hospital.

    Sitting there, listening — and sometimes participating — I was reminded of truths I already knew, but needed to hear again.

    “Be still, and know that I am God.”
    — Psalm 46:10

    In the middle of confusion, that invitation to be still has been important.

    There have also been small but real blessings:

    I have a place to stay.
    I am having doctors friends who are suggesting me steps, 
    I am not completely alone.

    And somehow, day by day, I’ve had enough to get through.

    “Give us today our daily bread.”
    — Matthew 6:11

    That idea of daily provision has become very practical.

    I’m not seeing everything solved at once — but I’m seeing just enough for each day.

    Still, the challenges are real.

    Finances are still a concern. I know I will need to repay what was given for the flight. Food and daily needs are not always certain. There’s still a level of instability.

    But I can’t ignore what God has already done.

    He made a way for me to come here.
    He placed me in an environment where I am being cared for.
    He surrounded me with people — even in an unexpected place.

    “So do not fear, for I am with you.”
    — Isaiah 41:10

    I’m choosing to hold onto that, even with unanswered questions.

    I’m sharing this with you because I need your prayers.

    Please pray for healing — that the bleeding would fully stop and my body would recover.
    Please pray for provision — for finances, food, and what’s needed to continue.
    Please pray for strength — especially in moments where I feel weak or uncertain.
    And please pray for steady faith — not based on how I feel, but rooted in trust.

    This experience has had confusion, fear, and even breakdown moments.

    But it has also had glimpses of God’s work that I don’t want to overlook.

    I’m taking it one day at a time.

    And for now… that is enough.

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  • Matthew’s Story: From Prayers to Purpose

    Gabriel 0 Comments

    (For safety reasons, “Matthew” is not his real name.)

    Matthew grew up in in a Muslim country and a muslim family. Faith was part of everything,  from morning prayers to how the family lived each day. “It was just how life was,” he says. “Everyone around me did the same. I never really questioned it.”

    He prayed, fasted, and followed every custom he was taught. But even with all that, something always felt missing. “I believed in God,” Matthew says, “but He felt far away. I wanted to know Him, not just follow rules.”

    That feeling stayed with him for years,  until one day, a new friend began to change his life.

    Matthew met a kind man from a local church who owned a small business nearby. They often talked about work, family, and life. “He never argued about religion,” Matthew remembers. “He just listened. And when he talked about Jesus, it was like he was talking about someone he actually knew.”

    Over time, that friend invited Matthew to church. He went quietly, just to see. “I didn’t plan to believe anything,” he says with a laugh. “I just wanted to understand why these people seemed so peaceful.”

    During one service, the pastor read a verse that stuck in Matthew’s mind:
     ‘Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’ (Matthew 11:28)

    “It was like those words were for me,” he says. “I realized I’d been trying so hard to please God, but I never felt peace. I wanted the rest Jesus talked about.”

    That night, Matthew prayed for the first time in his own words. “I told God, ‘If Jesus is real, please show me.’”

     

    In the weeks that followed, Matthew says something began to change in him. He felt drawn to read the Bible and talk more with his Christian friends. Slowly, he came to believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God.

    “It wasn’t sudden,” he says. “It was like a light turning on, a little bit brighter each day.”

    But when his family found out he had become a Christian, things became difficult. “They were angry and hurt,” Matthew says quietly. “They told me not to come home. Since then, we haven’t spoken.”

    He still prays for them every day. “I love them,” he says. “I just want them to know the peace I found.”

     

    Over time, Matthew started helping at the church, greeting people, cleaning up, and reading the Bible with new believers. And Church gave him shelter. He began to see how many others in his community were searching for answers just like he once had.

    Then, one day, I met him and after atleast 20 meetings, I told him about Global Radio Outreach (GRO), a ministry that shares the message of Jesus through radio and online broadcasts. “As soon as I heard about it, something clicked,” Matthew says. “I thought, That’s how I can reach people like me.”

    Matthew had always loved listening to the radio growing up. “Late at night, I’d turn it on and listen to voices from faraway places,” he says. “Now I get to be one of those voices.” He don’t like the fact that radios are gone now-a-days. 

     

    We are meeting almost everyday to train him how to talk and preparing topics to talk. He’s learning how to record, speak clearly, and share messages that answer questions about Jesus in a gentle and respectful way. But he is scared and I understand. I would be crying. That’s a lot of responsibility. 

    “I’m not on the air yet,” Matthew says, “but I’m getting ready. I want to tell people that God isn’t far away,  He’s near. You can know Him personally.”

    He plans to speak in Bengali, his heart language, and share simple Bible truths with listeners who may be secretly curious about Jesus.

    One verse he keeps on his desk gives him courage:
     ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in.’ (Revelation 3:20)

    “That’s what Jesus did for me,” Matthew says. “He knocked, and when I finally opened my heart, He came in.”

     

    Matthew’s family still doesn’t talk to him, but he hasn’t lost hope. “I believe one day, they’ll understand,” he says. “God’s timing is perfect.” And now he has a small income source from my me which eventually given by you GRO family. 

    Through Global Radio Outreach, Matthew’s story is becoming a message for others,  proof that God is still reaching hearts in quiet, powerful ways.

    As the Bible says:
     “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Romans 10:18)

    And soon, Matthew’s voice will join that chorus — sharing hope, peace, and the truth of Jesus across our country.

     

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  • From Water to Wilderness: My Story of Falling and Finding God Again

    Gabriel 1 Comments

    When I was baptized, I thought life with God would get easier. I thought peace would fill me every day. I thought I would suddenly become more disciplined, more faithful, more untouchable. I imagined I would walk out of that water as a new person, safe from the struggles that had chased me before.

    But that’s not what happened.

    Right after baptism, I was hit harder than ever. It was like the devil was waiting for me the moment I came out of the water.

    And you know what? That’s not strange. Even Jesus went through it. The Bible says:

    “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
     —Matthew 4:1

    Jesus’ baptism was followed by temptation. Mine was too. I just didn’t see it coming.

     

    Not long after, temptation came in like a flood. Lust filled my mind. I smoked for the first time. I cursed my own life. And in the darkest moments, I even cursed God.

    I couldn’t understand. Why would this happen after I gave my life to Him? I thought baptism was supposed to protect me from this.

    But the Bible says we are in a real fight:

    “We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.”
     —Ephesians 6:12 (CEV)

    I was fighting, but I wasn’t ready. I thought I was strong. I thought I could handle it. But I was weaker than I believed.

    Living in Fear

    My choices started catching up to me. I became afraid, especially for my health. When I went in for a medical checkup, I was sure the results would be bad. I thought my smoking and reckless living had already destroyed me.

    But the results surprised me. They came back better than I expected.

    That moment shook me. I didn’t deserve mercy, but God gave it to me anyway.

    The Bible says:

    “If we are not faithful, He will still be faithful, because He cannot deny who He is.”
     —2 Timothy 2:13 (NCV)

    Even when I turned away from God, He never turned away from me. That truth broke me. Not because I was strong, but because I finally reached the end of myself.

    The Breaking

    Here’s what I learned: sometimes God lets us fall so we can see we can’t do this on our own.

    Before, I was proud. I thought I was a “good man” because I didn’t smoke, didn’t fall into certain sins, and lived clean. But deep inside, my heart was proud. My strength was in myself, not in God.

    Jesus once said:

    “Those who try to hold on to their lives will give up true life. But those who give up their lives for me will hold on to true life.”
     —Matthew 10:39 (NCV)

    I had to lose my idea of strength before I could find real life in Him.

    The Surrender

    I came to the end of myself and finally surrendered. Not with fancy words. Just broken, empty, desperate. I dropped to my knees and gave God everything I had left, which wasn’t much.

    And He met me there.

    Slowly, He began to rebuild me. He didn’t rebuild me with pride or with the false strength of “being good.” He rebuilt me with His grace.

    Paul wrote:

    “But the Lord said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.’”
     —2 Corinthians 12:9 (NCV)

    I used to hide my weakness. Now I’ve learned: my weakness is where Christ shows His strength.

     

    Learning God’s Way

    God doesn’t always work the way we expect. I thought He would make me stronger by helping me keep my pride. But He broke that pride, because it was in the way.

    The prophet Jeremiah talks about how God is like a potter:

    “But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.”
     —Jeremiah 18:4 (NLT)

    That was me. I was the broken jar. But God didn’t throw me away. He started over.

    Serving Again

    As I surrendered, God gave me new strength. Not strength to boast, but strength to serve.

    He opened the door for me to work with the youth. I began giving more of myself than ever before. This time it wasn’t about proving I was a “good man.” It was about showing God’s love and giving back what He had given me.

    My life, which felt like it was slipping away, was placed back in His hands. And His hands are safe hands.

    Waiting Through the Storm

    I actually started writing this story a month ago. But every time I tried to finish, something got in the way. Another storm would rise. Another problem would hit.

    Now I understand why. God didn’t want me to write this story halfway through. He wanted me to wait until I could see His work more clearly.

    David wrote in the Psalms:

    “I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of destruction, out of the sticky mud. He set me on a rock. He made my feet steady.”
     —Psalm 40:1–2 (NCV)

    God used the waiting time to shape me, to strengthen me, to remind me He was in control.

    The Victory

    Now I can say this with confidence: the struggle was real, but so is God’s victory.

    I used to think strength meant not smoking, not falling, not slipping up. But true strength is not about what I can do. True strength is found in what God does through me.

    Yes, the devil attacked me hard after my baptism. Yes, I failed. But God’s grace was greater than my failure. His mercy was stronger than my weakness. His love pulled me back even when I pushed Him away.

    The Bible says:

    “My dear children, you belong to God, so you have already defeated these false prophets. This is because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
     —1 John 4:4 (NCV)

    That’s the truth I now stand on.

    My Final Words

    If you’ve been baptized and thought your struggles would end, but instead they got worse, you’re not alone. If you’ve fallen harder than ever before after giving your life to Jesus, you’re not the only one.

    Baptism doesn’t end the battle. It declares whose side you’re on. And when you declare for Christ, the enemy takes notice.

    But don’t be afraid. You don’t fight alone. God is with you, and He is greater.

    The struggle is real. The temptations are real. The breaking is real.

    But God’s victory is even more real.

    And that’s the story of my life, broken, rebuilt, and held by His grace.

    Love,
    Gabriel.

     

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