Naked, wet and hungry

We are born naked, wet and hungry.
Then things get worse.

This is the greeting that our friend Roland has on his Skype page. This is humorous because it is also true in more respects then the mental picture of yourself at birth. This statement leads me to this point, Today is a very dark day in the history of Christianity. The followers of Christ were not looking forward to the morning; they were looking at the past. Paul said it this way:
If Christ hasn't come back to life, our message has no meaning and your faith also has no meaning. 1Co 15:14
They could not recall what they were taught by our Lord:
And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. Mar 8:31
Some Christians focus on the birth of Christ and some the cross while others the miracles. But truth is that if He had not risen from the dead we would not have hope. But He did! And we do! Roland’s greeting is correct until the time comes when we have a restored relationship with God. At that time our future becomes wonderful. Physical things may become worse and probably will but the lasting things, those spiritual things, and the things that last forever get better and better.
Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God's love for us. Since Christ's blood has now given us God's approval, we are even more certain that Christ will save us from God's anger. If the death of his Son restored our relationship with God while we were still his enemies, we are even more certain that, because of this restored relationship, the life of his Son will save us. In addition, our Lord Jesus Christ lets us continue to brag about God. After all, it is through Christ that we now have this restored relationship with God. Rom 5:8-11
By which also ye are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. I passed on to you the most important points of doctrine that I had received: Christ died to take away our sins as the Scriptures predicted. He was placed in a tomb. He was brought back to life on the third day as the Scriptures predicted.He appeared to Cephas. Next he appeared to the twelve apostles. Then he appeared to more than 500 believers at one time. (Most of these people are still living, but some have died.)
Next he appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles.
Last of all, he also appeared to me. I'm like an aborted fetus who was given life. 1Co 15:2-8
Hristos a înviat! Adevărat a înviat!
Christ is risen! Truly risen!

Pastor Vali

I want to introduce you to Pastor Valeriu “Vali” Radu. He is pastor at Emanuel Baptist Church in Berceni, which is sector 4, the south eastern part of Bucuresti. The church has 150 members and is the only Baptist church in sector 4. The population of sector 4 is just over 300,000 people. Pastor Vali also has a full time job at the apartment complex where many of the students from outside Bucuresti live. Besides normal church activities, the church is active in two different mission points outside the city.
Pastor Vali told me that before we came to Emanuel, he had been praying for someone to help him mobilize his church in evangelism. And in late October Teresa and I were asked by our team leader, Richard Clark, to go to the Emanuel Church to see if we could work with them. We have found that they want us as much as we need them. Pastor Vali has even taken time to go with me as we try to lead people to Christ. This week Pastor took Teresa and I to a doctor he knows, also from the Emanuel Church, so that the doctor could give her opinion about Teresa’s arm and shoulder problem.
During a recent conversation with Pastor Vali, he also speaks English; I learned that he is also a college student. He already has the degree he needs to be a pastor under the guidelines of the Romanian Baptist Union, (Paul could be a pastor here but Jesus Christ could not be one). Now he is working on a degree that will allow him to be a licensed counselor under Romanian government’s guidelines. The Romanian government has lots of hoops for you to jump throw, even more then the Romanian Baptist Union. When he completes his degree and becomes licensed by the government, he will be the only licensed Christian counselor in Bucuresti. The city has over 2 million people and there is not 1 Christian counselor in the city.
Pastor Vali is a very busy man about God’s work; please pray for him, his family, and his ministries. Please ask God to bless him so that his cup runs over. Ask the Father to strengthen him as he continues this huge schedule that he has each week. And also thank God for him on our behalf, he is a great encourager and helpful pastor to Teresa and me.
Heb 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.