My Kingdom Is Out of This World

One thing that God has done in my life since I have been here in Galati is, He has opened my eyes wider to the difference between the people in His kingdom verses the people who live for the things of the world.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world”
In the area of the states where we come from there is a large percentage of Christians and lots more who call themselves “christians.”

Act 11:26 He found Saul and brought him to Antioch, where they met with the church for a whole year and taught many of its people. There in Antioch the Lord's followers were first called Christians.

Using the Bible for defining the word “Christian” you will find that it means to be “the Lord’s followers”. The distinction is very easily seen here. Maybe its because I don’t understand what they say. They are unable to influence me with words which would mislead and all I know is their actions. Or maybe it is because many Americans use John chapter three verse sixteen for their doctrine and have never understood it, yet think they are saved.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The word “believeth” means “entrust, put trust in, commit” just like if you were living in, let’s say, Romania and you gave someone in Texas power of attorney. That person then controls your life. You have to turn your life over to that person to make decisions for you. Believe God, entrust Him with your life, turn control over to Him, do as He ask and follow Him. Then follow Him.
Remember:
Using the Bible for defining the word “Christian” you will find that it means to be “the Lord’s followers”.

Then you would truly be able to call yourself a Christian. That’s the Bible definition not mine or yours!

If you are a college age Christian, here is a new way the IMB has opened up for you to follow Him.

Hands On Program:
http://www.imb.org/main/news/details.asp?StoryID=6801&LanguageID=1709

Time For Prayer

Monday June 23,2008 our nephew James is going to Houston, Texas for an appointment at M.D. Anderson hospital. Please join us in a day of fasting and prayer, asking God to heal James of the cancer he has. Monday is also James' birthday. When we found out about his condition, he asked us to pray that God would make him a good witness as he deals with the illness, please ask God to do that also.

The New Clinic

We took a trip to the new clinic in Braila.The group Serving HIM from Dallas area set up this clinic, with help from others.Teresa needed to see the doctor while Roland and Bogdan were going to see dentist.


Bogdan meets Scott before seeing the dentist.If you think he is nerves, you're right.

Next stop is with Dr. Cam, as he gets to choose which dentist that Bogdan will see. When you got up this morning I bet you never thought you would be seeing this .


This is the dentist we met on our trip to Dallas last fall. The man assisting him works for American Airlines. What are you doing on your vacation this year? These guys are making a life long difference in hundreds of people lives, and perhaps even an eternal difference. Hey, Living Word, they are doing it something like we do with Alex and company in Moldova.
You may want to slip the next clip, unless you are thinking of becoming a dentist.



Bogdan and Teresa survived!!! All in all it was a very good trip. Please keep in your Prayers that the clinic see needing a full time dentist and doctor. Oh! Where is Roland?

Children in the Valley

This was at the start of the meeting time Sunday night, as the evening went on more children came. All together around 15-20 this age, about 12 were there as we were ready to leave.

WE HAVE INTERNET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More later.

Our Brother Victor

Today in small group worship time we were reviewing the Hope column of the Universal Disciple as taught by Thom Wolf. I was assigned this task after I went to bed on Friday night by a note slid under our door. We were in class all day Saturday, therefore I was unable to do much work on the assignment until Sunday morning.

I didn’t have too many notes from class, he was very fast and I am very slow. So I started out with establishing what Hope as used in the Bible was; Heb. 11:1 “ the things we hope for” means expect/trust. Not merely to wish for but to expect to get, to know what is coming next.

Then we headed toward Tit. 3:6-7 (see verses at bottom of page) where we find one of the things we hope for is eternal life. And then we went to Rom. 8:35-39 where we find our hope is in never being separated from the love of Jesus Christ our Lord and having victory. After that we went to Eph. 4:29-30 where we see we are owned by God and have hope in the guarantee of being set free. And then in 1Peter 1:13 our hope is in the blessing when Jesus Christ is revealed. But I wanted everyone to take note that in each of these verses Hope was an action:
Titus- “giving their time to doing good deeds”
Romans- “we can have complete victory”
Ephesians- “do good”
1 Peter- “ready for action”

Then I went to today’s applications, what better actions then to pray that someone would be found in Jesus Christ. That is what happened this week while I was talking to my brother Victor for the last time. We prayed that his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as well as my children would commit themselves to Jesus. He had already told Teresa that he knew that his time was short and he was in a great deal of pain, yet we prayed that our children would follow Jesus. Knowing that the only way that he could continue to see them all was if they followed Jesus.

Teresa and I are going to tell others about Jesus, Victor was praying that others would come to know and trust Jesus as he did. There can be no greater action then the action taken to lead others to Christ. If you are a child of God it is you job, no matter how you go about it. Victor facing death, was praying for someone else.

Verses:

Heb 11:1 To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.

Tit 3:6 God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Tit 3:7 so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for.
Tit 3:8 This is a true saying. I want you to give special emphasis to these matters, so that those who believe in God may be concerned with giving their time to doing good deeds, which are good and useful for everyone.

Rom 8:35 Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death?
Rom 8:36 As the scripture says, "For your sake we are in danger of death at all times; we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered."
Rom 8:37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!
Rom 8:38 For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future,
Rom 8:39 neither the world above nor the world below---there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord

Eph 4:29 Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you.
Eph 4:30 And do not make God's Holy Spirit sad; for the Spirit is God's mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free.

1Pe 1:13 So then, have your minds ready for action. Keep alert and set your hope completely on the blessing which will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed

Pray, Give, Go!

Pray, Give, Go….is a great little phrase which has it all together in a one-liner. The backbone of any ministry is prayer. God listens to His people when they pray!

The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect. James 5:16 GNB

This weekend starting at sundown Friday, and going through sundown Saturday we would like to ask you to fast and pray for the mission effort in Romania. This is a time to fellowship with God and deny your physical self and enrich your spiritual being. The Bible says fasting and praying is not only for showing God what we would like Him to do for His Kingdom, but also says that it is a way of "serving God" Luke 2: 37

We know that many of you are facing troubles from the flooding, as well as the everyday challenges. We understand the sacrifice you are making and we appreciate your commitment. Teresa and I will be praying for each of you, our partners, as we pray this weekend. As one of our speakers here at the learning center put it; today may be Friday, but Sunday is coming!

As we go into this Resurrection weekend remember it is not about us, life is about what we can do for God. Please, in each of your prayers ask God, "what do you want me to do today?"