If You Love Me, You Will Love Others

I would like for you to meet Daniela, a twenty-one year old young lady who is a member of a Bible Study group that meets in my apartment each week. The group is made up of 8-10 young ladies. We started meeting about 8 months ago. Our first study was "I've Been Born Again, What Next". We just completed "John, Behold the Lamb". At our last meeting they decided the next study would be "Galatians, From Law to Grace".

I have been richly blessed to have the pleasure of watching these young ladies grow in the Lord throughout these studies. Their knowledge of the Bible has grown as well as their personal prayer life. Each of the girls have touched my life in their own individual ways.

There's more I want to share with you about Daniela. Daniela and her 3 sisters come from a broken home. Her 3 sisters are younger than her, at 21 years of age, Daniela has had to fill the parent role for several months now. She is the sole financial support they have with the exception of some money their Mother is able to send occasionally. Daniela must be the disciplinarian, which often causes some difficult situations and hard feelings between her and her sisters. She has had to grow up way too fast. It is such a blessing that all of them are born again believers.

I'm not sure at what age Daniela accepted Christ as her Savior. During these past months I've watched her love for the Lord change. Change how? Similar to the way Peter's love for Christ changed. We all know how Peter denied Christ 3 times. Even when Peter denied Him, Jesus loved him. Later Jesus questioned Peter if he loved him more than the other disciple did. Peter's answer was: "Yes, Lord you know that I am your friend." Jesus asked Peter the same question again, and once again Peter answered the same way, "Yes, Lord you know I am your friend." Peter's kind of love is "phileo", which means friendship. The third time Jesus asked Peter, do you love (agape) me? This is the kind of love Christ has for us. The kind of love that led him to the cross to die for us. Jesus accepted Peter's "phileo" love, but Christ led Peter to a deeper love for him, eventually Peter did die as a result for his love for Jesus Christ.

Daniela's love of Christ has grown from a flickering dimly lit candle to flaming fire. She has a heart full of love for her family, friends and others around her that know nothing about the "agape" love that Jesus has to offer. Daniela has stepped out in faith, following the leadership of God and formed her own group. There are about 10-12 people in her group and some of them are non-believers. I'm praying in that group there will be another "Daniela" that will come forward, step out in faith, become a leader, form another group, and win more souls to the Kingdom.

William Wilberforce

I prepared this for the blog some time ago, but I failed to publish it. Please keep us and the people of Galati in your prayers.

Recently, while waiting for the time for me to go to Romanian class, I was listening to the “Truth For Life” broadcast with Alistair Begg, which I had downloaded before leaving our home in Galati. I have been listening to these broadcast for several years. At the time of my downloading he was finishing the study of the first chapter of James. I have been very interested in works, and works relationship to a persons assurance of salvation as a sign of that relationship with God. During this message he made reference to the epitaph of William Wilberforce whose life was recently portrayed in the movie “Amazing Grace”. I have copied it from the on line Westminster Abbey site:


TO THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM WILBERFORCE (BORN IN HULL AUGUST 24th 1759, DIED IN LONDON JULY 29th 1833;) FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, AND, FOR SIX PARLIAMENTS DURING THAT PERIOD, ONE OF THE TWO REPRESENTATIVES FOR YORKSHIRE. IN AN AGE AND COUNTRY FERTILE IN GREAT AND GOOD MEN, HE WAS AMONG THE FOREMOST OF THOSE WHO FIXED THE CHARACTER OF THEIR TIMES; BECAUSE TO HIGH AND VARIOUS TALENTS, TO WARM BENEVOLENCE, AND TO UNIVERSAL CANDOUR, HE ADDED THE ABIDING ELOQUENCE OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE. EMINENT AS HE WAS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC LABOUR, AND A LEADER IN EVERY WORK OF CHARITY, WHETHER TO RELIEVE THE TEMPORAL OR THE SPIRITUAL WANTS OF HIS FELLOW-MEN, HIS NAME WILL EVER BE SPECIALLY IDENTIFIED WITH THOSE EXERTIONS WHICH, BY THE BLESSING OF GOD, REMOVED FROM ENGLAND THE GUILT OF THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE, AND PREPARED THE WAY FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN EVERY COLONY OF THE EMPIRE: IN THE PROSECUTION OF THESE OBJECTS HE RELIED, NOT IN VAIN, ON GOD; BUT IN THE PROGRESS HE WAS CALLED TO ENDURE GREAT OBLOQUY AND GREAT OPPOSITION: HE OUTLIVED, HOWEVER, ALL ENMITY; AND IN THE EVENING OF HIS DAYS, WITHDREW FROM PUBLIC LIFE AND PUBLIC OBSERVATION TO THE BOSOM OF HIS FAMILY. YET HE DIED NOT UNNOTICED OR FORGOTTEN BY HIS COUNTRY: THE PEERS AND COMMONS OF ENGLAND, WITH THE LORD CHANCELLOR AND THE SPEAKER AT THEIR HEAD, IN SOLEMN PROCESSION FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSES, CARRIED HIM TO HIS FITTING PLACE AMONG THE MIGHTY DEAD AROUND, HERE TO REPOSE: TILL, THROUGH THE MERITS OF JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY REDEEMER AND SAVIOUR, (WHOM, IN HIS LIFE AND IN HIS WRITINGS HE HAD DESIRED TO GLORIFY,) HE SHALL RISE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST.

Here is the life story of a man who proved his faith by his actions. Not for his own glory like Oprah of our time, but for the good of others. James says it in chapter 2 verse 26.
Jam 2:26 So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, also faith without actions is dead.
So if you are happy in your “salvation” and you cannot show God “this is how I am living for you” then you have nothing to be happy for:
Jam 2:18 But someone will say, "One person has faith, another has actions." My answer is, "Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions."
Jam 2:19 Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe---and tremble with fear.
Jam 2:20 You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless?
Time for a personal salvation check. Paul writes:
Eph 2:8-9 For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it.
Eph 2:10 God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.
Do not be found without bearing good fruit:
Luke 3:9 The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire."
Really consider your salvation by looking at your own life. If you do not love you brother:
1Jo 4:20 If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen.
1Jo 4:21 The command that Christ has given us is this: whoever loves God must love others also.
If God is not living in your heart, invite Him in today!

Link to Truth For Life:
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Truth_for_Life/archives.asp?bcd=9/29/2008

Are You Going to Heaven?

http://www.crossway.org/assets/tracts/heaven/

http://www.crossway.org/assets/tracts/heaven/

Please Pray For Us

Pray, prayer, prayed and praying collectively show up in the KJV of the Bible 498 times. There are also references to speaking to God without the use of any form of the word “pray”. I point this out that there must be something to this prayer business for it to be written down so many times.
Paul says: Pray without ceasing. 1Th 5:17
As we near Easter I ask you to take our request to the Father for us. We live in a city where there is mosty hopelessness. These people need your prayers.
Please pray that God again this year will send workers, at the same time giving thanks for those He has supplied.
Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
The body of Christ was in the tomb on the Sabbath of the weekend we know as Easter. All hope was gone for His followers who did not remember His words:
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Mat 16:21
We ask you that have that hope, to pray that thousands here in Galati will be told about the hope there is in Jesus Christ. That they will see the Light of the world through His children.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
2Th 3:1 Finally, our friends, pray for us that the Lord's message may continue to spread rapidly and be received with honor, just as it was among you.

Team Rena

My sister Rena came to Galati at the end of last year. She has written a blog that I will share with you about her experience here. This comes some time after her trip because, at least in part, she was without electric for 2 weeks due to the ice storm in Missouri.

Those two weeks she was here really flew by! Rena came to Romania on Christmas Day 2008 and went back home Friday January 9th. She came with the intent of helping Teresa and I in the ministry we are working in here in Galati. And for the first week we stayed on course. But the second week we also got to add a few hours of out reach as well.

Not only has she brought hope to some families who had little to no hope at all, we also have gotten into 5 new homes to do Bibles studies! “Team Rena” is the first team that has come just to work with us directly and not through Troy and Karla. She has set a standard that will be hard for the rest of the teams that come this year to meet. She came only to help us in ministry that was already in place and was able to help us get into homes we have never been in before. Her plans were our plans and there is no way to express how helpful and hopeful she was to the families who desperately needed help and hope. Here is her post.


The World Within Her Reach

How did you learn to attach the right names to Ma-ma and Da-da? How did you learn to say those words? You watched Mama’s mouth while she said her name, (and Dad’s while he said his name), and you listened to the sounds they made. As for the rest of the important things in your world, such as your blanket or bear or bottle, you soon learned to identify them all and ask for the one you wanted.
But what if you couldn’t see clearly? What if you could only distinguish the difference between light and dark? How would you learn to identify things? Well, you could still touch. And you could hear the name ‘blanket’ when Mama gave it to you. She would let you touch her face and you would be able to distinguish hers from that scratchy one, even if neither parent said a word.
What if you couldn’t hear well? What if you could only hear loud noises or certain pitches or maybe nothing at all? Learning to talk would be very hard. You could watch mouths move and Dad might put your hand on his throat to ‘feel’ him talk to you. When you made a sound—any sound!—you could see Mom and Dad get excited and put your hand on your own throat to feel the sounds you could make. Even if you could never talk, you could learn names for things by watching and imitating others ‘sign’ the names with their hands and you would quickly learn to ask for things by pointing.
Now, what if you couldn’t see or hear? What if you were a year and a half old and made no attempts to talk? What if you didn’t ask for things by pointing or reaching? How could you even be aware that your bear was at the other end of the couch? Would you have any way to communicate the names Mama, or Da-da? Would you even know that people and things have names?
18-month-old Maria is living in a world without voices, colors, sky, stars, music or pictures. If she hasn’t touched it, tasted it or smelled it, she does not know that it exists. Maria’s parents and grandparents lavish all the love and attention any child could want but without a way to communicate, her ability to learn will be limited. Maria’s world is what lies within reach of her little hands. Doctors say an operation might improve Maria’s hearing. Others hold out hope of medical procedures that would allow her to see. Even though both parents work, there isn’t enough money now to go where Maria could receive this kind of help.
In the meantime, to open up a world full of sights and sounds will challenge the persistence and creativity of Maria’s family. When she explores something warm, tube-shaped and smooth with her hands, Mama can sign the word ‘bottle,’ with Maria’s fingers and let Maria feel the word as it is signed by her mother’s hands. Daddy can still put Maria’s hands to his throat as he talks but he will have to put her fingers on his lips as well to let Maria know what ‘talking’ is. When she makes a sound, Grandma can place Maria’s fingers on her own little throat to feel the vibration. Outlines of familiar objects can be laid on a clear surface with light shining through from underneath to give Maria a chance to see and identify shapes as well as assign them sign-language names.
Can Maria learn? Of course she can. Will it be easy? No, it will be challenging to help this beautiful little girl discover that the world she lives in is much more than the few things that can be touched with her own hands. God can provide a way, perhaps through medical means or through sheer dedication and hard work, but God can provide a way to an exciting future for Maria. Join Maria’s team of supporters by praying for her, for her young parents and for her grandparents. Then be prepared to marvel at what He will do.

New Heaven And New Earth

We just returned from a meeting in Prague, Czech Republic (former Czechoslovakia) with fellow co-laborers for the Lord. Ah, Prague what a beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, lovely, picturesque, exquisite and last but certainly not least…magnificent city! I’m sure you’ve gotten the “picture” that we were delighted with our stay in Prague.

Each evening at the end of our session we would have some time for seeing the city and eating dinner at one of the restaurants highly recommended by the Geddes family. Troy, Karla and their children had been to Prague previously for a special training session.

Memories of the beauty of Prague will linger in our minds for a long, long time, perhaps we will take a personal vacation there so that we can enjoy a slow paced visit to see more of what Prague has to offer. Ah, lovely Prague.

As children of God we have something to look forward to that is paramount to Prague or any other city in Europe or anywhere in the world.

Joh 14:1 "Do not be worried and upset," Jesus told them. "Believe in God and believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so.
Joh 14:3 And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am.

When God makes us a promise we can claim it, He is a promise keeper.

Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth disappeared, and the sea vanished.
Rev 21:2 And I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared and ready, like a bride dressed to meet her husband.

Our eyes have never seen anything to compare to the majesty of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. It’s nice to travel and enjoy the beauty on the earth God created, but let’s never forget as His children the Exquisite New Heaven And New Earth that God is preparing. We also carry a huge responsibility as Christians:

Mat 28:19 Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20 and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."

Faith

The things you face on the mission field are somewhat different from the things you face when you are in your home environment.
I was trying to find words of comfort from the Bible for Teresa and found that these words were more for some young people that we know here.

As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows! "Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven. But those who reject me publicly, I will reject before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law; your worst enemies will be the members of your own family. "Those who love their father or mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples; those who love their son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples. Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples. Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it. "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes God's messenger because he is God's messenger, will share in his reward. And whoever welcomes a good man because he is good, will share in his reward. You can be sure that whoever gives even a drink of cold water to one of the least of these my followers because he is my follower, will certainly receive a reward." Mat 10:30-42

These young people have had to say God is greater than even my own parents and I will follow Him and not the traditions that lead only to death and the grave. Now they are in spiritual warfare with these powers and the battle ground is their own homes. Pray that theses young people will never give up the fight and as they carry their cross, that they will lead their families to God.

Jesus answered him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me. Joh 14:6
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom 8:18