Gheorghe

photo by Lanny
Last night we were able to make connections with Gheorghe (Troy‘s blog May 4). Costel, Lanny and I had been missing that connection recently with the exception of finding him when he was too busy to stop what he was doing and study the Bible with us. Troy has had at least two Bible studies with him, I was at one where Gheorghe asked many questions regarding his life and what God thought about the way his life was going. Last night was no exception, we started the study with the first lesson in the people who knew Jesus booklet, and soon had moved on into a much more personal look at how God was wanting us personally to live the life that God had given us.
Shortly after Costel had done an excellent and painstaken illustration of what a gift was, we move into the area of family relations. Gheorghe’s father is a drunk, and has been in that condition for 20 years. Gheorghe said that there is no peace in the home because of his fathers drinking. He had several questions regarding the Bible and God concerning his father. My first thought was God has turn that man over to his own desires, so I asked my trusty Bible search engine where that verse was, I got the answer in only a few seconds, Lanny said Romans 1.
(24) So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. (25) Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.
We would say “He let the pig woller in the mud.” That is the point of this blog, if you are a child og God, God will correct you. If you are not a child of God and refuse to listen to His instruction, the 10 commandments
(see 1 Tim 1:8-10), He will let you have your sin and become like Gheorghe fathers a sinner (drunk) who looks and acts like the sin (drunkard, see Gal 5:20). Be very aware, they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:21



1Ti 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

43 Days and Counting!

But who's counting anyway? Grandpa Randy and Nanny Teresa, that's who! In case you haven't guessed, this is Emma Marie, our Granddaughter. Forty-three days from now will be the first time we get to hold her. Needless to say, we are a bit excited.

We arrived in Romania April 7th, 2008. The last time we saw most of our family and friends was in January, 2008. Today's date is Monday, July 20, 2009, so you see, it's been a spell since we were with our family and friends back home.

Randy and I were called to do God's work. The call was so evident to us and we wanted to be obedient to the Lord. We knew that God had a plan for our lives, in faith we would follow Him where His plan would lead. God's plans separated us from the ones we loved.

Do you remember the plan God had for his son Jesus? When Jesus was just 30 years old, in obedience to his Father he left his home and family that he loved to begin his ministry. When you are called to God's work and you follow in obedience, that call will lead you sometimes far away and separate you from your loved ones.

There is comfort to be found in answering the call and going wherever it may lead. It is true the journey may take you a great distance from your family and a brand new granddaughter, friends and a very special church back home. BUT all the distance in the world can never separate us from the love of Jesus Christ. He is our constant companion through every joy, victory, sorrow whatever we experience, He is there. We are never alone.

Yes, Randy and I get lonesome for our family and friends back home. However, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we have been called to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
God has been faithful, His mercies are new each morning. We have learned to lean on Jesus.

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?

Mihai on Mission With God

Mihai is on a mission trip this week, he will be teaching Jeremy’s church how to Share Jesus Without Fear on the streets of Bucuresti.
Please pray that Jeremy’s church will learn and use what Mihai shares with them this week and that many people will come to know Jesus as Mihai and Jeremy work at making disciples.

Pretty Feet

This morning July 15, Randy, Whitney, Larissa and I prayer walked zone 15, located at the north end of Galati, not far from the large Metro store. Actually zone 15 is more like a small village, it certainly has a 'you're out in the country' feel to it.

Down at the base of a large drop off there are train tracks which are visible in the picture above.
Adjacent to the tracks is Lacul Brat (Lake Brat). This is a very large lake.

On previous visits to zone 15 we noticed the majority of the people living in this area appeared to be senior citizens. However, there were several young school age children running and playing in the community. We learned from a conversation with one of the residents that the younger adults who live in the village have gone to other countries to find work and left their children behind with the grandparents. This same situation occurs all over the city of Galati as more and more people are leaving Romania to look for work.

There is something very unusual about zone 15. There is no Orthodox Church in the village. Normally there is a church on every corner. An Orthodox Priest does live in the village. We have not done a lot of work in zone 15 other than prayer walk and hand out gospel tracts. This is new territory for us. We are certain it is no different than any other area in the city we have worked. No doubt these people are lost and desperately need to hear the Good News about Jesus Christ and His free gift of salvation.

Please pray for us as we continue to venture into zone 15, show them the love of Jesus and take the opportunity to Share Jesus Without Fear with the lost.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

Rom 10:15 How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The Highways and Hedges

Luk 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.


Last night Randy and I went out with Lanny, Whitney and Larissa to Share Jesus Without Fear with some people in our neighborhood. We live in a section of town known as Mazepa 2. When we tell someone locally where we live, we tell them near la banc (the banks).

Everyone met at our apartment, we started the evening with prayer and divided into 2 teams. Lanny, Whitney and Larissa went one direction and Randy and I went another. Soon, we lost sight of the trio team. As we weaved our way up and down the many streets that meander through Mazepa 2, Randy and I handed out tracts to passers by.

Two young adults sitting under a large shade tree caught our attention. We approached them and Randy engaged them in conversation. Oana (Wana) was the young lady's name, who just happened to speak English very well. She and her boyfriend both were 18 years old. Oana agreed to listen as we opened the Bible and went through the scriptures of "Share Jesus Without Fear" with her. We gave her a Romanian Bible in order for her to read the scriptures.

As the majority of Romanians, Oana and her friend both claimed to be Orthodox. Neither of them had any idea where they would go if they died, heaven or hell. They have no understanding of the free gift of salvation Jesus provided for sinners on the cross. The Orthodox priest has instilled into their belief system that they must work their way to Heaven. Randy and I had a long conservation with Oana and her friend. There was no evidence of a great break through. Never-the-less, we were obedient to what God has called us to do, seeds were sown and we know that God will do the watering. God's word never returns void.

Lanny's Blog, a must read

http://iveneverownedabox.blogspot.com/2009/07/day-in-valley-and-aenglish-lesson.html

Are You Available to God?

Phi 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Meet Lanny Wake, a Child of God, Teacher, Coach and our dear friend from Cameron, Missouri

Lanny is here along with his daughter Whitney and a young man Andrew. They have been to Galati several years with their local Baptist church on short term mission trips. This is the second year they have come and spent an entire month of their summer vacation "making themselves available to God".

In these photos Lanny is at the Dacia Tennis courts, less than a 5 minute walk from our apartment. Monday through Saturday mornings by 8:00 a.m. you will find him on the court hitting balls or playing tennis with Romanian friends he has developed during the years he has been traveling to Galati. The young man who manages the Dacia Court looks forward to Lanny's arrival, as well as the students of various ages who are anxious to hit the ball with the "American". There is much more to these pictures than just the enjoyment of playing tennis. Lanny uses this opportunity to form relationships and to share his faith in Jesus Christ. Many seeds have been sown on the red clay dirt at the Dacia Tennis Court in Galati, Romania. It will be a glorious day in Heaven when Lanny will see how God watered the seeds he sowed in faith, believing God would make them grow.

You may not be a tennis player. This question is, are you willing to be available to God? Are you willing to be obedient no matter the cost? Jesus Christ was obedient to His Father for our sake.
Are you ready to be obeident?