Happy Birthday

Our CHRISTmas gift.

I know that you are expecting a blog about Jesus and CHRISTmas, but today is also Romanian independence day. And you are not going to see a blog about that either. Instead you will see a blog about someone born some 2000 years after Jesus on December 25. He is the champion origami maker for his age in this part of the world.
Dorian is the son of Laura and Roland, our friends from Galati, here is a video filmed at the Galati Botanical Garden cultural center in Galati. His work has also been displayed at the National Children’s Theater in Bucuresti.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DORIAN

CHRISTmas in Bucuresti

A Christmas Message

1John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

As time goes on things become increasingly clearer to me.
Matthew begins his gospel with these words:
Mat 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ…..
He began hundreds of years before Jesus and went through the generations to the Christ and then told of the events that he, Matthew witnessed.

Mark’s good news starts:
Mar 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Mar 1:2 As it is written in the prophets…..
At that point Mark writes of John, God’s messenger, and the meeting of John and Jesus at the Jordan River.

Luke writes to his friend Theophilus that he:
Luke 1:4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things…
Then Luke begins with the physical lives of John and Jesus.

John’s good news goes much farther back then any of the others:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Shortly afterward John the writer begins with the accounts of John the baptizer.

All these accounts of this, the greatest event, are done to give proof of the life of Christ. We get all caught up in the baby Jesus this time each year, but the real story is His life, His death and His resurrection.
What becomes more clear to me is the fact that we need to follow the examples of these men. Be like Luke, take time to tell your friends that Jesus saves. Be like Paul tell everyone you meet that Jesus paid our sin debt. Have you told anyone today? This week? This month? This year?

Paul wrote to the church in Rome and said:
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
There are a lot of folks that believe in their heart’s but never a word comes out of their mouth’s. Look at this verse, if you confess and believe then you are saved. Jesus said if you are ashamed of Him, He will also be ashamed of you. You do not want you savior to be ashamed of you!
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?…
(If)Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; (Then)of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:35-38

It is time that we do as Jesus told us to do:
Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
If you are a Christian, then this life is not about you, it is about Jesus. Remember the whole life of Jesus, the gift from God the Father, and the promise that lives in you, God the Holy Spirit. Make a new years resolution that you can keep, confess that Jesus is your Lord before people. Tell your family that Jesus saves, tell your friends about the hope that lives in you, tell you enemies that Jesus loves them too.

Make this your new years verse, live by it. Do not deceive yourself:
James 1:22 (KJV)But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (CEV) Obey God's message! Don't fool yourselves by just listening to it.

Let me restate my opening thought; as time goes on things become increasingly clearer to me. Jesus is the Way, The Truth, and The Life no one goes to the Father in heaven except though Jesus.

Thank you all for praying for us this year, may God bless you for those prayers.
Just two sinners saved by grace, Randy and Teresa Myers

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Well folks, we may not get the white Christmas I have been dreaming of, but we are having a beautiful snowfall today! It is amazing how this white frosty powder falling from the sky hides all the ugliness of the city so quickly. Just as astonishing is the way it muffles all the traffic noise, the clickity-clack from the tram-vi as it makes its way down the tracks on the street outside, the honking of the cars seems almost undetectable, wow I really like this stuff! This is the day Randy pulled out the thermal underwear before he went outside, so it seems ole man winter has officially arrived in Bucuresti. I don't mind, I'm a winter person. All I have to do to get warmed up is think about the HOT fires my Dad used to build in our wood heating stove! Man could he build a fire, those were the good ole days, what precious memories I have.

As I set here working on this blog and watching the snowfall from my office window, once again those words; white as snow, white as snow, white as snow come to my mind. When I was a little girl I helped my Mom with our laundry. Our sheets were always so white, white as snow. Mom kept them white as snow by using an agent called bluing in the rinse water. After she put the bluing in the water it looked like Easter egg dye. I just knew those sheets were going to turn blue. They never did, they always came out so nice and white, white as snow! There was an agent applied to our sins that washed them white like snow as well. However, it wasn't something so simple as bluing. What washes our sins white as snow? The blood of Jesus Christ.

Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, we pray that you would do so. There is no sin too big or bad that He can not forgive. Jesus is standing at your hearts door knocking, open the door and let Him come in.

Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Jesus Christ can wash your sins white as snow, open the door and let Him come in.

I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas

As far back as I can remember I've been crazy about snow. I become as excited as a small child on Christmas morning any time I see that first snowflake fall. Randy has some difficulty understanding my infatuation with this white, cold, frozen glittery blanket that covers the ground. It doesn't seem too promising there will be a white Christmas in Bucuresti this Christmas, however we all know weathermen aren't always correct in their predictions; so I'm still hoping.

I can explain a large portion of my fondness for this creation, snow. God gave us the different seasons to enjoy, each of them have their own distinct beauties for our enjoyment and pleasure. Winter is my favorite season, you guessed it; because of the snow. I am going to use another person's words to express the reason for my excitement and adoration for snow. These words are a true picture of what snow brings to my mind when I have the privilege and opportunity to view the splendor and beauty of this mantle of white:

"Every snowflake came to earth as a picture of our Savior’s birth, because they are sent from up above and remind us of God’s care and love.

Each one is so intricate and small because Christ see the details of us all, and just as two are never the same the Lord knows and calls us each by name.

Snowflakes gently cover the world in white and hide what’s unlovely from our sight, showing us how He covers our sin and gives us His grace when we come to Him.

So may every snowflake bring Christ to mind and in every bit of white may you find a reason to celebrate anew and a reminder of his love for you."

Have you ever compared yourself to a snowflake, God made you completely different from everyone else; all of us are unique and individually designed, yet He knows every infinite detail about each of us. God knows our strengths, weaknesses, talents, thoughts, our needs before we ever ask, every sin we have or will commit, and yet He loves us. His desire is that none perish, that's why God sent his only son to earth, born in a manger to die on a cross; so the world could have eternal life.

Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Whether or not you have a White Christmas, our prayer is that you make room in your heart for the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ the one who can wash your sins white as snow. He is the reason for the season, and the reason we celebrate.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Randy and Teresa Myers

Hope Across the Street !

Today I went with two colleagues, Bob and Richard to see some work being done in the Ferentari area of Bucuresti. We are told this is the poorest part of Bucuresti. Bob had talked to Ovidiu, the director of the foundation, at Holy Trinity Church here in Bucuresti.
We found the reports about the area to be correct as far as the poverty is concerned. But we did find hope in all the hopelessness, The Philip House Foundation. This is a operating kindergarten which doubles as a outreach for the community.
The workers here help older children with their home work and give them lunch each school day. Ovidiu told us they spend about $300 each day on food, which is mainly rice and potatoes. The out reach is operated from funding he gets from donations, mostly locally. The building is owned by the city and is only open to the foundation because they operate the kindergarten. The foundation gets sponsors for some of the kindergartners because they do not have the money to go to the school and the kindergarten must maintain at least 100 students.
The building has a dental office and a doctors office that are open when ever either one donates their time to work in them. There is also a small kitchen and a lunch room as while as a class room. We saw that they had some computers but were told that they did not work so no one is able to learn how to use them.
In spite of the short comings this is one great ministry. Even though they are not allowed to do direct evangelizing everyone in this community can see God’s love in the people who work here. Please pray that this ministry will be blessed by our Father in the coming year.

Also Ovidiu told us teams are welcome, besides clinic teams, a VBS team would be helpful in this area, he can use about any type of team.
Their web site is:
http://www.caminul-phillip.ro/

Unto Us A Child Was Born

Randy and I want to wish our family, faithful prayer partners and dear friends a Merry Christmas. This is my favorite time of the year. I am always so humbled each year when I consider the love of God through his gift to the world in the birth of Jesus.

During my lifetime, I have had many beautifully wrapped and bedazzled gifts under the Christmas tree. Oh how they catch the eye and spark the imagination of our Granddaughter Emma! When our children were small Christmas couldn't arrive quick enough. The beautiful lights and all the decorations are breathtaking and I do so enjoy the excitement of it all myself.

Our prayer this Christmas season is in all the hustle and bustle, in all the festivities, in all the comings and goings, gift buying, gift wrapping, house cleaning, getting ready for guests, preparing to travel and cooking that wonderful Christmas dinner; that we do not fail to remember something of great importance.......

Luk 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Jesus Christ is the reason we celebrate Christmas. God sent his son to earth that special day gift wrapped in the body of a precious baby boy; the Savior of the World. Jesus, a gift for anyone who will accept Him.

Once again, we wish you a very Merry Christmas from our hearts to yours and may God bless you with a New Year filled with happiness and health.

Randy and Teresa

Who do you Admire?

From time to time I look at the blogs of the people I know, trying to keep up with them and what is happening in their lives. Recently I was reading the blog of a young person that Teresa and I have grown to love and I was somewhat concerned with a statement made there, “I admire him”. The “him” was a person who was active in helping others, which is a great thing to do. Paul says in Romans:

If our gift is to speak God's message, we should do it according to the faith that we have; if it is to serve, we should serve; if it is to teach, we should teach; if it is to encourage others, we should do so. Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully. Romans 12:6-8


What concerns me is people admiring people. That is like one painting admiring another painting. How many people admire of the painting of Mona Lisa but rarely admire the talent of Leonardo Da Vinci. And if they do admire Da Vinci do they ever admire the creator who gave Da Vinci those talents?

Rom 1:25 They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever! Amen

Worshiping and serving created things leads to other sins (see Romans chapter 1) and some religions are basic on this sin:

Deu 5:7 " 'Worship no god but Me.

Know any tree huggers? Know anyone who trusts the stars instead of God? How about devil worshipers? Anyone who puts other people ahead of God?

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Mat 6:19-21

Where do you spend your time? A girl friend, or a boy friend?
Where do you spend your money? A boat, traveling, or shopping?
We all should get serious about what we do with our resources:
And He said to them, Watch and keep yourselves from covetousness. For a man's life is not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. Luke 12:15
"But God said to him, 'You fool! I will demand your life from you tonight! Now who will get what you've accumulated?' That's how it is when a person has material riches but is not rich in his relationship with God." Luke 12:20-21

Admiration of other people and physical things, should never be given priority in our lives. Even in our prayer life:
"So do not start worrying: 'Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?' (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. Mat 6:31-33

John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey my commandments.
John 15:14 And you are my friends if you do what I command you.
John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not have life, but will remain under God's punishment.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.