...In Kremenchuk is VERY Glorious IF… We have the Faith to Trust in God!!!
Romans 8:28-39 - 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
PROMISES IN JESUS THAT WE KNOW:
1. When we love God and accept His call, in all things God will work for our good!
2. That God makes us to be like Jesus, our brother.
3. That we are made to be without sin and we stand in God’s glory.
4. God is for us and no one can be against us.
5. God proves this by giving us, in love, His only Son.
6. We know that God will kindly give us all things through Jesus.
7. When are saved and walk in Jesus no one can condemn us.
8. Jesus is in Heaven interceding for us.
9. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
10. In Everything we are more than victorious in Jesus Christ.
With these promises, we have the guarantee that we can actively live today and tomorrow in faith to carry out God’s work and will in our lives! When we choose Christ and become a Christian, God gives us so much over flowing grace and mercy in our lives that we can be carried along through faith in love and joy!
We cannot live just for people or because of people, for they move in and out of our lives. But when we choose to live for Jesus Christ and His Church, His Kingdom, His Glorious return to this earth and Eternal Life in Heaven with Him, we will have a great future! The future that is this day and the tomorrow that we expect with true promise of hope and life!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Ephesians 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Promises of God are True!
Please carefully read and re-read these statements in the Bible about how God’s promises are true and in the New Testament fulfilled in Christ Jesus for us!
Joshua 21:45 Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
1 Kings 8:56-58 "Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 58 May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers.
Psalm 119:140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
Psalm 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
Romans 15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs.
2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Joshua 21:45 Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
1 Kings 8:56-58 "Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 58 May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers.
Psalm 119:140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
Psalm 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
Romans 15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs.
2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Doug’s Journal for November 1-15, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
From my last journal, we are in our 2nd day at Hartakov. Our young people wanted to sleep in, so I cooked breakfast as the got up. I cooked French Toast with bringing some of my own ingredients from home and also from buying necessary food items in a grocery store. At 11am, we met Anton and went to the National Historic Museum, the 2nd largest in Ukraine. We had an English speaking Tour Guide that did a pretty good job. We were for 2 hours and then had to leave and go back to Kremenchuk. We arrived back about 5:20pm and went to the church building to rest before evening class began. We had 8 present for this class.
Friday, November 2
The traffic is always heavy on that road to Hartakov and back and it is a very stressful driving so I was pretty tired. When I turned on my laptop computer, it had an error message saying that my windows execute file or something like that had been corrupted and it wouldn’t work. It looks like I will lose everything on that computer! Besides, my internet is set up on that computer, so I don’t have internet again – at least for now. I worked around the house today, did lessons preparations, read and studied and had my evening off.
Saturday, November 3
My busy morning of preparations for Bible Clubs was the same as usual. We had 1 come for the University Bible Club – a couple called and said that they couldn’t come. Then at 4 Kelli, Olya and I went to the Church discussion and we had a good fellowship with the church and a good Bible discussion about the Church. At 6 we had 5 for our evening Bible Club with the Teens. People stayed around until about 8:30pm. One girl came tonight who I hadn’t seen for a long time – Mariana. It was so good to see her again and have her with us!
Sunday, November 4
We had a good worship service today. Then we had our 2nd monthly Tea and Fellowship. Actually it was more of a meal today as the ladies all came early and prepared many sandwiches at 9am for us all to eat. We also had fruits, cookies and candies as well. About ½ way through this time, James Vaughan (who came as an AIM student in May of 2005, got married to one of our Ukrainian girls, Anya, and has stayed on) got up and announced that next Sunday would be his last Sunday in Ukraine working with us!!! It took us all by shock, for he had not said anything about this to prepare us! He will go back to England, get a job and Anya will stay here and finish her last year at the University and then join him in England. He will come back from time to time to be with her as he can. So within a span of 2 weeks, I will be loosing my last 2 workers that have been working with me as Kelli will leave for the States – moving back on Dec. 4th. It will be just me, again. We had 15 for our evening worship and that was good.
Monday, November 5
Mostly a day off and that was good. In the evening Olya, Oksana, Kelli and I went to be with the Orphan family and that was a good study and fellowship time. We usually spend 2 to 3 hours here. The Grandmother Zoya is much worse tonight and they have called the ambulance/Dr. service to come and see her while we were there. She is no longer eating or drinking.
Tuesday, November 6
No one came for our morning 6th grade class. Oksana and I were almost to the village, 37 miles north of Kremenchuk for our weekly Bible Study with our younger kids when we got a call from Inna, the mother of the Orphan home family, telling us that the Grandmother had passed away in the late morning and could we possibly come and help them. So we went into the school in Bugkivka and told them we had an emergency and that we would see them next week and turned around and went back to the eastern part of the Kremenchuk to the village where they live and spent the afternoon helping them out with my car. We then had evening singing with 10 people present. James spoke tonight and will speak Sunday night. After this I will have nearly all the lessons! It is a bit overwhelming to pick up all that he has been doing, then all that Kelli is doing as well as try to keep up with what I am doing. God will provide the way, I know.
Wednesday, November 7
I left the house at 7:30 this morning to go and help the family in preparation for the funeral this afternoon. (Oh, yes, our water is shut off so no shower or shaving today! Wonderful, huh?) Ksusha has gone with me to help me out in translation and to assist the family in any way she can. I returned for about an hour to get cleaned up the best I can without water and return for the funeral. I did a lot of driving people around, assisted in the funeral and took the Orthodox priests home after the funeral and then came back. Finally I got home around 6 and then had English Univ. Club from 6:30 to 8:30pm. I was really all in at the end of the day!
Thursday, November 8
Mostly a day of study for me and catching up. I rested some extra in the morning as I was pretty all in from yesterday. We had our Thursday evening Bible Study at 6 with 8 people present – 3 adults, James, Kelli, I and just 2 Ukrainian students.
Friday, November 9
Studied in preparation for Friday class at the village with our older girls (11th grade). We are studying the plan of salvation with our 4 girls and the class went very well! They are very open and such good students – excited and interested in all we study together. Nothing extra tonight!
Saturday, November 10
As you know if you read this regularly that Saturday mornings are always very full and busy for me. We had 2 for our Univ. Bible Club, about 20 for our Church Discussion, and 4 for our Teen Bible Club. The good part about the Teen one is that 2 of the girls are new!
Sunday, November 11
Morning worship went well and afterwards 5 came home with me and I fixed Spaghetti and we spent the early part of the afternoon together. There was much planning and preparations for James good bye party in the afternoon too. At 6 we had 15 for our evening worship and then we had the party for James good bye and even though it was sad saying good bye to him, we had a good time together. I finished the day and got home around 9. I don’t want to fail to mention that we woke up to the weather giving us a heavy wet snow and it snowed all day and night, leaving us with between 4-6 inches of snow on the ground. Our first real snow, even though we had a couple of days with very light flakes falling earlier.
Monday, November 12
Day off. In the evening we went to the Orphan family with our girls buying a gift for Liza, the oldest true daughter of the family whose birthday was yesterday – she is 16. When we came the family was also involved with a day of remembrance for the Grandmother and had a big meal prepared (I counted at least 15 different dishes prepared!) and we were the guests of honor. We also celebrated Liza’s birthday – strange combination! She is a very sweet and kind girl and so it was good that we could celebrate with her! The driving in the snow covered roads in the village was a real challenge, even though the main roads were all clear. We got home around 9:30pm. Next week we will resume our serious Bible Study with the family again.
Tuesday, November 13
This is always a difficult day for me as it carries a lot of memories. No details, but just prayers, ok? It is also a good day as it is my sister Ida’s birthday and one of our friend’s birthday as well. Again our 6th grade kids didn’t show up for class at School 11. So I had more time and went to market after going to the school today. At 1pm Oksana and I went to the village and 14 for our kids class today. Then I spoke for our devo at 6pm and we had 12 present tonight. One of our girls that are at the Univ. in Hartakov came in this evening at 8:20pm on the train, so several of us went to meet her and I took her home and with some other errands for others ended up getting home around 9.
Wednesday, November 14
I don’t talk about it much, but my day usually starts between 4 and 5:30 in the morning as I wake up then. Study in the morning. I had 10 at 1:30 for my 5th grade Bible Class at School 11. The children are a lot of fun and full of excitement in this class! I had a very hard time finding a translator today, but Nastya who is town from Hartakov translated for me – thank the Lord! At 6:30-8:30 we had our Univ. English Club that went well and was fun. We had 7 for that tonight. Again, my work day ended around 9pm.
Thursday, November 15
That’s today! I had breakfast about 7 this morning, cleaned up my kitchen (major undertaking this morning – been a little lax here lately!). Then I baked 6 dozen home made chocolate chip cookies for my birthday party tomorrow night. That’s a double batch as we never seem to have enough of these delicious cookies! Then I studied on my Hebrew lesson (James had been teaching Hebrews on Thursday night, now I take that over too). I was very pleasantly surprised when Angelina (she moved to Moscow in May) came to my door at 1:30. I went to the train station with her as her and her mother made a very quick trip to Kremenchuk today. I was with them until about 2:45. Then I sat down to catch up on this so I could get it mailed out to you! It is now 4:15pm. I will finish it tomorrow morning and email it out and put it on my blog tomorrow morning! We had our Bible Class tonight with 3 people present. Kind of discouraging, but God always finds ways of lifting us up and I know He will. Kelli and I had pizza out tonight after the class and that was a good time.
From my last journal, we are in our 2nd day at Hartakov. Our young people wanted to sleep in, so I cooked breakfast as the got up. I cooked French Toast with bringing some of my own ingredients from home and also from buying necessary food items in a grocery store. At 11am, we met Anton and went to the National Historic Museum, the 2nd largest in Ukraine. We had an English speaking Tour Guide that did a pretty good job. We were for 2 hours and then had to leave and go back to Kremenchuk. We arrived back about 5:20pm and went to the church building to rest before evening class began. We had 8 present for this class.
Friday, November 2
The traffic is always heavy on that road to Hartakov and back and it is a very stressful driving so I was pretty tired. When I turned on my laptop computer, it had an error message saying that my windows execute file or something like that had been corrupted and it wouldn’t work. It looks like I will lose everything on that computer! Besides, my internet is set up on that computer, so I don’t have internet again – at least for now. I worked around the house today, did lessons preparations, read and studied and had my evening off.
Saturday, November 3
My busy morning of preparations for Bible Clubs was the same as usual. We had 1 come for the University Bible Club – a couple called and said that they couldn’t come. Then at 4 Kelli, Olya and I went to the Church discussion and we had a good fellowship with the church and a good Bible discussion about the Church. At 6 we had 5 for our evening Bible Club with the Teens. People stayed around until about 8:30pm. One girl came tonight who I hadn’t seen for a long time – Mariana. It was so good to see her again and have her with us!
Sunday, November 4
We had a good worship service today. Then we had our 2nd monthly Tea and Fellowship. Actually it was more of a meal today as the ladies all came early and prepared many sandwiches at 9am for us all to eat. We also had fruits, cookies and candies as well. About ½ way through this time, James Vaughan (who came as an AIM student in May of 2005, got married to one of our Ukrainian girls, Anya, and has stayed on) got up and announced that next Sunday would be his last Sunday in Ukraine working with us!!! It took us all by shock, for he had not said anything about this to prepare us! He will go back to England, get a job and Anya will stay here and finish her last year at the University and then join him in England. He will come back from time to time to be with her as he can. So within a span of 2 weeks, I will be loosing my last 2 workers that have been working with me as Kelli will leave for the States – moving back on Dec. 4th. It will be just me, again. We had 15 for our evening worship and that was good.
Monday, November 5
Mostly a day off and that was good. In the evening Olya, Oksana, Kelli and I went to be with the Orphan family and that was a good study and fellowship time. We usually spend 2 to 3 hours here. The Grandmother Zoya is much worse tonight and they have called the ambulance/Dr. service to come and see her while we were there. She is no longer eating or drinking.
Tuesday, November 6
No one came for our morning 6th grade class. Oksana and I were almost to the village, 37 miles north of Kremenchuk for our weekly Bible Study with our younger kids when we got a call from Inna, the mother of the Orphan home family, telling us that the Grandmother had passed away in the late morning and could we possibly come and help them. So we went into the school in Bugkivka and told them we had an emergency and that we would see them next week and turned around and went back to the eastern part of the Kremenchuk to the village where they live and spent the afternoon helping them out with my car. We then had evening singing with 10 people present. James spoke tonight and will speak Sunday night. After this I will have nearly all the lessons! It is a bit overwhelming to pick up all that he has been doing, then all that Kelli is doing as well as try to keep up with what I am doing. God will provide the way, I know.
Wednesday, November 7
I left the house at 7:30 this morning to go and help the family in preparation for the funeral this afternoon. (Oh, yes, our water is shut off so no shower or shaving today! Wonderful, huh?) Ksusha has gone with me to help me out in translation and to assist the family in any way she can. I returned for about an hour to get cleaned up the best I can without water and return for the funeral. I did a lot of driving people around, assisted in the funeral and took the Orthodox priests home after the funeral and then came back. Finally I got home around 6 and then had English Univ. Club from 6:30 to 8:30pm. I was really all in at the end of the day!
Thursday, November 8
Mostly a day of study for me and catching up. I rested some extra in the morning as I was pretty all in from yesterday. We had our Thursday evening Bible Study at 6 with 8 people present – 3 adults, James, Kelli, I and just 2 Ukrainian students.
Friday, November 9
Studied in preparation for Friday class at the village with our older girls (11th grade). We are studying the plan of salvation with our 4 girls and the class went very well! They are very open and such good students – excited and interested in all we study together. Nothing extra tonight!
Saturday, November 10
As you know if you read this regularly that Saturday mornings are always very full and busy for me. We had 2 for our Univ. Bible Club, about 20 for our Church Discussion, and 4 for our Teen Bible Club. The good part about the Teen one is that 2 of the girls are new!
Sunday, November 11
Morning worship went well and afterwards 5 came home with me and I fixed Spaghetti and we spent the early part of the afternoon together. There was much planning and preparations for James good bye party in the afternoon too. At 6 we had 15 for our evening worship and then we had the party for James good bye and even though it was sad saying good bye to him, we had a good time together. I finished the day and got home around 9. I don’t want to fail to mention that we woke up to the weather giving us a heavy wet snow and it snowed all day and night, leaving us with between 4-6 inches of snow on the ground. Our first real snow, even though we had a couple of days with very light flakes falling earlier.
Monday, November 12
Day off. In the evening we went to the Orphan family with our girls buying a gift for Liza, the oldest true daughter of the family whose birthday was yesterday – she is 16. When we came the family was also involved with a day of remembrance for the Grandmother and had a big meal prepared (I counted at least 15 different dishes prepared!) and we were the guests of honor. We also celebrated Liza’s birthday – strange combination! She is a very sweet and kind girl and so it was good that we could celebrate with her! The driving in the snow covered roads in the village was a real challenge, even though the main roads were all clear. We got home around 9:30pm. Next week we will resume our serious Bible Study with the family again.
Tuesday, November 13
This is always a difficult day for me as it carries a lot of memories. No details, but just prayers, ok? It is also a good day as it is my sister Ida’s birthday and one of our friend’s birthday as well. Again our 6th grade kids didn’t show up for class at School 11. So I had more time and went to market after going to the school today. At 1pm Oksana and I went to the village and 14 for our kids class today. Then I spoke for our devo at 6pm and we had 12 present tonight. One of our girls that are at the Univ. in Hartakov came in this evening at 8:20pm on the train, so several of us went to meet her and I took her home and with some other errands for others ended up getting home around 9.
Wednesday, November 14
I don’t talk about it much, but my day usually starts between 4 and 5:30 in the morning as I wake up then. Study in the morning. I had 10 at 1:30 for my 5th grade Bible Class at School 11. The children are a lot of fun and full of excitement in this class! I had a very hard time finding a translator today, but Nastya who is town from Hartakov translated for me – thank the Lord! At 6:30-8:30 we had our Univ. English Club that went well and was fun. We had 7 for that tonight. Again, my work day ended around 9pm.
Thursday, November 15
That’s today! I had breakfast about 7 this morning, cleaned up my kitchen (major undertaking this morning – been a little lax here lately!). Then I baked 6 dozen home made chocolate chip cookies for my birthday party tomorrow night. That’s a double batch as we never seem to have enough of these delicious cookies! Then I studied on my Hebrew lesson (James had been teaching Hebrews on Thursday night, now I take that over too). I was very pleasantly surprised when Angelina (she moved to Moscow in May) came to my door at 1:30. I went to the train station with her as her and her mother made a very quick trip to Kremenchuk today. I was with them until about 2:45. Then I sat down to catch up on this so I could get it mailed out to you! It is now 4:15pm. I will finish it tomorrow morning and email it out and put it on my blog tomorrow morning! We had our Bible Class tonight with 3 people present. Kind of discouraging, but God always finds ways of lifting us up and I know He will. Kelli and I had pizza out tonight after the class and that was a good time.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Ephesians 3:14-21 - I Am Praying For You!
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Promises of God are True!
Please carefully read and re-read these statements in the Bible about how God’s promises are true and in the New Testament fulfilled in Christ Jesus for us!
Joshua 21:45 Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
1 Kings 8:56-58 "Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 58 May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers.
Psalm 119:140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
Psalm 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
Romans 15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs.
2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Joshua 21:45 Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
1 Kings 8:56-58 "Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 58 May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers.
Psalm 119:140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
Psalm 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
Romans 15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs.
2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
The Future of the Lord’s Work in Kremenchuk
Romans 8:28-39 - 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
PROMISES IN JESUS THAT WE KNOW:
1. When we love God and accept His call, in all things God will work for our good!
2. That God makes us to be like Jesus, our brother.
3. That we are made to be without sin and we stand in God’s glory.
4. God is for us and no one can be against us.
5. God proves this by giving us, in love, His only Son.
6. We know that God will kindly give us all things through Jesus.
7. When are saved and walk in Jesus no one can condemn us.
8. Jesus is in Heaven interceding for us.
9. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
10. In Everything we are more than victorious in Jesus Christ.
With these promises, we have the guarantee that we can actively live today and tomorrow in faith to carry out God’s work and will in our lives! When we choose Christ and become a Christian, God gives us so much over flowing grace and mercy in our lives that we can be carried along through faith in love and joy!
We cannot live just for people or because of people, for they move in and out of our lives. But when we choose to live for Jesus Christ and His Church, His Kingdom, His Glorious return to this earth and Eternal Life in Heaven with Him, we will have a great future! The future that is this day and the tomorrow that we expect with true promise of hope and life!
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
PROMISES IN JESUS THAT WE KNOW:
1. When we love God and accept His call, in all things God will work for our good!
2. That God makes us to be like Jesus, our brother.
3. That we are made to be without sin and we stand in God’s glory.
4. God is for us and no one can be against us.
5. God proves this by giving us, in love, His only Son.
6. We know that God will kindly give us all things through Jesus.
7. When are saved and walk in Jesus no one can condemn us.
8. Jesus is in Heaven interceding for us.
9. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
10. In Everything we are more than victorious in Jesus Christ.
With these promises, we have the guarantee that we can actively live today and tomorrow in faith to carry out God’s work and will in our lives! When we choose Christ and become a Christian, God gives us so much over flowing grace and mercy in our lives that we can be carried along through faith in love and joy!
We cannot live just for people or because of people, for they move in and out of our lives. But when we choose to live for Jesus Christ and His Church, His Kingdom, His Glorious return to this earth and Eternal Life in Heaven with Him, we will have a great future! The future that is this day and the tomorrow that we expect with true promise of hope and life!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
How Much Does Your Time Cost?
Once a man came home late from work tired and worn out and saw his son waiting in the door way.
- “Daddy, can I ask you something?”
- “Sure. What is it?”
- “I just wonder, how much do you earn?”
- “It’s not your business,” the dad said indignantly, “and why do you care?”
- “Just wondering. Please at least tell me how much you earn an hour?”
- “Well I earn 500. Why?”
- “Dad,” the son seriously looked up, “dad could you lend me 300?”
- “You have asked me so that I could give you money for some stupid toy?” – He shouted. “Go to your room and go to bed! How can you be so selfish! I’m working all day long getting very tired and you are acting so silly.”
The kid went to his room and closed the door after himself while his father was still angry because of his son’s request. “How dare he to ask me about my salary in order to ask for money later?” But after some time he calmed down and started thinking logically: “What if he needs to buy something very important. What the heck, he has never asked me for money.” When he came in his son’s room the boy was already in bed.
- “Are you sleeping?” –he asked
- “No, daddy. Just laying here.”
- “I was too rough with you earlier. I’ve just had a hard day and I lost my temper. I’m sorry. Here is the money you’ve asked for. Take it.”
The kid sat up and smiled.
- “Oh, thank you, daddy!”
Then he started searching for something under the pillow and got several carefully folded banknotes. Seeing that the child had already had money the father got angry again. And the kid put all the money together, counted it again and looked at the father.
- “Why did you ask for money of you had it already?” – The father grumbled.
- “Because I didn’t have enough. But now I do. Dad, here is 500. Can I buy one hour of your time? Please, come back earlier tomorrow. I want you to have dinner with us.”
- “Daddy, can I ask you something?”
- “Sure. What is it?”
- “I just wonder, how much do you earn?”
- “It’s not your business,” the dad said indignantly, “and why do you care?”
- “Just wondering. Please at least tell me how much you earn an hour?”
- “Well I earn 500. Why?”
- “Dad,” the son seriously looked up, “dad could you lend me 300?”
- “You have asked me so that I could give you money for some stupid toy?” – He shouted. “Go to your room and go to bed! How can you be so selfish! I’m working all day long getting very tired and you are acting so silly.”
The kid went to his room and closed the door after himself while his father was still angry because of his son’s request. “How dare he to ask me about my salary in order to ask for money later?” But after some time he calmed down and started thinking logically: “What if he needs to buy something very important. What the heck, he has never asked me for money.” When he came in his son’s room the boy was already in bed.
- “Are you sleeping?” –he asked
- “No, daddy. Just laying here.”
- “I was too rough with you earlier. I’ve just had a hard day and I lost my temper. I’m sorry. Here is the money you’ve asked for. Take it.”
The kid sat up and smiled.
- “Oh, thank you, daddy!”
Then he started searching for something under the pillow and got several carefully folded banknotes. Seeing that the child had already had money the father got angry again. And the kid put all the money together, counted it again and looked at the father.
- “Why did you ask for money of you had it already?” – The father grumbled.
- “Because I didn’t have enough. But now I do. Dad, here is 500. Can I buy one hour of your time? Please, come back earlier tomorrow. I want you to have dinner with us.”
Emotions or Facts?
Emotions play a big part in all of our lives. Many times we make decisions based upon our emotions rather than based upon facts. Generally when we do that, we get ourselves into something we later find out was not the best for us. Our emotions will always reflect how we are feeling when we make decisions and plans for our lives, but they should not be the foundation of our decisions.
God calls us to choose Him by deciding that He is the one that we want to live for, for all eternity. That’s a big decision. He gives us all the facts in the Bible to make the proper decisions. God loves with a decision kind of love as we see in 1 Corinthians 13. Then the emotional love will come and build the factual love to be stronger than ever! God calls us to build faith in our lives to trust in Him for everything at all times. If that love and faith are just emotional decisions, then they will not last, just as if emotional love is all that builds a marriage, it will not last.
Our loving God is to be with all our mind, heart, soul and body. That’s a fact decision. I choose to do that. Thus my faith in God is a choice that becomes an irrefutable fact that God is true in everything He says and does! When things are hard in my life, I need to choose to keep meeting with my brothers and sisters, choose to keep praying and choose to continue to read God’s Word. These choices will make my emotional ties with God and His people stronger than ever!
God calls us to choose Him by deciding that He is the one that we want to live for, for all eternity. That’s a big decision. He gives us all the facts in the Bible to make the proper decisions. God loves with a decision kind of love as we see in 1 Corinthians 13. Then the emotional love will come and build the factual love to be stronger than ever! God calls us to build faith in our lives to trust in Him for everything at all times. If that love and faith are just emotional decisions, then they will not last, just as if emotional love is all that builds a marriage, it will not last.
Our loving God is to be with all our mind, heart, soul and body. That’s a fact decision. I choose to do that. Thus my faith in God is a choice that becomes an irrefutable fact that God is true in everything He says and does! When things are hard in my life, I need to choose to keep meeting with my brothers and sisters, choose to keep praying and choose to continue to read God’s Word. These choices will make my emotional ties with God and His people stronger than ever!
Why Go To Church?
A Church-goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.
"I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the preachers are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delightof the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals.
But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible,
believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND ourspiritual nourishment! "
"I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the preachers are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delightof the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals.
But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible,
believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND ourspiritual nourishment! "
Journal For October 16-31, 2007
The Church in Komsomolsk, Ukraine with 3 of our young people on the right.
Younger Class at Bugkivka village School
My 6th Grade boys at School 11 in Kremenchuk
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Classes at School 11 with the 6th grade was ok with 3 boys. Then we played Frisbee outside with them afterwards and a few other kids came and joined with us, too! Singing tonight had 8 people.
Wednesday, October 17
We had 13 5th graders today at School 11! That was encouraging and fun! Then just 1 8th grade boy showed up for English Club at School 11 and we had 8 for our Univ. English Club in the evening. That was good. I haven’t been writing much about it, but every other Wed. is my deadline to have our in-house youth Newspaper finished called “Living for Jesus.” It’s purpose is to keep everyone updated on what is going on have encouraging articles to help people in their daily lives. I send it by email to Anya and she translates for me and sends it back by Sunday so we can get it out to your young people.
Thursday, October 18
We had another dry run with our village kids – this is getting really frustrating. Some would say quit, but I know God wants us here and Satan does not! We had 9 at our Hebrews study Bible Class at 6pm.
Friday, October 19
We did go for our older class with our 11th grade girls, but 2 were sick and 1 was out of town – so Satan continues to try discourage us. I have decided to take Friday nights off, as it is the only night of the week that I do not have some activity going on.
Saturday, Oct 20
We had 3 in our Adult Bible Club (Univ) and 4 for our Teen one. The Church Discussion went well at the Church building today with maybe 15 present.
Sunday, October 21 – Yulya, Yura, Olya and Oksana went with me to Komsomolsk today for our worship service there and they had a couple of visitors as well. It was a nice fellowship and worship! We came back and made sandwiches for the boys prison, ate together and spent the afternoon together and then we had 17 for our evening worship service.
Monday, October 22
Monday is supposed to be my “day” off, with Friday evening supposed to be my “night” off. We continue to go out and encourage and study with our Orphans home family. Since I have been back (mid-Sept.) it has been mostly encouraging time since the grandmother – Zoya, has been diagnosed with cancer and it is in advanced stages and she is dying with no hope of having the cancer removed because of her age and health. So we have done all that we can to help this family out and encourage them. I usually get home between 9 and 10 pm when we go out there.
Tuesday, October 23
Our 6th grade class at School 11 had 2 today. We decided to try a new day to have classes with the younger kids at the village and today it worked! We 21 5th and 6th graders (that was a bit wild, but it turned out great!) and then we had 7, 7th and 8th graders. It was a very good day at the village and Satan lost today! We had 10 at singing night tonight and Yura talked and it was very good, too.
Wednesday, Oct 24
We had 7 5th graders at School 11 today. Then because we had just the 1 boy at English Club at School 11, we decided to cancel this class/club. Then we had 5 at the Univ. English Club. This English Club is costing us $20 a night that we don’t have budgeted or about $80 a month – but it does give us definitely a new group of people that we never would have had contact with, so that is good! But where is the money coming from? I don’t know!
Thursday, October 25 – Sunday, October 28
I was coming down with a stomach ache and cold on Wed. and by Thursday it was real strong on me – especially the cold. I was down and out for this time, canceled Bible Clubs, didn’t go to worship which really kills me!
Monday, October 29
My cold is better and tried to get some things done. Went to the Orphans home for about an hour to check up on them and encourage them. The grandmother is getting worse. There is no school in any schools this week in Ukraine – Fall Break. The Univ. still have their classes.
Tuesday, October 30
Worked on the “Living For Jesus” Newsletter today. Prepared talk for Devo. We had 15 tonight – the most we have had in quiet awhile and it was encouraging time for all of us. I talked about Fighting the good Fight and not giving up!
Anton and Kelli in Hartakov
Wednesday, October 31
Kelli, Olya, Oksana and I went to Poltava and Hartakov for a couple days of excursion and to see friends in Hartakov and worship with the Church there. We enjoyed the fall colors, the time together. It is normally about 3 to 3 ½ hour trip to Hartakov, but we spent some time in Poltava because Kelli had never seen that city and it was right on the way. One of the things that we did was to visit the Zoo as well. The animals are not well taken care of in this zoo. At 6pm we met with the Church for their mid-week worship service. Afterwards we went to McDonalds to eat and then went walking for about 1 ½ hours before going back to the church building (where we stayed for the night) for snacks and bed.
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