WEEKLY UPDATE

20130226-P1060548

On Tuesday, because of a change in work schedule, Peti wasn't able to join me to travel to Bogács. Tonight would be the first time at Jozsi's house (Gyüszi's older brother). As I pulled onto a side street in Bogács, Jozsi, his sons and some others were standing by the road and waved me into their driveway. Getting out of my car, Jozsi was quick to introduce me to a man I hadn't met before. With a somber gentle voice Jozsi said, "This is András, his wife Vali is the one who just died." Andras began to share with me the grief he was suffering at the passing of his wife and how he hasn't been able to sleep more than two hours at a time since she has died. András shared that he believes in God but as I asked him more questions about what that meant, it was clear that his understanding of Jesus Christ and the gospel was very limited. Andras ended up staying for the first part of our Bible study, leaving a bit later. Before leaving, he asked permission to take home the print-out of the Scripture lesson saying he wanted to read it at home. I was also able to pray for Andras that God would help him through this grieving process and allow him to get a full night's sleep again. Would you also pray for Andras?

20130226-P1060539

It seemed to be a smaller group in tonight's study. Jozsi and his family, an older man named Ödön (pictured above) and his sons and Gyüszi and his sister attended. Thinking back to our first meeting three weeks ago, it was Jozsi sitting across from me that was the first one to begin engaging me in conversation about God. Both he and Ödön seem the most serious about trying to understand what God is saying in His word and what it would mean to become followers of Jesus Christ.

I was thankful that we were able to fix our attention on the story of the flood in God's word tonight instead of being swamped with questions that would be answered with time as we searched the Scriptures together. Ödön pointed to his sons (who are older teens or in their twenties) and said they enjoy what we have been doing together each week and appreciate that we take the time to understand what God's word is saying together. After we completed our study for the night and began talking about life, Jozsi asked how God practically leads a Christian's life. I was able to give examples of how God has spoken to me through His word when I have been in prayer, or through messages heard from others or through circumstances and impressions he puts on my heart in relation to His word.

20130226-P1060536

Above: Gyuszi, Robi and Jozsi.

At one point, Jozsi turned to me and said, "I just don't know if I can promise that I will never sin again if I choose to follow Jesus." I was able to share with Jozsi that all Christians continue to struggle with sin, but the new heart that God gives them desires to walk with Jesus instead of living in sin. I told him that no Christian can promise that he or she will never sin again, but they must be saved from sin by Jesus and repent of sin and confess their sin when they stumble and fall. Jozsi and Ödön asked, "How can you know for sure that you are forgiven by God if you sin?" This gave us opportunity to talk about the Gospel and to read the promise found in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Józsi read it and then re-read it. Then he slowly read verse 8 and verse 10 out loud, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." He paused and just sat there with his head down facing the Bible thinking. Something clicked in his heart and he exclaimed to everyone in the room, "Everyday until the day we die we need to be confessing our sins to God!" He looked up at me and said, "This helps. This is good. This is good."

As I prepared to leave, Jozsi put a bowl of bean soup in front of me which of course extended my stay another half hour. He told his son to grab some homemade sausage and instructed how to tear the skin off and eat the rest. I felt at home and just sense that these men are now friends. I praise God for this privilege and continue to look forward to what He will do with these men and the town of Bogács.

Petofibanya Middle School Homeroom Class


Once a month we are invited to teach in Petofibanya’s Homeroom Classes and we are free (by God’s grace) to share the gospel!

20130227-P1060555

Above: Erika asking the kids to discuss in their groups two things that they would change to make the world a better place if they had the power. The kids wrote some interesting answers that gives a glimpse into the situations they find themselves in. Here are some of the changes the kids came up with:

That there would only be two languages in the world.
That there would be more jobs.
That people would have more money for their needs in life.
That there wouldn't be any crime.

20130227-P1060557

We then transitioned to asking the kids to think about two evils they would eliminate from the world if they had the power. We began discussing Jesus Christ in the class through a mini Bible study in small groups on Isaiah 53 and also Col 2:13-14, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” I am very sure that this was the first time any of these kids heard about these truths in God’s word.

20130227-P1060558

We took the sins they had written down on small pieces of paper and put them on a cross on the chalkboard. We were then able to play a short movie clip that gave an explanation of the Gospel.

After class the teacher commented positively on the lesson we brought. I asked if she might be interested in a discovery Bible study and she was quick to point out that she was not a believer but only curious about some of the things written in the Bible. She made clear that she didn’t believe the creation account was accurate but then noted that she believed the ten commandments could change the world if everyone payed attention to them. May God soften her heart and cause these curiosities to grow into a burning desire to know the one true God and find salvation in His only Son Jesus Christ.

Preparing for baptism


20130228-P1060563

Above: Every week Monika, Mariann and Judit continue to attend a class on the foundations Christian faith and baptism. Mariann’s husband (divorced) is a man deep in the occult and has influenced many in Petofibanya and the surrounding areas to follow his ways. Now Mariann and her two grown daughters have come to know Jesus in spite of his opposition.

20130228-P1060566

Above: Mariann’s daughter (also named Mariann) also attends when she is able.

Praise and Prayer

• Thank you for your prayers for Sharon last week. Her visit with her friend was very encouraging and edifying. Sharon was able to meet her friend’s family and it is our prayer that they will also come to know Jesus Christ through seeing their daughters bought with cancer.

• Please continue to pray for the new work in Bogács. Pray for Józsi and his household to come to faith in Jesus Christ. Pray for Andras to be able to get the sleep he needs. Pray for Babi that she might be healed from her infirmities. Pray for Katica a little girl struggling with asthma. Of course, we pray for these things that Jesus might make Himself known and be glorified in Bogács.

• Please continue to pray for open doors in Rozsaszentmarton and for our English Club to be used as a bridge to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

• Pray that Jesus Christ would expose the deceptions and lies of the occult in Petofibanya and show Himself to be the Lord and Savior to those who have been mislead by the occult.
blog comments powered by Disqus