Great Sunday!

Yesterday we had a great service! Many of the children came back to church from the Gypsy village.



I was afraid we lost many of them, so it was so good to see them back in church. I believe I counted 21 bus kids, and we praise the Lord for them.



Also we baptized one last night. Dean who was saved through the efforts of our Soul-winning marathon followed the Lord in believers baptism!





He brought four of his kids with him, and hopefully his wife will come soon! All in all it was a great day!

Bible update!

Well last week we officially finished the New Testament! It has now been sent to Myra Noel. She will format it for us and make it look like a Bible. Myra helped us with the John and Romans and she did a great job. It is amazing how God put her in our path. A few years ago we were on furlough and just finished up the John and Romans. I had been praying about what to do next. I was going to start formatting it myself, but I don't think that would have been such a good ideal. We happened to be in a missions conference in Texas and Myra saw our presentation, and that we were translating the Bible. After the service she gave me her card and said that she helps get Bibles ready for print. She also told me that she would be willing to help us! Wow, God is so good! Just at the right time he put someone in our path that could do what we could not do! We are so thankful to our Lord for Myra. She has been able to contact our printer and get all the needed information so that she will prepare our Bible and it will be print ready!

Bro. Rich and I have begun the Old Testament. To this date we have already translated: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, the Psalms and most of the minor prophets. This week we will begin to go over the Psalms and fix anything that might need fixing!

We are all getting excited here for very soon we will have the New Testament in our hands!

Back, From Budapest!

The last few days I've been in Budapest, Hungary. Brother Rich and I were invited to participate in the missions conference of Bible Baptist Church. This church has been supporting brother Rich's ministry for some time now. Thursday night Brother Rich preached in English and he did an outstanding job. I preached Friday night and I really felt the presence of God.

Brother Pranger has taken over this work and he is doing a great job. I really enjoy being around him. He is a man that walks with God and he rubs off on you.

We enjoyed the time in Budapest, but it is so nice to be home. We are both refreshed and ready to get back to work.

America's President!

Sorry this post has been removed!

Wikipedia vs. The Book of Life

Anonymous said...

Well, I believe bringing the Bible to others and teaching them about Jesus is a good thing. But according to Wikipedia, a census in Croatia in the year 2001 has shown that about 93 % of the population are Christians. So the Word of the Lord has already been spread to them. How come you still use the term "needy country", talking about Croatia as a "dark place" when the light of Jesus already shines there? Then what about Saudi-Arabia, China or Turkey, where there are less then 1 % Christians who even are persecuted?
Blessings to you and your family

Johnny said...

Dear Anonymous,

Thank you for commenting on my blog. The Word Christian today is used very lightly. Croatia claims to be 91% Roman Catholic. However, being a Roman Catholic does not make anyone a Christian. I have lived in this country for 9 years and I have asked 1000's of people if they would go to heaven when they die. Overwhelmingly the answer has been I don't know. Many of them wanted to go to heaven, but had no clue how to get there. After talking to them further they would tell me, "I'm trying to be good or I'm a good Cathoilic so maybe I'll go."

Jesus said that no one will go to heaven unless they are born again! (John 3,3)He also said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14,6)To be a Christian one must except God's free gift of Salvation! (Romans 6,23 and Ephesians 2, 8-9) You must receive Jesus plus nothing and minus nothing. The Croatian people for the most part believe that Jesus existed, but they do not believe for the most part that He is the only Savior! They take Jesus plus Mary or Jesus plus their good works! Jesus said I am the only way!

I'm sure that at Wikipedia the Croatian people are considered Christian. However, on Judgment Day God is not going to open the book of Wikipedia, but rather He is going to open the book of life and if their names are not found there they will be cast into the lake of fire!

My question to you is: Is your name written in the book of life?

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20, 14-15)

If you are not sure if your name is there, why don't you right now fall on your knees and ask Jesus to be your Savior! He loves you and wants to save you!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3,16)

God answers prayer! Really!

For years we have been praying for workers to come and help us stand in the gap for the people of Croatia. As many of you know the Holcomb family have answered God's call and they will join us in January! We are rejoicing at the possibilities the New Year will bring!

I was very glad that God answered my prayer for workers, but one thing that I forgot is that God always does more than we ask!



Three or four years ago Bro. Sam Ward came to Croatia on a missions trip. God really moved on his first trip in a mighty way. I believe there were about 15 to 20 saved, and our church was on fire. God really used him to be an encouragement to our people and to me personally! I believe on that first trip something happened to Bro. Sam, and that was the fact that Croatia and it's people got into his heart! He told me then, I don't want to leave I want to stay in Croatia! However, the timing was not God's timing, but Croatia never left his heart and he continued to pray that God would open a door for him to come and join us in the fight for souls in this needy country.




Since that first trip he has returned just about every year and we have had soul-winning marathons. Each time his burden grew stronger for this country, and each time he was a tremendous encouragement to our people and to me personally. Every time he left we were on fire for God! For me it was so nice having someone to stand with me as I fought for the souls of these people.




Now I hope you are sitting down! I got a call from Bro. Sam and he said my boss wants to retire me and his company is going to pay him to be in Croatia for two years! Did you get that? His company a secular company is going to pay him to be in Croatia for two years!

He wants to spend his life here, and he is leaving all behind to follow God's open door! God can do anything! Bro. Sam wants to stay here his whole life, and he has put that in God's hands! Please pray for him! He does have MD, and requires medication which we are checking into! He has many excuses why he shouldn't come, and yet he has said yes to God's call!

He wants to be here by January or sooner. He must sell his house and get some things squared away! Please pray for him, and the work here! I believe God is getting ready to do something big in this country for the glory of God!