My cup is full

Last night we had a glorious night in Church! I believe all of God's people left encouraged and filled with joy. God has given us a great group of people who love Him and want to serve Him. 

Our midweek service is simple, but encouraging! It is not so flashy, but effective. God's people meet together around the Word of God and God seems to show up! People who come in carrying great burdens sometimes leave lighter and refreshed.

Church was last night but as I write this my cup is still full! Thank God for the midweek service! We will not cancel ours it is needed in the life of believers. In this world where people live with real burdens they need more of church not less! 

Harvest Sunday 2014!

Every year in the fall, we have Harvest Sunday in our Church. We try our best to have at least 4 big days a year. Many in Croatia will not come to a Baptist Church, because of years of tradition. We have learned that though Croatians won't typically come to a Baptist Church on any given Sunday, they will come on one of our big days such as Harvest Sunday or Friend Day. Usually on these big days we have special music, preaching of the Gospel, and as all good Baptist do, dinner on the grounds. It has been one of our biggest tools in getting people to Church. 

God has used this method in reaching people with the Gospel. Over the years we've seen people saved and added to the Church on these big days. This year our Harvest Sunday was blessed by God. We had 4 visitors and 1 saved! To God be the Glory!

Here our a few highlights from Harvest Sunday 2014!

It was wonderful seeing the Church full! There were 33 in attendance!

Hannah does a great job playing the piano for us! Love her servant's heart!

I think we need a bigger Church building?

Yep, I know we need a bigger Church building! Traffic jam!

Serving Goulash!

Our ladies made some great desserts! Almost made me blow my diet!

Pastor Telebar joined us from Cakovec! He and his family are dear to us!

Saying goodbye to one of our visitors. 

One of the sweetest ladies in all of Croatia! She is a hoot, and keeps the whole church laughing! 

Pastor Telebar's daughter Rebekah. She is a godly young lady who has a sweet spirit!

Speak unto us smooth things

Isaiah 30:8-14

8  Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:

9  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

10  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

11  Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

12  Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:

13  Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.

14  And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.

As I read these verses in my daily devotion I couldn't help but think of how much it sounds like today's world. God is still speaking, but so many refuse to hear the Words of the Living God! God's word interferes with the lifestyle of so many that they simply do not want to hear the Word of God. It is troubling to me that this world doesn't want to hear the Words of God. However, more troubling than that is the very fact that God's people don't want to hear the Word of God, because it interferes with their lifestyle. Today in this modern error of Christianity so many Christians are crying out for men of God to preach to them some smooth thing. Some easy thing that won't interfere with their lifestyle. Too many are to close to Eygpt, the world, that they no longer want strong convicting type preaching. The kind of preaching that demands repentance! The kind of preaching that demands a change in lifestyle! Christianity needs old fashioned, leather lung, heartfelt and convicting preaching. Men of God, people throughout history have wanted smooth preaching. You and I will not stand in front of those people one day and give an account of our preaching. We will stand in front of a Holy God and give an account to Him for our preaching! May we have the conviction of Peter to bodily declare, "We ought to obey God rather than men!

Day of the Dead

Every year in Croatia the grave yards are lit up like Christmas trees! Stores are filled with candles, flowers and small battery operated lamps. People line up to buy these items by the droves. After being here 14 years it still amazes me of how many folks go out and spend money on loved ones who have already gone. On the 1st of November after a family meal, folks will gather at the grave yard  to pay their respects to a mom or dad, friend or sibling. They will place a flower or candle on the grave, most of the time not for any religious reason, but simply because the remembering that loved one who is with them no more. Last night we went to our local grave yard to see all the candles burning. As we walked through I couldn't help but ask my self, how many of these folks are burning in hell? How many of them never heard a clear presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My heart is convicted to do more to get the Gospel to these precious people! We can't help those who are dead, but we can do all we can for those who are alive! 

Many folks made sure that Jesus wasn't left out. To honor their dead "Jesus" they went out and bought him some candles. Maybe they should have read John11:25 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"

 

It's Sunday again in Croatia!

It's Sunday again in Croatia! I've been preaching for many years, and Sunday is still my favorite day of the week. I wait with anticipation of what God might do today in our Church. Maybe today some sinner will get glorious saved! Maybe some home will be strengthened! Maybe a Christian who has drifted from their Savior's presence will come back today. Maybe, and prayerfully, God will work in my heart and mold me into the image of the blessed Christ! I don't know what today holds, but I'm sure glad it's Sunday in Croatia!