It was an honor to share a Gospel message this weekend in Budapest, Hungary, during the celebration of the 500th anniversary of when the first Anabaptist pastors—the theological ancestors of modern-day Baptists—arrived in the Carpathian Basin.
I shared the Good News of Jesus Christ with the 8,000 gathered at the Papp László Sport Arena and reminded the crowd of the freedom found only in Jesus.
I praise God for each person who turned from their sins and placed their faith and trust in Christ after hearing about the hope He offers. Would you join me in praying for each new believer?
No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trip, no volunteerism, no financial gifts, and no church clothes. He couldn’t even bend his knees to pray. He didn’t say the sinner’s prayer and among other things, he was a thief. Jesus didn’t take way his pain, heal his body, or smite his scoffers. Yet, it was a thief who walked into paradise the same hour as Jesus simply by BELIEVING.
He had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who He said He was. No spin from brilliant theologians. No ego or arrogance. No shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty words. No fog machine, donuts, or coffee in the lobby. Just a naked dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) That is the good news of the Gospel!
Two years ago, these early September days, I was sitting at Olivia’s hospice bed, watching her closed eyes wishing to know what was going through her mind. She knew it was the end. We knew she only had a few days left with us. Was she remembering her childhood, or some significant events of her life? Or was she already drawn to the other sphere trying to make the scary choice of letting go of her body so her soul could slip into a completely unknown existence?
I wish to remember her as she was before – my always full of life, unstoppable, radiant, spirit-filled Orsa. But the memories of her last six days in that hospice bed keep haunting me.
As I was sitting on the back porch under the weight of these memories, I remembered a vision the Lord gave me. It was about a month before Olivia passed, the day when the doctors told her that there was nothing they could do for her anymore.
It’s not easy to put it into words because it was a picture and a feeling that the Lord filled my heart with, but I’ll try.
I saw Olivia in Heaven in her absolute GLORIOUS form radiating life, joy, and holiness! Her being was indescribably beautiful!!! She was looking down at her earthly self as that Olivia was standing in their living room supported by the walker, weak, in pain, broken, sick from the poison of long chemo sessions, swollen up by steroids, burnt and bald from whole brain radiation, ravaged by this awful disease. And her heavenly self was radiating the utmost LOVE and GRATITUDE toward her earthly self. Like she was saying to Olivia down there in that pain-filled living room that “Hang on my dear! You WILL see, ALL the pain will go away. EVERYTHING will be more wonderful than you can imagine.”
It somehow made me understand that from a heavenly point of view all our sufferings here are … blessings that we will somehow (???) treasure once we are in heaven.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18 NKJV
This morning I allowed myself to sink into some self-pity under all the unexpected emotional, spiritual, and financial challenges this trip brought to us. But the Lord gave me this verse:
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
As we are preparing to depart for another mission trip, these passages spoke to me deeply this morning. 🙏
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:3-11 ESV
65,000 people gather in the Netherlands to worship on the Day of Pentecost!
More than 65,000 people gathered to worship God. The Opwekking Conference. “The church is alive in Europe and there is a lot of power in coming together around the Great Commission,” said Pastor Mattheus van der Steen, who attended the meeting.
The Whitsun Opwekking Conference brought together people of all ages and different denominations in an open space in the town of Biddinghuizen.
With the theme “But we see Jesus”, based on Hebrews 2:9, the event began on Friday (26) and will end on Monday (29), reminding the public that Jesus is hope in a restless world full of uncertainties.
In addition to preaching and worship, the conference also promoted programming for youth, teens, children, and special people.
The public can also learn through seminars, which address current issues such as marriage and family, religious education, mission and leadership.
