Category Archives: Comforting Those Who Mourn

Missions report from Bsln.

Comforting Those Who Mourn March 2010

Pittsburgh Mission Update 6 – March 31, 2010

Enoch walked with God…

(Genesis 5:21-24)

i recently listened to a wonderful message from Pastor Eric Britt (Calvary Chapel Modesto) and was greatly blessed by it; you can listen, download, and/or watch it at: http://www.ccmodesto.com/audio/sundaymorning.php Find the message entitled ‘Walking With God,’ the one given on January 1 – you will be blessed indeed! Eric spoke on what it means to walk with God, and that’s such a beautiful concept… to walk with our Creator. So many times, even as believers, we look at this person or that person – at this career or that career – and think, ‘i wanna’ be like them,’ or, ‘i wanna’ have that job.’ We can too easily get caught up in all the temporary things around us: the culture, the fashion, impressing this person or that person, and so on. And i’m guilty of doing the same. But The Lord blessed me with Eric’s message and He reminded me of what is truly important and valuable in this life… and that is this – to walk with God. Not much is told about Enoch in The Bible, but we have a little more info on him as we open up to Hebrews 11. It says that Enoch was pleasing to God (v.5) – oh, that the same might be said about us! That is the true meaning of life: to walk with The Lord, to be in close and intimate fellowship with Him, and to please Him. So often we throw all our time into our work, or our hobby, or some goal in life… but are we doing that at the expense of spending time with Jesus? If so, then there’s a problem. Think of it this way: how many people invest hours and hours and hours into trying to get in shape physically – that is, to try and preserve a body that might live to be 70 or 80 or whatever – but tragically, not invest much time, heart, honesty, or love into their spiritual life – the life which will, in one of two locations, live FOREVER? My goal in life is not to be to get this job, or that position, or to find ‘the right one,’ or whatever. Those things are fine and good in their proper place. But the goal of my life ought to be this: to walk with God – to please God. And the issue is not simply, do others think i walk with God? The issue is this – does GOD think i walk with Him? Everything else is loss. How i want to stand before Him and have Him say something like the following: ‘My child, you walked faithfully with Me on earth, though you never saw Me. And now – seeing My Face – let’s walk together for all eternity.’ Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn February 2010

Grace and peace to you, family! God’s word is so very true when it says that The Lord’s joy is our strength. As many have pointed out in the past, there is a difference between happiness and joy; joy is that which abides, and is that which we can have even in the midst of life’s darkest moments because we know that our Redeemer lives. We are happy and then quickly unhappy depending on what is going on around us, but joy – true and abiding joy – comes only from The Lord. And His joy is our strength. It’s the honest people in life who admit they are weak, though many like to think they possess some sort of inner strength which cannot be shaken. But for those who look at themselves honestly, we realize that we are weak indeed; but yet, the joy of The Lord is our strength. No matter what does or doesn’t happen today or in the future, i can still live with true joy within; for by God’s faithfulness, He has promised eternal life and forgiveness of sins to all who believe in His Son. And it doesn’t stop there! He also lavishes grace upon us in this life, as well as fills our hearts with peace which no one can take away. And even more, Ephesians 2:7 says that in the ages to come, God will show the surpassing riches of His grace, in kindness toward us in The Messiah Jesus. Amazing! Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn January 2010

God’s kindness leads us to repentance   Romans 2:4

Grace and peace, family!

As many of you may recall, it was January of 2008 when I was denied entrance into Russia while at the airport in Moscow. Much has taken place since then, and over the past several months I’ve been contemplating and thinking over many things. Though it’s taken two years (hey, I’m a slow learner at times!), I feel that God has placed it on my heart to begin stepping out more in missions – but this time, here in my own country, state, city, culture, and language. God – all to His glory and praise – has opened numerous doors of ministry here; and after seeing Him allow the door into Russia to shut, as well as not provide for another opportunity I had pursued, it seems abundantly clear that the place where He wants me for this season is right here in Pittsburgh. And in all honesty, I have great peace and contentment in this field in which He has placed me. I’m still “tent-making” here by tutoring English to foreign students, but have been feeling more and more lead to begin stepping out more in missions – only this time, right here in my own ‘Jerusalem.’ Lord willing, I will be sending more frequent updates about the ministry here – if any of you would no longer like to receive these updates, or if you have other family and friends who would like to start receiving them, please just let me know. Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn January 2010

Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus our Lord, and Happy New Year! May this new year be one in which we draw nearer to our Glorious Lord Jesus Christ, for He Is coming soon!

i just wanted to send a short update on what The Lord is blessing me to share in, as i know it’s been quite sometime since the last ministry update. To His great praise, He has opened several doors of service, and so i would ask you for your prayers as i serve Him. Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn – September 2008

September 3rd, 2004 – Four years ago to this very day, the three-day Beslan hostage crisis finally came to an “end.” An end to their captivity… an end to their thirst… and for more than 330 and of them – an end to their very lives. Shortly after 1PM on September 3rd, 2004, two explosions rocked the gym and brought on the storm by the Russian forces. As previously mentioned, there is great controversy regarding who is responsible for the initial two explosions which preceded the storm. But in having lived there in Beslan for about a year and a half, having talked with the families there, and having read several articles and lots of information regarding this issue, it appears very likely that those two explosions were not caused by the terrorists. And I would say that the vast majority in Beslan is – to say the least – highly critical of the Russian government’s actions and post-siege explanations. First off, they saw Russia’s response to the theater which was seized by Chechnyan terrorists in Moscow several years back; Russia pumped in gas so as to render the terrorists unconscious, but they wound up using deadly amounts, and most of the hostages died as a result of the gas, not from the terrorists. The following site has the official list of the hostages who died as a result of that terrorist attack; 5 people were killed by the terrorists, but 125 died as a result of the Russian Special Forces’ gas!
http://nord-ost.org/list-of-lost-and-hostages/the-official-list-of-the-lost-hostages_en.html Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn – May 2008

Peace I leave with you – My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do

I give unto you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.  (John 14:27, NASB)

What a rich, rich blessing we have in Jesus Christ! Jesus gives us His peace, a peace so unlike the false ‘peace’ that this world endlessly pursues. And so we shouldn’t let our hearts be troubled, nor should we let our hearts be fearful. If you’re reading this right now and you have burdens, worries, stress, and pressure weighing heavily upon you, take a deep breath, and open up to John 14:27 and let His word minister to your soul. Actually, I recommend reading all the way through chapters 14-16… these chapters have so very many precious truths contained in them! If we read them with a heart open to His Voice, it is virtually impossible to close The Bible and not feel way better than we did before. Jesus’ words are so beautiful indeed! Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn – February 2008 – Part 3

By His wounds we’ve been healed!(1 Peter 2:24)

I recently sent a detailed letter to the Russian Embassy in New York, asking them to explain why I was denied entrance to Russia last month. When I was at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow, the agent there had claimed that she couldn’t explain exactly why I was being refused, and that I’d have to contact the Embassy here in the US for them to explain it to me. And so, that’s what I did, sending them a letter so as to find out why they denied my entrance. In the letter I pointed out the fact that the document I had been given in Moscow was to have been signed by both them and me, but that in fact, there were no signatures whatsoever on that document. I asked the Russian Embassy in New York to explain why I was not permitted to enter the country, and shared about how I’ve been helping the people of Beslan. Well, last week I received the Embassy’s “answer,” if that’s what you want to call it.  In the classic Russian style of “let’s ignore the facts because they really make no difference to us whatsoever,” they ignored basically everything in my letter, only responding by saying that I was refused in accordance with law 27. The reason their “reply” was so hilarious was that the document which was given to me in Moscow (and which I photocopied and sent to the NY Embassy) already stated that! Well, at least I know they can read. But I was asking them to explain why they used that law to deny me entrance, for the agent in Moscow had assured me that the Embassy in the US would be able to do so. I’m obviously going to send them another letter, but I waited to do so because in all honesty, I really felt like writing one of those “you big dumb idiots!” kind of letter. Practical wisdom said to wait, since one’s immediate response is usually not always the best one to send. J  Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn – February 2008 – Part 2

Don’t follow the masses in doing what’s evil(Exodus 23:2)

The popular belief that bad things are okay because “everybody’s doing them” is a lie that the adversary often uses in order to coax us to give in and just go with the flow. After all, why try to swim upstream, right? Wrong! Walking
in truth, righteousness, godliness, and holiness will often mean that we’ll have few companions along the way, but be that as it may, God’s Word instructs us to not follow the crowd in doing what’s evil. Popularity does not justify sin. We are called to follow Jesus, and to pursue His ways, be they “popular” or not. Let’s resolve in our hearts once again just to follow Jesus Christ; no turning back! Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn – February 2008 – Part 1

How blessed is the man who trusts in The Lord of Warriors!(Psalm 84:12)

Those who trust in the Lord are blessed indeed – for they trust not in themselves, nor in their own power, nor in their own accomplishments. Their trust is in The Lord. May we trust in Him, having faith & confidence in His Character, & living in the knowledge of His great love for us. He Is more than worthy of all of our trust! Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn – January 2008

Give thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good – His lovingkindness is everlasting!   Psalm 136

Shalom, brothers and sisters in Christ, our Rock and Redeemer!

Lord willing i fly out of Pittsburgh tomorrow (Tuesday) evening to return to B.e.s.l.a.n, R.u.s.s.i.a. where God has opened the door to again serve Him there for three months. i’m obviously very excited about returning there, and seeing what all Jesus will do in and through us as we enter this new chapter of reaching out to this broken-hearted community. Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn – December 2007

Shalom!

Warm greetings from Jerusalem, the city of God!

I just wanted to write and send a short update on the labor here, and also to thank you for your prayers and support in sharing in this work. It’s been a great blessing getting to see old friends again, make new ones, and spend time in Jerusalem’s Old City – by far, my favorite place here. You can check out this link to see photos and info on the Old City section if you’re interested: http://www.bibleplaces.com/oldcitygates.htm Continue reading

Comforting Those Who Mourn – October 2007 – Part 3

Update from Russia, 25
October 23rd, 2007

YHWH has done great things for us, and we are glad! (Psalm 126:3)

10/16/07, Tuesday: The Lord blessed me with an opportunity to witness to Lyuda, the lady who runs the internet club. She showed me some card with one of their Russian icons on it, and i asked why we should pray to the saints. God enabled me to give her an example, showing her that going straight to The Lord in prayer is the way to go – God has the most power, so why not go straight to Him? Lyuda, like many here, believe that there’s power in praying to ‘God’s helpers.’ i mentioned that the saints may have been holy people, but they’re dead now. Lyuda interjected by saying, ‘Jesus died too.’ i looked at her in sort of a wide-eyed eyebrows-raised way and nodded my head to signify ‘yes,’ and said, ‘Yeahhhhh, but He rose from the dead, didn’t He?’ She agreed in sort of an ‘oh-yeah, I forgot about that’ way. Continue reading