Team Kharkov Requests April 8th-14th

"But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities:  The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.  All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."  (Isaiah 53:5-6)  "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20 ESV)

As with the celebration of Christmas, we will celebrate 2 Resurrection Sundays - this Sunday with most of you, and next Sunday with most of our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. During our Bible time with "The Book Club" Thursday evening, Amanda taught on Palm Sunday and the events of the last week of Jesus' life, leading up to the cross and His death.  

She then reminded them about Passover, and taught them about the other Jewish feasts that are celebrated around this time and how significant it was that Christ was crucified at this particular time....."the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).  Some remembered the origin of the Passover from our Old Testament study several years ago.  We continue to watch as the Lord works in the lives of those who come, taking them step-by-step closer to living lives by faith in the Son of God, or going deeper into a relationship with Him after coming to that place of being "crucified with Christ."  

Amanda and some of the folks in The Book Club

As I write this, I am overwhelmed with what Christ did for me, listening to an arrangement of "Worthy is the Lamb/Crown Him with Many Crowns," and acknowledging MY need to daily choose to be "crucified with Christ" so that He is the One who reigns within my heart, mind, and life.  As we celebrate the amazing truth of the Resurrection of our Lord, my prayer is that each of us who confess that we are "Christians" would choose to daily "take up our cross and follow Him."   May the words that Ukrainians proclaim during these days of the "Paska" (Easter) festivities be true in our hearts:  "CHRIST IS RISEN!"  "HE IS RISEN, INDEED!"

Sunday, April 8th  "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week.....Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.  Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.'"  (John 20:19-21)  Rejoice today in the Resurrection!  Allow His peace to reign in our hearts.  Pray each of us will go out with rejoicing, into a world that needs to know our Risen Lord, proclaiming by our lives the Truth of the Good News - Jesus Christ.

Monday, April 9th  Preparations continue to fall into place for a volunteer team from multiple churches in Mississippi that will arrive in Kharkov on May 5th.  Intercede for our Ukrainian brothers who are working to complete all the necessary paperwork so that this team has "official" permission to work in any Baptist Union church in this region.  Pray for favor with our Ukrainian officials in Kharkov and Kiev as these documents go before them for signature.

Tuesday, April 10th  For most of our Ukrainian churches, this is "Passion Week" leading up to Resurrection Sunday.  Pray for the special church services that most of the Baptist churches will have this week commemorating the events in the life and crucifixion of our Lord.  Intercede for the pastors and church leaders as they prepare sermons for this week, asking the Lord to fill their hearts and minds with His words.  Pray for those who do not yet know Him as they are invited to attend with friends and family, that hearts would be made ready to receive Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Wednesday, April 11th  Praise Him for how He is using the study of  "Breaking Free" to take believers deeper into His Word, and into an understanding of the freedom we have in Christ!  Pray for the 10-12 Ukrainian women who meet each Wednesday evening to go phrase-by-phrase through this study, and His Word, that they might truly know truth.  

Thursday, April 12th  We will watch the "Jesus" film tonight during our "Book Club" english group.  Ask the Holy Spirit to fill the hearts and minds of those who come with the truth of the gospel.  Pray each one of us will be pierced by His love, and His obedience to the Father, that led to His death, burial, and resurrection.  

Friday, April 13th  Pray for Pastor Yuri (Zmeeov), Pastor Vladimir (Balaklaya), and Amanda and I as we coordinate the transportation and clinic details for the Mississippi team.  Petition the Lord to work in the hearts of believers to reach out with love to their neighbors in these small cities, and to prepare the hearts of those who are not yet believers to receive with joy the Good News of Christ.

Waiting for the priest

Saturday, April 14th  This evening, multitudes of Ukrainians will line up at Orthodox churches with baskets of food and drink items, waiting to receive a blessing from a priest.  Behind the priest who will sprinkle them with "holy water" will be another with a box to receive an offering for the blessing.  Join us in praying for reformation within the Orthodox church, and an outpouring of His Spirit wherever His Truth is proclaimed, that multitudes in this land will enter into a personal, intimate, eternal relationship with the Risen Lord.  Pray the light of the gospel will penetrate hearts, enabling them to understand the price for their salvation was paid for on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Impacting the Kharkov Region of Ukraine with the love of Christ!