Saturday, December 26, 2009

In Kharkiv (Ukraine) several Churches gathered together to pray and demonstrate their Unity.

 

There is a great power in unity. This was the request, apostle Paul turned to the Corinthian church with: “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10) 

Pastor Valeriy (“New Life”) opened “The Evening of Unity” along with the “Word of Life” worship group.

December 18, 2009 is the date when different churches of Kharkov for the first time united in common prayer to influence the history and life of our wonderful city.

Pastor Valeriy greets all the participants from different churches.

Unity was the main topic at the meeting. This is a magnificent event when pastors and people from different churches fulfill God’s word: they get together to be united in one spirit, in one mind and in one prayer to our Lord. This brings such a great joy to His heart!


The “Word of Life” worship group leads all the participants in praise and worship.

Practically all the Concert Hall “Ukraina” was filled with people. The songs of praise and worship flowed in unity and power. Hearts were overwhelmed with amazing feelings.

Praise and Worship.

Pastor Paul Sharudin from "Word of Life" Church preached about the importance of unity, edifying those who have come.

We need to maintain unity. 

The key points of the sermon were based on the Ephesians 4:1-4: if we want to walk in our calling, we must preserve unity not only inside our churches but also with other churches that function in our city. Unity is biblical. It pleases God.


God wants us to be one with Him.  God wants us to be one with each other.

The ecumenical alliance is important not because it can be profitable for us. But because division is harmful to our calling and brings confusion to our society. The Great Commandment cannot be fulfilled without functional unity. When the body of Christ functions as one, Holy Spirit can manifest Himself and our society will see the glory of God.

Let us not compete with one another but join our hands as brothers and sisters who form one body of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are called to love our brothers, and not only those who think like we do, act like we do or love what we do. We have one Lord, one Father, one faith, one baptism, and one hope.


John 17:21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, {are} in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 

The sermon was followed by a prayer for the unity of churches so that the world could believe. Pastors took turns to say prayers, and there were no “yours” or “ours”. There were “We” united in one Body of Jesus Christ.



Pastor of “Victory in Christ” Church leads the prayer.
 

Also prayers for Israel were brought up. The atmosphere was amazing . We enjoyed short messages and small “surprises” such as Jewish songs and dances.


Dancing team of Chuguyev Christian Church

We were unanimous not only in prayer but also in congratulations with the ancient Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Melodious Hanukkah songs under the accompaniment of the accordion, performed exclusively in the Jewish language, brought us real pleasure.



Messianic community of Kharkiv

Performance of Messianic community of Kharkiv


The pastor of the Messianic community Alexandr Sereda told about the history of Hanukkah holiday.

God bless Israel!

A lot of prayers were said about various spheres of life and ministry, including prayers about government and forthcoming presidential elections.




 
Pastor Vlad Kalin

This meeting was really great and it is of great historical significance. Everyone was filled with the message of unity and love between brothers and sisters.

Prayer for authorities, principals and forthcoming elections.

The Unity Meeting was finished by pastor Valeriy who invited all the pastors to the stage and, Pastor Peter Kovalenko led prayer, releasing blessings over the assembly and over all churches of the city.



Pastors are on the stage to pray together for the churches.


The pastor of Kharkiv Christian Church, Peter Kovalenko.


Pastor Peter leads the prayer of blessing for the churches.

Pastors praying.

We do one work on this Earth for the Kingdom of God and this issue of unity is really important. So in spite of differences between churches in teachings, names and places of their meetings we should bring good fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ and into eternity.

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Hip Hop Festival In "Word of Life" Kharkiv (Ukraine)



12 December, in Kharkiv, nightclub “Hi-Fi” held annual Hip Hop Festival "Message 4 Streets"!



Although, in the same time in the city were couple similar events, plus important football game between FC "Metallist" and FC "Dnepr" ("Metallist won 3:2), regardless that many young people gathered together to listen to Christian Hip Hop!



The atmosphere was wonderful! One of the Club workers, who prepared perfect cappuccino with chocolate and cinnamon, expressed his impressions when he was asked: "Does today's event differs somehow from those that usually are in your club?"



-Oh, Yes, of course it is different! Recently in our Club was a RAP party, and it was so weak organized in compare with your, nobody knew who will perform after whom, all show was improvising by the way, and so on! You have a good organization, sound, MC was good prepared, and that was cool in general!



-Well, it is Christian event!
-Yes, I realized that!













"Jesus People" group from Word of Life were the best!Their song “Oh, God forgive for all that I’ve done”, remains popular and touches the hearts of young people. Here is this song in their performance.





Before the end of the Festival, after performance and short sermon, the main voice of “Gospel people” group lead people in prayer of repentance.



And now we have a lot to do to help those who came on our “after party”! So! Show will go on! Praise the Lord!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

An interesting Quiz



How would you respond in this situation?


1. A preacher and his wife are very, very poor. They already have 14 kids. Now she finds out she’s pregnant with 15th. They’re living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you consider recommending she get an abortion?

2. The father is sick with sniffles, the mother has TB. Of their four children, the first is blind, the second has died, the third is deaf, the fourth has TB. She finds she’s pregnant again. Given this extreme situation, would you consider recommending abortion?

3. A white man raped 13-year-old black girl and she’s now pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending abortion?

4. A teenage girl is pregnant. She’s not married. Her fiancé is not the father of the baby, and he is upset. Would you recommend abortion?

If your answer is “YES” for all four cases than:


In the first case you would have killed John Wesley, one of the great evangelists and reformers in the 19th century!

In the second case, you would have killed Beethoven!

In the third case, you would have killed Ethel Waters, the great black gospel singer.

If you said YES to the fourth case, you would have declared the murder of Jesus Christ!

God is the author of life, and He has given every single individual supreme
value. Each life – whether inside or outside the womb- should therefore be valued by us. God knows the plans He has for each individual and has written in His book all the days ordained for us before one of them came to be.
When we presume to know better than God who should be given life, we are putting ourselves in the place of God and are guilty of idolatry.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The ultimate source of power

Prayer can move mountains. It can change human hearts, families, neighborhoods, cities, and nations. It is the ultimate source of power because, in reality, it is the power of Almighty God that released through prayer.


“Prayer can do what political action cannot, what education cannot, what military might cannot, and what planning committees cannot. All these are impotent by comparison. By prayer the kingdom of God is built, and kingdom of Satan is destroyed. Where there is no prayer, there are no great works, and there is no building of kingdom. Where thereis much prayer and fervent prayer, there are great gains for the kingdom: God’s rule is established, His power is directed, His will is done, society is transformed, lost persons are saved, and saints are enabled to stand against the devil’s schemes.(Eph.6:11) If that isn’t enough to compel us to devout ourselves to prayer and always wrestle in prayer (Col.4:2,12), I don’t know what is!”



Alvin J. Vander Griend.

Friday, May 15, 2009

"Mote" and "Beam"

Matthew 7:3-5
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.


We are so often inclined to note errors in other people, but we do not know how to deal and to get rid of our own sins. Frequently people begin to speak about somebody’s “motes”, to condemn in order to feel - “I’m not too bad.” But what does Jesus telling here? If we unable to manage our own sins and do not looking for help, then please be amiable, and don’t speak about someone else sins. Do not tell in other what they should do. Go and do this yourself first, conquer your sin, because only if your personal conscience will congratulate you for the victory over the sin, when happiness of personal freedom from the “beam” will overfill you, then you will be in state to help others to get rid of the “mote in the eye”. Your personal experience + truth, this is what makes us gracious, understandable, qualified blessings for those, who is still wrestling with their sins.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

The function of the Law




But when Jesus heard that, he said to them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
Matthew 9:12

"Sinners that think they need no physician will not endure the healer's hand. The Law is therefore necessary to give knowledge of sin so that proud man, who thought he was whole, may be humbled by the discovery of his own great wickedness, and sigh and pant after the grace that is set forth in Christ"

Martin Luther


Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, Touch not; taste not; handle not...

Colossians 2:20-21

Some may wonder whether using the Law in evangelism produces legalism.When the Law is used to show a sinner that sin is "exceedingly sinful" - that nothing can commend him to God - he clings to the cross knowing that he is saved by grace and grace alone. This knowledge gives the Christian the understanding that even after the lifetime of good works, fasting, praying, seeking the lost, ets., his "works" don't commend him to God - he is still saved by grace alone.
However, when the Law isn't used befor the cross, and the sinner simply makes a "decision for Christ," he comes with the lack of understanding about the true nature of sin. After his commitment, he thinks that his good works, his fasting, praying, evangelism,ets., commend him to God. He is the one who thinks that what he eats, wears, and what he does become relevant to his salvation. He is the one who is liable to say "touch not, taste not, handle not"- the one who becomes "legalistic."
But using the Law in evangelism befor the cross liberates a new convert from legalism.




"Just as the world was not ready for the New Testament before it received the Old, just as the Jews were not prepared for the ministry of Christ until John the Baptist had gone before Him with his claimant call to repentance, so the unsaved are in no condition today for the gospel till the Law be applied to their hearts, for 'by the Law is the knowledge of sin.' It is the waste of time to sow seed on ground which has never been ploughed or spaded! To present the vicarious sacrifice of Christ to those whose dominant passion is to take fill of sin, is to give that which is holy to the dogs."
A.W. Pink

"God, being a perfect God, had to give a perfect Law, and the Law was given not to save men, but to measure them. I want you to understand this clearly, because I believe handreds and thousands stumble at this point. They try to save themselves by trying to keep the Law; but it was never meant for men to save themselves by."
D.L.Moody

Saturday, May 02, 2009

The Key to Reaching the Lost

Luke 11:52 “How terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you hide the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”

Have you ever thought, there must be a key to reaching the lost? There is! And it’s rusty through lack of use. Bible does actually call it “the key,” and its purpose is to bring us to Christ, to unlock the Door of salvation (John 10:9)
Jesus used it. So did Paul (Rom.3:19-20), Timothy (1Tim. 1:8-11), and James (2:10) Jesus said that lawyers had “hide the key,” and even refused to use it to let people enter into the Kingdom of God.
The Pharisees didn’t take it away. Instead they bent it out of shape so that it wouldn’t do its work (Mark 7:8). Jesus returned it to its true shape, just as Scriptures prophesied that He would do (Is.42:21).
Satan has tried to prejudice the modern Church against the key. He has maligned it, misused it, twisted it, and of course, hidden it. He hates it because of what it does.
In Acts 28:23 the Bible tell us that Paul persuaded sinners concerning Jesus “out of the law of Moses”. Bible tells us that the Law of Moses is good if it is used lawfully (1Timothy1:8). It was given by God as a “schoolmaster” to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). Paul wrote that “I had not known sin, but by the law” (Rim.7:7). The Law of God (the Ten Commandments) is evidently the “key to knowledge” Jesus spoke of in Luke 11:52.
Likewise the modern Church should preach God’s Law so that sinners could receive the “knowledge of sin,” and recognize their need of the Savior.
My city is one of the intellectual centers of my country. We have a lot of educational and scientific institutions. And it stunning to see how the Law of God works. Indeed “every mouth stopped” (Rom.3:19) because it go round the mind, the place of arguments, and speaks right into the persons conscience.


“I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the Law. The Law is the needle, and you cannot draw the silken thread of the gospel through a man’s heart unless you first send the needle of the Law to make way for it.”

                                                                              Charles Spurgeon



Friday, May 01, 2009

Evangelism is Our Most Sobering Task

Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late and how little revival has resulted?

I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. to pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scriptur is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trroubl. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience.

AIDEN WILSON TOZER

1897-1963



What do you think about this quote?
Can you imagine if Lord would said to His disciples “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywher...", and they answer to Him :"Okey Jesus! We will pray about this!"
Isn't it true that personal evangelism need to be revived in the Body of Christ today?

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

How to get fauls converts?

               "Many speak only about the forgiveness of sins, but not much about
repentance or  nothing about the repentance at all. But
forgiveness of sins cannot be without the repentance, and the
forgiveness of sins cannot be understood without the repentance.
Therefore, if forgiveness of sins is preached without the need for
repentance, then people begin to accept it in manner as if their
sins are already forgiven and they become confident and fearless,
that leads them to an even biger error and sin, than all errors
existed to these time."


Melanchthon 


Too many of so called "decisions" for salvation in modern churches are not a work of the Spirit, but a work of our sincere but manipulative practices. It is simple to secure a decision for Jesus by using this popular methods: "Do you now whether you are going to heaven when you die? To have this assurance, all you need to do is: 1) to believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and 2) resive Him as your Lord and your Saviour" Christians behave themselves very often like agents of certain company "Church" that advertiseing their prodact "Jesus". Thay saing: "Try Jesus! He will give you peace, happiness and joy!" "He realy will improve your life..." is it possible to think that Jesus is some kind of pill? Should we tell people to come to Jesus to obtain peace or joy? Or to improve life? If we want to produce fauls converts... just go on!


"Before I can preach love, I must preach sin, Law, and judgment."

John Wesley