The Sermon Making a difference in Georgia by Missionaries from Georgia
Nov 7, 2010
Making a difference in Georgia (38:46)
Referenced Scriptures: Collosians 4:1-4; Isaiah 40:8; Ephesians 2:10
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Collosians 4:1-4
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Isaiah 40:8
8) The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God shall stand forever.
Ephesians 2:10
10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
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As missionary Sunday hammer privilege to have this one. One outpost I I I should pick this up before, and it's one of the old Casio one Casio and he is a visionary to Giorgio Atlanta, Georgia, and that knowledge within having encircled on the map back there for a long time, so we're glad to have one here and Shirley and I am and also our are glad to have them here. This time shows of the comment, speak, and she their presentation socially. Jill bought even issued a visa and other Chinese stuff you surely are about five years understand the now in France. Hello. As long as you're in Georgian because we live in the country of Georgia. The word for hello, it's gone again about Georgia in the state of the good? and ask if any of you newer Georgia was Georgia in the state in the United States. It's down by Florida, but there is also a country of Georgia, which is over near Russia pay and if Georgia is a basic Georgian, so hello, Joe bought, how are you a stroke or heart and ears to words that we love to teach to kids and young people because they think they're so fun. The word for mom in Georgia and is in the shot there were for mommy Dave. Okay, so in Georgia and use the kids walking around. They called her Monday guy they wanted a mom needs baby girl. Guess what the word for dad is you want to say the word for dad is mama, I'm not came no word for dad and mom up selling Georgia. We need name teenage guys going after their father 's mom, and it's the first, but in Georgia. The name for dad. So mommy a Dégas and guided mama and that's kind of fun against the church. You can call your dad, just tell me speaking Georgian okay dignity like that. Probably not probably had something one has to get used to over there. So, Georgia. It is a country that is far away. They do speak their own language, which is Georgian and a lot of kids like you want EE in Georgia. What kind of things delete any of you if you have meat for supper. They whenever you like to cut off the fat jelly. That's your mom or dad can you cut the fat off or make sure it's cut off. I I always cut the fat off and my girls don't like to eat the fat either in Georgia. They will love the fat and meat, and they think that is the best part. And you know what, if you go to a different country of the gap now Georgians that they make a lot of money and they don't have a lot of things so when you go to their house as I guess they want to treat you. Special guests would think that you pay any a bad ESP of meat. They have enough hard for us to eat. Sometimes we have to make the best of it and we have to be polite and make sure that they know the we are thankful. Now why do you think we live in Georgia into the missionary no, what do you think we live in Georgia. Okay, that's a good idea to raise money for the poor, young and Georgian. They have a national church which is called orthodoxy. Yes, money, and they had a national church which is Orthodox as an Orthodox Church and guess what they teach their they don't believe that you can have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and so the people when they die they have no idea where they're going to go to heaven if they're going to go to heaven or where they're going to go and it's not a very hopeful perspective on life and they think they just have to keep doing all these good things, and so we want to teach them the truth about who Jesus is and what the Bible says about Jesus and that's why we are missionaries there. Okay, now how many of you think that you know what you want to be when you grow up everyone and be of that money would be around what he wanted me to tell you what anybody else. You know what when I was growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher and asked when I went to college for you never thought I would be a missionary. I never wanted to be a missionary, but God really changed my life in that regard, and so I just want to encourage each of you as you're growing up, and as you go to school that you would keep your heart open, because it does matter what job you have. What's the most important thing. Whether you're a teacher or vegetarian or missionary. The most important thing is that you are living for God right and you can do that anywhere, and I'm sure that maybe some of you are in school, that maybe you have friends who don't know Jesus, and so you can be a missionary in your school, just like we are in Georgia only good thing is, you're in your own country, so you can speak to us to your friends right. You don't have to learn another language to do that okay, I pray you had downstairs, K A, thank you so much for the all of these young people here today gotten. I pray that as they grow and they would have an understanding of who you are, they would understand what you want to do around the world that there are people that don't know you and they need your salvation, and I pray you, it is burden their hearts got to see the last come to you and that we display a special blessing on them as they go and finish out this morning servicing anyway, pray, amen. I guess I needed the evil they don't really have that name in Georgia and said they would probably just say that there yet is the same thing like they don't have my name to Georgia. They discovered a shared elite yet that it is going to say it in their own accent yet they do have hope the word for hoping e-mail D K I had gone back and head downstairs for kids shirts for only a minor money. I really like how the Jordan, my name minus one, which is my father 's poor insight on this Hispanic name and worth it. Why, but in America, North America and we disable the W sound one so the Jordan. They really do they have this really a guttural sound that they made for the age sounds of a family one and I really like the way that they pronounce the name knowing that your other Americans call. You're really through the mall. Conversely, waving with your name and everything all for now. Mona assembly got a Chinese name or something like that me know that names of Israel and money all the different things that I would might come across, you know, living in another culture and those either. I've had the chance to visit other cultures. You of course know summing about that. And that's is one of the fascinating things about how God has made us run world is so diverse, but we're here this morning because of the one thing that draws all cultures together and that is Jesus Christ, and through the Savior of the world and his message is gospel is true is relevant for any culture and the people group any language around the world and that is one of the Great Lakes is the greatest thing as our mandate as the church is to go anywhere and everywhere all around us all around the world to make the gospel known and what privilege we have a wonderful place that we have been so it's great to be here with you this morning and Jared you about what God is doing in the nation of Georgia, where we have lived for about three years and served there and he is doing good things. There were thankful that we praise him for that. We want to continue to see him working, moving and changing people 's lives. So, one share some of that with you this morning and our hopes for the future and know what God has done, but I want to read a verse of Scripture, just as we get started here. Marie from Colossians chapter four. If you'd like to along with venison, read a few verses from the beginning of the chapter for the apostle Paul Kors wrote the book of Colossians, and he went on these missionary trips impossible mostly with a team of people and no privilege everywhere that he was was new territory places where people had never heard about this Jesus of Nazareth or what he had done or what that meant for their lives. Etc. etc. new territory. So he went. That's the kind of the places where Paul was going to all the time and we can read all about his missionary journeys, and all the incredible things that Holy Spirit through this team, but the Marines are just a few verses here starting verse two and wrote about yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful and pray for us to that God may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that article claimant clearly as I should be wise in the way you act toward outsiders make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. It's pausing once you join me in prayer, W, thank you for your word that you have reserved for us that you have kept for us, Lord, and thank you did you reveal your word to us by the power of your Holy Spirit were so thankful Lord God for the truth of your word and how you transform and change our lives as we concentrated meditation, think about your word in your truth. Thank you for what you have done Lord. Pray for the rest of his time here that we are meeting together here this morning that you would truly touch our hearts, you know where every single one of us has come from you know where were at and where were going, and you know how to get our attention. Lord I pray Lord that she would speak to heart this morning. Lord you know what we need to speak the hearts. God give encouragement to hope that we need the discipline that we need the conviction that we need. Thank you for everything. Lord you lead us. You type just you help us penetrated you work in our lives. This morning as we allow you to keep our hearts open to you as we listen for you. Thank you Lord for all that you are doing here in our lives and around the world. We give you the praise we celebrate at this morning. Thank you Lord God, have your way in our hearts and securing that we pray, Jesus, thank you for what you've done. Amen. The full phrase here. Pray for us that God may open a door for our messaging upon going on these missionary trips no, no, surely not. We have prayed along these lines. Many many times as well. They got would open a door for our message for his message to be clean and in our lives. And no, we do that in lots of different times in our lives. No, God opening a door for his message goes all the way back, partly to when he when Saul was converted and became the apostle Paul came when Jesus met him on the road that was Jesus breaking into his life, opening the door for his message was revealed of all men, how he was going to use them in all the news and have to suffer for Jesus opening and deliver his message does that in our lives in many ways to quiz we think back to how we came to faith in Christ are the influences that we've had in our lives. People, people who influence us for that decision up of accepting Jesus Christ putting our faith in him, opening the door for his message. He uses each one of us and this is our prayers with serving in Georgia, and when charity a few ways of how God has opened the door for his methods to be Grecian for people to come in this kingdom, and that just what were praying for the future in an expecting and hoping for the future and that's one of things that that really touched my heart as I read these verses here Paul who wrote this he was confident that God was doing in working in his life and in and in administering, he was confident that I was opening doors for them and leaving them and we can read about that, at least on one occasion in the book of acts where they were planning on going in one direction on one of their missionary journeys and Bible says God spirit kept them from going that way and then sometime later through dream or vision invited them to go a different direction and they took that is the leading of the Holy Spirit, God directing them, and we can have that same confidence today that God is still directing, opening doors for us, leaving us. He wants us to call out to him. He wants us to asking for help anyone says to expect that he is going to give us that help that we need and then that's one thing the ruling spoke to my heart. We pray for God open doors and we need and we can expect that he is one answer that prayer and make doors open for us that we can be obedient and certainly we have a part to play that no one else can play for us. We have to walk in obedience and take the steps of faith, but as we do that, he will open another door will give us direction and safety bond going to go this way go that way, whichever way because he is the one. The Holy Spirit is one that has a strategy for reaching people around the world and so let's if we look at. We brought a video of what would we be able to share that it would run up a video along to show you there was a time in Georgia and in just one moment there was a time in Georgia were serving there we was really in our hearts to be involved in compassion ministry in Georgia, and of course that is anytime if there is a shelter at a food bank of those are types of compassion ministry reaching out to people 's needs. Because as long as were here on this earth, there is going to be human need and when we reach out in love to help somebody else. That is, and we do that because of the love of Jesus that is in us, and because of his command for us to go and help others in his name, in which we not only need those physical needs. We want to meet the spiritual need and direct people to hope in Jesus Christ. That was what it was in our hearts to be involved in Georgia in one way to reach out to preach the gospel to share Jesus with people, and we found out you. We first arrived in Georgia. Those doors had just closed for a time. Our team was not able to be involved in that, because of changes in the government. The regulations what they were allowing foreigners like our team to do and to be involved in circumstances so the work stopped, but there was a circumstance in August of two thousand eight there was war in Georgia between Russia and Georgia. You may remember hearing about that since two years ago. Now let's it was an intense time for the country. What happened to the fighting on last for about a week or so, when there were over a hundred thousand people that were displaced from their homes, where the newly fled their homes. Some people their village was literally being bombed and destroyed as they fled other people eventually were able to go back to the home that they had left, but still today, there's thousands that really have no hope of being able to go back relate to where they came from and that there are other people that have moved into their homes farming their land they left their possessions and everything, and other people have just come in and that they can go back there. So this is the situation that was created in a very short time, but hereto years down the road, people are still dealing with this and will be for time to come so we were asked to evacuate during this time, which we did for about twelve days and then we returned to our home into policing is the capital city and that's the area where most of these people came to the capital city and we were praying. We are praying along these lines. Lord help us. We need you to open doors so that we can reach out to people you guys as the body of Christ, as believers, they are along with the Georgian believers that we would partner with and we were working with. We know what we were to do to begin reaching out trying to help people that were in a very desperate situation, but how do we do that. Lord help us, give us open doors show us which way to go course with you. We can help everybody. We went where we had opportunity. We believe that he was going to. So we brought this video it would just give you a picture of how we were able to be involved. Some of the ways that we got started, and possibly open doors. I like to serve you. Just a few things that happened I and and how God was building a testimony for his glory. Thank you him and him so in a him name is Tom you are on costs related to wrong to know whereas I can comprehend him a name him when I have is that man is so long I is the and man living on brand-new sienna him him him him him him and him and him and him now and I have. I have half as bad as him to regard oriented during this time in our lives in Georgia relay that we were able to start helping out and we had through a series of connections of you know about opening doors. There we met one government official who really opened a lot of doors that we had access to this tent city enter there were about four locations that we would continually go back to bring supplies and to help do we got to know some of the people we got to hear their stories. What happened then they got to know us a little bit of who recognize what we were doing and people want to know why. Why are you doing what you're doing because we were not the government. They expected that the government is supposed to try and help them one hundred people knew that they many want to know why, when an opportunity to tell them the hope that we have in Christ. We wanted to let people know that they were not forgotten that God still sees them where they're at knows what has happened to them and cares about them is what we wanted to let people know and that God did bless that look is in Iraq for locations that we would go to in this tent city with one another. The first place that we went to and I is just open doors. They told us they really appreciated that we were fair. The way that we did all of this distribution works and things like that because even during a time like this. They knew what was to be robbed people would bring you they would see supplies coming to their camp. It was supposed to be for them with a new thing that they needed. But then those supplies never got to them. They thanked us that we do things in a fair way. That's what spoke to them, and I believe that's just part of God 's building a testimony to how many times do we hear. We identify ourselves as Christians or with Jesus Christ, people watching our lives just the way that we live in what we do. Certainly they listen to the words we say is welcome to watch how we live, and that's what struck us about this time that desolate people, so they just appreciated that way and that's what open the doors even further for us to communicate with them, and there were three new church plants. If you will trio groups of believers that began in the areas where we were involved in this compassion ministry outreach. We would partner with the Georgian believers every chance that we could and then they are the ones, the Georgia believers. They are the ones that are leading these new groups of believers and Wheatley 's praise God for our through such a time like that the traumatic event that people went through, he was still able to heal their hearts, and to touch their mind and to reveal himself to them that they could accept Jesus Christ for their faith in him and have hope inside of them. You know, we praise God for that. Surely shared your Panama picture of Georgian orthodoxy work unit are not taught about her relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Their hope is in not a very ritualistic and any do many things but not in Scripture and Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the way to God the father and the Holy Spirit is the one that makes them real for that. We're talking Sunday school class today wonderful time to looking to God 's word, so that was our desire in Georgia that is our prayer that people would receive revelation of who Jesus Christ truly is just like everyone unless he's come that revelation and accept Jesus, he is Lord and Savior. He is God and he is man, he's the only one I can forgive us our sins because of what he is already done. He is already done everything to save souls but he wants us each one of us to go and to be that witness in our lives than ever. Shirley and I for our family. I this point. This is what that means for us to follow God 's will for us to go and serve in the nation of Georgia and at what privilege do we. We are so thankful that he is enabling us he is helping us as we know we cannot do anything on our own. Because of this a few minutes ago. The Holy Spirit is the one that has a strategy for reaching people, but he wants to use each one of us, and may he continue to do that in Georgia. We thank God for what he did during this time and you know, now two years down the road because we stayed in touch with some work colleagues and I think we learned that a couple of those new groups of believers that have emerged but is is wonderful to hear that they are still continuing. They are being led to disciples in and train and they looking to God 's word and meet for worship and prayer. An ever-growing and maybe one day I'll have the chance to go back to the place they came from and they can take their faith in Christ with them because you're in Georgia, there are still places where the church is not yet exist. There are is no opportunity for a group of believers like this like we are here today for people to meet, there's the places like that in Georgia, you know, it's just a small country 's only about the size of the state of West Virginia is not huge, but their voices were no people are isolated and it's hard to get to new Road to Rome. Add all of that and the church does not exist, and in some areas would hope I want to work and partner with Air Jordan believers in seeing the church established in new areas. They have a passion to plant churches and to see new groups of believers grow and meeting for the church. The gospel to be taken. These new areas and want to partner with them and work alongside them in as in that way. This is one way that would have been very involved in Georgia this compassion ministry. We want to continue in that way truly is just an open door, a huge open door to touch people 's lives. They want to know why are you doing this. Why are you helping and what an opportunity then to speak words and approval. What we do in order, and each one of us in on probably many of you are involved in noticeable ways, every time you've been involved in your community outreach and things like that. What a wonderful way to be involved in people 's lives, so we want to continue in this way you saw some of the pictures on their enforced the end of discipleship ministry. I surely led some groups with which girls young ladies out some with wives and mothers as well. Discipleship ministry was a huge open door in Georgia as well. One of these ways that we were able to be involved in people 's lives and looking at Scripture within the encouragement and you'll as we were learning as well. We want to continue in these ways, and one other way that were praying about and we do not have all these details worked out yet but as we returned Georgia. We would like to participate with the book of Hope ministries, I'm not sure if you're familiar with SC as he's not that ministry was in Georgia before it is God 's word for children and young people, teenagers of all ages. Matthew Mark Luke and John, and they translate that, of course, in the language of the country where it's going. Is God 's word really have many questions about things and they direct them back into the Bible for answers for discussion and about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. We want to be a part people do not word Isaiah chapter fourteen verse eight zero. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever, forever and you don't. My life has been changed and transformed by God 's word. Many of you as well will want to see what that help introduce people to God 's word because they have a Bible in Georgia. Okay, we have one on the table back there. It's in their language is pretty much the same as as our Bible here as the old and new Testaments, but many time people are not encouraged to read the Bible, but that's something that only the priest can, and understand and interpret anyway, they are not encouraged to read God 's word. What is through Mister reading God 's word that is how the Holy Spirit can work in our hearts in our lives as we think about what were reading and we seek God for truth real truth, he will make that ruthless, he will reveal Jesus Christ was one encouraged people to read the Bible and and we know that not only know the children and teenagers are going to read the book of hope their families will as well and the praise God for that. So that's one of the ways we hope to be among return to Georgia are down the road here and maybe that will give us the chance to go into new areas in Georgia where we have not been yet, where the church does not yet exist, because of course there are schools and their children everywhere around the country and maybe that is one way that we can we can go in and present God 's word to people new witness and will be partnering with the Georgian believers, and that so these are is about the open doors. We continue to pray about that. I would open these doors, and continue to lead us and give us wisdom and how to go. We need wisdom and new. We ask for your prayers and that when you pray for. We pray for world missionaries. We pray for anybody really. We ask you to pray that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, that we be led by the Holy Spirit in all of our efforts. We need that we need his direction, we need is Brandon, I'm Paul. He wrote. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should die. Also, such as anemia, Georgia, being one of the oldest Christian nations in the world know that they are Christian nation, but why do they need missionaries. I know that there are Christians. This kind of mentality, but is that relationship with Jesus Christ. Salvation through him alone. That's that is the truth that is what they are not taught, and we need to be very clear about who we are, what of course, you know, we believe that God has led us to live in this country and know we are guests in their country. Et al. were viewed with his guest for three years. We need to be very clear about the message of Jesus Christ. In this Orthodox nation where they have a God consciousness because they know some of that year. The figures in the Bible dating of the apostles, of course they know those they have their pictures all over the place, but many in Revelation of Jesus Christ, and so that is what we pray for that would proclaim the message clearly make the most of every opportunity that we have will believe that God is still opening doors. How is he opening doors in your life if you were to ask him. You don't to Lord you wherever you're at. Of course, I don't know you and I and you don't know us, but where are you and what have you been asking the Lord. I'm praying about and I'm just trying to discern about how does God want to open doors for you and whatever your sphere of influence. This weather. It was the worst school job that we have the places that we just go throughout the community day in and day out every week. You know those spheres. How does God want to open doors for you and use you in those places because in think about your life, and I think about my life and I can remember the people who work influences in my life series of influences in in my life. We are appointed to be those good influences, and people 's lives, Ephesians, chapter two, says that we were created forward in advance of the what do my God. He wants to be an influence in other people 's lives. And that is our prayer that is our hope as we go to Georgia and were building relationships and defending our first priority to continue learning the language I should share with you this morning is a difficult language. We've enjoyed studying, but it takes time and we ask you. We need God 's help for that definitely our first priority, so we can talk to be one morbid deeper level, more so than just, you know how many kilograms up to date as we wanted and likely getting around town you want to be able to share from our heart with people smell we are first priority as we continue in this ministry that he saw here in our different opportunities that will have, so we ask for your prayers were hoping to return to Georgia on this winter we have been itinerary now for about eighteen months and said it's were getting towards the end of that time. Praise God we have raised eighty percent of the funds that we need to in order to return. We go back to me for a three-year time period. Again we need to raise all of those funds on a monthly basis and cash fund that we need to need to raise all those that for your time. During this year and a half or so that were home and so praise God we have reached eighty percent of that, but we have ninety more days to raise the last twenty percent and we are praying that God will help us and he is just in the past two weeks -year-old begin opening doors again of we need to go through the opening of this we pray for open doors now in our lives as well. We need God to send us and help us. So we're praying about that too, and still meeting our churches and individuals who will know they hear God speaking to their hearts to partner with us for another season of the time allied so on please pray with us for that guy would touch your heart about that. Please do speak to us on you. We would appreciate it. We appreciate your prayers. We know everywhere we go there in this only more people that are praying for Georgia for the good things. There's a time open right now. I'm open is really like they have never experienced before or at least as far as we know, and openness for preaching the gospel and openness for doing things abandoned church has never been able to be a part of things that we might take for granted, like holding evangelistic meetings. They do that for the first time in Georgia this summer in public. Never happened before and there we were out there of course, but we heard the report, fifteen hundred people that came to be believers in Jesus Christ gave their heart to the Lord during these three days of evangelistic meetings never took place in Georgia before so praise God for what he's doing. He is as a strategy in this day and this time he has open certain doors and the church is walking through them so and he is glorified in the church is growing so praise God for that, when it is that close now in a time of prayer for good don't ask you to pray with us. Let's just take a moment to let up. The people of Georgia. We stand here representing the people of Georgia to you and God knows all their faces, he knows all their names. Many people that have not yet not had an adequate witness of who Jesus Christ is unit are many churches here in all of our communities. Many churches sang, and I'm thankful for that. There so many places around the world where that is not the case. So many people have not had any kind of witness of Jesus, let alone an adequate witness who Jesus Christ is a thread for the Georgian people together that God would open doors for his message to go all over that place. But he would open doors for us and the believers as we are is the body of Christ. There we work together in unity, so if you love to pray with me that we do thank you for how you are working that we thank you for who you are in worship and praise you that you touch our hearts guide you reveal yourself to us, you take away our sin. You give us hope you set us free our Lord to work in our lives, we thank you got away. We love you, we want to grow closer to you that we're living on today. The people of Georgia. When you love you created. You may lord you love them know many people that are in need today in Georgia. People that need to hear your message people that need to see your love X displayed and expressed in many ways of their hearts can be convicted of your truth and of your love for them and they will turn to you, Lord. They need to be set free from addictions and from Center for many things that will would get that. Just keep in balance. They need to be set free, and turn from darkness to light, may they seek truth committee find you. Lord I pray that you enable the church and us in our team as missionaries and to enable us on send them out into places where you want to get what you want us to go that you would open doors for us and through the compassion ministry through discipleship ministry through the preaching of your work of many different, the way that we live David David, that would be a witness for you that your anointing will be upon us upon your people Lord that you would do good things and for all people to your kingdom to fade in your son Jesus Christ. Thank you God for what you're going to do for the wonderful things that you have done you in the past few years in Georgia for all each one by the George training that you are helping that is solidified and grounded in your word, we praise you and give you the glory for all of that Lord I ask for your help for the future. Thank you for your words. I pray for each one here this morning as well. God, that you would open doors and speak to hearts whatever sphere of influence that they are in whatever season of life if they are in that you would continue to convict their hearts that you want to use them that you want to be victorious in their life, and through them, and you want to use them as a powerful witness for you for your kingdom for your truth that you would continue to reveal to them. Open doors that showing people in their lives, and you want to touch and send people into their lives. The people that are in need and are ready Lord to hear your message into accepted and receive it. I do good things continue on to help each one here as they come here in and in the part of this local assembly that they would dwell in unity here unity of your Holy Spirit, that you would leave them out in a different and diverse ways. It would all be for your glory and will all be in unity by you. Thank you got what you have done what you're going to continue to do. Blessings was each family was each group here was each one. We want your will to be done in our lives. God, we see that this morning, we see you. Thank you Lord, in senior name we pray, Lord Jesus, and we can ask all of this, amen, amen, pendulumAs missionary Sunday hammer privilege to have this one. One outpost I I I should pick this up before, and it's one of the old Casio one Casio and he is a visionary to Giorgio Atlanta, Georgia, and that knowledge within having encircled on the map back there for a long time, so we're glad to have one here and Shirley and I am and also our are glad to have them here. This time shows of the comment, speak, and she their presentation socially. Jill bought even issued a visa and other Chinese stuff you surely are about five years understand the now in France. Hello. As long as you're in Georgian because we live in the country of Georgia. The word for hello, it's gone again about Georgia in the state of the good? and ask if any of you newer Georgia was Georgia in the state in the United States. It's down by Florida, but there is also a country of Georgia, which is over near Russia pay and if Georgia is a basic Georgian, so hello, Joe bought, how are you a stroke or heart and ears to words that we love to teach to kids and young people because they think they're so fun. The word for mom in Georgia and is in the shot there were for mommy Dave. Okay, so in Georgia and use the kids walking around. They called her Monday guy they wanted a mom needs baby girl. Guess what the word for dad is you want to say the word for dad is mama, I'm not came no word for dad and mom up selling Georgia. We need name teenage guys going after their father 's mom, and it's the first, but in Georgia. The name for dad. So mommy a Dégas and guided mama and that's kind of fun against the church. You can call your dad, just tell me speaking Georgian okay dignity like that. Probably not probably had something one has to get used to over there. So, Georgia. It is a country that is far away. They do speak their own language, which is Georgian and a lot of kids like you want EE in Georgia. What kind of things delete any of you if you have meat for supper. They whenever you like to cut off the fat jelly. That's your mom or dad can you cut the fat off or make sure it's cut off. I I always cut the fat off and my girls don't like to eat the fat either in Georgia. They will love the fat and meat, and they think that is the best part. And you know what, if you go to a different country of the gap now Georgians that they make a lot of money and they don't have a lot of things so when you go to their house as I guess they want to treat you. Special guests would think that you pay any a bad ESP of meat. They have enough hard for us to eat. Sometimes we have to make the best of it and we have to be polite and make sure that they know the we are thankful. Now why do you think we live in Georgia into the missionary no, what do you think we live in Georgia. Okay, that's a good idea to raise money for the poor, young and Georgian. They have a national church which is called orthodoxy. Yes, money, and they had a national church which is Orthodox as an Orthodox Church and guess what they teach their they don't believe that you can have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and so the people when they die they have no idea where they're going to go to heaven if they're going to go to heaven or where they're going to go and it's not a very hopeful perspective on life and they think they just have to keep doing all these good things, and so we want to teach them the truth about who Jesus is and what the Bible says about Jesus and that's why we are missionaries there. Okay, now how many of you think that you know what you want to be when you grow up everyone and be of that money would be around what he wanted me to tell you what anybody else. You know what when I was growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher and asked when I went to college for you never thought I would be a missionary. I never wanted to be a missionary, but God really changed my life in that regard, and so I just want to encourage each of you as you're growing up, and as you go to school that you would keep your heart open, because it does matter what job you have. What's the most important thing. Whether you're a teacher or vegetarian or missionary. The most important thing is that you are living for God right and you can do that anywhere, and I'm sure that maybe some of you are in school, that maybe you have friends who don't know Jesus, and so you can be a missionary in your school, just like we are in Georgia only good thing is, you're in your own country, so you can speak to us to your friends right. You don't have to learn another language to do that okay, I pray you had downstairs, K A, thank you so much for the all of these young people here today gotten. I pray that as they grow and they would have an understanding of who you are, they would understand what you want to do around the world that there are people that don't know you and they need your salvation, and I pray you, it is burden their hearts got to see the last come to you and that we display a special blessing on them as they go and finish out this morning servicing anyway, pray, amen. I guess I needed the evil they don't really have that name in Georgia and said they would probably just say that there yet is the same thing like they don't have my name to Georgia. They discovered a shared elite yet that it is going to say it in their own accent yet they do have hope the word for hoping e-mail D K I had gone back and head downstairs for kids shirts for only a minor money. I really like how the Jordan, my name minus one, which is my father 's poor insight on this Hispanic name and worth it. Why, but in America, North America and we disable the W sound one so the Jordan. They really do they have this really a guttural sound that they made for the age sounds of a family one and I really like the way that they pronounce the name knowing that your other Americans call. You're really through the mall. Conversely, waving with your name and everything all for now. Mona assembly got a Chinese name or something like that me know that names of Israel and money all the different things that I would might come across, you know, living in another culture and those either. I've had the chance to visit other cultures. You of course know summing about that. And that's is one of the fascinating things about how God has made us run world is so diverse, but we're here this morning because of the one thing that draws all cultures together and that is Jesus Christ, and through the Savior of the world and his message is gospel is true is relevant for any culture and the people group any language around the world and that is one of the Great Lakes is the greatest thing as our mandate as the church is to go anywhere and everywhere all around us all around the world to make the gospel known and what privilege we have a wonderful place that we have been so it's great to be here with you this morning and Jared you about what God is doing in the nation of Georgia, where we have lived for about three years and served there and he is doing good things. There were thankful that we praise him for that. We want to continue to see him working, moving and changing people 's lives. So, one share some of that with you this morning and our hopes for the future and know what God has done, but I want to read a verse of Scripture, just as we get started here. Marie from Colossians chapter four. If you'd like to along with venison, read a few verses from the beginning of the chapter for the apostle Paul Kors wrote the book of Colossians, and he went on these missionary trips impossible mostly with a team of people and no privilege everywhere that he was was new territory places where people had never heard about this Jesus of Nazareth or what he had done or what that meant for their lives. Etc. etc. new territory. So he went. That's the kind of the places where Paul was going to all the time and we can read all about his missionary journeys, and all the incredible things that Holy Spirit through this team, but the Marines are just a few verses here starting verse two and wrote about yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful and pray for us to that God may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that article claimant clearly as I should be wise in the way you act toward outsiders make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. It's pausing once you join me in prayer, W, thank you for your word that you have reserved for us that you have kept for us, Lord, and thank you did you reveal your word to us by the power of your Holy Spirit were so thankful Lord God for the truth of your word and how you transform and change our lives as we concentrated meditation, think about your word in your truth. Thank you for what you have done Lord. Pray for the rest of his time here that we are meeting together here this morning that you would truly touch our hearts, you know where every single one of us has come from you know where were at and where were going, and you know how to get our attention. Lord I pray Lord that she would speak to heart this morning. Lord you know what we need to speak the hearts. God give encouragement to hope that we need the discipline that we need the conviction that we need. Thank you for everything. Lord you lead us. You type just you help us penetrated you work in our lives. This morning as we allow you to keep our hearts open to you as we listen for you. Thank you Lord for all that you are doing here in our lives and around the world. We give you the praise we celebrate at this morning. Thank you Lord God, have your way in our hearts and securing that we pray, Jesus, thank you for what you've done. Amen. The full phrase here. Pray for us that God may open a door for our messaging upon going on these missionary trips no, no, surely not. We have prayed along these lines. Many many times as well. They got would open a door for our message for his message to be clean and in our lives. And no, we do that in lots of different times in our lives. No, God opening a door for his message goes all the way back, partly to when he when Saul was converted and became the apostle Paul came when Jesus met him on the road that was Jesus breaking into his life, opening the door for his message was revealed of all men, how he was going to use them in all the news and have to suffer for Jesus opening and deliver his message does that in our lives in many ways to quiz we think back to how we came to faith in Christ are the influences that we've had in our lives. People, people who influence us for that decision up of accepting Jesus Christ putting our faith in him, opening the door for his message. He uses each one of us and this is our prayers with serving in Georgia, and when charity a few ways of how God has opened the door for his methods to be Grecian for people to come in this kingdom, and that just what were praying for the future in an expecting and hoping for the future and that's one of things that that really touched my heart as I read these verses here Paul who wrote this he was confident that God was doing in working in his life and in and in administering, he was confident that I was opening doors for them and leaving them and we can read about that, at least on one occasion in the book of acts where they were planning on going in one direction on one of their missionary journeys and Bible says God spirit kept them from going that way and then sometime later through dream or vision invited them to go a different direction and they took that is the leading of the Holy Spirit, God directing them, and we can have that same confidence today that God is still directing, opening doors for us, leaving us. He wants us to call out to him. He wants us to asking for help anyone says to expect that he is going to give us that help that we need and then that's one thing the ruling spoke to my heart. We pray for God open doors and we need and we can expect that he is one answer that prayer and make doors open for us that we can be obedient and certainly we have a part to play that no one else can play for us. We have to walk in obedience and take the steps of faith, but as we do that, he will open another door will give us direction and safety bond going to go this way go that way, whichever way because he is the one. The Holy Spirit is one that has a strategy for reaching people around the world and so let's if we look at. We brought a video of what would we be able to share that it would run up a video along to show you there was a time in Georgia and in just one moment there was a time in Georgia were serving there we was really in our hearts to be involved in compassion ministry in Georgia, and of course that is anytime if there is a shelter at a food bank of those are types of compassion ministry reaching out to people 's needs. Because as long as were here on this earth, there is going to be human need and when we reach out in love to help somebody else. That is, and we do that because of the love of Jesus that is in us, and because of his command for us to go and help others in his name, in which we not only need those physical needs. We want to meet the spiritual need and direct people to hope in Jesus Christ. That was what it was in our hearts to be involved in Georgia in one way to reach out to preach the gospel to share Jesus with people, and we found out you. We first arrived in Georgia. Those doors had just closed for a time. Our team was not able to be involved in that, because of changes in the government. The regulations what they were allowing foreigners like our team to do and to be involved in circumstances so the work stopped, but there was a circumstance in August of two thousand eight there was war in Georgia between Russia and Georgia. You may remember hearing about that since two years ago. Now let's it was an intense time for the country. What happened to the fighting on last for about a week or so, when there were over a hundred thousand people that were displaced from their homes, where the newly fled their homes. Some people their village was literally being bombed and destroyed as they fled other people eventually were able to go back to the home that they had left, but still today, there's thousands that really have no hope of being able to go back relate to where they came from and that there are other people that have moved into their homes farming their land they left their possessions and everything, and other people have just come in and that they can go back there. So this is the situation that was created in a very short time, but hereto years down the road, people are still dealing with this and will be for time to come so we were asked to evacuate during this time, which we did for about twelve days and then we returned to our home into policing is the capital city and that's the area where most of these people came to the capital city and we were praying. We are praying along these lines. Lord help us. We need you to open doors so that we can reach out to people you guys as the body of Christ, as believers, they are along with the Georgian believers that we would partner with and we were working with. We know what we were to do to begin reaching out trying to help people that were in a very desperate situation, but how do we do that. Lord help us, give us open doors show us which way to go course with you. We can help everybody. We went where we had opportunity. We believe that he was going to. So we brought this video it would just give you a picture of how we were able to be involved. Some of the ways that we got started, and possibly open doors. I like to serve you. Just a few things that happened I and and how God was building a testimony for his glory. Thank you him and him so in a him name is Tom you are on costs related to wrong to know whereas I can comprehend him a name him when I have is that man is so long I is the and man living on brand-new sienna him him him him him him and him and him and him now and I have. I have half as bad as him to regard oriented during this time in our lives in Georgia relay that we were able to start helping out and we had through a series of connections of you know about opening doors. There we met one government official who really opened a lot of doors that we had access to this tent city enter there were about four locations that we would continually go back to bring supplies and to help do we got to know some of the people we got to hear their stories. What happened then they got to know us a little bit of who recognize what we were doing and people want to know why. Why are you doing what you're doing because we were not the government. They expected that the government is supposed to try and help them one hundred people knew that they many want to know why, when an opportunity to tell them the hope that we have in Christ. We wanted to let people know that they were not forgotten that God still sees them where they're at knows what has happened to them and cares about them is what we wanted to let people know and that God did bless that look is in Iraq for locations that we would go to in this tent city with one another. The first place that we went to and I is just open doors. They told us they really appreciated that we were fair. The way that we did all of this distribution works and things like that because even during a time like this. They knew what was to be robbed people would bring you they would see supplies coming to their camp. It was supposed to be for them with a new thing that they needed. But then those supplies never got to them. They thanked us that we do things in a fair way. That's what spoke to them, and I believe that's just part of God 's building a testimony to how many times do we hear. We identify ourselves as Christians or with Jesus Christ, people watching our lives just the way that we live in what we do. Certainly they listen to the words we say is welcome to watch how we live, and that's what struck us about this time that desolate people, so they just appreciated that way and that's what open the doors even further for us to communicate with them, and there were three new church plants. If you will trio groups of believers that began in the areas where we were involved in this compassion ministry outreach. We would partner with the Georgian believers every chance that we could and then they are the ones, the Georgia believers. They are the ones that are leading these new groups of believers and Wheatley 's praise God for our through such a time like that the traumatic event that people went through, he was still able to heal their hearts, and to touch their mind and to reveal himself to them that they could accept Jesus Christ for their faith in him and have hope inside of them. You know, we praise God for that. Surely shared your Panama picture of Georgian orthodoxy work unit are not taught about her relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Their hope is in not a very ritualistic and any do many things but not in Scripture and Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the way to God the father and the Holy Spirit is the one that makes them real for that. We're talking Sunday school class today wonderful time to looking to God 's word, so that was our desire in Georgia that is our prayer that people would receive revelation of who Jesus Christ truly is just like everyone unless he's come that revelation and accept Jesus, he is Lord and Savior. He is God and he is man, he's the only one I can forgive us our sins because of what he is already done. He is already done everything to save souls but he wants us each one of us to go and to be that witness in our lives than ever. Shirley and I for our family. I this point. This is what that means for us to follow God 's will for us to go and serve in the nation of Georgia and at what privilege do we. We are so thankful that he is enabling us he is helping us as we know we cannot do anything on our own. Because of this a few minutes ago. The Holy Spirit is the one that has a strategy for reaching people, but he wants to use each one of us, and may he continue to do that in Georgia. We thank God for what he did during this time and you know, now two years down the road because we stayed in touch with some work colleagues and I think we learned that a couple of those new groups of believers that have emerged but is is wonderful to hear that they are still continuing. They are being led to disciples in and train and they looking to God 's word and meet for worship and prayer. An ever-growing and maybe one day I'll have the chance to go back to the place they came from and they can take their faith in Christ with them because you're in Georgia, there are still places where the church is not yet exist. There are is no opportunity for a group of believers like this like we are here today for people to meet, there's the places like that in Georgia, you know, it's just a small country 's only about the size of the state of West Virginia is not huge, but their voices were no people are isolated and it's hard to get to new Road to Rome. Add all of that and the church does not exist, and in some areas would hope I want to work and partner with Air Jordan believers in seeing the church established in new areas. They have a passion to plant churches and to see new groups of believers grow and meeting for the church. The gospel to be taken. These new areas and want to partner with them and work alongside them in as in that way. This is one way that would have been very involved in Georgia this compassion ministry. We want to continue in that way truly is just an open door, a huge open door to touch people 's lives. They want to know why are you doing this. Why are you helping and what an opportunity then to speak words and approval. What we do in order, and each one of us in on probably many of you are involved in noticeable ways, every time you've been involved in your community outreach and things like that. What a wonderful way to be involved in people 's lives, so we want to continue in this way you saw some of the pictures on their enforced the end of discipleship ministry. I surely led some groups with which girls young ladies out some with wives and mothers as well. Discipleship ministry was a huge open door in Georgia as well. One of these ways that we were able to be involved in people 's lives and looking at Scripture within the encouragement and you'll as we were learning as well. We want to continue in these ways, and one other way that were praying about and we do not have all these details worked out yet but as we returned Georgia. We would like to participate with the book of Hope ministries, I'm not sure if you're familiar with SC as he's not that ministry was in Georgia before it is God 's word for children and young people, teenagers of all ages. Matthew Mark Luke and John, and they translate that, of course, in the language of the country where it's going. Is God 's word really have many questions about things and they direct them back into the Bible for answers for discussion and about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. We want to be a part people do not word Isaiah chapter fourteen verse eight zero. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever, forever and you don't. My life has been changed and transformed by God 's word. Many of you as well will want to see what that help introduce people to God 's word because they have a Bible in Georgia. Okay, we have one on the table back there. It's in their language is pretty much the same as as our Bible here as the old and new Testaments, but many time people are not encouraged to read the Bible, but that's something that only the priest can, and understand and interpret anyway, they are not encouraged to read God 's word. What is through Mister reading God 's word that is how the Holy Spirit can work in our hearts in our lives as we think about what were reading and we seek God for truth real truth, he will make that ruthless, he will reveal Jesus Christ was one encouraged people to read the Bible and and we know that not only know the children and teenagers are going to read the book of hope their families will as well and the praise God for that. So that's one of the ways we hope to be among return to Georgia are down the road here and maybe that will give us the chance to go into new areas in Georgia where we have not been yet, where the church does not yet exist, because of course there are schools and their children everywhere around the country and maybe that is one way that we can we can go in and present God 's word to people new witness and will be partnering with the Georgian believers, and that so these are is about the open doors. We continue to pray about that. I would open these doors, and continue to lead us and give us wisdom and how to go. We need wisdom and new. We ask for your prayers and that when you pray for. We pray for world missionaries. We pray for anybody really. We ask you to pray that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, that we be led by the Holy Spirit in all of our efforts. We need that we need his direction, we need is Brandon, I'm Paul. He wrote. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should die. Also, such as anemia, Georgia, being one of the oldest Christian nations in the world know that they are Christian nation, but why do they need missionaries. I know that there are Christians. This kind of mentality, but is that relationship with Jesus Christ. Salvation through him alone. That's that is the truth that is what they are not taught, and we need to be very clear about who we are, what of course, you know, we believe that God has led us to live in this country and know we are guests in their country. Et al. were viewed with his guest for three years. We need to be very clear about the message of Jesus Christ. In this Orthodox nation where they have a God consciousness because they know some of that year. The figures in the Bible dating of the apostles, of course they know those they have their pictures all over the place, but many in Revelation of Jesus Christ, and so that is what we pray for that would proclaim the message clearly make the most of every opportunity that we have will believe that God is still opening doors. How is he opening doors in your life if you were to ask him. You don't to Lord you wherever you're at. Of course, I don't know you and I and you don't know us, but where are you and what have you been asking the Lord. I'm praying about and I'm just trying to discern about how does God want to open doors for you and whatever your sphere of influence. This weather. It was the worst school job that we have the places that we just go throughout the community day in and day out every week. You know those spheres. How does God want to open doors for you and use you in those places because in think about your life, and I think about my life and I can remember the people who work influences in my life series of influences in in my life. We are appointed to be those good influences, and people 's lives, Ephesians, chapter two, says that we were created forward in advance of the what do my God. He wants to be an influence in other people 's lives. And that is our prayer that is our hope as we go to Georgia and were building relationships and defending our first priority to continue learning the language I should share with you this morning is a difficult language. We've enjoyed studying, but it takes time and we ask you. We need God 's help for that definitely our first priority, so we can talk to be one morbid deeper level, more so than just, you know how many kilograms up to date as we wanted and likely getting around town you want to be able to share from our heart with people smell we are first priority as we continue in this ministry that he saw here in our different opportunities that will have, so we ask for your prayers were hoping to return to Georgia on this winter we have been itinerary now for about eighteen months and said it's were getting towards the end of that time. Praise God we have raised eighty percent of the funds that we need to in order to return. We go back to me for a three-year time period. Again we need to raise all of those funds on a monthly basis and cash fund that we need to need to raise all those that for your time. During this year and a half or so that were home and so praise God we have reached eighty percent of that, but we have ninety more days to raise the last twenty percent and we are praying that God will help us and he is just in the past two weeks -year-old begin opening doors again of we need to go through the opening of this we pray for open doors now in our lives as well. We need God to send us and help us. So we're praying about that too, and still meeting our churches and individuals who will know they hear God speaking to their hearts to partner with us for another season of the time allied so on please pray with us for that guy would touch your heart about that. Please do speak to us on you. We would appreciate it. We appreciate your prayers. We know everywhere we go there in this only more people that are praying for Georgia for the good things. There's a time open right now. I'm open is really like they have never experienced before or at least as far as we know, and openness for preaching the gospel and openness for doing things abandoned church has never been able to be a part of things that we might take for granted, like holding evangelistic meetings. They do that for the first time in Georgia this summer in public. Never happened before and there we were out there of course, but we heard the report, fifteen hundred people that came to be believers in Jesus Christ gave their heart to the Lord during these three days of evangelistic meetings never took place in Georgia before so praise God for what he's doing. He is as a strategy in this day and this time he has open certain doors and the church is walking through them so and he is glorified in the church is growing so praise God for that, when it is that close now in a time of prayer for good don't ask you to pray with us. Let's just take a moment to let up. The people of Georgia. We stand here representing the people of Georgia to you and God knows all their faces, he knows all their names. Many people that have not yet not had an adequate witness of who Jesus Christ is unit are many churches here in all of our communities. Many churches sang, and I'm thankful for that. There so many places around the world where that is not the case. So many people have not had any kind of witness of Jesus, let alone an adequate witness who Jesus Christ is a thread for the Georgian people together that God would open doors for his message to go all over that place. But he would open doors for us and the believers as we are is the body of Christ. There we work together in unity, so if you love to pray with me that we do thank you for how you are working that we thank you for who you are in worship and praise you that you touch our hearts guide you reveal yourself to us, you take away our sin. You give us hope you set us free our Lord to work in our lives, we thank you got away. We love you, we want to grow closer to you that we're living on today. The people of Georgia. When you love you created. You may lord you love them know many people that are in need today in Georgia. People that need to hear your message people that need to see your love X displayed and expressed in many ways of their hearts can be convicted of your truth and of your love for them and they will turn to you, Lord. They need to be set free from addictions and from Center for many things that will would get that. Just keep in balance. They need to be set free, and turn from darkness to light, may they seek truth committee find you. Lord I pray that you enable the church and us in our team as missionaries and to enable us on send them out into places where you want to get what you want us to go that you would open doors for us and through the compassion ministry through discipleship ministry through the preaching of your work of many different, the way that we live David David, that would be a witness for you that your anointing will be upon us upon your people Lord that you would do good things and for all people to your kingdom to fade in your son Jesus Christ. Thank you God for what you're going to do for the wonderful things that you have done you in the past few years in Georgia for all each one by the George training that you are helping that is solidified and grounded in your word, we praise you and give you the glory for all of that Lord I ask for your help for the future. Thank you for your words. I pray for each one here this morning as well. God, that you would open doors and speak to hearts whatever sphere of influence that they are in whatever season of life if they are in that you would continue to convict their hearts that you want to use them that you want to be victorious in their life, and through them, and you want to use them as a powerful witness for you for your kingdom for your truth that you would continue to reveal to them. Open doors that showing people in their lives, and you want to touch and send people into their lives. The people that are in need and are ready Lord to hear your message into accepted and receive it. I do good things continue on to help each one here as they come here in and in the part of this local assembly that they would dwell in unity here unity of your Holy Spirit, that you would leave them out in a different and diverse ways. It would all be for your glory and will all be in unity by you. Thank you got what you have done what you're going to continue to do. Blessings was each family was each group here was each one. We want your will to be done in our lives. God, we see that this morning, we see you. Thank you Lord, in senior name we pray, Lord Jesus, and we can ask all of this, amen, amen, pendulum