Monday, March 15, 2004

Well, asked you to pray that I would know exactly what the Lord wants me to do... and He has heard your prayers. Tannie Jossie's visa will soon be expired and she will be gone. I wondered if I was supposed to help out in Plavni for a while or not. Then, God told me clearly that I am to go to Plavni. I don't know for how long, but I will just take the first step... from there the Lord will show me the next step. Joshua was faced with an impassable barrier, the river Jordan in flood. The Lord told him to go cross the river. I haven't seen this river, but I have been told that it is a very deep river with steep banks. If you step into the river... you suddenly find that you are deep in water. But Joshua believed and Joshua went ahead as God had said, and as the put first Priest put his foot in the river the Lord backed this massive flooding river up for about 30km. Only after that... did the Lord lead him to Jerico. And the He made the walls of Jerico fall down, giving Joshua a great victory. Joshua gets this credit - even today and even amongst the most precise Christian believer... it took courage and it took taking God at His word. If God says it, is it enough for you..? Please pray for Plavni. Please pray that the God will bring down the walls of sin that surounds the village and keeps the good news of Jesus out. Please pray for the small group of believers that are there. Pray that they will be able to lead righteous and holy lives. Pray that there lives will be a testimony to the people. Also pray for Serioge - He is still young, but has a heart after the Lord and I believe He is going to use him mightily in the area . In my last news letter I didn't mention something that happend last time I visited Plavni. While I was preaching and talking about people that put on a big show of "holiness" but is all fake... I pulled my jersey over my face with my hand in the "prayer" position and said "blah, blah, blah!" in a very spiritual voice. Every one was laughing and I thought it was a brilliant illustration. Wha ha ha, the joke was on me. My tummy was sticking out and that was what they were laughing at. Ah, at least it made them all relax. Another thing took place… I quoted a scripture in 1 Thess 5, "Pray without ceasing." Now, I'm not sure in what language, Russian, Modlovian, Ukrainian or even in some slang, but the word "ceecee" refers to a lady’s breast. So, as I said the scripture, I look at one of the young ladies... And to my shock I realize that the word "ceasing" is not a good word to say. Needless to say, I turnd blood red, and she even more so… At least they know me by now and understand that there are some acceptable words in English and Afrikaans that doesn't go well in Russian. Like I said. Please pray for Plavni. Please pray that the Lord will be able to work though me, for I know I am not capable of doing the work that is needed. Please keep on praying for the radio station. Pray the Lord will have His way with that. Pray for the people with the license. May the God of Heaven and Earth bless you with all his love and joy! Al the Pote

Thursday, March 04, 2004

I went to Plavni last week. I think the whole of the Ukraine takes their mud there. There is no way you can walk in Plavni without being covered in mud. It is going well with tannie Jossie and Serioga. I saw Stjoppa, and it isn't going to good with him. The bottle has got a hold of him again. Drinking is a big problem in this area. What we need, is to take Stjoppa out of his circumstances, and his problems, and to put him up in an home where we can minister to him on an fulltime bases. We need an home where the drunkards can go and dry out and get filled with God. Please pray that the Lord will help us with this problem. I didn't see Sultan... So, I don't know how he is doing - but you can still pray for him. I was only going to stay in Plavni for one night. When I got there, they asked if I would stay another day. So, I did that, my arm twisted back sorely, I tell you... While there, the Lord gave me an message for the church, but the bus schudule was to take me back - before the meeting!... so I thought it must have been just my imagination and not the Lord speaking... I went to the bus stop at 4pm, and what do you know? The bus never shows up! When I got back to the house, tannie Jossie just said... You're preaching tonight. Well, I didn't speak... God spoke to the people. I read in the "Purpose Driven Life" about frienship with God... The scripture: Ps 25:14a "Friendship with God is reserved for those who revere Him." has so much in it. The word Friendship isn't the kind of friendship we think of... This is as the old title "Friend of the King". A friend of the king had direct access to the king. He could freely approch the king without fear of death. He also sat in the Kings councel. I don't know with whom I'm going to make friends with in the next 10 years, or so, but the scripture says that our friendship (our place in the Kings councel) is reserved. God knew long ago - already - that He wanted you to be his friend and to have fellowship with Him. Now how do we get that friendship... the word is "REVERE"... The fear of God. Now again, this is not the fear we think of. This is not those who are scared of God, no, this is those who puts Gods opinion first, to considder God when you make a dissition, to not worry about what the people are thinking, but to worry about what God is thinking. Is I'm continiously looking at the people - worring about what they think of me. What I'm doing, I'm fearful of man. If I do anything because of what the "people say", then I'm doing it out of the fear of man. This fear of man is in direct opposition to the fear of God. To "revere" God, you need to take your eyes from man, and focus on God. Only then will you be able to be "Friends" with God... Please pray for me, Pray that I will alway look to the Lord and not be worried about what the people are saying. Please pray that I will be able to hear the Lords voice clearly, and that I will be able to walk 100% in His will. My cell phone broke... please pray that I will be able to sort it out. I praise the Lord for a great time in Plavni, and that He is with tannie Jossie and Serioga. May the Lord bless you and keep you! Love Al the Pote P.S. I mentiond "The Purpose Dirven Life" by Rick Warren. If you haven't yet heard of it, you can really look at this book. It is great! I think the web address is www.purposedrivenlife.com