Home
Audio by Sam
 Upcoming Events
Messianic Leaders
Seminars/Programs
Women's Ministries
Messianic Tracts
Jewish Believers
Ministry Reports
E-Mail Q & A's
 Word Articles

Bookstore
May Specials!

Russian Website
Beliefs & Vision
The WMM Blog
Support WMM
Links to Israel

Discover these 
Biblical festivals!


 GoodSearch: You Search...We Give!

 


 

WMM in the Ukraine!
Part 2

Kiev, Ukraine Ministry Report - April, 2004
Sam conducted a marriage seminar Saturday afternoon. From 1 Peter 3:1-7 he taught how the key to fulfilling our calling as husbands and wives is our personal dependence on Yeshua. In Eastern Europe, as in many other places and cultures, marriage is customarily seen as men dominating their wives. Sam reasoned from Scripture that the authority God gives us to lead in the home (or congregation) is granted in order to edify those we serve. Any self-serving use of authority is ‘spiritual abuse’ of one’s calling from God. Just as Messiah came not to be served, but to serve, any call to leadership is a call to servanthood. “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matt. 23:11,12).
 There were many questions and lively discussion on this Biblical approach to marriage and leadership, as both men and women were challenged to follow the Lord and serve one another in the home and congregation. We left Kiev with thankful hearts for what the Lord had done at this conference, knowing that He will provide the means, and His timing for us to return to Kiev in the future. 


Miriam leads a women’s leadership Bible study with a time of worship.
The Flight Home By Sam Nadler
The first leg of our trip home was a three-hour flight from Kiev to London. Miriam and I requested aisle seats across from one another so we could have a little more leg room, as well as more opportunity to share with someone on the flight. On Miriam’s side there was an empty seat next to her, and a woman sitting by the window. On my side a young lady sat next to me. So Miriam and I switched seats. I wanted to include this because you will see how the Lord was working all things together for good, even in this ‘seating arrangement’. 

 
At a restaurant on the Dnipro River, Sam & Miriam pause with Alex & Ana, leaders in Kiev.

 Miriam had a fruitful conversation with the Ukrainian Jewish woman named *Julia who sat next to her, and was able to share some of our literature, and encouraged her to look up our web site on the internet.On my side of the aisle the Lord was working in a special way as well. Two seats from me was *Anya, and we introduced ourselves as I helped her with her food tray.
“Are you working in London,” I asked. “ No, I’m from the Ukraine, but I’m visiting my boyfriend who lives there.”
“Where did you learn to speak English so well?” I asked.
“I started learning English nine months ago because I wanted to communicate to my boyfriend. In fact the reason I’m joining him today it to attend his father’s funeral, though I’ll move to England permanently when we’re married in June. But why were you in my country?” Anya asked. “My wife and I were in Kiev teaching the Bible at a Messianic Conference. I’m Jewish and I believe in Jesus. “Oh,” she seemed surprised, but interested. “Do you believe in God, Anya?” In response she blurted out, “Life is so hard!” 
I replied, “Anya, life is especially hard without the Lord. We were created to have a relationship with God through Jesus the Messiah, but without this relationship we don’t have the resource of His guidance and comfort.”“But I don’t understand, why there are so many languages in the world?” she asked. “It’s another sign that we are in rebellion to God,” I answered. I explained to her about the biblical account of the tower of Babel, and how the separation of languages is a reflection of our spiritual separation with God.


Sam teaching through an interpreter.
“The fact that we can’t understand each other is a constant reminder of our rebellion against God; separation from Him results in alienation from each other. Until we come to faith in Messiah, we all experience this separation from God.” 

Anya listened intently as I shared my testimony of how I found the Lord in the midst of a hard and rebellious life. I concluded with the fact that before I knew Jesus as my Messiah, I didn’t think I would ever get married. But God gave me the resource to be a loving husband. He created marriage to succeed only in Him. “Now I understand how to love, because God loved me first.” Anya’s brow furrowed, “I’m having a difficulty understanding what you mean by God loving me.” 
I had a movie poster in Russian of The Passion of the Christ that I had picked up earlier. I took it out and showed her the poster of the suffering Messiah. I then explained that the reason Messiah suffered was because of His great love for us. I opened my Bible to John 3:16 & 17. She read the Scripture aloud enunciating every word carefully, “What does be-got-ton mean?” “One and only,” I said. “And what does pe-rish mean?” she asked. “Separated from God forever,” I responded. She looked up at me,“And ev-er-lasting?” 
“That you will be with God forever,” I said.
“I find this hard to understand,” she sighed.

“Let’s read the verse again, I encouraged, “but this time I want you to insert your name in the verse.”
She read, “For God so loved [Anya] that He gave His only begotten Son, that if [I ]believe in Him [I] will not perish but have everlasting life.” Her eyes began to tear up, “I’m beginning to understand better now.” As she read verse 17 she took out her pad and carefully wrote down the verse references in English. We continued to read through the third chapter of John regarding the light of God exposing the sin of man. 

“Anya, you’re afraid that the fragile life you’ve put together will fall apart if it’s ever exposed, but God wants you to trust in Him.He will fill your life with His love, forgiveness and peace. He will give you a better life than you could ever put together for yourself.” Seeing she was beginning to understand, I asked,“Can you think of one reason why you wouldn’t want to accept Messiah’s love and forgiveness and trust Him to be your Savior? “No I can’t think of one reason,” she replied. 
“I’m going to say a simple prayer to help you place your faith in Jesus. Just repeat the words with me in your heart and if there is something you don’t understand please stop me and ask. And remember, the prayer itself will not save you, but God hears your heart, and as you place your trust in Jesus, He will save you.”
After we prayed Anya responded with her own, “amen.”

I continued, “Anya, please take a few minutes and silently admit to God all the things that you can think of that are displeasing to God. As you confess them to God He’ll be assuring you of His forgiveness of those and even those you can’t remember. After you are finished just say ‘Amen’ so I know that you are done. And remember God hears your heart.”
After a few minutes she said ‘Amen’ again, I prayed for her that the Lord would help her to grow in the Word and would also help her fiancé *Peter to understand God’s love for him. For the next few hours we went over some assurance verses from the Scriptures, with Anya reading every word one syllable at a time. We started with Romans 10:9...“Anya, do you confess that Jesus is Lord?” “Yes, I do!” “Do you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead?” “Yes, I do!” Then according to this verse, Anya, what does that mean for you? “I’m saved!” She started beaming. 

We then went to John 20:20-31 to further understand the reality of her salvation: Anya read, “Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book, but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. Life in His name, what’s that mean? So we looked at Luke 24:46-47 “and He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” Her eyes lit up, “I see, forgiveness in His name brings life in His name. I like that!” She wrote down life in His name in English, Ukrainian and Russian as I continued to disciple her. God was very gracious and we had time to study Romans 5:6-8 and I John 5: 10-13. Before the flight ended I prayed again for Anya and her fiancé. She couldn’t wait to tell Peter about finding life in His name. As we deplaned I introduced Anya to Miriam, and acknowledging her new faith, we rejoiced with our new sister in the Lord! Miriam and I were both amazed at the Lord’s encouragement that not only are our steps ordered by Him, but even our seats are as well! Till next time, shalom! Y 
*Name changed for individual’s privacy.

WMM In Ukraine (Part 1)
 

 

Word of Messiah Ministries,  PO Box 79238 Charlotte, NC 28271
Phone/Fax: 704-362-1927

 Contact Us/E-mail