We had our first individual Bible study with Valentina who visited our worship services on Sunday after being invited by our sister Lyuda. Valya had several questions that we were able to answer from the scriptures to her satisfaction. We plan to have more studies with her and hopefully lead her to salvation through obedient faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the prayers for this evangelistic mission as we work to overcome our sense of loss and turn to teaching the lost the same message that filled Nikolai with such sparkling zest and hope.
Nikolai's dear granddaughter says goodbye as other family and friend look on at the graveside. Olga and her husband skillfully organized everything and made certain people were as comfortable as possible. The cemetery in on a hillside that overlooks the site of the Boy's Home where we go and teach God's perfect will once each week thanks to Nikolai using his influence. One man who was a longtime professional associate in the field of education, told how Nikolai had always been interested in pursuing justice for others even during his years in the Soviet communist party. He told how he overcame hunger and starvation following WW2 and achieved the highest possible education. He spoke highly of his interest in securing the property and establishing the home and school for boys who are rejected and find their way on the streets until someone shows some love. Then this man told that he continued to search for good and found God near the end of his life. Nikolai had a good reputation for doing good before he gave his life to Christ Jesus as Lord. I told the group that he reminded me of a man named Roman soldier named Cornelius who was a good man, but he became a Christian when he heard and believed the gospel. Taicia, behind Olga to the left in the blue denim jacket told us at lunch how she met Nikolai when she and some other sisters from Donetsk were in Kiev at a vacation resort. She said he asked her to dance, and she and Natalya and the others invited him to Bible study and to go with them to worship that Sunday. After his conversion to Christ, he loved to tell how much the sincere teaching of those ladies and that invitation meant to him as he was so amazed at what he saw and heard at the Obolon Church of Christ. He described it as what he had been searching for all his life. These women didn't stop there, they did some investigating and learned about the Nikolaev Church of Christ and gave him our phone number. When we met for our first Bible study, he began to talk about his faith in Jesus Christ and his desire to be baptized. I fervently pray for more women like the ones who are already doing so much in the mission field and like those in the Bible who were sacrificially helping our Lord and the apostles spread the gospel.
Following my comments, there was time for people who would not go to the graveside service to come and say their goodbyes. During this time, Olga once again surprised us by requesting that we sing some songs. She typed her granddaddy's sermons that he prepared to preach using large fonts so he could easily see them, and she listened to him learning to sing the hymns of his new faith as they spent time together at their home. Our brother Nikolai Gagarkin joined Stepan, Lyuda, Galina, Taicia and myself in singing some of the songs of faith that our departed brother loved.
Following the memorial service for our departed brother Nikolai Invanovich Tkhor, a procession of mourners respectfully carried his body through the courtyard area of the apartment complex where he lived with his granddaughter Olga, her husband and their family. Many people were present to stand and hear me proclaim the gospel that our bold brother Nikolai would have strongly desired me to preach. All people who knew him knew about his new life in Christ. The church will truly miss him but his influence for good will live on as we continue to pray for more people who will respond to the invitation of Christ.Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you even as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:28)
Тогда Иисус сказал ей в ответ: о, женщина! велика вера твоя; да будет тебе по желанию твоему. И исцелилась дочь ее в тот час. (От Матфея 15:28 Russian)
Тоді відповів і сказав їй Ісус: О жінко, твоя віра велика, нехай буде тобі, як ти хочеш! І тієї години дочка її видужала. (Матей 15:28 Ukrainian)
Most Holy and Righteous God, our Dear Heavenly Father ~ Thank you for this new day that greets us with fresh reasons to have sincere and trusting faith as we go about our daily tasks. Give us stronger faith as we struggle to expand the borders of your glorious church over which Christ is reigning. Lead us to good and honest souls who will wholeheartedly believe your message of true grace and obey the Lord for eternal salvation. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
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