Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39
Hello friend, welcome back to another post. This week, the post is from a message I received from a dear friend who has taken several mission trips to Ukraine and also has missionary contacts in Poland.
As some of you may know, many of the Ukrainian refugees are feeling to other countries like Poland, Ireland, Germany... And in times like these where there seems to be more negative than positive news, we still see God working behind the scenes.
I pray that this short message provides some encouragement to you and also inspires you to find ways to make a difference this week.
Also, please continue to pray for Ukraine and other nations that are going through political unrest and hardships including Sierra Leone.
————
“So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch….” Acts 11:19. NASB
In the midst of the horror of the war in Ukraine many are asking “what in the world is God doing?” “Where is God in all of this?” I do not want to justify any of the slaughter. God will indeed judge those who are guilty of this senseless mayhem.
However, there is a gospel side of this war. For years I have considered the country of Ukraine to be the Bible belt of Europe. The Baptists alone have number 150,000 when the Baptist in Poland number slightly more than 5,000. Many of these believers and believers of other denominations are now on the move and are heading to secular Western Europe.
The photos on the border with Poland are only showing half the story. Many, many of these refugees are going to friends and family in places like Germany or even Ireland. They are bringing the gospel with them. For years I have prayed for revival not only in Poland but also in Western Europe.
Could this current exodus of many believers become the salt and light that the West desperately needs today? One can only hope.
Often in war there are unexpected side effects. At a number of the refugee centers set up by the Polish Baptists there are now prayer meetings and Bible teaching in the Russian and Ukrainian languages. These are events which would not have been held had there not been the upheaval caused by the war.
Again, the good that can come out of this does not outweigh the bad and evil caused by the perpetrators of this war. God will settle the score. However, one side effect is the gospel’s spread into the hard secular ground of the west. Will there be a revival at some point? One can only hope.
Christopher Osiecki- Goscicino, Poland
Image Credit: Max Kukurudziak
Comments