Slavic Missionary Service

Pray for your local church and the local churches in Slavic countries. Ask the Lord to increase the spiritual life of each member of the church. Ask Him to assist your church in the area where you live to seek souls with salvation from sin. And may this assistance extend throughout the whole world. Pray for your pastor and leadership, as well as the pastors and leadership in the Slavic world. Pray for peace in the world. Ask God to restrain evil through the Holy Spirit in order that His Word may have free course in every country.

There is a very personal message in the Christmas story that is frequently missed by many. The birth of Jesus is not simply an interesting fact of history wholly unrelated to your present existence. It has direct bearing upon your life.

When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, the personal importance of His coming was clearly emphasized. “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

Do you realize that it was for you that the Savior was born? God sent His Son into the world to become your Savior. “I bring you good news… there has been born for you a Savior.” Yes, it was for you that Jesus came to this earth!

He did not come to be the inspiration for sacred paintings, nor the theme of festive songs, much less to be merely a good man or great teacher. On the contrary, Jesus came to be a Savior and He came specifically for you!

Bound inseparably together are the Savior’s amazing birth and His atoning death. He came to save. But to save, He must die — die in the place of sinners, bearing the fully penalty of divine wrath for sin. “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). His death also was for you!

This personal message of God’s love demands a personal response. Jesus the Savior was God’s gift to you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). To receive this gift of God by faith, you must believe that Jesus Christ actually was born to be your Savior. Acknowledge that He died for your sins and apply His righteousness to your life. “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Psalm 32:1). Then await His second coming, as you live a sanctifying life that shows to everyone that He is your Savior! “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19

God’s strategy for world evangelism calls for two equally important elements: Co-missionaries and Go-missionaries, the senders and the sent, the supporters and the workers. A Christian church without missionary enthusiasm is a contradiction. God depends upon the faithful testimony of His people for the evangelization of the world. The Savior expects those who have tasted the sweetness of salvation to spread the news far and wide. He has commissioned His children to share His Word to the lost in every country.