Great Time at a Bible Conference/Fellowship in Budapest

Bro Scott Holcomb and I had the privilege to attend a Bible Conference/Fellowship in Budapest this past week from Wednesday through Saturday at the home/church of Missionary Jim Pranger. It is safe to say that "heaven came down". The preaching was marvelous and the fellowship was tremendous. And, on top of that, Mrs Laura Pranger and a few precious helpers did a wonderful job preparing all the food and we ate very well.

People attending the conference also included American missionaries to Romania, American missionaries to the Gypsies of Europe, Romanian pastors and preachers, as well as Hungarian pastors and preachers. As the preaching was going on in English, there were translations being given for the Romanians and Hungarians. There is something about hearing that that really blesses your heart. Just knowing that all these groups were hearing the same things from God's word at the same time was very encouraging.
God truly blessed this conference and we returned home refreshed, excited, and fired up about what God has done and is doing here and in other parts of Europe.

Bible Baptist Church of Budapest

The Lord prepared a table.  Amen!

Bro Jim Pranger singing a special.

One of the young men playing special music.

Missionary to Romania, Isaac Lawrence

Missionary Scott Holcomb singing "10,000 Years".  God blessed him in a mighty way. He did a tremendous job.

Romanian pastors and preachers singing a special for us.

Conference preacher, Pastor Roger Green from Ohio. God spoke through this man.

Missionary to the Gypsies of Europe, Walter Stevens. Also from Ohio, and himself a Gypsy.

Hungarian father and daughter. He is a man of God. Debora is a ray of sunshine.

Romanian pastor playing hymns on a tree leaf. Yes, only a tree leaf. Sounds like a harmonica. A blessing.

Bro Scott Holcomb and I singing, "What a day that will be!"

Hungarian family singing a special for us.

Bro Phillip Flannagan giving a testimony. He travels the world with his pastor, Pastor Green, and is his pastor's right arm. What a great blessing this man is! He even went out of his way to be a blessing to me.

Missionary Isaac Lawrence again, This time playing the guitar and the harmonica. He also speaks English, Spanish and Romanian fluently, preaches and sings. God really gifted this man.

Bro Jim and Mrs Laura singing a special for us. She cooks too!

Gypsy missionary Walter Stevens giving a testimony. That is Hungarian pastor Zsolt Kovacs providing the Hungarian translation.

Most of our group got into the final group photo, but some had to leave early to catch flights back home. We praise God for all these servants of the Lord. What a blessing!

Debora (Ray of Sunshine) and her brother getting in some practice time.

Crossing the beautiful Danube heading home, refreshed and rejoicing in the Lord.

Steve Jobs - Heaven or Hell?

Anytime a famous person's death is published in the news, the first thought I have is, Did their eternal soul go to heaven or hell?
Admittedly, I can only know that I am saved and going to heaven and I cannot possibly know about anyone else.
However, I do know from the Bible that Buddhist faith, intellect and business success won't take anyone to heaven.
The only One who can save is Jesus Christ. By faith in Him you can be saved, guaranteeing you a place in heaven for all eternity, regardless of your popularity, talent, or wealth.
Did Steve Jobs ever place his faith for salvation in Jesus Christ and Him alone? Only he and God know that. Although apparently very gifted as a businessman and designer, the only thing that matters to Steve Jobs today is his relationship with Jesus Christ.

This is what the Bible says about how to be saved:

Joh 3:16 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.
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Ro 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Ro 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Ro 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ro 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Ac 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ...
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.


Building a great business and making a mark on the technology of the world doesn't purchase a place in heaven.
God is not impressed with worldly success. God is not impressed with great wealth or talent.

God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay for Steve Jobs' sins. God offered him the free gift of eternal life, if only he would believe on Jesus Christ and call out to Him for salvation. God gave him 56 years to accept the free gift of eternal life.

Did he ever accept Him? If not, it is eternally too late for him.

It is not yet too late for you.

My office in my home town of Čakovec, Croatia

This is a photo of my office in Čakovec Croatia! The heat only works in Summer and the AC only works in Winter, but utilities are free and the city even sends a big truck to sweep it for me once in a while. (Also at no charge!)
I love standing up for Christ on the streets of Croatia.
Glory to God!

I Received A Great Email

Monday morning I awoke to find the kind of email that I wish I could get every day.
A man in the capitol city of Zagreb had found our Croatian gospel tracts on my website, which I had scanned and uploaded along with several others in hopes of getting the gospel around the world.
On the website, there are gospel tracts for Croatian, Hungarian, Romanian, Albanian, Bulgarian, Italian and Polish.
http://www.godsavecroatia.com/gospel.html
The man who sent the email has a burden for his people right here in Croatia, and now is about to receive the tools necessary to help him get the gospel out.
I was able to ship a shoe box full of tracts to him today and we will stay in touch and keep him supplied. Soon, we may be able to meet and find out more about him and his potential there in the capitol.
It was an encouraging day!
Praise the Lord!

This is a powerful anti-abortion testimony from someone not ashamed of the name of Jesus Christ

Pat Robertson strikes a nerve

Pat Robertson, a well known personality in America, was quoted this week as saying something to the effect that it's ok to divorce your spouse if your spouse gets alzheimer's.
Well, Pat Robertson struck a nerve with me on that one and I cannot remain silent.
Not only is he completely wrong on that foolish notion. His comments go against the direct teaching of the Bible, against most marriage vows I know of (you know that pesky "till death does us part" thing and "in sickness and in health"), against human decency, and against all common sense.
So, husband or wife, if your spouse has been diagnosed with alzheimer's, don't go rushing out to find a new mate just yet.
First consider what the Bible says. In Matthew 19:6, God says (still says-present tense), Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. When two are married, they become one and God views this as permanent. When was the last time we considered what God thought instead of our usual situational ethics.
Robertson was quoted as saying that alzheimer's is a "kind of death", so he could see where it makes sense to divorce. Well, Mr Robertson, we don't "kind of bury" alzheimer's patients when they are diagnosed so your logic there is seriously at fault.
Furthermore, this life is not about you - husband or wife - skulking about trying to fulfill your fleshly appetites. This life is supposed to be about glorifying God. Remember 1Co 6:19-20: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Those words are still in the Bible, even to this very day.
You may say, "Well, my spouse is so far gone, they won't even know I left."  Sir, madam, God will know you left! Your children, friends, associates, and enemies will know you left. Will that Glorify God?
If you are in a circumstance like this, I feel for you. But you do not have the green light from God to begin your search for someone else to fill the void in you life. God is there to fill the void. Try giving Him the opportunity to do so, and see what He can make of your life as you honor him and obey His word. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Heb 13:5b.
He also says in His word Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. God knows your circumstance and your need and His promises still stand. He means what He says.
Pat Robertson is absolutely wrong, and he owes God an apology and the world a retraction. I will be waiting to see his retraction.

God is smarter than we are

Many months ago I posted a blog about a man I met in the mechanic shop lobby while waiting for my car to be repaired. We had a great conversation, and I was able to witness to him and invite him to church, etc. I was very excited about the possibility of this man coming to church, getting saved, and living for God. Well, sadly I had not heard from Drago again.
However, today, after our church van failed inspection, we had to go back to the same mechanic shop to have it looked at. Lo and behold, Drago was there again having his car repaired. We were able to have a nice visit and he was able to meet Pastor Telebar. Then, he said to me, "I have been wanting to ask you something. I see you on the streets a lot of times with the signs (my gospel signs) and I wonder what kind of response you get from that."
It blessed my heart that he had been seeing the gospel messages on the street and it had been on his mind. I had the joy of explaining that God wants to speak to people and is trying to do so, and the signs are one way to get people to think about what God wants.
I told him about people who stop to talk to me about the signs and also about believers who have been encouraged to see someone standing up for Christ. I also told him how I run into people all the time that say, "Hey! Didn't I see you out on the street with a Bible sign?" and things like that.
The man seemed to take in all in very thoughtfully. His car was soon ready and it was time to part ways once again. Perhaps his heart will be burdened to find out more about why God so clearly wants to speak to him.
If we had passed our inspection today, this encounter would not have been possible. But God is smarter than we are and He knows what He is doing.

Amen.