Yesterday morning Dima and I met and discussed the need for some worship leaders, specifically which would engage the many young people that are coming. Specifically, our February worship night didn’t yet have a leader for it.
Literally, within the hour, our friends from Steiger Ukraine then showed up for Coffee and Pizza – and volunteered to send a worship group – and offered more of their team for future events as well.
The Kingdom of God is real. It’s a real, living force that is emerging in some places, and being shut out in others. Jesus prayed that the Father’s Kingdom would ‘come’. What was He talking about? Was he referring to a future event or something to be experienced in the context of this life?
Jesus suggested we pray it. I don’t think He would suggest us ask for something impossible, or impractical. He knew the heart of the Father perfectly. God desires to be invited into the affairs of men. He chooses to be invited. Think about it. The supreme power of the universe doesn’t need to be asked, but it’s how He rolls.
Our pizza day re-energized +15 new students to start coming out for music lessons – poor Dima!
I pray this often, “Father let Your Kingdom come.” I’m usually considering something that is broken, that needs mending. Relationships, governments, churches, me.
Basically wherever there is sin, there is need of redemption. The Kingdom of God comes into mess and cleans it up – it destroys darkness and restores order to chaos. It brings hope and justice.
I think this is true personally in the corridors of our own heart as much as it is in a nation. In fact, you could argue a nation is merely the sum of it’s parts – the hearts of it’s people.
We took a car load of students from Club 180 to Hillsong in Kiev last Sunday.
As the Kingdom comes to us, personally and as a nation, it’s not without a battle. Spiritual forces, many entrenched for generations, will not give up territory without a fight.
We are seeing this in our lives in Ukraine, and the surrounding countries that are reverberating from the spiritual freedoms we now enjoy here.
We take nothing for granted. The histories are still fresh in the minds and hearts of those here.
[David Ryabokonenko & Matthew Zyrianov from Steiger Ukraine playing a quick song for our students at Lighthouse Cafe today – they will be hosting Feb 18th Worship Night 18:00 All Invited!]
This week we’ve been praying, and asking our supporters to pray with us for some specific victories in Belarus. Stamps and permissions, that are seemingly so small to those in countries of religious freedom, are held on to elsewhere with firm grips. Such permissions and even the requests for them come at great risk. Doors close, and we realize there is more spiritual battling to be done before victory can be won.. before God’s Kingdom can come in new measures.
Aim your prayers this way.
Vlad, Max, and Brent at Club 180 this week.
Doors also open. At the same time, as we look for ways around some closed doors, others fling open wide. Today we met with some of the leaders of Steiger Ukraine. Their passion is to impact global youth culture, and it’s not just a motto.
The ice rink has been used the most ever this year as weather has stayed under 0 all winter.
They are serving the Kingdom through concerts, creative outreach, and doing some amazing things in the Russian speaking world.
Valera, David and Matthew from Steiger dropping by afternoon music lessons.
Today we merged our worlds, dreamed and planned some events that will rock our community for Jesus.
At the end of March, we will host a band from France, a youth ministry that is professional level, and look to rent out the local hall that seats 300-400. Begin praying that God’s Kingdom comes, and
His footprint upon the hearts of 100’s of youth will be impacted!
We will need sponsors for this, as it will cost around $1,500 to bring in the needed sound, stage equipment and feed a crew of 20 for 2 days! Think Passion Conference level quality and effect, in a small town of of 8k people… If you’d like to help us, contact me or donate here!
I am so thankful, blown away, by the talent in the Kingdom of God here in Ukraine and Belarus – the passion combined with this talent is a serious threat to the darkness – let your Kingdom come Lord – as it IS in heaven.
Over the Christmas break I enjoyed a couple days of isolation on the piano, as kids whirled under and over. A good set of headphones can accomplish the parental oasis! Then, was finally able to get Lana (works with us at the Cafe) to record some vocals yesterday in our living room. Fun!
I had been reading in Isaiah, and noticed some powerful verses that encompassed famous Chapter 53. If you have a chance, ready Chapter 52, it’s dripping with Messianic promise and victory in the Gospel.
Isn’t it amazing that God not only comes to us, but also takes the time to prepare as well. We see it in the forerunner, John the Baptist, ‘Get ready, the Kingdom (and the King) is here!” It’s like an extra grace.. before friends arrive, “we’ll be there in a few!”
We see this as well +700yrs before God en-clothed Himself in flesh and dwelt among us. Isaiah, the voice of God to Israel as a Prophet, same message, “Get ready, wake up, loose your chains, something incredible is going to happen through you Israel!”
I like to sleep. I have a hard time getting to sleep though. I find it interesting that almost all couples I talk to have this same issue. One is a morning person by nature, the other a night owl. One rises with the peak of dawn, the other, well, they prefer sunsets! It takes a lot more effort for me to get out of bed. Often several rounds of Claire by my bedside are required, my little pony’s playing before my face to rouse this body from slumber.
To awake is to change states. From sleep, to an alertness that is prepared to function and interact. Scripture talks a lot about this, in various forms. To be ‘born again’ is to experience a rising, or resurrection of spiritual life. When the Light of men shines upon the sleeping heart, we’re forced to some sort of action. We can turn over, bury our hearts in a pillow, diffusing the awakening sense that light brings… or we can remain in it’s life giving resurrection.
Eventually, if we posture the eyes of our heart to the risen Savior long enough, life will break out. Our life after all, our eternal life, is hidden in Him. This is a cool thought for me, I hope it encourages you:
“No matter how much we’ve fallen, or rejected the light of Jesus – He will continue to arouse us and draw us into His love, as long as we have breath.”
It’s His love that leads us to repentance. He gently awakes, but we must awaken. He is calling out today like He did in the day of Isaiah – get out of bed, arise from slumber, put on the Righteousness of Christ! Salvation indeed has come to all the nations, through Israel, and is offered now still through the Church. The heart of God doesn’t change. Not over the centuries, nor the rebellion in our hearts as a people or nation.
Jerusalem, and every nation under heaven may know the Salvation that is in Jesus Christ. He will return again, as sure as His resurrection, and we need to stare into the life giving power of Jesus Christ to keep us ready and vicariously drawing more to the loving King.
Hope you like the song (ode to 90’s style, sorry), but more importantly are encouraged by the faithfulness of God today – the God we serve, He keeps His Word.
Dima teaching guitar basics to beginners yesterday. They meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s for the 1st hour followed by the more experienced 2nd hour.
Yesterday we another hosted a Pizza Day for college students. Our desire was to cast some fresh nets to gather in more musically interested students and also invite to our Club 180 youth nights.
We have a solid group of daily aspiring musicians, but as they progress we see the visiting beginner gets quickly intimidated. So, Dima and I decided we’d dedicated the 1st hour of every afternoon session to newbies, those that would like to learn but have no idea how to even hold a guitar or have ever sat behind a drum kit.
Familiar packed house when free pizza is announced. Cool thing was this time I didn’t go to the schools and invite, our students did the inviting… progress!
A strange thing happened. Several hours before the Pizza was to be served, we had a packed 2nd floor – more students than we could handle. The party started early :0, and continued into Club 180. About 60 students came for the pizza, but 20-30 hung around from 3p-7p. Cool!
Deb and I were encouraged as we came home to our little monkeys, watched by Clark, our responsible 10yr old who’s making some serious babysitting money lately. To see a growing core of Jesus followers in the Cafe, not just a hoard of hungry strangers, really changes the dynamics. Students feel more comfortable visiting, and also intrigued by the boldness of our collective faith.
May this spark turn to flame – a generation that truly lives for God!
The Kingdom of God is real. It’s a real, living force that is emerging in some places, and being shut out in others. Jesus prayed that the Father’s Kingdom would ‘come’. What was He talking about? Was he referring to a future event or something to be experienced in the context of this life?
