The following report is from our sister Ruxi Vandici, who continues to disciple students toward spiritual conversion. In spite of an oppressive physical malady, she endures to share Christ with young women in her sphere of influence. This months she relates:
The most joyful part of ministry is when a person you have witnessed to starts seeking the Lord and, of course, the greatest joy is when they repent of their sins and trust in Christ for their salvation. Lately, I have been overjoyed seeing one non-Christian friend diligently reading the Bible and asking me lots of questions about what she reads. One question she came up with several times was, ”How do you know you have truly believed?” We have often discussed the gospel, about Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for our sins, and I trust this is not merely an intellectual quest on her part, but a spiritual one caused by the Holy Spirit. It is so refreshing to see her amazement at the new found truths of the Bible and her wonderful understanding of the Bible’s worldview. She keeps saying that none of her friends or relatives hold this high perspective on various aspects of life such as marriage for instance. I pray that the Lord is drawing her to Himself, and I hope to soon be able to call her my sister in the Lord!
I have been also encouraged by another non-Christian friend I have been witnessing to in the past year and a half. I gave her a New Testament a while ago and encouraged her to read it, but she did not seem very interested. A couple of weeks ago, while walking in the park together, she asked me where she could find a big and beautiful Bible to buy. She explained that the New Testament I had given her had too small a print, and she would prefer to read a Bible with larger print. I was very glad to hear that, so two days later, we went to the Christian bookstore and she bought a big and beautiful Bible. A couple of days ago she told me she started reading from the gospel of Matthew. I was glad to hear that, and I pray that the Lord would use His Word to reveal Himself to her!
Lately, I have noticed how the devil tries to defeat the believers through unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment. One of the young women I have been discipling, after she was converted, has been struggling a lot lately with that, and at times, this fight seems a life and death fight. I have counseled her not to justify herself in her resentments and bitterness, even though she was deeply hurt and sinned against. I was so thankful to the Lord that she received my counsel well, and she is willing to battle this sin and extend forgiveness by God’s grace. Sadly, I have watched other professing Christians drifting away after years of harboring bitterness in their hearts. It makes me fearful when I see these destructive sins in myself or in other believers. As the Bible instructs us, we should watch over ourselves and over our fellow believers, warning each other.
We started an inductive Bible Study from the Sermon on the Mount for the students who are in town for the summer. The first two meetings have been very profitable as we have been studying the Beatitudes. We are encouraged that a couple of non-Christian students attend these meetings, and this is a great opportunity to help them understand the gospel. One of them has been attending our meetings since the winter ski camp, and has also joined an evangelistic Bible study. While studying the Beatitudes in the same small group, she asked how one could display these virtues when mistreated. I explained that these virtues are made possible only by the Holy Spirit’s power in the person who is regenerate. A mere reformation of life will never be able to produce these character traits. We pray that this Bible study will be very profitable for both believers and unbelievers, and lead the latter to knowing Christ as their Savior and Lord.
Don is serving as the HeartCry Coordinator for Eastern Europe. As an itinerant evangelist, his pulpit ministry is directed toward preaching on the inner life of the believer and the spiritual need of the lost. With HeartCry, his ministry includes organizing Bible conferences and corresponding with the HeartCry missionaries in Europe. He and his lovely wife Cindy live in Tuscumbia, AL.
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