Read God's Work Like a Love Letter

A ten day training of twenty-seven Albanian Christian workers began and ended with motivations for studying God’s Word. For example:

When Yulia and I were dating, we frequently chatted by way of internet (Belarus is QUITE far from Albania!). As my interest grew, I was determined to understand "the author’s intention" i.e. Yulia’s intentions behind what she wrote / chatted. I even saved and printed out the conversations for the purpose of reading and re-reading with minute attention. I wanted to discern the heart of the one I cared for.

We all, as believers, have someone we deeply care for, and He has given us His love letter, the Word of God. Let us read and re-read this "letter" so as to know God’s heart and to live pleasing to Him!

Sharing: The Good News with a Muslim– Rini Recap

Rini, an Albanian Muslim from Macedonia, was now driving me and five others through the winding mountains of Albania. As he and I talked, I realized that he too had two children of the same age as Tosha and Evan. This commonality brought us closer. He then noted with surprise that a foreigner could speak Albanian.

Realizing that Rini was keeping the month long fast of Ramadan, I noted his com-mitment and asked "What motivates you to do this?" "Allah is the great judge," he said. "If I do not keep the fast I will be judged." I summarized, "so you are motivated by fear of Allah." Rini concurred. I asked "Would you like to know what motivates me to do good?" He nodded in agreement. "I try to be motivated by love. I love God and others, because God first loved me."

Then I communicated how God demon-strated his love towards us by giving His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for all the wrong things we have done. Rini was clearly understanding this good news as further con-versation confirmed. On this day of physical hunger and thirst because of keeping Ramadan, Rini also had a spiritual hunger and thirst. Please pray he finds "food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give" him (John 6:27).