Mission Russia International

Do You Really Think I Love Jesus?

Dear Brother and Sister

Do you really think I love Jesus?

Do I love Jesus if I am still so much engaged in securing my own comfort and future – striving to fulfill my own desires while I walk amongst millions of dead people, destined for eternal destruction?

If I really love Jesus I would share His passion and we know to what heights His passion took Him – on top of the cross, on top of Golgotha where He gave up His everything so that others can be saved.

Do I have the same passion as Jesus?

This was the question I was confronted with over and over again when we visited Egypt and the cold parts of Russia recently.

Egypt is very much a Godless country. We were looking out for any sign of the impact the King of all kings and almighty Savior has on the world, but we couldn’t find any. We found a few Egyptians who said they are ‘Christians’. One was reading the Bible and I got very excited. “Oh, you know Jesus?”, I asked. Yes and He pointed me to a picture of a man painted on a little wooden block hanging on the wall. “Ok, but do you know Him personally and is He alive in your heart?”. “Yes, there He is” while he pointed to the paint on the wood. They got very excited when they shared the greatest news they received from Cairo: Mary, the mother of Jesus appeared in physical form and is living in Cairo now. Oh no! There is only one Way to the Father! There is only one person who paid for the sins of the world and can forgive them their sins! They wanted to hear nothing of this great news. They read the Bible, but they are so blinded by the deceiver.

Jesus still loves them so much that His passion for them will drive Him to the cross again.

Do I have the same passion as Jesus?

We visited the church in the town of Verkhnyaya Salda situated in the Ural Mountains. There are 250 people in the church and the town has a population of about 50 000. This is the only church in the whole town. They are surrounded by smaller towns and villages. In one town there is a group of 8 believers while there is no believer and no church in any of the other towns and villages. Thousands of people who do not even know about the passion and love He has for them.

Do I have the same passion as Jesus?

We were so encouraged and challenged at the same time by the church in Verkhnyaya Salda. It was not difficult to see where their vision and passion lie. Every Christian we met had this burning desire to see people saved in their own town as well as in the other towns around them. Their own lives and comfort are not important to them at all. They live to see God’s Kingdom established on the earth. It was a privilege to preach to them and encourage them from the Word of God to keep running with the Good News. But, I was very much challenged myself.

Do I really love Jesus?

We went further to visit the church in Izhevsk. Izhevsk is the capital city of the Udmurt Republic. The Udmurt people originally came from Europe, but they fled eastward because of persecution. They settled next to the Ural Mountains, but they still carry the same curse. They are still despised and rejected by society and group themselves in small communities where there is no work. They have no hope for the future and developed a culture where men and women alike are drinking from morning till evening.

Jesus loves them and has compassion for them.

Do I have the same passion as Jesus?

We were just as much encouraged by the church in Izhevsk. There are a lot of young people and they are on fire to preach the Gospel. It is their priority to go out to the unreached people groups and they reach out to them in very difficult circumstances. They do not go because they have the time, or money, or the cars, or the means to do this. Most often they go out by faith in spite of having to travel in difficult terrain to reach the lost who are casted out by society. I saw something of the passion of Jesus in those young Christians and I was greatly challenged.

Do I have the same passion as Jesus?

Jesus looked at the crowds and had compassion on them. The harvest is indeed plentiful and the workers are few. Pray with us that God can send out more workers into the harvest.

You and I need each other to fulfill what God has called us to do. God has called us to disciple leaders for the young generation and mobilize more young people to bring in the harvest.

In the next newsletter I will share more on how we are going about to do what God has called us to do.

Please take a look at our website: www.misrusyouth.com

Thank you for your faithful prayers, letters and financial support.

We love you,

Corrie and Olesya