26 March 2022

To my fellow soldiers in the spiritual battle:

Stand firm. Be alert. Continue earnestly in prayer. Your role as prayer warriors is vital. As you pray without ceasing you are functioning as a priest, representing others before our heavenly Father. This is a privilege and an obligation. Remember how on the night before the cross when Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane He asked Peter, James, and John to pray with Him? He desired that they spend time in intercessory prayer for Him. We have loved ones in dire circumstances, and how much they need our intercession. Prayer can be very hard work. Will you not labor with me this day on behalf of our loved ones in Ukraine?

I talked with a man today who is involved in helping Americans to get out of Ukraine and who is trying to get needed things into Ukraine. He reports that there is a lot of donated material on the borders of Ukraine, but not very much is actually getting in. What a shame that bureaucracy and politics would hinder the distribution of food, blankets, clothing, and medical supplies to people who need them desperately.

The reports we see on the news is very confusing. On the one hand they speak of the Russian offensive being stalled, and yet the bombs and missiles continue to fall in many cities. The news channels tell us that the Russians are focused on cities in the east and the south, and yet there was increased bombing of Lviv in far western Ukraine. A message I received was that they heard bomb blasts all day long in Kyiv. Let us not grow weary in our prayers.

3 John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

I truly understand what John meant when he penned these words. As I hear from our people from our church in Ukraine, I am overjoyed at their display of faith in the face of disaster. Here is a letter from a great saint of God, a sister in the faith:

Jim, thank you for the lesson yesterday [taught online].
I wanted to encourage you that all that work of teaching for years in our church and college was really effective. I talk to the people of our church and they really have peace in their hearts regardless of what is going on in their lives. I noticed they quote scripture to me, they remember lots of your sermons, they see God acting in their lives and trust Him strongly. Lucia told me that now she understands what you meant when you said we should use this time of freedom to serve the Lord because if we don't, God can take it from us. I can say God prepared us very well through you for this time of distress. May God bless you and give you many more years to continue to teach and to build up this church in free Ukraine.

Knowing the Word of God, believing it, and acting on it is the key to joy, confidence, and tranquility of soul, no matter what.

Proverbs 6:22, “When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.”

Thank you for your prayers, your notes of encouragement, your support. You have had a great ministry to us and to those in Ukraine.

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Jim