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Daily devotions
Thursday
Wednesday
Prayer That Works
Everyone has a different preference when it comes to prayer and how he or she feels is the best way to connect with God. The important thing is that you don’t want your prayer life to become mundane and never grow or change. You want it to be fresh, exciting and even explosive in the Spirit. We all want our prayers to be effective, and anyone who is full of the Spirit has the anointing to pray powerful prayers that produce miracles. "
Testimony Aivis Ilsters
Sweden & Latvia is one of TSA Territories that adopted the Single Spouse Officer provision. We will be sharing information on the effectiveness of the provision, pro and con, from all of the territories where the provision was endorsed and adopted.
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LATVIA December 19, 2011 from FSAOF.blogspot.com
My name is Aivis Ilsters and I live and minister in Latvia, one of the three Baltic States. I live and work in the capital Riga. I have lived here all my life, apart from two years which I spent in the Soviet Union Army (military) fulfilling my obligatory duty, while our country was still under the USSR.
I grew up in a time when there was little information about the God and His Son Jesus Christ – no books, no Bibles and no films. Most of the Churches and congregations that maintained any semblance of religious order did so without buildings. Their buildings were turned into theatres, sports halls, TV studios, museums, clubs, cinemas etc.
To attend church could cause lots of problems, although it was not actually forbidden. Our state church, the Lutheran Church’s only activity was a Sunday service, which were quite formal and attended by a small number of old people who rarely had anything in common with each other. There were lots of horrifying rumors spread about Baptists, for example; and what they got up to, but only a few people had met any Baptists or really knew anything about them. It was forbidden to preach the gospel or tell anyone about God (who the Soviets said did not exist) and most of the best workers in the Kingdom’s field at that time were old people who sowed the seed of Truth in their grandchildren’s hearts.
My parents were not Christians nor were my grandparents, although one of my grandmothers who lived in the countryside went to Church occasionally and had a Bible at home (an old one with old script). While spending summer holidays with my Grandmother I would sometimes wonder what could be written in such a big Book and I remember even trying to read it a few times.
I believed that there was a God, but I did not know Him – did not know THE MESSAGE, I had never heard it. I did not know that I needed to call Him to Save me; I did not know how He had created the world and how sin had broken our fellowship with Him and how Jesus had come to restore our eternal spirits through His death for us. In Soviet times we did not celebrate Christ’s birth, death and resurrection as public holidays.
The messenger of Good News.
God sent me the first messenger when I was studying in Technical College. Tom was my classmate and we became good friends. He was a Christian and he talked to me about God and Jesus. I remember being quite open about The Truth and I almost started to attend his church. After I met him, I promised to myself that I would read the Bible one day.
When I was drafted to serve in the regular military service, my first prayer (which I did not realize at that time was a prayer) was the words of one church chorus. My grandmother gave it to me to take with me to the Army. The words of the chorus were:
You are the best of friends
Be with me as you always are
In a midst of greed and jealousy
Only you can strengthen me
When the storm of trouble comes
Be my shelter, be my guard
Take a place in me
What you want me, I will be.
I was sent to a country called Uzbekistan (in Asia), which is a country neighboring Afghanistan. At that time the USSR was still involved in a war there and soldiers were being sent to the war zone from our training base. Fortunately, God ended the war and I stayed in Uzbekistan where I served for two years as a military cook (for which I was trained).
I came home from the Army just before our country got back our independence. We had had independence only once before in our history from 1918 until 1940. I returned very depressed. I could not see the meaning of my life and I lived in fear of death. It was Christmas time and as a present from my friend I received a New Testament. This was the same friend – Tom, who had shared his faith with me when we had studied together. I remembered my wish to read the Bible someday and decided this was the day. I started to read the New Testament and as I read it I discovered the Truth – Jesus Christ as the only way to know God and have faith in Him. The more I read, the more I was amazed about the stories and statements that the Bible held. God opened to me His treasures and His truth. I realized how precious it is to know Him and belong to His family of believers. I realized that my sin even involved my ignorance of God’s love and my life without Jesus in it. This was not just a one-day confession, but over a period of time the Spirit worked around and in my life as I got to know and understand the Word of God.
Around this same time the Soviet Union broke apart and the unbelievable became the reality – freedom, the taste of which was long forgotten, was suddenly there. The dream, which many had stopped to dream for a long time was fulfilled by the Power of God and many acknowledged it as His miracle and presence. With the freedom He granted came the revival of the Church and many came to faith in the Living One.
With the freedom that Latvia received, together with the other post-Soviet republics, the door was open for missionaries to come, to live and to work in the fields of hearts and soon there was a flood of missionaries representing different denominations and religions. Some shared the Truth, some who were themselves deceived, deceived others to believe in other gods. I had been a Christian for two years when God put into the hearts of the Navigators from the US to come and live in Latvia. Through them, God worked greatly in my Christian life, causing me to grow and become mature in my relationship with God. Besides Bible their training material was Navigators “Colossians 2:7” Series. During the time they lived here they made “2:7” series available in Latvian language.
Now I am involved in ministry to repeat the process and share with others the same things that were taught to me. “Col. 2:7” Bible study series is the main material I am using in the process.
Many more things I have learnt over the years from co-laboring with my American friends. I have been involved over a period of years with the Church Discipleship Ministries work in Russia. I have traveled on missions to Siberia together with John Sackett, Dick Taylor and Jim Remeur. Through these trips God taught me how I can help Church people to organize small groups to aid them in the process of discipling people.
So now, for six years I have been involved in a small group ministry in various towns all around the country of Latvia. Many of the Churches I am involved with are Lutheran Churches as this is our state religion (church). Experiencing small groups is quite new for many of them and they are excited to get to know more about God in the atmosphere of a small circle of people where everyone can share their experience and also get to know each other and build each other up. My aim is to work together with the pastors of the Churches to start up these small groups – to give advice and help where possible. Sometimes this has meant that I go and lead the groups for some time to model what I am talking about. It is my aim though for other people to take over the leadership of these groups and so I try and work towards this. Over the six years, I have started to see the process multiply as people move to new places and start up groups where they move to.
My vision for the future here is to see this work in small groups growing in the Churches here. After our countries non-Church history, people do not have all the background knowledge of growing up in some sort of Christian environment. This makes the discipling process so vital. I would like to find more people to join me and to train some more people up, but it is quite hard to find those people who are ready and available. I know though that if God wants the work here to grow, he will provide those people.
Aivis Ilsters
Married to the Corps Leader; Riga I Corps
__________________________________________________
LATVIA December 19, 2011 from FSAOF.blogspot.com
I grew up in a time when there was little information about the God and His Son Jesus Christ – no books, no Bibles and no films. Most of the Churches and congregations that maintained any semblance of religious order did so without buildings. Their buildings were turned into theatres, sports halls, TV studios, museums, clubs, cinemas etc.
To attend church could cause lots of problems, although it was not actually forbidden. Our state church, the Lutheran Church’s only activity was a Sunday service, which were quite formal and attended by a small number of old people who rarely had anything in common with each other. There were lots of horrifying rumors spread about Baptists, for example; and what they got up to, but only a few people had met any Baptists or really knew anything about them. It was forbidden to preach the gospel or tell anyone about God (who the Soviets said did not exist) and most of the best workers in the Kingdom’s field at that time were old people who sowed the seed of Truth in their grandchildren’s hearts.
My parents were not Christians nor were my grandparents, although one of my grandmothers who lived in the countryside went to Church occasionally and had a Bible at home (an old one with old script). While spending summer holidays with my Grandmother I would sometimes wonder what could be written in such a big Book and I remember even trying to read it a few times.
I believed that there was a God, but I did not know Him – did not know THE MESSAGE, I had never heard it. I did not know that I needed to call Him to Save me; I did not know how He had created the world and how sin had broken our fellowship with Him and how Jesus had come to restore our eternal spirits through His death for us. In Soviet times we did not celebrate Christ’s birth, death and resurrection as public holidays.
The messenger of Good News.
God sent me the first messenger when I was studying in Technical College. Tom was my classmate and we became good friends. He was a Christian and he talked to me about God and Jesus. I remember being quite open about The Truth and I almost started to attend his church. After I met him, I promised to myself that I would read the Bible one day.
When I was drafted to serve in the regular military service, my first prayer (which I did not realize at that time was a prayer) was the words of one church chorus. My grandmother gave it to me to take with me to the Army. The words of the chorus were:
You are the best of friends
Be with me as you always are
In a midst of greed and jealousy
Only you can strengthen me
When the storm of trouble comes
Be my shelter, be my guard
Take a place in me
What you want me, I will be.
I was sent to a country called Uzbekistan (in Asia), which is a country neighboring Afghanistan. At that time the USSR was still involved in a war there and soldiers were being sent to the war zone from our training base. Fortunately, God ended the war and I stayed in Uzbekistan where I served for two years as a military cook (for which I was trained).
I came home from the Army just before our country got back our independence. We had had independence only once before in our history from 1918 until 1940. I returned very depressed. I could not see the meaning of my life and I lived in fear of death. It was Christmas time and as a present from my friend I received a New Testament. This was the same friend – Tom, who had shared his faith with me when we had studied together. I remembered my wish to read the Bible someday and decided this was the day. I started to read the New Testament and as I read it I discovered the Truth – Jesus Christ as the only way to know God and have faith in Him. The more I read, the more I was amazed about the stories and statements that the Bible held. God opened to me His treasures and His truth. I realized how precious it is to know Him and belong to His family of believers. I realized that my sin even involved my ignorance of God’s love and my life without Jesus in it. This was not just a one-day confession, but over a period of time the Spirit worked around and in my life as I got to know and understand the Word of God.
Around this same time the Soviet Union broke apart and the unbelievable became the reality – freedom, the taste of which was long forgotten, was suddenly there. The dream, which many had stopped to dream for a long time was fulfilled by the Power of God and many acknowledged it as His miracle and presence. With the freedom He granted came the revival of the Church and many came to faith in the Living One.
With the freedom that Latvia received, together with the other post-Soviet republics, the door was open for missionaries to come, to live and to work in the fields of hearts and soon there was a flood of missionaries representing different denominations and religions. Some shared the Truth, some who were themselves deceived, deceived others to believe in other gods. I had been a Christian for two years when God put into the hearts of the Navigators from the US to come and live in Latvia. Through them, God worked greatly in my Christian life, causing me to grow and become mature in my relationship with God. Besides Bible their training material was Navigators “Colossians 2:7” Series. During the time they lived here they made “2:7” series available in Latvian language.
Now I am involved in ministry to repeat the process and share with others the same things that were taught to me. “Col. 2:7” Bible study series is the main material I am using in the process.
Many more things I have learnt over the years from co-laboring with my American friends. I have been involved over a period of years with the Church Discipleship Ministries work in Russia. I have traveled on missions to Siberia together with John Sackett, Dick Taylor and Jim Remeur. Through these trips God taught me how I can help Church people to organize small groups to aid them in the process of discipling people.
So now, for six years I have been involved in a small group ministry in various towns all around the country of Latvia. Many of the Churches I am involved with are Lutheran Churches as this is our state religion (church). Experiencing small groups is quite new for many of them and they are excited to get to know more about God in the atmosphere of a small circle of people where everyone can share their experience and also get to know each other and build each other up. My aim is to work together with the pastors of the Churches to start up these small groups – to give advice and help where possible. Sometimes this has meant that I go and lead the groups for some time to model what I am talking about. It is my aim though for other people to take over the leadership of these groups and so I try and work towards this. Over the six years, I have started to see the process multiply as people move to new places and start up groups where they move to.
My vision for the future here is to see this work in small groups growing in the Churches here. After our countries non-Church history, people do not have all the background knowledge of growing up in some sort of Christian environment. This makes the discipling process so vital. I would like to find more people to join me and to train some more people up, but it is quite hard to find those people who are ready and available. I know though that if God wants the work here to grow, he will provide those people.
Aivis Ilsters
Married to the Corps Leader; Riga I Corps
Sunday
Sunday morning Christmas Day - December 25
11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." (Luk 2:10-11 )
A great joy for all the people! Even if the great joy was meant for all the people, many people did not know about it. Most people were sleeping in their houses believing it was just another ordinary night. There were only a few shepherds who knew. And then there was some wise men from abroad who knew. And then perhaps also king Herod knew, since he did all he could to stop what was happening.
Today, many hundred years later, the situation is similar. Most people do not know. Some have forgotten and some had never been informed that a Saviour has been born. I believe that some angels are needed also today to bring the good news to the people. You are maybe one of them...
The Christmas week is coming to an end. An intense week for us with many Christmas Parties. Wednesday it was the Christmas Party at Patverums, an after school program for children with difficult famlily situations. The children performed a great play about how you can find the life answers in the Bible.
Christmas play at Patverums
Next day it was the Christmas Party at the Children´s Home in Riga. It was more sad. It was the last time there would be a Christmas party at the Children´s Home. The Home will be closed after Christmas.The reason is perhaps a bit more positive. The need for Children´s Homes has been going down and the Riga authorities are now closing three Children´s Homes. In January we will start a new program at the premises, an after school program similar to the program at Patverums.
The gospel was presented by a group of clowns at the Children´s Home in Riga
On Friday it was time for the Christmas Party at Skangal. Many people were gathered in the school building for a great celebration with drama, singing and christmas gifts.
Christmas at Skangal
On Christmas eve we drove to the west coast to celebrate Christmas together with the corps in Liepaja.
And tomorrow, second Christmas Day we will go to the prison in Riga to have a Christmas service.
The hall in Liepaja was full already twenty minutes before the meeting when we arrived
The girls sang beautifully
All the children sang and performed a play
Christmas gifts from Sweden
The celebration ended with candles
And tomorrow, second Christmas Day we will go to the prison in Riga to have a Christmas service.
Have a great, blessed week!
Peter Baronowsky
Peter Baronowsky
Saturday
A beautiful Christmas story
Sven Ljungholm is writing from FSAOF Mission Trip to Latvia:
Last night we hosted a Christmas party for our Latvian children- 40+- dancing, games, singing and a movie highlighting our 8 previous visits... then came SANTA! The children literally jumped for joy!
The children's toys and games were doled out, too slow for some, by Santa (Derek) and the childrens' faces said it all; "thank you American, British and Swedish donors"! All except one...
Natasha, top Sunday School helper/student at the Seda SA outpost, tearfully showed Glad the gift she'd received, and we realized it was intended for someone aged 4 NOT 14!
All the gifts were distributed and Natasha had none! Glad gave her a loving hug and said; "Wait, I've got a gift for you I hope you'll like." She removed her favourite gold ear rings, a gift from her father some years ago and said, "I was wearing these in order that I wouldn't lose them and to not forget to bring them tonight; I brought them just for you..." And so that precious gift was re-gifted, a gift that meant so much to Glad because it had been gifted to her by her father.
That is the story of Christmas- God, the Father gifted us with that which was most precious to Him, His son- what precious gift are you re-gifting in love this Christmas?
I know what I'll be shopping for today, golden ear rings!
The children's toys and games were doled out, too slow for some, by Santa (Derek) and the childrens' faces said it all; "thank you American, British and Swedish donors"! All except one...
Natasha, top Sunday School helper/student at the Seda SA outpost, tearfully showed Glad the gift she'd received, and we realized it was intended for someone aged 4 NOT 14!
All the gifts were distributed and Natasha had none! Glad gave her a loving hug and said; "Wait, I've got a gift for you I hope you'll like." She removed her favourite gold ear rings, a gift from her father some years ago and said, "I was wearing these in order that I wouldn't lose them and to not forget to bring them tonight; I brought them just for you..." And so that precious gift was re-gifted, a gift that meant so much to Glad because it had been gifted to her by her father.
That is the story of Christmas- God, the Father gifted us with that which was most precious to Him, His son- what precious gift are you re-gifting in love this Christmas?
I know what I'll be shopping for today, golden ear rings!
Thursday
THE FSAOF MISSION TO LATVIA 3
Glad Ljungholm writes:
Today has been a relatively quiet day in Skangali as we waited for the arrival of the Christmas presents for the children. We had already brought them to Latvia back in August but since then they had been in hiding from curious eyes.
We received them this afternoon when it was all hands on deck with Sven, Derek and Glad as we looked through what there was, sorted and began to wrap the gifts hoping and praying they will be put into the right hands for each child to get the best enjoyment out of them. Suddenly we had the arrival of more help that brought about a magical sense to the evening …
This was followed by a most enjoyable time of ‘food, friendship and fellowship’ as we were joined by Captains Sergey and Aizan, and Cadets Dmitri and Ilona for an evening meal in what has become our favourite restaurant in Valmeira; Latvia for that matter.
Plans were discussed and finalised for tomorrow evening as we ate and hoped that tomorrow night will be a very special and memorable evening for the children of Sakarni and Seda as they join together for a party.
Our prayer is that will have a few hours of joy to lift their thoughts from the misery so many will return to after the festivities are over...
Major Glad Ljungholm on loan to the FSAOF serving in Latvia
Today has been a relatively quiet day in Skangali as we waited for the arrival of the Christmas presents for the children. We had already brought them to Latvia back in August but since then they had been in hiding from curious eyes.
We received them this afternoon when it was all hands on deck with Sven, Derek and Glad as we looked through what there was, sorted and began to wrap the gifts hoping and praying they will be put into the right hands for each child to get the best enjoyment out of them. Suddenly we had the arrival of more help that brought about a magical sense to the evening …
This was followed by a most enjoyable time of ‘food, friendship and fellowship’ as we were joined by Captains Sergey and Aizan, and Cadets Dmitri and Ilona for an evening meal in what has become our favourite restaurant in Valmeira; Latvia for that matter.
Plans were discussed and finalised for tomorrow evening as we ate and hoped that tomorrow night will be a very special and memorable evening for the children of Sakarni and Seda as they join together for a party.
Our prayer is that will have a few hours of joy to lift their thoughts from the misery so many will return to after the festivities are over...
Major Glad Ljungholm on loan to the FSAOF serving in Latvia
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