August 19, 2006 Update

Dear Mission Friends,

With the woes of our last couple of weeks behind us I wanted to share with you about a visit that I had with a man on the doors this week. His name is Janny, and he is from Prague, Czech Republic. The first four doors we knocked on found no one at home. Door number five revealed a lady who appeared to be preparing dinner and became totally uninterested when we informed her of the nature of our visit. Door number six revealed Janny who immediately invited us in to sit down. This is something the very rarely happens. I began to ask him some questions from our survey, and this in turn opened the door for some interactive discussion concerning God, the Bible and salvation. Janny who is about 30 yrs. explained to me that he really had very little education throughout his life in the area of religion. I had the opportunity to explain to him that there is a God, that the Bible is Truth, mankind is in a desperate condition, and that there is a Savior who stands ready to rescue mankind from an eternity of everlasting torment. As I read Scripture to him and the Truth of the Word of God began to work you could tell his mind was taking it in and the Spirit of God was bringing conviction. I glanced up in the middle of reading from John 14 and we made eye contact. It was as if he had never heard these Words before which through his own admission, he had not. I felt the pressure of looking a lost man in the eyes who for the first time in his life began to recognize his real need. After an hour of discussion he had to leave to take his girlfriend to work. He said he would like to have a Bible and talk some more. My co-worker and his wife are possibly going to see them tonight. Please pray for Janny and his girlfriend as well that the Word of God and the Spirit of God would shine forth into the darkness of these folks lives. It was a most refreshing visit after being turned away time and time again. People are truly caught up with all that this world has to offer and have all kinds of reason to not even consider their eternity. I am preaching tomorrow out of I John 2:16-17 concerning what this world has to offer and what it's end will be. My thoughts have been focused on how slick Satan is at ensnaring mankind with what might be his greatest weapon--selfishness. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life really boil down to just that--selfishness!

I trust that you all have a great weekend as you gather together in your own local churches to serve the Lord this Lord's day.

May the Lord find us faithful,
Don Thatcher