Praying for New Friends

By Dmitry Bagal

Elena Bagal felt lonely in Kochel, Germany. Born in Siberia, she knew no one when they arrived, and her German was weak. As the days passed, she missed the life that she had enjoyed in Russia. One day, she cried out to the Lord for a new friend. “I really need a friend to spend time with,” she prayed.

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Little did she realize that she was not the only Russian-speaking mother praying for friends. Snezhana had moved to the town a year earlier amid difficult family circumstances. On the same day that Elena prayed for a friend, Snezhana cried out to God, “Lord, I have no more strength! How can I go on living? Help me to meet someone to share my difficulties with.”

Snezhana had two children, ages 7 and 9, but they rarely went to the children’s playground. On that day, however, they went to the playground.

Elena, who had just prayed for a friend, took her baby girl to the same playground. She greeted Snezhana in German, but soon she realized that they both spoke Russian. She couldn’t believe it! She thought that the mother and children were visiting tourists, but it turned out that they lived in the town and were looking for new friends. The families have become close friends. “God let me meet you so that I would have a friend,” Snezhana told Elena recently. Elena sends encouraging songs and uplifting sermons to Snezhana. She is praying that Snezhana will agree to Bible studies.

After the meeting, Elena kept praying for new friends. One day she met Natasha, a Russian speaker in need of encouragement. The women became friends, and today Elena regularly sends Bible promises to Natasha.

Elena kept praying for new friends. While shopping, she met Irina, another Russian speaker, and invited her home for a visit. The two woman now meet every other week. Sometimes, Elena gives Irina massages and, each time, she prays. The last time she gave a massage, Irina prayed for the first time. Elena has learned that Irina sometimes visited an Adventist church before moving to Kochel. “God’s ways are wonderful!” Elena said.

She prays that Irina will want to study the Bible together and that she can start a small group for Russian speakers in her home. In the meantime, she keeps praying for new friends. Do you pray for new friends?

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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Further Thought:

 Think about the amazing words of Paul in Hebrews 7:25, which, talking about Jesus as our High Priest, says that “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him” (NKJV). Save to the uttermost. The Greek word for “uttermost” means “full, complete, total.” It is Jesus who saves us; our job is to surrender to Him, claiming His victory for us.

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Our trust must be in Him, not in ourselves.

“We can summarize the force of the expression ’fear God‘ in Revelation as God’s final call to humanity to choose Him as their glorious and majestic God, … who will be victorious over the forces of evil that oppose Him and His plan for the human race (cf. [Rev.] 14:9-11). This fear does not manifest itself, at least not for now (cf., [Rev.] 6:14-17), in terror and trembling, but in joyous and loving submission to God’s law and to His exclusive worship. No other power should be acknowledged as worthy of such devotion and loyalty. In fact, there are no other options, because what shows itself on the horizon of the cosmic conflict as possibilities are actions of demonic powers destined to extinction (Revelation 16:13-14; Revelation 17:14; Revelation 20:11-15). The fear of the Lord is therefore a positive divine invitation … to take God’s side in the cosmic conflict in order to stand before His most glorious presence, filled with joy in eternal fellowship with Him (Revelation 21:3-4; Revelation 22:3-5).” — Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, The Closing of the Cosmic Conflict: Role of the Three Angels’ Messages, unpublished manuscript, p. 27.

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” Revelation 14:7 NKJV

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:17-18 NKJV

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The first angel John writes about tells us to fear God because of the judgment. Later, though, the same John writes that perfect love removes fear during the judgment. So, are we supposed to fear, or not to fear? I believe a healthy understanding of Exodus 20:18-21 helps us reconcile these two passages, and helps us learn how to fear God without being afraid of Him.

“Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’”

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” Exodus 20:18-21 NKJV 

In this passage Moses tells the people not to fear and then turns around and tells them to fear. What is up with that? Verse 18 tells us they are afraid or in terror of the presence of God. Moses did not want them to be afraid of God. He did not want us to be terrorized by God’s presence. God does not want us to be afraid of Him. He wants us to find love and security in His presence. 

And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:26-27 NKJV 

Here the disciples are afraid of the presence of Jesus because they didn’t know that to think or what to expect. They did not know what was going on and it frightened them. Quickly Jesus let them know that He was there to comfort and cheer them, not to terrorize them.

In Exodus 20:18 the people were terrorized by the presence of God because they did not know what to think or expect or how to react. Moses told them not to fear, meaning don’t be afraid. But then, in Exodus 20:20, he tells them to fear God. However this time Moses is talking about a different kind of fear which actually means respect. A police officer does not make me afraid, but I do have respect for his position and what he is capable of. His power and capabilities are actually what make me feel secure instead of afraid. If I am on the right side of the law, I respect what the officer is capable of, and that makes me feel secure. If I am on the wrong side of the law, I am now afraid because of what I know the police officer can do. If I know him well, and am on good terms with the officer, I have great respect for his power and resources, and my respect and appreciation is what makes me feel safe and secure instead of afraid. When Moses told the people, in Exodus 20:20, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin,” He was telling them that their being in awe of His power, and respecting that power, would keep them from sin. Perhaps the Easy-to-Read Version will help us understand better what Moses was saying.

Then Moses said to them, “Don’t be afraid! God has come to test you. He wants you to respect him so that you will not sin.” Exodus 20:20 ERV

When Moses told the people not to fear, he was telling them not to be afraid. When he was telling the people to fear, he was telling them to be respectful. Likewise, when Jesus was telling the disciples not to fear, He was telling them not to be afraid. When the angel in Revelation 14:7 tells us to fear, it means to be respectful. 

If we fear God by being in awe of Him, and respect His love and saving power, then we do not have to fear God by being afraid of Him. Perfect love, being in total awe of God’s love and power, keeps us from being afraid of the judgment. 

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What does it mean to Fear God? Join us as we discuss Lesson 4, Fear God and Give Glory to Him.

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“Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). This is the depiction of God’s faithful people in the last days. Yet, the only way anyone can keep the commandments of God, then or now, is through the faith of Jesus. Notice our text does not say, “faith in Jesus,” although that is extremely important, but this expression, “the faith of Jesus,” is something more. It is the quality of faith that enabled Christ to be victorious over Satan’s fiercest temptations. Faith is a gift given to each believer. When we exercise the faith that the Holy Spirit puts in our hearts, that faith grows. We overcome, not by our willpower, but by the power of the living Christ working through us. We overcome not because of who we are but because of who He is.

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We can overcome because He overcame. We can be victorious because He was victorious. We can triumph over temptation because He triumphed over temptation.

Read Hebrews 4:14-16 and Hebrews 7:25. What is the means of overcoming and living lives that “fear God” and “give Him glory”?

Jesus, the divine Son of God, has overcome the wiles of the devil. He faced temptations trusting in the promises of God, surrendering His will to the Father’s will and depending on the Father’s power. Trusting Him, looking to Him, believing in Him, we, too, can be victorious. Jesus is our all in all, and the three angels’ messages are all about Him. Revelation’s message is one of victory, not defeat. It speaks of a people who through His grace and by His power overcome.

The word “overcome” in one form or another is used 11 times in the book of Revelation. In the vision of the seven churches representing the Christian church from the first century to our time, there are believers in every generation who, John says, “overcame.” At the end time those that “overcome” inherit all things (Revelation 21:7). This is not legalism. It is victory through Jesus Christ, whose perfect life of perfect righteousness, and that alone, is what gives them the promise of eternal life. It is faith in action. It is transforming, lifechanging, miraculous grace in the life of the believer.

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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