To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him. — Daniel 9:9 — Greg White: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine As Daniel thinks deeply about God, God’s compassion and forgiveness flood his thinking. In his prayer, then, Daniel emphasizes God’s great and manifold compassion and His abundant forgiveness. … Read More
Ukraine
True Prayer Acknowledges the Results of Sin
Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day….Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. — Daniel 9:7–8 — Greg White: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine God always does what is right, but … Read More
True Prayer Contains Confession of Sin
We have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land. — Daniel 9:5–6 — Greg White: Grace Bible Seminary … Read More
True Prayer Involves the Heart
I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments.” — Daniel 9:4 — Greg White: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine Daniel’s prayer gives a rich insight into the nature and … Read More
True Prayer Is Serious
So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. — Daniel 9:3 — Greg White: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine I didn’t know what to expect, but I was excited about my first visit to a Ukrainian Baptist church service. Shortly after finding … Read More
True Prayer Flows From A Bible-Filled Heart
In the first year of [Darius’] reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. — Daniel 9:2 — Greg White: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine When … Read More
Our Lord’s Neglected Example
For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. — John 13:15 — Mykola Leliovskyi: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine One of the most shared memes last year in the Russian-speaking world was a side-by-side comparison. On one side, the kneeling Christ washing the apostles’ feet; on … Read More
Nothing Is Impossible
For nothing will be impossible with God. — Luke 1:37 — Oleg Kalyn: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine God can do whatever He wills. This concept is clearly presented in Scripture, and it serves as great encouragement for His people. In Genesis 17:1, He said, “I am God Almighty.” He revealed Himself to Abraham … Read More
Wolves in Disguise
Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. — Matthew 7:15 — Igor Bodun: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine The people of God of every age must be on guard against imposters. Jesus warns that imposters disguise themselves in order to be heard, to gain … Read More
Let Integrity Guide Your Life
The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them. — Proverbs 11:3 — Mykola Leliovskyi: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine The Scriptures often remind us that the inward condition of our heart determines our external behavior. The Hebrew words translated here as “integrity” and “upright” are the most … Read More
Pray for Understanding
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day. — Psalm 25:5 — Brian Kinzel: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine What’s behind the psalmist’s plea for learning? What explains his desire for knowledge? Context tells us that his enemies hated him and … Read More
Do Not Let Sin Reign
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. — Romans 6:4 — Oleg Kalyn: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine As God’s children, we earnestly wait for the … Read More
The Former Soviet Union
The Former Soviet Union Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine A TMAI School in Russia Word of Grace Bible Institute (for Russian Speakers) When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, the future of religious freedom looked bright. Over time, however, many of the religious rights that were once granted gave way to increased government regulations … Read More
Sound Ministry Requires Love
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. — 1 Corinthians 13:1 — Igor Bodun: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine When I was a young boy, before the collapse of the Soviet Union, I was part … Read More
Love Must Be Tough
Fervently love one another from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22 Bruce Alvord: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine Far and away the favorite sport of most Ukrainians is soccer. I love it, too, and played goalie as a youth. The only way to be decent at this position is to fling your body farther and … Read More
Evangelism Requires an Excellent Refutation
Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. — 1 PETER 2:12 — Oleg Kalyn: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine When Jesus gave the Great Commission to … Read More
No Thanks? No, Thanks!
In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. — 1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 — Bruce Alvord: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine This verse doesn’t say to give thanks for everything but to give thanks in everything. How far we are from this! We often feel that we deserve better. But, as … Read More
The Sorrow That Leads to Happiness
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. — 2 CORINTHIANS 7:10 — Igor Bodun: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine Russia is engaged in an “unofficial” military conflict with Ukraine. Over the last four years, over 10,000 … Read More