It was farewell time as Peter Ruck and Tim Grant left the Tent 100 team in Shabla. It was another 500 mile drive ahead to the capital city Sofia.
It was time for Peter and Tim to say farewell on Saturday morning. Tim was flying home to England to prepare for a UK mission in Liverpool the following week.
Peter was looking forward to his extended stay Saturday evening he was having dinner and meeting with Pastor Annie Totev friends for fifteen years and Pastor Dimitar Bouliev from England they talked about outreach in Sofia in 2016. Peter had spent the day praying for the Holy Spirit to lead him with a message to share. He felt God speaking the words “Hide and Seek”
Peter was staying on in Bankya to preach in two churches in Sofia at the House of Joy Church, Sunday morning & Emmanuel Totev in the city Sunday afternoon.
Salt and Light – God’s Word from Matthew 5:13-16
verse 13 – You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it Salty again? It will be thrown and trampled underfoot and worthless.
verse 14 : You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
verse 15: No ones lights can be put under a basket. Instead a lamp is placed on a stand, where is gives light to everyone in the house.
verse 16: In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise you heavenly Father.
NOW – WHY should we “Hide” keeping our good qualities and abilities secret from other people? Jesus didn’t – Luke 19-10 Tells us “For the Son of Man didn’t he came to seek and save the lost”
Peter had planned to share his own passion “Why” he has such passion to share God’s love with everyone he meets. He was going to present the church with “five motivaton points” – why we should talk to our friends about Jesus.
It was Sunday morning at the House of Joy Church, Pastors Annie & Emmanuel Totev had collected Peter for the service. It wonderful to see many familar faces although Pastors Valdo and Borislava were on holiday the church was quite full.
Pastor Emmanual was hosting and leading the worship. It was a really spirit-filled time of praise, naturally it was sung in Bulgarian. Peter felt a tremendous sense of God’s presence and began to get words of knowledge. Pastor Emmanuel invited Peter to speak. Peter felt God was ready to touch people there and then.
Peter shared the Words of knowledge and told the church there was a healer in the house and His name is Jesus!
Peter began to share the message God had insprired him to preach we are called to be “Salt and Light” and then the “five motivtion points” to inspire the church to share God’s love with friends and family. Peter shared the Gospel and invited people to respond. He also invited those who received God’s word of knowledge for healing.
One lady immediately came forward to give testimony how she had been healed during the service. She came to the front fell to her knees and began to prohecy as I understand from Pastor Annie Totev, because what she shared was in Bulgarian. It was a wonderful time of ministry as God touched so many people as we heard them testify. This lady so visibly touched she use to come the church in Milco Totev era. This dear lady came out of the Church to speak to Peter again, giving praise to God asking Peter to come back she had remembered us touring Bulgaria all those years ago. It was such privilege to serve you don’t always have to speak the language the joy and smiles say so much, such a blessed morning.
It was time for lunch and a trip across the city with Pastor Emmanuel and his wife Silvana they took Peter out with Annie Totev. It was wonderful time of fellowship. Emmanuel told Peter he was happy for his church members to hear a similar message to the morning service. Peter added the importance of everyones personal testimony and gave his own as an illustration. He also spoke about the importance of prayer as you reach out in preparation this was because many of his members reach out through business connections. Silvana told Annie over lunch that she had been healed during the morning service of neck and shoulder problems during the preaching. Glory to God.
Valdo & Borislava met us in the centre of Sofia for dinner it was wonderful to meet them it was quite a gathering. Great to be with this family of God. The next day Borislava would take me to the airport. It was a long day with delays, heavy rain and a bumpy flight home.
Time to Let our lights shine!
This was truly an awesome 10 day mission. Wonderful to hear from Sofi Pranzck this week that people continued to be saved and healed on final two days of the tent mission. Praise God or “Slava na Boga”
