Another Funeral

We went to the home last night of an Orthodox family. Crisina is a young lady who comes to our church and is saved. She is friends with an unsaved guy named Claudiu. Claudiu comes to church with her and Baron has shared the gospel with him and he sees that his Orthodox relgion is false. Claudiu's dad died yesterday morning after a long battle with cancer. When we got to the home the priest was there performing some ceremony. We waited outside the house b/c it made my stomach turn to know that this ceremony was pointless and that all the people in the room including the priest knew it was pointless and yet Satan holds on to the people through their religion. Most people we talk to say they realize that you probably can't really pray someone out of hell or do enough good things to show you loved them and to get them out of hell but they continue to do them b/c that is what they have always done. But yet, you try and show them something true and sound from the Bible and they almost mock you. You want to shout "Hey, I have something real, I have a purpose for everything I do, i don't do something b/c that is the way we have always done it!" They can't see that Satan is holding them in darkness. I see this and hunger more for God and realize how thankful I am that I am a sinner set free by the grace of God...that I could very easily be where they are, blinded by Satan. Only God can set them free and as we work, we realize we work for God and His glory and we don't have to be discouraged b/c the results are up to Him and when the results come He will receive all glory and honor that He is worthy of! We pray for this town, we want to claim Lugoj for His glory. We want the Light to shine so brightly here in and through us.
The darkness is so heavy and real that you can feel it. We know that the Light, Jesus, is greater and trust Him.