We all started this evening explaining each other the Cultural behaviours of our origins around Christmastime traditions. As spoken by the Albanians, from tradition they do not have a specific figure they relate to the Christmas festivity. Especially the Albanians out of the Islamic traditional faith have not any bound with the Christmas festivity. In the Netherlands and a lot of other western doctrine countries we see a lot of imaging with the Christmas man and his beard, and some gifts we exchange during a family/group celebration.

Were praying together for this evening, the message and the teachings out of the Ephesians letters.

We read together Ephesians 6:10-18, and starting to question each other, where we find our temptations in our life’s, and how we (need to) use the Armor of God to fight/withstand the intrusions of (the) Evil.

Our brother Eduart explains about his experience where a lot of nearby people rebuked him for spending time and effort on his believe, in a Christ and His church. He had to use the Armor of God to speak against the untrue statements and the downgrading social comments, he spoke Truth and the words of righteousness, testifying His believe and security.

Our brother Lex explains about his temptations regarding his desired hobby of reading books and collecting them. Since he knew a part of his collection was from a writer with a very negative and bad example of livestyle, he got a specific difficult time with the possession of this books. He eventually chose to respond with the Armor of God, His righteousness, and throw the books away to be destroyed, this as a clear message of not coping with the lifestyle and fruits of that writer.

Our sister Klara explained about her battle during the sharing of the Gospel. Specifically through her profession as a doctor, in the Netherland she thinks it is very difficult in the medical professions to share such messages, because of the backfire you will receive, in Albania it seems to be easier because of the higher level or trustworthiness and respect but regarding the traditional believes it can be still a tough situation not knowing how people to respond.

Our sister Erjola, explains about the attacks on her Identity, as a Christian woman, in her surroundings. She have to use daily multiple times the Armor of God, the Helmet of salvation, and the Belt of truth. She understands, only knowledge about the Armor of God is not enough to withstands the traps of evil, but practicing is a must number 1, she has lived with that weapon Armor for the last time being and she recognized that reactions with the Armor of God are coming more and more automatically and becoming really a part of her.

Eduart explains, the Albanians do not really know how to protect themself, this can be because of a wrong doctrine or wrong understanding specific biblical terms and words. The correct teachings of the word of God are sometimes hard to find in teachings of pastors, his question is to pray for them.

Eduart also asks Prayers for Albanians not to seek hope just in the fortune and wellbeing of an other country, but to put their hope in God, and reach out in their land, to know it’s about His kingdom.

Other prayer lines comes from Rik, prayers for all the other religions in and around the Balkan, that they might receive understandable words and the true gospel and teachings of Jesus our Christ.

We were all praying that hearts will be opened to receive, to see, to hear and to find. To fulfil The Word in their lives and they will go out in their surroundings to share that Word and to testify the manifestations of Gods greatness among them.

We closed this meeting with a bringing of great thankfulness to our Lord, for coming towards us through Christ (the reason why celebrate Christmas times), to be close, and not far away.  Amén