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Boris Jovinov

@borisjovinov

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Just a simple preacher trying to help people make Jesus known.
Evangelism Director | NNSW

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I’ve spent this past week in Serbia with my grandmother (Baka), who is recovering from hip surgery after a fall.

It’s been an emotional week. So much joy in seeing her for the first time in over 20 years, but also sadness as I’ve been confronted with the frailty of life and just how quickly time passes.

Back in 1965, Baka began studying the Bible and, as she discovered the truth about Jesus, she made a personal decision to follow Him. In 1966, she was baptised. My grandfather wasn’t interested at first, but 18 years later, he too made that decision.

This week, Baka showed me that very Bible. Almost every page was filled with underlining, highlighting and handwritten notes. But tucked between its pages was a small photograph of my mum when she was a teenager.

My mum eventually made her own decision to follow Jesus, and I had the privilege of growing up in an Adventist home. Those who know my story know I nearly walked away from it all. But by God’s grace, the seeds planted in my childhood eventually bore fruit when I surrendered my own life to Jesus.

And sitting beside Baka this week, something struck me.

Every generation had to make its own personal decision to follow Jesus. But the decision of one generation helped create the opportunity for the next.

When Baka chose to follow Jesus in 1965, she had no idea that her decision would influence the spiritual direction of her children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren.

I can’t help but wonder where I would be today had she made a different choice.

Your decision to follow Jesus is personal, but its influence can reach far beyond your own lifetime.

Your faithfulness matters. Your prayers matter. The seeds you plant today may not bear fruit for decades. You may never even see the harvest. But by God’s grace, your faithfulness today could shape generations to come.

I’m so thankful that 61 years ago, a young woman in a little village in Serbia opened her Bible and decided to follow Jesus.

Thank you, Baka. by @borisjovinov

Just finished a week of teaching at ARISE Finland, and I’m leaving so encouraged by what Jesus is doing through this ministry.

It’s pretty special to see five ARISE Australia graduates from our North New South Wales Conference serving in key roles here, as directors, administrator, dean and volunteers. To be on the other side of the world and see familiar faces pouring themselves into God’s work is such a blessing.

There’s something so encouraging about seeing our young people take Jesus’ commission to “go into all the world” seriously. To leave what’s familiar and make themselves available wherever He calls.

We miss them back home, but we praise Jesus for the impact they’re having abroad. Please keep this team and their students in your prayers. by @borisjovinov

Rest isn't just about stopping when we're exhausted. It's about remembering what Jesus has already done for us.

As another week comes to an end, may this Sabbath be a reminder to slow down, celebrate and find rest in our Redeemer.

Happy Sabbath! by @borisjovinov

Exciting news! The Simple Truth Bible Studies now has its very own web app!

https://app.simpletruth.online

You can now write and save your own teaching notes directly on your device, keep track of who you’re studying the Bible with, and follow their progress through the lessons. by @borisjovinov

Every day I open my Bible looking to learn something. And to be honest, most days I don’t discover anything particularly profound.

But I keep searching.

And every once in a while, something happens. I notice something I’ve never noticed before. A connection I’ve never made. A truth I’ve read a hundred times suddenly comes alive in a way I’ve never experienced.

And it’s exciting! So exciting that I can’t wait to share it.

For me, that’s what preaching is really about. Not standing in front of people to impress them with what you know, but inviting them to share in the wonder of what you’ve discovered.

You don’t have to be extraordinary to discover extraordinary truth. You just have to be willing to keep searching.

Great sermons aren’t born out of great minds. They are little gifts the Holy Spirit gives to simple people who refuse to stop searching. by @borisjovinov

As another week comes to a close, here's a little reminder to slow down, reflect and remember what really matters.

Happy Sabbath! by @borisjovinov

Last night, one of my closest friends gifted me this beautiful 19th-century copy of Ellen White’s The Great Controversy, featuring the original 1888 text.

More than 130 years old and still in remarkable condition, with its beautifully illustrated cover, gold lettering and stunning original artwork.

So much has changed since this book was printed, yet its message about God’s character, the battle between good and evil, and the ultimate triumph of Christ remains as relevant as ever.

An old book. A timeless message. An incredible gift.

Feeling incredibly grateful! by @borisjovinov

Some weeks leave you exhausted. Others leave you energised. And sometimes, the same week does both.

This was my first week back in the office after some time away, and what a week it has been.

Back-to-back meetings, countless phone calls, conversations, decisions, and a seemingly endless list of things needing attention.

And I loved it!!!

I’ve been reflecting on how much of our enjoyment of life comes not from what we’re doing, but from why we’re doing it and who we’re doing it with.

The same work that can feel exhausting when it lacks purpose can be deeply fulfilling when we see the meaning behind it.

Perhaps one of the great blessings in life isn’t having less to do, but having something worth doing. Not having fewer demands on our time, but knowing that our time is being invested in something that matters.

I’m reminded that the greatest privilege in serving God isn’t what we get to accomplish for Him, but the fact that He invites us to work alongside Him.

Feeling grateful tonight. Grateful for the calling, grateful for the people, and grateful for the privilege of serving.

It’s genuinely good to be back. by @borisjovinov

My water bottle is covered in stickers from places we visited during our family holiday.

But when I look at those stickers, I don’t just see places. I see people.

People who opened their homes, gave generously, made sacrifices, and blessed our family beyond anything we could have imagined.

As a result, my wife and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how we could possibly thank these people. How could we bless them the way they’ve blessed us?

Why?

Because the more you understand what someone has sacrificed for you, the more willing you become to sacrifice for them.

Generosity awakens generosity.
Grace awakens grace.
Love awakens love.
Sacrifice awakens sacrifice.

And I can’t help but think about the gospel.

Obedience matters. Sacrifice matters. Loyalty matters. They always have!

But are these things our way of saying PLEASE or THANK YOU?

Please love me.
Please accept me.
Please save me.

Or…

Thank You for loving me.
Thank You for accepting me.
Thank You for saving me.

The gospel doesn’t make obedience optional. It makes it personal. It transforms obedience from an attempt to earn love into an expression of love.

Jesus doesn’t just change our standing before God. He changes our hearts towards Him. by @borisjovinov

At the end of the Week of Prayer at Fountainview, the students wrote this as their summary of the week.

“The ultimate guarantee of a divine covenant is not our ability to hold on to God, but His refusal to ever let us go.”

I couldn’t have summed it up better myself.

Our hope has never rested in the strength of our grip on God. It rests in the faithfulness of the God who keeps His promises, pursues His children, and will not easily let them go. by @borisjovinov

Just finished preaching a series here at Fountainview Academy, and tonight my heart is very full.

I love preaching the gospel. There is something incredibly special about watching people respond to Jesus, and this week God blessed. Decisions were made for Him, hearts were moved, and I’m so grateful I got to be a small part of it.

Tonight, as we welcomed the Sabbath, everyone gathered in a circle and we sang, “I Want to Go to Heaven.”

It was one of those moments you just want to hold onto.

It’s amazing how quickly people can begin to feel like family when Jesus is at the centre.

Grateful for this week. Grateful for these young people. Grateful for the Sabbath.

And most of all, grateful for Jesus. by @borisjovinov

Today is our last Sabbath in the USA. Tomorrow we head back to Canada, where I’ll preach for a Week of Prayer at Fountainview Academy, and then… home to Australia.

As our trip slowly comes to an end, I keep thinking about how quickly this season of life passes.

Every time my son Noah stands next to me, he reminds me that he’s catching up to me and believes that soon he’ll be taller.

And every time, I think…

One day soon, our kids won’t be kids.

There is only a small window of life when they’re all under your roof. When you can pile everyone into a car, take off somewhere together and experience life as a family.

Then one day, almost without noticing, that window closes.

So invest in your family now.

Not just financially.

Invest your time.
Invest your energy.
Invest your attention.
Invest in experiences.
Invest in conversations.
Invest in memories.

It doesn’t need to be expensive or on the other side of the world.

Have Sabbath afternoon adventures.
Put the phones away.
Do something. Anything. Just do it together.

Because experiences become stories.

“Remember when Dad…”
“Remember that hike…”
“Remember that night…”
“Remember when we all…”

Most importantly, bring Jesus into it all.

Pray together. Worship together. Serve together. Let your children see that following Jesus isn’t just something we do at church. It’s how we live life.

Looking back, the greatest part of this trip wasn’t Banff, Yellowstone, Zion, Bryce or any of the incredible places we visited.

It was experiencing them together.

You can make more money your whole life.
You can still pursue your career when you’re older.
But you can only raise your children now. by @borisjovinov