Peter Kish

Young and handsome Peter Kish was the fourth child in a family of 11 Children. He lived in a small village in Yugoslavia. He was 15 years old. And in this village there was no electricity. No movie theater, no television nothing to distract one like that. And young Peter’s purpose in life was to learn to be a shoemaker. He would travel from one side of town to the other side of town everyday to learn the trade of shoemaking and come home. And as Peter was coming home one day he noticed a house where the lights were on and there was music coming from the house and there was singing and laughing and Peter wanted to go over to that house and to enjoy what was going on there. And a text came into his mind the text was Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

And as that text came to young Peters mind He decided He wouldn’t go to check out that party and He made his way home. Only 15-year-old Peter found out that this took place every Wednesday night. Of course his young friends in the village started to tell him you need to come and have some fun, you need to join in the party, Peter resisted He would walk by and he would hear the singing and the laughing. And he’d think again about going into that place and Psalm 1:1 would come to his mind.

And his friends at school would talk to him again and they would say Peter you need to come on over we play games we have fun. You don’t have to dance we know you don’t dance. You don’t have to drink we know you don’t drink just come and hang out with us were not lepers or anything what’s the problem?

This went on for a year. There came a point were young Peter was on his way home and he was determined He was going to go in to that party. He had been at the shoemaking trade all day, He was just going to go eat a little something and be on his way. And he went up to the door and put his hand on the door handle and Psalm 1:1 came forcefully to his mind. And he wrestled there and He decided he wouldn’t go in. But He wasn’t happy about it. He was mad. He was mad at David or writing the Psalm. He was mad at God for inspiring him. He was mad at Psalm 1:1. Peter went on his way.

One night the soldiers came and they took Peter Kish and his Father for interrogation. His father was released after three hours but Peter was taken some thirteen kilometers away to a prison camp. It was November it was cold and it was drizzly. There was nothing to keep warm with. Peter’s father gave him some blankets and clothes to keep warm. Food was served only once a day and it was so bad that once a day was all Peter could stand. There was no sanitation and no showers. For six weeks this went on.

The only regularity was interrogation and torture, the recurring sound of guns of screaming and of silence. Peter was sixteen years old at this time. Twice a week Peter was interrogated the Judge asked his name; where he was from, “Do you like music?” “Yes.” “Can you sing?” “Yes.” “Do you have Friends in your village?” “Yes.” “Do you go to parties?” “No.” “What do you mean you don’t go to parties?” “Well, I don’t.” “Did you go to those weekly parties in your village every Wednesday?” “No.” “Why not?” “Because of Psalm 1:1.” “What does it say?” Peter recited,
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
“What does it mean?” “Well, the bible says we shouldn’t go where people are smoking and drinking so I didn’t go.”

They let him go back to his cell. This continued for six weeks. The same cross-examination the same questions. Finally the high officer came to the camp. 90% of the inmates were killed when He came in. Peters name was called and he was weak He was shaking both from cold and from fear. He didn’t know what his fate would be. Once again he was asked he same questions, “Do you like music?” “Yes.” “Do you go to dances?” “No.” “Do you know how to dance?” “No.” “Do you go to parties?” “No.” “Did you go to those Communist dances in your village?” “No.”

You see, those parties were for communist induction and during World War II there were several things Hitler hated, among them were Jews, gypsies and communists.

The Nazi Judge asked him, “Why don’t you dance? You’re handsome, you like music, you like girls. It happened in your own village. You’re telling me you didn’t go?” “No. I’m a Seventh-day Adventist.” “What is a Seventh-day Adventist?” “Peter said Seventh-day Adventist’s live according to what the scripture says.” “Are you telling me the scripture says you shouldn’t dance and go to parties?” “Yes.” “What else?” Peter mentioned several other things and then He came to the Sabbath. The officer got up He said, “Are you a Jew?” “No.” “You believe in Jesus Christ?” “Yes.” “Make the sign of the cross.” “No.” “Why not?” “Because Catholics do it and Orthodox do it and I am neither. I’m a Seventh-day Adventist.” And the officer said, “Tell me about the dancing.” And Peter recited all of Psalm 1,
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

The Judge said to the soldiers, “Go and bring that man.” A man walked in that had been severely beaten. His body was swollen, his face was swollen and black and blue all over. “Peter do you know this man?” “NO.” He turns to the man and says, “Do you know this young man?” “Yes, his name is Peter Kish.” And Peter recognized that it was the man who owned the house in the village where the dances were held every Wednesday night. “Did this young man go to your communist parties?” The man hesitated… On his word would hang Peter’s destiny. “No.” Then the soldiers started kicking and beating him until he couldn’t stand anymore. Then they held him up and shouted, “Tell me now did He go to those communist parties of yours?” And the man said “No.” And the Judge said how can you lie to me? How can you know He wasn’t there? How can you know when you had between 30 and 50 young people there that Peter Kish was not there?” And the man said, “Because Peter Kish is a Seventh-day Adventist. And Seventh-day Adventists are different people.” And He looked the officer in the eye and he said, “Seventh-day Adventists are different people, Sir!”

My brother, my sister, is your life different? Are you a different person? Do people look at you and know that you are different? Make a decision on this card based on your deep seeded desire to live for Jesus.

The Judge gave the command that Peter Kish be released.

They sent him home and then He was sent to another Yugoslavian village to spend the rest of the war. And Peter Kish would later say, “No one can tell me Gods word is unfaithful that Gods word is untrue because that one text saved my life.”

Friends God doesn’t ask us to live differently as Christians to restrict our lives. God asks us to follow His word to save our lives. SDA’S are different people. Isn’t our purpose to follow God’s word no matter what the cost may be?

I hope this message was clear to you and you understand that reason why Christianity appears to be failing in this world is not because the message isn’t powerful it’s because Christians have not received the power to live Christ like lives that will