Faithful

God is faithful. That is a wonderful reality that I am learning to appreciate more and more. I can count on Him. He doesn't shirk or swerve from fulfilling His job - and He gives His all to do it. God calls us to be that way, too. We are limited and sometimes that seems like reason enough not to try. After all, what can I do with 30 minutes, $10, or an extra coat in my closet? They might not be much compared to the needs around me - but am I faithful with that little? Have I committed each minute, each dollar, each personal belonging to God's service? "He that is faithful in that which is least," the Master said, "is faithful also in much." (Luke 16:10)

The end of this week finds the building project in Makindu gaining altitude. "The mason up there is truly under God's care," Lawrence writes. He praises God that one end of the structure is up to roofing level, at least. 

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His son, Alvin (center), shows one of their visitors around.

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Using the resources and time committed to them, the vision for the Bible Center is slowly becoming a visible reality. "We have now run out of funds, though some of the building material is still there," the brother says. When the Lord provides, the work will go on - patiently, faithfully toward the goal. Meanwhile, the maize and peas are growing well, praise the Lord!

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Am I determined to be faithful, even if it doesn't seem to make much of a difference? Maybe another brick won't complete the wall, but it is needed. If we only have one talent, it is not meant to be buried and hoarded selfishly. It was entrusted us for a purpose. (Matthew 25:14-30) May we live to reflect and rejoice in God's faithfulness!

Building Up

Brick upon brick. Stone upon stone. Life is full of little choices and actions, each building upon the last. What does the heavenly view of our life building look like? Are we prepared for the storms -- or avoiding the hard work of putting God first in every area of life?

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Brother Lawrence is thankful to report that the building is now to the "ring-to" level. "We fix a concrete ring to the top of the wall so that the building can be strong and not shaken if a tremor occurs or strong winds blow. Then we will build on top of the ring about five or so courses and then roof it. By the end of this week, we will be ready for the roofing. Please, ask the saints to pray more ardently for this work. We are praying that the building does not stall, and that we be able to finish the roofing before the Christmas holidays beginning around the 21st of December."

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The spiritual work has been building up as well. This week the Lord gave brother Lawrence opportunity to share about the changing power of salvation with several young people. It encouraged him to see their faces light up with interest and joy. Please pray that they will build upon what they've heard and seek the Lord for themselves.

The work on the residential structure also has attracted the notice of some leaders in the town, which gave opportunities to testify of what God is doing. "It was so unexpected," the minister said, "but such a blessing to see some responding to the the truth of salvation. Praise the Lord."

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With the famine continuing, the saints of Makindu have been thankful for the Lord's mercy that no one has died of starvation. The fall rains have brought hope with crops of corn and cassava beginning to grow. Several people have suffered from sickness recently, but God has graciously brought relief and encouragement to those who have put their trust in Him. Praise God that He is able to build us up through every adversity!

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"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 20-21

Preparations

What are we preparing for? In this busy time of year with winter holidays and family gatherings, there is plenty to do and get ready for. Our schedules fill up. Our finances drain low. But why? What purpose drives us?

I was reading today about a voice that once cried in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!" (Matt. 3:3) How have we been responding to that call? Are we ready to acknowledge that One greater than all our best efforts and ideals has come, and that He is seeking entrance in our lives? Are our preparations cluttering the path - or clearing it for God to have His way? It is a sober thought.

We prepare for anticipated blessing, don't we? The work on the residential building at the Center in Makindu is progressing steadily, spurred by the desire to have a place for visitors to stay while attending meetings. Here laborers work on the interior walls:

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Lawrence reports: The walls have gone up about five feet now, but it is a wonderful blessing. Glory to God.

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Certainly God's preparations far exceed what we can do. Brother Lawrence shares: We are praising the Dear Master for His wonderful gracious works around here. We have had rains and the area is starting to look green and very beautiful. It coincides with the "Christmas" season here when many talk of changing their lives anew. The new green leaves remind many of the new birth...... Oh, that God would be given His due right to change and reign in each heart!

The children are active in their free time from school and are getting instructed in Christianity in the center. It is simply wonderful, and the second time it has been done around the center. Glory, glory to God! We look forward to His glorifying Himself a lot more. Praise the Lord.

As the busyness of the season fills our time and attention, let us not forget that it was a simple stable and faithful shepherds that received Christ first. God isn't looking for the great and accomplished, but the yielding hearts. Are we prepared to receive Him?

He Sees, He Cares

How often does it seem like He doesn't? If we go by the look of things, by our circumstances and feelings, we don't see the Presence of a loving God. It doesn't appear that the needs are being met or the situation is changing. Our minds ask for evidence. But God asks for our confidence. Our faith.

It is when we hold on to God and rejoice that He is seeing, He is caring, that we will see the way opened step by step. Faith isn't something that comes from evidence. It comes from a relationship - from knowing God. And, as we live to know Him, God's love and mercy can be seen in every detail...

There is glory in piles of sand

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And stacks of bricks

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And in working together that more may come and experience the mercy and grace of God.

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Lawrence writes: The walls of the building are now going up at long last. Praise the Lord. God is so good. We have been praying for a residential building for a long time. But now, the Lord is making the dream come true. Glory to His name!!

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As excited children, do we jump through the maze of God's promises and rejoice in their fulfillment - by faith?

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The future of this work is in God's hands. They are good hands. Two and a half years ago this work was still a dream in the heart of His people. Surely God sees and He cares about this little congregation of believers in a barren land. Praise Him!

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And, for those that have been caring about their desperate need of rain, brother Lawrence wrote today:
Thank you very much for prayers, Dear Ones. We have had two nights of heavy rains--yesterday night and the day before. It is a wonderful blessing from the Lord. We need prayers that the rains continue long enough for a good crop this season.

Laboring On

The famine conditions have continued to press in on the congregation at Makindu, but the labors in the Lord's work continue. Besides the spiritual labors, efforts have been made to provide meals and begin construction of a second building.

Lawrence writes: We have not yet built the kitchen to prepare meals for the destitute children and the congregation in times of severe famine. We do it outside, by the back of the building.

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Since the Center has been built and used for studies and teaching, the need for a boarding or residential house has become apparent. Here is the 60 x 100 foot plot that was purchased recently for this building:

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Here are the trenches laid out for the foundation:

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With stone bases for the walls:

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Praise the Lord for all His goodness. The bricks are ready and are being sorted and arranged in readiness for building.

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Let us keep these dear ones in prayer, as they labor on "Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." If you also face great needs and few resources today, don't lose hope! Ask God to transform your perspective and strengthen you with His joy for the work - and your labor will not be in vain.    

Possessing the Promise

A promise is one thing. The Bible is full of promises to those that trust in the Lord. But possession is another matter altogether. It like the difference between holding a thousand dollar check, and actually buying something with it. The money is valuable, right? Only when it is used. 
 

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Consider John for a moment. He lives in this rented room with his mom and five siblings. He's only twelve, but he daily experiences the struggle for survival. Why is he so happy? Because he knows the power of God's promises.

Updating from our last post, here is John's testimony, shared by brother Lawrence:

John's father left the family many years ago. He took another woman, whom he lives with and has another family, though he serves as an elder in a religious sect here in Makindu. John’s mother, sister Dorcas Mueni, works to feed her children as a laborer in the farms around Makindu, or in the homes as a dishwasher/clothes cleaner, whenever work is available. They rent a single room near our Center.

Dorcas had found consistent employment on a farm nearby and had developed a habit of getting to work at 8 AM daily. But the famine brought other job seekers around and they reported to the farms earlier. One morning, as usual, she reported to work at 8:00 but found that her place had been taken by others. So she returned home feeling depressed, not knowing what to feed her children with that day. 

There was no school and the children had developed a habit of praying every morning for their mother. This particular morning, when she returned home after a few hours and told them that her position at work was taken by another person, she said that they would have nothing to eat for the day. That is when John responded and reminded her of Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them,” a scripture he had learned and memorized. Then he told her that they had prayed, and asked her to go out again, believing that she would get a job. 

It was late in the day, but she went out in a different direction and found work at the first place she asked, as John had said. She was told to report to the job regularly, and up to this day, she works in that place and feeds her children. 

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Consider the promises given us in God's Word: Peace which the world cannot give. Rest for your soul. Grace for every good work. Joy as your strength. Do you realize how valuable each one is - backed by the eternal treasures of heaven? If you haven't put them to use, ask the Lord to show you how to possess them and make them your own. He didn't give them to look at or long over wishfully. Real needs demand real answers. Our heavenly Father knows that. Don't you believe that He wants you to prosper in your soul and delight in His goodness today?

Not Forsaken

God is good. Do you believe that? What about when things don't look hopeful? When your prayers and desires aren't fulfilled like you had counted on? When you feel forsaken? It is time to look higher - to lift up your head and consider the Eternal One.

God is faithful, and it is for us to believe Him until faith is lost in sight. What does this mean? In the midst of famine conditions, brother Lawrence's current report from Makindu reveals hope and victory:

This month has began with heavy competing burdens and we are praying that the Lord  guides us as to what is best for now, with the building work challenging us and the personal survival efforts pulling on the other side, in the face of the famine and the ministerial burdens. The distribution of written lessons has ground to a stop. The production and distribution of CDs has also stopped as the funds have dwindled... But in all these things, we feel encouraged to go on with what the Lord has put in our hands. He is not dependent on us or on our strength. We are just what He has privileged us to be and we are contented to fill the place He has put us in. All I need is "go in full trust." He will do the rest. Please, keep praying for us.

The Lord is faithful and keeps His promises to us: "...God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore...be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor.6:16-18). We have experienced several miracles. The oldest lady in the congregation (over 70) had been attacked by disease, including swollen legs, etc. She has been healed and is undertaking personal evangelism to other older people. Her mother is still alive and she came pleading that we pray for her to be delivered of a demonic attack. The Lord delivered her, for which we are so grateful. After my healing, Wife was also taken ill and could barely make it to the house of worship for services. She was prayed for and now she is leaping and shouting as we walk the distance, and as she visits the homes with us. A mother of several children lost her job and had nothing for her family and herself. Her young son prayed for her to get a job and told her to go out in search for it. She testified that she started out late in the day and the first home she went to took her in and kept her at work, paying her daily. She came to church beaming with joy and gratitude to the Lord.... 

The Lord has never forsaken His children and He is not about to start it now.


Do you know this Father? God didn't mean for us to struggle and worry our way through life. "Come unto Me," Jesus said, "And I will give you rest." First come. Then you will receive the assurance, the peace, the goodness God has abundantly promised. If you are standing on the street in your troubles, it is time to forsake them and come knocking for admittance! It is your privilege to know the One who will "never leave you, nor forsake you." (Heb. 13:5)

Needing Another Miracle

Have you faced any extremities recently? In a life of faith we always look at impossibilities, but sometimes they seem to come in like a flood. 

That's been the situation recently for the brethren in Makindu. In the midst of the usual needs and responsibilities Brother Lawrence was brought low with a severe toothache. In answer to prayer the Lord has given him complete healing, and he testified today, "I am praising the Dear Lord... He removed one of my molars that was aching so bad. My jaw is healed and I don't have any more headaches or even side pains. We serve a great God... Glory, glory to God!" 

But being raised from a sickbed brings this dear servant of God face to face again with other necessities. The famine conditions have increased, and so several families are scattering to look for food and jobs. The burden to provide is weighing heavily. With limited resources and strength, what can be done to support his family and the needy around him? "I ask for prayers for another miracle," he writes. 

We all feel a need for miracles. The limits we have and the obstacles we face often feel overwhelming. It is time to call for help! We need to see the Supernatural in action. The path through the sea, the water turned to wine, the few loaves multiplied to meet the great demands... we need miracles, don't we? 

God is a miracle-working God. The Bible is full of evidence, isn't it? And God delights to do the impossible in answer to faith. No, He doesn't often work in the way we expect Him to - but the way that reveals to us that He is God. That He is unlimited and all powerful. And even more, that He knows us completely and is able to work all together for our good. The miracles He delights to do go far beyond the temporal and natural. They reach the hidden, untouchable and eternal needs that lie in our hearts. His miracles produce humility, patience, courage, faith, and Divine love.

Yes, let us ask our God for miracles today. We need them more than we know.

Laboring to Give

Jesus... Paul... the church at Philippi... they all labored to give. We like to think of miracles and a life with "every need supplied" and forget that work is involved. But suffering, drudgery, exercise, weariness - all gain a new purpose and beauty when we consider the Master's words: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." 

Our most recent update from brother Lawrence shares this practical aspect of ministry, as he has been laboring to find self-supporting opportunities for the congregation at Malindi: 

The fish business has been blessed of the Lord and we are trusting Him for the desperately needed deep freezer(s) and a pick-up van for transportation. Once we have these, more profits will be released. Please, pray for these needs. Apart from the marketing of the things we do to keep the family fed, the fish business is the only business venture we have tried that has been much more greatly blessed of the Lord. It combines with church planting in a new area, as we wait for the fishermen to deliver the catch. And it does not deter us from ministering, for which we are so grateful to God. It is wonderful to witness to a community that is not polluted with erroneous religions, and which is so receptive of the word of God. Thank you, dear ones, for help and for prayers. 

We are praying that God allows this to raise enough funds for the ministry at Malindi, and also for the rest of the work which has so many needs. The Makindu Center is not generating any income (until, perhaps when we transform it into an education center - but for now I an not led in that direction, as it slows down spiritual work as it demands more from us). It is in an area that is very poor and has few opportunities for people to make a living, except in the market and small water resource area. But Makindu is a rich "spiritual catchment" center of the Savanna areas of Kenya. People come here for Bible studies with us, and this is very good and encouraging.

At this time, Makindu has entered into a painful season of famine for food. It will last till the next rains (October to December) if God blesses us with enough rains. But we have learned that famine and other hard things bring some people closer to God where His word is mostly ignored. 

(This photo reveals the upcoming August drought conditions - current photos are still unavailable due to the lack of a camera at this time.)

Let us continue to uphold these labors in prayer and seek the Lord to be diligent in the work He gives us to do!

Makindu update

Brother Lawrence continues on with the burdens and labors that the Lord has assigned him, and there are many needs right now. He has desired to hold Bible studies sessions once a month both in Makindu and with the coastal congregation at Malindi. There are many eager to study and know God's will and how to live for Him, in the practical needs of each day. Most live in great poverty and find the need to earn money a time-consuming focal point of their existence. Praise God, there are a few who are realizing the riches of faith and are learning to rely on the promise of the heavenly Father's care. 

Though Lawrence is unable to send photos at this time, there are a few pressing needs to pray for. He writes: 

The saints around Makindu are in an emergency need for food, over and above putting the finishing touch on the building--electricity and painting. The crops failed. Our irrigated crops were only vegetables and some fruits, which were meant to supplement the cereal meals we give the orphans. We are soliciting prayers for this emergency.

My going to Malindi this week has been held up by the needs at Makindu. I must make sure that the orphans and the desperate old people we have here have enough food to last them till the end of the month. To get the supplies we have lasting as long as possible, I have to have some orphans taken in by some other institutions (one is a local children's center, which we trust will take some in). The orphan population has grown so fast that we simply cannot afford to feed them. 

Let us be mindful of these needs in our prayers. God has a work to be done, and may we each receive our part.

Be Doers - His Way

 "Be doers of the Word..."
Jesus says a lot about doing. To come and hear (or read) may take some time. But to set ourselves to put the words of life into action takes more. More than just diligence or desire, though both those are needed. But without love and humility we will get off track and lose out on the relationship. After all, we are called to be "workers together with Him." There are plenty out doing things in Jesus' name. How many of them does Jesus acknowledge as His workers? (Matthew 7:21-23)

I'm musing on God's way of getting things done. The establishing of the Bible Center in Makindu, for example, has had many stops and starts in the past two years. A lot of time and money... and time and money... and to our way of thinking, it just isn't very efficient and inspiring. But that's not the whole picture. 

The building project is just the tip of the iceberg of what God is doing, because He is investing in the unseen things, which are eternal. Patience. Faith. Love. Can we measure all that's been accomplished through these many months? Can we count the souls and the spiritual riches invested in?


Here is the second drainage pit, lined with stones just in time so that the spring rains didn't erode the walls. Praise the Lord for the grace to plod and get one more necessity taken care of! The outhouses will be built above them as soon as metal concrete-reinforcing bars become available, so more waiting is needed here...

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Meanwhile, there is plenty to keep busy with. The dirt taken from the pits is being hauled in these wagons to neutralize soil in the garden, so tomatoes can be grown. 

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There is no waste in God's time schedule. When we are willing to do His bidding, that is. This week brother Lawrence has been called back to the coast to be a support to those in Malindi. To encourage and pray and "be about the Father's business."


There are a lot of hidden aspects in serving the Lord. Little places to fill. Little jobs that need doing. Am I available and ready to do what God wants done, right now?

He That Waters

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. - Proverbs 11:25

It is a blessed thing to stand on the Word of God and see His promises prove out. In the midst of the recent needs and pressures, the Lord has enabled brother Lawrence to make a trip out to the coast for a gospel meeting at Malindi. It is wonderful to hear the joyous report of God's work there:
This young man, Kazungu, son of Naphtali (the pastor of the Malindi congregation), was enslaved by the devil all through his years. We have been praying for him since 2006. The Lord answered prayers this time and he gave his heart to the Lord. Glory to God. Please, pray for him.

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We met Naphtali in 2006 at Mombasa, where he was a preacher in a denomination. The Lord showed him His will and he decided to obey the Lord. The Lord told us to move to Malindi, and both our families relocated. Since then, the Lord has been progressively adding to His church. Naphtali has made some good progress and has been used of the Lord to reach others. Through him, the Lord has delivered some from the bondage of evil spirits, disease and sin. Please, pray for him and the work at Malindi.

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This is sister Peris Wanje (Naphtali's wife). Miraculously healed several times, her testimony has touched several hearts around Malindi.

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Daudi and his wife are helpers to Naphtali and Peris. Their work is blessed. Please, pray for them.

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The Lord sent Bro. Edward (from Mount Kenya area) to help us on this trip. He was very helpful and blessed. We thank the Lord for his humility and love for souls. Glory to God.

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Sister Joyce, instructing a newly saved soul.

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Some of the young people.

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Shadrack is leading a new congregation far inland along the valley of the Galana (Athi) River. He traveled many miles to attend this meeting. Please, pray for him and his congregation.

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Back in Makindu, the much-needed April rains have arrived. Praise the Lord! As these dear laborers return to their fields of duty, they are looking to the Lord to supply seeds for the spring crops. In freely giving of the spiritual riches entrusted to them, they are surely promised to be "watered also themselves" in their temporary needs. Let us be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

Under His Wings

"The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust." (Ruth 2:12)

The implication of this blessing is all the more meaningful when we consider to whom it was spoken. Ruth was a foreigner in the land of Israel. As a young widow, she had forsaken the pleasures and comforts of her homeland to know the living God. Sorrow and poverty had stalked her, but Ruth was undaunted. To support her mother-in-law she was now out in the barley fields, gleaning. These words of hope from Boaz, the kind owner of the field, were a welcome comfort. But they simply reflected the answer to her consecration: "thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God." And that living God was worthy to trust.

Today I am blessed to share the story of another "Ruth" who has found hope and security in God.

Monica wasn't widowed. Her husband left her for another woman - with nine children to raise and care for. The future certainly didn't look hopeful. But, like Ruth, this woman turned to God in her desperate need. Not only turned, but clung.

After witnessing her salvation a year ago, brother Lawrence states: [Monica] went all the way and consecrated. I thought it would take her years to get to the place where she would "have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come" (Heb.6:4-5). But I was wrong. Four times the Lord has wrought wonderful miracles of healing on her. In one of these miracles, we thought she was gone to eternity, but in a moment, the Lord moved on her, bringing her back to us.

She now lives in a grass hut, with the boys (pictured above), who are younger than the girls. Her eldest child is a girl, who has become a prostitute. When this girl offered her support from the money of her trade, the mother refused totally and said she would rather die than be supported from such ungodly earnings. We thought she would give up and accept her daughter's support, but when she and her children went for two days without food, having refused her daughter's supplies, we were amazed and took her seriously from then on. Excepting the unsaved daughter, these dear ones have been such a blessing and an encouragement to us.

Shall not a full reward be given her? Yes, the living God is worthy to trust. Praise Him! He has now provided means for this dear sister to buy some land and build a house. Her oldest son (not pictured) had run away, but recently returned home in answer to fasting and prayer. Does not the Lord desire to redeem her oldest daughter as well? Unto the uttermost, He is able. Let us put our trust under His wings!

Windows and Doors

Today's update on the Bible Center:
Glory to God. The windows and doors are at last being fixed. Great gracious deeds of the Lord.
Below are the window frames. The glass has not yet been added:

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Jesus said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture." John 10:9

Our Weakness - His Strength

Praise the Lord for human limitations! We don't like to be weak and overwhelmed with the needs around us. But the great loving heart of God uses these things to increase our faith. Are we standing on the reality that "our extremity is God's opportunity" today? Let us pray that we turn from our weakness to His strength, and lift up our hearts in faith. Jesus said that we will not be disappointed. "Have faith in God."

The report from brother Lawrence gives us more reasons to pray in confidence:

Praise the Dear Lord who gives us victory. It has been a time of severe warfare on my side, but the Dear Lord, who promises never to forsake us, has been so faithful that I am rejoicing in His love. For awhile now, there has been some kind of disease keeping me down and feeling very weak. I do not know what it is... but the dear Lord has given me great relief and I feel great now as I write this. The Dear Lord never allowed me to get bedridden. I was still able to do some things, though I was kept back from some intellectual activity. Praise the dear Lord.

He is also thankful for the spiritual "husbandry" that the Lord is doing among them:

The Lord has been inspecting the congregation and pointing out where each needs more fruit. John 15:4-6: "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." We praise God for His faithfulness.

Several prayer requests to remember:

A single mother of 9 children has been fellowshipping with us for a while and is doing quite well. However, she and her children are homeless. Though all her children are not saved, we feel burdened for the family. Please, pray for this.

We have not yet been able to finish the inside of the building and are still at it. There was more to it than was figured at the beginning. It will be finished this week, the Lord willing, and then we can be able get to the latrines. There has been a great shortage of water and we have had to hire means to carry it to the site, a strenuous and expensive thing. But the Dear Lord helps as we faithfully press on.

Homeless... spiritually needy... slow progress... water shortage... added expenses...
vs.
The Living God, Creator, Almighty, Father

Let us come boldly in our time of need.

Better than the hospital

Praise report from Makindu:

God is good and always faithful. A baby was dumped on an old widow here and her mother ran away. This happened very recently. The mother happened to be a granddaughter of the widow and so the widow naturally took charge of the child. But this great grandchild was sick and malnourished. The widow brought her to the service and asked for prayers and anointing on behalf of the child. But the faith of the widow did not take over and she took the child to the hospital, for the wounds to be attended. But at the hospital, the doctors refused to treat the child and expelled the old widow from the hospital. She came back to prayer meeting and requested prayer for the child again. She had nowhere else to turn but to God this time. Praise the Dear Lord. Within a few days the child was healed of her wounds (it looked like boils, combined with worms and malnutrition, to us). The next Sunday service was a day of joy in the congregation for such a wonderful deed from the Lord.

Then soon after that, another lady was ill. She had been healed directly by the Lord on another occasion before. But this time she chose to go to the hospital. At the hospital, they charged her so much that she was unable to pay. So she came to our house and asked for prayer. At first, we did not feel like the Lord would heal her since she had chosen the doctors initially,* but after her persistence and weeping, we knew she had repented and the Lord would have mercy on her. So we prayed and anointed her. She left and later testified that she was healed instantly (she had been bleeding profusely). It is really wonderful to see how the Lord blesses and encourages.

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8

*It is the desire of the Lord to heal all of those that come to Him in faith, but He also sees the motives of our hearts and may withhold mercy if we are asking selfishly, and not humbling our hearts before Him. Consider James 4:3. Other Scriptures on healing from God: Malachi 4:2, Matthew 8:16-17, Mark 6:12-13 & James 5:14

Interior Work

Brother Lawrence has sent a few more pictures of the interior work this past weekend:

Glory to God for another moment to praise and thank Him. We had a blessed service with several visitors today, despite the wet floor and the wet cement on the walls.

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The plastering of some parts of the walls is going on while we await prayerfully to be able to fix the pipes that house the electric wiring. The doors are being welded and should be ready by the middle of the week.

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God has been so good to us. We praise and glorify His name. Without His favor, we can do nothing. We are praying the Lord for funds for electric wiring and the completion of the latrines, etc. But with grateful hearts, we are going on.

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He shall establish

Brother Lawrence has sent an update on the building progress today:

Praise the Dear Lord!! He is good and faithful and will never leave nor forsake His children, as He promised. Now the building work has started again... The gaps on the walls have now been filled and the walls are ready for plaster. Glory to God. The floor work has already begun and has progressed some. It should be finished this week, if the cement will be enough, but we are going at the speed the Lord allows us to go at. He has done so much for us, we are grateful and happy. He has taken us so far, actually farther than we can be able to describe in words. Glory to God for all His love and mercies. The outside doors have been ordered and are being welded. We have to use metal doors because of the white ants which eat timber. (Our timber is not treated well enough and these ants here would have a feast). The Lord has been so good to us. Praise His holy name!

These children are excited after the Sunday service. Everyone is grateful and happy as they see the answers to prayers for the building to be finished.

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God's purposes are wonderful. They are worth waiting on. Worth suffering for and meditating on. That's because God cares much more about the process and the built-in qualities than the external results. Truly, He works to establish us in Himself.

We start out simply with "raw materials."

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It is the wise builder who sees the full potential. As we face the trials and testings of our faith, I am blessed to consider God's purpose: "But the God of all grace, who has called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." (1 Peter 5:10)

The work on flooring the Bible Center gives us a view of this spiritual process at "the ground level:"

To provide a solid foundation for the cement, the "hardcore" is laid first. Each piece is put in place and beaten level.

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A good example of Ephesians 4:2: "with lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." No place to get edgy under pressure or exalt oneself...

After the hardcore is pressed firmly together, a wheelbarrow runs down the plank and dumps its load of murram...

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Pressed and smothered? It's time to be looking at the heavenly perspective - "For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." (1 Cor. 1:26)

Loading and spreading the murram to give a smooth surface for the concrete mix.

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When individual identity is forgotten, and God's will alone matters... that's where the work of God can really begin. "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things, and things which are despised... that no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Cor. 1:27-29) Praise Him!

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