A Full Net

I'm thinking about the disciples who spent the night out fishing and caught nothing. How often do we feel discouraged when the goals haven't been met, the situation hasn't been changed, and all our efforts seems to be wasted? We can work all night if we are promised that full net of fish. But without any catch...

Then comes a voice across the waters to us. "No success? Cast your net on the right side and you will find." Try again? What difference will it make? 

It wasn't time to argue - just to believe and obey the promise. And as the net filled, it was time to recognize the One they had been seeking all along. The Master. It wasn't the fish they had really been wanting after all, it was the knowledge that their lives had purpose and that they heard Jesus voice once again, knew His approval, and could show their love for Him. 

Maybe you would throw yourself into the sea like Peter, or like the rest of the disciples, drag in the full net of fish. Jesus was pleased with both responses. After all, He has a purpose for both the impetuous and the steady in His work. The question really is, do we love Him most? Are we after the full net - or knowing that we have obeyed His voice and delighted in His will? 

It has been good to hear brother Lawrence's report of how the Lord has blessed their "casting out the net again" in his recent trip to the coast. The call to come help with a funeral service hadn't looked promising - there wasn't even funds to cover his travel expenses and the last news of the Malindi congregation had been disheartening. But the minister felt compelled to go, and God has multiplied the blessings. He shares: 

"Thank you very much Dear Ones for prayers. I am now back at Makindu and gratefully rejoicing over God's gracious dealings at the Coast. [A fallen minister] was at the altar of prayer weeping and asking God to forgive Him. He asked others, too, to forgive him and is now ready to make restitution. Please, remember him, and also his wife, in prayer. Both had backslid and wept as they prayed for forgiveness. 

[North of Malindi] there are other congregations budding up each with an average of 40 adults. Mpeketoni is a small town that has mushroomed recently in the northern coast of Kenya and is closer to Lamu. God has given us a favor in the area and quite a good number are getting saved. The immigrant population in the area is very hungry for more of God... [several] are quick to embrace truth. I have not been in a place so favored with zeal, humility, and the love for God. It is wonderful... Surely the grace of God is enough for me. Praise the Lord. Please, pray for the seekers of the truth in the area. We need to teach and feed these people. Please, pray on."

    
Do we also know Jesus as the source and meaning of our efforts today? May we leave all our prejudice, our fears, our failings, our cares and trust Him to be the Master of our lives. Then we can cast out the net at His bidding and bring the catch to Him. Does it matter whether we have little or much to show for our labor? Jesus is working out His purposes and what a joy it is to follow Him!

Image courtesy of noomhh / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The City of our God

Jesus said, "A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid" and so we see that the light of God shed abroad in our lives draws the seeking souls all around. Brother Lawrence reports: "Here at Makindu, we have many attending the services now. We are using the building even thought it is not yet roofed. God is dealing with hearts in such a way that we are sitting so many hours answering questions. Several have been coming from the other areas around Makindu. Please, pray for us to always walk in, and be led by, the Spirit as we try to feed the hungry souls." Several of the ministers that had attended the August meeting report on how the Lord has inspired and dealt with them. Praise God for His faithfulness!

The timber for roofing the center is now ready and they hope to be fixing the trusses this week. Extra time is needed to brush chemicals on the wood to prevent termite and weevil problems. They are praying that the Lord would enable them to finish before the rains, which are due in late October. Also, they have been advised to enlarge the drainage pits, which will cost extra time and money. But the vision for the work continues to unfold as God leads and blesses the labors. There is no cause to doubt His resources to carry on His work, both in the spiritual and temporal realms. May we crown Him Lord and King to "do as He will with us to advance His Kingdom," as the dear brother says.  

Psalm 48 describes it well: "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Let mount Zion rejoice... because of Thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark you well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that you may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death." (v. 1, 11-14) 

Let Them Come...

The gospel meeting at Makindu this week was held in a rented hall, with daily services Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.


People traveled from as far as Meru, near Mount Kenya (here brother Edward leads the service)


and the coastal city of Mombassa (a new young couple, Winnie and Melvin).


Some were curious, some hungry.


By God's blessing, there was food to nourish the body...



and Bread of Life to feed the soul. Here brother Lawrence translates for brother Mark. He reports, "He has been so blessed of the Lord that he preached for two days walking about in the rostrum and even jumping in praise to God. Thank you for prayers."


The ministers' wives, Joyce and Elois, served together in the kitchen.


Others shared the blessings of salvation through song.


The youth and their teacher were especially blessed to participate in the meetings.


James (center) has asked that a meeting be held at his congregation at Kawala, on Saturday. On Sunday the doors have been opened to go out to Anastasia's (in green) congregation at Kibwezi.


It is a joy and privilege to be one of those who have tasted of the living water and eaten from the tree of life. But it is even more wonderful to be able to share such blessings with the needy in the world around us.

"And the Spirit and the Bride say 'Come!' And let the one who hears say, 'Come!' And let anyone who is thirsty come. And let whosoever will take of the water of life freely." Revelation 22:17

And "let the little children come, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Let Not a Grain Be Lost

A picture is worth more than words sometimes. And here is one that illustrates both the value of physical food in the drought-ridden Savannah and the spiritual burden of the Makindu ministry as a whole.

Here are some of the recent labors at Mbisu Mibu (bee-soo bee-oo), where physical and spiritual food were dipped out to the hungry:




Let not a grain be lost - each one is needed to fill a hungry stomach.


Let not the Word be left unread - each holds the enduring truth of life.


Let not a soul be left untaught - each one is precious to the Father's loving heart.


Let not the seeking be despised - each has been offered an audience with the King.


Let not a joyful note be quenched - each reflects but a glimmer of His due praise.


Let not strangers (girls in uniform) be turned away - perhaps there is one "whose heart the Lord has touched."


Let not our wealth stifle our gratitude - here rice and green peas are received with gladness!


Let us not grow weary in well doing - these sisters (Lawrence's wife, Joyce, and Philip's wife, Naomi) have prospered the work of God by their faithful efforts.

Are we valuing "the day of small things" as earnestly?


Precious, hungry souls.
Let us not miss the opportunity - we don't know when it will pass.