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

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.

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.

Beyond Ourselves

The work of God is always beyond our resources or abilities. Though the Makindu ministry has been strengthened and encouraged through the recent meetings, there continues to be physical hindrances. After traveling to the Mount Kenya region for some God-appointed visits at the beginning of this month, brother Lawrence states: "we were grounded with exhaustion." He and his wife suffer from head and backaches with such trips, he explains. "I believe it is fatigue that goes with old age. These things slow me somewhat. So I have a backlog of work now. Please, pray for us to be blessed with a vehicle. It would ease up matters a lot."


They were greatly encouraged that funds were provided for roofing the Bible Center, and plans were made to start last week. "However, the people we had given the order for timber did not deliver," he says. "So we had to give others the order and we are expecting the timber any time now. We have had to pay a lot more than we wanted to, which has eroded the funds we had for the iron roofing sheets. But we are hoping to make up for this in adding the iron sheets slowly, bit by bit, on the timber."


The desire for people to receive spiritual light and to live to glorify God is the burden of his heart. "I know it will come, for we have began seeing God moving in wonderful ways," he writes. "Please, please, pray on. The true church of God, where God is given the right of glory, ownership and rule is just beginning to shine forth in this area amidst the denominational organizations which have influenced the lives of the people. It will take time for the inbred habits to be cleaned out of the lives of the saints and for them to lift God always."

The counsel of Psalm 118:8-9 is true: "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes." It is better. It will end up right. Let us look beyond people and circumstances and places and things to the Author and Finisher of our faith. He alone is worthy of our confidence. Amen.

Laborers Together

The Spinks have returned from their Makindu mission trip with much to tell. Sunday evening was spent recounting their experiences with a photo slide show, and we rejoice to see God at work. It is a privilege to share in His labors in this far corner of the vineyard.

The blessings flowed in little ways...

Excited children hold up their colorful "Jesus Loves Me" bookmarks.

Almonds proved to be a favorite treat.

The literature table was crowded after every service.

The intensive week of meetings brought the ministers close as they shared burdens and labored together.
Standing together in the new Bible Center building.
Inspecting drying bricks, handmade with the local clay soil.
Brothers Lawrence, Mark, and Alvin working together on technical details.
A special kinship developed with Winnie and Melvin, as the Lord united hearts for the spiritual burden-bearing.

The trips to three outlying congregations gave more insight into the great needs these people face, while providing experience in spiritual warfare.

At Mbisu Mbiu on Friday...
Brother Melvin interprets the message.
Interceding for those that came forward with prayer requests.
As typical of these places, food was cooked over a simple fire pit in the kitchen hut.

And James Benson's congregation on Saturday...

A sister shares her testimony. Here and there were those overflowing with God's goodness.
An aged man testifies to being saved from witchcraft, which is a common recourse in this land.
The simple brick meeting house and kitchen hut.

Sunday was spent with Anastasia's congregation...
There were many children and youth at the meeting here.
And the burden for spiritual substance was very heavy on the preachers.
A special meal was served outside... and Anastasia asked for a prayer of dedication for her new meeting house.

Back in Makindu, they enjoyed last visits and good-byes.
Kenyan hospitality includes handwashing before meals - here at the Lawrence home.
A family photo: Josephine & Alvin (parents of oldest boy and twins), Wilma (and son), Mike, Evalyn, Joyce and Lawrence.
Dominic with his family - the youngest a new baby that his wife was told she could never have. They praise the Lord for His healing power!
Winnie and Melvin wave good-bye. Soon it is time to leave the dusty roads for the highway north to Nairobi and the flight home.

"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." - Psalm 126:6

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.

Meeting at Kimooini

Brother Lawrence reported on a blessed meeting at Kimooini last weekend, despite the long walk to get there.


The trail (a 5 mile "short cut") took them through an area that is flourishing from underground springs that come from Mount Kilimanjaro, which is located SE of Makindu, in Tanzania.

Here is a view of Kilimanjaro, covered with clouds.

"The poor populace that lives around here uses the trees for their own survival and the area for grazing their animals," he notes. "The Lord has simply made a way for them to survive in this poor area. Glory to His name."


"For the young people, it took only two hours to get to Kimooini. But for us older people it took about three hours. But we were in time for services, praise the Lord."

Here is the youth/children's service. There are around 70 people total in the Kimooini congregation, with most being seekers and around 10 newly saved. Brother Lawrence is glad to see what God is doing among them, though time will tell where their hearts are.


Here the sisters are preparing rice for the afternoon meal.

He adds: "These people are desperate for a reasonable building. Land is so cheap that we feel we can easily acquire that in good time, but they will need a building. They are so poor that we have to train some in income generating skills. Please, pray for this as we ourselves have simply not much time to earn our own upkeep and to spare to train others freely."

Weary miles, aching legs, grains of rice, helping hands, seeking hearts... these all are part of the work of God, which we catch but the smallest glimpses of now.

What will God do when we offer Him what we have?

Will there be a Harvest?

Every farmer wants a harvest. It is the purpose of all his planning and hard work. And it is the desire of every laborer in the Master's vineyard to see fruit. Yet it is not guaranteed. It is possible to spend weeks and months, even years, of labor and be disappointed at last. Do we value the harvest enough to keep contending for it?

Much spiritual sowing and laboring continues in the fields Brother Lawrence and his wife have been called to. Although the meetings mentioned in the last post were cut short, it soon became evident that God had appointed the change in plans so they could go minister to some elderly people in the Mount Kenya area.


Lawrence (standing with his wife) held several meetings for these dear folks, with a large attendance. "Please,pray for these old people and the neighborhood," he writes. He is also thankful to report that an elderly couple nearing death seemed clear with the Lord. Others, like the fig tree in the parable, are found with a fruitless profession. Please pray that God's faithful digging will bring a response.


The physical needs of the Makindu area are also much on the minister's heart. Though the maize and bean crops have grown well, a final rain is very much needed. We see in the green fields the hope of next year's food supply - if there is a harvest.


Because of the replenished water supply from the earlier rains, this brother has been able to irrigate his fruit orchard. The maturing oranges (above) and mangoes (below) promise sweet reward for his labors.



Like in most temporal cares of life, the spiritual effects are not far away. The pressing needs of life bring us to the end of our resources and require us to seek for help. We know the parable Jesus told of the poor widow and the unjust judge. Though it illustrated the need to "pray and not to faint," how often does the "unanswered yet" prayers seem in vain? Listen to our Lord's conclusion: "Shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily." (Luke 18:7-8) Do we believe Him?

Will we neglect to pray for these dear people? There is expectant, faith-filled patience for us to learn in our labors. "Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until they receive the early and latter rain." (James 5:7)


"Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?"