BRIDES GALORE!

TO-DAY'S DAILY NATION sported this flamboyant photo of a Zulu business man in South Africa getting married to FOUR wives - on the same day ! He says that he prefers polygamy to keeping girlfriends! An interesting Article considering that Kenya is considering changing the Marriage Laws. It is being proposed that in Kenya a man may enter into polygamous relationships provided he has permission from the first wife. Maybe this is paving the way for the Scripture that says a day will come when many women will lay hold of one man! As it is written in Isaiah 4v1 'IN that day seven women will take hold of one man'! No I am joking, I know this is bad exegesis! - BUT we do live in a world where are ARE more women - it may finally cause an in-balance which might indeed encourage this kind of situation. Not too far back one of our Government Minister decided to take a third wife - he was already living with two. He testified of himself saying 'The fact that I love women does not mean that I have loose morals'. A bit glib perhaps? Certainly to 'love' anything is to admit a strong liking for it. Not far off from lusting for it. To love another human-being beyond a proper appreciation and respect can easily lead us into immorality, and if we are already married then into unfaithulness. 'Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her (to imagine intimate relations with her) has committed adultery with her in his heart (mind).

Of course it ought to be possible NOT to look at a woman (or a man) in this way.......

but things have begun to slide downwards in our current world society.

I once asked a young Christian of my acquaintance if he had a young lady. He replied that he had more than six, and loved them all, but could not make up his mind which one he liked the most. He just liked pretty girls. He had a bouquet of them but could not choose which of them was the most desirable. But I suggest that this was not a happy or desirable situation in truth, for God Himself is not the author of confusion or perplexity. Such a state of mind is bound to become a temptation. God only presented ONE woman to Adam; no bouquet was offer to him to choose from.

BUT JOB found multiple choice already in his world, and found it hard not to LOOK at all the choices all the time. He had what many have found themselves to possess - 'A Roving Eye!' Even as a married man he found his eyes noticed every pretty girl that passed by. It obviously did not endear him to his wife, and by suggestion made for marital strife and tension. THUS, in Job 31v1 in the Old Testament of the Bible we find him sharing and saying ...''I made / dictated a covenant / an agreement with my eyes; how could I then look lustfully at a girl? For what portion or inheritance would I have from God above if were lewd (MORALLY LOOSE)?"

I have always found this verse interesting. It suggests, strongly, that when I find myself with a character fault then I should do something about it. I was reading just this week some testimonies from youngsters involved in homosexuality. The majority defended themselves by saying that they had been born with this predilection; they were programmed to BE the way they were. JOB, however, did not make such a consideration a defence, and set about putting his life by force on the right track. He took himself in hand. He did not become the slave of his EYES, but made himself their master, and himself determined what they focused on, and how. He denied his eyes to be controlled by SIN. He had GOD with him in this effort of course. He would not have been able to succeed without Him providing the spiritual strength. Reading and thinking of his battle, however, we can now see what Paul in Romans 6v12 meant when he wrote - 'Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short lived) perishable bodies, to make you yield to its cravings, and be subject to its lusts and evil passion.'" AND YES I am dogmatically saying that 'evil passion' has to be identified and accepted as that which GOD has banned in a normal human life - and not what MAN has allowed for himself. GOD who made us IS able to repair, reset, and reprogram us into the person and image He planned for us to be before SIN (like the virus) came to mess us up. If we ask HIM in to our life, He will come and He will bring POWER with Him to set us right. I do not have to be a thief, I do not have to be an adulterer, a homosexual, a murderer. I do not have to give in to bad temper. I can be what I was intended to be in God's Sight. Yes self discipline with the Help of God leaves us all without excuse to leave ourselves just as we are.

But IS polygamy acceptable to God? Is He happy about it? What does His WORD say about it?adultery, fornication, or anything else as listed in 1. Corinthians 6v9-20. It is Paul who is writing these words

Well JOB thought that a Roving Eye and a morally loose life would deprive him of God's blessing and eternal inheritance.

The truth is GOD is not happy with polygamy and any more than He is Happy with Homosexuality, words in the New Testament, and some have said that in fact Paul was ready to accept polygamy in a Christian context. He seems to accept polygamists in the Church Membership when he states that Pastors and Deacons should be the husband of ONE wife. This suggests that those who were NOT pastors or Deacons COULD have more than one wife - but I think he was merely accommodating those who may have been converted after already being polygamist.(1 Timothy 3v2 & 12) The bar put on such being Leaders shows that Paul did not think this would be a right example for others to follow.

Others will say 'What about the Patriarchs in the Old Testament?' God allowed them to have more than one wife! Yes, it is true. God also allowed Divorce, and Jesus said that God permitted it 'because of the hardness (the selfish willfulness) of men's hearts - it was never intended to be so or ordained by God to BE so. God WILL permit you to DO what you WANT, whatever you will in fact - BUT on Judgement Day it may be that you will scarcely be Saved, and that only by FIRE (1.Corinthians 3v11-18). We might find ways to argue for 'permission' to do anything - but not all things are right and proper for us to do. We need not to lean to our own understanding but rather to study God's WORD, giving it pride of place in our lives.

Perhaps to adjourn these thoughts I will conclude with Malachi 2v15 where the Prophet asks -

'And did not God make (you and your wife) one flesh?

Did not one make you and preserve your spirit alive?

And why (did God make you two ) one?

Because He sought a godly offspring (from your union).

THEREFORE take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously

and be faithless to the wife of his youth.

FOR THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, SAYS

I hate divorce and marital separation and him who covereth his garment

(his wife)

with violence.

THEREFORE keep a watch upon your spirit

(that it may be controlled by My Spirit)

that you deal not treacherously and faithlessly

(with your marriage mate).

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

THIS WEEK HAS RUSHED BY YET AGAIN. It has been a good week and a busy week. Daryl has called in for breakfast with us most mornings, and has been himself busy running up and down seeking employment. So far nothing definite, but he seems at peace. Carol and the children usually drop in at lunchtime at Green Cottage in between morning and afternoon school, so we continue to meet as family. Esther still busy at School and I have had a full time with administration, Accounts, and correspondence. I also put out a five page Memorandum concerning the proposed changes in the Children's Act and circulated to the Children's Services Forum and Government Departments. Also met with the Chief Magistrate for Eldoret and one of his colleagues - a Children's Magistrate - to further discuss the ramifications of the Meetings of last week. Their opinion is that the real power will lay with the Magistrate in the Court as each individual case is presented and considered. We shall see as the days unfold.

THE RAINS have increased through the week. Quite HEAVY and prolonged rain storms. On our tin roof the pounding becomes deafening, and almost one can 'feel' the weight or pressure of the rain upon the roof. The lawns have been mown again for the first time since early August, and the compound look washed and fresh - It has an almost coastal freshness in the air. I quite enjoy it!

Continue to pray on for us all here, for our peace and safety - there are still untoward rumours of people arming themselves in readiness for more strife before the 2012 Election - for the famine and other economic shortages still claiming lives and causing distress; for 2 million children still stranded and exposed to every possible hardship and abuse. Kenya must now be almost a Nation of 40 million - and half of them will all be under twenty years of age; possibly more. Most of our land is desert. A compressed and squeezed land where everyone fears the future, and barely endures the present. Yes pray for Kenya, and for Testimony Faith Homes.

NB - Allan Nicholls of AENON TRUST has suggested that in consequence of the expected Postal Strike, anyone wishing to send TFH a monetary gift/donation might like to get in touch with him so that he can advise them how to send finance electronically to us via AENON Trust. I will there-for give details in case any might need -

Mr. A.E. Nicholls, MBE, Secretary

The AENON TRUST, 137 Belvedere Rd., Bexleyheath, Kent

Telephone - 020 8303 5216

E-mail nicholls_allan@hotmail.com

Lovingly,

John & Esther

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