WHERE ARE WE GOING???

LAST WEEK I included a photo of some of the Kenya Green Family members.   This week I discovered one with some of our overseas members - taken in Nairobi way back in 2000.   Top left is Steven, then Manu, myself, and Esther.  Then on the bottom row is Michael, Anji ( Stevens wife) Hellen (Tweetie-pie) and Elisabeth.     Amazing how time goes by - I didn't even recognise Esther in that hair-do!!   Wow!
And the years have passed and continue to pass.   I see the physical change in this photo in contrast with how we now appear - but can any SPIRITUAL change be seen?        Are we the same, each of us, toward GOD.      How easy not to notice a slip or a slide - a compromise here and there!     Life, in this accelerating world hurrying us all to disaster and away from God, tends to infect us with its pace so that we also speed up.    We want quick results, quick answers, quick FIXES to our problems and challenges along the Way.
Yielding to the NEED to WAIT on God becomes fraught with more and more temptation to just GIVE UP and 'GO FISHING' as Peter did.
Of Course our Testimony has been, and remains, that Faith in God works........but last Sunday as I talked on the matter of Aaron's slackness in his role as a Leader, I found myself faced with my own failure and indiscretion in NOT waiting on God, but rather giving in to a QUICK FIX!!        And to be wholly honest on that score, I must admit it started a long time back.         When Testimony SCHOOL began in the middle 1980s.  We needed to build classrooms QUICKLY - so we BORROWED from the Bank.  A good friend of ours resigned from our Board of Management because he felt we were erring in doing so.     He is still a good friend and brother in Christ - but we went ahead and borrowed, and PAID it all back.     No default, and not a problem.   And because of that we have often borrowed - not just from the Bank but also from the School itself, which has a more assured income than we do in a practical sense - when WE found ourselves short on the Homes side of the ministry we borrowed from the School!          For some time things worked out, but since 2003 the Homes have not been able to climb out of  an increasing debt.    A LOAD indeed to carry, with a dwindling income.   We had departed from the WAY; had been diverted by a 'quick fix' to our problems, and hurried to our doom!      We have had to no painfully realise the error, and to apprehensively wonder how long the Lord will chastise us for NOT trusting in HIM as we have said we DO!
Yes DOOM seems to be facing us, for 'quick fixes' break down quickly and the end is worse than the beginning.     And on SUNDAY last the Holy Spirit took the scales from my eyes - indeed from all our eyes - and we had to confess our fault and failure, and throw ourselves on the MERCY of our Redeemer.       I had not expected to actually be in Church because on the Saturday night I was attacked by severe pain in the region of my left kidney, and early on the Sunday morning rushed to hospital suspecting a kidney stone as on the move.
The doctor told me the usual - drink a lot of water and rest - and sent me back home.    The pain subsided and I attended Church and got up to speak painless and strong!      It will be a morning to remember.    The LORD in His Grace, led us on through the day, and we are putting our house in order.       However, the BURDEN is still with us, but with Promise of Deliverance.      We feel that the Lesson will be not easily be forgotten, and that we may yet have to feel the cost of being so SLOW to see what was happening  - to ourselves AND to the ministry.        BUT in any event we KNOW Who holds our hand, and we KNOW He will not let us go, but rather TIGHTEN His Grip upon us.     Thank you Lord; Thank you Father in Heaven; Thank you Holy Spirit by whom we are taught and enlightened.

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THIS SUNDAY, I shall be speaking again.    This time I shall be using Joshua 3v1-6, here we are told to GET UP and go after the Ark of the Covenant when we see it lifted up before us.     The Ark is a Symbol of God's REAL presence with the people.   Within it were the Tablets of the Law. Aarons budding rod, and a pot of Manna;  overlaid with Gold, proclaiming its holiness, and offering hope to all that followed it.

The ARK was there to REMIND the people who was LORD, and that He only could Guide, Provide, and procure their Salvation.       It was not a 'household' artifact; not common, and not to be taken for granted.   Not to be crowded by ignorant sight-seers, out for the day, looking for a spectacular event or surprise.

Joshua said 'DON'T GET TOO CLOSE TO IT!'

Should the Christian seek to be TOO close to JESUS?        This generation of Believers are encouraged to get close; sometimes to even scrabble and scramble all over Him, excitable, emotional, even uncontrollable in what they feel is a proper demonstration of their love for Him, Who is all they desire.     BUT somehow the Reverence and the Awe - even the FEAR is no longer attainable.    This NEW Ark, this JESUS, has become too commonplace, too familiar; so that the People of God take Him too lightly, too familiarly.  AND of course we are encouraged by our present day priests to see God as 'Daddy', and Jesus as a brother..........but ......!    I wonder are we right to get too close up to HIM who is LORD of all.      CHIEF of all.      would it not be better to stand a little back and get a BETTER view; a better IDEA of what He is Doing, and WHERE He is leading.  Of WHO He truly IS.

'DON'T get too close, so that you can SEE properly, and so that you can KNOW how to follow, for YOU HAVE NOT PASSED THIS WAY BEFORE!'         

Sometimes we think that WE know HOW to go; how to follow, and WHERE to follow.   Somehow nothing is thought to be NEW.    Following Jesus has become almost a DULL routine - is it because we are not looking at HIM any more, but just the 'GLITZ' that surrounds Him?     Joshua did not have this outlook - The Ark had a mind and purpose of its own, and it needed AWESOME WATCHING if it was to be safely followed, and the people were not to stumble along the way.

When you SEE JESUS  lifted up in front of your eyes, the eyes of your spirit and mind, GET up ready to SEE where He is leading you today.    It can be NEW ground, new experience, and you will need to be ready - you will need to separate yourselves - YET AGAIN - for special service and purpose - for HE WILL do WONDERS for you.          Does that sound EXCITING?      Well it ought to be; it ought to make us full of anticipation for what will happen in our lives NEXT.

I don't want to feel TOO close to JESUS, so that I cease to respect Him, or to stand in awe of His altogether unique Originality.  I want to know He is in front of me.  I really do not KNOW where, or HOW to go where He is leading.   I know nothing as I should.  I need to take in all that He IS, from a distance.   I want to get the REAL vision of the Wonder and the Majesty of He who Leads me on in a HOLY pilgrimage.

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NOTHING OF GREAT MOMENT to share about the School or the Homes this week.    All the children and our co workers continue to be WELL and busy.     Building works continuing under blue skies and sunshine.    But it is not HOT in the usual sense of that word when used to describe what is supposed to be our DRY SEASON.       Quite cool really - about 24c   -----  Yes I know that is unlikely to be 'cool' to you in the northern hemisphere!

On Wednesday Micah YEGO's younger brother passed away.   Micah and his wife Senge are Mum and Dad in Tyndale Cottage to 36 boys and girls plus their own two children.     Micah is the eldest brother and so he had to go to the far north of Kenya, into Turkana to make sure everything was taken care of.  A long trek by bus on bad roads, taking the timber to make the coffin with them.     His brother had not long been married and was also taking care of their ageing and very sick mother; and additionally his young wife had just given birth.   A tragedy indeed, and the weight of it mainly on Micah.     On the way THERE,  at night, from eLDORET on Thursday the bus broke down in a very isolated and forested area.     The were stranded for the night.      Not an easy time for them.    They ARRIVED  safe and sound, and  now they will spend until NEXT Thursday away for a short break.     They needed it.   Pity it did not start with such a sad loss.

We trust and believe the LORD has kept you all safe, and that He will continue to do so during the week ahead.      We hope we have not caused any to feel disappointed or upset by sharing our error before God. The Road we all walk is not easy, and we are all tempted in one way or another.      We do not want to cover our mistakes but to confess them so that we may all have opportunity to be seen for what we all are - no different to any, but prone to sin, and needing continually to STAND back and to RENEW our vision for our life with God.      He will not leave us;  He will help us to take up the thread of life once more and TRY AGAIN. He IS so Wonderful.

God Bless you, comfort, and lead you on through this coming week.

John and Esther & Daryl and Carol