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THIS Smile is pleasant to look at, makes the President look good and well disposed. But God once said - 'Burning lips (that utter insincere words of love) and a wicked heart are like a potsherd (an earthen vessel covered with the scum thrown off from molten silver, making it appear to be solid silver.) (Proverbs 26-23...) 'He who hates pretends with his lips, but stores up deceit himself. When he speaks kind words do not trust him, for seven abominations are in his heart. Though he covers it with guile (with a smile) his wickedness shall be shown openly before the assembly'
THIS WEEK President Obama snubbed Mr. Netanyahu, walking out on him publicly. Should this be taken as a Warning to Israel - a warning not to rely upon their friendship and power? It IS so easy to lean on what you can see, what you can reach out and touch.
BUT GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD. He wants His children to trust and depend upon Him only, and He will go to any extent to point this out to us, even if it brings us discomfort, and hurt. BUT, look out Mr. President! Take care! In predicting a 'curse' upon Israel there is some cause to fear.
Genesis 12v2-3 God tells Abraham - the 'founder' of Israel -
I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you with abundant increase of favors)
AND make your name famous and distinguished,
and you will be a blessing (dispensing good to others).
AND I will bless those who bless you (who confer prosperity or happiness upon you)
and curse him who curses or uses insolent language towards you
IN YOU will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed
(and by you they will bless themselves).
BUT NOW a situation has arisen since ISRAEL was reborn and the Arab world disturbed. A situation that has turned JERUSALEM into a pivotal place of importance relative to the peace of the Region of the Middle East, and to all the world. PERHAPS the time has come of which Zechariah 12v2 has come and we in the midst of what is to follow.
'BEHOLD (says God) I am about to make Jerusalem a cup or bowl of reeling
to all the people round about.......
IN THAT DAY I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people;
all who lift it or burden themselves with it, shall be sorely wounded.
And all the nations of the earth shall come and gather together against it.'
ALL the Nations of the Earth will come to be AGAINST Israel, and come up against Jerusalem. Even the United States of America? Yes I do believe so. Israel will stand ALONE apparently helpless and indeed it WILL seem all is lost for them, and a huge number will die. BUT GOD will stand with them on that day. JESUS will be SEEN to be with them, and HE will turn the defeat into a great Victory, to the hurt and distress of ALL who came up to fight against Israel. THIS chapter is unfolding now, and you might be wise to read it and understand it.
Do not be deceived. God knows the imperfection of every man, and knows the imperfections of Israel but He will not cast them off forever; He will not forsake them or see them destroyed. He WILL save those that trust in HIM. He still cares for Israel - and He still cares for Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is HIS CITY - it belongs neither to the Muslim, the Jew, or the Christian. It is God's City, the place from which He will rule one day. I am saying this because not only the secular world does not SEE this but also a section of the so called 'Christian' Churches do not see it. They are in fact saying Israel is finished and Jerusalem is expendable. Take care that YOU are not so deceived.
I personally am not a JEW. I honour God, and I respect Israel, out of which nation my Salvation has come, I feel it is from Jerusalem that the greatest Blessing and Glory of God has been illuminated and made available to Man. It IS a special place on Earth. I believe that everyone should PRAY for Jerusalem and for Israel. But not blindly through 'rose-tinted-spectacles' but with the sure knowledge that GOD has a real interest and purpose in both. He cares about them
Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech recently on 4th March. It was given at the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington DC, soon after President Obamba insulted him. I have read it all through. I was impressed. I do not usually pay attention to this kind of oratory, but I AM glad to have read this, and I commend it to you if you have time or inclination to read it for yourself. And by the way, Natenyahu is not perfect either. He is a sinner like us all, and he makes mistakes, BUT he respects God and he respects Israel. He is a man who sees clearly where our world is going, and he dose not want to go there He sees clearly that there ARE two ways for us to follow - the Way to Death and the Way to Life. It is truly a moral dividing line. Which way will you and I choose? He wants LIFE.
I hope he lives and FINDS the LIFE his soul seeks after. I hope he discovers Christ, recognises the nail prints in His hands. Yes please also spare a prayer for Benjamin.
I hope he lives and FINDS the LIFE his soul seeks after. I hope he discovers Christ, recognises the nail prints in His hands. Yes please also spare a prayer for Benjamin.
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THIS TREE is very similar to a REAL tree that grows between Green Cottage where Esther and I live, and Testimony House on the small lawn that separates us. It is an Indian Mahogany tree and about 100 years old. It is supposed to have a life of 80 years so is quite elderly in its own right.
It is alive with birds, and its gnarled branches and copious foliage is often alive with birdsong, and the whispering of its leaves as the breeze moves among them. It is somehow symbolic of what we have here in Testimony Faith Homes; we often use it as such. SO many have come to us for refuge and for shelter.
BUT JUST TWO WEEKS AGO we found ourselves considering closure, and of shutting down all four of our Homes. Funds had dried up like Elijah's brook, and although some 'ravens' still flew to bring us a morsel or two, it was obvious we were about to go under. At these times we have no action to take other than to say 'Don't you care that we perish?' And of course we have for all these years known and believed that God does care, and indeed we have SEEN and FELT His care. But this time the storm, the wind and the rain, had not ceased, and our bills were mounting high enough to sink us all indeed. Funds usually are channelled to us by a small Trust in the UK known as The AENON Trust run by Allan Nicholls in Bexleheath, Kenya. Usually the Trust will send once in a month.
February's gift arrived early in the month, but in fact was only able to pay off January's bills and Salaries. Nothing more. Income had in fact been decreasing over the previous year, month by month. No explanation from the Lord in any way, and so we sailed on. Thus by the end of February we seemed to have no way forward. THEN OUR BANK notified us of two gifts that had arrived in the Homes A/c. One from here in Kenya from a friend we knew, and another from Kansas City in the USA from a Hardware firm that we had no idea of whatsoever! THAT gift completely wrote off our immediate debt. Surely we had been through this before? Of course, but THIS time it seemed worse - the winds of adversity stronger, the waves of oppression higher.......and Jesus just seemed unable to be roused from His 'sleep' to save us. HOW WONDERFUL to see His Arm provide, and His Presence once more convince and confirm us. For Daryl, feeling the Challenge for the first time as Director, it was also more than a miracle, and a kind of seal upon his appointment and leadership. We still do not know WHO sent these funds to us. We no Hardware Store in Kansas, and have no address. We may never know! But we know GOD our Father in Heaven was behind it, just as He is behind all things. SO the 'Tree' is standing still, and the many who find shelter remain upon its many 'branches'. I am listening as I type to the many happy voices that are out there in the sun this beautiful day enjoying being ALIVE.
YESTERDAY Ian and Diana Hogley arrived for a few days stay with us - they hope to return to Nakuru probably next Wednesday. Lovely to see them again, and we delighted each other by saying now young we looked. Praise the Lord - hope we were not flattering each other too much.
TODAY our Staff are attending Prayer and Bible Meeting in the School Hall. They meet once a quarter for what is a termed 'SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS' which lasts a whole Saturday morning. Everyone usually attends - teachers, houseparents, office, ground, and domestic staff. There is singing, testimonies, prayer and a Message from the Bible.
AND ITS STILL HOT - up in the 80f again.
An up to date photo of a family of four that came to us in June last year. All very happy and settled in School. It is good to see them taking such good advantage of all that is here for them. Their Mum is still alive, and had been helped to overcome her flawed life. She still has five other children living with her in rather dire circumstances, but they are a bit too old for us to admit here. They are being helped to attend School however, and now we hear that they are also now attending Church. God surely answers prayer. This is a single parent family where we have stepped in, together with others, to assist - and Praise God we can see success in it all.
Keep praying for us all. God has lifted us UP. Our hearts are full of praise.
Lovingly in Him
John and Esther - and also Daryl and Carol - all with Jesus
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