GIVE YOUR BODY TO GOD - IT IS HIS!

I REMEMBER THIS POSTER FROM THE LATE 1950s.    I was a smoker myself by then.
It made an impression on me at the time - I even had a hat and raincoat to match!!   BUT I knew the truth as well - I knew loneliness was not removed by a cigarette.
I guess cigarettes, both then and now, remain just a 'crutch' to help you get though a day, a lonely life.     MANY walk though life with something to 'lean on'; something provide them with a little confidence to boost their boredom.     Alcohol is another such 'crutch'.     Drugs, Sex, Porno, and even  Masturbation all came under the same label.     Often even an apparently harmless, even 'helpful', habit could be interpreted as human comfort or encouragement.        Instead of turning to God we all look for something more tangible, and in doing so miss God altogether from the point of view of letting Him prove his ability to remove our loneliness, our fears, and just BE the friend we need
When I was just twenty years of age I was smoking about six packets of fags a day and had an array of some seven  tobacco pipes which I regularly puffed away at.     One day as I was travelling by train from the south coast up to the City of London, alone in a carriage, reading and smoking...I happened to look up and out of the window.     We were passing through a very dirty, industrial area. There were tall grimy chimneys funnelling dense black smoke into the already lurid atmosphere.   The BIBLE was open on my lap - I had begun reading Romans 12v1

'I appeal to you therefore,brethren, and beg of you

in view of all the mercies of God

to make a decisive dedication of your bodies

presenting all your members and faculties as a living sacrifice,

holy devoted, consecrated, and well pleasing to God,

which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.

I WAS SUDDENLY confronted with a vision of what the smoke I was seeing was actually doing to the chimneys it passed through, and the atmosphere it collided with.      I sat aghast, seeing the almost graphic picture of what I was doing to my body (the temple of GOD) and the world around me.   

I stood up, opened the carriage window and threw out the cigarette I was smoking, the packet I had in my pocked, a spare pipe in my jacket pocket, and a box of matches.       I NEVER on any occasion thereafter smoked ANYTHING anywhere. Smoking was out of my life.      Why had I never seen the truth of the matter before?    WHY?         There have been other things in my life.     Not all of them were so easy to deal with !!     BUT whatever God has pointed out to me have GONE, even when on some occasions it took time and a fight.   In the end I managed to have them all 'BY THE TAIL!'

MOSES wandered with his sheep in the desert not far from Horeb the Mountain of God.   He was not seeking God in any particular, just doing what he did on most days, his daily duty.      It was rough terrain, and not very fertile.      THEN suddenly he had seen a bush burning!      Drawing closer God clearly SPOKE to him, and unexpectedly said 'WHAT HAVE YOU GOT IN YOUR HAND?'

Moses answered as honestly as he could and said 'It's just a stick, a Rod; something help me along with the sheep, something lean on.!'   "PUT IT DOWN" God said,  and when Moses did so the Rod he had clung to became a serpent upon the ground, something that could kill him.
We can be SO used to something in our life;   we do not even question it or examine it.   YET we could be taking something for granted that will eventually cripple us.   It might get the upper hand.    We should examine every 'habitual' action that is part of our life.    Put it down and LOOK at it objectively for a moment - it might turn out to be a snake.

I only smoked for three years.    It never occurred to me what it was doing to me; how it could even shorten my LIFE!     Many of my friends continued through many decades, and are all dead and gone now.    Cancer, Heart disease, Lung disease carried them off.     The smoke and nicotine of tobacco took it's eventual toll,  and the temple of God was brought to ruin and pulled down.   

Now Moses, PICK UP THAT SNAKE BY THE TAIL!  says God.
Most snake handlers go for the head - or perhaps just behind the head at the NECK.     To take a snake by the tail is to give it the chance to turn upon you and inflict its deadly bite.   Why did God tell Moses to do the most dangerous thing?     To prove him, and also, in confronting the real danger of the snake, to find 
against and over it.

THAT night when I got home from work I was confronted, on my sitting room wall with a rack of tobacco pipes, different jars of tobacco, and a whole pile of cigarette packets.      I stood and looked at them for a moment.     Then I walked straight over to them, gathered them ALL in my hands and took them to the fireplace.   I spilled them all into it, and taking a match set fire to them.    I watched until  all   was ashes.      I HAD THAT HABIT BY THE TAIL.   I might have been tempted to have just one last fag..... but NO,      'Once BITTEN twice shy'      I RESISTED the fear, and the cigarettes and tobacco became a REAL piece of wood in my hand.

A lot more could be said about this passage of Scripture in Exodus   3-4 and I apologise for using it to make another point.     HOWEVER,   We should all take a Rain-check as to what IS in our Hand - our life - that we look to more than God...........It maybe could suddenly become an unexpected and unlooked for enemy, bent on keeping us from the BEST in Life, and indeed keeping us from GOD, and His power and strength for our life.

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THIS WEEK has been quiet.       There is also another 'cold' in Green Cottage, and we have all, with me being the last as usual, have caught it.     Mainly sore throat, cough and thick heard.    So we have been rather avoided by others on the compound - in case 'they catch it as well'    In actual fact WE think we caught it from Micah Yego of Tyndale Cottage who brought it with him to our morning Prayer Meeting at the end of last week!!      Well, but let us Praise God for all things....!

Daryl was away until Thursday as from Sunday last week doing business in Nairobi again.

Esther and I were invited to supper on Saturday by some Danish missionary friends.     We arrived at 6.30 p.m. at their home, but then on being ushered into their sitting room we were confronted by a group of some eight other of our friends all singing Happy Birthday to me - for my 75th!!   I was quite astonished and overwhelmed, Esther as well.     We had a truly wonderful and blessed time together.

Esther went off to Nairobi again yesterday for the week-end.   Thika Road Baptist Church where we were married on 14th August 1971 is celebrating its Birthday, and Esther being one of the Founding Members of the Church  was invited to be there.   She should be back again late on Monday.    So I am here struggling with my cold, and praying it will clear by tomorrow so that I can bring the Word in our Sunday Morning Fellowship.

Daryl has just dropped in to share that Jacaranda Family might be able to move into their NEW house next weekend!!     He is feeling a little concerned however since the house will look SO NEW, and the furniture and so on will look a little OLD and perhaps a little sparse as well.     God knows all about it.    It is not the furniture that counts - Esther and I many times moved into premises that had NOTHING, not even a chair to sit on.     BUT we never felt uncomfortable or unhappy since we all had each other, and great fun even with the least.

God Bless you all.        It will rain here again today.    Quite a wet May. 

Your family in Jesus Name

John Esther and Daryl Green

ANOTHER REPUTATION SCRAPPED?

APPARENTLY THERE IS A NEW BOOK OUT ABOUT THE LIFE OF Sir Winston Churchill.      And, surprise, surprise, we are now to be indoctrinated into believing he too was GAY!     Should go down well with our World Society who are doing their best to identify almost all our great men with as much unrighteousness they can find about them.  Of course there is no argument in believing AND saying that all men (and women) are sinners. The Bible, the most irrefutable Word in the Universe, says so!     We ARE all 'tarred with the same brush' of sin - though perhaps not always in the same way as our immediate neighbour,      Why pick on one example of the potential outworking of SIN  in us?  What about the Adulterous, the Liars, the Thieves and even murderers?   Or perhaps it really doesn't matter at all, any of it.    We should all be prepared to Live and let live!  I mean why worry about sin at all?  Why be concerned on its effect on humanity, and the world at large?    Let's accept the sin as well as the sinner.      After all the sinner is only ill in his soul, and as long as a cure is now found for him or her, then he/she is going to DIE eternally.     Sure the CURE may be demanding and perhaps painful, but surely if we can save a SOUL from destruction we should go ahead and do what we can - look at what we do to save the BODY.  
I have not read the book yet.     I have not yet discovered whether or not its author wants to malign one of our hero's, or whether he just wants to level him to the ranks of the rest of us.    He was after all only a man, albeit a great one.   He was imperfect like the rest of us, prone to sin like you and me. But are we to approve of his imperfections, or otherwise suggest he should be chalked up in favour of adding weight to the current cry for Sodomy to be accepted.       Admiral Lord Nelson was a great sailor and saved England from the French two hundred or so years ago.      He also committed adultery with his friends wife.      Should we commend his treacherous act and, because he was a Great Man, minimise his weakness as a Sinful act?        Studying history as a child I was very disappointed to discover Nelson's infidelity, but he remained a Man to Respect in relation to what he achieved in other areas of his life.
IF Churchill turns out to have been involved with sodomy I shall still respect him as Leader of men. I shall be sorry for his sin - and yes Sodomy IS sin!      If he were homosexual and kept it secret it is probable he did not approve of it in himself; he may privately have fought against it.     His wife remained faithful to him all their lives, and supported and strengthened his life.    SHE respected him, and if he were fighting sodomy within himself, she would have known.

So much of our world is thinking about Sodomy.       My view of Sodomy is that is not normal biological behaviour, and that those who pursue it are going against the Will and Purpose of God, and therefore sinning........BUT, like ALL of us who in one way pursue some form of sinfulness,  Christ died for them that they might be SAVED from ruining their life and inheriting eternal damnation.
GOD loves us all!     He loves the sinner    .....     AND God hates the sin that seeks to ruin and destroy those He loves.      COME OUT He says, and be separate / different!  

I do not despise any man or woman who is a sinner, but I DO despise their sin, and will not join with them in their sin in order to make THEM feel acceptable in the sight of GOD ALMIGHTY.    I am at odds with the world at large in this opinion, since the world at large is losing sight of GOD and what pleases Him.     God is not FIRST any more in the mind of men.

When I heard that Sir Alex McLaren  had declared himself to be GAY without accepting it as totally obnoxious to God (there will be no practising homosexuals - other other practising sinners of any kind - in Heaven - 1Corinthians 6v912)  I was very cast down.     Such a brilliant and gifted man - but terminally ill in his soul!     What a great LOSS to God, humanity, and the Kingdom of Heaven.  The world GAY community of today rejoice at ever human luminous star they can find to be GAY in lifestyle, and do their best to 'claw' as many others who remain innocent as the day into their circle by a smear campaign, slander and lies..         TODAY we are being told Right is Wrong, and that WRONG is right.   Isaiah 5v20-21     Every Christian and God Given law is being torn down, replaced and ignored by a sinful world determined to gain FREEDOM to SIN.

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LAST NIGHT wild dogs got into Jacaranda Compound and attacked some goats we had there.

One was completely eaten.    She had recently given birth to a kid.    The kid was ignored and lives.

VERY sad.       SO MANY SET BACKS, many of them only small, but nevertheless seen for what they are - attacks on the ministry as a whole.      Continue to pray for us.     We are feeling as if we are walking in the Valley of the Shadow of Death - but we also have the wonderful assurance of His Presence walking passively with us.     We are know He will KEEP us safe.

DARYL is now back on his feet, and seems quite recovered from his little setback of a few weeks ago,    Today is his eldest son's 17th Birthday.   Jesse is in Form 4 - the last year of his Secondary education, and wants to go into Engineering.   He is a bright young man,

IT IS STILL RAINING.     Rather chilly this afternoon.      

God Bless you all!    Keep alert, and aware of what is happening in the world.   We should all work hard at making sure we are not taken by surprise when the DAY comes.

Sincerely in Jesus from us all here at Testimony

John, Esther and Daryl Green.

CAN WE STRIKE A MATCH IN TIME?

LIGHTS OUT!       This has been our situation quite frequently of late!     LIGHTS suddenly gone in a trice......Maybe a Tree, or trees, have fallen on the Line,  or a transformer blew up, or Power and Lighting are just 'working on the line'.
Sometimes its just a minute or two that the power is cut off.   Sometimes hours or even a day, at a time.      No warning, so you have to be prepared - WE have a large stock of candles, and the Homes also have battery operated lamps.   But  it certainly diminishes the 'brightness' of life.     It also increases the DARKNESS of the night around us - more Break-ins and Burglaries..    More immobility, more tension!
In 1914 Sir Edward Gray, the British Foreign Secretary of the day, said -

'The lamps are going out all over Europe;

we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime'

He was referring to the onset of the First World War, and the ensuing darkness coming upon the world.      It was a darkness, a time of increasing fear and apprehension, and EVIL, that engulfed the world for four lightless years.       IT WAS A WARNING.     Something needed to change.    But in 1940 the SECOND world war began and continued for five long years.     The war to end all wars? No, not at all since the world has continued to go to war across the Globe.   It seems nothing has changed, even after a second WARNING!   What next.

I WAS BROWSING YESTERDAY ON THE NET, and found myself confronted with a huge Christian commentary on the coming  calamity expected in September this year.    I was quite ignorant of it.    I mean I was aware of the usual and continued Christian books written about the 2nd Coming of Jesus, and the Rapture, and the End of the World.   - But I am not a great reader of such material - I know within myself that we are all LIVING in the last days - I can sensibly SEE the way things are going just from reading the Bible.      It has been enough to encourage me to be watchful, prayerful, and EXPECTANT that Christ might come any moment.       SO what is all this about the 28th September?      Well it is said the Earth will be smitten by a huge Meteorite or piece of Rock, and ALL the lights will go out!!      Jonathon Cahn, John Hagee, and a host of other writers and pastors are industriously teaching, and proclaiming about this in books, videos and public lectures and sermons.        Year by year, book after book, we have been Warned that the End might be near, and the Return of Jesus imminent.       Even Times and Seasons have been put forward in the most sensational presentations possible.     But times goes by.    The World itself, via its own media and research, seems confident that it can, and even WILL end, sometime, either through collision with a meteorite, ecological collapse, warming or cooling of the atmosphere, and even WAR.      We seem to be preoccupied with such statements - YET everyone seems to shrug their shoulders and go on - after all what else is there to do?      WELL there is quite a LOT we could all turn ourselves to do - in making ourselves ready........     WE should be doing it anyway.

JESUS Himself assured us the End would come, and warned us of some of the 'signs' of the times' but also assured us that NO ONE could know the actual DAY it might happen.       To KNOW the actual day would fill the world population with a state of mind leading only to world chaos ........I cannot change the future of this world, this planet - but I can be in perfect peace about it BECAUSE I know that God exists, and cares about me, and will keep me safe through thick and thin.     I am not insensible of the 'signs of the times' but they do not disturb me, but only help me to determine more than ever to keep close to God through Jesus Christ.     YES I cannot predict or prevent the Lights going out in my home, or even in the world around me, BUT I can prepare!   I can make sure the Light of God lives in me to Guide, Assure, and Empower me in the very worst of circumstances.  My Trust is in the Lord Who gave His life for me,     I shall not be afraid.     I will be READY for whatever 'surprise' the future has in store.    

LAST WEEK I was unable to send the Blog - not because the Power was off, but because my Computer CRASHED!       Took four days to repair, and I had to install a new Motherboard to get things sorted out.    I still lost quite a lot of accumulated material which taught me a lesson;  I shall now make sure I have a Back-up disc on which all my important material has been copied.    You never know!

DARYL had his expected Operation on Tuesday, 5th May,    It was successful, but he was told to REST for a fortnight - but he doesn't know the work 'rest' and was up and about his usual work the next day.    This went on for two or three days, and THEN he began to feel quite unwell and HAD to finally do what he was told, and to REST.       He is still resting, but going on well and without any complications.

On the 8th our one and only COW passed away.     The person looking after her, and let her eat too much fresh Grass.     After the rains there just SO MUCH new grass, and of course without any restraint our poor cow could not resist to just go on eating until she was too BLOATED to cope.  She was in calf as well.      A lot tears from staff and children alike.

On the 11th I celebrated by 75th Birthday.      It was a quiet day, but many old boys dropped in to wish me blessing, and also some local friends.     And of course my dear Esther was with me, and we just enjoyed the Day together at home with Helen and Abigail.   It was a good time, and I enjoyed it very much.    My grateful thanks to all our loving family and friends who phoned or otherwise sent their Greetings.

ESTHER is away today, as I write.   She has gone down to Nairobi to Celebrate with her girl-friend from School Days, now headmistress of her own Primary School in Nairobi.    Josephine is 70 today, and as she came up to us to Celebrate with Esther last year, Esther felt she wanted to do the same.  I know they will enjoy each other very much.

The Weather is glorious today.   Cloudless skies, and golden sunshine.     Conversely Esther says it is VERY cloudy in Nairobi this morning, and looks as if it might rain.    We shall enjoy what we have!!

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FORTY YEARS AGO - May 1975  I wrote -
'Mercy is something He has drawn our attention to recently.
What IS Mercy?   One brother recently wrote that it is the product of Love; it's outworking.    WE have been much tested recently, and it is apparent to us that MERCY - our understanding of, and our yielding to its demands - was the reason.
So easy, in a work such as ours, to find ourselves feeling less merciful and more sacrificial!    CARING rather as a DUTY - as a work rather than as a Love offering.   So easy to find oneself looking for returns and rewards, and feeling upset; selfishly disappointed to find none forthcoming.   BUT is seems that to love WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT OF GETTING AFFECTION, is the same as GIVING WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT OF GETTING BACK - and THIS is mercy.

WE have been hit and hurt by some of 'familu' members just where it hurts most - in our fleshly heart!  And we tended to re-act with bitterness, resentment, and then despair!   We felt a desire to give up, and just GO.   THEN we began to realise that we were sorry for ourselves, looking for thankfulness for OURSELVES; AFFECTION FOR OURSELVES TOO.    BUT this is not having or doing mercy!    To love and not be loved; to do and not BE thanked; to give and not to GET but rather to be robbed - and then STILL to love.     To still have MERCY; still to long and pray and earnest desire the good of those who seem the leased moved, touched or changed.      Ah......!

But Mercy isn't soft, but STRONG.   Mercy, (loving-kindness) disciplines.    Mercy isn't afraid to stand for Good unalterably.  SO MERCY might be seen, at times, to be the WRATH of God to those who do not yield to it or accept it.      LOVE is the MERCY of God held out to whosoever needs it.  
Wrath is that Mercy REJECTED and ignored.    Yet wrath should not be seen as a 'pay-back' or revenge for Mercy's rejection.     Look at Romans 12v20   'If thine enemy (the one opposed to you) hunger, feed him; if he thirst give him drink; for in so doing thou shall heap coals of fire on his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.'     Rejected LOVE and MERCY upon the sinner will eventually increase the pressure upon him to GIVE IN,     Remember LOVE NEVER FAILS if we continue to love even being afflicted and ill used.

YET if we have been tested and tried in these recent days, we have also been much blessed and especially in our evening prayers with the boys that Love Jesus.(We only had boys at this time)
We have seen the moving of His Spirit - and NOW, as Love begins to LIVE amongst us, some are visibly being DRAWN to Jesus, Whose Image and Life had grown dim in us who testified to having him in our heart and life.      As WE repented of ourselves and sought for Him in our lives He has satisfied our souls in drought.'

 WE ARE STILL TESTED AND TRIED in these areas of our life here.      We have, again and again, to repent of ourselves and let JESUS into our hearts.

This is all for this week.      Continue to pray for us, and for our children with us.    And God our Father wrap you all around with His arms and assure your hearts within you.

Lovingly in Jesus Name

John, Esther and Daryl Green

THE MEASURE OF RIGHT AND WRONG

WE LIVE IN THE AGE OF HUMAN RIGHTS - Rights for everyone and everything.  But what is the fundamental RIGHT of Man?   It is to Love God with all his heart, mind and strength, and to love his neighbour as himself.
Does he have any other Right?    Yes!    He has the right to Choose his lifestyle, the Right to choose between Good and Evil - the Right to SIN if he so chooses.
AND THIS IS THE CLAMOUR of our Age, to actually find ways and means to excuse EVIL as a human right!.      Well the Bible says the Devil is clever, and there is no doubt he IS.   And he is really pressing forward in this 'generation' with the idea that we all have the right to 'do what we like' in the very broadest terms; 'terms' that have been stretched beyond all proper reason and understanding.     Stretched until it would seem a Man can be justified to do his worst without fear of 'correction', 'Critisism', or judgement of any kind.       Let me do this,  let me do that!   Where will it finally end.
IF I were to truly Love God with all my heart and mind and strength, then I would, by choice PLEASE Him; I would live according to His example in thought word and deed.      Yes I would do so by CHOICE, but in the final consensus, I am (even given I have the power of FREE WILL) expected to make this Choice because it is the RIGHT one.      It is in fact Commanded of me and of every man.
If I opt to PLEASE MYSELF instead, then I fly in the face of God's Commandment and face Punishment.
The Soul that sins (rebels against God's commandment) will DIE.
SO THEN Human Rights, are surely conditional to being in line with His Commandments.     Our real and basic 'right' is to be conform to God's Likeness in all that we think and do and say.         We HAVE the option still to choose to kill, abuse, and spoil ourselves and others, but it is a 'option' that comes with a 'Price' upon it.     SO, let me say that though there be a multiplicity of 'Human Rights' that are some that you will have to PAY to enjoy, and the payment will take you life, your everlasting existence!.

HERE IN KENYA, after a fairly long fight, the Gay/Lesbian faction have finally achieved their RIGHT to form their own Association -  Their previous collective application to be so recognised had been rejected on 'moralistic and religious grounds'.     This a a fairly substantial step towards giving those who are sexually disorientated equal status with those that are not.      A step towards negating what God has always revealed as opposite and obnoxious to His Will and Purpose for men and women sexually - a step together with many others being taken worldwide, to finally EXPUNGE from mankind's awareness, the displeasure caused to God the Creator when He sees our willingness to more and more bend and twist His intentions to fit our own.

More and more, if we give place to the Bible and the Word of God that it IS, we have to accept the truth that we have all clamorously gone astray to PLEASE OURSELVES, departing continuously from the wishes of the One who Made us.       Truly WE are now living in a world that more and more is as it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.     The only difference is that then it was accepted to be a BAD world, but now we tone everything DOWN and seek means to accept the worst, whilst making light of the best.

(Interestingly, on Thursday of this week our Attorney General has filed an Appeal against the Ruling for Gay Association which he says was not in line with existing law.)       We shall see.   What we have remains a world centred on giving itself the Right to choose for the worst, even in the face of seeing such choice bring decline and chaos into world and human society.

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I CAN SEE THE CHILDREN SWIMMING in the Pool, as I look out over my desk through one of the sitting room windows in our cottage.    You would think it must be HOT and brilliant sunshine all around, but NO it is stormy and the sky looks as if it will unload a huge quantity of RAIN any minute, and so the sun is NOT shining, and the temperature is NOT in the least war.     BUT this is the last chance before our 2nd School Term begins next week, and
life will become once more too full and busy for swimming just for pleasure.

I just popped across to Jacaranda, to see how things are.      The Garden is beginning to show promise after the rain, and we expect a good crop of veg continuing on for some months.      The New House is also looking more 'finished' and they now hope everything to be finished by the end of the month.   God has been so good as building works have continued on through the year.     We are happy and pleased by it.    The Sitting and Dining space seems quite enormous now that the first coat of pain is on.     Yes, God is SO good.       WE are so impatient.     I was reading this week again about Patience having its perfect work.  It is our patience that has been and continues to be tested throughout this ministry just now - keep praying for us all.

YESTERDAY one of our Old Girls from Testimony House - Purity Abwona, now 22 and working as a Nursery Teacher in our Nursery School , came to introduce her young man, John, to me and Esther.   They had tea with us, and we had a very happy time of fellowship.      They have just become Engaged, and hope to Marry later this year.     Custom still dictates that prospective Brides and Grooms have first of all to be approved of by respective parents.      John, a Computer Programmer, was a bit nervous, meeting us for the first time, but we thawed him out, and all was well, and they went away happy and excited.       It is SO good to see these young people now grown up, and starting out in their own lives.      It is always a SPECIAL blessing for us, and I am sure for all our respective Houseparents, to see children come home, grown up, happy, and successful, with Jesus still in their heart and life.

Daryl has to attend Hospital next Tuesday as an Outpatient for a three hour operation.     He will go in at 8a.m. our time and come out at about 11a.m.      Not very complicated.     However he will have to REST for between two and three weeks thereafter.    He is not looking forward to it - the REST I mean!

We OPEN SCHOOL on Tuesday next week.      We open seriously challenged, with a few teachers leaving to take up Government posts, and needed building works being held up in the Nursery area, plus all the other termly recurring needs of school uniform and footwear,        Everyone busily scurrying around trying to get every child fit and ready.      Wow!

Keep in prayer for us all, and thank you praying for us.

Much Love to you all in Jesus Name

John, Esther, and Daryl Green