EASTER WEEK is about to commence.....Some years ago we began to remember Maunday Thursday in our family program for Easter.  The photo shows Staff and Children on that first Remembrance among us.    We all sat down together to Remember that Last Supper, just before Jesus was offered up as God's Lamb.  It was a truly wonderful occasion.    Ever since then we have 'remembered' in each of our Homes and Hostels on Maunday Thursday.       ONCE when at home in the UK with our son Steven, went with him and his family to celebrate Easter.  He and his family at that time were attending an Anglican Church in Baxenden, near Accrington, in Lancashire.     The Congregation came together on the Thursday night to share a simple meal, and prepare themselves for Good Friday.   We were so impressed and moved by this, that it encouraged us to bring it home to TFH here in Kenya.    It has really become a precious prelude to all that follows.
In fact we have been surprised by how this initiative has proved popular in every house, both with staff and children.     We had at first wondered if it might be just a little too much, but instead it has seemed to open up a whole new vista and understanding about the Crucifixion, and the Gift of God.      Each home usually eats supper about 6p.m. our time.    We spend about 30 minutes before just reminding ourselves about the meaning behind the food to be served and eaten, and all that Jesus tried to show His friends about Himself, and why He had to die.
AFTER the meal we also take a little bread and water in a prelude to teaching the whole truth about the Communion.
and Breaking of Bread.    Then a short prayer and a hymn.     It truly draws families together, and at times old boys and girls might drop in to share with us, and even one or two of our day workers.. This year the senior Greens are having their little daughter Helen and granddaughter Abigail with them, and hopefully even Daryl, Carol and their children.     Pray for us as we also will be remembering all of you as we join together.     A time to Forgive;  a time to reach out to each other in Love.

The School has closed yesterday for the Easter Holidays - four weeks - and so all our children once again at home all day and keeping their Parents busy and on the alert.      Esther and Daryl are away today as well, attending Carol's fathers funeral some three hours driving distance away.     I would also have been with them, but I do not travel easily these days, so I have remained at home with Helen and granddaughter.     It is cloudy, cool, and showing signs of RAIN today.     It may be that RAINS will start earlier than predicted, and there will be great Relief and Rejoicing if they do   We shall be just ourselves, otherwise for Easter - a small family community of 140.     I am due to share on Good Friday, and our Pastor on Easter Sunday.    -   THEN expected Visitors through to the end of the month.        I am thinking of a simple word on Good Friday.    We shall  have some four Bible Readings and then the Word.

Good Friday.
On the way to Jerusalem, to attend Passover, Jesus said

'Father, save Me from this hour!

But for this reason I came to this hour.'

What hour was he talking about?  The hour of his DEATH, of His Crucifixion -  He shrunk from it.

The LAW of God says - 'The soul that SINS shall DIE'

The man, woman, or child that does wrong - does what is opposite to God's Will and Purpose, WILFULLY, will face DEATH.      BUT none  of us are MEANT to Die'  IT IS not GOD'S WILL, He has no pleasure in any one of us actually dying.     He longs to give us  Life - Ezekiel 18v32      BUT, yet again, God cannot alter His own LAW.    And all mankind HAS gone astray and followed his OWN way instead of God's.    Thus we are ALL now sentenced to death, for we HAVE all sinned - Yes!  All of us.

We are told ' 'SEE no evil, HEAR no evil, and SPEAK, no evil.'    This Maxim derives from Confuscionist Philosophy,  not from Christianity.      The PROBLEM is evil is in our flesh, and lives in us.     ST.PAUL tells us that SIN lives, dwell, exists, in our FLESH, and has done since Eve allowed herself to be tempted by Satan, and together with her husband stopped listening to God, and gave in to their personal desires instead.    From that moment all mankind has been born, prone to SIN, and with Sin.
BUT GOD, our Creator, LOVES US, and has no pleasure in seeing any one of us die.    But HOW can we be saved?   What can take AWAY our sin, and purchase our forgiveness having sinned?
And the Voice of the Word of God said ' PREPARE ME A BODY...and I will go and SAVE them'
God prepared a body in the womb of Mary, and when the child was born He was given the name of JESUS.      
And so the WORD was made FLESH and came from Heaven to Earth to live and die among us.
He came first to show us how GOD is, in His Nature and Character, and how a Child of God should live, and then to DIE on our behalf, standing as our Substitute ,and bearing in His own Body our Punishment, so that WE could be forgiven, and receive a NEW life - HIS sin free life - from God.

HE did this for the Love HE had for God, His Father, AND for the love His Father has for Mankind.
He, who was Pure, and Holy, and without SIN,  came to put OUR sin upon Himself, counting them as His Own, taking away OUR Condemnation sand Punishment and suffering instead of US.

BUT He did not go to the Cross without fear.      He, as a man, would have AVOIDED the pain and the shame of it.       He said again to His Father, as he prayed in the Garden the night before Judas came with police to arrest Him......' Father, if it be possible.......YET not my will but YOURS be done.
HE WENT TO THE CROSS out of Love for His Father, and His Father's love for us.      As he hung, nailed to the Cross, He was heard to cry out ' My God, my God why have you forsaken me?   Perhaps the most dreaded and AWFUL moment had come, the Moment when God looked away from His Own Son because of the Sin of All of US that covered up and HID him from view.      We cannot imagine the terrible, devastating, isolation and loneliness that came upon HIM then - a deep despair that would otherwise come to each and every one that dies in UNBELIEF of God's Way of Salvation;
of everyone that dies uncleansed and unforgiven of their sin.

SOME people seem unaware and unconvicted of their being anything wrong with them.    They might even declare that they have no sin, and have no need of forgiveness or God.    
THE BIBLE tells us differently.  
St. JOHN who knew and loved Jesus the most, said in his 1st Letter 1v8-10

IF we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, 

and the TRUTH is not in us.

IF we say we have not sinned,

we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.

BUT - v.9 - 

IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to

FORGIVE us our sins,

and to CLEANSE us from ALL unrighteousness.

Just because a person has not been caught Stealing, or Murdering, or committing Adultery, does not mean they have never had an evil thought, or seen others doing wrong and been unwilling to report it. Some people feel that you can LIE but it doesn't matter, or even pilfer and take what is not yours.   They are not convinced it is wrong.     Their CONSCIENCE is not working.

EVE only took a fruit that was offered to her.      She had been warned by GOD not to even want it.

It looked harmless, even desirable to her - so why not - may be God was just a 'spoil sport.'

SO she took and gave also to her husband who was with her, and they both enjoyed the fruit.   It did not seem something VERY important - but it cost them EVERYTHING.    They were condemned to DIE.       They could have lived forever.     Instead they brought Death upon themselves for a moments happiness - and brought death upon ALL of us as well.

And God grieved, and finally had to see His own Son die so that WE might be saved   -  but remember NOT all are saved.     ONLY those who believe in God's Plan of Salvation in Christ.

Be VERY careful, and faithful to God in what you LOOK at!

Be VERY careful and faithful to God in what you LISTEN to!

Be VERY careful and faithful to God in what you SPEAK and SAY.

Will you not say with me today

THANK You Father for allowing Jesus to come to change places with me on the Cross.

Thank you Jesus for going through my punishment, and for sparing me from being separated from God.

THANK YOU for taking my condemnation altogether upon yourself

and for giving up in every way your Life for me, that I might LIVE.

WE all wish you a VERY Blessed Easter, full of Peace, Joy, and Spiritual Renewal..

John, Esther, and Daryl Green