those who are alive at His Coming will not stop those who are ASLEEP!

HERE WE ARE AGAIN in a photo taken by Ian Hogley during their recent visit.    My dear Esther does not show her 73 years, but my almost 77 years begin to be 'felt' at last.    But God has blessed us together, and given us happiness together.      We truly Thank our Lord Jesus, and our Father in Heaven for keeping us well and strong all these years - not a small miracle when you think about it.

AND HERE WE ARE YET AGAIN - this time with our son DARYL.    As you may remember Daryl was invited to be the one to take over from me as Director of Testimony Faith Homes & School. This is his THIRD year in office.      Daryl is a good business man and administrator.   He is not perfect of course.   He also has a mind of his own, and full of good intentions based on his own innovative ideas.      NOT EASY for him, still, as he is sitting in my shadow.  Rather like Prince Charles and his great, great grandfather Edward V1th waiting to be really FREE to Reign for themselves.     And of course it may be a step worse for us since I am no longer 'king' but still hang around to make comments about the NEW Reign!  Neither of us always agree on how something should be done, but so far God has helped him - and me - and I believe that he will finally make the most of his opportunity in front of God.      He is a hard worker,  and has already been used of God to overcome difficulties we have had with Government and the Inland Revenue, and even in Banking.     What of his spiritual life?     Daryl continues to testify that Jesus is his Lord and Saviour.     He still fights the devil in his life.    Pray for him, and believe, with us, for him, and for his sanctification.     He will be 45 this year.      He has made mistakes in living his life, and is over conscious of those mistakes, as much as he often feels mistrusted in, and often judged, in the here and now.   BUT he needs encouragement.       I have not always helped him in this, being too demanding, and often unwilling to suffer change.     You need to pray for me too!     But he has a free hand under our Board of Management, and  without any sign of censure.       He is the 'New Man' in an old ministry - There is bound to be differences and changes in the way he Leads and Manages.      As long as JESUS is allowed to remain LORD and MASTER, all will be well, and Vision will be renewed and expanded.

Some whose name and testimony have been with us many decades are now passing on.   To the left is a photo of our dear friend Ann Lipson, for many years a supporter and Team Member of IcFem in Kimillili, and before that an enthusiastic and well used Physics Teacher in many of our Schools, not least at Lugulu           Girls High School, and in addition a well known evangelist and generous friend to many.       Ann and ourselves, although at some distance from each other,  met quite often.    We visiting her last School to preach and fellowship, and she visiting us in Testimony.     An amazing and very committed sister in Jesus she will be greatly missed by all who had to the good fortune to know her.      She was about 78 - a year or so older than myself.      She, as myself, had problems with her teeth.  Both our dentists said it was due to lack of calcium (probably being in need of milk) during the War years in which we were both growing up.    I lady I shall always admire and remember with Thankfulness.

TO THE RIGHT is a photo of The Rev. Dr. Henry Joseph, founder of Marinatha Ministries in Chennai, India.    Dr. Joseph studied in I.B.T.I., my old Bible College in Sussex, England a year before I arrived in 1966.      A man of Faith and Vision he founded a pentecostal ministry that raised churches, bible schools and orphanages throughout India.    A man of great strength and
christian character.
He is grandfather to Prem Joseph, our daughter Elisabeth' husband. We were blessed to meet up with him when we attended Lizzy's Wedding in 2000.     Already quite elderly and still missing his wife who had recently passed on, Dr Joseph was still full of energy and ministry.    A man who stood up for Jesus to the very end of his life on earth.
He will be missed among all his peers, as a true pioneer and champion of the gospel.    News of his Promotion to Glory has come to us just as I was writing the Blog.      Our sincere love and Prayers go out to all the family and all the many friends and associates who will be mourning his demise.

TWO WEEKS (approximately) BEFORE PASSOVER,   a Man called Lazarus, friends of Jesus, together with his sisters Mary and Martha, DIED.     The Gospel of JOHN 11-12.

And Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick - v2.
He was not far away when He heard; about 40 kilometers, BUT He made no attempt to get up from where he was and go to his friend, Lazarus.      He said, probably in a hastily written note sent by a runner to the family home in Bethany -

'This sickness is not unto DEATH, but that the Son of God

might be glorified.'

And He remained where He was for TWO more days.    He was just about two weeks from His Crucifixion - two weeks away from His Own Death.

He said to His disciples, after he had sent the note -

'Our friend, Lazarus, sleeps!

But I go that I may wake him up.

And His disciples replied immediately say 'Lord, if he sleeps then he does well!'

JESUS realising that they had not fully understood what He had meant, told them clearly, saying

'LAZARUS IS DEAD!

and I am glad, for your sakes, that I was not there, in order that

you might believe!'

MARY BELIEVED -but she had SEEN her brother DIE and be BURIED.\

Jesus said to her - ' Your brother shall rise again!

But Mary pointed out that he had been FOUR days in the tomb, and was already decomposing.

JESUS said to her  ' I AM the Resurrection and the Life.    He / or she / that believeth in ME, though he were dead - yet shall her LIVE.'

Mary and Martha went with Jesus to the TOMB.

The STONE was still in place, covering the entrance.   'ROLL THE STONE AWAY' says Jesus.

Then, as one and other went to move the stone, Jesus shouted out ' LAZARUS!  COME OUT!'

And, almost immediately, there Lazarus was, at the opening of the cave, and still bound up in his grave clothes, and a cloth tie around his face.

HE WAS ALIVE and well a week later, when Jesus spent the night in his home, and had supper with him before going up to Jerusalem, and the waiting Cross.  - 12v1     Tradition tells us that he lived another 30 years before dying in the Island of Cyprus where, it is said, he was by then Bishop of Larnaca.   BUT, although Jesus WOKE HIM UP from sleep, he did not rise up GLORIFIED, and with a new sin free body.  Lazarus had to finish his pointed sleep, and be finally woken up on the Last Day.

THE JEWS, even some of those where were weeping at the tomb, wanted to KILL him!!  12v10

They wanted to KILL Jesus even more.

The morning after the Feast at Lararus' home, Jesus found Himself sat on a donkey travelling slowly up to Jerusalem.    It was only about SIX days now to the Passover.   The Lamb of God was soon to be offered up for the sin of the world.     

ON THE WAY, two Greeks, tried to be introduced to Jesus, but He said to them nothing.   INSTEAD

He spoke to all those that thronged excitedly around Him, shouting and singing -

HOSANNA!

Blessed is the King of Israel

that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

He said to THEM -

'If any an serve Me, let him follow Me,

And wherever I am there shall also my servant be.

If any man serve Me him will my Father honour.

THEN, more quietly, He continued..

NOW IS MY SOUL TROUBLED.

And what shall I say?

Father!   Save me from this hour -

BUT for this reason I have come to this hour!

NOW is the judgement of this world;

NOW shall the Prince of this World be cast out.

AND I, IF I BE LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH,

will draw all men to Me.

BUT - THOUGH HE HAD DONE SO MAN MIRACLES.

yet they believe Him NOT

and changed their minds about Him

DENYING THEY HAD ANY KING BUT CAESAR

and crying out for the one they HAD proclaimed as King of Israel

TO BE CRUCIFIED!