PEACE IN THREE PARTS

Our Life in the Church – Ephesians 4:3

Beginning with his words on humility and patience in the fourth chapter of Ephesians, we see a broadening of focus in the purpose of Paul’s letter. Up until this point in his letter, he was primarily writing of all the blessings that we have in Christ.

The first part of the book of Ephesians speaks primarily of the riches that these blessings are to us as individuals, and also of the blessings promised to us in the church.

However, in the second and third verses of the fourth chapter, Paul begins to speak also of our responsibilities as believers. Beginning here, he begins speaking of our relationships to others. He more or less defined patience as “bearing with one another in love,” and then further adds that we are to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3 ESV).

A MESSIAH FOR THE 21st CENTURY

The first sentence in the book of Hebrews tells us that God has spoken to us at many times and in many ways.

Throughout history, God has spoken to us through his creation in all that he has made, and he has spoken to us through his own words. These words were given to us by his prophets, as well as given to us by the written word. To those people who are open to receive his words, God reveals himself in manners that are increasingly personal so that we can come to know him better.

Unfortunately, most people have not learned the lessons of seeing God’s message in the creation. 

I AM AND I WILL

Getting to know God is not as difficult as many would make it out to be. In the first stages, every one of us, all men and women, every adult and every child—we are all able to learn a lot about God simply by observing the environment around ourselves and by contemplating the complexity and personalities of our own being.

God is one who creates, and through his creativity, he teaches us much about who he is. It actually is not much different than when we are coming to know another person. We can learn a lot about this other person by seeing the things that he or she makes, whether practical and utilitarian tools and other items, or by their creative and artistic works.

However, if we are truly to know a person, that person must speak to us. We must learn about him not only by what he makes, but also by his words. He must explain his thoughts to us and he must tell us about himself with words that we can understand. If he does not do this, our knowledge of him will always remain superficial. We may even find ourselves assuming things about him that are not true.

So it is also with God. We may be able to learn a lot about God with our contemplation of nature and the cosmos, but it will only ever be a superficial knowledge.

KISII REPORT - MEET THE CHILDREN (4)

We are so thankful that at Christmas time there was enough money so that we could buy the children new clothes and new shoes. The clothes wear out, so that it is necessary to buy the new ones. And the mud season is very hard also on the shoes.

 

 

We were able to spend $100 to have the new clothes made, and $250 to buy shoes. Thank you so much for these gifts which make the children happy at Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

KISII REPORT - MEET THE CHILDREN (3)

Dear Beloved Dad, Mum, Church and friends,

 Greetings in Jesus name from Kenya family, we want to praise God for the close care you have offered for the Kenya church and orphanage. Really we have seen the hand of God working through Dad, Mum and the readers of the blog.


We are humbled to express our gratitude to God and we say may God answer your request also as you have attended to the call of God by helping the children in Kenya.

We are experiencing rain season but its reducing thanks for your prayers and financial help in this time of difficulties.

We want to thank you for your prayers for the work of ministry in Kenya. We are pressing on despite the challenges but we work for the goal before us. We have attached midweek service pictures and of the children to bless you all. We are humbled for God is expanding his church here
in Kenya we know its because of your prayers and of the saints with you, thanks.

Keep praying for us. The food bought with the money sent, plus what the church brought, will last till Friday this week. Our prayers are with you that God may prosper you and all with you all.

Thanks to all who have sent their help and have stood with these children this far, we are getting and coming across more orphans and less fortune who need our attention but we are not able to care for them as we have no help we can give to them. We have spiritual help but something for them to keep health is not there.

Our desire to accommodate more is growing but we are limited in resources. The children home can accommodate up to 80 children but no food, no clothes, no beds, no school fees.

Kindly pray for the children and the people we are serving that they can have a project that can help them to eradicated poverty. We are stretching a hand of help to God to send people, families and who will offer help to help our communities to shine spiritually and have food for their stay.

Beloved our desire is that you come all and see this work as words and pictures cannot explain all what is going on here in Kenya church and within the orphanage.

Thanks for all who are of willing heart to help. Thanks to Dad, Mum and Log Church USA for making known the work in Kenya to world. May God prosper you and give you what you need to serve God. Thanks and again we say thanks for what you done to us.

Do not regret why you are spending your time and money to help these little Angels of God,

 
Finally the children say thanks and welcome to Kenya to see them. God bless you all, we call you blessed.

Thanks a lot,

God bless you.

 Yours Son Joel and Church Leadership-Log Church Kenya.

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If you would like to help the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kisii, Kenya, you may make your check out to "The Log Church" and write "Orphans" on the memo line.

Send it to:

 

The Log Church

PO Box 68

Tripoli, Wisconsin 54564

 

Every nickel given in this way will be used for only aid for the orphans. It will be used for purchasing food, clothing, schooling, and other necessities of living. Nothing is held back or diverted for any other purpose

 

WORTHY OF THE CALLING

Humility and Gentleness, Patience and Forbearance

(Ephesians 4:1-3)

The Apostle Paul, after writing half of the letter to the Ephesians extolling the praises of God and the blessings and promises that we have in Christ, now changes his subject material to speak of practical matters of living. He moves from concentrating on spiritual matters, now instead turning his attention to how we are to live. In this second half of his letter, Paul is speaking more as to how we as the church of Christ should act: 

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:1-2 ESV) 

In our common experience, some people are born in this world with the benefit of much greater resources than others. These have better opportunities for a superior education and for careers that can benefit society.

Often, of course, these individuals do not live up to the potential that is afforded them. Instead, they use their advantages in life mainly for self-advancement and self-enrichment. It is only those conscientious ones that realize that that the blessings that they have been given are best used if they also bring benefit to others.

KISII REPORT - MEET THE CHILDREN (2)

The muddy shoes are left at the entrance to the dormitory

I am not sure where I come down on the use of algorithms used by the internet to track my browser history, but if there is one good thing that I can say, it is because of this tracking I keep getting online and news outlet articles and videos about Kenya—articles that I otherwise would not see.

Most of the articles that have come to me have to do with some of the problems the nation is facing. Prominent these days is the flooding in many parts of the country, including in the western part, where Kisii is.

 

There has not been the same type of flooding at the orphanage, since it is higher in the hills. But they have gotten the persistent rains. The rains very often make the road into the area of the orphanage impassible, so that even if they might be able to obtain food, it is difficult or even impossible to transport.

 

Solutions for long term improvements to the living situation are difficult to find for the people of the area, but we are making progress in the orphanage. Simplistic ideas such as buying chickens or a sewing machine so that they can start earning money could of course help, but the situation is more complicated than that.


There is very little land to work with (1/4 acre of rented field to grow crops for 50 people or more), and the market is already full of merchants trying to make a living by selling articles of clothing that they have made.

 

But we press on. For me personally, it is not a choice. God has given it for me to do, and so I do it. I do not have the luxury to decide if I want to or not.


It is frustrating at times to see so little in terms of long lasting solutions, but I can only leave that in the hands of God. I can only imagine what it is for the actual orphanage workers—yet they faithfully continue, and without receiving any wage. They work as volunteers, servants of the Lord.


These are His children. My prayer and the prayer of the church in Kisii always is that He will provide for the children. It is beyond our abilities to do so. Some more of the photos of the children, their names and ages are in this post.

 

Latest from Pastor Joel:

Dear Beloved Dad, Mum and Church,

 

Greetings in Jesus name, we thank God for the day, we praise God for the love and donation sent for the children, we received food to the store and it will last till Wednesday as the food cost has increased to 100kg of maize cost ksh.16, 000 from Ksh.12, 000.


We have attached pictures of the service outside church building and pictures of the children, beds we purchased, we are still struggling as to the rain has not finished. We the money we received was used to food. We thank you all for your help kindly keep us in your prayers for the children.


God bless you. Keep praying for us. Thanks.


Yours Son Joel and Church leadership.

******************************************

If you would like to help the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kisii, Kenya, you may make your check out to "The Log Church" and write "Orphans" on the memo line.

 

Send it to:

 

The Log Church
PO Box 68
Tripoli, Wisconsin 54564

 

Every nickel given in this way will be used for only aid for the orphans. It will be used for purchasing food, clothing, schooling, and other necessities of living. Nothing is held back or diverted for any other purpose

 

KISII REPORT - MEET THE CHILDREN (1)

For the next few of posts, I will be including photos of the orphans with their names. I myself am happy to receive this, since my time with the children was very short—too short to get to know all of them.

There will be more than the 42 orphans in the photos, since as explained in the letter from Pastor Joel below, he also included other children in the church, whom although still living with their families, are also in great need of prayers. Their daily needs are just as great as our children in the orphanage.

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Dear Beloved Dad, Mum, Church and Friends,

Greetings in Jesus name, we thank God for the grace to see the new day, we are humbled by your prayers and financial support.
This far God has used everyone of you to support either financial or through prayers, we want to say thanks for your prayers. The children send greetings and they are happy for your help to them.

Thanks goes to all the readers of the Pastor Don blog and thanks to all children who have been close to help the children in Kenya. Our prayers and of that of the children here are with you. We welcome people from the background to help these children to have food, education, medical care, clean water, beds, mattresses, blanket and clothes.

Our prayers and thanks are for you all who have been so close to these children. May God bless you abundantly.

We want to report as the world is different in experiencing challenges and hardship. The challenges are not the same, like now we have food price increase because of heavy rains and also because of energy increase of price. We request your prayers for God to send help and meet the needs of these children.

 We are attaching pictures and ages.

Dad, in the Log Church Kenya at large we have in total 112 children. Also these children are in our prayers and help even if we are working for these 42 children, we are being challenged because those that come to the church still have needs and even these children can stay outside not going school, no food and even clothing is the problem.

Kindly we request your prayers to for the church and children in Kenya church as you pray kindly do not mention only 42 children in the orphanage that is why we have attached more pictures than 42,

May God prosper you and provide for you and all who are helping and who are trying to think to help and support these children to have their needs met.

Beloved, it’s not easy to handle these children but it needs your prayers and support. The church in Kenya is not silent to the needs of the children we are trying to help. But even most of the church members sleep hungry without taking food for even 4 days.

We are serving God in the community that needs your prayers and hand of help to rescue life and make them trust the Lord more.

The church brings the little they can but still cannot meet the needs of these children also they are not able to meet their needs also. The children send thanks once again for your help and request your help and prayers for they reach the future destiny and full receive and walk on the promises of God.

The leadership of Kenya Log Church/orphanage they are glad for what you have done to the children, they are praying for you and request your prayers.

 Welcoming, the church, children and orphanage request that you come all Kenya to see the work that pastor

Donald and Vivian are helping and supporting, the church is happy welcome and receive you to be the eye witness of what God is doing through your help.

Thanks to all who donated for the building may God bless you all, kindly we have the needs that are each day that must be attended for the good stay of the children and survival.

Welcome Kenya beloved to greet Kenya church the children.

 Thanks keep us in your prayers and help where you can to safe life. Kindly send your gift to pastor Donald, we are receiving every coin you send through him and we are putting them into use for the better of these children.

 Thanks God bless you all, real good we call you blessed.

 Yours Son Joel and church/Orphanage Kenya.

******************************************

If you would like to help the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kisii, Kenya, you may make your check out to "The Log Church" and write "Orphans" on the memo line.

 

Send it to:

 

The Log Church

PO Box 68

Tripoli, Wisconsin 54564

 

Every nickel given in this way will be used for only aid for the orphans. It will be used for purchasing food, clothing, schooling, and other necessities of living. Nothing is held back or diverted for any other purpose

 

NAMED BY THE FATHER

A Reason to Worship

 

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:14-16 ESV).

Like most of Paul’s phrases, this one brings out more than one topic. It is for this reason that it is sometimes a little difficult to stay with the main topic in some of Paul’s writings. His mentioning these incidental comments at times also prompts him to remark on a peripheral topic.

So it is that this particular sentence of Paul’s also contains a phrase that puts me, like the apostle himself, off on a bit of rabbit trail, chasing down what he may have meant by what he said.

With that in mind, I would first like to look at what is actually a side comment and not even the main point of what Paul is saying. It is almost a parenthesis within the sentence. In that parenthesis, he makes the statement that every family in heaven and on earth has received its name from the Father.