Friday recap and rejoicing

Thank God for this Friday! It was a good day, and I was definitely tiring from the schedule by the last 2 days, but we finished well by God’s grace. Friday we finished the day by looking at roles of wives and husbands and parents and children in Colossians 3:18-21 and Ephesians 5:22-6:4. The first 30-40 minutes were on what we’re all to put on daily first in Colossians 3:12-17, just like Africans put on beautiful clothes we need to but on these beautiful characteristics. Forbearance and forgiveness in v. 13 and love are critical in both contexts and I sensed was critical for many in the room to hear.

Most of the next 2 hours I taught on family roles with very practical and pointed examples and exhortations that I trust were some of the most important words of the conference. I shared very transparently about my own failings and how I’ve had to ask forgiveness from my wife and kids and I sensed that in particular was impactful (and maybe even unheard of to some). When I talked about the importance of honoring father and mother, even when they’re not acting or living honorably, I heard later there was conviction and some prayed together about that. Didier told me at one point he had tears streaming down his face, even as he was interpreting, God’s Word was impacting him in a scripture he’d heard many times, but now felt God’s Spirit speak deep to his heart. His wife Annie felt the same way about the same point. All to God’s glory as He spoke beyond what we could!

To close the conference, we spent many minutes in individual prayer of confession and application. We began the week praying the scriptures in Psalms and ended it praying the truths of Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5-6 for ourselves and our families. Then when I thought we were done and it seemed a good note to end on, Didier gave another 20 minutes of exhortation :) After 3 hours of teaching without a break the people were as engaged as ever this last day, and they’re already asking for more. After 2 full weeks of teaching I thought they’d have enough, but they’re already asking when I can come back :) They were thankful for what they learned from this American from God’s Word, but I can tell you we Americans have much we can learn from these Africans! There may have been some conviction during the teaching, but their listening and hunger for teaching should be a conviction for us! These people preached many sermons to me this week by their attitudes and attention to scripture and their worshipful response and fervent thankfulness to God.

In a time of testimony this week one woman stood up to share she’ll never forget this time and how last week God delivered her from darkness to see the light. Another lady who sat in the front each day seemed to have such a negative and downcast disposition all week but in the last couple days her whole countenance seemed to have changed, to the glory of grace. A pastor shared with me he had been complacent in his spiritual life and not reading like he should, but now he felt motivated again to God’s Word and the ministry. A mother stood up to talk about the restoration God is doing in her family and how her son wants to make things right. Didier shared with me the discouragement of ministry I can relate to, but his has been very deep this year. Now he’s greatly encouraged. I’m greatly encouraged also, and I pray sharing this encourages you in our great God, all to His glory.

My prayer request today is that you join me in praising God for a blessed conference and ask Him to continue to bear fruit and not let the world or the devil or distractions snatch away the seed. Pray with me also that this weekend will be a blessed celebration as all the churches gather together. And pray especially for the pastors (myself included) to be faithful to and joyful in the Solas and our families

Remembering God’s Faithfulness

John Piper says in the thing we see and struggle to understand why, God is doing a thousand things, most of which we know nothing about.

This morning 8/31 (Congo time) marks a day like that for our family. As I carried my son’s casket on this date, one thing I know is there was with me “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief...our sorrows He carried” (Isaiah 53). On this anniversary of my baby boy’s burial I’ll never forget how God was merciful and I captured my thoughts in this memorial. Here is a tribute I wrote on this day to the son we can’t forget:
https://lifeatthelaytons.blogspot.com/2011/08/dads-memorial-of-son-he-never-knew.html

Below is a tribute to the God who never forgets us:
https://lifeatthelaytons.blogspot.com/2011/09/behind-frowning-providence-faith-sees.html

Here is some of the rest of the story. I hope it will encourage you afresh to record God’s blessings in answered prayer so you never forget them and can look back years later as I was blessed to do today
https://lifeatthelaytons.blogspot.com/2011/09/glory-to-god-for-answered-prayers.html

Remembering with rejoicing.
To God be the glory, great things He has done!

I sense this trip is also much bigger than I see, and am looking forward to what God does, even though much of it I may not know about

Thursday recap and prayer requests

Here are the prayer requests I sent out to our church email list for those who aren’t on it:

I praise the Lord for giving me health and help in teaching and for these precious Congolese saints who have listened to hours of teaching daily for 2 weeks now. Please pray for:

- Didier’s van, it has been out of commission for 3 days now and they’re having trouble fixing it (and his wisdom for what to do with it even if they can fix it). His van is essential in transporting people for the ministry

- Processes to come through for adoptions of 3 families by next year (I met with a government official today to help and there’s an important follow-up tomorrow)

- Healing of Didier’s daughter Mary (battling malaria), and others in the churches who are suffering or struggling

- My last full day of teaching tomorrow (Friday on The Family) and preaching Sunday (3 churches)

- God’s continued care of my family till I fly home next week

Today (Thursday) I talk on God’s plan for men. I followed a similar intro and outline to yesterday’s message on God’s high calling for women. Instead of giving my notes today, I’ll just give the high-level points:

- Encouragements to men 

- Encouragements of the type of men Jesus used (focusing on the flawed and failing disciples and how patient and gracious He was to use them and us like them)

- Exhortations on what true greatness looks like (Mark 10:35-45)

- Exhortations to the type of servant-leadership Christ calls for in the church or home

- Examples Jesus gave in the upper room (and Sea of Galilee in John 21) that changed Peter

- Examples in book of Acts and 1 Peter of how the Lord transformed Peter to serve Him

Questions I remember in Q&A time:

- If you could summarize the type of man God can use in 1 or 2 words what would they be? (humble & loving ... humble because he’s God-centered and loving for Christ’s sake)

- How can I be a faithful man to witness to friends who don’t like to hear about my faith?

- I visited a church in Zambia where they did foot-washings on stage? Is that what John 13 expects of us?

- Can you give some practical examples of what it looks like to humbly serve others?

- How can I pass on what I’m learning here to others? (Didier’s assistant is taking detailed notes of both weeks in French and will photocopy for all on Sunday)

It was another blessed day that ended with glorious praise to our worthy almighty King. After the teaching we sang this song in response that Didier said they sing in honor to the God whose Word they have just heard, in thanks to Him who is worthy, almighty, and sovereign.

Wednesday recap - God’s High Calling for Women

Wednesday the crowd continued to grow to the largest we’ve had, as I spoke on God’s Heart and Plan for Women (Thursday will be men, and Friday will be the family). Some ladies came for the first time today, and some men brought their wives. Toddlers and infants were present for the 3.5 hour-long teaching session (again no break just straight sitting and the nursery and nursing lounge is wherever you are sitting :) Didier said after the ladies were “very encouraged” and this teaching is “reviving” and has awakened from spiritual sleep and given new life. I told him it has done the same for my heart that neeed that and I pray it will do the same for our church that needs this awakening. Lunch was delayed till 1:40 today as Didier implored me not to stop as he felt the Spirit leading to keep going (we started at 10ish after music). At the end there was a special time of corporate and individual prayer. We haven’t done this at the end of other sessions, but Didier asked the to pray in light of what they heard and how the Spirit was moving.

In the front row of the video above is a woman in yellow and a man next to her across the aisle. He’s a police colonel who had been very kind to help with rides while Didier’s van is having problems. After sitting in on some of the sessions, he invited his wife the last couple days, and Didier said he thinks they will start coming to his church this Sunday. Praise the Lord! 

In the afternoon we went to town as Didier wanted me to meet the Chief of Social Services who is key in the adoptions that Didier prays and trusts will move forward after the elections at the end of this year. We just met briefly but Didier thinks it’s good for adoptive parents to come back and show pictures of their children and how they’re doing, like the Wilmarths did with the judge years ago (there’s a new judge now). 

For our meal we went to a restaurant where all of the workers were deaf, except the manager. Ironically, it was one of the few times in town I’ve been able to communicate with people besides Didier as I know a little sign language (as opposed to no French). They were excited to see an American signing to them. Their signs are a little bit different but many signs are the same. I was reminded of when Jaime was with me at the Lubumbashi airport many years ago and there were some people signing sitting in our same small waiting area. Jaime’s bachelors degree was in Deaf Studies, focusing on American Sign Language. It was an amazing connection as Jaime rarely has interacted with deaf people in the foothills where we live but she got to share about our Christian faith with deaf people in a Congolese airport. It’s a small world and we have a big God. 

Like I did on yesterday’s blog, I thought I’d include the teaching outline and the questions I recalled from Q&A time to help you get a fuller feel of the teaching time Wednesday morning

TEACHING NOTES FOR Week 2 Day 3 Notes

Review Day 1 and Day 2

GOD’S PLAN FOR WOMEN

Tomorrow: Men, Friday: Family (Marriage, Parents, Children)

God’s plan for women is bigger than just being a wife or mother

We will start not with what a woman does in the home but who a woman is IN Christ and who a woman is TO Christ

We’ve been talking much about the man of God, but we must also talk about the woman of God

Why should men be here? We need to see women as God sees them

We need to see how important women are to God’s plan

We need to speak of women and to women as Jesus does

We need to support women and be thankful for all they do

Also if you are a father of girls, this is who you should raise them to be

If you are a single man, we’ll see the type of godly woman to marry

If you are a young woman, we’ll see the type of godly woman to be

My sisters in Christ, I hope today will encourage your hearts

Before I teach I would like to ask a sister in Christ if she would pray for this time

Turn to gospel of Luke chapter 1 and you’ll want to keep Bibles open

We’ll be looking at just 1 gospel to see God’s plan for women

This will be very different than man’s plan for women

Man’s plan was to use or abuse women to fulfill the desires of man

In the OT men would have multiple wives and would not love them

In the OT men saw woman’s job was to just serve man and give them sons

If a woman could not have children, man saw her as cursed and good for nothing

Many times women were not even mentioned in the family line, only the father and his sons names were given, not the names of women

When a woman was old, some would see she no longer had a purpose

If you look at the first few verses of Luke 1, who can tell me a woman’s name you see there

V. 7 says Elizabeth was old and could not have children

But v. 6 says she and her husband were righteous in God’s sight

The start of the gospel highlights this godly obedient woman

V. 5 gives her family line also, not just her husband, she was from the family tree of Aaron, the brother of Moses

In this chapter an angel says Elizabeth will have a son, but not just any son, the one who would introduce Messiah!

Can I ask one of our sisters here if she can read v. 24-25

So she understood the Lord looked with her in favor in a special way

From the beginning of the gospel we see the Lord’s favor to women like her

In the next verse and next section we see another woman the Lord favors, what is her name?

Mary was a young virgin probably the same age as some in the choir this AM

I would ask a brother in Christ to read v. 28-31

I would ask a sister in Christ to read v. 38

This is the pattern for a woman and all believers, “I am the Lord’s humble servant, whatever your Word says, let it be done in my life”

She is an example of trusting God even when it doesn’t make sense

She is also an example of purity for young women, pure until marriage

She is also an example of young women spending time with older in the next section

Summarize v. 41ff - before joy to the world, it’s joy to the women

Notice the first “gospel song” in the NT is by a woman

We remember OT songs of salvation by Miriam after the Exodus, Miriam is the Hebrew name for Mary

Mary’s prayer is using language from the psalms and the prayer of Hannah in the OT

Mary teaches women (and men) here how to pray in a God-centered way

Notice how much of this first chapter of the gospel is hope and joy for women

Read v. 57-58 - the joy is spreading from these women to many others

Paraphrase, expound 2:10 in relation to “all people” including women

Emphasis on Mary first in v. 16, 19

Summarize v. 34-38

Notice in v. 36 it again gives the family line of a woman, the tribe she was from (earlier it said Mary and Joseph were of the family line of David)

This woman was a widow from many years but she was so faithful (note v. 37)

She was serving God at the temple all the time for all her life

Only 2 people in the temple understood who baby Jesus was, and she is one who God honored in this special way

It says she was fasting and praying all the time (talk about women’s prayer group at GCBC including several faithful widows)

Notice in v.  38 her ministry —- this is an example for every woman

She didn’t preach from the pulpit but she spoke of Christ to many

Luke 4:25-26 - first sermon of Jesus in Nazareth his first illustration was God’s grace to a widow who was a Gentile

V. 38-39 - heals Simon’s mother in law and she immediately serves them

Luke 7:11-16 - summarize and expound

Luke 8:41-56 - summarize and expound

Later He will heal a crippled woman who had been bent over for 18 years

Later He will say one reason God will judge Israel’s leaders is because of how they have been mistreating and taking money of widows

Other examples (not to turn to): Woman at well

Gentile woman with suffering daughter in Mt 15 - “woman, great is your faith!”

Teaching “kingdom of heaven is like...woman taking some flour...woman putting leaven or yeast in dough and it expands and becomes bigger...woman who has lost her coin...woman coming to a judge pleading for justice...”etc.

View of women and teaching before NT - read from DNTB in binder

Summarize end of Luke 7 - transition to sermon notes in binder on “Discipleship and Women in Ministry” (preached at GCBC this summer, adapted portions)

APPLICATION:

Women be encouraged!

Men you need to encourage and thank women for their service

If you have not been seeing them as Jesus does, repent, ask him to change you

If you have not been honoring women in your life, ask them to forgive you

Application to young women, unmarried men, married men

HOMEWORK FOR TONIGHT: READ TITUS 2 AND PRAY FROM IT

Young women for older in life, older for younger 

Young men to for older in life, older for younger

[QUESTIONS FROM AUDIENCE:

When Paul tells Timothy women shouldn’t preach or teach to men, do you think it was just because that would be a scandal in their culture? 

Follow-up: are any of the gifts in Ephesians 4:11 for women or only men?

Should a woman be a politician?

When a man is preaching, if only a woman can interpret, is that ok?

I was doing door-to-door evangelism and the man said I shouldn’t listen to you teach me the Bible as you’re a woman, what should I do?

A young man asked “how do I begin to view women rightly instead of lustfully?”

Follow-up: What are the things I should be attracted to for a future wife?

Applications on growing in attraction and affection to your spouse as you choose to love and seek to make self decrease 

Tuesday recap - Faith-Healing and Deliverance Ministries

Tuesday by God’s grace was another good day of teaching and the biggest group we’ve had so far. From 9:30-10:00 each morning this week is a time of prayer, public reading of scripture, and singing (including shouting at times, and non-standard clapping beats that this white guy does his best to keep up with :) The teaching time is then from 10:00-1:00 with no break, but at least they let us sit down for the Q&A at the end :) Rather than being bored after the first couple hours, if anything they seemed more engaged and emphatic in their amens and affirmation and appreciation in the latter part of the message. 

Faith-healing and unbiblical deliverance ministries and philosophies abound, so today’s subject in particular I was prayerful and careful and doing my best to make every statement helpful and biblical. With each line interpreted into both French and Swahili that gives me more time to give care and thought to my next sentence and observe audience’s body language or facial expressions to think of illustrations or explanations to help if I can tell needed. The teaching style is more extemporaneous and expressive and expanding on the fly as best I can with the Spirit’s help. To give a little feel for what it looks like, below are the exact notes I was using with my iPad along with some printed notes for one section noted below from GCBC sermon. I’ve added comments in brackets

Week 2 Day 2 Teaching Notes

Ask show of hands for how many not here yesterday? Last week?

Prayer and scripture - anyone else want to share testimony from last night or this morning as you pray the psalms?

[another 15 minutes of testimony on the power of praying the psalms, the homework assignment from yesterday]

Today I would like to talk about praying for healing

We will also talk about deliverance from sin by repentance

Topic: Healing, Deliverance, and Repentance

HEALING

We know God can heal but what about the gift of healing in NT times?

Some claim today to have healing power like Jesus and the apostles

What we see today is very different than what we see in the NT

But the NT does say “pray for one another than you may be healed”

God may heal us, but when He does not, it doesn’t mean He doesn’t love us 

We need to be careful not to be deceived about healing or we’ll be discouraged

How does Soli Deo Gloria apply? Can God be glorified if we’re not healed?

Sola Scriptura - what does scripture teach about healing and healers?

Sola Gratia - how does God’s grace apply if we’re not healed?

Sola Fide - if you’re not healed, does it mean you don’t have enough faith?

Solo Christo - Is Christ our focus if not healed? Is Christ sufficient?

[above was probably the first 40 minutes or so]

SHARE PARTS OF NOTES FROM GCBC SERMON ON HEALING

[adapted 45 minute message I preached down to 20 minutes or so but double with interpretation]

DELIVERANCE BY REPENTANCE

Just like scripture and prayer go together, deliverance and repentance

Jesus said “the kingdom of heaven is at hand, repent and believe the gospel”

This is how we are delivered and transferred to His kingdom, by repentance and faith

1. To be saved is to be delivered or set free from sin’s slavery

John 8:31-36 

In v. 31-32 being free is by sola scriptura, knowing the truth of scripture

It’s not by a man of God or deliverance ministry

If you know the truth and believe it by faith, sola fide, it will set you free

In v. 34 it’s not deliverance from spirits we need, it’s deliverance from sin

We should not blame Satan, we should see it is our sin we’re responsible for

V. 36 says if Christ sets you free you are truly free - Solo Christo

2. Every Christian has been delivered from darkness

Colossians 1:13-14

When we repent first repent and believe, we are already delivered from the domain of darkness into Christ’s kingdom

This DELIVERED is the same as REDEMPTION and FORGIVENESS

Sinners need to repent to be forgiven, that is how we’re delivered

DELIVER = SAVED, RESCUED, SET FREE

v. 14 is clear deliverance is forgiveness 

Christians do not need to be delivered from the darkness, they already have been, but they need to live in the light of God’s kingdom (2:6)

When Christians sin it’s like a slave who is set free but who still chooses to do some of his old jobs

He doesn’t need to be set free again, he needs to know he already has been set free

He needs to see sin is no longer his master, he has been delivered from slavery

You can study this more later in Romans 6-8

We need to see Christ is the sovereign head over all powers of darkness (Col 2:10)

We need to see we are complete in Christ, and He is sovereign, not Satan (v. 10)

We need to see the cross has taken away the power of sin and darkness (2:14-15)

SIGN LANGUAGE = BONDS ARE BROKEN

3. Every Christian practices deliverance by repentance

Col 3:5

These are not spirits to be delivered from but sins that must die

Notice this is still Solo Christo - v. 1-2

We must not look to Satan or blame Satan, we must look to Christ 

We cannot do this in our own power, we must look to Christ’s power

In this sense, we can pray as Christ taught “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us...”

We have been delivered from darkness, but still need rescue from temptation

But we don’t need a deliverance ministry, our deliverer is Christ alone

Paul said in Romans 7 “who will deliver me...thanks be to Jesus” 

Not thanks to the man of God, or the ministry, thanks to Jesus

Col 3:8-10

Discuss PUT OFF and PUT ON in v. 12-15

HOMEWORK FOR TOMORROW: Read and pray from Colossians 3

This is the foundation for the family in v. 18-21 but it starts here

[Below were in my notes but didn’t get to because of interaction, but covered much of below in Q&A time - wish we had more time for Ps 51]

PSALM 51:14 “Deliver me from guilt...” - see v. 1-4, 10

Normal NT words: saved and sanctified (not deliver)

1 Corinthians pattern of dealing with problems

Paul doesn’t pray for deliverance from SPIRIT of...disunity, immorality, etc.

What Paul does is preach repentance from SIN of disunity, immorality, etc.

Paul doesn’t say come to me as the man of God

Paul points them to Christ alone as the solution, not him

Paul doesn’t say stay after church for a deliverance service

In the NT there are no deliverance services

In the NT there was no spiritual gift of deliverance

Jesus DID give His apostles powers over demons

But the apostle Paul teaches them about Christ alone - solo Christo

Paul doesn’t want them to depend on him, he wants them to depend on Christ alone

REVIEW HOMEWORK - READ COLOSSIANS 3 AND PRAY TONIGHT OR IN AM

[QUESTIONS:

I used to be at a church where during the deliverance time we would fall on the ground and be “slain in the spirit” - was that wrong?

How should we interact with people who are caught up in these movements?

It seems like some of the practices of these people are like witch doctors or magicians? What do you say?

We have many bad theologies here, if someone I know is going to a faith-healer, what should I say or do?

How do I repent of a sin? Do I need to confess it just to God or to someone else

Monday Praises and Prayers

Today was one of the most moving times of worship I’ve experienced and one of the most encouraging times of ministry in my life. Tears kept streaming down my face as these believers sang so passionately of Yahweh who is great. I felt a foretaste of heaven’s worship with every tribe and tongue and the roof was raised toward heaven along with my spirit as they lifted up the name of Jesus (the repeated refrain of the other song in French). This building that is probably 20 feet x 50 feet sounded like it was filled with hundreds of worshippers singing. Knowing and hearing testimonies of these saints makes their worship and fellowship only sweeter and deeper, despite the language barrier. 

One girl was taking IV treatment for malaria in the morning and was in evident pain in the afternoon, but was there and stayed for the 2-hour choir practice after a long day of teaching. Most in the room had been in this building for 20-30 hours this last week and their attentiveness and affection for the Lord is both an encouragement and exhortation to my soul that has needed stirring. I told them I came to minister to them but didn’t anticipate how much they would minister to me.

This week’s teaching theme is The Christian Life and the Family. Today for the first session I taught on scripture and prayer, living by scripture in Psalm 1 and Psalm 119 and praying scripture (ex: v. 18, 27, 25, 36-37, etc). Don Whitney’s seminar he did at GCBC years ago on praying scripture was the pattern I used, including stopping for 10 minutes of application (praying a psalms).  and then sharing testimonies of the experience. Probably a dozen people wanted to share what they learned and how this teaching and practice is changing them. One young man stood up to confess sin and how the words of Psalm 1 convicted him about his friends and the path of life he was following. Another confessed he was busy with the things of church but was spiritually dry like 119:25 and was encouraged that God is giving him life as he prayed that. One woman from another church stood up to say she sees how important it is that everything is connected to scripture but she doesn’t see that in her church (pray for her). Pray also for a man in the front row who is a part of a cult but has now come 3 days and wants to bring his wife Wednesday.

                   The teaching is translated into French and Swahili

Below is the teaching schedule for Week 2 for your prayers. The 2nd week won’t go into the afternoon. The format will be 9:30-12:00 teaching, brief break, then Q&A from 12:00-1:00, then done for the day. Lunch will be provided for all attendees but Didier insists he take me out to lunch to get me “American food my stomach is used to” :)

The attendees are expected to be most of the same from last week but it’s open to any in the church and guests from last week. The theme is The Christian Life and the Family. Some of the topics changed from the original list at his request. It’s good for me to be flexible and adapting to the Spirit’s leading and people’s needs. Here is the new schedule day by day for your prayers:

Monday - Scripture and Prayer (and how to pray scripture like Don Whitney taught us)
Tuesday - Healing, Deliverance Ministries, and Repentance
Wednesday - God’s Plan for Women
Thursday - God’s Plan for Men
Friday - God’s Plan for the Family

Lord’s Day highlights

Today was a blessed Lord’s Day with our family in Christ. I shared with them how many have been praying for this time and that as believers in Christ we are all one in Christ no matter our country or color. By God’s adopting grace we have the same Father. 

Below is my brother Patience (pronounced posse-on-ts). He is Didier’s assistant and one of the few men around here who speaks English. He is aspiring to the ministry and is a true servant and has been very helpful and encouraging in so many ways. He’s only 24-26 years old but is hungry and humble and developing his gifts and ministry potential. Guys like him have so blessed and refreshed my soul!

The children’s choir this morning was a real highlight. They sang a song written by Elize Mukotshi (Didier’s daughter in white shirt on the left in the back) and set to music by her brother Emany on the keyboard. Several songs we sang in church were written by Didier or his family. The first hour or so of the service was singing, special music, scripture reading and prayer. The people’s passion and love for the Lord and evident heartfelt worship was moving and motivating for the preaching time, which is the majority of the service (1.5 hours). Interestingly, they didn’t clap for the music but they clapped after the sermon to show their appreciation for God’s Word. Even when twice as long as American sermons (just saying :) I hoped to encourage them but I think they encouraged me more.

Didier is a good interpreter - in fact I often think he makes it sound more exciting than what I said! :)
Awas able to preach Christ from John 19:25-30 today and I believe He was glorified and His people were edified. It was about Christ’s Sympathy and Sufficiency in His last words on the cross to the women and John. They wanted me to keep preaching more than 1.5 hours but I thought I should stop there and quit while I was ahead :) Plus I was out of notes.

Thank you who have been praying for my health. I’m doing far better than I deserve. To complete the song theme of the last couple days, I have “blessings all mine and ten thousand beside, pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, God’s own dear presence to cheer and to guide.” And on top of that, I am well in body and soul thanks to your intercession and God’s mercies.

I leave you with the mouths of little ones from whom our majestic Lord ordains praise and establishes strength (Psalm 8:1-2)

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

Today was a blessed day of rest I needed, and God has impressed on me the words “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.” I feel my strength returning today as I was well enough to eat a big meal and take a big nap, and tomorrow the bright hope we have in Christ will be reflected in the bright colors of African dresses and shirts at church. The orphans will be singing tomorrow as well as the regular choir and even as I write I hear their exuberant praise and practice. Today I’ve been able to spend some time with the kids for the first time and they’re adorable. It took them awhile to warm up from their shyness till after I brought them “bombo” (lollipops).

Here are some of the neighborhood children

The sign above the door exiting the guest house says “Why? Jesus is Worthy!” That’s a great reminder of why I’m here everytime I go out. That’s the great motivation and all we need ... but the smiles of these kids sure is a good bonus!

Morning by morning new mercies

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Thank you all for praying for me as these last 2 mornings I’ve battled what seems to be a stomach flu and/or may have to do with some(things?) I ate. God answered prayers for rest as I was able to sleep 10+ hours last night and another 2+ hours yesterday afternoon. Didier’s van was having problems but God mercifully provided a driver who could take me home each day at lunch time (we didn’t do the full-day afternoon schedule with me from earlier in the week). God’s mercies renewed my spirit (and seem to have removed the fever) and sustained me to teach again, and seemed to bless our time as I taught on 1 Cor 2:1-5. I believe I experienced something of what Paul meant by “I was with you in weakness ... in demonstration of the Spirit and of powers, so that you faith might not rest in the wisdom of man, but on the power of God.”

I would appreciate continued prayers for my stomach which is still ill. Please join me in asking God for mercies that I would keep food down and have another good night of rest. God is so faithful, and truly all I have needed His hand has provided (even just an hour ago some things that will really help my hydration and healing.) I know tomorrow morning His mercies will provide what I and you need.

Jaime and I are reminded of God’s faithfulness, 7 years ago today right before travelling to DRC, for  the first time, we received word that the Lord had taken our son Mark Joseph that the Lord had given us through adoption, in His mysterious providence. Here are some of the thoughts and truths that sustained us and that were good for me to review and rehearse:

                                         Mark Joseph Waleza Layton 5/20/11 - 8/24/11

https://lifeatthelaytons.blogspot.com/2011/08/lord-gave-and-lord-has-taken-away.html

https://lifeatthelaytons.blogspot.com/2011/08/great-is-thy-faithfulness-sermon-from_28.html

Sleepless in Congo - and Sickness Update

Just a quick note to say I literally could not sleep at all last night with NyQuil, etc., so would appreciate extra prayers that I would be able to clear in teaching as my mind isn’t right now. At first it felt like a battle spiritually has kept me from preparing what I’ll teach but it’s definitely intestinally a battle (I’ll spare the details to keep the blog rating but my stomach is quite messed up and making exciting noises :) Please pray for me spiritually and physically (I’ve taken charcoals and have a severe daytime cold and flu I’ll try and trust God’s wisdom on what I eat).

Lifting up eyes to help that comes from the Lord who never sleeps as He guards His people (Psalm 121) and whose mercies are new every morning as I taught yesterday but need to preach to my soul

Update from Thursday afternoon: God gave me just the grace I needed to teach on grace and faith this morning, and I had the grace of the afternoon off to take a nap for 2+ hours. Please pray I would be healed of this by tomorrow (or tonight would be even better :) 

Didier thinks it’s from some of the Congolese food I’m eating, I feel like it might be a stomach bug I hope is only 24 hours. Tomorrow if the Lord wills and heals, I’ll be teaching on the supremacy of Christ whose grace is sufficient and whose strength perfected in weakness, so please join me in praying 2 Cor 12:9-10. That His power would rest on me so that when I’m weak I am strong in Christ 

Today was a great day of teaching

Here’s a picture of me and my twin brother from another mother

Here’s a picture of some of the pastors I ate lunch with. 

A week ago I was expecting a small group of pastors like this picture and maybe a few more, but yesterday there were 97 people, including about 30 Didier had never seen before! It’s been more of a general audience with 10-20 pastors so I’ve had to adapt quite a bit. Also some attendees are from Pentecostal background and churches that have Apostles. One of the ladies has a mother who is a prophetess at a large church in the area, but this lady said the teaching was so good and she hoped to come back later.

Yesterday’s Q&A was much about apostles and prophets and why we don’t believe they’re for today. The subject was supposed to be on God’s glory but I think that got obscured a bit with questions on charismatic controversies but I think God helped Didier and I explain the truth. Today those people didn’t come, so the spirit in the room during the Q&A time was less tense and the questions were more fruitful and focused on the subject, which today was Sola Scriptura.

The smiling faces at the end of a long day (9:30-3:30 with only one lunch break) refreshed my soul. Many of these people traveled by foot quite a ways, others came by public transport, but none own cars. One young man in the back was crippled and sat in the aisle on the hard concrete floor eagerly and attentively listening for hours. It was humbling and moving to see how appreciative they are to the Word of God this second day, how thankful they are. 

Please join me and them in thanking God and praying for another day like that tomorrow, as I teach on salvation by grace alone through faith alone