Old Paths In Portrait

“It is a thing infinitely good in itself, that God’s glory should be known by a glorious society of created beings. And that there should be in them an increasing knowledge of God to all eternity, is worthy to be regarded by him, to whom it belongs to order what is fittest and best. If existence is more worthy than defect and non-entity, and if any created existence is in itself worthy to be, then knowledge is; and if any knowledge, then the most excellent sort of knowledge, viz. that of God and his glory. This knowledge is one of the highest, most real, and substantial parts of all created existence, most remote from non-entity and defect.”

-Jonathan Edwards  American Pastor, Theologian  1703-1758

Mission Africa Update May 31, 2018

We are experiencing problems with our website hosting and the website is not viewable or editable in Uganda because of security issues; it seems the host sees it best to block access to their sites in Uganda and that this will be a permanent situation. We are safe and there is no threat towards us. For now you can see our communications online at: https://missionafricajk.blogspot.ug/. Thanks for your patience and as always we need and appreciate your prayers!

Friends: Our Updates are sent to instruct, encourage, edify and act as a help in prayer. We appreciate your receiving them, your replies, comments and prayer requests. 

We will share this Update format once a month as God allows.

KAPPY’S CORNER —One Red Bloom

It was one of those mornings when the sky rather than growing lighter grew darker. We’d had a lot of rain and it looked like we would have more. There was fresh new green everywhere I looked. Outside my office window among new leaves hung one scarlet Hibiscus flower. It wasn’t fancy. Five simple satiny petals curled back from the bright yellow stamen in the center. As the darkness grew more intense and the wind and rain came, the brightness of that one bloom grew more intense. It put me in mind of what it means to be a Christian in this world. The apostle Paul uses the term ‘this present darkness’ to describe the spiritual state of the world—a condition that exists, if possible, more today than it did then. Time after time in the history of the world God has used one person to stand against the powers of darkness—heroes, if you will. The Scripture is full of examples, the ultimate Hero being the Lord Jesus Christ. And we are called to serve Him and be like Him. Although the Word of God calls us to community, there are times in this walk with the Lord we are called to stand alone as He did. I think we have each been in situations where we were the only follower of Christ in a group of people, or at least we thought we were. There are places in this world where a Christian isn’t allowed to speak of Christ. There are times where speaking the name of Jesus brings violent reactions from those around us. Those are the times when we, by God’s grace, must let His light shine before men. And the darker it gets the brighter the Light of Christ shines. Time is short. The next morning, that red Hibiscus bloom was shriveled and pale, soon to fall off. May we make use of the time the Lord has given us here on this earth to speak the Gospel and win others to Christ. For His glory.

Prayer Requests and Thanks:

Thanks that Kate, Willie, Vern and Phil have improved health! Please ask the Lord to continue to bless them in better health.
For the salvation of Lillian, Sharon, Clare, Francis, Joseph and Maurice who have heard the Gospel recently.

For God’s grace through our Pastoral Leadership Development and Bible and Literature distributions.

For God’s grace for us and for our friends as Jim travels to Sierre Leone, West Africa, for ministry in mid-June.

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THE INFINITE AND THE FINITE

“Thou Great I Am,

Fill my mind with elevation and grandeur at the thought of a Being

with whom one day is as a thousand years,

and a thousand years as one day,

A mighty God who, amidst the lapse of worlds,

And the revolutions of empires,

Feels no variableness,

But is glorious in immortality.

May I rejoice that, while men die, the Lord lives;

That, while all creatures are broken reeds,

Empty cisterns,

fading flowers,

withering grass,

he is the rock of ages, the fountain of living waters.

Turn my heart from vanity,

From dissatisfactions,

From uncertainties of the present state,

To an eternal interest in Christ.

Let me remember that life is short and unforeseen,

And is only an opportunity for usefulness;

Give me a holy avarice to redeem the time,

To awake at every call to charity and piety,

So that I may feed the hungry,

Clothe the naked,

Instruct the ignorant,

Reclaim the vicious,

Forgive the offender,

diffuse the gospel,

show neighborly love to all.

Let me live a life of self-distrust,

Dependence on thyself,

Mortification,

crucifixion,

prayer.”

From, The Valley of Vision, edited by Arthur Bennett, (The Banner of Truth Trust; 1975); page 104.

(Photo is of a Puritan church interior)