Paths They Have Not Known

 

Isaiah 42:16 

I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;

I will lead them in paths they have not known.

I will make darkness light before them,

And crooked places straight.

These things I will do for them,

And not forsake them. [NKJV]

Today, Francis and Neil drove to Naivasha to speak in James' church. Neil was missing the advantage of using Google Maps on his phone to find his way. Francis had Neil take over the driving whenever Francis got tired, but Neil isn't as familiar with the roads. The picture above is climbing the Rift Road, one of the most dangerous stretches of highway on earth, against heavy oncoming traffic. Francis often reminded Neil that he needed to drive in the left lane, not like Neil is used to driving in America. Neil said there were several times when Francis said, "We were supposed to turn back there." They were tired by the time they arrived in Naivasha, and nothing looked familiar. Then out of a crowd on the street, someone recognized Francis. He was on his way to James' church meeting where Neil and Francis would be speaking. So they invited the man to join them in the van and direct their way. He wasn't an angel. He was just a man, but definitely sent by God to help them find their way.

Neil shared the story from his Navigating Life book about being sure you are going to heaven. Neil's illustration in that chapter is of little Johnny who gives his life to Jesus. Then the next day as Johnny is walking along the road, a Mac truck comes bearing down on him. Just before the truck ends his life, little Johnny says, "Jesus Christ!" like a curse word. Will little Johnny go to heaven? The people in James' church were in agreement that little Johnny would go straight to hell. But Neil explained that although little Johnny had bad habits to overcome,  Jesus forgave little Johnny of all of yesterday's sins, today's sins, and even the sins he would commit in the days to come. Otherwise there would be no hope for any of us, because we find ourselves thinking, saying, and doing things that do not please God. We trust Jesus' payment of all of our sin for salvation. It is the Holy Spirit in us after we have given our lives to Jesus who begins to clean us up and help us become more and more like Jesus. 

The people in James' church were amazed to learn that it is not our ability to live perfect lives that will get us into heaven. Our works will never get us into heaven. Only Jesus is able to do that. So just as Neil and Francis were driving paths they have not known, the believers in James' and Nixson's churches are learning spiritual pathways they have not known as they allow the Holy Spirit to move them away from a works mentality to putting their trust in Jesus for salvation.

John 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. [NKJV]

The picture above is of the keyboard now in use at George's church near the Nairobi airport. Young people come to the churches that now have new sound systems to practice and learn to play the keyboard. James and Nixson also received sound systems for their churches that Francis installed. The worship music with singing and dancing draws the young people, and they soon become enthusiastic about getting to know Jesus.

On their way back to Nairobi, Neil and Francis visited Nixson's church where Neil told the little Johnny story again. Nixson's people responded in the same was as the people in James's church. Neil texted Ruth: "The visits to Nixson's and James' churches were quite profitable. They are moving toward assurance of salvation. We covered a portion of the chapter on how to hear God speak, and then opened up a time of questions and answers. It turned out to be friendly lively discussion. 

"I talked with Joe Medley last night. Sonja Kvale had connected with Joe's wife Karin, and they went to lunch together. I will not see Sonja again until Friday night at the airport for our return flight. Nixson's church is only a couple of miles from Joe and Karin's house. After dropping me off at Cosmas' Solamba's house, Francis went home to his family and his electronics business in Eldoret. On Wednesday morning around 9:00, Cosmas will bring me to the maximum security prison he visits in Nairobi. We will finish ministry there around 1:00, and I will catch an Uber to head over to Joe and Karin's house where I will stay until I head to the airport on Friday. Joe's house guest is looking forward to beating me at a few games of cribbage on Thursday."

Please pray: 

• for safety in the prison, but even more for the Holy Spirit to draw the prisoners to the true God as they hear the good news of their sin being forgiven when they entrust their lives to Jesus.
• for good rest for Neil and Sonja before they head back home on Friday night. They are facing two segments of 8 hour flights: from Nairobi to Paris, and from Paris to Minneapolis. 
• for the planning already underway for Neil to return to Kenya in April.

Love,

Ruth Thielke

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