EKM

07/05/2019

"“Why aren’t more churches doing this?” We have friends whose churches give generous financial gifts but offer little other support. After just a short stint on the field, we see our deep need for all kinds of support from sending churches. Long-term missionaries need you, beyond your monthly check and prayer. They need you to visit them.

Here are four reasons why."

by Beth Barthelemy About a year ago, we had our very first visitors since arriving on South African soil (about a year before that). After months of anticipation, our pastor and friends from our U.…

07/03/2019

EKM Monthly Newsletter

God is always good and we thank Him daily for opportunities to serve Him.

26/02/2019

We are also hearing stories from our churches reaching out to Chinese workers in their area. Pray for fruit amongst the Chinese. God is doing big things.

“If US State Department numbers are to be believed, there are nearly as many Chinese Christians (70 million) as the 90 million CCP members reported by Chinese state media, and at current growth rates, China will soon have more Christians than any country in the world. Despite its best efforts, China is losing its fight against Christianity, and the growing influx of citizens returning from Africa is shaping up to be another hopeless front in that war.”

Several years ago, I spent a significant amount of time in East Africa, researching the involvement of local Christian denominations in politics. While in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, I learned that China was engaged in significant infrastructure building, including a major roads project that ...

22/02/2019

“The American culture trains us to be devastatingly independent with a front-runner, do it your own way approach. The Lord, however, desires us to humble ourselves to be willing to learn from each other and those who have gone before us. Just as members of the body of Christ benefit one another with diverse gifts and talents, we can also greatly benefit one another by learning from each other’s faith and previous experiences.”

(Global Frontier Missions)

June 5, 2017 by GFM Atlanta Leave a Comment The American culture trains us to be devastatingly independent with a front-runner, do it your own way approach. The Lord, however, desires us to humble ourselves to be willing to learn from each other and those who have gone before us. Just as members of....

12/02/2019

February 12th

Compelled to Speak

11/02/2019

FEBRUARY 11

Wholehearted Repentance

“Now, therefore,” says the LORD,
“Turn to me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” . . .
Then the LORD will be zealous for His land,
And pity His people.
JOEL 2:12, 18

True repentance is not a pleasant experience, at least not initially. It involves a broken heart and deep sorrow. In Joel 2:12, such wholehearted repentance is characterized by fasting, weeping, and mourning. No, it’s not pleasant to get a glimpse of our sin-stained self from our holy God’s perspective. . . .

But, ideally, that accurate picture of who we are in all our sin compels us to cry out to God, and whenever we do so, He hears us. Whenever we are brokenhearted and genuinely humbled by the reality of our sin, God will have compassion on us and forgive us. Sometimes in our pride, though, we think that not even God can forgive us. Know that such thoughts are the enemy’s lies, and counter them with the truth of Scripture. The truth of 1 John 1:8–9 is a powerful weapon when Satan whispers in your ear that you’ve committed the unforgivable.

Also know that, when you’ve repented of your sin and received God’s gracious forgiveness, the outcome is a new beginning, a conspicuous change in the direction of your life, the Lord’s blessing rather than His judgment, and joy. The result of repentance is always amazing!”

Henry & Richard Blackaby

10/02/2019

Today in Jimba with Pastor Daniel Mbuvi.

A wonderful spirit-filled service. Pastor Mbuvi preached on the 3 types of people in the world.

We were blessed with to worship with them and especially enjoyed the special children, and youth choirs.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day!

10/02/2019

February 10

In Times Of Crisis

“But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
PSALM 22:19

Psalm 22 immediately reveals that David was in trouble. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” the psalm opens. David boldly complained that God was not hearing his prayers. He told God—as if the Lord didn’t already know—that “trouble is near” and added rather accusingly that “there is none to help [me]” (v. 11). The accusations continued: “You have brought Me to the dust of death” (v. 15). As his enemies surrounded him, the situation looked grim for David.

Maybe your circumstances don’t look good right now. In times of crisis, however, what others are attempting is not as important as what God is doing. The advance of the enemy, their weapons, their proximity—none of these is as important as God’s presence and activity. When we focus on God in even the worst of predicaments, we always discover that He is near and that His presence is our deliverance.

Right now, focus on God’s presence right where you are. Ask Him to deliver you from what besets you—the enemies of doubt, fear, “loneliness, broken relationships, illness, loss—and watch Him work His perfect plan in His perfect way in His perfect time.

Henry & Richard Blackaby

09/02/2019

FEBRUARY 9

Completing a Kingdom Task

The elders of the Jews . . . built and finished [the temple], according to the commandment of the God of Israel.
EZRA 6:14

Anyone who has attempted to rebuild something knows that unexpected events happen along the way. That was true for the Israelites as they rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem . . .

The unexpected for them, however, involved extra blessings rather than difficulties with contractors, delays in getting city approval, or additional expenses. Hear what King Darius of Persia decreed: “Let the cost [for building this house of God] be paid at the king’s expense” (v.8). Darius added, “Whatever they need [for offering to God] . . . let it be given them day by day without fail” (v. 9).

Often God adds bonus delights and blessings when He answers our prayers. Perhaps He does so in response to our faithfulness or obedience. The fundamental reason, however, is that He loves us dearly.

God showed His love for Israel by providing for the construction effort through a pagan king and people, enabling His children to persevere and complete the temple. What a cause for celebration!

What God-given assignment are you carrying out? Persevere—and watch God provide for you. The celebration of completing your kingdom task is worth the effort!

Henry & Richard Blackaby

08/02/2019

This quarter acre may not seem like much now, but to Pastor Juma and his family it will become home thanks to some anonymous blessings.

Juma and his wife Mercy, who is 5 months pregnant with their 3rd child, were unexpectedly told to move by their landlord recently after he sold the property they were living at. They were only given a short time to find where to go. They have been saving for some time and sold some things to try and buy this land, coming up with about 2/3rds of the amount needed.

They had one month before they had to move and still needed to pay off the rest of this land before they could start building a house on the land. Because of some of your generosity they can start that now. They are thankful beyond words and excited to make a home for themselves.

08/02/2019

FEBRUARY 8

Mercy and Grace

I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant.
1 TIMOTHY 1:13–14

Peanut butter and jelly. Forks and spoons. Mercy and grace. Some things just go together—and, thankfully, mercy and grace are such a pair in the kingdom of God.

To obtain mercy means “to receive exemption from the punishment that one deserves.” And every one of us deserves punishment for our sins. Perhaps those sins aren’t as dramatic as Paul’s—or maybe they’re every bit as intense or worse. But God doesn’t rank sin. Sin is sin, and all who sin—and that’s everyone—deserves the punishment of separation from God forever.

Now for mercy’s theological partner . . . grace. Whereas mercy is deserved punishment withheld, grace is undeserved favor bestowed. Our loving God hasn’t given us what we sinners rightly deserve. Instead He has freely offered salvation through Jesus, who took our sin upon Himself. The apostle Paul deserved punishment as a blasphemer and persecutor of the church, but God showed him mercy.

Cups and saucers. Salt and pepper. And, yes, mercy and grace. Some things go together perfectly.

Thank You, Lord!

Henry & Richard Blackaby