Testing and Examining

“I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.” Psalm 26:1-3 NIV

View from our cottage when
we arrived on Sunday afternoon.

“Brave request.” The comment written in my Bible beside Psalm 26:1-3. David’s boldness amazes me, yet this should be our goal as Believers. We should always be striving to trust our Father without wavering, to have hearts and minds fully in line with His heart and mind, and to always walk in His truth.

“I clicked and it went.” What happened last Friday when Zack, KBTC’s Administrator, passed the test after trusting God and walking in His truth! The first payment of the college’s taxes via internet was due last Friday and after trying for days to finalize the form, plus many sleepless nights, he still could not complete and print the needed form early that morning.

View yesterday at the same time.
Great illustration for trusting God
when we cannot see what is ahead.

KBTC staff devotions are held weekly at 8 AM on Mondays and Fridays and Zack debated if he should continue working (he starts his office day very early) or attend last Friday’s devotions! He chose to leave his desk and join the staff’s time of worship, praising God and sharing prayer requests. Less than an hour later, he returned to the computer and without any added revisions, it “clicked and it went” and Zack was able to print the form and head to the bank.

“I feared that the bank would say there was a problem, but I'm thanking God that KBTC’s first try at filing taxes via the internet was a success!” The praise report Zack shared at Monday’s staff devotions; a great praise as the punishment for not paying the taxes by last Friday afternoon was a quadruple payment!

While students attend classes below, Baraka Hall
is finally getting a roof above the second floor.

“If I asked those in my congregation to donate 1000 Kenya shillings (US $10) towards a special offering, it would not happen. If a special water, potion or charm was offered for 1000 shillings, there would be a battle to be first in line. Believers must know what the Bible does and does not teach.” What Jack heard a KBTC professors share during a KBTC class this week.

We are expecting to share a photo of a full roof in
next week's update.  This is a 'before' chapel
photo taken yesterday.  If you look closely at
the first 'new roof' photo, you will see that many
 sheets of mbati were added during chapel.

There is still a strong heritage in Africa of relying upon special powers, witchcraft and African Traditional Religion*. We often hear of Believers paying for blessings or church members seeking medical care and other helps from witchdoctors. Yes, herbal treatments and the old methods of grandmothers are often relied upon here and we often find these helpful, but I’m not talking about these methods.

There was a very special guest speaker during
yesterday's student chapel service.  The speaker was
Peter Olonapa,  the new General Secretary of the
Baptist Convention of Kenya and a KBTC graduate!

The professor’s comment leads to the importance in training Believers to know God’s Word and His truths. It is why it is important for KBTC to train our churches’ shepherds to live Psalm 26:1-3 and teach Believers to do the same. Will you join us in praying for Believers to learn to “trust in the LORD without wavering” and what it means to “walk continually in HIS truth”? Pray for those teaching on the main KBTC campus and other sites, such as Bible Schools, as they teach how to trust and obey our Father.

“Testing and Evaluations in the Classroom.” What Jack is teaching this week and next week. Pray for him as he teaches 36 hours about this subject to KBTC’s current Christian Education Advanced Diploma class, those who teach Christian Religious Education in local schools, in Bible Schools and at KBTC.

“Jack’s phone is off again. I have good news for him.” What KBTC’s Project Manager said this morning as he passed our cottage. Jack’s phone was off thanks to forgetting to switch it on after teaching 4 hours yesterday morning, sharing chapel and lunch with the students, and an afternoon meeting with the General Secretary of the Baptist Convention of Kenya. The good news which has led to lots of praise today by the KBTC family? An unexpected gift from a church in the US, which meant the 50% target has been reached and adding electricity, windows, water, etc. to the top floor of Baraka Hall can begin!

Captured yesterday on the fence along the walk
to KBTC's Baraka Hall.  It is not a forgotten
earring, but a view of what God can create
with a rain drop and a bit of broken wire!

“God is at work among Sub-Saharan African Peoples and I love nudging people to joining in His work.” What I write often each week as I correspond with our workers and others who want to join in His work! Thank you for praying for us as we definitely need your prayers. Pray for us as we strive to live out Psalm 26:1-3 and confidently claim David’s request to our Father as Jack serves as the principal of KBTC and as I serve as the Prayer Networker for the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. BERT YATES

* IMB Sub-Saharan African Peoples/African Traditional Religion – http://subsaharanafricanpeoples.imb.org/explore/view/traditional-religion

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Remember to view the daily Nudges to Action for Sub-Saharan African Peoples, a part of Bert's work as the Prayer Networker for Sub-Saharan African Peoples at https://www.facebook.com/SubSaharanAfricanPeoples.

For more from Jack's work, visit KBTC's site at
https://www.facebook.com/KenyaBaptistTheologicalCollege

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And now for some random photos captured this week.

It was only when we got closer to this view that I understood
all the colours I was spotting.

And when I first saw the scene below, I thought there
were only two women, but a third set of legs appeared
followed by a fourth set!

My new FB cover photo. Do you see CHAOS or COLOUR in this photo?

And the photo shared below is for all my family and
friends who are a bit homesick for Kenya!