Last post I told a little bit about our trip to Mathare and now I want to share a little bit of what talked about in that second story room full of young hearts and minds eager to listen to people talking about the Lord. I told them that in 2019 I wanted them to FOCUS on the cross, FOCUS on their relationship with Jesus and I gave a word for each letter in Focus.
F – I told them was for Faith and read Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
I explained that faith, true faith in Christ was life changing and reminded them that even though we can’t see God, He is there and that we can’t see the wind either, but we can see its effect. I said that if you saw the tops of the trees moving you wouldn’t freak out and think what magic force in moving that tree? You would know, it’s the wind and if you look you can see God’s love all around you and see how the Lord is working.
O- I said was for Observe and read John 3:8
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So, it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
I built on the idea of the wind and how it’s moving, and we don’t always understand it, but we can trust in two things. First that God loves them and second that God has a plan for their lives.
C – I said was for Calling and shared Isaiah 43:b
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.”
I shared that God was not only calling them into a relationship with Him but calling them to also serve and to be a functioning, productive part of the body of Christ.
U – I told them stood for Upendo and Shared I John 4:7
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”
I’m not even gonna act like I didn’t have some help on this. One of the young men we are working with helped me with this. Upendo is Swahili for love. I told them that it’s not just that God loves them but that He is love, the very source of all love in the universe and that there is no love apart from him. I also told them to show the love of Christ wherever they go and that people would know them by their tremendous love for their fellow man.
S – Stood for Surrender and shared Romans 12:1-2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Finally, I challenged them to FOCUS on Christ and surrender to the call he had placed on each of their lives. That ultimately it was time to let God be the God of their lives and to let Jesus have his way with them and to put their faith in none other than Him.
In the end I shared a lot more than even this because the expectation was for me to talk for well over an hour. However, I kept checking back in to see if they remembered what each letter stood for and I did my very best to talk slowly so everyone could understand. I was deeply touched to have the opportunity to share with these young men and women and hope that God gives me the opportunity to return.
Brett and Bronwyn 