NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 2006

VERSE OF THE MONTH:
“For I am the perfect Father" Matthew 5:48 (Father's Love Letter)

IN THIS EDITION:
“Baba Kikumi Ku Kikumi”
Back to the Source
Events

“BABA KIKUMI KU KIKUMI”
Recently we have been in Uganda and one of the things we did was to spend a few days with some pastors and leaders from churches in a very rural part of the country. We spent some time teaching on the Father’s Love and the nature of the Father.

Thankfully, Uganda is now a peaceful country but too many people have been through wars or watched the death of family members through malaria or AIDS. In the area where we were many families live in poverty and life can be very hard.

As we spent time with the pastors, we were able to impart something of our Heavenly Father’s love for them and show them that God was a Father unlike their natural fathers. I explained that God was not 2% father, nor 5% father nor even 20% father but that He is 100% Father. In their local language this is translated “kikumi ku kikumi” (pronounced ‘chick-u-me ku chick-u-me). He is Baba (Daddy) 100%!

God is a Father and that is the basis of our relationship with Him. Sadly many people’s relationship with God is over shadowed by their relationship with their own father. This makes God distant, angry, judgemental or for some even absent. Yet God is a perfect Father. He is always there for us; He freely gives grace, love and mercy when we deserve the opposite.

He really is “Baba kikumi ku kikumi”.

BACK TO THE SOURCE
Another thing we did while we were in Uganda was to go on a boat trip on Lake Victoria and round to the source of the River Nile. The Nile flows out of the lake as a mighty, fast flowing river where it begins its journey to Egypt. Originally the Nile gushed out of the lake and over a 40 metre drop to start its journey.

A number of years ago a dam was built a few miles down the Nile in order to create a hydro-electric power station. As a result the valley behind the dam was flooded and the river level rose to be the same as the lake. Today there are swirling waters, where there was once a waterfall, as the river pours over the original lakeside.

The power of that water is the sole source of electricity for Uganda.

I was reminded of the well known hymn “Here is love vast as the ocean”. There is a source of love that is vast and unending and which is freely available for us. We can receive this love into our hearts and as we do it will change us, heal us and restore us.

There is a vast ocean of Father’s love available for us. As I saw the source of the River Nile I was reminded again of the need to live in this abundant supply. It is from the source that the power flows and, just as the Nile flows to Egypt, so this supply of love will flow to the nations of the world.

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Loving kindness as the flood,
Where the Prince of life, our ransom
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love cannot remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
Throughout Heaven’s eternal days.

On the Mount of Crucifixion
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heaven’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

This month may I encourage you to know the perfect Father – “Baba kikumi ku kikumi” and to centre your life on the source of love.

EVENTS
“Coming Home” – 29th and 30th September - a weekend of ministry, teaching and worship. In all of us there is a need to know we are loved and that there is a special place in Father’s heart for us. This weekend is hosted by “A Father to YOU” and the speakers will be Mark and Fiona Gyde and Jeff Scaldwell. Sunningwell Village Hall is just outside Abingdon, Oxon. You are very welcome to attend and look forward to seeing many of you at this event. For more details and a booking form click here or contact Mark Gyde.

“Intimate Walk” – 29th September to 1st October - at the other end of the country Mark and Rebecca Davidson are the guest speakers at this event in Kyle, Scotland. This is hosted by David and Heather Johnson whose desire is to see the love of the Father sweep through the Highlands and Islands. Please look at the website for more details or contact David and Heather.

If you are unable to download the booking forms for the above events they can be viewed and downloaded by clicking here.

The Events page is update fairly regularly so keep visiting for up to date news.

In His love

Mark Gyde