PRAYER FOR ENEMIES

We accept Jesus as Lord, but we have some problems doing all that He says. Many years ago Darlene invited Curt Cloninger to come to Redwood City where I preached to do his presentation of the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7. Darlene invited the community women whom she taught who were mothers of kids from the Preschool Bible Classes, several of whom were not involved in church life. The next day in their class Darlene asked what they thought of the drama. One of them said, "I liked the program, but I don't agree with everything he said." When Darlene told her he was quoting Jesus, she became very thoughtful.

If we are honest, there are times when we would want to say, "I don't agree with Jesus." One of those is when he says "Love your enemies...pray for your enemies." Because he meaning of that is deep and far-reaching. Love is for family and closeness...prayer is for God to use His power to bring benefit and joy and new hope. Give that to enemies?

In business it means that we pray that God will bless our competitors, giving them both profit and joy. In a community it means that we pray that God will bless our neighbors, even the one who builds a fence across the road and blocks access. In politics it means that we ask God to give long life and leadership ability to politicians who use their position to steal land and businesses.

We were treated to a great prayer at church in Kamulu Sunday. It was the prayer for the sadaka (the collection), and the young man praying was Titus Kioko. Anyone who has seen one of our MITS brochures has seen Titu

s, sitting on an old tire in front of our Eastleigh Center, under the influence of glue and drugs. He was that way all the time on the streets, and both Team members and visitors loved him and prayed for him.

So Sunday he prayed for the children of the church, that they might grow strong and be with God, and he prayed for the preacher, that his sermon might help us, and he prayed for the

leaders of Kenya, that

they might make Kenya a good place for people, and he prayed that God would bless

Waititu, the MP who led people to seize a portion of MITS land, and he prayed for Sudan and Somalia and America.

Here are two pics of Titus, the one when on the streets in 2007, and this year's school picture at MITS. And there are many who are glad to know him.