All Things Work Together for Good

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I'm reading from Romans 8, 28, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. And that was Romans 8, 28. And that was Bishop Wilson Madegua, who is our special guest on this, the Testimony Tuesday edition of Mark & Friends.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me. Let us exalt his name together. It is Tuesday, August 4th, 2026.

Hope your new month is off to a great start. Four days into August, September and October around the corner, then there's Thanksgiving and Christmas. We'll be saying 2027 in no time.

Wow. I hope that as you tune in today, you're going to be encouraged though on your faith journey. You're going to allow the Holy Spirit to help you walk in cadence with his leading, that there will be divine appointments where you can share the love of Jesus, where you can speak truth and hope and encouragement into your neighbor, maybe your family or those you come in contact with.

I even prayed it up this past Saturday when I attended the Springfield and Vicinity Ministerial Alliance Gathering. As I was driving in that hour and 15 minutes, I was saying, Lord, help there be a divine appointment. Help me find somebody that I can maybe have on Tuesday's edition of Mark & Friends.

And so thank you, God, for Bishop Franklin, who recommended this individual, Bishop Wilson, and how they're both able to zip over to the studio now and be a part of today's edition of Mark & Friends. So Bishop, you brought Bishop Wilson in. Tell me a little about him because I'm just getting to know him.

I sat next to him this past Saturday and was stirred by his passion for leading people to Jesus and his work at Christ Temple Christian Life Center. But you had him in on Sunday to preach. And why him and how did you meet? Well, Mark, we're a part of the same organization.

So we've known each other for a number of years. He's preached for me on occasions before. And we get to connect when we go to our national conference.

And that's where we were last week in Orlando, Florida. So when he's in the country, we try to get him churches to minister in before he goes back home. So when they called and said, can you take Bishop Madegwa, no hesitation, send him my way.

He has become a great friend. I got to be with him in Kenya. Matter of fact, he was kind of a lifesaver for me when I was over there.

It was during the pandemic and I took a little ill and I needed to cut my trip short. And my host arranged a negative COVID test, which was never administered. And God convicted me that if I presented that negative COVID test without having taken it, it constituted a lie.

Bishop Madegwa found out about it and he called me and he said, I'm going to meet you in Nairobi, take you to the hospital, get you a test. And so I was able to get that test done and get out of Nairobi at that time. And so I was very grateful for that, that lifeline that he sent me.

But he is a great leader. He is our organizational bishop there in the city of Magori, but he covers the whole nation of Kenya. We have a number of churches there that he oversees.

And so it's just a real blessing to have him here with us and especially to have him here in the studio. Yeah. And those of you who may be unfamiliar with our Great News Media board.

Bishop Franklin has served for a few years with me, and I appreciate him leading the Ministerial Alliance of Springfield in the vicinity and his leadership there and his passion for prayer. You know, I've talked a lot about the prayer room at the Ministerial Alliance House here in Springfield and his passion to meet with all the pastors one on one and pray for them, get to know them, welcome them into the city, and then emphasize the importance of praying and the church making a difference. So I've had him on a number of times, but appreciate his serving on our radio board.

And usually if he recommends somebody, I don't spend a whole lot of time researching or finding out about them because I just know if Bishop endorses them, they have a story, a God-honoring story to share or a testimony to give. So it's nice to meet you, Bishop Wilson, and thank you for carving out time. But why Romans 8, 28 of all the verses you could pick or choose or think through, what's so special about that to you? And then maybe why should it be a special verse for that listener tuned in today? Well, Romans 8, 28 carries a lot of weight to my walk in the Lord.

I want you to understand that when Paul was addressing the Romans, he say all things work together. It doesn't mean that all things when they say all things means either good or bad. Sometimes you can be at your lowest moment.

Still, it is good for you. Sometimes you can be left out of the picture, out of your own family members, out of maybe the people you feel you trust them. They just sideline you.

This scripture really speaks so deep. Say it all works for your good. Sometimes God is speaking something to you that you may not really see because, you know, everything is spiritual.

So God can be pulling you out of a mess. But you feel why? Why me and why at this time? But God is just trying to preserve you from maybe some danger or something else. So this scripture really speaks to my heart.

Sometimes you really need something to happen then there. And God is no, it is not the time. So all things work together for good.

So the only thing I and you can do and the listener can do, thank God for that moment. Open your mouth and tell God, thank you. I may not understand your package, but I want to thank you because maybe this package has some goodies that you may not see until God opens for you the package.

You know what I'm talking about? Yeah. And for the listener, they might say like what you're saying. Well, how is this hardship or this agonizing situation or the loss of life good? But sometimes we have to measure it in eternity sake.

You know, the results of the consequences or the life changes or how the hurt that you experience brings healing to others. So sometimes we have to measure it in terms of eternity because God is using it. We might not see it even in our own lifetime.

Correct. I want you to understand good things don't just come that way. Sometimes God will take you on a long work of maybe let me use the word suffering or some situation that looks like rejection.

Let me just bring up another scripture that the Bible say for gold to be refined, it has to pass through the fire for you to become the person God wants you to be. He allows some things you go through them. It doesn't mean that God doesn't love you, but God has seen something in you that maybe people doesn't see for you to get prepared for that great move and to be used of God.

He allows you go through it. And when you go through it is when you come out the person that God would want to use you. Bishop Franklin, I'm thinking of that footprints in the sand.

I don't know if that came to mind, but how oftentimes we look at the past or the situation. Where was God? Maybe share a little of it's called footprints in the sand. In fact, I have a book.

I haven't completed it yet. It's called The Footprint of Christ. It's the Christian profile of Springfield, Illinois.

But very often we don't understand why things are going the way that they are. And that poem highlights the fact that when we're not in control. Of our circumstances, God is in control and God is carrying us through those times that we don't understand.

Sure. And if we keep our mind oriented that way, then it doesn't matter what we're going through. We know that some kind of way this thing that I'm dealing with is going to turn out for my good.

God knows. I think it says in Isaiah, God has declared the end from the beginning, things that are not yet done. So we don't understand.

And we may be feeling the heat of it, but we trust God that he's on the other side. And for those of you who may be unfamiliar with that painting or postcard, there are two sets of footprints, two people walking side by side in the sand. And then suddenly like hardship or turmoil or frustration or things happen.

And suddenly there's only one pair of footprints in the sand. And the person goes like, well, Lord, where were you? I was walking alone. And the Lord's response is, no, that's when I carried you.

That's why there is only that one set of footprints in the sand. And listening friend, you might be going through something today where there's great heartache or loss or confusion or you don't understand where God's leading. Or maybe you're even at a place where you might not even believe God cares or that God loves you.

Well, he does. He's proven it through the Lord Jesus Christ. And we'll talk a little about that from Bishop Wilson's perspective.

How did you come to know Jesus? How did you experience the firsthand knowledge that God loved you and that Jesus died for your sins? I remember I was raised in a religious family. My parents didn't have a relationship with God. They were churchgoers, but they didn't have a relationship.

But when I joined high school, we have a program back in my country, Kenya. It is called CU. CU stands for Christian Union. It is one of the programs when you are in high school, you can join either of the clubs.

And when I joined the clubs, I think it was one of the first times I heard about Jesus and the man of God preached about our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is the very day I gave my life to the Lord. I'm saying that's way back in 1987.

I gave my life to the Lord to be my personal savior. But something happened when I gave my life to the Lord. The very day I gave my life to the Lord, Jesus is the very day he filled me with the power of the Holy Spirit.

So when I went back home, I was praying and my daddy told me, I don't want to hear you speak in that devilish language because I was speaking in tongues and my dad couldn't understand me. And it is like the hell was up and loose for me. They didn't want me.

They didn't want to hear me praying at home. And everybody didn't even want to associate with me because my daddy felt I forsaken their religion. I brought another religion to the family.

Yes, sir. You use the word relationship and many of our Christian listeners and those that love God and pray to him and walk in step with his lead in each and every day, they understand that. But for somebody, what do you mean a relationship? Do you really feel like he talks to you or shares or orders your steps? What does it mean to have a relationship? Because many people have broken relationships or they don't look favorably on the concept of father because they don't know who their father is or their father betrayed them or left them or abandoned them or was a really poor role model of what a daddy is.

So when you talk about a relationship, what would that look like? Can I say intimacy? That type of intimacy, Between my daddy and me, the communication broke down how we used to get along, had to move down. So like in between, there was like breaking in communication, in love, in interaction, it went more low and lower. But the thing I'm trying to say, that way of a father son that has been together went cold because they felt I'm not running or going on the way I should be as a son.

But through that relationship or that way of me and getting along, I was like having some barrier. I think that's what I can say. But would you say that to some degree became replaced by the growing relationship you had with God, the intimacy with God, the recognizing that he cared for you and loved you? Yeah, yeah.

When my daddy started drawing back, I had to have more time in the presence of God just to know why were all these things happening. So the more I tapped into God's presence and to understand God's will, that's why I brought Romans chapter eight verses twenty eight. All things works together for good.

But when you go lower about the same verse, he speaks something very powerful. He says cold according to his purpose, his purpose. So that is the thing.

When God calls you, he will not leave you. When God calls you, things may look as they're not right, but just for a while he will bring back everything that the enemy would want to you so that you may look a rebel. God will put it back together.

I just want to let the listener know that there is nothing bigger than having a relationship with God. When you have a relationship with God, when I mean you give your life to the Lord, you confess him to be your personal savior. You give your life to him.

He will just bring you to where he wants you to be. And that's what Bishop you've been all about for 40 plus years. You love to connect people with God's word, with the concept of praying, being able to talk with God to build that relationship.

But isn't that one of the passions of your life is to help people understand that God really cares and loves them and has demonstrated it through Jesus? It is. We approach our relationship with God in prayer and we're doing all the talking. But we're teaching people to learn how to listen, to hear God's voice, because a relationship is a two way street.

If it's just all me bringing God my shopping list, do this, do this, you know, I need this. But he never gets to give me his shopping list. I want you to do this.

I want you to go there. I want you to say that. Then it's not a relationship.

It's just me all taking no give. Almost treating God like a vending machine. Exactly.

Exactly. So I tell people that when it comes to relating to God, God wants to be in our presence. We talk a lot about being in God's presence.

God so desires to be in our presence for us to spend time just being with him. And that's where we grow. I hear a lot of people in their skepticism.

They'll say, watch out for people who are always saying God is talking to them. But I say, watch out for people who are always saying, watch out for people who are always saying God's talking to them, because because God is quite a chatterbox. He's always talking.

He's always wanting to communicate to us the direction that he wants us to go in. And when we build our life to follow that leading of the Lord, just tremendous things come from that. And I remember my own experience of asking Jesus into my heart, recognizing I was a sinner, that I couldn't earn my way into heaven.

I couldn't do enough good to measure up. But when I asked Jesus into my heart and to take away my sins and to be my Lord and Savior, I had that divine appointment where I knew I couldn't make it into heaven without Jesus. And when I asked him into my heart, you know, I was flooded with tears and hope and insight and lived my life reading the scriptures and trying to talk to God and hear from God.

And listening, friend, if you've never experienced the salvation moment where you recognize that Jesus died for your sins, he died for my sins, I get that. But have you come to terms with the fact that you're a sinner and that you're headed toward hell and outside of what Jesus did on the cross for you and for me? He paid the punishment for our sins. And so by receiving him as Lord and Savior, that's the way to go.

And if you wanted to talk with a counselor, maybe even now, you could call 1-888-NEED-HIM, 1-888-NEED-HIM. They're trained counselors. It's a free call.

You can ask, can you trust the Bible? How do you have a relationship with God? Help me understand Jesus as Lord and Savior. They'll be happy to walk you through that. Bishop Franklin would be happy to meet with you.

He has a church here in Springfield. And if you're ever visiting in Kenya, you can stop by Christ Temple Christian Life Center. And Bishop Wilson would love to talk to you about that relationship.

But we would encourage you, exhort you. James 4-8 says draw near to God and he'll draw near to you. God created you.

He designed you. He has plans and purposes to be realized in your life. You can be that fragrance of Christ to those around you.

You can be God's ambassador. It'll be a decision you'll never regret taking or making because Jesus loves you. God loves you and the Spirit wants to work in and through you.

Well, Bishop Wilson, we've talked a bunch about relationships with God and your friendship with Bishop Franklin. But how about Violet in our closing couple of minutes? Tell us a little about how God brought Violet into your life and how she's been a blessing to you. As the name goes, Violet, she's a flower and she's a flower inside out.

She's a flower inside out. I met her almost 34 years ago, 34 years ago, and she has been a true warrior, a wife, a mother of my children to an intercessor. And did you say a warrior, a warrior, a fighter for the family, for the Lord and for my family, my ministry.

She has really supported the work that God has given. She has really been the great supporter. She knows what God wants me to do.

And when I shared the vision, she has really carried the vision together with me. And she's such a great woman of God. But I want to be specific on some area.

My wife, many other things, when she speaks, I don't know when she speaks, they come to pass. One time in my life, I was supposed to do an operation. My kidneys were supposed to be removed out.

So we booked for the operation. The doctor did everything. So when I went to the hospital, but my wife said, you're not going to do operation.

He said, but the doctor has given prescription. I have to be done the operation. She said, no, no, I don't feel that is God.

I feel there's something the enemy want to do. The enemy is doing something I feel deep down in my spirit. It's not about operation.

So I went back to the hospital. My wife said, I want the test to be done again. The first test were already done that my kidneys are bad.

they should be removed. But Violet said, no, go and redo the test. And she went back with me.

She said, doctor, I'm ready to pay for another test. So when they did the test, my kidneys were all good. Nothing was wrong.

And the Lord spoke to her. God told my wife, if your husband could be done the operation, he was going to die because the enemy had set something in motion. And you see, when you are in the hospital during operation, they give you some drip, they run the water and blood at the same time.

So according to her, she felt the enemy was using that to kill me. Okay. This is what I wanted to say.

God has given us wives into our lives, especially when we are ministers, not only ministers, a man of God, a person at your own level where God has blessed you. Listen to your wife. Yeah.

I wrote down women's intuition because many times women have a different sense or consensus kind of thing. But I also wrote down, you passed Husbandry 101 by honoring and attributing wonderful things to your wife, like when you go to college and you get out of a certain course because you already showed you were good in it. You already get out of husbandry 101.

We put you into the advanced course, but it is a truism. God will, in marriages, when he brings two people together, bring them together to complete each other, usually opposites attract. So your wife might be gifted in different areas than you have, or you will have obviously some similarities that drew you together, but it's the important aspect of trusting our wife's judgment or listening to her, not being so prideful or self-centered or stubborn to not be open to what God might be saying through her.

So we do want to honor women, honor first lady, Violet, and appreciate you carving out time to be available for today. The Tuesday edition of Mark & Friends and wish you well. How much longer are you in the country? I'm still around.

I'm still around till 14th. Okay. So another week and a half or so.

And I know Bishop has you lined up to speak and preach at other churches. So we appreciate you being available here and listening friend, be praying up the special work happening in Kenya at Christ Temple Christian Life Center. That's where Bishop Wilson serves with the first lady, Violet, and a team of people that want to share the good news message to those in Kenya and wherever they get to reach out and touch lives.

And Bishop Franklin, always keep him prayed up. Appreciate his passionate work here in Springfield, serving on our radio board and ministering in so many different ways and his priority of the importance of prayer. He wants people at the Springfield Ministerial Alliance Prayer Room.

I think they now have people every day, 365, but he wants it 24 hours a day. He sometimes is there at three in the morning, 3.30 in the morning. There's different groups and churches and organizations and individuals using that great resource.

And his hope ultimately is that other towns will say, wow, God's doing something in Springfield. What is it? Well, it's partly because of the importance and the prioritizing of prayer. But maybe this will happen in Bloomington Normal or Keokuk, Iowa, or for our Indiana listeners or Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, all around that there will be alliances or people saying, let's dedicate this land and this building exclusively for prayer and gatherings.

And who knows what God will do? I think as Bishop shared this past Saturday, God probably delights when he sees different denominations and people gathering from all walks of life with the purpose of interceding on behalf of others or just meeting to praise God and to worship. So prayer is an important part of this ministry, and I would pray it's an important part of your day today. If you haven't prayed up this day, then stop and pause, whether you're in a car before you go into work or before you make that phone call or meet with that neighbor, just ask God to reveal truth or insight or hope or healing, a message that you can bring to that person next to you, and that message hopefully always lifts high the name of Jesus.

He's Lord and Savior of all. Well, thanks for listening. Thanks for being a part of our radio listening family.

This is Mark Burns, Bishop Franklin, and Bishop Wilson with the Ministry of Great News Media. God bless you and have a great day and night.