02 September 2009

Empty... Again


I went shopping for some clothes a few days ago, it was long overdue. Everytime I get new clothes, I am reminded of how excited I used to be about it when I was a kid. My Mom would take us shopping every once in a while as need arose. I recall how excited I would be about my new clothes. But as soon as that shot of excitement rippled through my body, a feeling of deep emptiness followed it. I knew from the many other times that I'd gotten excited about new clothes that the high never lasted. As soon as I wore the clothes, I'd look in the mirror, at the brand-new-me and couldn't help but ask myself, "Is that it?", "Is this all there is?". There was nothing there.



I always wondered why I'd feel empty because I was a Christian and Christians are not supposed to feel empty because Jesus has filled them. It wasn't only clothing, but also gadgets.



I remember when we got our first video game at home. Everyone at school talked about video games but I couldn't contribute to the discussions because I never had one. One time, my parents where going to the USA for a while. I remember how my siblings and I filled a paper with items we wanted them to come back with. I remember my column had "bow and arrows" and "water guns" among many other things. Well, my parents brought me and my brother our first ever video game instead of the things listed between us. We were ecstatic. Finally, I too could have a contribution to our video game discussions in class. Unfortunately, the video game high soon left me right where I was before. The question crept up on me again, "Is this it?". "Shouldn't there be more?".



I love food! It was always great to have visitors over because we'd have a special meal. When it was time to eat, I'd be so happy but I always over ate. I remember being very disappointed when my Mom told me it was a sin. "What?! God has too much rules," I thought, "I can't even eat my fill without stepping on his toes?!" I thought to myself. But one thing I remember is that the excitement that preceded the meal, would leave me with a sinking feeling whether I had over eaten or not. There was no lasting satisfaction. That's why I always over ate. I expected more joy, more satisfaction but the amount I ate didn't quite seem to correspond with the satisfaction I derived. In the end, I had to either go to sleep lying on my back or my side because I was too full.



I soon figured it out. As a Christian, whenever I got more excited about anything else more than about God, I felt empty. I felt the way I felt before I met Jesus. I felt... empty again. Even now, when a big soccer final is coming up and all I can think of is the game and how much I'll enjoy it, I always walk away disappointed and empty. Whether its a big event coming up, like a trip or a great new gadget I've been promised like a cellphone or laptop, if that thing consumes me so much that it fades God out, I am left empty again.



Yes, even Christians get empty again. God has put a hole in man that only he can fill. Disobeying those first two commandments is sin, but it also leaves us empty. Nothing should take Gods place in our lives. If anything does, we will be left empty... again.





You shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.


~Exodus 20:3-4

01 September 2009

Final Impressions

I've just finished 90 days of work at the National Assembly and quite frankly, I've been left wondering as to its relevance. I feel it more of a liability to the nation.



Basically, all 500 employees of the National Assembly are there to serve the members of parliament who number 158 (at any given time). The members of parliament, in essence, make laws. So, you pay 500 employees to serve 158 people (who you also pay) who make laws. Am sorry but I don't get the logic. I think the National Assembly swallows a whole lot of tax money and generates an insignificant amount through the laws it makes. All 158 of them are called "honourable" when for most, not much is honourable about them. The way those fully grown men and women behave in parliament is no different from a grade 5 class. Just like their kids are being hushed at school, they are always being hushed in parliament.



Well, after working for three months, my perception has changed very little, read my initial impressions here. People get to work, read the paper or chat for an hour, enjoy a cup of tea for an hour and a half, work a little, break for lunch at 1 and pick their teeth the rest of the day. At the end of the month they demand their pay check. A lot of money is being wasted. I'm not kidding about the day to day routine out there in government. People do relatively little. I mean if you gave each employee a diary for one week to record what they have done per hour, at the end of the week, you will find that people literally work 3 hours a day.


I thought fools are only in institutes of learning as the majority there are young. Apparently, there are fools in the work place as well. People who think life is all about drinking and having a jolly good time. The first half of the week is spent talking about how wild the weekend was and the last half is spent talking about how wild the next weekend will be. These are married grown ups with kids and yet no difference from the guys I left at school. Vanity.



The infidelity was terrible. Married people, leaving wives and husbands at home, call workmates names such as, sweetheart, dear, honey, baby, sugar, my wife, my husband and so on and so forth. Would they still call their colleagues that in front of their spouses? I doubt it.



All these things beg the question, where are the Christians? This world desperately needs salt and light. I saw that for a fact while and where I worked. Christian men and women in the workplace need to be different for the sake of Christ and for the sake of this world. If you are reading this and work, stand firm as a Christian in your workplace. Do not condone sin. Rebuke them when they call each other names suited only for their spouses. Prod them to pray before they eat. Do not abide cursing and perverse talk. Be the salt and light of the earth, God knows the earth desperately needs it.



After working for three months, I have learnt one thing above all else, God is love. For how can a holy God stand the evil that has saturated this world? Tell me, how?

25 August 2009

Relationship Craze (2 Questions)

I am on facebook, and from what I've seen, everyone is in a relationship. Either that or they just broke up! Its crazy! There are teens out there who are in relationships who can't even spell the word "relationship". I intend to write alot on this issue because I think its one of the big issues among Christian youths, especially among those I relate with at church and in my community. For now, an admission and two inevitable questions.



I have never had a girlfriend in my life. Since I know of only one other person like me, my admission begs two questions, in my mind at least.


1) Am I normal?!! &

2) Where on earth have I been??


Well first of all, I am normal. I'm abnormal as far as my friends, schoolmates, church mates and community mates are concerned but *very* normal as far as the bible is concerned:


Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the
field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. ~Song of Solomon 2:7


I'm normal alright. There is a difference between awakening love when you desire and when love, itself, desires. More of that later.


As for the question "where have I been?", I wish I could say I haven't been in one because I have never wanted to but alas my answer has little to do with me. Its not because I'm holy or spiritual or whatever. In my world where everyone around me is or has been in a romantic relationship, I have been spared by God's grace alone. I've been preserved by God. I hope he continues to preserve me until love so desires.

19 August 2009

18 August 2009

Find The Man



Doctors have concluded that, if you find the man in 3 seconds, then the Right half of your brain is better developed than most people.


If you find the man between 3 seconds and one minute, then your right Half of the brain is developed normally.


If you find the man between one minute and 3 minutes, then the right Half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to Eat moreprotein.


If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the right half of your Brain is a mess, and the only advice is to look for more of these types of exercises to make that part of the brain stronger.


The man is really there. Keep looking!


I got it in about 20sec :-). You?

17 August 2009

Who cares?


I got a comment on my "Is Obama a Christian" post today, that was rather disturbing. You can see the post I am referring to here.




The comment was made in anonymity and I quote:






"Obama testifies that he is Christian so I take him at his word and regard him
as a brother in Christ. I don't agree with him on everything regarding his
approach to religion and the Christian faith, but so what, I probably don't
agree with anyone 100%. It doesn't really matter what I think about the state of
his soul anyway. Only he and God know this, it is not up to me to judge."




Its not the first time I'm hearing this thought pattern and I'd like to smash it to pieces right now.




The booklet by Albert N Martin, "What is a biblical Christian?" begins, if I may paraphrase, by stating that there are many things we can error on or simply be indifferent towards whose consequences we could live with. For example, If I don't know how a television works or perhaps I have an erroneous view of how it works, it will not cost me anything. The consequences of not knowing how the television works are insignificant, if any.




Whether one is a Christian or not is a totally different story. No man can afford to error on this issue. It is more important than anything else because it is a matter of life and eternity.




To hear, therefore, "anonymous" say that he/she takes Obama at his word when he says he's a Christian, is a sign that anonymous cares less for where Obama will spend eternity.




I'd never take anyone's word for it, who I love, if they told me they have become a Christian. I'd examine them and watch and analyse their lives because if they are not Christians, they would spend eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15) and I would never want anyone to suffer such a punishment, not anyone I love and not even Obama.




I'd rather be called judgemental and "holier than thou", than take someones word for it. Not when its a matter of eternal life and eternal death. We scrutinize the lives of those who profess faith for their own good.




Secondly, there is no such thing as "partially agreeing with someones approach to the Christian faith and religion" because there is only one approach to the Christian faith and religion. There is only one way to become a Christian. There is no such thing as "truths", there is only truth. There is only one way to attain eternal life. If you don't agree with someones "approach to the Christian faith", it must be on the basis of what the bible says and not on the basis of your opinion. What then is that only way, and what then is the truth and what is that way to eternal life? Jesus Christ answered that question:






Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
~John 14:6.




Never think that it doesn't matter whether you think anyone is really a Christian or not, actually, very few things in this whole world matter more! It's important what you think about whether or not anyone is saved, Obama inclusive. I repeat, it's a matter of eternal life and eternal death.




Finally, it is false to think that only God and I can know whether I am saved or not. On the contrary, others around me can know too. In fact they'd know better because they are looking from the outside in. Jesus himself said, "You shall know them by their fruit" (Matthew 7:16).




You shouldn't need a microscope to identify a Christian. If there was a Christian, anywhere, be it in the government, school, workplace, the gym, the soccer pitch or any other sphere or place, you should not need a microscope to find him! If you have to, either that so-called-Christian is not in fact a Christian or that Christian is living a life of compromise. Christians are to be the salt and light of the earth, they are to preserve morality wherever the are and they should shine (Matthew 5:13-15). Just like you can't miss illumination in a dark place, you can not miss a Christian wherever he/she is.




Thanks for reading.

16 August 2009

Shane & Shane in Zambia!!!!!!!!!!!!!


My favourite duo in the world, "Shane and Shane" (Shane Bernard & Shane Everett) are in my country! What are the odds?! I've spoken about them on here and sang their songs including the song "Holiday" which I sang at the Christmas concert in December! These guys are awesome and they are in Zambia!!!!


I'd give an arm to meet them!

13 August 2009

Opposition Guaranteed


There's a group of students who meet every Thursday evening at David Kaunda High School (DK). I usually attend their meetings and even though, I am neither a part of their school nor at their level of education (alittle past), I have been privileged to be accepted and involved there.


I have a burden for that fellowship. Most of the students who attend are not Christians and to have a meeting every week where around 60 students meet 80% of whom aren't Christians (just religious) is a golden opportunity to share the gospel if I ever saw one.


I've been attending the fellowship on and off and when I started consistently again, I was disappointed to see that the gospel was no longer being preached, the fellowship had turned into a joke. In God's providence, the leadership realised that they had very few people to share the preaching of God's word and asked me to provide them preachers, for about a month. It has been a joy to see the gospel preached Thursday after Thursday.


A few hours ago, I was at the meeting. I had been asked to provide a preacher again, I was, of course, much obliged. I had no clue that in the meeting were two young charismatic men, with strong pentecostal roots in the audience. They too, like me were outsiders only this was their first meeting. They had asked if they could be given a few minutes to share in the meeting. Their sharing was to come after the main sharing. I had asked a brother in the Lord to preach today at the meeting. He challenged those who weren't Christians, in his conclusion, to repent as judgement awaited us, his listeners.


The two guys were not impressed with this teaching it seems. After the preacher finished they were invited to share briefly. They implicitly encouraged the audience not to be "afraid" or "threatened" by what had been preached (underline implicitly). They spoke of how everyone in the room should seek to "know God so that he is revealed in your life". "So that you will be able to discern which preachers preach truth and which preach lies". "God's revelation in you will be signified by him sending you the Holy Spirit and this will be evidenced by speaking in tongues".


I was appalled. These two guys literally attempted to undo the gospel. I know we disagree on tongues and stuff but why undermine the gospel??


Several times during he's "sharing", I was tempted to rise and leave. But I endured the heresy.


On my way home and even during the sharing which countered the gospel, I wondered why God would allow he's gospel to be undermined. Then I remembered that the devil is not asleep. It flattered me that the devil would be so threatened by what we thought were feeble efforts so as to send false prophets to disrupt the work. It meant that we were actually having an impact in that place. Anything that is truly God centered will attract the devils opposition, which brings me to my point. (That's right, am only getting started!)


In Philippians 1:27-30, Paul takes it for granted that the Philippians would face opposition and would suffer for Christ:



"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have."


I don't blame Paul, do you?


I mean if we "conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ", opposition would be inevitable. If we spoke up when people say or do things which are sinful e.g. cursing, gossiping, ill speech, lying etc, and if we rebuked those workmates or schoolmates who love to sin, they wouldn't really be fond of us, would they? If we always proclaimed the scripture (since the world proclaims their love for sin, why shouldn't we proclaim our love for Christ?), we would be unpopular. If for all the times our workmates or schoolmates spoke of how nice their sinful weekends were, we spoke of how the Lord spoke to us on Sunday, we wouldn't be liked at all, would we?


People would want to get us fired and in trouble, people would literally hate us and slander us. People would oppose us and cause us to suffer.


If, therefore, we aren't suffering, then we must be compromising. We must not, then, be speaking up when we hear sinful talk and see sinful deeds. We're probably silent when our workmates boast of sinful deeds and sinful weekends. We are not speaking up.


The devil will not sit back when our lives and ministries are God centered and have serious potential, he will oppose us and make us suffer.


I see this in the ministry to DK, as the devil has brought our way, charismatic fools. I know that a battle is inevitable as the charismatics will want to move in and influence the DK meetings and I am not keen on fighting, I'd rather pull out. But I got a message from a brother who also has a heart for DK that encouraged me and I will end with it:



"Now more than ever we need to be relentless in our efforts to share the truth,
it will, with the blessing of he who is the truth, sort its on enemies out."


I'm not going to back out, the devil can bring it on!

11 August 2009

Triangle Rule

Not too long ago, we had a family meeting at home. A few issues needed to be settled and so Dad got his bible out, opened in prayer, and we began.


I've always been amazed at how "bible oriented" Dad is. When resolving any matter, or handling disputes, or teaching truths about both godliness and life in general, Dad always pulls his bible out and quotes from it. If we really believed 2 Timothy 3:16, we'd do the same, we'd use the bible for everything;


All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

~2 Timothy 3:16

During our discussion, Dad taught us a rule that I'd like to write here for two reasons. Firstly, I never want to forget it. I've heard it said, "If you want to remember something, write it down." Secondly, its a helpful rule that I'd like to share for others to benefit too. Dad said he has kept the rule all through his pastorate and it has spared him alot of problems. The rule is simple, so simple that I couldn't help but smile when he said it:
"Never complete the triangle."
If brother B tells brother A something negative about brother C, brother A should not complete the triangle by telling brother C what brother B said.

Here's an example. Jack thinks that Fred talks too much. Jack shares this with Jill. Jill should never complete the triangle by telling Fred what Jack said.


If Jill completes the triangle, she will damage the relationship between Jack and Fred.



Many times people tell us things in confidence. Sometimes the things we hear are true, other times they are malicious. Sometimes we are told certain things in passing, needless to say half the time, its us doing the talking.


In my case, I tend to take things am told too lightly. Perhaps someone will tell me that "so and so" has a big nose (for example). When am chatting with "so and so" one day, all it would take is for him to rub his nose, or sneeze or anything to do with the nose, and I'll unwittingly giggle and say, "You know, _______ actually said you have a big nose", foolishly expecting "so and so" to join me in my amusement. Before I know it, I've tied myself in a silly knot!


That's my weakness as far as the triangle rule is concerned. Others may find what they are told to be true and in a bid to help "so and so" start dressing better or stop chewing with an open mouth or whatever, we rebuke them saying, "Even ______ was complaining about the same thing, he said actually told me that you...".


Other "Jills" may decide to share what Jack said to Fred in confidence. As a result, everyone in the triangle knows the truth, in confidence!


Whatever the case may be, its important to know and master out pitfall as far the triangle rule is concerned. Even if someone says something negative about someone very close to us, we should not complete the triangle for the sake of the relationship between them.


This begs the question, must we then keep quiet and become accomplices?


Well, it really depends on what we've been told. We must encourage each other, or to put it negatively, we must discourage each other from making hurtful comments behind peoples backs. If someone tells you that "so and so" has a big nose, rebuke that individual and tell them that you are not interested in such hurtful talk. We should discourage ill talk.


Sometimes, however, we are told negative things which make it clear, that the one being talked about needs to change (e.g. "so and so" talks too much" or "is too loud" or "dresses scantily") or that "Jack" has things he needs to workout with "Fred".


In such cases, we must insist to "Jack" that he confront "Fred". In fact, give Jack a deadline. Tell Jack, "If you don't confront Fred about the things you've told me, I will tell him what you've told me, you have one week-and counting".


This way, the person that needs to change, will begin to, at the least, see that something about them affects others negatively. If the problem was their relationship, the two people involved will be able to iron their issues out.


It may cost you your friendship with Jack for a while but one day you will be thanked for it.




He who covers over an offence promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

~Proverbs 17:9

Hatred starts quarrels but love covers all transgressions.

~Proverbs 10:12

02 August 2009

Crazy

For one who loves writing so very much, I'm not much of a reader. Pretty ironic, huh?

The only books I read are either historical or biographical, for the most part. I've found that for me to finish even a single article on a blog, it would have to be really interesting, not a very good trait but a trait non the less. I began searching for some brilliant writers, good enough to keep me interested in their articles to the very end. My quest landed me on the blog of an atheist teenager (17, female). I must say her blog intrigued me. This young lady was very intelligent, quite knowledgeable and argued against Christianity in a very 'grown up' way. Many of her readers were, in fact, convinced that this alleged teen was actually a mature man, trying to deceive people, probably, so that his blog could be popular.

Anyway, I read all her articles in one sitting (they weren't many), as article by article she argued in an intelligent manner (sarcasm is intelligent too, I guess). I couldn't help but be saddened, of course, as I saw this young lady argue against the truth.

A number of Christians have found her blog and have tried to convince her of God the father's existence and the existence and claims of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. They've used many tactics, one of them being the, "If you're right in your belief that there is no, God, then you're safe, but what if your wrong?" card (Natalie Grant's song "What if" is based on that theme).

As I thought about what to say to this young lady, I could not help but... almost sympathise with her. I couldn't blame her and anyone else, who is not a Christian, for that matter, for finding Christianity... crazy.

However, when one becomes a Christian, their definition of 'crazy' changes. Now, its the idea of leaving their new found faith that becomes crazy. The people in the 'Christian camp' think that leaving their 'camp' would be crazy, while the onlookers who aren't in their camp, think the definition of insanity would be to join the Christian ranks.

Can you blame them? Can you blame that young atheist lady for finding Christianity crazy? I certainly cannot.

It reminds me of the brilliant song, by MercyMe (The band which wrote the song, "I can only imagine") entitled "Crazy".

Lead vocalist, Bart Millard, pens, an intelligently, beautifully written song, where he brings this idea of both camps thinking the other camp is crazy. The non-Christian looks at what we believe and how we live and thinks, "That's crazy!", while we think, having it any other way is the crazy. As you read through the lyrics, read through the way a layman would and you will see that Christianity is kinda crazy! Thank God he opens our eyes to see where the crazy really is.


Why would I spend my life longing,
For the day that it would end...
Why would I spend my time pointing,
To another man...
Isn't that crazy?

How can I find hope in dying,
With promises unseen...
How can I learn your way is better,
Than everything I'm taught to be...
Isn't that crazy?

I have not been called
To the wisdom of this world,
But to a God who's calling out to me
And even though the world may think
I'm losing touch with reality,
It would be crazy
To choose this world over eternity.

And if I boast, let me boast,
Of filthy rags made clean...
And if I glory, let me glory,
In my Savior's suffering...
Isn't that crazy?

And as I live this daily life,
I trust you for everything...
And I will only take a step,
When I feel You leading me...
Isn't that crazy?

I have not been called
to the wisdom of this world,
But to a God who is calling out to me
And even though the world my think
I'm losing touch with reality,
It would be crazy
To choose this world over eternity.

~Bart Millard

25 July 2009

Funeral or Party?*

A couple of weeks ago we had a memorial service at church for one of the youths who died about a year ago. He's name was John Kumwenda. John's death came as a shock to all the youths of the church. I recall the day he died very well. The youths had organised a "careers seminar" and had invited two schools to attend. It was huge. The entire church building was teeming with students in there final high school year. One after the other, speakers with different vocations gave 15 minute presentations on their respective careers. The careers seminar was held on a Saturday and was a whole day event. After lunch, the presentations continued. We all knew John was in hospital. My buddy and I planned to pay him a visit after the careers meeting. At about 3pm, I think it was, one of the girls came to where my friend and I were sitting. Being a very charismatic girl, full of surprises, my buddy and I thought, she was just being her, coming to sit between us uninvited. She came to our bench, we moved apart to allow her to sit. She looked me in the eye and told me that John had just died. She told my buddy as well. Words can't describe the emotions that overwhelmed me in that moment. I had known John all my life and though we weren't close friends, we had an understanding. I always imagined that we'd all grow up and marry and have kids. John's death was not part of the plan. Not before we had lived our lives and grown up. It was unbelievable.



Our sister in the Lord didn't wait for us to swallow the news. She got up to go and tell the other youth members who were sitted in the seminar. My friend and I walked out and found clusters of youths outside, all trying to realise what had happened. John was gone.



Later that day, I asked my friend whether he would linger at the funeral home. He replied with a statement I'll never forget because of its truth. "This is our funeral."



One year later, we had John's memorial. Time sure flies! After the funeral service, at the grave site, I looked around and saw the graveness of the occasion. It was a somber moment as I saw how saddening the sight in front of me was. Graves in their tens and hundreds. Grave after grave. Name after name. Epitaph after epitaph.



It was then that I remembered Ecclesiastes 7:2, "It is better to be in a house of mourning, than a house of feasting." I immediately turned to my friend, who is the unfortunate homo sapien who has the unfortunate burden of hearing my every thought and musing! I whispered to him, "The bible says, it is better to be here than to be at a party." He looked around him and replied, "I wonder why."



His response transported me to the happenings of the previous night. I had sat in the sitting room at home, by myself, with the booklet that had been printed for John's memorial in my hands. It contained among other things, testimonies from John's family and friends. Those testimonies were glowing. John's friend from church testified of his wisdom beyond his years. How that John helped him grow in his Christian walk and how that John knew when to speak and when to be silent. John's brother called him "the best big brother anyone could ever have". John's Aunt spoke of how John was a very serious but humorous young man, dearly loved by his cousins. John's brother boasted of how John was brilliant at his academics. John had some glowing reviews in that booklet!



After reading through the testimonies, I couldn't help but feel depressed. I thought of what my family and friends would write about me if I died. I thought of how much they'd have to struggle to find excellent things to write about me. I discovered that in this life, I had been doing very little worth writing home about. I tossed John's little booklet on the table, pointed at John's smiling face on the front cover and said, "John, you're making me look bad."



My mind raced back to where it ought to have been and with it, an answer to my friend's, "I wonder why" reply. I whispered back to my buddy, "Because it puts life into perspective." "Then I don't want to put life into perspective," He said. "Then, you're a fool." I retorted.



I think it would be a good idea to attend a funeral or memorial at least once a month, preferably, once every two weeks. Imagine the life of an individual who attends a party every weekend (Our workmates and worldly friends actually do that, don't they?). Imagine how distorted his view of life this party boy will be. He would begin to think that life is a party, that we are meant to have fun all the time and live life like there is no tomorrow. He will develop an unrealistic view of life.



Imagine the life of one who, on the hand, attends a funeral every weekend. Every weekend, he will be reminded of the brevity of life. The fact that we can die any time and we must, therefore, be prepared. That man who attends a funeral every week will develop a sober view of life. He will live life objectively. He will reserve money for his children after seeing the death of a father, he will work hard for the Lord after seeing a young man in his casket. He will spend and be spent for God, after attending the funeral of a wealthy man who gained the whole world but lost his soul. Death brings us to the reality of life and puts things into perspective. It helps us make the right decisions when setting priorities in life. It is indeed better to to be in a house of mourning than a house of feasting.



After attending John's memorial service, I strive today, to be more productive, more concerned about my family and more importantly, about the things of God. John's memorial helped me put things back into perspective. Unfortunately, we easily forget-No wonder a funeral a month would be a good resolution.



*In loving memory of John Kumwenda (1986-2008)




30 June 2009

Python Catcher

How risky is your job?
(Not for viewers with a weak heart.)


Animal skin to protect the catcher's arm.



Point of no return!


"Mr. Python, where are you?"



"There she is!"


"Open wide."


"Fellas, pull me out, we've got her!"


"Eh... guys, could you hurry it up?!"


"That went pretty well, last time it's the Python that had one of us!"



"Same time tomorrow chaps?"
_________________________________________________________________
I checked my email yesterday and was greeted by these pictures from a friend, and the message, "And you thought your job was tough? Just thank God and get back to work!". Thanks Kema, keep em' coming!

26 June 2009

20 June 2009

18 June 2009

Air France Plane Crash




Pictures, said to be taken by a passenger, who died with all the others, in the Air France Crash. The two were taken from inside the plane apparently, by an actor survived by a wife and two daughters. Word around the blogsphere is that they were taken with a camera phone and retrieved from the memory stick inside it. Kinda puts things into persective huh...


P.S: They could be fake, for all I know, but what you see is a glimpse of what probably went on in there.

17 June 2009

Heart Changer




Opportunities to preach the gospel, I've always felt, should be taken very seriously especially by those called to preach. It's a shame, when after the preaching of God's word, you decide to speak to someone, after, perhaps a church service or evangelistic meeting, and upon asking them how they got saved (since 9/10 Zambians respond in the affirmative when asked whether they are saved), they respond, "Oh, well, I was born a Christian." or maybe "I go to church and do lots of other good things." Upon hearing such a response, I quickly look for the person responsible for such a response, because someone obviously didn't do what they ought to have done. Either the preacher was unclear or lacking in the content of his message or perhaps the particular individual slept through the whole sermon!




I have always felt that preachers should be very clear when preaching the gospel. I have never appreciated evangelistic sermons that are comprised of bombastic words and theological terminologies that unchurched individuals would struggle to grasp. I mean if the majority of your audience is unconverted why use words they probably won't understand? I thought the whole point was to get the gospel message across!




The first/next time I/I'll ever preach, my introduction will be something like this:






"I'd hate for anyone in this auditorium to leave assuming certain things, especially since it's me preaching, and so just to make sure, I'll just make a few clarifications from onset. First off, going to church cannot save you, just like going to the garage doesn't make you a car neither does going to the Bata make you a shoe. Secondly, doing good things cannot save you because the bible says in Isaiah that our good works are like filthy rags before God. Believing in God's existence, lastly, doesn't make you a Christian because the demons believe it much steadfastly than you ever
will!"




This compulsion to always make the gospel plain has landed me in utter frustration. I always thought that if the gospel was preached such that a listener understood it explicitly and the right "atmosphere", one quiet and perhaps one with the hymn "Just As I Am" playing softly in the background, allowing the person to ponder the words of the preacher, then that person was going to get saved. I mean why not?! The sinner has understood the gospel and has had time to think it through-time to reason, how could that individual make it out of that place unrepentant?!




Ofcourse, I was sadly mistaken and terribly disappointed.




Not long ago, I commenced visiting a nearby college, LBTC, where my buddies and I would share the gospel for an hour, 3 times a week. I usually did the sharing myself. I made sure I wrestled with the person's sense of reason, showing them, through questions, that they did not, infact, know the way of salvation and I'd wait until that beautiful question was asked,"How, then, does one become a Christian?" I'd shoot my buddy colleague a quick smile communicating, non-verbally, the words, "We've got him/em' now!", and begin sharing the word ever so passionately. We were good. We had it all figured out. We were going to get the whole college saved before they'd ever have known what hit them. We forgot one thing though, one crucial thing:




It's God who changes the hearts of men.




You could create the most quiet atmosphere and even add a melancholic tune in the background after sharing the most passionate gospel message, with the clarity of the Lord Jesus Christ himself but if God is not pleased to send his Holy Spirit to convict that soul, that poor soul will not get saved!




That is why I always say to my friends that the man of God must spend more time praying than he does preaching because he, the preacher, only does less than 25% of the work, and that might be giving him too much credit! God does the most part. A preacher cannot always get his stuff right. He may be lacking in clarity, passion, depth or even general gifting but if God chooses to use him, his "below par performance" could save a hundred. Perhaps just one statement he utters could be the line God uses to bring home his own. And yet the most gifted man can preach the most powerful sermon in all senses, whereby, as my buddy says, "You feel like you could get saved again.", and yet not a single soul gets saved. Why? Because it is God who changes hearts.




It all really comes down to the one who God chooses to use, we should all pray that God is pleased to use us.




Now to the reason why I began writing this. There are people who seem like they'll never change. We all know them. The irresponsible relative (friend, colleague, father*, mother, brother, sister, cousin, uncle, aunt or gran) who is a constant burden and refuses to amend his/her ways. Always promising to change but nothing ever matures. The perpetual drunk we see all the time in the neighbourhood, reeling and cursing. Those mad men and women we see in the streets who have been passed as having suffered permanent brain damage. Those members of our communities born Muslims or Jehovah's witnesses or Atheists etc, who adamantly refuse to even hear the gospel. Those workmates or schoolmates who have no interest in the things of God.




These people make me thank God that he does the 75%+ of the work in as far as preaching the gospel is concerned. Because if it was left to us, how could we reach the above mentioned, many of whom hear the gospel but refuse to listen to it? How would we reach those who don't even want to hear the word "Christian"? Thank God that he's the heart changer. Thank God that there is still hope for those who we can't seem to even reach because with him nothing is impossible. Our role in the matter is to be played on our knees-praying that God would be pleased to change their hearts and saved them just like he saved us for Jesus sake, Amen!




*This article is dedicated to my sister Mwila, "Mwils, we're praying for the heart changer to change his heart!"

05 June 2009

Reforms



I once took pride in something I am now ashamed of.





I have mentioned before that I don't enjoy meeting strangers. I detest making the acquaintance of individuals I've never known especially when the meeting is face to face. In essence, I am anti-social and like to keep a group of close friends with whom I exclusively interact. I dread the idea of any imposter in "my inner circle" although, each addition has ended up being very welcome. Not long ago, I accepted this terrible trait as a part of me. I told myself that I was merely a typical introvert. It's not good to be too friendly, but the opposite extreme is just as bad. I've always told myself that,"...that's just the way I am by nature...anti-social."





I've heard that a thousand times from Christians who decide to settle for what they think,"Is the way they are." Why are you so talkative? "That's just the way I am" many would respond. Why are you rude? "That's just the way I am." Why don't you interact more? "That's just the way I am." Why are you so untidy? "That's just the way I am."





The Apostle Paul said something relevant, for those who are "just the way the are", in his letter to the Romans. He admonished them not to be confirmed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, i.e, through scripture. In other words, granted, you have certain things in your character that, while they may not necessarily be good traits, are what make you-you. Well, the Apostle Paul, anticipating the fact that many of us will come with weaknesses and flaws that seem to be so much a part of us, reminds us that becoming a Christian is simply the beginning of a long journey of reformation. It is an amendment of attitudes, values, character and world view. An amendment of the how we do things and even why we would do them in the first place. That's what, in fact, for those of you who are, being a Reformed Baptist is all about, its about reforming...everything.





Well, I didn't realise that in a bid to shut strangers out of my life, I had began shutting out those who I loved most. One evening, my Dad paid my brother and I a visit in our room and sorta addressed us at our points of need.





I have faith that even though I am a mess now, I will one day be a spiritual man in pursuit of the very heart of God. If I end up being anything close to that dream, my parents will predominantly be responsible for it. I thank God for them. My Dad had notice this, rather selfish trend whereby I paid very little interest to my family, especially siblings and cousins.





I've heard the term "generational curse" alot since I started listening to Dr. Voddie Baucham and I always wondered whether there was any such curse in our family. As my Dad brought to my attention this selfish trend I was developing and proved that it is typical of over 95% of the males in our extended family, I couldn't help but think that the generational curse had been brought to light. Basically, of all the men in our extended family, under 5% have interest in their extended family. Only 5% take time to visit the rest of the extended family regularly and keep in touch with their cousins and sisters, wish them happy birthday and acquaint themselves with their brother's, sister's and cousin's children. While I know almost all my Aunties, I know very few of my Uncles. They just never made efforts to come and visit me, their nephew. Dad gave example after example, even of a relative who relocated to South Africa and not even his mother knows where he is. "The males of our family have been a let down", Dad said. "As for me, it was grace which saved me."





I am the first Grandchild of my late Grandfather on my Dad's side. I am therefore the oldest among all my first cousins on my Grandad's side. Dad reminded me of my responsibility. How that being the oldest I should have noted all my cousins birthdays so that I could atleast drop them a note on their special days. I should also take time to be with them when I can and find out how they are doing and whats happening in their lives. Even my own siblings.





I have a tendency to put friends before family but that is incorrect. Rushing off to link up with friends on a chat site before catching up with my brothers and sisters is wrong.





It will take a deliberate effort on my part to take time to interact and keep intouch but if I don't care for my family, who on earth will I care for? Dad said that I wouldn't suddenly have interest in my sibling's or cousin's kids when I'm 40 years old, he told me that it's got to start now. And through this care, I will hopefully communicate the love for my saviour to my family by loving and caring for them.





If you have been as selfish as I, join me as I strive, by God's grace, to reform.


Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. ~Romans 12:2

28 May 2009

Initial Impressions...




I started work yesterday. Its been quite the experience so far, let me begin by admitting that I hate moving to new places and am not so enthusiastic about new people. Its alright to visit a place for a week or two (where two is pushing it) but two months? Its, likewise, ok to meet new people but to be surrounded by new faces-strange faces-is really something I dread. And my anti-social tendencies don't make things any easier. I really wish I was social but alas, I am not. Its really something I ought to work on cause I tend to upset people or give the impression that I am proud, maybe I am...




Anyway, I'm enjoying my new job. I'll be working for 8 weeks. I can already tell that I'll learn alot. After working for only two days, certain things have struck me.




1) First off is the "laid-backness" of government workers. That's the first thing that hit me when I reported for work on my first day. Everyone got there before 8 but out of all the offices I was taken through, only one individual was busy working. All the others were busy chatting or reading the paper. They read the paper and chat until about 9.30 when it is "tea time" or rather time for tea. Finally at 10, people settle down to do some work! All this facilitated by the pockets of tax payers- not fair!




2) Second is the way workmates relate. I've noticed alot of people calling each other by titles like "honey", "sweetie", "my love", "baby"(!), "my husband", "my wife", "darling", etc. This did not surprise me because I've heard enough of it already from school, both at high school and at college but I had no idea it happens in the work place too! Unfortunately, it is MARRIED men and women who call and are called by such titles! I was shocked when I discovered this. If I was married there's no way that I'd call anyone, but my wife, any of the above mentioned names-never! Obviously these, *clears throat* colleagues of mine would not want their spouses to know that they engage in the misuse of "marital titles", it is obviously done behind the back of their spouses. That is not correct. I only hope that those names are as far as their marital unfaithfulness goes for it is indeed, marital unfaithfulness to call someone, other than your spouse such names, especially behind their back!




3) I find the place where I am working to be a place of... plenty, food is cheap and fairly good, transport is provided to and fro! Those are the two places where ones salary tends to emerge half entact. I remember where I was working a while ago, for my uncle, if I paid for my own food at work, a third of my pay was consumed by lunch alone. Its a great place to work, with lots of privileges and benefits. Its easy to take such things for granted, something which so many have done.




Well, that's about it as far as my initial impressions of the workplace are concerned. They might change but they remain my initial impressions none the less.

18 May 2009

Is Obama A Christian?


You have to grant it to him, Obama is a most excellent orator. To put it in the words of a former pastor, now lecturer and faculty member of a seminary on the Copperbelt, "You can't just help but like the guy." It is very true, I heard a speech by him were he speaks to graduates at a University in Arizona, USA. I got really inspired. He was basically encouraging the "graduating class of 09" to seek to serve others in all their future endeavors, rather than themselves. He didn't quote a single verse in the bible and yet I walked away feeling like I had heard a moving sermon!



Anyway, great oration doesn't get you a spot in the Lambs book of life, so, is this man actually a Christian? My interest in discovering his state before God was inspired by a comment I got on an article I wrote about Obama, about 24 hours before his inauguration. It was a negative article. I wasn't necessarily shooting the man down, I was simply appealing to anyone who would read, especially Christians, not to envy Obama because of his achievement because firstly, what good is it for a man to gain the whole world but in the end, to lose his soul. Secondly, I sought to encourage believers to admire men who achieve much for God's kingdom rather than those who achieve much in this mortal world. That makes those men who have given their lives to serving God, the ones who must be admired and envied above all others because it is that kind of achievement that will count on the last day. You can read that article by clicking here, and you can read the comment that inspired this article below that article.



Now then, is Obama a Christian? In this article I present to you nothing but actual quotes from Obama himself and leave it to you to decide. Each quotation has a link to its source indicated against the quote by a number in brackets. At the bottom you will find against the number the name of the source, simply click on the numbers to view the desired source. The quotes are taken from either videos of Obama or transcripts of interviews.





THE EVIDENCE FOR


Obama has publicly said that he is, infact, a Christian. He has been called a Muslim but says that while he respects Islam, he is not a Muslim (by the way, I do not respect Islam). Obama on being a Christian:


"I am a Christian, and I am a devout Christian. I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life. But most importantly, I believe in the example that Jesus set by feeding the hungry and healing the sick and always prioritizing the least of these over the powerful. I didn't 'fall out in church' as they say, but there was a very strong awakening in me of the importance of these issues in my life. I didn't want to walk alone on this journey. Accepting Jesus Christ in my life has been a powerful guide for my conduct and my values and my ideals."(1)



Obama believes that America's greatest moral failure has been a failure to follow the fact that whatever is done for the least, is done for Jesus Christ as found in Matthew 25:40, he says:



"I think America’s greatest moral failure in my lifetime has been that we still don’t abide by that basic precept in Matthew that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me, and that notion of — that basic principle applies to poverty. It applies to racism and sexism. It applies to, you know, not having — not thinking about providing ladders of opportunity for people to get into the middle class. There’s a pervasive sense, I think, that this country, as wealthy and powerful as we are, still don’t spend enough time thinking about the least of us."(2)



Obama says he became a Christian in 1985 when...well, why don't I just use his own words, here is President Obama's testimony:



"...So one Sunday, I put on one of the few clean jackets I had, and went over to Trinity United Church of Christ on 95th Street on the South Side of Chicago. And I heard Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright deliver a sermon called "The Audacity of Hope." And during the course of that sermon, he introduced me to someone named Jesus Christ. I learned that my sins could be redeemed. I learned that those things I was too weak to accomplish myself, He would accomplish with me if I placed my trust in Him. And in time, I came to see faith as more than just a comfort to the weary or a hedge against death, but rather as an active, palpable agent in the world and in my own life. It was because of these newfound understandings that I was finally able to walk down the aisle of Trinity one day and affirm my Christian faith. It came about as a choice, and not an epiphany. I didn't fall out in church, as folks sometimes do. The questions I had didn't magically disappear. The skeptical bent of my mind didn't suddenly vanish. But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side, I felt I heard God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth and carrying out His works..."(3)



Here are a few comments by people who've read this account. By the way, you can click on the link (number) above to read the full testimony.


"For Obama to stand up and talk about how Jesus changed his life, my friends that takes guts. You may disagree with everything he’s about, you may disagree with his policy goals but as Christians, shouldn’t we like it when someone talks about Christ being the missing ingredient in his life?"
-A Mr. David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network


"I found this statement breathtaking and refreshing in its straightforwardness."
-A Mr. D. Pulliam





THE EVIDENCE AGAINST


Obama is pretty sure that his mother, who died a non-believer, is in heaven. He says his late mother was the kindest, most descent and generous person he ever knew. While she was not "A believer like I am", he says, "I'm sure she is in heaven".(4)



Obama, in response to those who thought that America's public policy should be guided by the bible, said:



*"Which passages of scripture, should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus which suggests that slavery is ok?... Or, we could go with Deuteronomy which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the sermon on the mount, a passage that is so radical, that its doubtful that our own defence department would survive its application? So before we get carried away, lets read our bibles now. [Some] folks havn't been reading their bible."(5)



Obama feels that the standard of the bible, and of God therefore, cannot be used to govern a nation because not everyone in America, for example, is a believer. It is on that premise that he is pro-choice (supports making abortion legal) rather than pro-life (those who want to make abortion illegal). Although, he does clarify his position saying that while he is pro-choice, he is not pro-abortion(6). Neither is he a supporter of homosexuality although he feels that homosexuals are born with their sexual orientation and that they too, like heterosexuals, have rights and should therefore be free to live normal lives(7).



Obama feels that while he is a believer, he should not superimpose his beliefs on non-believers(8). Also, he does not seem to believe in the inerrancy of scripture as he is quoted saying, that some evangelicals believe in the inerrancy of scripture, in a sorta negative tone and context(8).



Link (8) is a video, on youtube, with whose uploader's words I will end this article with, he writes:



"I usually don't upload other videos and post them (thanks YOISM.org), but
this video was too good to pass up. It reinforces why I love this candidate. Finally someone eloquent who really gets it!!! He admits some of the inanities in the bible and the illogic. He admits that faith is illogical and imperfect. He lays out why religion should stay out of government. He's for civil unions and not marriage, but... eh... criticizing that is like not driving the Lamborghini because it only gets 9 miles per gallon. It's my assertion that Obama is either a closet atheist only in religion for political reasons (Yeah hypocritical, the Lamborghini doesn't have any cup holders either) or he's one of the last and most sane Christian I could ever hope to meet. Enjoy. "



If Obama is a true believer, the words of this guy I've just quoted would cripple him. Its one thing for people to be unable to tell whether you are a believer or not but it is quite another for people to reject your faith because of what you, yourself, are saying about it.



Is Obama a Christian, you have the necessary information now-you decide. I rarely get any comments at all, but if you read this, do weigh the evidence for and the evidence against and based on them leave me a comment specifying whether or not you think Obama is saved.




________________________________________________



(1) Obama's interview with Christianity Today.


(2a) Obama, at the Presidential forum at Saddleback Church where both he and Maccain were interviewed, on Question 6. "What does it mean to be a follower of Christ?". (Transcript)


(2b) Obama at the Presidential forum at Saddleback Church where both he and Maccain were interviewed. (Video)


(3) A Politics of Conscience by Barack Obama.


(4) 30 second video at youtube.com


(5) Call to Renewal by Barack Obama. (Video)


(6) In response to Question 7, third paragraph, "At what point is a baby entitled to human rights?"


(7) In response to Question 8, "Define marriage."


(8) "Religion Speech" at youtube.com

17 May 2009

Sense Of Sight


I got this idea in my head that, all my relevant senses but one, have experienced God. I thought I'd put pen to paper and write a song about it.

Sense Of Sight
Before I Knew You, I Would Hear You,
Hear You Calling Unto Me
But Like Samuel, I Wasn’t Sure
What To Do Or What To Say

Oh, I Have Heard You
I Have Felt You
But Oh, What It Will Be
To Use The Sense Of Sight!

Softly And Tenderly, You Touched Me
You Sent The Driest Eyes To Tears
And I Knew You In A Whole New Way
I Was Never The Same

Oh, I Have Heard You
I Have Felt You
But Oh, What It Will Be
To Use The Sense Of Sight!

You Must Be Lovely, All So Beautiful
My Heart Yearns For Your Embrace
My Soul Cries Out Deep Within Me
To See The One Who Loved Me First

Oh, I Have Heard You
I Have Felt You
But Oh, What It Will Be
To Use The Sense Of Sight!

In All Your Glory, In All Your Splendor,
To Look Into The Eyes, Of One So Tender
Yes I Have Heard You, I Have Felt You
All I Want Now, Is To See You

Oh, I Have Heard You
I Have Felt You
But Oh, What It Will Be
To See You!



I wish I could die for a very simple reason. I wish to escape this body of death. This flesh that loves the sin so much depresses me, had I the pinions of a dove, I'd fly to my God and be at rest! But then, what will it be like to see, my saviour and my God?! The one who teems with love for sinful me, it will certainly be something! Its like meeting a person who has sent you lovely gifts each and every birthday you have ever had for the very first time. They may not be particularly lovely to look at, but the love they have shown you makes them beautiful to behold. I have heard him, I have felt him, but what will it be to actually behold him that loved me so much as to give his life for me?

16 May 2009

Missing My Aim


I've written under 10 songs but I was really embarrassed about them for some reason. My buddy found them accidentally and told me they were good. I decided to pull them out and see what was so "good" about them and sure enough, they weren't half bad. I thought I'd share them and the background surrounding them one song per post so that my post average can go up alittle! I pray God uses these feeble expressions of a feeble heart to encourage somebody.


Missing My Aim


It’s the same line every evening,
“Sorry Lord, please forgive me.”
It’s the same sins, over and over,
Oh Lord, I feel like am mocking you.

To be holy, that’s my aim,
When I miss, who is to blame?
Help me Lord, to hit my aim

I really do try, to be holy,
Maybe, that’s the problem,
I forget to, ask your aid,
And end up missing my aim

To be holy, that’s my aim,
When I miss, who is to blame?
Help me Lord, to hit my aim

Sometimes I feel so dirty,
And I don’t deserve your mercy,
(But) thank you Lord because you forgive
If I only have faith and believe

To be holy, that’s my aim,
When I miss, who is to blame?
Help me Lord, to hit my aim



The problem with me is that I have weaknesses in specific areas. It is in those areas that I tend to sin and fall short of God's glory. I think its the same for most Christians. If your problem is lying, for example, after a whole day of lying, you'll feel terrible about your sin and ask God for forgiveness. The next day, its the same pit fall, the same weakness and so you mess up again. That evening you again repent. Day three begins, and yet again, its the same weakness, the same pit fall, you mess up but then you wonder, am I mocking God? Every night its the same line, "sorry Lord, please forgive me." You wonder whether God begins to feel mocked. You keep saying sorry for the same sins and yet you keep asking for pardon for them. Its almost like making a mockery of God. In the end, certain days, you won't ask pardon because you wonder if you're playing games with the almighty God. For others it could be, an addiction, drinking, smoking, pornography, lying (yup I know people who lie all by themselves, no pressure on them, they just open their mouth and start lying). For me I felt like I was mocking God, and I'd pray, "God, here I am again, the same sin, I'm sorry, please don't feel that I'm mocking you."


In the second verse, as I was penning this song, I wanted to convey the fact that, I am trying hard not to sin. Then I realised that maybe that was the problem, I couldn't do it on my own, I needed him to help me hit my aim. And don't we all?

20 April 2009

Covered!


I already wrote quite a bit of this in the post about the NARBYC conference but I thought I'd do an exclusive write up.


In South Africa, one evening, a man was awakened from his bed by his wife who asked him to check the front door because she had heard some noises there. He quickly got out of bed and went to check it out. He found the door open; obviously, some unwanted guest(s) had broken in.



Suddenly four men surrounded him and grabbed him. Before long, his whole family had been gathered in the kitchen and he had been tied to a chair. They knew he owned a nearby store and told him to hand over all the money he had made that past month. He explained that he only had a thousand rand (R1,000/$140/K500,000) on him. He had used all his money to buy stock for his shop. The robbers thought it a likely story. They got a pressing iron out and plugged it in so it could get hot. Then they got a butchers knife out and began hitting this store owner with the side of it. They slapped him and punched him all the while demanding that he release his profits from the previous month’s sales. All this, in front of his young kids and weeping wife. The man maintained that he didn’t have any money. The iron by now was ready for use and so the robbers began burning the store owner on his beaten back.



After a couple minutes of torture, the robbers were convinced, he did not have any money. They locked the family in the bathroom and loaded their family van with their house hold goods and most of the newly purchased stock from the man’s shop. They left with thousands of rand/dollars worth of goods.


When the Apostle Paul wrote that he was the chief/worst of sinners, well, he hadn’t met me yet! I am a sinner to the bone and I know I am saved by grace entirely. And yet so many times, I have struggled with sin, and I have, many times, abused that grace. I know that Christ has paid for my sin, past, present and future but this Easter the reality of this dawned on me like never before.


I have always thought that the anguish of our savior in the garden in Gethsemane was caused by his dread for the physical pain he was about to endure. This is absolutely false. Granted he was about to suffer a cruel death but Jesus a much bigger problem to worry about. This problem was so tremendous that Jesus prayed, “Take this cup from me yet not my will but thine be done.” Jesus prayed in essence, “Please don’t let me go through this, but I am willing to if you want me to.”


This tremendous issue caused Jesus to “sweat blood”! The bible says his sweat were like “drops of blood”. If you do some research you will find a condition in which a person can be under extreme anxiety and can be so upset that the capillaries in their head can burst. Sweat can mix with the blood causing an individual to “sweat blood”. Well, what made Jesus so anxious if not the physical pain he was to endure?


Back to the story, imagine those four men being tried in a court, and imagine the evil of these men being placed upon your shoulders. Imagine being tormented by the guilt they feel because their evil is set upon you. Imagine people looking at you with the same disgust and bitterness with which they would look at these men.


If you can imagine that, imagine Jesus, a perfect man, who had never sinned before, who hated sin with absolute hatred, imagine him baring the worst sin each and every human being has ever committed, murder, adultery, fornication, envy, malice, theft, rape, assault, blasphemy, pride, homosexuality, bestiality etc. Well, he didn’t just bare the worst sins of man; he bore each and every sin! Imagine he who knew no sin becoming the worst of sinners because our combined evil was laid upon him. Imagine his father, who loved him and who was well pleased with him looking away from him because of his disgust and bitterness against the sin of the world laid upon him.



Imagine God forsaking God as Jesus cries, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!
Jesus did all this, for your sin and mine. All those sins we battle with, all those evil things we do and wonder whether God will forgive us for doing them again and again, all those were the reason why Jesus sweat blood. Who wouldn’t sweat blood if they had to bare the sins of men?!

He paid for them, we are covered! We are covered praise God, hallelujah, amen!


This does not mean we are free to continue in sin, Jesus died to set us free from the grasp of sin. We should therefore put aside the sin that so easily besets us and grab a hold of our savior who died so we could be free! I pray that this lesson I learnt blesses some ones heart as much as it’s blessed mine, Amen!

Ten Things I Wish I’d Known When I Was Single:



I've seen this article a couple of times and I thought I'd share it here. Do visit, Mrs Cathrine's blog to see what else she has on there. I thought i'd stick this cute puppy at the top too...



1. Marriage doesn’t “develop” the good traits. If you don’t cultivate patience, joy, gentleness, kindness, etc. before marriage, they aren’t going to miraculously appear when you’ve wed.




2. If you can’t joyfully submit to your parents, you won’t joyfully submit to your husband.





3. If you develop a “grass is greener” mentality while single, marriage won’t feel as fulfilling as you dream it to be. Contentedness is something you must cultivate while single. If you aren’t content as a daughter, you won’t be magically become content as a wife.





4. Cultivate a schedule (along with a daily quiet time) before you have to schedule life around children. If you can function on a schedule as a single young lady, then you will flourish as a wife and mother.





5. Learn to play with your siblings. If you can’t “enjoy” your brothers and sisters, it will be hard to “delight” in your children. You will love your children, yes… but you will not become a “fun” person through childbirth.





6. Learn to give. Make your life as a single young woman about serving others. (Make sure to do this through the leadership of your father so that you choose wisely and don’t overextend yourself.) If you make your single years about “serving self,” it is very difficult to “kill off self” once you’re married.





7. Learn to please your earthly father. This relationship will give you the vital ability to discern what will bless your future husband. Granted, every man is different… but if you seek to do your father good, it will be easy to seek to do your husband good.





8. Consider your mother your mentor. Learn from her… Study her… Memorize her movements and schedules. One day you will be the “home manager.”





9. Learn to enjoy and have fun with “just” your family. If you need friends to make life fun while single, the same will apply when married.





10. Learn to follow a budget and shop wisely. Regardless of your family’s “mode” of living, generally marriage is started off on a simple budget. You will be a great blessing to your husband if you manage carefully the money he gives to you.

16 April 2009

NABYC Journal

DAY 1

I had no intention of attending the National Reformed Baptist Youth Camp (NARBYC) due to academic pressure but after it dawned on me that it was over the Easter weekend, I changed my mind. For some reason I thought it would be a week long or something like that. Anyway, my two buddies and I decided we'd pack a few bags, grab some guitars and hit the road. My two friends would have gone on Thursday morning but one had to work and the other, along with me, was participating in the Easter concert that evening. We left early friday morning.


We ended up hitting the road on the same bus with two couples (courting couples) with whom we attend the same church. They looked pretty romantic when they slept during the journey as the girls would lay their heads on the guy's shoulders. "Relationships galore!” Henry exclaimed.


We got to the town, Ndola. Henry and I carried guitars with the intention of "rocking the NABYC". We definitely raised some eyebrows at the bus station when we arrived, 5 guys, 2 girls and two guitars. We looked like a choir or band or something, in fact, I overheard someone ask whether we were from a church or which church we'd be singing at! After about an hour of waiting our ride to the camp site came, a whole minibus! We loaded our stuff. Henry and I, the two guitarists, sat in the back. I grabbed the guitar I had and started rocking away; Henry caught the fire and started singing with me. Soon the whole crew was singing as we drove along to the venue or so we thought. We spent the next 2 and a half hours going left and right. The guys who came to fetch us were organizers and decided they'd buy a couple essentials while transporting the tired choir.

Anyway, we sang and sang and sang. Soon even the girl’s boyfriends, who did not look impressed when I first started singing in the back of the mini bus, joined in and started making requests. I actually got a little tired playing guitar but the requests kept coming in, "When peace like a river", "Trials dark on every hand", "Amazing grace" etc.


We stopped over to pick my cousin up, so I popped into the house to greet my aunt, my dad's young sister and my other cousin who I hadn't seen in quite a bit. We got my cousin and also Mubanga, Pastor Kabwe's first daughter.


Finally we hit the camp site, got registered and tuned the guitars. We found a third guitarist (Tundo), and we knew we'd rock the show for sure, "Guitar galore!" Henry exclaimed.

That first evening a man rose to speak, Alan Lester, his accent was clearly South African and yet he did not look like an indigenous white South African. That puzzled me until he explained later, when I talked with him, that his ancestors came as missionaries from England and the past 3 or 4 generations of Lesters have been in SA. His father was also a missionary, although he, to the Zulus. His father speaks fluent Zulu and he himself is trying to learn so he can preach to the Zulu too. There is a book that records the stories of the first Lesters who came as missionaries entitled “The book of Lesters”. Some of the other Lester missionaries actually got eaten up by wild animals for the sake of the gospel, what a way to die! Dying for the sake of the gospel!


Mr. Lester is a retired paramedic who works full time for his church’s drug addicts ministry. He is not paid by the church but is sufficiently covered by his pension. Although he has never preached at his local church, he preaches about 10 times a month, 6 times minimum and NARBYC was his first time preaching out of South Africa. He has never solicited or advertised himself but just gets regular calls to preach.


He began preaching in 1998 when he, at the church he attended, enrolled for a 7 year study program. I was shocked when he told me the time it took to finish the program, but he did. The church gave opportunities for men to give short devotions during Lord Supper meetings and that’s how he began preaching. He pastored a church for about a year when their Pastor underwent a hijacking which left him a little mentally disturbed. Mr. Lester stood in the gap until the church found a replacement. You can see here how much I love trivia!


He was invited to preach at NARBYC, when he gave a seminar on drug addiction in SA. Two pastors who oversee the NARBYC were in attendance and later, they asked him to do some seminars on drugs at NARBYC and also preach evangelistic sermons on each night on any passage he liked.


The thing I admire most about Mr. Lester is that his ministry is actually widely appreciated and yet he is so humble. He is a regular preacher and his sermons are even available at audiosermon.com for downloads. And you know if your sermons are at sermonaudio.com you are not just a mere preacher. He has a website on which many of his stuff can be downloaded. He is very humble. I’d like to be like that. Bad news in the pulpit but people can’t see it till you’re in there!



Mr. Lester praying before beginning his last session



Mr. Lester is married and has 2 young daughters.

During the evening sessions, Mr. Lester spoke on Jesus’ time before and after the cross. Jesus in Gethsemane, Jesus on the cross and Jesus’ resurrection.


The first evening was my personal favorite as far as the Lord speaking to me is concerned. Alan Lester, spoke on Jesus in Gethsemane. Alan Lester has become one of my most favorite preachers; he makes me want to preach!

Mr. Lester always began his sermons with stories. That’s very first night he told a story of this shop owner who was in bed one night when his wife asked him to check the front door because of the noise she had heard from there. The man went to have a look and found his front door open. Somebody had broken in. Suddenly, four men appeared from the shadows. The robbers bound him and brought out the rest of his family. They wanted money. He explained to them that he only had a R1,000 or K500,000 or $140 because he had purchased stock for the shop, so he didn’t have any cash. Obviously the robbers didn’t expect him to give up his money like it was christmas and thought it was a likely story. They got a pressing iron and plugged it in so it could heat up. In the mean time they got out a panger, or large knife. They took his shirt off him and began beating him with the side of the knife while insisting that he give them the money. He maintained that he didn’t have any money. They continued hitting him and slapping him around, all this in front of his family. They got the hot iron out and began burning his beaten back with it. When the man still didn’t give them the money they finally picked up his youngest child and told him that if he did not give them the money they would chop his little child into several pieces. When he pleaded with them saying he did not have any money they figured that he was telling the truth. They locked his family along with him in their bathroom, got their van loaded it with goods from the house and as much stock from the shop as they could, and left.


He left the story at that promising that he’d get back to it later.


He then took us to Gethsemane and spoke of the anguish Jesus went through. He spoke of how his closest friends were not there for him during those moments of anguish as they slept while he suffered phsycological torment on his own. Jesus knew that he would have to bare the sins of the whole world on his shoulders. He knew that he, who had never ever sinned, would become the most sinful man on the planet as he bore the sin of this sinful world. All the murder, theft, adultery, fornication, hatred, racism, envy, malice, pride etc would be set on him, he would be the one accused of all those things on behalf of us all, on behalf of me. And that’s what caused him so much pain and anguish. It wasn’t the nails or the whip that would tear the flesh of his back that made him sweat blood, it was the reality of a man who hated sin becoming a sinner and paying for it by separation from God in our place. What a burden it was for him! What a bitter pill to swallow, what a cup to drink. “Take this cup from me”, he cried, “Yet not my will but thine be done.” He was so distressed that he sweat blood and an angel was sent to minister to him from the side of his father in heaven. Mr. Lester, a paramedic by profession, explained that there is a condition caused by extreme anxiety where the capillaries in the head burst. If one were sweating, the blood would mix with the sweat and thus the sweating of blood. And all the while his closest friends slept.


I thought of all my sins, all that I have done, all those sinful deeds I struggle to put off and how they trouble me so. I realized as Mr. Lester spoke that I am covered. I kept saying those words in my head, “Mwindula, you are covered!” All the anguish Christ endured was for your particular sins, they were laid on him. No wonder he was in torment, no wonder he sweat blood! Imagine, your worst sin and the worst sin of every other human laid upon one man, who wouldn’t sweat blood?! I am covered! We are covered! Of course, it’s not a pass to continue in our sin, because he died to set us free of the chains of sin, if we continue in our sin, we are missing the point, but one thing is certain, “Mwindula is covered!”


Imagine those four robbers being tried in court and being sentenced. Imagine having to bare the sins of those guys. Imagine the load of their combined evil being laid on your shoulders. Everyone looking at you with the disgust they would look upon those four guys. God looked at his son with the disgust he would looked upon an entire planet full of sinful men, imagine the anguish of the Lord Jesus.


This post is fast becoming a little sermon, but for me, the message of that sermon will remain with me for some time to come.