Over There...

Propoversary (Three Mysteries)

2011-12-20T22:30:00.000+02:00

Last year today at around 15.40pm (yes, I've recorded the time) I proposed my girlfriend and 4 days later, on Christmas morning, she said yes. I have therefore declared December the 20th our "Propoversary". I thought I coined the phrase "Proposalversary" but was disappointed to find that it already exists, atleast informally and thus shortened it to "Propoversary" which is definitely mine. I also thought I coined the phrase "Unofficial Relationship" but found it was already in circulation. Look at the Unofficial Relationship posts, part 1 here and part two, here. I beg your pardon, I believe part two is still pending. I'll get it done soon.

Well, I thought I'd right a little something in light of our propoversary. Three mysterious things happened after I proposed her that to this day, I do not understand. My dad attempted to give a solution to atleast one. You're most welcome to suggest any explanations.

Mystery No. 1

The first mysterious thing happened right after I proposed her. I was on my way home pondering my proposal and her response. Replaying the whole incident in my mind when five minutes away from said home, I broke down into tears. I was around some scattered people so I held back and ran ahead as the route ahead was more deserted. I then wept uncontrollably and unreservedly. I got home and rushed into my room, closed the door and wept for an hour to two. My mother came to see me, anxious to hear how it went (yes, I told both my parents before going) and found me curled up in bed and assumed the worst. After a few questions she gave me some much needed space. My father called to find out how it went and I broke down while talking to him. Muttering, "Shes a good girl dad," over and over. My father was away at a lodge in town to get some work done but came back home to console his supposedly rejected son.

You see, I could tell from the young ladies excitement after I proposed that all things being equal I was getting a yes. And I thought my weeping was because I was on a highway to get a girl I didn't deserve being the wretch I am. My friends came to see me and couldn't understand my sorrow (yes, I told my closest friends I was launching).

After a while I felt a lot better and joined my mother in the living room to narrate the epic event. My dad came through and joined us.

The thing I don't understand is why I wept like I did. I am not one to spontaneously break down. I can count the times I have on one hand so that was odd.

My dad did offer a hypothesis which I know I will not do justice because I can't remember how he put it exactly but it made a lot of sense. He hypothesized that the past few hours, maybe even days, leading up to the proposal kept me excited and emotionally high. Letting it all out, left me suddenly emotionally drained or empty causing a sudden depression. He said preachers go through it on Mondays after Sunday's preaching. He had a phrase for it I can't remember. With time, the emotions stabilize and one is normal again hence my ability to laugh and jest a few hours later.

Mystery No. 2

The second mysterious thing, like the third, happened after she said yes. For the weeks that followed the 'yes' I was with her practically everyday. We were both on school vacation so it worked out great. However, everytime I got home from seeing her, I'd be EXTREMELY exhausted and I couldn't for the life of me understand why. I even asked a doctor from church and explained that I had just proposed this girl and asked whether it could by any chance have anything to do with it. He strongly doubted it and said something about stress and said it'd go in time.

It did.

But after a long while.

This extreme exhaustion had me desperately worried, I hadn't felt anything like it before and really wondered what was causing it. My best guess was that I would get tired from being a guy who this stunning girl wouldn't discover was actually unlovely and thus put on my best show when I was with her, sitting up straight and walking properly and breathing correctly etc. Thus at the end of each day with her, I'd just be drained.

Mystery No.3

The third and final mystery was that everyday, for about a month or so after she said yes, I'd wake up at about 3 or 4am and fail to sleep again. This problem certainly didn't compliment the one directly above (mystery no. 2). Before she said yes, I'd be up at 1am or something but I expected a 'yes' would usher in my old sleeping routine. Alas! Every day I'd wake up so early and just couldn't sleep.

I reasoned it out this way. I knew for a fact that this girl was delusional to say yes to me and I expected her to come to her senses any second from the time she said 'yes', and that had me dead worried, so worried I'd be up early in the morning and fail to get any sleep. I wondered what it'd be that would make her realize that she could do so, so much better and wondered when she'd finally come to that realization.

I am glad to report that the wedding day is atleast one year closer and if I can just keep her in this state of delusion until she says, "I do," I might just manage to entrap her into wedlock.

So far so good!

Well, there you have it, the three mysteries. Possible solutions are most welcome!

Tears Of The World

2011-12-08T17:23:00.001+02:00

Sometimes we become familiar and consequently numb to the need around us, and life just goes on. This song by Michael Card is a prayer, that God might grant us, when we are numb, even the slightest feeling towards the sorrowful in this world.

In any split second of a moment of time,
In the blink that is one single day,
The sum of the sorrow that wraps round the world
Would catch ever soul up and sweep them away.

As vast as the ocean, as deep as the sea,
Swept up in one toxic tide.
By warm salty waves the world weeps its woe
So how can it be that my own tears are dry?
So open my eyes and open my heart
And grant me the gift of your grieving
And awaken in me the compassion to weep
Just one of the tears of the world.
When God walked among us in the fullness of time
He wept tears as old as the world
Acquainted with sorrow, he took up the cup
And drank every drop of the poison that heals.
So open my eyes and open my heart
And grant me the gift of your grieving
And awaken in me the compassion to weep
Just one of the tears of the world.
by Michael Card

Mementos to the Lord

2011-11-01T09:30:00.000+02:00

Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?' then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever." ~Joshua 4:4-7.

Many times we read over tremendous and mind boggling things in the bible as though they were insignificant. I'm reminded here of a sermon I heard where the charismatic preacher read something in the text and was absolutely dejected at the reaction from the audience or lack thereof.

"Didn't you hear what I read?" He asked, "Christ is in you!"

That is indeed significant, but sometimes we become too familiar and simply don't appreciate what is being said or read.

One such example is in the text above. Joshua 3 finds the Israelites at the banks of the Jordan river about to cross over into the 40 year awaited promised land. So long had been the wait that all those who begun the journey were now dead. It was a completely new generation. With no bridge in sight, no rafts or boats, obviously many were wondering what was going on. That day God did something tremendous. Almost precisely 40 years earlier he had parted an entire sea. This particular time, he was going to suspend the flow of an entire river so that the water flowing downhill would pile up in a heap. It must have been an awesome sight!

In Joshua 4, God asks the Israelites to make a memento, something that everytime they looked at, would remind them of that great day when He stopped a mighty flowing river so that His people would inhabit the land he had promised them. 12 stones were to be picked from the river bed and stacked up to form a memento.

What can we learn from this?

I began by saying, "Many times we read over tremendous and mind boggling things in the bible as though they were insignificant."

Well, many times we go through very significant periods and moments in our lives and yet move on with life like nothing ever happened.

Here are two facts that do not compliment each other. Fact one: God answers our prayers and blesses us beyond what we ask and even imagine. Fact two: Many of us do not have a habit of remembering the things that God does for us. Infact, may of us are not good at keeping any sorts of records of our lives at all. Yet clearly, this is a big deal for God.

It was a big deal for him that the Israelites then, as well as those to come, remembered this wonderful thing he did. It is no different with us.

It might be an operation we underwent, perhaps a birth in the family, the finding of a spouse, academic success, a sickness survived, finding a place for school, finding a job, completion of a building project etc, things that we have been praying for, or hoping for and God undertakes for us in such a great way, do we have any way to store and remember the great things God has done and is doing for us?

It could be by way of a picture, or an object or a piece of writing framed and stuck up that everytime we see, can remind us of God's goodness and greatness. It could be a box in which we store and throw in various mementos and pull out every year to remember and share God's goodness to us.

How often do we see God's hand at work, then thank him and move on like nothing ever happened?

It would make much of him if we formed mementos that remind us of what he has done so that we can even share his mighty undertakings with others who ask after the mementos, "What does this thing mean/represent, what is it for?". We can reply, "This serves to remind me of the time when... And God came through for me!"

New Look

2011-10-13T09:15:00.000+02:00

After about a year of having the 'coffee cup' look for my blog, I have made changes and it has been long overdue! This blog-look was actually made for bloggers who love taking photos so they can update the little slide show of photos above regularly. I enjoy taking photos of beautiful scenes or things, the kind you can sell. And so all the photos above that I am not in, I took. Infact, all the animals are pets at home, the patterns are bed covers at home and the guitar is mine and the beautiful hand, my girlfriends!

I hope to update them as I take more. So if people don't come to read, perhaps, they can come over to see some good photographs!

The blogs new look however has a problem, it has one flaw when run using internet explorer 7. But we'll just have to live with that one.

Talking To Yourself

2011-10-10T09:00:00.000+02:00

A couple of months ago, I was in class and the pressures of some tests (or was a test?) that were around the corner were weighing hard on me. I hadn't touched a page of notes and the shear amount of work I needed to read left me pretty much despairing. In a state of anguish, I turned to my neighbour, a devout Christian from a pentecostal/charismatic background (I am yet to draw a proper line between the two -if any), and narrated my doom and impending failure.

He turned to me and grabbed me by the collar lifting me off my seat and asked me a series of questions.

"HAVEN'T YOU ATTENDED THE MAJORITY OF THE CLASSES?" He asked.

"Yes." I replied a nervously.

"HAVEN'T YOU DONE YOUR SEMINARS?"

"Yes." I replied getting concerned about how costly a wrong answer might be.

"HAVEN'T YOU WRITTEN YOUR ASSIGNMENTS?"

"Yes." I replied.

His tone and grip softened as he proceeded to give me the most encouraging and uplifting words I had heard in quite a while. Obviously I have exaggerated the incident quite a little but hopefully have made my point.

I would have tried to write what he told me but I couldn't possibly do his few but stirring words justice. Needless to say, I was ready to take that bull by the horns after the incident. My friend, like me hadn't touched a single page of notes either but left me confident that everything would be alright.

Well, we both failed. But I think my friend was onto something.

In life certain facts surround us, some positive and others negative. A balance is required to handle both. Sometimes we go to one extreme and dwell too much on the negative. Some people are like this by personality, pessimists, while others, optimists (and pentes!) may find themselves dwelling on the positive to unwise extents.

Human beings are always talking to themselves. Did you know that? When a challenge comes your way, you speak to yourself. Sometimes, you say, "I remember this, I failed last time." Other times its, "I remember this, I hope I don't fail again." Etc. I think it is important to speak to ones self positively, but realistically.

My friends encouraging words were true but my response to them (as well as his own response) was wrong. Where I'm I getting this? Well, David was always talking to himself as seen in many of his compositions. Here are a few, notice how he speaks of both positive and negative facts that surround him but encourages himself with the former:

¹ LORD, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
² Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
³ But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
⁴ I call out to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
⁵ I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
⁶ I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side. ~Psalm 3

⁸ In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, LORD,
make me dwell in safety. ~Psalm 4

³ In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.
⁷ But I, by your great love,
can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
toward your holy temple. ~Psalm 5

⁸ Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the LORD has heard my weeping.
⁹ The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
¹⁰ All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame. ~Psalm 6

¹⁰ My shield is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart. ~Psalm 7

³ My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.
⁴ For you have upheld my right and my cause,
sitting enthroned as the righteous judge. ~Psalm 9

I have left out quotes that are not direct (i.e. quotes that aren't I, me, mine, my etc) and have only quoted some of David's Psalms from the first few. That's six quotes from nine Psalms after a rough browse through leaving out the more subtle quotes -clearly the Psalms are littered with this kind of language!

You will notice that David also mentions the negative facts but the choruses of his songs, the refrains of his poems and the conclusions of his Psalms all say the same thing, David's emphasis is on those things that are true and encouraging to his own heart.

We are all guilty of indulging in self pity at times, speaking of things negative when there is so much that is positive in our lives one of the most outstanding being (and one which make the negatives pale in comparison) that we hold the hand that holds the world! We must emulate David's example. The man who spoke words of encouragement to himself. But lets be realistic while we're at it!

Thanks for reading.

Is It OK To Take Alcohol?

2011-10-06T19:00:00.000+02:00

"It must be surely!" Many say, "after all, even Jesus turned water into wine." That argument seems to be the most quoted by those on the "It's OK" wing.

Yes, it is true. Jesus attended a wedding where the wine ran out and saved the day by providing wine miraculously from water. There are many other positive references regarding the taking of wine in the bible. Wine was fermented in order to preserve it and so was certainly alcoholic even in those days.

He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. ~Psalm 104:14-15.

Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish! Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. ~Proverbs 31:6-7.
Note: In the preceding verses of this particular scripture, the writer says that alcohol must not be taken by those in authority lest they make decisions without sound judgement.

Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.~ 1 Timothy 5:23.

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. ~ Isaiah 25:6.

There are several more verses which can be used to argue that it is OK to take alcohol but there are also some verses that can be used to argue against it. I will not argue for or against taking wine necessarily, however, I will give reasons as to why I do not.

To begin with, the bible does not out rightly condemn taking alcohol, however it does condemn in no uncertain terms, drunkenness. Paul, for instance, mentions drunkenness, in his letter to the Galatian saints, among many other 'acts of the sinful nature' stating that those guilty of such, will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. ~ Galatians 5:19-21.

The only conventional way of getting drunk is to drink alcohol. I do not think it prudent to walk close the edge of the pit of drunkenness by taking alcoholic drink even if it be moderately. I think it would be wiser to avoid it altogether. That is the first reason why I abstain from it.

The second reason is because I want to love my neighbour. I would have said, "I love my neighbour", but most times I do not. However, I desire to.

In my culture (and by culture I mean the worldview of those in the region where I reside), alcohol and Christianity are antithetical. A pastor who spends his evenings drinking in bars will soon have an empty church. Any school boy/girl walking home with friends would not be proud to identify their Pastor if they saw him in a bar drinking. It would be shameful. Thus if I am going to be a light to those around, those in my culture, I will abstain from alcohol. No one can be attracted to Christ in a man who takes alcohol -not in my culture. And for Paul, his desire for people to come to Christ, i.e. to be saved, dictated how he lived only after the requirements of God. Thus he said:

¹⁹For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. ²³I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. ~1 Cor 9:19-23 (ESV).

It is always surprising to see 'Christians' in Zambia arguing that it is OK to take alcohol. How do they expect to reach a dying country/region with the gospel? Anyone with a bible in one hand and alcohol in the other will be mocked. If Jesus was born to a culture such as mine, I'd bet my life, he would not take alcohol simple because his desire for alcohol would be nothing compared to his desire to see men and women, boys and girls, accept him as the Son of God and be saved.

Those are the two reasons why I do not take alcohol.

Thanks for reading.

MBLITWWW!

2011-08-22T00:00:00.000+02:00

I wrote this on the 28th of March 2011 in my diary which I'll begin re-reading when I'm 40. What is below is a modified version to bring some objectivity to it and make it relevant to those who may decide to read. But what better day to put it on my blog than the birthday of my Masi whom I affectionately call the MBLITWWW (Most Beautiful Lady In The Whole Wide World)!

I have been courting Masi for three months now. I am enjoying being her lover thoroughly. Another thing I am enjoying is simply being a part of her life. I can’t tell which I am enjoying more. I have always thought that being in a relationship with her would be quite far fetched as she is way out of my league. And so being a part of her life is something I have always desired as a more realistic target. I have always wanted to be so close to her that I'd know when she sat and when she'd get up. My wish has pretty much been granted and I thank God.

I am so interested in her and in what she is doing and in what's on her mind. What is upsetting her, exciting her or making her sad- I wanna know everything. And now, I have that privilege. How many guys get to be with the girls of their dreams? Very few. I have been blessed by God and I hope I never take her for granted.

Well, enough of the romantic talk (lest the singles commit suicide) and down to serious business. I have been reflecting over my… interest in Masi and it has reminded me of God’s interest in every person on this planet. The bible says God has numbered the hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30). I now appreciate that more than ever since I got into courtship.

I want to know everything about Masi. I want to know even those things trivial. But I can never love her like or greater than God loves her. While I want to know even those things trivial about her, I neither have the capacity/ability or interest in keeping track of the number of hairs on her head. That would be a little too trivial.

I want to know when Masi paints her nails a new colour but I don’t want to know how long they are in millimeters. But God does. I want to know when she gets a new hairdo but I don’t want to know her ‘hair count’. But God does. I want to know when shes excited about something but I don’t want to know her ‘pulse’ in that moment of excitement. But God does.

I do not have the ability to keep track of these things. I wonder if I would keep track of them if I had the ability but God who has the ability does indeed keep track of them. Both for her and for me. That's how much he loves me. That's how much he loves her and that's how much he loves you. Such love!

There's something else that has crossed my mind concerning Masi. It is that I am too… protective (for lack of a better term) of her. I wish that no misfortune befalls her.
The first thought in any one's mind would probably be, “Well, don’t we all?”. Allow me to elucidate:

What I mean is that if I had the power, Masi would never know what it means to be tired, or stressed, sad or depressed, discouraged or downcast, etc. I would literally spoil her. That is nice in that it shows how much I love and care for her, but is that really love and care?

Well, a 'well rounded' individual is shaped by both positive and negative circumstances in their life. You cannot be well rounded if you have not known anything negative in your life. It is the good and the bad that make us the people we are and cause us not to be lopsided. It is therefore important that we experience both sides of life.

It is the negative things of life that mould us, strengthen us, help us really delight and enjoy the positive side. It is the negative things of life that make us proud of our triumph, that equip us to help others going through similar challenges, that bring us closer to others, that keep us humble and cause us to depend on God. That last bit is important for without the negative things of life we become little gods. No wonder God doesn’t cause us to ‘have it easy on earth’. He makes us go through trials and temptations because he actually loves us.

If I love Masi, I won’t try and shield her from all things negative. That would not be love because if I truly love her, I will look at things in perspective recognizing that it is important that she experiences the negatives so that she becomes a better person.

Everytime I hear that she is hungry, I want to rush over there and bring her some food. When I hear that she is in a long queue and tired, I want to drop everything I’m doing and rush over there and stand in her place so she can relax. When I hear her say she wants this or that, I want to provide it. When I hear her say so and so was troubling her, I want to eliminate that individual or give them a piece of my mind. I would like to believe that these reactions of mine are normal because I love her. I would also like to believe that all these have their place and must not be done away with completely. I realize, furthermore, that half the time these incidents occur, I am powerless to even help her (which is rather frustrating). However, in the event that I am able to help, I must not always shield her. I must realize that many of these will shape her into a great person. One who will love God and others better. And if I love her, I will let that happen.

Sometimes we can be over protective of those we love in the name of love and yet it leads to their ruin. It could be a parent with a child, one sibling to another, one spouse to another, one friend to another etc. We must realize that it is important that those we love face the challenges of this world and of day to day life. When we shield them from everything negative, we are not loving them, we are infact, hurting them.

Facebook

2011-08-19T08:00:00.003+02:00

I love facebook. I love how at the click of a button, I can know what's happening in the lives of so many individuals who surround me. That is probably my most favourite thing about facebook. At a click of a button I can know what is happening in the lives of friends, family, fellow church members and acquiantances. And yet I do realize also, that just like in almost everything, there are certain extremes to which we can find ourselves in using 'social networking sites' such as the one in question.

I'd like to think about facebook alittle in my post today, particularly the pro's and con's of using sites such as facebook, twitter, I now hear that there is google+ etc.

The Pros

A great way to keep intouch

I have already mentioned this as my most favourite thing about facebook. If you are in a church that has 300+ members, it is most likely that months will elapse without knowing what's happening in many of your fellow church members lives. This applies to family as well. Distant relatives, old schoolmates/college mates, workmates, acquaintances, you name it, can be kept close by using site such as facebook. At a click of a button all the updates from an assortment of individuals I know comes on my screen and within a few minutes I know what is happening in their lives. Within a week, I'm updated about almost everyone's life.

Communication

Many times, facebook has come to my aid in communicating with someone whose number I either didn't have or couldn't reach. Since everyone checks facebook a couple of times throughout the day, it is most likely that they will see the message. Facebook has been instrumental even to my church, particularly the youth ministry. The youth group leaders will communicate the activities for the meetings through facebook and many times, be able to communicate last minute changes.

Mutual Edification

One of the fantastic things about facebook is how that many Christians use it to share what they learned at church or in their devotions and many other people can comment and be mutually edified. Whether it be a theological question that is turning the wheels in a brother's head quite fast to no avail or a prayer item or praise item mentioned as a status update, facebook can be a real tool to edify the saints. Another great thing is the articles many users put up as 'notes'. Many Christians use this to share great thoughts with their fellow Christians and even non-Christians.

Assessment tool

I find that facebook is a good way to assess ones self. What/Who do you love most? What are you passionate about? What do you spend the bulk of your time doing, particularly free time? Do you rejoice when others are rejoicing and weep with those who weep? Do you pray regularly? Who are you closest friends? Is your life God glorifying? All these questions can be answered by facebook! Just take a look at your last 20 statuses, peep into your inbox, check out your picture albums. It is also a good way to assess your friends. Are they Christians? Are you helping them the best way you know how? You know what they put up on facebook and it is simply a reflection of what's happening inside.

The Cons

Chatting

If there was one things I'd want removed from facebook, it'd be the chat feature. Users can chat in real time. I once used chatting sites and applications a lot while I was in South Africa. I spent hours chatting with friends and family back home. I had very little to do there and very few friends, especially at the beginning but as soon as I got back home, I did away with it. People spend an unhealthy amount of time chatting, especially young people although I have noticed older people are falling prey to this. John Piper said this of facebook:

"One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time."

Facebook makes us sad?

I read a post recently on a blog I follow by this title. I had never experienced or heard of sadness wrought by facebook. The article said that people get depressed on facebook because everyone is trying to put their best foot forward and show just how much fun they are having in their lives. People compare this to the misery or 'average-ness' of their own lives and it leaves them rather sad. A bunch of people all lying to each other to their own peril. Well, I cannot quite relate to that but from the comments from the blog I read, it is a common phenomenon. And it is indeed unfortunate.

Aid to or replacement of fellowship?

I have already stated how that I love being able to keep abreast of the happenings in various people's lives via facebook. A pit fall I find myself falling into is that now that I know what's going on with them, I nolonger see the need in actually relating face to face with them. This is wrong. Nothing should take the place of fellowship, visiting brothers and sisters and getting together to have a chat. Facebook should aid fellowship, not replace it.

In conclusion, always remember:

"And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.

And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell..."

~Jesus Christ (Mark 9:45-47).

Reality of Loss

2011-08-17T13:00:00.003+02:00

Weddings and funerals have atleast one thing in common. Especially in the African context. Both have a lot of people. The bride and groom are surrounded by a large number of friends, family and acquaintances all celebrating with them. And yet in the hours that will ensue, they will be alone. The impact of this sudden change from being with so many people and then suddenly being alone, is something that is not felt and infact is actually 'oddly' desired. This makes sense, after all the couple can't wait to finally be alone for the first time ever, as husband and wife.

This, almost identical, impact is not cushioned when it comes to a funeral, however. The bereaved family during the days that lead up to the burial, is surrounded by so many people who lovingly mourn with and care for them. They do not have to worry about the cooking or cleaning. The burden of organizing for the whole solemn event is borne by so many that it is not felt so much by the grieving family. Hugs and tears surround those closest to the deceased and their pain subsides somewhat. A day or two after the burial however, everyone leaves. The bereaved must now face the reality of loss alone. After having more comforters than they could ever need, the bereaved family/individual is left with no one. The burial is done. Everyone leaves and moves on with their lives. Apart from the occasional call here and visit there, the overwhelming support experienced before is no longer there. It is then that the depression sets in and the reality of loss is really felt.

I could see this in the faces of my cousins who lost their mother, my aunt. Having gotten some days off work, I returned the day after the burial. When I got home from work, the once crowded and busy house was now empty and quiet. All the furniture was back in its place. The fires had been put out and the tents brought down. I went to the room at the end of the corridor and found my three cousins together. I had not seen them together like that since they all got home. I could tell, they were sad. And it made perfect sense. The arms that had carried them the past few days, had now gone. It was time to face this sad reality on their own. Fortunately for them, and I hope they realise this -at the very least, they had and still have each other.

Psalm 52 (Part 3- An Answer & 'Holy Doegs')

2011-07-28T14:00:00.004+02:00

Read Psalm 52 (Part 1- The Introduction)

Read Psalm 52 (Part 2- The Puzzle)

Who is David referring to in the opening verse of Psalm 52? David says that this man is a hero or mighty man who boasts of evil, whose tongue plots destruction, who is deceitful, loving evil more than good, lying more than truth and loves words that devour. David wrote this Psalm after the unfortunate incident recorded in 1 Samuel 21 & 22.

In my opinion, the best way of approaching this Psalm, as it relates to the story that inspired it, is to work from the Psalm backwards to the story. So then, what is this Psalm about?

May I propose that this Psalm is about where one puts his/her trust and hope. To put it another way, it is about which basket one puts all his/her eggs. It is about what in our lives is our pillar and our hope and even our boast.

Where am I getting this from? Well, notice that the end of verse one "the steadfast love of God endures all the day" doesn't fit in well with the rest of the section (Verses 1-4). It almost stands alone, unrelated to what is being said, notice:

1Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2Your tongue plots destruction,
like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3You love evil more than good,
and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.
~Psalm 52:1-4 (ESV)

In this phrase, however, lies the key to understanding the Psalm. The man described in this Psalm did something that was evil and wrong and yet was considered heroic and mighty. He boasted in this evil act and it defined him. This mighty act, the name and everything else that came as a result of it became his refuge. Thus David says in vs. 7 that the righteous will see this man when he is punished by God and say:

"See the man who did not make God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches
and sought refuge in his own destruction!"

This man didn't trust in God but in what he had accomplished and that accomplishment became his refuge, his pillar if you will. It was the basket in which he put all his eggs.

David, on the other hand, who could have trusted and depended in and on the fame he garnered from his defeat of Goliath and the fact that he had been anointed King of Israel (things actually noble), did not make these things his refuge. He did not boast about them or put his trust in them, he did not depend on those things. He trusted, rather, in God's steadfast love:

"But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God
I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever..."
~Vs 8

This explains David's odd statement in the first verse. What David seems to be doing there is contrasting. Why boast of evil accomplishments when you can boast of God's steadfast love? Why boast and trust and seek refuge in accomplishments that are even evil when God's steadfast love (a much more appealing and rewarding thing) lasts forever and ever?

Having understood the heart of the Psalm, we can now infer that Doeg, having annihilated an entire town, boasted of it. Being the only man who was willing to carry out that daring instruction, Saul may have rewarded him materially and politically (interms of a promotion for he was merely Saul's head shepherd), thus the statement "...but trusted in the abundance of his riches..." in verse 7.

The town of Nob was a town for the priests and Doeg killed everyone of them except one who escaped. This would have made him famous at best and infamous at worst. His name was on everyone's lips and he did not hesitate to mention anywhere he went that he was the face behind that name. Being an Edomite and therefore an alien (The Edomites and Israelites weren't the best of pals) he would have found it easier to kill the priests and would have bragged about it to his fellow Edomites. Thus we see that Doeg had reason and motive to boast in his evil actions.

How do we reconcile the lying? Doeg knew that he would be endangering the life of Ahimelek the priest by revealing that he had helped David. One can tell because he brutally killed not only Ahimelek but the whole town of Nob. Surely if he was really trying to be a good servant of the King he would have killed Ahimelek only, why kill the entire town? There was obviously something else going on. He wanted Ahimelek to suffer and perhaps even the entire town of priests. He lied by making it look as though Ahimelek was conspiring with David. He deceived the King by appearing loyal to him when in actual fact he had a personal vendetta. Thus David calls him a liar and deceiver who loved devouring words.

What did Doeg have against the priests? It is not mentioned. It could have had something to do with his detainment (1 Sam 21:7). This is the most convincing for me, as he may have become bitter about being detained and taken it out on all the priests. Perhaps he harboured some resentment against the priests. It could have had something to do with the fact that he was an Edomite. We cannot be sure, but he certainly had a bone to chew with them!

We are like Doeg sometimes. Perhaps not in brutality but in our accomplishments and all that comes with them. They become our refuge, security, pillar and even our boast. While Doeg boasted and found refuge in an evil accomplishment, perhaps we find refuge and boast in noble accomplishments. For instance, a graduate can find security in the high grades or honours achieved and feel their furture is secure based on them. Or a woman can find security in marrying a good man when her friends have no one. Those pursuing their careers may find security and refuge in a good job recently acquired etc. Notice that David who could have boasted and taken refuge in things noble preferred rather, to boast and take refuge in the steadfast love of God.

Perhaps those most obvious example of this are men and women in the afternoon of their lives who have achieved great things. Especially professors who will leave no person who they meet 'unturned', letting them know what they have accomplished in their lives. I am reminded of one particular professor we greeted as 'Mr.' and he asked us not to take away his professorship because he did not receive it on a silver platter. "Call me Dr. or Prof.- I worked hard for it," he said. There is nothing wrong with that, unless it becomes our boast, refuge and security. We then become nothing but holy Doegs.

Let us therefore trust in the steadfast love of God which endures forever and ever. Let it become our refuge and boast and then like David, we will be like green olive trees in the house of the Lord!

Why do you boast of anything other than God's love? It is steadfast and endures all the day!

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms..." ~Duet 33:27.

Psalm 52 (Part 2- The Puzzle)

2011-07-25T08:00:00.004+02:00

Read Psalm 52 (Part 1- Introduction)

Psalm 52 was written after the tragic tale recorded in 1 Samuel 21 & 22. Part 1 of this series of posts narrates the story and is necessary in appreciating the Psalm. To read Part 1 click here.

Psalm 52 reads as follows (ESV):

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, "David has come to the house of Ahimelech."

1Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. 2Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. 3You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah

4You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. 5But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

6The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, 7"See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!"

8But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. 9I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.

The puzzle of this Psalm lies in the question, who do the negative opening statements of this Psalm refer to? Who is this mighty man who boasts of evil, plots destruction, works deceit and loves evil and lying? Who is David referring to who loves devouring words and has a deceitful tongue?

There are three schools of thought:

Doeg?

Perhaps like me, you immediately thought Doeg the Edomite must be the man in question. Unfortunately though, Doeg doesn't quite fit the bill. That he was a 'mighty man' or 'hero' as some translations render the first verse, can be proved quite easily. It takes a mighty man to annihilate an entire town but on the other hand, Doeg spoke the truth. Something which should actually be commended. Saul asked where David was and Doeg spoke up and told the truth:

Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, and he inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine." ~1 Samuel 22:9.

Clearly, cold blooded killers come in all shapes and sizes. This particular killer was inclined to truth. His king asked for the whereabouts of his enemy and Doeg did what was expected of him as a member of Saul's kingdom and more so as Saul's employee. Having seen this enemy of the king a little earlier, he spoke up.

Could it be that David in his Psalm calls Doeg, the only man who told the truth in the story, a liar and lover of deceit? If anybody should NOT be pointing fingers at liars it is David who lied in the account as recorded early in chapter 21 of 1 Samuel. He lied to the chief priest Ahimelek saying the king had sent him on a secret mission when in actual fact he was running away from the king and merely trying to save his own skin. Which leads me to the second school of thought.

David?

Some say that David is actually referring to himself. I don't blame them. He is the only one who lied in this account. Was David a 'mighty man' or 'hero'? Most certainly! His acts were so heroic that people composed hit songs about him, "Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands", they sang. In fact, it is because of his popularity that he was on the run from the king who thought his head would begin to grow along with his popularity and ideas would start creeping into the young warrior's head. Was David then calling himself a plotter of destruction, worker of deceit, lover of evil, etc.? Well, perhaps he was being a little hard on himself but who wouldn't after causing what David had caused, the annihilation of the entire town on Nob.

But this point of view is not consistent with the immediate text. It is doubtful that David 'boasted' in evil (vs. 1) but also, David goes on to contrast himself from the man he describes in the opening verses saying, towards the end of the Psalm:

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. ~vs. 8.

Its either David is the good guy or bad guy here. There is no middle ground. That the opening verses refer to David himself, would be tough to prove. Could David be referring to himself?

Saul?

Finally, some have proposed, in a bid to solve this puzzle, that Saul was the man David was referring to. To those who think so I say, "Leave the poor man alone!" Saul is to be pitied, not accused.

Here is a man who was chosen to be the first king of the small but great and famous nation of Israel. He tried his best to please the Lord but God rejected him as king. He then turned into a paranoid fellow who slept very little being tormented by an evil spirit. Even David felt for this man. Even though he was on the run from him and the target of Saul's paranoia, he spared his life when he had a chance or two to take it. He tried his best to make things right with him. Is it poor Saul who David is referring to? Possible, but I doubt it. Saul was too busy trying to catch David, he had not time to go aound boasting of annihilating the town of Nob. Its David he wanted. Apart from that Saul, even though he was a 'mighty man' or 'hero' in his own right, is not recorded to have uttered a single lie in this entire account. Could David be referring to Saul?

Conclusion

By now I think I have betrayed my position. I think Doeg is the guilty man. In my next post, I offer an explanation to the questions that arise if Doeg was to be the man referred to and draw a lesson or two.

Thanks for reading.

Read Psalm 52 (Part 3- An Answer & 'Holy Doegs')

Psalm 52 (Part 1- The Introduction)

2011-07-21T17:00:00.004+02:00

I find the Psalms abit puzzling. It seems that for most of them there is a central theme and yet, they tend to strike me as somewhat incoherent. I often wonder how each part of the given Psalm fits into the overall portrait the Psalmist is painting.

Psalm 52 is also puzzling except in a different way. Or maybe even in the same way.

David wrote Psalm 52 after an incident that is recorded in 1 Samuel 21 & 22.

David had just confirmed that his king and father-in-law, whose bodyguard he led, wanted him dead. Thus David hits the road. When he reached the town of Nob, hungry and tired, he needed to be refreshed. David went to Ahimelek the head priest. You'll notice from the text that Ahimelek is shaken to see this high ranking soldier walk into his abode unattended and unarmed. The man after God's own heart lies to Ahimelek telling him that he is about the king's business on a secret assignment. David then asks for food and weapons, he is given bread and the sword of Goliath.

If it wasn't for the presence of a man named Doeg, an Edomite and head of Saul's shepherds, at the temple, Psalm 52 would never be written. Doeg saw everything that happened. Infact, if Doeg wasn't there, an entire town would have been saved from the sword.

Later, Saul is in the town of Nob. He is looking for David and is both paranoid and cranky. He accuses everyone around him for being joint conspirators with David against him. As he asks the men of Nob where David is, Doeg, the man who was at the temple when Ahimelek helped David, steps up and 'rats out' Ahimelek.

Saul finally has a lead. He calls for Ahimelek who soon goes to him. "Why have you been conspiring with David against me?" is Saul's question to Ahimelek. Ahimelek, who is taken aback by such an audacious accusation, gives an unassailable answer in his defence:

Ahimelek answered the King, "Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? Was that the first time I inquired of God for him? Ofcourse not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father's family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair." ~1 Samuel 22:14

Well Saul wasn't listening to a word he said. He wasn't open to reason, a trait of most paranoid men. The words "Ahimelek helped David" were still ringing in his ears. To put it in the words of one of the commentators I checked out, "a paranoid man with power is a dangerous man". Saul ordered his men to kill Ahimelek. None of them were stupid enough to lay a hand on a priest of Yahweh except one. Saul turned to the only man who had helped him thus far and enthusiastic Doeg, killed not only Ahimelek but also his family, all the other priests numbering eighty five (85), all the men, women and children of the town and even the sheep and cattle. Doeg eliminated an entire town.

Only one of Ahimelek's family escaped, namely, his son. Abiathar son of Ahimelek escaped and went straight to David. David remembered catching the traitor observing everything that transpired in the temple from the corner of his eye. "I knew it!" David said, "I knew he'd be sure to tell Saul." Obviously David hoped that he would not. But he did and an entire town was annihilated. David blamed himself for it.

The introduction of Psalm 52 tells us that David penned the words therein after that dreadful incident.

The Psalm can be split into 3 or 4 parts, the first being about this evil man who boasts in his evil and is deceitful and is some sort of hero or mighty man. The second part speaks of this man's destiny. The next speaks of the perception that the righteous will have of this man when he is finally destroyed (which, incase you were wondering, is his destiny) and finally the last part speaks of how the righteous man differs from this evil man.

In my second post (part 2- the puzzle), I'll explain the puzzle of this Psalm and in my last post (part 3- a solution & lesson) I'll propose a solution to the puzzle and perhaps a lesson or two that can be drawn from this Psalm of David.

Thanks for reading.

Read Psalm 52 (Part 2- The Puzzle)

Who Killed Goliath?

2011-07-01T12:09:00.000+02:00

I haven't been doing much writing lately, I wish I could say I have been doing a lot more reading instead but that wouldn't be true. Truth be told, I have glanced at a few pieces of writing here and there, and this particular set of articles has been most intriguing to me. Dr. Mariottini, a Professor of the Old Testament, runs a blog I follow and has done a few articles an apparent contradiction in the bible:

1 Samuel 17:49-50 affirms that David killed Goliath:

“David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David’s hand” (1 Samuel 17:49-50 NRSV).

2 Samuel 21:19, affirms that Elhanan killed Goliath:

“Then there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam” (2 Samuel 21:19 NRSV).

Some translations have murdered the 2 Sam 21:19 text by adding, 'the brother of' before 'Goliath the Gittite' such as the KJV, if I am not mistaken, but this is a very misleading (if at all anything can be 'very' misleading) insertion.

In his post, the Doctor offers four arguments that have been peddled to explain this apparent contradiction, namely:

David got credit for Elhanan's defeat over Goliath, in other words, David didn't do it. Quite a radical point of view!
David and Elhanan are the same person.
Elhanan killed Goliath's brother which is derived from 1 Chronicles 20:5 in which the Chronicler actually said that Elhanan did not kill Goliath, but the brother of Goliath and this even in the original translation. The doctor proposes quite an interesting view in refuting this.
And finally, a fourth which is the unfortunate alteration of the 2 Sam text by some translations.

Dr. Mariottini goes on to propose a fifth explanation in his final post which he derives from a clue given by an archeological discovery. He mentions that until more/other evidence is found, he holds on to his proposed view.

I encourage you to read the set of posts, they are most intriguing, the posts are linked below:

Who killed Goliath? Part 1

Who killed Goliath? Part 2

Who killed Goliath? Part 3

Feel free also to comment on his posts to ask any questions of clarification, he is quite friendly!

Why We Exist

2011-03-23T06:00:00.001+02:00

There is a friend of mine who I met providentially who is not a Christian. There are times when he seems to be deeply troubled about the things of God and salvation and other times when he seems to drift so far away from the truth.

On several occasions he has asked me heart warming questions, such as, "What does it really mean to surrender your life to God?". After explaining it to him in as simple a manner as I can, he'll ask further and after we've chatted a while we'll part company. When we meet the next time he'll be talking about how we have 'potential' and God has not created us to be followers but rather to be leaders. Etc. It is clear that he is under the influence of pentecostal/charismatic preaching and literature.

The major problem I find with Pentecostal folk is that the emphasis is always on... me. It's all about me. Enter "prosperity gospel".

The question which, for me, settles it is, why am I here? Why did God create me or anyone or anything else on this planet? And this is the question that I asked my dear friend when I last saw him. He went on and on about how we are successes and how God wants us to prosper etc. I thought I could best explain it to him by explaining why we exist. So then, why do we exist?

Well, we must agree that we exist because we were created. The bible says, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." ~John 1:3.

Who created us? God.

Why did God create us?

This question is best explained by answering the question, why does anybody create anything? Why do we buy/lend/create/fix etc, certain things?

What was the last thing you purchased, for instance? Was it a watch? Maybe a bag? Maybe a gift for someone.

Notice that for every item you have ever bought, there is a reason and that reason pertains to the pleasure of yourself. It could have been a gift for someone but the point is, that item you bought was meant to give pleasure to the person you bought it for. You derive pleasure (and sometimes relief) from the pleasure of the other person. There is nothing you can point at that you purchased or created for itself. Nothing. Nothing that you purchased for no particular reason. No one can sincerely say, "I just purchased it." If you sit down and think thoroughly, you'll find there was a reason why you purchased that item and it was all about your pleasure/relief.

Well, why should it be any different with God? Why should God go through the 'trouble' or perhaps, more appropriately, bother of creating man and the world in which he lives?

Did God just create man? I don't think so. I think there must be a reason and just as we as human beings never create or purchase anything unless it will either directly or indirectly bring us pleasure or relief, God has, likewise, created man and everything else to bring him some kind of pleasure.

He did not do it because he needed his creation. If he needed anything, he would cease to be God. Neither did he do it for relief, otherwise he would be doing it out of need and would cease to be God. He did it for his own pleasure. The question that every being on this planet should ask himself/herself is, am I bringing God the pleasure he created me to bring him? I'm I meeting the purpose for which I was created? Or is life about me? Have I ever asked myself how I aught to bring him pleasure?

Surely God did not create us to merely get rich, have lots of houses, and just have fun. That would be all about us. Our existence is all about Him. And that is where I challenge my Pentecostal friends to begin. To have a view of life from 'the lens of God's eye'.

To think of our sufferings as Christians from God's perspective. To think of our prosperity from the God's perspective. To think of joy, pain, the past, the present, the future, money, love etc, interms of how these issues in my life can be used to bring God pleasure.

You may be thinking "that's insane", how can my entire life revolve around God? What about me? Well, imagine if every appliance in your house took that 'world view' one morning. The kettle figured it didn't want to boil you water anymore, it wants a life of its own too. The taps refuse to let water out, they're tired of serving you. The stove and fridge refused to work anymore, they figure, all those years of serving you, its time they enjoyed themselves too. And all the rest of the things in your house finally decided to have some 'me' time. What would you do? I know what I would do. Get rid of them all and buy appliances that know what they are in my house to do, i.e. serve me. Live for me. The principle is pretty much the same when it comes to our being creatures of God. And that is why evolution is a serious affront against God.

Thankfully, the bible is there to guide us. We do not need a prophet to help us determine how our present circumstances or future endeavours can be maneuvered in such a way as brings God pleasure. He has left us his word.

The puritans put it this way: What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

So there you have it. You exist for the pleasure (or to glorify) your Creator -God.

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ~ Colossians 1:16.

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. ~Romans 11:36.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. ~Ecclesiastes 12:13.

Reformed Baptist Preachers in Zambia

2011-03-18T23:59:00.022+02:00

*There's alot more where these came from!

Kennedy Sunkutu

Pastor Kennedy Sunkutu

Ps Sunkutu is one of my most favourite preachers. This is true of my friends as well. Many times we have altered our plans, when we've heard that he is in town, just to hear him preach.

He has a unique style of preaching. I feel like he speaks in an almost... rhythmic manner. You can almost dance to his sermon. He has a way of emphasizing certain syllables in his pronouncement of words causing the words to stand out and remain ringing between your ears. For instance, he may say 'essss-taaaa-blished' for established or 'rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrepent' for repent. Also he tends to add the sound “eeee” before words throughout his sermon, something which I particularly love! For instance, 'eeee-that', or 'eeee-Jesus'.

Ps Sunkutu has, arguably, the deepest voice among Zambian Reformed Baptist preachers as far as I know although when he begins preaching, he changes it. He only uses his usual voice when saying a few words before the sermon, when praying and when giving illustrations. He is an extremely passionate preacher. And when he is approaching terminal velocity in his sermon, he waves his finger a lot and throws one leg forward. He also also has a tendency of putting his hand on his hip.

As for his content, Ps Sunkutu has a great mind and his sermons are always insightful. He also has an applicatory preaching style. He will always ask questions in his sermons to his audience such as, “Is that you my friend?” Throughout his sermons he usually addresses his crowd by the phrase/name “dear friends”.

There are at least two quotes that I’ll never forget by Ps Sunkutu, namely:

“For him it was business as usual.”
He said this with his closed eyes and waving his finger while pulling arm outward. This was said in reference to the Inn Keeper in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

“Here I am, send me.” “We see two things from the onset [in our text], availability and willingness.”
Introduction to his sermon on the call of Jeremiah.

Choolwe Mwetwa

Pastor Choolwe Mwetwa

If you want to prove that preaching is an art, use one of Ps Choolwe Mwetwa's sermons. When he is in town, plans get cancelled and it is non-negotiable. My friends and I rarely get to hear him because he is based on the Copperbelt. One of my friends particularly cannot get enough of him and is always mimicking him and quoting him much to our amusement. Pastor Mwetwa arguably has the richest voice among Reformed Baptist preachers in Zambia. He sounds like two people are talking at the same time when he speaks.

He is very funny and rarely laughs at the jokes he himself cracks from the pulpit, maintaining a serious disposition only making the things he says more funny. He is perhaps, also, the most hard working Reformed Baptist preacher in Zambia as he literally dances in the pulpit when he is on fire. His sermons are well thought through and are thus captivating and interesting. Hearing him preach is an education for me because I always learn atleast one new word. In his last sermon I must have written down over four. Apart from his very charismatic mannerisms, he never shouts in the pulpit but actually uses some kind of monotone.

Isaac Makashinyi

Pastor Isaac Makashinyi

Pastor Makashinyi is definitely one of my favourite preachers. I just love his preaching. Also, he puts 'cool' on the word Pastor. One friend of mine said of him that he is a man who has proved that the ministry is not merely a place for men who couldn't do anything or failed everywhere else in life (as the perception tends to be), but ought to be a place for brilliant men. Pastor Makashinyi is a great preacher, his insight into God's word and his delivery are very good. The last time I heard him preach it was a classic.

Ask anyone what comes to mind when they hear Isaiah 40. "Comfort". "For the oppressed", most will probably say. He took that text of scripture and when he asked us to turn there I immediately thought it would be around the theme of comfort but to my amazement it was about 'preaching'. Who would think even remotely that Isaiah 40 could be used to explain what sound preaching is all about? Or am I just expressing my ignorance? Well, I sat there knowing full well that I would have never seen that in the text.

I haven't heard Ps Makashinyi a whole lot but hope to hear alot more of him. From the little I have observed about his style I think he uses his arms alot especially when stressing points. He has a constant smile on his face and is very eloquent.

Grave Singogo

Pastor Grave Singogo

Among all the preachers in this piece of writing, I have heard Ps Singogo the least and yet his sermons stick. I have attended many meetings where people are selecting preachers to speak at an event scheduled to come up and his name is almost always the first suggested. He is obviously very difficult to 'book' but people don't stop suggesting him. Some of the most outstanding things about Ps Singogo is the texts from which he preaches. I've heard him preach from Proverbs and before that from 2 Samuel (I think) and both were evangelistic sermons from texts that would not particularly strike you as evangelistic.

Conrad Mbewe

Pastor Conrad Mbewe

Last but by no means least, is my very own father. Growing up listening to my father, I didn't think much of his preaching but that was probably because I was unregenerate and was thus dead to what I was hearing. I noticed from an early age that my father travelled alot to preach. For some reason I thought every other preacher I knew travelled just as much. When I realised that my father travelled alot more frequently and extensively than the other preachers I knew, my view of his preaching shot to unrealistic heights. Infact, I would get so surprised to hear that some church members would leave the church due to transfers to other towns by their employers. I thought they'd sooner quit their jobs than be moved to another town and thus be separated from the great preaching of my father! I soon grew out of that obviously.

Well, what made me realise (for myself) that my dad was actually good at what he did were my friends. They would praise his sermons so much that I finally decided to listen carefully and sure enough, I soon began to marvel at his preaching.

Many things stand out about my fathers preaching. The most outstanding thing as pointed out, again by my friends, is how he tries his best to stick to and be true to the text he is preaching from.

The Book: Maintaining Sexual Purity

2011-03-07T23:59:00.001+02:00

This book handles a relevant issue in our world today. One of the toughest things to do is go East when everybody seems to be going West. That is the lot of any man, woman, boy or girl who desires to be sexually pure in this world. Maintaining Sexual Purity equips the reader to go against the tide by giving practical guidelines on how to do so. 5 Reasons Why You Must Get & Read This Book:

1) It is based on scripture. Over and over scriptural references, examples and quotations are made thus making this book stand on the word of God. The counsel offered in this book is firmly based on the bible.

2) This book has been made easy to read. It is written in large font. Furthermore, it has been divided into 30 pieces so that it can be read over 30 days and thus allow the reader to take bites that they can thoroughly chew. It can therefore be read prayerfully and meditatively. It is worth mentioning also that it has been divided into three general sections; What often leads to sexual sin, Why one should avoid sexual sin & How to avoid sexual sin.

3) It is written by a Pastor. Sexual sins are sins that are fairly common, unfortunately and most people at their wits end run to Pastors. This gives them experience in handling such cases and makes them better suited to advise on how sexual sin can be avoided. Pastor Mbewe, who is my father, has been a Pastor for just under 25 years and has therefore dealt invariably with an assortment of cases involving sexual sin.

4) It has a chapter right at the end entitled "No, It Is Not Too Late", for those who have already made mistakes. This chapter itself makes the book worth it as it gives hope to those who are hopeless as far as being sexually pure is concerned.

5) Finally, it is a book that every young person, particularly, must read. It is clear in the book that the most critical years are teen to young adult years. It is at that period in life when things tend to go wrong. And since everyone is either young or knows someone who is young, everyone must get a copy of this book!

Absalom

2011-03-02T20:30:00.007+02:00

I have been fascinated by the life of David's son, Absalom as found in 2 Samuel and thought I'd share it here. So many things have struck me about this man.

The thing that amazes me most is just how much David, his father, King of Israel, loved him. David loved his son so much. This son who did nothing but wrong against his father. Absalom murdered his brother and plotted to and even briefly succeeded in overthrowing his father. Yet in spite of all this David loved him!

Absalom was a very handsome man. That is something that I never knew. He was very well built and lovely to behold. In fact, no one compared to him in the whole of Israel. The bible says that from the top of his head to the sole of his feet, no blemish could be found on him. He had long hair which appears to have been an admirable thing in a man at that time. These days all young men ever hear is 'cut your hair'.

I have been struck by Absalom's love. It was love that drove him to kill his own half brother. Absalom's sister was Tamar. She was raped by Amnon, her half brother. Absalom found his sister (with whom he shared a mother) weeping and she explained to him what had happened. In those days, her life was pretty much over. No man would ever want to marry her. She had been disgraced. Absalom, spoke to her tenderly and invited her to live with him in his house. I was quite surprised at that account because I have always known this man in negative light. Absalom carried a grudge against his half brother Amnon for two entire years until finally an opportunity arose to take the life of his brother. He did not hesitate. After that incident, Absalom fled for fear of the punishment of this terrible crime.

Inorder to assassinate Amnon, Absalom with the permission of David, invited all his father's sons to a feast in the town where he lived. When Amnon was drunk, Absalom had his men kill him. All the princes were afraid and immediately fled back to their father's palace. They entered into it weeping. Imagine David, watching all his sons rush into his palace weeping, like scared children bringing back news that Amnon, his first born son, was dead. Yet inspite of this David loved Absalom and wished that he would return from exile. Even those who surrounded him in his palace could tell that David was not himself. He longed for his son.

Finally it was arranged, Absalom was assured that the King would not punish him. Absalom returned home. After two years he was allowed an audience with the King, his father David, who kissed him. The two year delay probably served to chastise Absalom or simply to show some form of disapproval for his actions and would have been longer had it not been for Absalom's efforts.

Absalom was an ambitious man. His ambition led to his death. He was obviously a brilliant man as well. Not long after his return, he conspired rather brilliantly to overthrow his father. His father David, ruled over a nation consisting of twelve tribes. Everytime men came from a particular tribe to seek an audience with the King, Absalom made sure that he met them first. Here is what the bible says:

In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

A brilliant man he was indeed! Absalom did this for four entire years. His plan was now ready for execution. He sent out his men to all the tribes of Israel telling them that when they heard the sound of trumpets they were to shout out that Absalom was King.

David his father had to run for his life. What sort of a man would do this to his own father? Well, in the end, David came up with an idea of his own were he sent his advisers to Absalom to pretend that they too had forsaken him. Absalom accepted them and even asked them, "Is this the love you show your friend?" Ironic isn't it? I'm sure in their hearts they responded, "Our sentiments exactly!"

Well eventually, this plan succeeded and Absalom was now the one on the run. David instructed those who were pursuing him not to harm him. But his more objective army commander who was leading the hunt for Absalom killed him as soon as he caught him. Absalom was on horse back and as he passed beneath some trees his long hair got caught up in the branches and he was left suspended in the air. When David's army commander reached him, he killed Absalom. And thus the hair that made him once famous was now the reason for his undoing.

As soon as his men returned, David asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" When he learnt the bad news, these were his words:

"O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Yes. The most remarkable thing about Absalom's life was his father's love for him. I am convinced that the most remarkable thing about my life, is God's love for me. Like Absalom I have rebelled so many times but I am yet to be forsaken.

Beautiful Feet

2011-02-21T10:00:00.002+02:00

Isaiah 52:7

I'll never forget the day my deskmate, a young lady, came to school in slippers. I couldn't help but notice her feet, particularly her toes. I especially remember not thinking much of them. I wondered how cliche it is to call someone's feet/toes beautiful as seen in movies and the like. I then wondered how many guys, in a bid to win her, would compliment her toes even though they weren't so great. Seeing no reason for speculation, I turned to her and asked,

"Has anyone ever told you that you have beautiful toes?"

"Oh Mwindula! Thankyou so much!", she replied.

It was then that I realised that I had a dilemma on my hands. It seemed that this young lady thought I was actually complimenting her toes. Not wanting to lie and/or be identified with the fleet of young men who had probably deceived her in like manner, I quickly clarified:

"No, what I mean is, 'HAS ANYONE EVER TOLD YOU THAT YOU HAVE BEAUTIFUL TOES'?"

She was not impressed with me.

The feet of gospel-message-carriers are referred to as beautiful. Any bearer of good news is beautiful. The postman's hands with a letter from a loved one with its unkempt and dirty fingernails is beautiful, the secretary's irritating, high pitched voice calling to let you know that you have been offered a job for which you recently applied is beautiful, the repulsive smile of a toothless teacher handing over the test paper marked 'A+', is beautiful. How much more the bearer of the goodnews of our Lord Jesus Christ? That cure for the chronic disease present in the heart of man, sin. O for beautiful feet! O that my own feet would be called beautiful by many because I would have been the means by which they heard the gospel.

Do you have beautiful feet?

Thoughts On Homeschooling

2011-02-02T17:19:00.001+02:00

For the first time in a long time if ever, I put 'pen to paper' and struggle to begin this particular article. I struggle with whether to write a neutral article, one which is neither here no there (that kind which leaves a reader feeling like he/she has basically wasted their time, people want to hear which side you're on and why). I struggle with whether to pick a side and support it when I am most likely not informed enough to make an objective, comprehensive and sensible argument.

Usually, with not much forethought, I just sit down and type away 'free verse'. It seems the whole issue of homeschooling is a a big deal in the Western church. The whole controversy, I'm not quite sure if I can call it that, is one that the Eastern body of Christ has been... spared?

First time I heard of homeschooling, my response was, "cool". Now my response is really, "wow, what a hot topic." I am really intrigued by it and amazed to some extent by the debate.

This is probably because homeschooling and the controversy surrounding it is a luxury we don't have in Africa. I call it a luxury because I'd rather be wrestle with homeschooling than with hunger, unemployment, sickness, lack of education, inadequate health care, abject poverty, AIDS etc. Over here, we are too busy fighting for our lives to begin talking about homeschooling.

I suppose the whole issue of homeschooling has arisen, in the West, due to: need. The moral fibre of western society has been gnawed at for so long and to alarming proportions that one can understand why homeschooling was conceptualized.

Well, I will do the safest thing here and rather than pick a side (and perhaps lose the few readers I am already battling to keep), perhaps mention a couple of thoughts on the whole issue. Although I might give myself away...

1) It is unfortunate that homeschooling must even arise. It is a sad development that a society's morals can decay to such an extent that men and women become so afraid for their children, that they have to pull them out as it were. It is unfortunate and yet expected. We can expect no better from this world. In fact, we would be in order to expect worse. This is because of sin. The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked. The question is what is the Christian's response to a rotting culture and society? Perhaps a study to answer that question would unveil principles that can help determine whether homeschooling is the way to go or not.

2) It would be sin to make homeschooling the main thing. The gospel is the main thing. Jesus Christ is the main thing. As important as the whole issue of homeschooling is, it must not become an idol. As important as it is that families process and pray and seek the Lord's will over how to educate their children, if we find ourselves peddling anything that is a part over the whole, we sin. No theme must be most sang, most discussed and most cherished than the gospel. It is in the gospel that we must invest our resources (time, energy, etc). And that is a trap that Western brothers and sisters must be aware off. I don't think brothers and sisters should part company and fail to dwell in harmony because they cannot agree on the issue of homeschooling. I don't think God would buy it.

3) Homeschooling and the controversy surrounding it, has not taken God by surprise. In his infinite wisdom, he ordained that the issue arise. I wonder why. Could it be to test/sanctify the Western church? To see whether, even in such 'hot topics', the church does not get carried away with debate and controversy but perhaps agree to disagree and move on? It's so easy to get caught up and forget what is important, the gospel and mutual edification, fellowship and the means of grace, salvation and sanctification. For me, a development of factions among believers wrestling with this hot topic would be to fail the test.

4) One other issue about picking a side, is that, unfortunately, there is no neutral ground. I suppose that it's one of those issues where you are either here or there, or would a Christian school be neutral ground? I don't know... But in the process of choosing whether to home school a child or not, I think it would be prudent to work backwards. To study principles in the bible pertaining to the issue and build on those principles until finally a final decision is arrived at but based on a foundation of biblical principles. Is there an article or book that does that, where there is a neutrality about the flow of thought through biblical principles? Almost all that I've read seems to have a 'made up mind'. I think it is important to work like that over any issue and thus the need to be well grounded in the word. This process must be done prayerfully (with earnest and continuous prayer).

Well there you have it, a few thoughts from someone looking from the outside in on the whole issue of homeschooling.

Weddings -Golden Opportunities

2011-02-02T08:00:00.001+02:00

What golden opportunities indeed! No other gathering apart from family-get-togethers and funerals, bring family together, especially in our culture. The thing about weddings, that makes them more golden than funerals or get-togethers, perhaps even combined, is that all of your family in attendance are at your disposal. You reserve the right to conduct your wedding however you wish and your family will attend because they care about you.

But do we really realize this?

A couple of months ago, a friend asked me to watch a small clip. It was entitled, "letter from hell". It seems it is/was quite popular. It's about two young men who were close friends, one a Christian, the other not. For some reason the one never shared his faith with the other. The young man who wasn't a Christian died and went to hell. The clip has the young man in hell narrating a letter he had written to his Christian friend who was still on earth.

First he describes the place, then he describes the people he's with. He also describes the pain and the evil spirits there. As the narration progresses its intensity builds gradually, the young man gets more and more emotional after having started out rather collected. And then he finally breaks out as though he had been holding himself back. He asks his Christian friend in a frenzied voice, "Why? Why didn't you warn me? My best guess is that you were not aware of such a place. Who would know of such a place and not warn those he felt were heading there?"

I know of several people who I have not warned about the wrath to come, people who I was not forthright with, people who I will probably never see again, who, as of the last time we were together, were headed down a highway to eternal damnation. This causes me to want to be diligent in sharing the gospel with whoever I rub shoulders. But ofcourse, 'wanting' doesn't avail much. It is not enough to 'want'.

Probably the group we are most guilty of ignoring is our own family. How many of our family have heard the gospel? What percentage of our family have we tried to share the gospel with?

And that is what make weddings golden opportunities. Opportunities that must be capitalized on, first, indirectly but also directly. Indirectly in the way that we carry out our weddings.

Theres been alot of debate about weddings at my church, is this right and is that wrong, etc. Many things are not easy to just put in a box but Paul handles this in that timeless quotation, "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial." There are alot of things that are permissible at weddings, but the question shouldn't be, would it be alright to do this but rather, would this be beneficial.

Would this thing or that thing send a Christian message to my family, friends and acquaintances that will attend my wedding? Will they walk away struck by how different my wedding was? Or will they see the very things that they see in the majority of weddings around? The wedding is such a great opportunity! An opportunity to send a message saying, "I am different, I seek to glorify God even if it means forfeiting things I really wanted and it is not I but Christ that liveth in me!" Oh for weddings that minister to the wretched hearts of those who attend, especially our families merely by the elements they contain (or do not contain!), weddings that send them away wondering, what they lack that you have!

The second way, we must capitalize on weddings is directly. How can you have such a large gathering of family, friends and even associates/acquaintances and not have the gospel message preached?! What an opportunity! Many of those in attendance, you will never get to invite to a church where the truth is preached, how can you pass on an opportunity to bring the church service to them! When I mentioned this to my mother, she immediately mentioned that in her day, gospel messages were common features at weddings. Christians getting married would indeed organize a preacher to give an evangelistic message at their reception.

Maybe I'm just a young man speaking from without. Maybe in the midst of all the excitement or hustle and bustle of wedding preparations I will forget to or even reject the idea of having the gospel preached at my own wedding. Maybe I just don't understand the ins and outs of weddings. Maybe I'm being too idealistic or hyper spiritual. But then again, maybe I'm not. Maybe I'm onto something. Maybe the greatest love you can show your family is to warn them of the wrath of God that awaits them and the love of God that draws them. What more convenient way is there, than at your wedding?

It Is Good For Me That I Have Been Afflicted

2011-01-10T17:13:00.001+02:00

One thing that amazes me most and leaves me awestruck, apart from my beautiful girlfriend(!), is Regeneration. The account below blessed my heart. The wonderful way in which God saves the souls of men never ceases to amaze me. But also the fact that this man, whose lot in life very few of us can claim to be better than our's, does not wave his fist towards the heavens in bitterness against God. We can all learn something from John Farese. Check out his website by clicking here.

The Testimony of John Farese

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver. Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, Because I have hoped in Your word. I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, According to Your word to Your servant. Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight. (Psa 119:71-77)

And He (God) has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being... Acts 17:26-28a.

I came into this world on 27 August 1956, the second of Vincent and Joan Farese's seven children. My older brother Bernie was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a severely crippling disease that meant that he was never able to walk. So was I - and a younger sister Tina. In each case, the doctors told my parents that the child concerned would not live beyond its eighth birthday. Tina died of pneumonia when she was four years old.

I was brought up as a Roman Catholic, and quietly accepted the doctrines taught to me by my parents and the parish priest, especially the idea that a person got right with God by obeying the sacraments of the church. At one stage I was told that if I recited forty-five prayers from a particular Catholic prayer book every day for a whole year I would escape the pains of purgatory and hell, and be immediately accepted into heaven when I died. I never missed a day - but had no assurance that my discipline would pay off.

One special highlight I remember was a trip to Lourdes, in France. My mother took my brother Bernie and me there to seek healing from the Blessed Virgin Mary - but we came back home in exactly the same state as before.

My early years were spent in suburban Boston, Massachusetts, but when I was fifteen my father's business relocated our family to Florida, so we all moved south. Leaving behind relatives and friends in whom I had found a sense of security was devastating to me, yet in God's providence it was to prove the best move of my life. Brought up in a city where Catholicism was a dominant factor, I had come to believe that anyone outside of that tradition was beyond salvation. Yet four months after moving to Fort Lauderdale, and when I was still home-sick for Boston, our next door neighbour invited my mother to a home Bible study. Although we had a large white family Bible in our home, it was hardly ever opened, and I was shocked when my mother accepted the invitation. There was another shock when she agreed to the Bible study leader's suggestion that her son, who was then a freshman at Florida Bible College, might come and talk about the Christian faith to my brother and me.

That visit, and others which followed, had very different sequels. Bernie and I were so impressed by what John Tardonia told us about Jesus Christ as the one and only Saviour that we both gave intellectual assent to the gospel of grace and said a 'sinner's prayer'. In Bernie's case, this marked a dramatic change. He began to pray, study the Bible and go to church, and eventually enrolled in Bible College. Even more marked was a radical change in his lifestyle, which now seemed driven by a daily desire to please God.

In my case, the only change was for the worse. I had made some new friends whose lifestyle was rampantly self-centred and immoral, and I pitched in with them, determined not to let my disability keep me from enjoying life to the full. For the next twelve years gambling, heavy drinking, marijuana abuse, weekly visits to strip clubs and frequent engagements with call girls provided a means of escape from the pain, loneliness and emptiness I was experiencing.

Some years after Bernie and I went our separate ways, my younger brother Paul, who was a popular athlete in high school, joined me in the sex and drugs scene, until he went away to College on an athletic scholarship. During his first term, he got into so much trouble that he was on the verge of being expelled, yet when he came home for Christmas two months later there had been an amazing change. Like Bernie, he had become a committed Christian, and he was soon urging me to turn away from my dissolute lifestyle and get right with God. I knew in my heart that he was right, and even prayed with tears that God would change my life, but I loved what I was doing, and found myself unable to break my destructive habits.

At this point Bernie gave me a Bible, which I promised to read, but it sat unopened on a shelf for the next six months, while I went back to gambling, sex and drugs. Yet there was a difference. For the first time, I began to feel uncomfortable doing what had given me such undisturbed pleasure before. I kept remembering my conversations with Paul and my promise to Bernie that I would read the Bible. These nagging thoughts eventually became so strong that I took the Bible down and began to read it. I began at the first page, and in three months had read it right through - but by then I too had become a Christian. It was while I was reading the Sermon on the Mount that God opened my eyes to the truth about my sin, the inability of religion to deal with it, and the need to repent and trust in Jesus Christ as my own personal Saviour. As I did, I was given an assurance that my sins had been forgiven and that I had become a true child of God.

Like most new Christians, I found myself full of zeal. I wanted to be baptized, join a Bible-believing church, and do whatever I could to serve others. I remembered Jesus had said that he 'did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many' (Matthew 20:28) and that 'no servant is greater than his master' (John 13:16). Being bedridden, I was not sure that I could contribute anything to others, but by the grace of God I am able to be of energetic service in ways far beyond anything I had imagined.

In light of my physical condition, I am often asked the age-old question, 'How can an all-powerful God of love allow you to suffer in this way? Surely the Bible says that God always does what is right? Yes it does - and he does! I have come to see that suffering is one of the many ways in which God demonstrates his unfailing love to those who have come to put their trust in him. Writing out of his own painful experience, the Psalmist says, 'It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees' (Psalm 119:71) - and I gladly endorse every word of that testimony.

Among other things, suffering empties us of pride and self-dependence, and makes us realize our complete dependence upon God. When we reach the point where we have nowhere to turn except to God, we begin to get a clearer view of who and what he is. Day by day, I am discovering more and more of his wisdom, love and grace. I am also finding that God's power is made perfect in my weakness, and that 'when I am weak, then I am strong' (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Jesus went through appalling suffering, physical, mental and spiritual, yet at the end of it all he was to 'see the light of life and be satisfied' (Isaiah 53:11). I count it a privilege to experience in some small way 'the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings' (Philippians 3:10) Although I am bedridden, struggle to breathe comfortably, and often have to contend with painful bed sores, I count them as 'light and momentary troubles' (2 Corinthians 4:17) For all the difficulties they cause, I know that they are achieving for me 'an eternal glory that far outweighs them all' (2 Corinthians 4:17) How trivial they will all seem in the light of the eternal bliss that awaits God's children in the world to come!

One of the psalmists wrote, Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me' (Psalm 66:16) - and I gladly do so. He has turned my mourning into laughter and my desolation into joy. He has made my heart rejoice with 'an inexpressible and glorious joy' (1 Peter 1:8). When I struggled to escape from his grace, he drew me to himself. I bear witness that never servant had such a master as I have, never brother such a kinsman, never spouse such a husband. No sinner ever had a better Saviour than Jesus, no mourner a better comforter. I want none beside him. In life he is my life, and in death he shall be the death of death. In poverty, he is my riches, in sickness my health, in darkness my sun. Jesus is to me all grace and no wrath, all truth and no falsehood: and of truth and grace he is full, infinitely full.

About John:

John Farese lives in Florida with his brother Paul and sister-in-law Janis and their four children. He enjoys a very productive life, is keenly interested in a variety of sports, and has a special involvement in information technology, including the maintenance of his own Web site.

He has been disabled since birth, is paralysed in both arms and legs, and has been unable to sit up for over 10 years.

5 Reasons Why Weddings Make Parents Happy

2010-10-01T17:00:00.000+02:00

You want to make your parents happy? Get married!

Seriously, why do parents get so happy when their children get married? Just a few weeks ago my foster sister got married. On the eve of the wedding, just the night before, there was an unmistakable aura. The mood in the house was gloomy. You couldn't miss it. I didn't want to be part and parcel of what I thought didn't make sense but I couldn't really help it. I mean she'd literally live across the road from us, what was the big deal, why be depressed?! She wasn't going anywhere! 24 hours later we were all laughing and enjoying the evening, watching the pictures and videos shot during the whole event, it was great. My parents were especially proud and happy and having noticed it in the parents in most of the past weddings, it left me wondering, why? Why are parents especially happy at weddings? Well, atleast five reasons:

1) Its a final and definate indicator that their child has fully grown and matured.

Granted, there are many indicators of a child's maturity and growth. The physical growth, the taking up of greater responsibilities, the completion of high school and tertiary education, leaving the home, etc. But when a child gets married, the parents can pretty much rest assured that their child has fully matured. The very fact that the their child has formed a family of his/her own is testimony to the child's complete independence.

2) The prospect of grandchildren?

Need I say more? Maybe just alittle... There is obviously something gratifying about seeing one's ofspring's ofspring. Many times God pronounces posterity as a blessing to his servants (or a lack thereof as a punishment for disobedience, Isaiah 48:19). He tells Abraham that he will have as many children as the sand on the seashore or stars in the sky, Genesis 22:17.

3) It gives them a sense of achievement.

I've never raised a child but I would imagine that it is a daunting task. With the evilone working just as had to ruin the child's life as the parent is working to make something out of it, not withstanding the fact that parents make mistakes of their own, it is qiute an achievement to raise a child successfully even to a point of complete independence. If a parent has been a failure in all other spheres of life, they can throw the wedding photo of their child into their portifolio.

4) It relieves them.

These days, I feel highly indebted to my parents. I feel like I've given them enough trouble and worries that I feel its time I began the impossible task of paying them back. I am pretty sure I, along with my collegues am to blame for the grey hairs. When a child gets married, in many senses, its one less child to worry about!

5) It brings them honour.

In a world where many young people are not serious about life and are either dragging their feet to develop themselves and improve their wellbeing or messing their lives altogether, it is an honours a parent when a child makes something of themselves and achieves a point of independence and self sustainance whereby they can even wed.

Well, there you have it!

On My Birthday

2010-09-24T22:59:00.002+02:00

Every so often, the Lord, through His people, encourages me to continue writing on this blog. I say the Lord because they tend to come at times when I lose zeal perhaps or when I've been too busy to write. There are also times when I feel like a complete hypocrite (even contemplating throwing in the towel) with all my mistakes and failures and yet God continues to affirm His will for me to continue writing here. These nuggets of encouragement are too well timed to be coincidences and I'd like to share one. These come from various people from various places, sometimes by comments, word of mouth or emails. This particular one I got from Malaysia, today, via email and on my birthday! Coincidence? I think not. Thankyou to all who encourage me to continue by telling me about how helpful, encouraging, entertaining, thought provoking etc, they find my blog to be.

Thanks to my Dad, especially, for linking my blog on his busier blog inspite the risk involved (who knows what silly things I could have and probably have written). On this day when I've turned 22, I'm thankful to God for everything He has given and done for me. Special thanks to Carmichael H Singh whose name I have not even attempted to pronounce (let alone finish reading) as it is a tongue and brain twister. Thankyou for you email Carmichael H Singh:

Hello There

My name is Michael Haftar Singh and I am writing to you from hot humid Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

My reason for writing to you is say that I came across your site by chance, when I “googled” Is Obama a Christian President and your site is full of information for so many, and covers many aspects of good reading.

I am fascinated by your first and last name, I assume (though I am been told, plenty of times not to) your is an African name.

Anyhow, thank you for creating a wonderful site and my pray for you, is for the LORD to open the windows of heaven and pour down HIS blessing into your barn, till it so full that you would have to share this blessing with others. Amen!

God Bless and have a productive and safe week, month, year and decade.

Carmichael H Singh
MALAYSIA

Soon To Be One

2010-09-17T20:00:00.003+02:00

To Bwalya and Vernon, on the eve of their wedding:

Its busy, this evening, in our little hut,
reminiscent of bees around a beehive,
Some going in, others going out.

Some hover outside and others buzz busily on the inside.
Soon things will settle down as everybody disperses,
For in the morrow, the knot will be tied.

Its not about the suits or dresses, the hustle and bustle,
Nor is it about the hair or makeup, the decor or food,
Its about two people soon to be one.

This evening I saw them in the church,
Holding hands as they practiced their vows
With eyes fixed on each other without a flinch.

Its all about two people soon to be one
Let the glory be God's, the one who created the pair,
The architect of the love that they share.

Criticizing The Cook

2010-09-14T20:19:00.000+02:00

I remember when I was a child (some would argue that I still am), and was at the dinning table for a meal with my family. We prayed together and dug in. My foster sister had prepared the meal as usual. This time, something wasn't quite right. It was a long time ago and I don't recall what was wrong with it or what I said out loudly to let everyone know my grievances. What followed has remained with me to date. I got the worst scolding ever. I was rebuked so badly that I thought I had committed one of the top 5 sins known to man. Never again did I ever criticize someones cooking, at least not out loud! Even now, doing so is just not an option.

After I was rebuked by my parents (I think it was my mother), I never thought about it again really. I just knew never to do it again. The next time I thought about it was when I was in South Africa. I was staying with my Uncle and his family over there for a while. When I went to be with them, I remember sitting at the table that first evening and exhaling a sigh of relief and accomplishment having succeeded in leaving "Nshima land". I thought I'd never eat Nshima again for as long as I'd be there. My eyes almost fell out of their sockets when the dish lids were removed and there stood in front of me, a pile of Nshima. And I was even more disappointed to find that they ate it more than we did back home. Anyway, I remember one evening settling down to eat with fellow dependants when during the meal, the oldest criticized the cooking of one of the young ladies who had prepared the meal. I braced myself expecting to see some object flying towards the face of the critic or someone rebuke him for doing what he did, but nothing happened!

That happened many times after that and each time I looked at the face of the criticized cook, I realised why I got in trouble for doing so even as a child. Here is someone who is not getting paid to put in all those half hours and all that effort, and perhaps cooks for the family several evenings a week as weeks turn to months and months to years. Surely that person must be praised and thanked and not criticized. Even if their cooking is a four on a scale of one to ten, they should be honoured just for doing it. Probably the only person who is at liberty to criticize would be the fellow or co-cook. And so that experience in SA reinforced what I had learnt at home, "never criticize the cook".

When Love So Desires

2010-09-04T08:30:00.000+02:00

I sent this article to Dr. Claude Mariottini, the Professor of Old Testament at Northern Baptist Seminary in Illinois, USA (whose blog I follow, click here to visit his blog) asking him to assist me by letting me know what he thought of it. He was very kind and took time out to do so. Needless to say, I was found *very wanting yea even begging. I've attached his thoughts below the write up: Enjoy.

Of the 1005 songs Solomon wrote (1 Kings 4:32), one is considered to be his finest and is thus called Solomon's song of songs (Song of Songs 1:1). For some strange reason some believe it not to be his song either entirely or partly. I'll go with the text- 1:1. It is a brilliant and graphic description of the love between a lover and his beloved. In the course of this great poem, Solomon mentions a particular phrase at least three times over. The wisest man who ever lived admonishes, in the voice of the beloved (the woman), the daughters of Jerusalem (other women) not to arouse or awaken love until 'it' so desires. This phrase occurs after some sort of embrace in all three cases:

Song of Songs 2: 6-7 ~His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me. 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 Songs 3: 4-5 ~Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me. 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 Songs 8: 3-4 ~His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me. Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

This raises all sorts of questions. Perhaps I should squeeze in a disclaimer before I go any further. Having done no studies in Hebrew or Greek, I am working with the NIV's translation, something which implies the possibility of error.

Now, I do not believe that this wise man and writer of this song, Solomon, would have done anything for no reason and would like to pick out a few things.

The woman (beloved) is the most vocal in the entire song/poem.
The statement is uttered three times.
The statement is uttered by the woman particularly on all three occasions.
The statement (do not awaken love...) occurs after some sort of embrace each particular time.

First of all, the most prominent voice/speaker in this poem is that of the beloved (woman). This must not be ignored. I think Solomon was on to something. Its almost as if the woman is 'more in love' than the man. This comes as no suprise for that is the way God has ordained things to be. In my defence of this position I have two arguments, one lying on top of the other. The first and foundational argument is scriptural (thank God).

Genesis 3:16 ~To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."

Just as a side note, I think the New Living Translation along with the Douay-Rheims Bible go off on a tangent here, they say respectively:

~Then he said to the woman, "I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you."

~To the woman also he said: I will multiply thy sorrows, and thy conceptions: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband's power, and he shall have dominion over thee.

Well, that aside, there is my first argument. God has created women to have a unique and strong desire for their husbands and this regardless whether they have a husband or not. It is actually unfortunate, in my opinion how much time young women spend fantasising about their Knight-in-shining-armor-to-be, about courtship and about the wedding and ring etc. A young man will be content to be independent, with a job and living either with friends or by himself for a while. Not so, young women. They wouldn't mind leaving their father's house to go straight into marriage and live with their husbands. That is how God has wired them.

For a man, that in-between stage of independence from parents and commitment to wife is one he would not want to miss out on. But young women, they'd do just fine without it. Young ladies can get so consumed with getting into courtship and marriage. When they do get into courtship, they are soon overwhelmed with love for their partner. The young man is quite satisfied to know that he has secured the young lady for himself and can now concentrate on other things. This is not to say that he is not in love with the young lady but unlike her he can occupy himself with other things. This follows the women into marriage where they are satisfied only when their husband is beside them. (Am sure a couple of women after reading this will exclaim, "how dare he..."). This is lessened when children come along, but after the children enter teenage years (and become somewhat independent), the women revert to their husbands. It is simply a fulfilment of what God told Eve. The husband on the other end loves his wife no less but can easily be occupied with work and gadgets and appointments and sports, etc. But not the wife, her desire is for her husband. And that is why I am convinced that the woman's (beloved) voice in the Song of Songs is the most vocal. That is why she is restless until her lover is beside her.

My second argument which builds on the first is that God introduced betrothal in seeking to protect the heart and emotions of young women, knowing that he has set the hearts of women to desire their husband. When a man's father found him a wife in the Old Testament, the young woman was betrothed to the man and even though they only married months later, she was as good as his wife. Once a girl was betrothed to you, the only escape was death! Well, if she misbehaved you could leave her and it would be said that you divorced her! The best example being Joseph who planned to divorce Mary (called his wife when they weren't married yet) secretly when they hadn't even married yet, Matthew 1:18-19. Betrothal, therefore, was a way of protecting this tendancy God gave to the woman to desire, dare I say in a bid to paraphrase, "live" for or towards her husband or boyfriend or fiancee.

God protected the hearts of young women of that day from being broken by betrothal. In fact, men to whom women were betrothed were not allowed to go to war lest they perish and grieve the hearts of the women they left behind.

Secondly notice that apart from the woman being most vocal in the book, it is she who warns the daughters of Jerusalem not to awaken love until it so desires in all three cases. This again, I say, is not a coincidence. I think Solomon is trying to communicate something. Why wasn't it the man even just once? Well, this woman, has experienced the great feeling of requited love. She has felt the awesome experience of being consumed with love for another who is equally consumed with love for her. It has caused her to go through emotions that she has never gone through before. And she knows fully well that if a girl too young to experience such emotions were to do so, the outcome could even destroy her. She realises that these feelings and emotions are too intense for someone immature to handle. And at three seperate times when she is in the arms of her lover as he speaks to her and her to him and they are there overwhelmed with love for each other she turns to the girls watching on. She knows that they can't wait for their turn because it was once her watching on. And so she cautions them, "Young girls, do not awaken these emotions and these feelings too early!" Yes its great to be in love, but at the wrong time it can be destructive. At the peak of her feelings of love and emotion towards this man, as they embrace, she remembers her younger years and knows how destructive it would have been to go through such a thing when she was younger and immature. She therefore turns to the younger girls watching on and cautions them.

The feelings and emotions of love are just as intense for the man and thus it is not prudent for boys to experience them. And so this caution can be applied to both. It is unwise to enter a relationship when too young. How do you know that you are mature and old enough to handle these feelings and emotions? Well, thats were parents and guardians come in. Those who watch over you and know you inside out. They can tell you when you're ready because your welfare is closest to their heart. This book speaks to the husband who neglects his wife while giving attention to everything else. It speaks to the young man who enters the relationship with a young lady and does not take care to regulate the rate at which their hearts are knit together causing the young lady to be overwhelmed with love for someone who is not yet positioned to wed her. It speaks also to the young man who after engaging the heart of this lady begins to contemplate leaving her for invalid reasons. It says to them that they should not be ignorant and must therefore tread circumspectly. We must all be wise and be careful not to awaken love until the time is right.

Dear Mwindula,

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope the material you are reading in my blog is helpful to you.

I have read the material you sent me and I have a few comments about what you wrote:

1. It is quite certain that Solomon did not write Song of Songs. The Hebrew of the text is late and contains many words that reflect the Aramaic of post-exilic times.

2. In your presentation, Solomon is the lover of the woman. However, it is possible that there are three people involved in the story: Solomon, the woman, and the shepherd. If there are three people, then Solomon wants to bring the woman to his palace but the woman is in love with the shepherd. Reread Song of Songs again and read it from the perspective of three lovers rather than two and you will gain a different perspective on the book.

3. Your views about women, love, and marriage is a little bit too idealistic, a view that does not match the reality of the biblical text and what happens in real life.

4. Your view of betrothal does not reflect the realities of Israelite society. Maybe you should read a book or an article dealing with the status of women in Israelite society and on marriage and betrothal.

I could go into moral detail on what you wrote, but what I wrote will give you an idea of what additional research you must be done in order to improve what you wrote.

Thank you for your email and for sending me this material.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Archilles' Heel (How Strengths Relate to Weaknesses)

2010-08-28T20:31:00.000+02:00

I had lunch with my friends this afternoon and it was interesting to note through out our discussion how that ones strength could just as easily be ones weakness or "Archilles' heel".

Over lunch, after discussing various things, it was suggested that each of us share, one after the other, what we thought were our weaknesses after which the others would point out what they had observed to be weaknesses when the person holding the floor was done. We've known each other long enough so that would not be a problem.

I tend to ask people from time to time, if they have discovered what their gifts are to which the response is usually, "I don't know". But never have I asked anyone whether or not they are aware of their weaknesses. It dawned on me during our discussion how important it is for every Christian to know their Archilles' heel. If you don't know your weaknesses, there's someone who certainly does:

1 Peter 5:8 says, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."

My friends were quite excited about this passage not too long ago. I remember when one of them song led at McDonald's farm and shared a little from the passage. He spoke of how that the devil is similar to a hungry lion roaming the jungle. The lion roams the jungle with its eyes peeled looking to pounce on any animal that it can catch unawares. Any Deer that lets its guard down and drinks from the stream of water without paying attention to its surroundings, any ill Zebra that stumbles its way across the plain, any Wildebeest that finds itself behind the pack during migration, any fawn that leaves its mothers side becomes the target of the lion. The lion being a lazy and somewhat intelligent animal, not wanting to run any more than necessary, realises that there is no need to spend energy chasing the alert, strong and well prepared animals when there are other animals that will be the exact opposite.

The devil is like that. He will not waste too much energy on those Christians who have done what is necessary to prevent themselves from falling. He will scout for Christians who are inactive in church, those who are babes in the faith. He targets those who are in high positions and whose fall would affect many.

He also targets those who do not know what their Achilles' Heel is. The man who is unaware of what weaknesses are. But those who do know what their weaknesses are better equipped to evade the traps of the evil one. If pornography, for instance, is the weakness of a man, and he does not know it, he is liable to attacks from the devil. The evil one, knowing what the man's weakness is, will send temptations his way that focus on his very weakness. Unless he knows his weakness he will neither realise this, nor put in measures to insulate himself from those attacks.

Now, during our discussion, it occurred to us (or me at least) that a major strength was pretty much a major weakness for each of us. I think this is typical of most people, their strengths are easily translate into weaknesses.

There are various examples. It could be that your strength lies in that fact that you don't worry. Whether its losing a job or failing an exam you just don't worry. This can easily become a weakness when you go to an extreme of being laid back even when something deserves urgent attention. It could be that you are one who is never idle and always ensures that you are doing something profitable and constructive. This could easily translate into a weakness of being too busy to attend to certain people and and areas of your life whereby you find that you've been so busy that you have never invested in people, friends or family. It could be that you are self reliant and assured. This strength could easily translate into an "I-don't-need-anybody" kind of mentality. It could be that you are logical and only do things when they make sense. This could just as easily translate into arrogance where once you're convinced of something, nothing and no one can make you feel or think otherwise.

And so in our quest to discover our weaknesses, if we find our strengths, we've pretty much got our weaknesses as well. When we discover our strengths, our weaknesses are just around the corner.

The Parable of the Four Boyfriends (Part 2 ~The Interpretation)

2010-07-14T13:10:00.001+02:00

In truth, you have four boyfriends in your lives:

Your fourth boyfriend is your body. No matter how much time and effort you lavish in making it look good, it will leave you when you die.

Your third boyfriend is your possessions, status and wealth.When you die, it will all go to others.

Your second boyfriend is your family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave.

And your first boyfriend is your soul. Often neglected in the pursuit of wealth, power, fame and pleasures of the world.

However, your soul is the only thing that will follow you where ever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of God and continue with you throughout Eternity.

Matthew 16:26 ~And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? (New Living Translation)

The Parable of the Four Boyfriends (Part 1 ~The Story)

2010-07-09T13:00:00.002+02:00

By Kema Ching'ambu

There was a girl who had four boyfriends.

She loved the fourth boyfriend the most and adorned him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.

She also loved the third boyfriend very much and was always showing him off to neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another.

She also loved her second boyfriend. He was her confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with her. Whenever this girl faced a problem, she could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times.

The girl's first boyfriend was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom.. However, she did not love the first boyfriend. Although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him!

One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, "I now have four boyfriends with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."

Thus, she asked her fourth boyfriend, "I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!", replied the fourth boyfriend, and he walked away without another word. His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.

The sad girl then asked her third boyfriend, "I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!", replied the third boyfriend. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to marry someone else!" Her heart sank and turned cold.

She then asked her second boyfriend, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!", replied the second boyfriend. "At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave." His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated.

Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The girl looked up, and there was her first boyfriend. He was very skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the girl said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"

Click here to view the interpretation.

Question & Answer

2010-07-08T12:22:00.001+02:00

A Question

Acts 12 tells of The Apostle Peter’s imprisonment, the church’s fervent prayer for him, God’s angel freeing him from the prison, Peter knocking on the door of the church, the church unable to believe that their prayers might actually be answered (finding it easier to believe that Peter’s angel had been seen rather than Peter himself!) and then finally rejoicing in his deliverance.

God orchestrated this amazing story that we celebrate as miraculous still today. But don’t forget this miraculous story includes the guards who were executed by Herod the following morning for falling asleep at their posts. I’m sure their families had difficulty seeing this situation as miraculous and worthy of celebration. They may have had a hard time seeing God as good when their son or husband or father, proud of his ability to provide for his family as a prison guard, was executed. Executed for something God apparently caused:

Falling asleep on the job.

Do you believe God is good? Do you believe His plan is perfect? What if you were a follower of The Way praying for Peter’s release…and your brother or husband happened to be one of the guards? How would you react? Would your faith remain?

An Answer

We see only a single fragment of a single piece of a 1000 piece puzzle. God forbid we criticize the one who not only sees the whole but created it. We read only a single line of a 500paged script, God forbid we raise a finger against the one who wrote the story line, Romans 11:33.

As for whether my faith would remain, Spurgeon (known as the prince of preachers) was once asked whether the Christians of his day would stand amidst the persecution of the 1st century Christians. In his response he said God gives His people the necessary grace to cope with the challenges of their time. If one of the guards was my loved one, God would give me grace to cope and trust Him. He cannot allow me to face a temptation or trial too great for me to overcome. Moreover, He will prepare for me a way out (1 Cor 10:13).

What do you think?

Letter From A Dying Man

2010-06-12T14:43:00.000+02:00

I wrote this under a year ago (8/21/09 at 8:41 PM), how time flies! It was about a certain lady I worked with. I wasn't well and wanted to dramatize everything. I played the dying fellow who needed to communicate a few things before breathing his last!

I feel terrible, the left side of my brain feels like it wants to part with my right plus I have a serious fever. Probably a bad flu. Anyways, I've been thinking, suppose I was dying...

First off, let me say that I wouldn't mind dying. I would love to leave this sinful self and go to a place where there is no sin- NO SIN! I definitely wouldn't mind dying. A few moments ago, I asked myself what I would do if I was dying. What would I do? Almost immediately, I knew what I would do. I would write a letter to Mrs. S. Mrs S is a great woman I have had the pleasure of being with the past number of weeks. Unfortunately, it has also been a painful experience. She loves the world and she loves sin.

Just today, I was momentarily happy, when a lady told me that she had just discovered that I am the son of Conrad Mbewe. "I've always wondered about you," she said, "you are so different from other young men I see around".

I was so excited because a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to preach at the Youth Meeting and my point was that the most effective way to evangelise is by "being different". People must see a difference in you. Finally, I had practice what I had preached.

My joy was short lived when I remembered my failure in being different with Mrs. S. Sure I was a good guy but I could have been a much much better testimony of my salvation. If I were dying, I would leave this note for Mrs. S.

____________________________________

Dear Mrs. S.

I feel very unwell and it is clear that my life is ebbing away. As soon as I realised that I was dying, I put pen to paper to write this note to you.

You are a wonderful lady. You have been so good to me during my time with you. You care so much for your colleagues. You always remember others when you have been blessed. In this matter, you have been a great example to me. Your selflessness has shown me the ugliness of my selfishness.

There is, though, something that has bothered me incredibly during our time together. Why do you love sin and the world so much? Your love for alcohol and parties distresses me to the core.

Didn't you ever wonder why I never retained you "Enjoy your weekend" wishes? I'll tell you why. Its because the whole week you would have been talking about how you would enjoy drinking your head off at a party. How could I surely wish you to enjoy that? I prayed that you would actually never enjoy your weekends.

Every time you spoke about how much you would drink over the weekend, about how you looked forward to the big party, I resisted the urge, each and every single time, to grab you by your collar and scream in your face: "How foolish are you?!!! You have a daughter at home who is under 10 and a son, they live with their father abroad, why not spend time with them??!! Why not spend your weekends with your children? You prefer to spend it with equally foolish friends and your alcohol instead, why??!! Don't you love your kids? Why not make the most of the time you have with them before they return abroad? Why??

You are enslaved to alcohol. Every time you were unwell and was given medicine that would require you to stay away from alcohol, it was the same line over and over. You literally searched the web to find out whether you would indeed have to stay away from your precious beverages. Why go to such lengths when no alcohol would mean more time with your kids?

5 days a week you work 6 to 6, no time for your kids when you get home tired and yet at times you even had time to drink. Your Saturdays would be spent drinking and partying through the night, and obviously Sunday, would be your day of rest. Weeks are passing and turning to months, months to years. Time is like a vapour, before you know it, your kids would have grown without actually knowing their mother, all because she preferred alcohol instead.

But even more important than your kids, is your soul. I know I was not the best example of godliness and true Christianity. In so many ways I was a failure but God loves you and calls you to quit living for yourself and start living for him. He speaks of his precious Son, Jesus, whom he gave to be slaughtered for you. There's an emptiness inside you that you cannot deny. You want to be happy and have a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment in your life. You may not admit it to anyone but at least admit it to yourself, nothing you have tried has given you real joy, real peace and real fulfilment. Don't despair, all that and so much more is found in the man who died for you. Go to God in prayer. Tell him about how you have tried it all and are ready to give it all up to try him. He will not disappoint if only you confess the wrong things you have done to him and ask him to change you and become your Lord and your Saviour. The second you call on him, he'll show up! His never let anyone down, do it and one day you will join me in heaven, where there will be joy everlasting!

Please think about these things,

Yours in earnest,
Mbewe.

10 Reasons Not to Have Sex Outside of Marriage

2010-06-12T14:04:00.001+02:00

By Mary Fairchild

Reason #1 - God Tells Us Not to Have Sex Outside of Marriage

In the seventh of God's Ten Commandments, he instructs us not to have sex with anyone other than our spouse. It is clear that God forbids sex outside of marriage. When we obey God, he is pleased. He honors our obedience by blessing us.

Deuteronomy 28:1-3

If you fully obey the LORD your God ... [he] will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God ... (NIV)

God has a reason for giving us this command. First and foremost, he knows what's best for us. By obeying him, we trust God to look out for our best interests.

Reason #2 - We Won't Miss Out on the Blessing of the Wedding Night

There's something very special about a couple's first time. In this physical act the two become one flesh. Yet it is more than just physical oneness — a spiritual union takes place. God planned for this exclusive experience of discovery and pleasure to happen only within the intimacy of marriage. If we don't wait, we miss out on a very special blessing from God.

1 Corinthians 6:16

Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, "The two become one." Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never "become one." (The Message)

Reason #3 - We Will Be Spiritually Healthier

If we live as carnal or fleshly Christians, we will seek to gratify the desires of the flesh and live only to please ourselves. If we live this way, the Bible says we cannot please God. We will be miserable under the weight of our sin. As we continue to feed our fleshly desires, our spirit will grow weak and our relationship with God will be destroyed. Complacency with sin leads to worse sin, and eventually, spiritual death.

Romans 8:8,13

Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live ... (NIV)

Reason #4 - We Will Be Physically Healthier

This one is a no-brainer. If we refrain from sex outside of marriage, we will be protected from the risk of catching sexually transmitted diseases.

1 Corinthians 6:18

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. (NLT)

Reason #5 - We Will Be Emotionally Healthier

One reason God tells us to honor marriage and keep the marriage bed pure has to do with baggage. We carry baggage into our sexual relationships. Memories from the past, emotional scars and unwanted mental images can defile our thoughts and make the marriage bed less than pure. Certainly God can forgive the past, but that doesn't mean we're free from the baggage that can linger in our minds.

Hebrews 13:4

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. (NIV)

Reason #6 - We Will Show Consideration for Our Partner's Well-Being

If we put our partner's needs above our own and consider their spiritual well-being, we'll be compelled to wait for sex. We, like God, will want what's best for them.

Ephesians 5:2

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. (NLT)

Philippians 2:3

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; (NASB)

Reason #7 - Waiting is a Test of True Love

Love is patient. That's about as simple as it gets. We can learn the sincerity of our partner's love by their willingness, or lack thereof, to wait.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking ... (NIV)

Reason #8 - We Will Have No Negative Consequences to Deal With

There are always consequences to sin. Some of those effects can be devastating. An unwanted pregnancy, a decision to have an abortion or place a child for adoption, broken relationships with family and friends — these are just a few of the possible outcomes we face when we choose to have sex outside of marriage. We should be sure to consider the snow ball effect of sin. And what if the relationship does not last? Hebrews 12:1 shows that sin hinders our lives and easily entangles us. We will be much better off if we avoid these negative consequences.

Reason #9 - We Will Keep Our Christian Testimony Intact

We don't set a very good example of godly living when we disobey God. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 4:12 to "be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity." (NIV)

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus compares his followers to "salt" and "light" when we represent him in the world. When we no longer shine the light of Christ, when we lose our Christian testimony, we lose our "saltiness." In other words, we become flavorless and bland. We lose our ability to attract the world to Christ. Luke 14:34-35 puts it strongly, saying that salt without saltiness is worthless, not even fit for the manure pile.

Reason #10 - We Won't Settle For Less Than God's Perfect Will

When we choose to have sex outside of marriage, we settle for less than God's perfect will — for ourselves and for our partner. And if we do this, we don't know what we might end up with. Perhaps we'll end up in a miserable marriage.

So, here's some food for thought: If your partner wants sex before marriage, consider this as a warning sign about their spiritual condition. If you are the one who wants sex before marriage, consider this as a warning sign of your own spiritual condition.

What Do You Expect?

2010-06-12T14:01:00.000+02:00

Not too long ago, my cousin asked me one morning, "What is it with women and insecurity? Why is my girlfriend so untrusting and insecure? She's always asking me whether I'm misbehaving now that she's away and we are apart." My answer to that question was, "What do you expect?"

His query is probably an issue in many of today's relationships and marriages in the world. Trust is rare. The average man will not restrain himself as far as his girlfriend/fiancee is concerned. He will not respect her sexuality. He will pass comments which are sexually suggestive and will be flirtatious in his relationship with her. Many are so perverse and unbiblical, lacking all subtlety even as to demand physical intimacy and sex as a sign of true love! That's pathetic! True love is about the happiness and welfare of the other individual. In ignorance, some ladies will not discourage this behaviour and others even oblige due to the influence of western culture as portrayed in movies and songs.

Now, what happens in the mind of the young lady when they are apart? She worries that if this fellow cannot restrain himself with me, if he cannot wait for the right time (which in there unregenerate mind would be "when I 'feel' ready" rather than "when God says I will be ready i.e. when we're married"), what would stop him from pursuing others in my absence? If he can't restrain himself with me (when I am right there) how could he possibly restrain himself with others when I am absent. Consequently, she become insecure. Always calling him to task asking him to account for day or hour and asking friends to spy on him, always throwing accusations at any sign of secrecy or suspicion. And this follows into marriage making it a living hell.

The poor depraved fellow begins wondering in his ignorant mind, like my cousin, why? Why can't she trust me? Can't she see I love her? My response is, What do you expect? To me its like slapping yourself in the face over and over and screaming, "Why?! Why does my face hurt?!", what on earth do you expect?

But when a man decides to follow the word of God and respects his girlfriend/fiancee it leaves a certain impression on her. When he tells her that he has drawn certain lines that he will not cross in their relationship, he, in fact, wins her trust and respect. When he goes so far as to say, ours will be a hands off relationship, She wonders, "If this man will overcome his desire to say certain things to me or to touch me who is reserved for him, he surely wouldn't do it to anybody else." And when she hears that her fellow did this or that or was sighted here or there, she smiles and waves her finger in the accusers face saying, "Not my man! He has so much respect for me, and I for him I trust him entirely. You've got the wrong guy!" Who wouldn't want his girlfriend, fiancee or wife to say that of him? I sure would!

Many would say, "What? Restrain myself from my own girl? That's insane! That's not manly and masculine! That's unheard of!", well go ahead then, go that way and see what will become of your relationship. Otherwise, obey God and his law and be blessed in your relationship!

Deuteronomy 28:1-3

If you fully obey the LORD your God ... [he] will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God ...

Psalm 151

2010-06-11T10:28:00.000+02:00

Is not included in the canon of scripture we* embrace, i.e. the Protestant Canon, which comprises of only 150 Psalms. It will be interesting to know on the last day if it is authentic. This psalm is nicknamed Psalm 151, it is in fact a combination of two Psalms. One of these Hebrew psalms, known as “Psalm 151a”, is reflected in verses 1–5 of the Greek Psalm 151, while verses 6 onward are derived from the other Hebrew psalm, known as “Psalm 151b” (which is only partially preserved). The composer has brought the two Hebrew psalms together in a manner that significantly changes their meaning and structure, but the influence of the Hebrew originals is still readily apparent. The fact that it was found in the dead sea scrolls and was, therefore, originally written in Hebrew adds to its credibility.

*Protestants.

This Psalm is ascribed to David and is outside the number. When he slew Goliath in single combat.

[This Title is given in the Septuagint]

1 Little was I among my brethren:

younger brother in my father's house.

2 My hands, they made an instrument of music:

My fingers, they prepared a psaltery.

3 And who shall bring back tidings to my master?

The Lord Himself, Himself gives ear.

4 Himself sent forth His messenger:

And took me from among my father's sheep;

And with the oil of His annointing He annointed me.

5 Comely my brethren were and tall:

And yet they found not favour with the Lord.

6 But I, I sallied forth to meet the alien:

And he reviled me by all his idols.

7 But I drew forth the sword that was beside him:

I cut his head off with it,

And from the sons of Israel removed reproach.

Come Away With Me...

2010-06-03T17:33:00.000+02:00

I was thinking about the phrase "Come away with me my love" and thought it'd be somewhere in Song of Solomon. I thought of how God is constantly calling His sons and daughters to spend intimate times of fellowship with Him, delibrately set apart. I googled it up and came across this lovely article. From Angelica's blog called "~a beautiful struggle~" Come Away With Me:

Recently I read Song of Solomon...and I fell in love with Jesus all over again. There are few different opinons on why this book is the Bible. Some people say that it's there to illustrate the love that should exist between a man and a wife. Some people say that it's there to illustrate the love that Jesus has for His bride (us). Well, since I'm not married, I got a lot of benefit out of looking at it as the way Jesus loves me, His bride.

Song of Solomon 4: 8

"Come with Me from Lebanon, my bride. Leave Lebanon behind, and come. Leave your high mountain hideaway. Abandon your wilderness seclusion, where you keep company with lions and panthers guard your safety."

As soon as I read this verse, I heard the words "come away with Me." In spite of everything that you're going through, in spite of everything that's going on around you, "come away with Me." In spite of your busyness, your worries, and your fears "come away with Me."

I am amazed, simply amazed at how much God loves me--even though I have so many faults. He longs for time with me!!! He wants me to come away with Him because that's where I find my peace. He wants me to come away with Him because that's where I am fulfilled. He wants me to come away with Him because that's where He can deal with the things in me that don't please Him. He wants me to come away with Him because that's where He heals every hurt and mends every wound. He wants me to come away with Him because that's where I can truly get to know Him.

He doesn't force me. He simply waits patiently whispering "come away with Me." I admit, I don't always listen. Sadly, there are times when I tell Him "not, now, maybe later." I don't stop to notice the sadness in His eyes that lingers as a result of being rebuffed by His bride.

Then there are times--those unforgettable times--when I take His hand. It is then, when I come away with Him, that I see everything that I've been missing. And I wonder how I ever refused His request before. And there I am, just me and my Love...I wish I could describe how incredible this feels, but words don't do it justice...it's something that you have to experience first hand when you hear the King quietly whisper to you, "Come away with Me."

Haddon W Robinson

2010-05-08T18:46:00.000+02:00

A post by a Dr. Mike, that I found on his blog eternalperspectives.com relating the wisdom of one of my most favourite preachers Haddon W Robinson, my favourite part being, ofcourse, "We're done here, aren't we?" ~Absolute classic!

If there is one person, more than any other, who has had a determinative effect on my Christian life, that man would be Haddon Robinson. This is remarkable since he has no idea who I am or the effect he has had on my life. He probably would not be surprised by my statement – he has impacted and changed the course of many a life – but perhaps he would be curious that he had done so with me.

For those of you who are not familiar with Haddon W. Robinson, I will attempt to provide a brief introduction to this truly unique man. Others who know him better could say much more; I offer only what I think significant for the purposes of this post.

Haddon was voted one of the most influential Christians of the 20th Century, due no doubt to his impact upon generations of preachers who came under his tutelage during his 40+ years of teaching homiletics. He earned a Ph.D. in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois, ostensibly in order to be able to communicate more effectively the word of God to believers and unbelievers alike. He taught preaching at Dallas Theological Seminary for almost 20 years and was president of Denver Seminary from 1979 until 1991. He then became the Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts, a position in which he now continues.

It was at Denver Seminary that I met Dr. Robinson – as I referred to him in my pre-50 years. In fact, I had gone to Denver for my Masters Degree primarily because he was there: I had heard him preach many times (through the tape ministry of Believers Chapel in Dallas) and had concluded that he knew God in ways that I did not know God. So I went to Denver to study counseling, but also to be influenced by him.

During my three years at the seminary, I had only one conversation with Dr. Robinson. This is how it came about:

I was a first-year student (a tipoff for anyone who’s ever been or had to deal with a seminary student) and was frustrated with my professor of New Testament. Actually, I was indignant with him, feeling that he was not giving my particular doctrinal position a fair play in his presentations to the class. (If you own an NIV Study Bible, flip to the opening pages sometime and note the editors listed there. One of the three general editors is Dr. Donald Burdick, perhaps an unknown name to most but well known to the evangelical, scholarly community. This same Donald Burdick, who probably had been teaching New Testament longer than I had been walking the planet, was the professor whom I regarded with arrogant disgust and disdain.)

So I did what any grandiose, first-year seminarian would do. I made an appointment with the president of the seminary, Dr. Robinson.

As I look back on it, I am amazed by Dr. Robinson’s grace and patience. First of all, I am amazed that I was able to get an appointment with him. Although oblivious at the time, I now understand the demands upon his time and the humility it required for him to give an audience to – not just a virtual but – an actual nobody. Second, he listened to me carefully as I laid out my complaint about his colleague and friend, Dr. Burdick. What followed was, I believe, classic Haddon Robinson.

Dr. Robinson never addressed my complaint or concerns. Instead, he told me a story. This (or something very much like it) is what he said:

“I’m sure you know that Dr. Burdick’s wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s some years ago [Actually, being totally self-absorbed, I had no idea]. Despite his continuing commitment to his ministry here at the seminary, and despite maintaining a full load of teaching, he has refused to put his wife in a nursing home. He gets up in the morning and cares for her: feeding, cleaning, dressing, combing her hair, brushing her teeth. She can do nothing for herself. Nothing. Then he leaves for the seminary, teaches a class, and immediately goes home between classes to care for her again. Then he comes back to teach. The following day, he does it again. He will not allow a nurse or anyone else to do for his wife what he himself can do. He has been doing this for years now.

“I was talking to Donald one day and, knowing the load he was under, said to him, ‘How do you do it? How do you so faithfully attend to your ministry and, at the same time, give your wife the love and care and attention she needs?

“Donald looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, ‘Haddon, it’s the greatest privilege I’ve ever had in my life.’”

As if scripted, his phone rang even as his words were still hanging pregnant in the air. He listened for a few seconds, covered the receiver and, turning to me, said, “We’re done here, aren’t we?”

We were done. I nodded a stunned reply, rose quietly, and left Dr. Robinson’s office. My life had just been changed in ways I was only later to appreciate. What was important in the Christian life, my view of people, my relationship with my wife – it all began to shift at that moment. It continues to change more than 20 years later.

Dr. Burdick looked different to me when I next went to my New Testament class. He looked human. Or, more accurately, I saw that he was human: loving, tender, frightened, caring, weak, and struggling. At the end of the quarter, he gave me a C+ for the class. It was the only grade lower than a B that I ever got in grad school, either at the masters or doctoral level. But Dr. Burdick provided the platform and much of the substance for the best education I got at either Denver or Trinity.

What Haddon had done was to see through my indignation to the root of my problem: I was unloving, and I was unloving because I did not see Dr. Burdick as a fellow human being, an alien in the world, a struggler trying to be faithful to the God we both claimed to love and serve. I was unloving because I did not see him as a brother in Christ who needed my compassion and encouragement, not my scorn and criticism.

Haddon cut through the fluff and opened my eyes and heart. Those fifteen minutes were worth all the thousands of dollars (of debt) spent earning my degree. For the remainder of my seminary career, I studied my lessons carefully but I studied my professors much more closely. I looked for the hearts of these professors, trying to understand the motivation within them. Whether it was Bruce Demarest, James Beck, Vernon Grounds, or Robert Alden, I tried desperately to look inside them in order to get a glimpse of Jesus Christ. I was not disappointed.

But even more than before, I began to study Haddon. I devoured his books, read articles by and about him, listened to interviews and radio shows he did, and studied whatever sermons of his that I could find. I still do.

I am aware that he is not perfect – he, too, has feet of clay – so this is not a case of idealization or idolization. Haddon is quick to admit to his own struggles and missteps. But I do appreciate him as someone who has so committed himself to serving Christ and educating men and women in preparation for ministry. And I am admittedly still in awe of his insight, intelligence, and wisdom.

I will probably never have the opportunity to talk to Haddon and tell him of the impact he has had – and continues to have – on my life. But were such a time to become available to me once again, I would seize the chance to simply tell him thanks.

Thanks, Haddon, for teaching me how to think about God, about His word, and about His people. For continually and faithfully demonstrating a commitment to the Bible and people, borne out in your writings and sermons. Thanks for providing a living example of how great genius and tenderness can be melded together.

And thanks especially for teaching me that Christianity is not primarily about ideas, concepts, and truths, but is truly about loving relationships with God and people, about grace and compassion, about being and not just thinking.

I forget these lessons sometimes and, when I do, I slip a tape or cd into the player and listen to Haddon one more time. And I am the better for it.

2 Cor 1:13.

The Heart Of The Matter

2010-04-25T21:00:00.001+02:00

Just recently I was honoured with a request to sit on a board. It was concerning a new 'movement' that some guys wanted to start. They were calling young people from about three different churches to sit on that board. It was basically a bid to start what seems to be happening in other countries and was started by two guys in America who happen to be identical twins. Its called "The Rebelution", defined as a teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture. In essence it is encouraging teens to do 'big things' in their teen years. Its a 'good idea' but one I am not ready to throw my weight in due to... read on.

A friend of mine shared his dream and vision with me a couple weeks ago. It reminded me of something I learnt while away from home. He told me of how his University dilapidated and had never actually been completed since its initial construction some 50yrs (plus-minus) ago. His dream and vision was to see his school restored to its former state and completed. He attends the biggest and oldest higher institution of learning in the land and so it was no small deal.

He wanted to rally up as many sponsors as possible from graduate students, the government, well wishers, current students, NGOs, companies etc. It was a massive idea and would take alot to accomplish.

Well, I didn't really want to discourage him, but I did mention before commending him, that I once had dreams like that...

I know our nation is in bad condition. Jobs are hard to find, for many finishing school is like hitting a dead end, nowhere to go from there, colleges are either full, unavailable or unaffordable.

I know about the sickness and poverty and corruption. I know about the street kids. I know that AIDS is rearing its dark shadow over the nation. I realise that young men are drinking their lives away and how great a waste of resource it is for our country. Many times I have thought up ideas and solutions to solve these problems. "Maybe if I did this or that", I'd think. I even considered entering politics after school and causing some positive influence. I've always dreamed of changing our nation somehow or other, but all these initiatives, dreams and visions have since ceased. And that is exactly what I told my friend.

The question was, of course, why? Why'd I give up on those dreams? Dreams of changing the face of our nation as we know it today?

Well, those dreams ceased when I realised the heart of the matter. I was working on the presupposition that the more comfortable, developed and wealthy a society is, the better it becomes. I thought, the eradication of the many things that are pulling our nation down, would make things more pleasant and everyone would be happy.

I had the privilege of living in a society whose welfare was far better than where I was from. It was a whole new world for me. Proper roads and road networks, good health care, more jobs, availability of education, etc. It was a far cry from what I was accustomed to. I remember thinking if only home was like this, things would be better. It didn't take long for me to find that my ideal society was not ideal at all. It seemed that the more sophisticated a society was, the more sophisticated its sin was as well. I was hearing and seeing things I'd never even dreamed. The development, comfort and wealth of a society obviously wasn't the issue, there was a deeper and more serious problem other than the lack of the aforementioned, namely, the problem of sin.

No amount of development or sophistication could make a society better, because the problem is not a lack of development or sophistication. The problem isn't a lack of health care or education or the prevalence of corruption, poverty or sickness. The problem is the heart of man. Jeremiah says, "the human heart is the most deceitful of ALL things and DESPERATELY wicked, who can understand it?" (Jer 17:9). This is common for a poor or rich man. Educated man or uneducated man, Simple or sophisticated man. They all have one thing in common, sinful hearts.

Any efforts to better a man are useless without Jesus Christ. Its the same with a community or nation. The gospel is the answer.

I am not saying that we should not help people or engage in or aid humanitarian efforts but its not something you'd want to throw the bulk of your resources in because it doesn't change lives like the gospel does. Our energies must be spent, more than anywhere else, in something that actually cures and saves, the gospel. I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life fighting and working towards a better economy. I'd just help where I can. I'd rather spend and be spent most for the spreading of the gospel because I know, that Jesus is the answer for the world today!

My buddy, if he goes ahead with his plan, will spend alot of energy, time and money. Imagine what could result if he spent those resources in the only thing that will ever make his University better, the gospel! I'd feel differently if the spreading of the gospel was included in his plan. The rebelution, as well, will improve lives (after a lot of sweat blood and tears [and time and money]) but again, what about the only cure for man kind, the gospel? Where is it in there?

Wealth doesn't improve a man's well being, the gospel does.

You can take a man from poverty and give him a better life but he will remain the empty sinner he was. Unless you give him Christ, you havn't given him anything.

We can rebuild our towns and roads, and improve our transport systems, and elevate our economy and educate and medicate the people but unless we offer our nation the Lord Jesus Christ along with that, we would have done nothing other than waste our resources. And besides:

"Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last."

10 Things God Can NOT Do

2010-04-21T20:00:00.002+02:00

1) God cannot lie.

"...a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time." Titus 1:2 (NIV)

2) God cannot love you anymore or less than he already does.

"...May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them AS MUCH AS YOU LOVE ME" John 17:23 (New Living Translation)

Have you read that verse? It floored me! God loves his chosen people as much as he loves his Son, Jesus. And we know that he loves his Son immeasurably. He loves you so much and has so much interest in you that he knows the number of hairs on your head. Has anyone loved you so much that they keep count of your hairs? He knows you birthday and knows when you sit and when you rise and even when you fall. Its not that his stalking you, its just that He's crazy in love with you- and me! Its not that God cannot love us anymore because we aren't lovable but because his love for us is infinite, such love!

3) God cannot change.

"I am the Lord and I do not change..." Malachi 3:6 (New Living Translation)

4) God cannot be unfaithful.

"If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is" 2 Timothy 2:13 (New Living Translation)

What a glorious thought for me! That no matter how many times I have been unfaithful in my relationship with him, God will always remain faithful, what a great God!

5) God cannot share his glory.

"I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols." Isaiah 42:8 (NIV)

I once thought that jealousy was a sin. Well, it isn't necessarily. A man will share almost anything with you if you're close enough to him. He will lend you his car, his clothes, even his own son (to mow your lawn or whatever). He will lend you money or his house to live in for a while. But he will never lend you his wife. You can mess with anything else of his but not his wife, why? Because husbands are jealous of their wives. Bringing it closer to home for those who are single, there's something we are all jealous of, that even husbands would have problems sharing with their wives, that is, wait for it... toothbrush. God is jealous of something too. He is jealous of his glory. You'd rather steal a man's wife (or toothbrush) than steal God's glory for it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of God (Heb 10:31)!

6) God cannot reject those who are his.

"Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and him who comes to me I will never on any account drive away." John 6:37 (Weymouth New Testament)

The almighty God is unable to turn away those who genuinely repent. No matter where you've been or what you've done, or how many times you've done it, he will never reject you, he'll take you back. God has as many genuine I-forgive-yous and you have, genuine, I-am-sorrys.

7) God cannot deny anything asked according to his will.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us" 1 John 5:14 (NIV)

8) God will not be able to do anything for those would not have repented and believed by the last day.

"Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly , 'I never knew you. Away from me , you evildoers!' " Matthew 7:23 (NIV)

On the last day, God will be, as it were, powerless to save sinners. He is bound by his own word. Each of us has an opportunity to repent and turn from sin. If we either die or he comes back before we do, we are doomed and there is nothing anyone will be able to do, not even God himself. Time would be up.

9) God cannot bare sin.

"But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. ..." Habakkuk 1:13 (New Living Translation)

Many people believe they will enter heaven based on what they have done. The very good things they do and offer up to God as gifts and sacrifices thinking they'd impress him (from going to church to being active there) are stained with sin and those acts disgust God (Isaiah 64:6). He cannot bare sin.

10) God cannot be mocked (dodged).

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps as he sows." Galatians 6:7 (NIV)

This one would best fit under the title "Things that men can Not do to God" but its something everyone needs to hear. Many people are shrewd and have managed to trick others into gaining something or getting themselves of the hook. Maybe you've managed, on several occasions to get away with wrong doing at school, or at home or with an enemy or even friend. Its not like that with God. Do not be deceived! God knows each and every sin you have ever committed no matter how small you think it may be. He will punish you for every single one, even the ones you won't be able to remember. Unless you ask him for forgiveness, he will never forgive and forget your sin. God cannot be dodged.

Chamu

2010-03-10T20:02:00.007+02:00

I remember my first impression of him. He seemed like a sort of silent burner. He was never noisy in class but he struck me as a rather naughty fellow.

I recall when our teacher of Math & Physics passed a comment. He was a funny man but very serious at the same time, never laughed at all. If something was very funny he'd tighten the muscles on his face just so he wouldn't be able to smile. So, we'd laugh alot in his classes. One day, after cracking one of his jokes, or saying something funny, he pointed at Chamu at the back of the class and teased him saying, look at that fellow, he has very little skin on his face and so when he smiles, his eyes shut! We has a good laugh. And it was true. His eyed would close when he smiled or laughed.

I could be pretty irritating sometimes. One day, all of us from our class were outside the class room. I found a small piece of mirror on the ground and started reflecting the sunlight off it onto people's eyes. I got a laugh out of the irritation people got. I did it to Chamu. I think he told me to quit it at first, I did it again and then he came after me! He started shoving me backwards and advancing after each push all the while telling me stuff I can't remember. I thought of retaliating but then two thoughts crossed my mind. First that I didn't want to be in a fight and second that I started it. Thankfully, that was the first and last time Chamu and I ever clashed.

Chamu started seeing a classmate of ours. I recall seeing him kiss her. I don't mean kiss her, I mean KISS her. It was a really strange sight to me. I had really only seen it in the movies plus I didn't realise those high school flings were that serious.

It seems he really liked his girlfriend. I remember laughing at him with the other guys when we were at the boarding house. We had all just gotten back from our classes. Chamu jumped onto his bed which was adjacent to the wall, and stayed on the bed facing the wall for hours. Apparently he had gotten into an argument with her and what we were seeing were the results. We all laughed at him since it wasn't consist with his manly front.

I was pretty good friends with his girlfriend (I'd like to think). One time, I forget what Chamu did, but I convinced her that we should "go tell Chamu how disappointed we were with him that he could do such a thing". I meant it as a joke, and his girlfriend seemed to get it. When we got to him, he was standing with someone or something, I started it, "Chamu, we just thought we should tell you that we are disappointed...". I was smiling and acting alittle dramatic, his girlfriend grew cold feet it seemed and only added some emphatic yes-es here and there. Well later when we were with the guys, Chamu expressed his disappointment in me. I was totally surprised, I thought we had all caught on!

He was a pretty good swimmer, or so people said. He didn't really impress me. He was really good at staying long under water. He'd take a deep breath and swim all around the pool along the wall and not come up for air. He was the only one of two at the school boarding house who could do that.

Most of the guys in my class had nicknames, actually I think we all gave each other nicknames, Chamu was called hamster I think! I forget how he got that name...

Chamu, I just learned, died after an illness.

The news of his death hit me pretty hard which surprised me because we weren't close. I always imagined my classmates and I would one day meet at a reunion, and bring our families and catch up and reminisce. Death was not part of the plan. I hope, somehow, he was saved.

Moms & Wives

2010-02-10T17:47:00.000+02:00

I recall when I was in grade 11, my teacher of Geography told the class, or was it just a few male students, something I've never forgotten. He spoke of how that generally, guys are attracted to girls who are similar to their Moms. In other words, if a guys mom is tall and slim, he'd be more inclined to tall-slim women. He said, the majority of men marry women who are like, in apperance and build, to their mothers. He mentioned that it was the same for girls as well. Girls with tall fathers tend to like/prefer tall boys etc. Well, I think he was right.

I think it applies to other areas aswell. My father is always explaining stuff to my mother. From what bluetooth is to whats wrong with the car to current affairs. And my mom is always attentive and interested. I can tell they both thoroughly enjoy it. My brother and I usually explain stuff to my mom as well, and I don't know about him, but I certainly enjoy it.

I suspect therefore that if I have a wife who "knows alot", it'll be a point of contention for a while atleast. Everytime, I try to explain something, she'll say something like, "I know" or something and i'll soon realise there's very little I know that she doesn't. Or perharps, unlike my mom, if my wife ends up being one who is not really interested in details or trivia, they'll be a big problem, definately.

Excellent Commercial!

2010-02-06T17:00:00.001+02:00

I have huge interest in trivia and behind the scenes stuff and consequently in the directing and production aspects of movies. Here is a brilliant advert/commercial followed by an excellent review by John Moore which I found extremely interesting. Something I'd love to do, some day, is make a movie. Check out this young (under 25 I reckon) film maker's blog- Life, by John

This was a remarkable change of pace from the typical PSA. It was beautifully shot, well directed, and had a good bit of forethought in the story being told.

Things that appeal to me about it are the environment. In the home, a father evidently teaching his daughter something about vehicle safety. It's cozy, it's warm, it's a place we all want to be.

The love between the members of the family is clearly portrayed as the commercial begins, and the daughter's panic stricken face betrays so much affection for her father that you can't help but resonate with the character. This is excellent casting, and excellent direction. If one were to look back at preproduction of this ad, one would no doubt find detailed storyboards and animatics prepared well in advance.

But the brilliance is also in the simplicity of the shots. One of the reasons the elements are so bold and so plain for the viewer, so memorable in the midst of a variety of other commercials, is the economy of shots. Thomas Jefferson said, "The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do." The same applies to shots within a film as well.

The breakdown of the commercial:

1. 00:00 Key Turning.
2. 00:04 Foot on the gas.
3. 00:06 Family watches, entertained - trucking right.
4. 00:10 Driving happily - push in.
5. 00:14 Family laughter, mid shot - push in.
6. 00:17 A happy father, - truck right.
7. 00:20 Daughter laughing, - push in.
8. 00:22 Fearful driver, mid-shot - push in.
9. 00:28 Panicked daughter, close up - push in
10. 00:31 Yanking the wheel, close up - push in
11. 00:35 Family leaps into action - push in
12. 00:36 Daughter at his side
13. 00:43 Her Fingers interlock
14. 00:46 Wife grabs him
15. 00:48 Her Fingers interlock
16. 00:50 Impact Close-up
17. 00:50 Impact Wide
18. 00:58 Glitter Falls
19. 01:02 A Family Embrace

You might say, "That's 19 shots in an 88 second commercial. That's averaging a cut every 4.5 seconds... How is that economical?" Well, in this instance, we're going to examine the setups and angles, or shots and not the number of times a shot is edited in, or cuts. There is a lot we were able to learn in this very short period of time, and a lot of action taking place. Yet the reason we were able to remember it all so very clearly, is that we didn't cut to a new angle every time.

The setups are actually very simple throughout the short. Shots 1 and 2 are throwaway angles. That's why the content in the shot is very limited. A key turns, a foot presses the gas pedal. But even though they pass by in six seconds, we know he's starting a car. There is very little to see in the shot, other than the hand with the invisible key, and the foot on the invisible gas pedal. This way, all our attention is devoted to the actions, not the environment.

This is true with every shot in the film; the environments are simple and unassuming, familiar to the viewer, so that the characters become the focal point.

Shot 3 we move the camera past the driver, to see the family on the couch. Now we have clearly established the locations of the characters, and the mood of the family. If we were to cut to the father first, his dopey driving grin would look ridiculous. Instead, because we see the family giggling and watching with awe, when we cut to the father driving, we realize he is intentionally entertaining them. His actions no longer seem silly, but noble, in a way.

Shot 4, with the father driving, is a setup (angle, lighting, dolly track, etc) that will be reused several times, with only slight variation. The same is true of shot 5. In all, there were probably only about ten setups in the whole film, allowing a lot of time for the audience to really study out each of the environments, characters, actions, and arcs within the short.

Even in the longest shot in the short, the end embrace, the environment is very simple. There are no props, no background furniture. The wallpaper is patterned but the pattern is so out of focus, we can only really study the family. They are even lit more brightly than anything in the background. It's a perfect close.

An amateur director would probably have had an entirely new shot every 3-5 seconds, to keep it 'interesting'. Rather than focusing on characters and clearly defining their goals, he would have distracted the audience with 20 unique setups, brightly lit and filled with distracting background props. This would not only hurt the audience's understanding of the short, but it would have also been twice as time consuming to shoot.

On a shoot like this, every setup would take 45 minutes to an hour. When storyboarding even your short films, consider the cost of every shot on a professional feature film. Choose your shots very carefully, and focus on clarity of the action for the audience. Remember, we're here to serve the audience with a story; not confuse them with unnecessary information.

Keep it simple, make it bold.

~ In Christ, John.

The Unofficial Relationship (Part 1)

2010-02-05T16:30:00.001+02:00

I love this picture of contemporary christian musicians Shane Bernard & Bethany Dillon's wedding, I think it goes well with the title of the post.

I'm on facebook and I changed my relationship status from "single" to "its complicated". Well, I was thinking one day (yes, I think, occasionally) and I realised that while I was not in a relationship, I wasn't really single. It was then that I coined the phrase "Unofficial Relationship" to describe what sort of situation I was in.

Many people are actually in unofficial relationships, from hence forth referred to as "UOR".

Here are two people who like each other but for some reason or other cannot commit. I've seen it happen between a young man seeking a young woman. He likes her and has made his position clear. The young lady does not give a no but doesn't give a yes either. Perhaps she says, give me time or not right now. The two begin hanging out, or talking alot. The young man buys her gifts and talks to her alot. They become close sharing what is happening in their lives, enjoying many benefits of being in a relationship but are not really. The two individuals isolate themselves.

Or perhaps its a guy, alittle too young to seek a girl, a teenager, still a dependant. He likes a girl and starts sending her alot of text messages or calling her and chatting with her. The girl likes him back and before long they become close and go for walks perhaps and he buys her gifts, maybe she does the same. They enter into an UOR. For teens nowadays whether Christian or non-Christian, I've observed, the chap sees the girl, likes her and pursues her. They get hitched and "breakup" in due course (ever noticed they just never last, these teen/post-teen relationships?)

Its not always the same, but the idea of isolation and developing a rather close friendship is prominent. The feelings are typically mutual or else there wouldn't be an UOR in the first place.

Basically an UOR is a relationship between a male and female (ideally) where while the two have not committed to each other they have isolated each other. While they may not necessarily do everything that two people in an official relationship do, they do things which two people in an ordinary friendship do not do, they are somewhere in between the mere friendship and the official relationship.

I call it unofficial for obvious reasons, if you ask the two individuals whether they are in a relationship, the answer will be a definite no. But if you ask them how often they talk to each other, how much time the see each other, how often they are together, you will soon find, that there is some sort of "thing" going on.

Now (Paul Washer always goes to the next point of his sermon like that, "Now, ..."), UOR are dangerous and unbiblical making them wrong. I hope to discuss that in Part II.

I have "charged" two people of being in UORs both of whom actually were, they both bitterly denied it, which is natural for people in UORs. The first person I "charged" was a young lady, she denied it because she had been approached by the young man and liked him but still wasn't so sure she wanted to see him and didn't want to feel or appear bound. Yet she entertained him and accepted his gifts and attention. The other was a man, he too denied it, I don't know why. In his particular case he sought the young lady and she basically said it was too early but she liked him too and now they are bound to each other by virtue of the fact that he had declared his love and she her like and now it would be betrayal on her part if she started seeing another man either now or later cause he's waiting.

I was going to give a list of things to help someone better judge whether or not they are in an UOR, but here is a simple test.

The official relationship and the UOR have alot of things in common but here is the clincher. In both, the individuals are bound. In the official relationship, it would be taboo for any of the mates to begin pursuing anyone other than their mate and it would hurt their partner. Its exactly the same in an UOR. The two are bound to each other. The man has shown his interest by the attention and gifts and the lady likes him and so entertains him. Should the man "move on", the lady will feel betrayed.

"He sent me all those signs only to leave me."

Were you together?

"No."

Then why are you hurt, why do you feel betrayed? I'll tell you why, you decided to enjoy a relationship without committing. You consented to an UOR.

Or perhaps the man is the victim when the lady accepts another man who approaches her.

"I sent her all those gifts, all those text messages, all those chats we had, all that time we talked and spent time together, yet she was just using me to pass time, I feel betrayed."

Were you seeing each other?

"No."

Then why feel betrayed? You were not in a relationship so she was still a free woman.

And the problem is, you cannot take your mate to task for leaving you because it wasn't official. The papers were not signed as it were. All it would take is for your mate to say, "No we weren't." and that would be it.

If your "friend" suddenly started seeing someone or entertaining someone other than you, would you feel hurt or betrayed? My dear friend, you are in an Unofficial Relationship and it is dangerous and it isn't biblical.

I Got To Preach

2010-02-01T17:00:00.000+02:00

Every week our cell group meets to go out into the neighbourhood doing door-to-door evangelism. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be following up those who attended our evangelistic Braai/BBQ which we hosted last year over Christmas. Well, I joined our cell leader as he was following up a young lady staying at a college boarding house. We bounced but opted to speak to a young lady whose room was just opposite.

During our chat with her, she mentioned that her father had died a few months ago and she was quite confused and had a number of questions. I made an appointment to meet her the following day. I planned to attempt answering her questions. I was not aware that my meeting with her would be the toughest I've ever encountered in all my door-to-door evangelism days.

Contrary to what I expected, this young lady wasn't impressed with God, not because he had taken her father away from her and her family. Her concern was that God had allowed her father, a devoted and active man in his Christian life, to suffer so much in the months leading to his death. Apparently her father had a tumor in his belly which the doctors miss diagnosed. They spent time treating a problem that didn't exist and in the end, when they finally pinned the real problem, it was too late. About 2 weeks before he died, he could not even speak.

This young lady told me openly that she no longer really cared about pushing hard in life but just lived each day as it came. She had lost her drive and will. Her father's relatives had not made life any easier, they had been a source of much pain rather than comfort.

The ball was finally in my court, what was I to say to this young lady? How was I going to "defend God" while maintaining sensitivity to her feelings. I stammered and flipped through my bible and stumbled my way through some sort of explanation.

I knew, though, almost immediately, that this young lady felt the way she did about God because she did not understand God's holiness and man's sinfulness. But I really struggled to make my point and she was certainly not convinced. I quickly discovered how much I needed to study this whole subject and be better positioned to respond to such questions.

During our conversation, I received a call from the leaders of a fellowship at DK (David Kaunda High), they wanted me to share a song or two at their meeting the next day. I asked to meet them that same day just to find out who the new leaders were and what they had planned for the year, etc.

I made my way over to DK as soon as I was done with my struggled chat with the young lady. There is a need for sound gospel preaching at the DK fellowship and so I am always keen to offer preachers for their meetings. Fortunately they needed a preacher for the next day and I promised to come with one. I quickly got in touch with my buddy who I thought would jump at the opportunity but he said it was too short a notice. As the evening progressed, it became clear that I probably wouldn't be able to find a preacher in time, and so I decided I'd prepare something in the event that I failed to find someone.

As I sat down to prepare, I had no doubt in my mind as to what I would share if I ended up preaching. I would answer those questions that that young lady had and basically answer the question: "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

Well, I preached at DK the next evening and it was a great experience, it was an awesome experience to share the gospel with 50+ youths. My text was Luke 13:1-9. One of the things I've lacked the few times I've preached is passion. I tend to just talk but this time, I think I thundered (for my standards at least) probably because it was more from the heart than all the other times. When I had exhausted much of my arguments I said something like, "I hope you have began to see why we deserve the very worst from God." And some guys (girls mostly, actually) shouted, "No!". It was pretty interesting, but I think by the time I was done, they could all answer a humble "yes" in their bowels.

The last time I preached, though, it wasn't so great...

Bebo Norman on Valentines Day

2010-02-01T16:05:00.000+02:00

From Bebo Norman's blog, www.bebonorman.com. For those of you who don't know him, Bebo is just one of the most profound writers on the Contemporary Christian Music scene...

D-U-M

I recorded a Valentine’s Day promotional video today for my record label. This sort of video is a fairly normal thing to do for big Holiday promotions…you know, the standard “what’s your favorite gift you’ve ever gotten for Christmas/tell us about your favorite family Christmas tradition” sort of thing, or the ever repetitive “what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving” list, etc, etc. And no offense to the promotional folks at the label who really do work their butts off to make things happen, but I kind of feel like I might have to draw the line at Valentine’s Day. And I’m sorry if you happen to be a big box of chocolates kind of gal, but I SERIOUSLY don’t get it. I mean, if you don’t happen to have a “Valentine” it’s sort of like rubbing it in, and if you do happen to have a Valentine, it’s sort of like rubbing it in. Maybe it’s because my wife could seriously not care less about it (might just be THE reason I married her), or perhaps it’s because I feel like it’s mostly just a big racket for the flower and chocolate industries, but I find myself a bit cynical about this particular holiday. Is that wrong? I mean, is it wrong to feel like if I love someone I should try to let them know it every day, not just this one random day of the year? Is it wrong to think that it’s much more of a “gift” to surprise my wife with flowers every now and then instead of gathering up the scraps at the flower shop on the day that every lame man on the planet is hunting to “make up for lost time” and maybe, just maybe, get lucky when he gets home? I don’t know, I’m sure I’m overreacting, but…I don’t think I really care. So someone told me that when I’m not sure what to blog about on a particular day that I should come up with one sentence that sort of sums it all up. So here’s my sentence for the day: Valentine’s Day is d-u-m. (And yes, I left the “b” out on purpose).

Empty... Again

2009-09-02T21:00:00.003+02:00

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

Final Impressions

2009-09-01T20:00:00.001+02:00

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?

Relationship Craze (2 Questions)

2009-08-25T22:10:00.007+02:00

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.

Hmm...!

2009-08-19T08:59:00.000+02:00

Find The Man

2009-08-18T20:30:00.000+02:00

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?

Who cares?

2009-08-17T13:07:00.006+02:00

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.

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

2009-08-16T22:01:00.004+02:00

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!

Opposition Guaranteed

2009-08-13T22:56:00.005+02:00

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!

Triangle Rule

2009-08-11T22:55:00.011+02:00

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

Crazy

2009-08-02T20:59:00.004+02:00

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

Funeral or Party?*

2009-07-25T18:24:00.006+02:00

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)

Python Catcher

2009-06-30T21:00:00.001+02:00

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!

Congratulations Mom!

2009-06-26T21:32:00.004+02:00

Today, Mom won "Most outstanding employee of the year 2009"! We are all very, very proud! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Air France Pictures Are Fake!

2009-06-20T20:48:00.005+02:00

Ahhh! The pictures I put up in my last post are fake! Watch this 15 sec trailer and you'll see the scene from which the pictures where taken. Thanks Mike, for enlightening me...

Air France Plane Crash

2009-06-18T08:56:00.004+02:00

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.

Heart Changer

2009-06-17T21:09:00.005+02:00

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!"

Reforms

2009-06-05T22:00:00.002+02:00

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

Initial Impressions...

2009-05-28T22:03:00.006+02:00

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.

Is Obama A Christian?

2009-05-18T20:00:00.005+02:00

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

Sense Of Sight

2009-05-17T20:00:00.000+02:00

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?

Missing My Aim

2009-05-16T20:13:00.005+02:00

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?

Covered!

2009-04-20T23:45:00.007+02:00

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!

The "Are you a fool?" Quiz

2009-04-20T23:40:00.003+02:00

A lovely little quiz, I'd encourage everyone to take, done by Elizabeth from Visionary Daughters. I thought it could be more comprehensive but a great quiz none the less. It's definately a thought provoker:

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

2009-04-20T23:30:00.001+02:00

By Mrs Cathrine

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.

NABYC Journal

2009-04-16T15:20:00.016+02:00

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.

Crosseyed Blog & Webzine

2009-03-28T10:10:00.000+02:00

I’ve been featured on a new site called the Cross Eyed Blog and Webzine! Their mission is to encourage and build up our brothers and sisters in Christ through articles relevant to our daily lives and struggles. Through the written word they are hoping to impact Christians and help people live lives that glorify God.

Even if you don’t normally read very much, be sure to check Cross Eyed blog. It covers college, dating and courtship, entertainment, faith, marriage and family, politics, time and money, worldview, singleness, devotional life, biblical manhood and womanhood, time & money, gospel and blogging.

I especially like crosseyed because it features excellent writers whose intimate relationship with Jesus you can't miss! I'm glad to be featured there and I think the play on words, "cross-eyed", is, as the britons say, wicked!!

Visit their website, just click on the title of this post or any of the images!

Mwindula.

My Predictions

2009-03-21T19:40:00.002+02:00

I wrote this on the 5th of March but felt uncertain as to whether to publish it or not. After a bit of thinking, I've decided to publish it. Ladies and gentlemen, "my predictions"...

For those of you who are very holy, Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together and might even be married. For those of you who literally tread in the heavenlies, Chris Brown and Rihanna are two celebrities, both recording artists, who have been seeing each other for quite a while and sadly, two lost individuals as well. They are both fairly recent and most beloved on the celebrity block. Both under the age of 21, they are quite young.

Before you write me off as worldly, I only got to know Chris through my cousin who is (whats the word...) bananas about Chris. As for the beat up Rihanna, her hit song “Umbrella” was playing everywhere, you’d have to be deaf if you're below 20 and are unaware of its existence.

Chris Brown beat his poor girlfriend up, fellow celebrity Rihanna, so badly that he is due in court. He beat her like she was a thief or something. They were driving from a party in the late night to early morning, I think and allegedly got into an argument when the young man got a message from another lady. Well, Rihanna called the fellow names and before long, he had given her a piece of himself. A call was made to the police by either the young lady or an onlooker and when the cops arrived, Brown had fled the scene. A few hours later he turned himself in to the police. I don't know the whole, precise story but thats the general idea.

Well, allegedly, 3 weeks after the incident, they are back together and could even be married.

Do you see the folly of these people? I mean, come on, give me a break!

Chris Brown was painted black, and rightly so, by the media, radio stations boycotted his music, and the general public was out raged. The incident had potential to destroy the rest of his career. He quickly proposed marriage to his beaten up love, allegedly, and she, in her folly accepted, not only him, but his proposal for marriage as well. He, in my view, has acted out of remorse which means that their marriage is doomed.

My Predictions:

Chris Brown will continue to hurt Rihanna. He obviously has a hot temper and has fits of rage. Remorse will not solve his problem, it will merely suppress it for a season.
Secondly, we should be hearing of a divorce anytime from now. You can’t get married to someone who beat you up right after you make amends, I mean, the guy has asked you to marry him, most likely out of a sense of guilt and feels he needs to pay you, to make up somehow, for his horrible mistake. A marriage cannot last based on such a foundation.

Rihanna and Chris will continue to search but they’ll never find. They’ll always seek true love, happiness and satisfaction but until they find the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they’ll never be happy. Watch these two young people grow to become miserable individuals as they search for life with a capital L.

You may be wondering how carnal a fellow I must be to follow the lives of the some of the most appalling of men, namely celebrities. Well I must admit it’s a bit of a secret indulgence of mine for few reasons:

First and foremost, I follow some of these guy's lives to see what the fuss is all about! Why do people pay so much money and attention to see these people, why are people crazy about them? Whats the buzz and fuss all about?!

But also, for me, it is scripture revealed. As I see these men and women search for life under the sun, my jaw drops to see scripture come to life. Solomons words become real, "life is meaningless under the sun". All that fame and wealth and yet so, so unsatisfied, so lost and so doomed.

Lastly, as I share the gospel with those around me, those who care so much for their idols and celebrities, it is good to show them how stupid a life without Christ is through the testimony of the lives of those they cherish so dearly. "Look how empty the lives of those you cherish are," I'll say, "Look at how this person has died leaving their all their fame and wealth, there's got to be more to life...".

And besides, I follow their lives passively and not actively! I mean, I have better things to do...

Mwindula.

White Man by Michael Gungor

2009-03-17T19:45:00.004+02:00

Over the festive season, I came across Michael Gungor, a gospel artist and worship leader. I later found the simple but, I dare say, hair raising song, for some at least, "White Man". Michael is a gospel singer and so, I was rather curious to find out how such a title could sum up the idea of a Christian song. He released the song as a single off his "to come" album and it soon became a controversial song. I also found that he had written an article about the song and the about the response he hopes the song will retain. Have a read and a listen! By the way the video is not by Michael...

White Man
Words and music by Michael Gungor and Lisa Gungor

God is not a man, God is not a white man
God is not a man sitting on a cloud
God cannot be bought, God will not be boxed in
God will not be owned by religion

But God is love, God is love,
and He loves everyone
God is love, God is love,
and He loves everyone

God is not a man, God is not an old man
God does not belong to Republicans
God is not a flag, Not even American
And God does not depend on a government

But God is good, God is good,
and He loves everyone
God is good, God is good,
and He loves everyone

Atheists and Charlatans
and Communists and Lesbians
And even old Pat Robertson,
oh God He loves us all
Catholic or Protestant,
Terrorist or President
Everybody, everybody, love, love, love, love, love
Yeah, I say God is love, God is love,
and He loves everyone
Stop the hating, please just stop the hating now cause God is love

© 2008 worshiptogether.com songs/ASCAP. Admin by EMI CMG Publishing.

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God is Not a White Man by Michael Gungor
Preparing for the release of their new project in September, Michael Gungor reflects on what has become a controversial single off the new album.

“Atheists and charlatans and communists and lesbians, and even ol’ Pat Robertson, oh God He loves us all. Catholic or Protestant, terrorist or President. Everybody, everybody, love, love, love, love.” (from our new song “God is Not a White Man”)“…some people are concerned about the word ‘lesbian’ being in the song.” (my advisers)

Listen, I’m not after being controversial. Bothering people just for the sake of bothering them is just annoying, and that’s not really the emotional response that I am hoping to elicit with our music. But you know what? And forgive me for being a little gross here, but sometimes cleaning out a festering sore can sting a little.

In the bridge of the song, my intent was to be as offensive as possible with that list. Many of us don’t like to think of God loving the people that we hate the most. The terrorist, the racist, the rapist, the Pharisees and the TV preachers. My hope was that people would notice any internal cringing in order to bring their own prejudices into the light.

I think that sometimes we fool ourselves by thinking our sin is cleaner than everyone else’s sin. “I don’t hate people, I just hate the people that hate people.” However, I believe that looking down on anyone as something less than an image and beloved creation of God is not only sinful, but at the heart of nearly all the problems of the world.

And in order to justify how we divide, compare, and rank ourselves, we often end up fashioning a god for ourselves that supports our decision. The Israelites fashioned a god (golden calf) that they thought would be a shinier and more tangible deity than the One who brought them out of Egypt.

Our early American forefathers fashioned a god that allowed them to have a “Manifest Destiny” to own this land, and that led them into the massive genocide that they carried out on the Native American people that lived here before us. Hitler fashioned a god that allowed him to exterminate the Jews. I wonder what kind of god that we have fashioned today that allows us to separate and hate each other like we do.

What kind of god have some Christians fashioned that allows them to look down on homosexuals? What kind of god have some Christians fashioned for themselves that is happy with our denominational separations and elitist attitudes? What kind of god loves this group of people over that group of people?

Certainly not the God of the Bible.The Bible teaches us that God is love, and as Christians, we are to be made into God’s image, not to try to make Him in ours. We are not to paint our own personalities and preferences on God’s face. We are not meant to control Him or own Him with our faith or our religion. Instead, we are called to give Him ownership of our lives through our faith.

What would a church look like that was rid of the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ poison that has plagued the world for so many thousands of years? What if we really believed that there is no more Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female? Perhaps we could become the Church that Jesus prayed for in John 17 right before He went to the cross. Of all the things that Jesus could have prayed right there, He asked that God would unify us. There is enough separation and division in the world already. It is what leads to things like war, racism, and poverty. If the Church is to become a new kind of humanity, we must unify in love as we shed the lines that divide us from the people that we are called to love and serve.

“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of
them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be
in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the
glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in
me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me
and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Posted July 22, 2008 Michael Gungor is the lead singer and worship songwriter of the Michael Gungor Band. The group's new album, Ancient Skies, is releasing September 9, 2008 from Brash Records.

Respect For The "Least"

2009-03-13T22:30:00.004+02:00

Things I learnt away from home. I spent about two years away from home. I learnt quite a few valuable lessons. I've shared a couple, I thought I'd share still another.

I'm not sure why I picked this one from South Africa but I did.

When you analyse society, the working class can be divided into various categories. One of those categories comprises of those people who "serve". I put serve in inverted commas because, nurses serve but at they are fairly, well paid and they went to college in order to do what they do. I'm talking about waiters and waitresses, assistants at tills in stores and markets, those men and women who sell air time at booths, auxiliary staff, cleaners, gardeners, security guards, parking attendants, fuel station attendants, (I almost mentioned prisoners here but that wouldn't be quite right!), etc. Some of them are just trying to raise pocket money others actually need their jobs to survive.

The first thing to realise about those in positions of service is that they are not there because they necessarily want to be. They would get better jobs if they could, jobs with better pay and less hours. Their jobs are tough and stressing. No one would want to work so hard, for so little, but they have no choice.

Secondly, if you are not in this line of work, its not because you are smart or intelligent of hard working (per say), but you have a better job because God has allowed you to. You could have failed college, or been born to not-so-well-to-do parents or guardians, etc. So an important thing I learnt is not to look down on these people because I realised that if it t'was not for God's grace, I'd be in their shoes.

This dawned on me while I was with my Uncle and his family during my time away from home. I'd go into their living room and turn on the t.v or go get me a drink from the fridge and I kept thinking, "you know what? I'm able to live here, as comfortably as I do at my own home, not because I'm smart or because I know these people I'm staying with but because they know my parents! That's it. If I was not a child of my father, I wouldn't be here! The picture widened when I saw people who were less fortunate than me, people who worked long hours for peanuts. People who worked humbling jobs, jobs were you wait on fellow human beings, cleaning windshields or cleaning tables at restaurants or standing behind tills for long hours on end, etc. I realised that I wasn't where these people were because of God's grace period.

Now, these guys work long hours. I don't really blame fuel attendants or guys behind tills for being grumpy sometimes, I mean, they have probably been at the till for ages (or they are about to be) and they are tired and their thin account balance's keep flashing before their eyes as they work so hard. And there comes some stuck up individual behaving like the poor attendant is not a human being. I learnt while in SA to try not to be burdensome to them because God knows they have enough burdens of their own. I try to be considerate as I have dealings with them. I avoid causing them problems and making a fuss over things petty.

I also try to be polite. I avoid being rude and always thank them for their service. I could probably go further to greet them cheerfully as I approach them. If they seem rude and grumpy, I try to remain polite because I know that if I had a day like they have had or are about to have, I'd be pretty grumpy too! If they try to make small talk with me, I oblige. I try not to act uninterested. I smile and laugh with them. I apologise for any misunderstanding or mistake on my part.

Being a Christian is about, among other things, being different. Jesus said we must love our enemies and gave various reasons why (Matthew 5:43-48). One of the reasons he gave is worth some reflection. He said in essence that if we hate our enemies what difference would there be between the world and us? The world chooses to hate those who hate them. A Christian should be different.

Likewise, those in positions of service must be able to see something different between us and other customers. If we all treated them like the world does, what difference would there be between the world and us? That lady at the till should be able to say,"There's something about that man" or "There's something about that woman". "She's greeted me so cheerfully" or "That wonderful man always thanks me for my service." "There's something about him/her."

There must be something about me.

Mwindula.

...With God & Man

2009-02-26T15:00:00.001+02:00

In the first week of this year, our youth ministry, at church, held elections for a new set of leaders. Now I have been a good boy, or more appropriately, a good man through 2008. No girls, no messing around, no rumors circulating about me as has been the case in the past etc.

Apart from the absence of negatives over the year 2008, there the presence of positives. I became quite involved at church, helping out alot. I also lead, along with my buddy, Henry, the guy quoted under the title of my blog, the preparations for our annual youth concert which is a fundraising effort hosted by the church youths to earn money for our annual youth camp. It was a huge success financially although the quality of the show was below par in my view. Anyway, Henry and I got thumbs ups from a few of the youth leaders who were there then. 2008 had been a huge success for me in most of the spheres of my life.

In light of my general conduct and performance over the year 08', I had no doubt in my mind that when the elections for new youth leaders for 2009 came along, I'd make, at the most, the highest office (Chairman) and at the least, the second highest office, Vice Chairman. I also expected that if I made Chairman, my buddy Henry would make Vice and that if I made Vice, Henry would make Chair. In my mind, it was a done deal! We had been great in our conduct and zeal, and we had been a great leadership duo during the concert preparations. We had coordinated well and would therefore be elected, I thought, as the "top two guys" of the ministry.

Well, you know, God's plans are not our plans nor his ways ours. I was in for a rude shock at the beginning of 2009.

Over Christmas and New year, I was away from home and church therefore. I did not attend the elections of new youth leaders. I didn't make Chairman or Vice and to add insult to injury, I didn't make committee member either. By the time the new leadership had been selected, I was just an ordinary member of the youth ministry.

Now, obviously, I need to clarify a couple of things before those given to misconceptions and misinterpretations, do what they do best:

I did not necessarily stay up all night dreaming of being in the leadership of the ministry. Neither did I think of it. The reason being that I expected it to happen. To me it was a done deal, I therefore didn't spend time wishing to be in leadership, I knew for a fact that it would happen. I knew that most of those in the ministry were either young or not Christians, some were recent converts others were recent members. I, on the other hand, knew the ropes, I had experience in the ministry etc. It didn't even register in my mind that any other result could...result. I neither wanted to be in the ministry leadership nor didn't want to be in the ministry leadership. I was assured that because there were very few people who could lead effectively I would certainly be elected. I hope I have made my point.

My thoughts were confirmed by the result of the elections, one brother was literally forced to enter leadership. He had objected due to the fact that he had only just arrived in the ministry, another was elected into leadership after having been in the ministry for only a short while, his still learning the ropes as you are reading this. One turned down the role of leader and a fourth was completely lost as to what to do in their posting. Now, all these guys are my good friends two guys and two girls, I have no serious objections to their being leaders but I'm simply illustrating the fact that there were very few people to properly lead and I therefore knew for sure that I'd end up as a leader because of the shortage of capable guys.

So, while I was away over Christmas and New year, the first warning sign came. My friend told me that she had been elected into leadership. Later I heard that Henry had made Chair. I was waiting to hear the words "You were elected Vice !", but to my dismay, nothing. Having known that my buddy Henry would either make Chair or Vice, I was further distraught at the fact that elections had taken place and he had not communicated to say that we were the "top men" of the ministry. I even called him later about a separate issue and he didn't tell me that he had made Chair let alone that elections had been held.

Now I speak about "making chair" or "making vice" like its something to fight for or something to be sought. Well it is.

After the idea of making Vice or Chair set in, it left a sweet taste in my mouth, I began to look forward to it. I wanted to be a leader. Some people might think, "look at this power hungry, selfish kid wanting to be a leader!" Well, Paul says that he who desires the office of overseer (elder/pastor) desires a noble thing. I say, in the same vein, he who desires the office of ministry leader or youth ministry leader or cell group leader or bible study leader, desires a noble thing.

I heard a sermon, which challenged me so very much entitled "where are the men?" by Denny Kenaston, He spoke of a "pass the ball meeting". We've all been in a "pass the ball meeting" haven't we? "Brother, why don't you open for us in prayer?" "Ah, I'm not really confident, maybe someone else can do it". "Brother, would you give a short devotion before we begin our meeting?" "I'm sorry, am alittle unprepared right now, maybe brother so and so should do it." "Oh! Not me brother. I have a sore throat, maybe brother so and so should do it." And finally all of them finally manage to wrestle one of them down and he is forced to do it. Pass the ball meetings.

Ever since I heard that message were men are rebuked for not taking their place in the church of God, I changed my attitude. I stopped backing down from requests to pray of share or speak, I even began leaping for opportunities! I've lost that flare somewhat, I should listen to that powerful sermon again! Click here to download it.

I'm not embarrassed that I got excited about the idea of being a leader. I began thinking of ideas and ways to boost the ministry and to maximise on its potential. That's why I got depressed when the wrong feedback began coming my way.

Anyway when I got back things only got worse, I found out that the outgoing leaders came up with a proposed list of leaders. I was not on that list. I also found out that my closest friends are the ones who had to suggest my name as the floor was opened to the ministry members to suggest other names apart from those on the list. I was finally knocked out when I was told that almost nobody among the youths voted for me. That did it for me!! I lost my appetite, that evening infact we had pizza for supper and me and pizza have an understanding! But that night I was so depressed that I couldn't eat, and I felt like my stomach had been tied in a knot.

I depressed because the only reason that I could come up with as to why people wouldn't vote for me was that we were not in good terms and as far as I knew, I was in great terms with everybody. I felt betrayed because I sort of felt that people had personal issues with me and yet they continued smiling and laughing with me and their dislike for me was manifested in their not voting for me.

Even some of my own good friends didn't vote for me. The former leaders who congratulated me for the "job well done" on the youth concert didn't include me on their proposed list of leaders. And the half of the former leaders were and are my good friends. Guys I've grown up with. I really felt betrayed.

I didn't know what to do. Shall I approach the guys and ask them why they didn't vote for me or include me on their proposed list of leaders? Or should I let it go and pretend everything is alright? I don't like pretending that things are alright so I made a decision. I approached the former chairman of the ministry to ask him why I was not included on the list of names they were proposing for new leaders to replace himself along with his team.

I finally did. I asked to have a word with him after the service one Sunday. I asked,"You guys (the former leaders) made a list of names you were proposing to take over the leadership of the youth ministry and I was not on that list, well I wanted to find out why." I thought he would studder and stammer but to my surprise he came right out with it, no hesitation. "Basically two reasons," he replied. The first was that he was worried about the way I operated as leader. He had observed something which concerned him while I was leading the concert preps. The second was that he wasn't sure, along with the rest of his team, and for good reason(!), whether or not I would be able to work under Henry. He said his concerns were confirmed by the low vote I got.

Needless to say, I gained alot of respect for this brother who I spoke to, he told me frankly why I was not selected. He also apologised for not pointing out the concerns as soon as they were realised.

Well, I still need clarification but one thing for sure is that I have lost favour in the eyes of people around. It is a problem I should not overlook. There obviously flaws in the way I lead, things that put people off. One cannot be a good leader if they are not firm but the opposite extreme is just as bad, maybe even worse. Its taken a while, but slowly I'm beginning to think interms of working on my flaws rather than thinking that people betrayed me. What I went through though, was very painful and I don't think I have the stomach to stand another ordeal.

The bible requires "Love and Faithfulness" for someone who wants to win favor and a good name in the eyes of both God and men. I don't think I lead others with love. I am pretty faithful but not so loving as I try to get others to do things. I realised this when we read Proverbs 3 in our family devotions. Proverbs 3:1-4:

"My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man."