Abortion

Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1Samuel 2:30)

I want us to look at a doctrine I believe has been abused so badly, especially in these last days. It is the doctrine that grace requires nothing from me. That God has released everything and that nothing I do can affect it.

Have you noticed that there are some versions that remove the human responsibility from some promises?

I was shocked when Romans 8:1 was read in church to notice that the second part was nowhere.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)

How does one walk without condemnation when they are walking in the flesh? Is it not superfluous to imagine that I can do anything I want and still stay free from condemnation just because I made a decision long ago?

But I want us to look at an incident in the life of Israel to get this message clearly.

Remember Barak and Balaam? Why did their partnership initially flop? They wanted to curse the uncursable.

And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. (Numbers 22:12)

A few days, probably weeks later we see a reverse of fortunes for the same blessed. And why so?

And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. (Numbers 25: 1 – 3)

They had aborted that blessed status by breaking God’s law. That was the same thing Eli did to the promise God gave to Phinehas after he averted the wrath of God during that incident.

You see Balaam knew something we choose to ignore to remain relevant to a world that is hostile against God. That is the power of choice. God will never take the power of choice from us. But it is also important to note that He will also never take the consequences of our choice.

That is why he advised Moab to use sex appeal and availability to cause Israel to abort that blessing. You see as long as they were undefiled with sin their blessing was intact. It would be foolish to think like we are wont to think, that they were blessed however they behaved before God. The fact that God had declared them blessed was not enough to block the consequences of their choices.

Even beyond Balaam, we know that all who left Egypt were destined to the Promised Land. And we know they came to the edge of that land, even having conquered some of it.

Then they requested for a survey report so that they get to know where and what exactly they were getting into. The report was mixed depending on the perspective of the surveyors. It was dependent on the focus those spies had, with some focusing on the Promise as the others focused on the residents of that land and Israel’s capacity to handle them. The majority opinion was that the residents were unconquerable. Of course all who held that opinion perished in the wilderness. The crossing was delayed for thirty eight years to ensure that all of them died.

Who was at fault? Was it that God’s promise became invalid? Was it that God changed His plans for His people? Had He become unable to keep His word?

Of course not. It is the unbelief of the majority opinion that aborted God’s promise to them.

Has God changed that now we can walk in sin as we swim in God’s blessings as most preachers want to infer? Is that even remotely possible?

Just like in the physical realm an abortion is the willful determination of the one carrying the pregnancy. A still birth and miscarriage may be related to some lifestyle choices like diet and exercise but is not a direct choice of the mother. In fact the mother will many times become depressed due to that. An abortionist will be depressed from the guilt associated with the termination of a pregnancy thought she may use any other excuse for the guilt.

That is the same way with the spiritual realm. Only I have the capacity to abort anything God has planned and purposed for me. No one else and nothing else has the capacity to do it.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: 38, 39)

Supposed I am not interested in walking in that status? What will happen when I decide to refuse to take responsibility for my part in the promise? Does God force me to receive a blessing or status I am not interested in accessing?

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

Does effort cease when we accept Christ and get born again? Does the fact that He paid it all at the cross mean that I have no responsibility at all for my Christian life? What does this verse mean?

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (Hebrews 12:14)

Can I enjoy God’s blessing without pursuing holiness? In other words, can I really expect any favor from God if I am unconcerned about the sin in my life? Can I really be identified with God if my life is at cross purposes with the plain teaching of His word?

As an example many young people have given up on their pursuit of sexual purity. They seem to demonstrate that God has no capacity of keeping young people sexually pure, especially in the area of abstaining from sex until one is officially married. The church leadership, including pastors and other preachers also treat that sin as normal. And I say that as someone who has been involved in sexual purity seminars and seen the shock even some Christian leaders show when told that sexual purity is not only an ideal but a requirement for a normal Christian. Older people, even married ones do not fare much better.

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4)

And that is one among very many other verses spread all over the Bible, from Joseph son of Israel to Joseph husband of Mary who stood for God’s standard in a spiritually hostile environment.

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: (1Thesalonians 4: 3 – 5)

Or take the reality of lying with the advent of the cell phone and internet. Convincing someone using whatever means at your disposal takes precedence over God’s commandments. I use public transport and can say that most Christians (and they can be identified by the testimony they give to the conversations they carry) behave as if that gadget has been placed outside the Ten Commandments. The social media is even worse. This reminds me of a friend who wanted to attend an event that could not qualify for an off from the office. He feigned sickness and went to the event. As he was going his boss happened to see him. He called him asking how he was then feeling and he said he was improving though he was still bedridden. The boss asked him to look behind and you can understand the embarrassment it caused him. What about God who sees beyond the word to the thought to the intention (Hebrews 4:12, 13)

Yet we are witnessing the same all over. Pastors will give such a shameless lie that the people around them wonder the kind of God they represent.

Again we seem to imply that God’s standards are the whims of the few who are foolish enough to take God serious without realizing that we do not have any options concerning what God has stated.

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: (1Peter 1: 15 – 17)

It is tragic that we can talk of God and His presence in our lives when our lifestyles demonstrate the contrary. Again let us look at the scriptures.

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

How inclusive is that for a start?

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Matthew 7: 13 – 16)

Can we really be Christ’s when we are living outside His standards?

Could we be aborting our journey into eternal life even as we seek political and levitical correctness? And why do I ask this?

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

Add to that the political correct as that is the fuel for most of those abominations. You see accommodating the homosexual and abortionist and the single mother by choice so that they can bring their offerings in the church is not much different from practicing those things yourself in God’s eyes. That is why the coward is the first in this list.

Could your lifestyle be aborting God’s dealings and promise in your life?

I close by saying what Christ Himself said, you shall know them by the kind of fruit they bear. Someone going to heaven will by their life demonstrate where they are going. One who is of the world will demonstrate familiarity with the world.

The ‘A’ Syndrome

My attention has been drawn to the disturbing topic of exam cheating that I thought I should bring out some causes and the implications of the same.

When A becomes the ultimate in success it will not be surprising that everything will be done to attain it. You see, only eating can satisfy hunger. And like the Bible says to the hungry every bitter thing is sweet. And due to our hunger for that A, anything we can do to attain it is justified, of course except getting caught. The A justifies anything we do to obtain it.

Let me digress before I lose track of a truth I wanted to share. If a child cheats to get that elusive A, what will keep this same girl from sleeping with a lecturer to get the same in university? What will prevent him from selling drugs to get enough money to bribe the same lecturer since he ‘unfortunately’ is not a girl? What will restrain the same from peddling their body to the highest bidder to be able to live in extreme comfort, especially since working hard is not necessary? And what will stop them from taking short cuts, from bribing to slandering competition to offering sexual favors to get promotions when in employment?

What will you expect when the same character becomes a teacher or lecturer? What between excellence and a gift will get their commendation?

And I am stating this more for us parents because we are the ones who encourage, even facilitate the pursuit of that A. I have heard that in most of the cheaters it was the parents who bought smart phones to receive the leaks and even paid for them.

Since we are looking at A, I want to also look at another aspect of the same. Do you know that there are those who get the A without any effort while others will do everything possible yet will be unable to obtain a C? There is one who will only attend class and effortlessly get an A. Another may miss all the classes and will only have to browse the notes casually to get an A. All the time some other people are doing everything in their power, studying without a break and doing all assignments and never missing a class. Yet to them getting a C will be an achievement.

Imagine a teacher marking their papers. Of course the A student will have ‘well done’, ‘excellent’ written beside their marks. But the underwater (below C level) student who has done their best will have ‘put more effort’ or ‘pull up your socks’ beside their grades. We thus tell one to pull socks up when we commend the one who does not have any socks, maybe even shoes. What message are we passing to those hard workers when we commend idlers just because they have obtained a grade without effort?

I for one fell into the group of those who passed without much effort. And even then it did not make any sense that I would be commended for doing nothing other than attending class when I knew that there were those who almost sweated blood and could not approach the commendation. Even as a child it did not look fair at all. Though it felt nice to receive all the accolades, it did not make sense that people who did all the homework and assignments and were most faithful in all ways in class and outside were reproved when I never did assignments or wrote notes and only read novels any time I had to sit down not forgetting that my name was the first on the noisemakers list (interestingly enough even when I was absent) yet I was always feted.

Looking back as a parent I can authoritatively say that that kind of grading is rotten through and through. I know people who worked so hard yet learnt to write their name in fifth grade or even later. Incidentally there are some who were unable to connect in their early years who became A students much later, some even in college and they then became exemplary. I think it is important to remind us that Einstein’s teacher had labeled him retarded!

I am not saying that we should stop grading altogether. What I mean is that we should make our grading consistent with the way our children are wired. As an example most inventors are not strong on the academics. Looking at the stories and interviews of some people who have designed ground breaking things you will find out that very few have any logical or academic explanation for what they designed. I have watched some security systems which are laughable from my electronics professional eyes, especially looking at the circuits and the way its wiring is done, but they work. Their explanation is even worse because it is not logical.

But I also want us to look at the end result of our unnatural focus of that A.

We leave too much slack on the A scorers irrespective of the amount of work they put in attaining it. That is the reason many of them get into drugs and other destructive pastimes. You see, if I can get the A everybody is dying to get without a sweat, why should I waste my time studying yet there is no higher grade to aim at? Surely there must be something I can do when the others are sweating to catch up with me or approach my effortless grade! I am grateful to God that I used that time to read novels. And I have read many. In fact in primary school I read all the novels in two secondary schools. And I can tell you that not all the books I was reading were healthy. Some were cancerous to my spirit. But I had too much free time to do something when the rest were studying.

Even on the family front the A students are rarely handed heavy tasks and are rarely punished enough so that their precious brain cells are not injured. Again I thank God that I did not experience tat because my mother, having never gone to school probably did not understand she could destroy those brain cells through discipline.

The reality is that the world does not cut a slack for those we celebrate as A students. You see God created us to eat from our labor. In God’s scheme of things the D student who worked hard to move from E has put more effort than that natural A student though we will say he has not passed. By the way the one who cheated to get straight As is a thief and should be lynched.

That is why in the marketplace very few A students excel. They lack the drive as they were taught from an early age that with their intelligence they could easily acquire what takes hard work for others. That mindset is dangerous. And the same goes for those who buy that A. They believe they can buy anything in life, forgetting that hard work can never be bought or compromised.

The sad part is that most do not associate that A with a gift from God. Of course it is not a gift if we have bought it.

That is why the bulk of musicians start it in church and with their proficiency drift away into the world. They believe that God is involved in nurture but not excellence. We think God does not offer the accolades the world offers us for our gifts. What we forget is that someone does not clap for you for owning something they gave you. Imagine someone giving you a nice piece of clothing and commending you all the time for wearing it!

But we are talking about the world versus the A students. The education grading system allows A students to jump the queue of opportunities because they are presumably the best there is. The world has no such shortcuts. They will therefore think that the world is against them as they find that not only do they have to queue to get, they many times will have to push and shove to even get to that queue. They will therefore join the world at a disadvantage. Again it is no wonder the trauma they encounter many times leads them to despair, sometimes even suicide.

But it is in ministry it is most pronounced.

How many preachers get away with heresy because their presentation is flawless? How many musicians get away with sexual immorality because their mastery of instruments is second to none or their voices can charm a snake out of its hole? How many writers are bedfellows with the other world because their mastery of words will make one cry? How many spew one false prophecy after another yet are untouchable because their teaching spurs the best in us (our assessment)? How many evangelists get away with sin and rebellion because their harvest of souls is huge? How many corrupt individuals get leadership positions in church because their offerings are huge or their position in the rotten world is prominent?

We have taken our fascination with A to the spiritual realm. We will therefore apply the commandments to the rest even as we turn a blind eye to the A performers. Some do not care to know whether they are even believers in Christ.

It is no wonder that the ones able to access support are the A ministers irrespective of whether they have the call of God or not, and especially if they have no call as they become very able conmen. This is because their A status causes people to fall over each other to fete them as they do to all the other geniuses.

Why do preachers forget the cross, or sin and holiness once they attain the A status in preaching? Why do women singers start dressing like harlots once they attain the A status in their music? Why do writers forget responsible Christian living and focus on motivation that they comfortably share with nonbelievers and even enemies of the cross once their writing attains the A status?

Why are there demonstrations against political affairs and politicians by the church when there is none against the rampant sin prevalent in our churches, especially among the leadership? Why is the church more militant against poverty and silent against sin which is the cause of all the rottenness in our world, including that poverty? Why does a church exclude someone from their fellowship for being critical of the worldliness being spewed from the pulpit yet is very silent when homosexuality is mentioned?

We have simply said that A is good whichever route it takes to get to us. A pastor who can fill an auditorium with offering-giving crowds must be made to appear beyond reproach even if he sleeps with his parishioners. A musician who thrills us with his music can never be at fault even if his songs are blasphemous like many I have mentioned in some posts. What we are saying is that the success we can see is of greater worth than God’s revelation, even standards.

One reason we do this is the common phrase, ‘who can argue with success?’ I think this is the devil’s most potent argument because very few think it is open to disagreement.

We can argue with success. In fact the Bible says we test all things, from doctrine to prophecy to our own faith. But we do not use whims for the same. God has provided His word to guide us to do it.

Solomon was successful. But do you know the source of that success? Do you know the cost of the fact that silver was as common as stones to his people?

Do you realize that that wealth introduced idolatry as an official policy in Israel? And why do I say that. He had seven hundred wives who were princesses from the idolatrous nations far and wide. In other words he became successful by introducing other gods to Israel. He personally trashed his famous prayer as he dedicated the temple by creating room for idols there. That was the reason God said he would split that kingdom.

We also know that he ruthlessly taxed his people as we find that as the reason they seceded. He was the envy of the other nations even as his people groaned from his taxation. He gave liberally to his guests from other nations like we see with the queen of Sheba what his people had sweated for.

Do you boast of the fact that your pastor grew your church from a handful or people to thousands? Have you allowed God’s word to test you and your success? Who brought all those people? Who are those people? What is his relationship to all those people?

It is an open secret that there are pastors who sleep with demons to get members. There are others who undergo treatment on the other side to grow their churches. There are others who plant charmers in church to bring in the numbers. Yet others trash Biblical preaching for motivation to make abominable characters feel welcome in church. And of course there are others whose faithfulness to God brings in the numbers.

As a test how does your pastor relate to his congregation? Does categorize people? Are there some he can meet at no notice while others have to wait for weeks or even months to get his precious time? Who finds it easier to meet this great man, the rich and influential or the needy? Will he drop everything to go dedicate a business enterprise yet have no time to counsel with a couple whose marriage is crying for his wise counsel as it is on the verge of breaking?

A pastor who has no time for the weak and vulnerable is not serving Christ’s interests even if he has a million members. A pastor who winks at sin or pretends not to notice it also does not represent Christ. A pastor who does not leave the ninety nine safe sheep to look for the one lost one is not a pastor after Christ. And a pastor who is a CEO of a structure and system is not even a pastor.

Numbers are real. But they are not the ultimate gauge of success. They many times are a cover up of our backslidden state as they soothe our sin laden consciences with the devil’s argument about success.

The Bible and its standards is the only true gauge of our success. And I do not mean stringing verses to support rotten theology. Again Matthew 7: 21 – 23 is a response to success stories. Or is it not?

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20)

May we allow God’s word to determine everything concerning us.

Mega Deceptions

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)

What kind of friend is a social media friend? What kind of disciple is a social media follower? What kind of fellowship is there when all are looking at a Christian performer? And what kind of ministry are we doing when we are only funding the superstars?

I will start by asking us to define our terms.

A friend is basically someone one is familiar with, though different from a relative. It is someone you can run to for support during hard times.

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)

Can that even vaguely or remotely describe social media friends? Do we look to social media friends for anything similar to traditional friendship? Can we expect them to be available to us when we are hurting or in need? Can they offer a shoulder to lean on when we are weak?

Can we disciple people by remote control? Can we help people grow in a healthy way when all they are doing is following us on social media?

What sort of society is found on the social media?

Yet it is not the media that is bringing all the deceptions. The church has been playing those deceptions for eons. We have replaced simple Biblical descriptions with complicated unfathomable big words that can never save a drowning man, whether in sin or loneliness.

What is fellowship? What are the components of fellowship? What is discipleship and what are the components of the same?

Do you realize that presence is an element that MUST be there for both to be real? And by presence I mean a face to face close interaction. Let me give you some verses.

And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, (Mark 3:14)

Do you realize that Jesus was with those disciples at all times? He discipled them through all hours of the day, whether awake or asleep, for three years. No wonder they were called little Christos after it all! And we are convincing ourselves we are discipling when all we do is send CDs and other materials without caring to know whether they even have equipment to play them.

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42)

Again we see them continuing what they had experienced in their discipleship. Presence was a key element in their fellowship.

Contrast that with modern fellowship. Compare it with fellowships where we have one person at the front and others listening to his exhortation; and most people do not know the person seated next to them. And we still say we are in a fellowship!

Even evangelism has fallen prey to the deception. Who is an evangelist? In modern terms it is the best hit and run preacher around. It is the person who can never settle in one place or develop lasting relationships to the people he preaches to. It is the person who boasts the most decisions with the least exertion, at least time or presence wise.

Yet what is the Biblical description of an evangelist?

And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (Acts 18:11)

The shortest time we see Paul spending in a city is three months, and that was because he became the target of clear danger that the others decided that he had to leave, many times against his will. The success of his evangelism was therefore due more to his consistent and continuous presence than his eloquence.

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (1Corinthians 2:4)

He was effective because there was no stardom in his presentation of the Gospel. He was the embodiment of the Gospel he preached as he lived among the people God had sent him to. His apologetics was backed by the transparent way he lived among them. They did not prepare extensively so that he could come to preach to them. They simply saw in him a vulnerable minister whose transformation by the Gospel was undisputable and desirable.

Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. (Galatians 4:13)

How many ministers are willing to be that vulnerable to the people they minister to? And why is that so difficult?

Do you remember that even when Jesus was sending out His disciples to preach the expectation was the same?

And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. (Luke 9: 2 – 4; 10:7)

Presence is the difference. Preaching from up there makes you a different specimen of a person from the ones you are preaching to. Yet that is not God’s expectation.

A TV congregation is not a congregation. An internet church is not a church.

A congregation is a group of people who are growing together as they get involved in one another in their service (worship) of Christ. In fact most modern congregations fall flat when the Biblical definition of congregation is applied because they are people who have agreed to be spectators in their Christian lives as they fund the performers.

Let me explain. Most big churches will repeatedly warn their members against helping anyone approaching them for assistance and should refer them to the ‘experts’. They are also encouraged to bountifully give to those experts to enable them ‘serve’ the needy.

I am involved in ministry to the disadvantaged and know that allowing begging in the church will chase many of the rich with their offerings out of the church. But the solution is not to refer needs to the experts. I am convinced, and that through years of ministry, that the solution is opening fellowship among members of the church. And this explains why this problem is nonexistent in small churches since people know one another and will not need any admonitions from wherever to minister to needs amongst themselves. They therefore will not need the pulpit to minister to each other since their fellowship is real.

But the mega deception we call church thrives on shielding members from each other. Then the management (call them pastors) become the recipients of all the giving so that as the experts they can dole out drops of it wherever they see fit, many times after filling their pockets to overflowing. That is the reason we find some pastors living in palatial homes even as some members can barely afford food, some being unable to take their children to school.

I compare this to sports where a few people play the game and all the rest are spectators who have to celebrate or moan according to the results, some choosing to end their lives because their team lost a major one. Yet the greatest beneficiary is the owner of the team or club who may have no interest in the game you are so passionate about as he is only an investor. For him winning or losing is nothing unless it affects his earnings.

Presence is the difference between God’s church and a football game. Consider this.

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1Corinthians 12:27)

The church is a living organism, not organization. It is therefore important to remind ourselves that not only is each member as important as the other, but is as involved in the overall function of the church of Christ. It is also important that the head of that body is not the pastor we have made (many make themselves) but Christ who died for it. This means that the orders for each and every member should proceed from that head and nowhere else. Again look at scripture.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4: 11 – 16)

Leaders are meant to prepare people to be effective ministers as opposed to what most assume or even teach that they are the sole ministers and the rest are the funders of that ministry. Most teach that ministry falls only when the rabble stops funding them instead of what the Bible teaches, that ministry will fail when a member, even the most insignificant, loses their connection to the head who is Christ

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. (1Corinthians 12: 22 – 25)

Consider your buttocks to get my point. Even those who love to expose their bodies to ensnare men will never want to expose that part of their body. Yet imagine life with that member of the body injured? I remember a child friend of mine falling on boiling water on his buttocks and the torture he went through; and children heal pretty fast!

A minister like me is not more important to God’s scheme of things than the person nobody knows in the middle of nowhere who is interceding for Christians undergoing severe persecution, even death for their faith. An eminent apostle (in our eyes) is not more valuable to God than the one who restores esteem and faith to children from discordant and nonexistent families. And the one who builds mega church buildings through his bounty does not count for more in God’s eyes than the one who gives a cup of cold water to a wayfaring pilgrim.

Again see what God uses to judge. Never do we see Him using buildings, even in His name, to judge people. He uses our treatment of people as His yardstick. Matthew 25 is one such passage.

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25: 33 – 40)

The assessment is not based on the missionary trips they made and funded or the kind of church auditoriums the built or did not build. It is based squarely on the ministry they performed on the vulnerable.

Incidentally this is the reason marriages are breaking at alarming rates. We are placing premium on the wrong things. Again let me explain.

A woman employs a chef who makes wonderful food. The same doubles up as a nanny to take care of her children even better than she could ever do. Then she wonders why her husband runs off with the servant and deserts her. A man employs a grounds man skilled in all the manly duties and wonders why his wife cheats on him with this lowly character or his daughter runs off with him.

You see, money is a very dangerous tool when not used properly. A family grows together by doing things together as that is how God wired us to function. That is why relationships established in hardship are for the most very deep and lasting. That is the reason persecution increases the potency and witness of the church of Christ.

A wife who uses money to do all her work may appear very smart. A man who transfers all his handyman responsibilities to an employee may also think he is very smart. They may actually think they are freeing their time to develop their relationship. Unfortunately the opposite happens. Why?

God meant those roles to bring closeness to the couple. It is as the wife is battling the sights and smells of the kitchen and the stresses of nursing the children that she develops greater appreciation for the husband she is cooking for and the father of the children she is nursing. It is as the husband is fixing things and tending and protecting the household that he develops greater appreciation and love for the partner and other residents of that house. Remove those roles and we get into a greater problem.

Incidentally that is why marital breakage rarely happens to those who have no money to employ all those burden carriers. They bond as they are sharing those roles.

You see the woman was made as a suitable helper for man. In other words she was supposed to be a partner at work. Using money to make her a partner in recreation flies back hard since there will be immense frustration. And this also explains why many children flee homes where there is everything to live on the streets as the drive to work is frustrated when someone has nothing to do that they would rather scavenge for food from bins than live in such unnatural surroundings that outsiders think are most ideal.

And it is the same in the church. A church that pays for everything from cleaning to music to catering will not develop any fellowship. I contrast it to my village days where everything from cleaning to building the church was done by the members without any expectation of payment. One could fault the doctrine or even the salvation of members but there was no doubt about the oneness of the church. And it came out clearest when there was a crisis or celebration. Due to that many people joined the church so that they would enjoy the benefits of that fellowship. Conflict was sneered upon because none wanted to be excluded in their hour of need. ‘Who will bury or marry you?’ was the greatest argument against not being a member of a church.

The focus of the church today is numbers and the money they bring in instead of fellowship. A church with a large auditorium and huge parking lot is treated as a better and more successful church than a church in the slums that is transforming one life after another with the Gospel of Christ.

I believe that the churches that are or have been locked or converted to other purposes are testament of that. They sent missionaries and were left with only one purpose; fund those ministers (missionaries and preachers). With no other purpose, their fellowship starved to death as there was nothing positive to do apart from funding the performers, especially because it was no sacrifice as there was enough money to fund those superstars. They of course lost the drive to continue attending or participating in the church.

And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee. Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD: And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you. Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: (Deuteronomy 12: 6, 11 – 13)

This is what God knew when He offered these orders. Sending tithes to the Levites and priests without joining them was sure to bring fatigue in the things of God.

By the way cooking together enriches fellowship more than having it made by professionals or meeting in hotels. Battling the smoke and heat builds partnership and friendships that can never be built otherwise. And that is the reason Africans insist on an animal being slain as opposed to buying meat from butchery in family or communal events. Of course in some there is a sacrificial element which is negative but there are conversations that happen during the exercise that would not happen elsewhere especially to the generational gap when a father is doing it with his sons.

A church that does many things together deals the death blow to the disconnect between members that requires pastors to broker. A simple thing such as cooking and eating together regularly the capacity of rekindling the fire and passion for God as we get involved with one another instead of cheering the superstars ministering to us in song and motivational preaching.

Again looking at what is called lifestyle diseases, especially obesity we will see a similar thing. Money and its pursuit relegates the body to a holder of a brain that does all the thinking and gadgets take all the weight for the body. The most exertive exercise most do is tapping those computer keyboards and lifting food to mouths.

No wonder the body rebels. It was meant to work for a living, not be carried in cars and lifts as it does nothing. The same is also repeated at the home front, from dishwashers and laundering machines to hosts of servants it does almost nothing physical. And then it is denied enough sleep as the brain insists on working overtime when it should be resting.

Will we start functioning the way we were fashioned to?

Of Osmosis and God’s Word

I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad. (Psalm 119:96) 

It is interesting that we spend all our time and effort building things that will take us only as far as the grave.

The other day we were having some discussion (I think that is what a Christian fellowship ought to be like) when one of us said something that I feel is very relevant to our discussion here. Where do all these things end?

Marriage and family – death

Hope - death

Faith – death

Good health – death

Investments – death

Education – death

Sex – death

Jobs – death

Science and progress - death

In fact there are very few things that we will need past the veil of death, among them being obedience and love, God’s kind of love. Yet there is ONLY one thing that goes beyond even that. And that is God’s word.

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89)

Not only that but we need to know that God’s word goes farther than even heaven.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18)

Is it not therefore superfluous for us to spend all our waking moments building on things and activities that will only be used as fuel for the fire in our lives? Is it not folly that we invest so much of our time and money preparing for a journey whose destination is the grave? Could we be building our eternity using the stubble as 1 Corinthians 3 says?

Sin

The whole essence of sin is shortsightedness. Someone sins when the enticements of the present completely override any consideration for the future. To Eve the tantalizing appeal of the forbidden fruit completely overrun the constant fellowship they had with God every day.

Even looking at David we are able to see the same thing. If I may paraphrase God’s argument this is what I see in 2 Samuel 12: 8.

Were you so desperate for a wife? In the rules of war all Saul’s wives were legally yours. All his property was also yours. And I was even ready to give you much more had you expressed the need. You really have no excuse for sleeping with your subject’s wife and killing him to cover up. It was even sadder because he was a convert from the polytheistic nations around Israel.

In other words David had no reason for sinning just as none of us have any excuse for sinning. Enticement is a result of a lack of foresight. I simply stop to see beyond the present. I stop to see the consequences of my actions. I stop thinking beyond the feelings of the moment.

If we decided to soberly look at our shallow excuses for sin and compromise we will really have no defense for them.

Creating grey areas for the same is agreeing to follow the devil all the way as I will argue my way out of repentance, thereby falling in the trap of greater sin and rebellion, eventually getting into abominations. Else explain to me how a pastor (and not of goats) will defend a homosexual lifestyle yet he has a firm grip of the Bible, may even be a theologian of repute.

A always look for sharp colors when I am examining anything in the light of scripture to avoid the error of defending vague positions because I am convinced that vagueness is the devil’s strongest weapon to defeat obedience.

Doing the same for temptation will help you avoid it 95% of the time

Taking a soda in a bar will not make me drunk. But it is a shorter distance to drunkenness than a normal restaurant. Enjoying music in a dim place next to a lodging with an assortment of friend does not make me sexually active. But it is less safe than doing the same in an elder’s house.

That is the thrust of Psalm 1.