From a frustrated place

To my Christian brothers and sisters this is an excerpt to remind you why Christ came because I'm tired of the persecution in His name.

From Ezekiel 22

Ezekiel 22:10-16 NKJV

"In you men uncover their fathers’ nakedness; in you they violate women who are set apart during their impurity. One commits abomination with his neighbour’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another in you violates his sister, his father’s daughter. In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbours by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord God . “Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst. Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the Lord , have spoken, and will do it.  I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you. You shall defile yourself in the sight of the nations; then you shall know that I am the Lord .”

In today's world these may be categorised by our sin specialists as lesser sins. Things like dishonest profit and "abomination with neighbour's wife". Not sure when these revelations landed but that is the general attitude whether people admit it or not. These are lesser sins compared to others like the one making waves in my home Uganda.

Christ came for us all. (Mark 2:17,Luke 5:31-32)He came for the "sick" not for those who are well which includes every imperfect person but we limit and monopolise Him. We say "for me His grace is sufficient and His mercy abounds but for you condemnation is your portion." He died for all our sins but we kill people apparently in His name. Oh the irony! We claim to be saving nations operating under the law (where sin abounds) yet Christ came that Grace may abound.

What is most comical is many of those claiming jail time is the solution are living in or have lived in sexual sin (or any sin for that matter) themselves. They have just managed to convince themselves that God is  as partial and unjust as they are. That to God they are better sinners than the ones to whom they point their dirty fingers. I believe jail is for people that cause immediate harm to the public not a place for sinners because that would mean we have all earned jail time and that being out of prison is the rarity! However I see Christians celebrating laws that essentially justify the future creation of laws that can jail people even for a lie, for adultery, for causing strife(any gossipers out there?  Drama causers?) for just about any sin under the sun!

The first 6 letters of our faith should always be the campus guiding us on how to deal with issues. CHRISTian- CHRIST. He remains the standard. He remains sufficient , He doesn't need our judgemental, highly subjective help to transform people.

The cultural aspect of this will be dealt with another day but today I just wanted to say wake up and be the Christ you want to see in others because at the rate we are going we are profaning His name! I believe we are the biggest obstacle to Christ, not spirits, not curses, not forces and I just pray that we all can get over ourselves and get out of His way!

Letter to the skeptic

Dear skeptic,
I'm writing you this letter because I have been where you have been. Religion had me disgusted,disgruntled and trapped . I know what it feels like to look pitifully at a true believer because you are sure they are brainwashed and desperately looking for a comforting being to cope with the harshness of the world. I also have been through the drills, you know the prescribed and pre-worded prayers monotonously repeated like a delusional chant. Sometimes it even felt like the doses of asthma medication that I was so used to. "Say 7 bla bla bla's and one this, and two that " sounded like "take 7 Ventoline, one Prednisone for the wheezing and one painkiller for the chest pain. (In order to avoid offence, I deliberately left the name of the prayers out).
I understand the superiority that you  have about yourself because you know these things better. Still, I am asking you to try in your mind and separate religion which is man made from true spirituality(God's ideal) and seek God, seek His son Christ and the Holy Spirit. You see, He comes in a powerful package of three as you will hopefully soon learn.Ask Him to reveal himself to you and prove His existence in your life. You lose nothing from it. If anything since you are so sure of his nonexistence, it will only serve to prove you right, right? I am asking you because I have tasted and seen His goodness, I know His reality just as much as I know the reality that I am alive. I don't want Him contained to a few but spread out for the benefit of many. I urge you to give this as much earnestness as you have given in finding proof that he does not exist. I urge you also to dedicate as much time and energy as you put in your debates, research and whatever activities you engage in to assert that He does not exist. This is not an invitation to argue and prove my case, but an invitation for you to fully have all the facts before you decide that God is not for you!.
Sincerely,
a truly convinced believer.

Learning from a great man

Today the world celebrates the life and legacy of a great man. A man who took the abuse and degradation of his people and himself yet chose to forgive. I imagine that on that day in South Africa when apartheid was finally put to end South Africans finally dared to dream again. They begun to see the reality of success for a black nation. Although all African states did not endure the same type of treatment under colonial masters, the feeling must have been the same at the declaration of independence.

It is a pity that while years ago our people celebrated independence and chose to forgive our colonial masters today we are faced with an even greater challenge, forgiving our very own African leaders. We trusted them with so much. We trusted them to rebuild and restore Africa's dignity but instead they have mostly sold us moving speeches instead of actual change. Their wants(and I mean wants not needs) became their primary focus while Africa continued to be dug into a deeper pit centuries behind other continents. These same leaders are allover the news today claiming to have been greatly inspired by the rare spirit that was President Mandela and yet they have continued to do the complete opposite of what he stood for. Strength, love, vision, selflessness, influence was him but our leaders are well...you know what I mean.  It's a shame that with such a great example, they will still choose to ruin their countries and the spirit of anger will continue to mount.

We've seen the results of violence in North Africa, we've seen wars , genocides, xenophobic killings all past colonial rule. People are tired, frustrated and angry but he must have felt the same way through all he endured yet he still chose peace and forgiveness. Our leaders have disappointed us no doubt but there is still hope and still much to do.  The only hope we have is ourselves. If Madiba has taught us anything, it is the power of an individual. We must do things better ourselves, we must forgive ,(yes forgive) we must work together, and we must render our best selves to our people. Africa is the richest continent in resources but the biggest resource that Africa has is the people. And so it's with that knowledge that we should not stop working and striving for better!
Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Yes, I will always draw from the word of God for it's rich in wisdom!

Hipocrisy

Maybe in time I will find something more uncomfortable but as of now, hypocrisy is what I find most uncomfortable about the church.

While the church will be highly engaged in prayers of healing and speak openly about most illnesses, the same church will have secrecy about deadly and highly stigmatized illness such HIV/AIDS and sometimes shockingly cancer as if God suddenly becomes unable when it comes to these illnesses.

While many in the church chant about how it is about giving Christ/God the glory, the same folks will be competing to lead worship, preach, be the "pastor's pet", the most loved congregant and all sorts of petty issues.I wonder if there is something I am missing here, aren't we the same ones claiming it is about God?

While we preach about a forgiving, merciful God and about redemption in Christ, we carry on with the pasts of others even when God has long forgotten and forgiven. We also conveniently forget our daily private struggles and forget to closely examine ourselves all for the sake of seeming more mature in the faith. Modern day Pharisees if you ask me.

We give the sweetest dearest titles to each other but hurt each other like arch enemies. You are my sister/ brother but I will break you with my vicious actions type of behavior. The most important commandments are the love of God and the Love of your neighbor!

We love to shout and point out sins that we do not indulge in. We also love to shout about the sins that are fashionable to shout about even if some other sins cause way more damage.  I wonder how many families would be saved if church folks shouted about physical abuse,verbal abuse ,fornication and adultery as much as they proudly shout about homosexuality. Ours is the business of sin sorting. What folly!

We also love to offer our "helping ears" but these are really "gossip collecting ears" because the issues brought soon become church gossip. We pretend not to understand what keeping a secret is because we have to "help" our brothers and sisters.

We try to blame the decay in the world as the sole reason why people shun such a loving God but we are also stumbling blocks for people to truly come to Christ.

I think there is no bigger shame than a potential Christian failing to come to Christ because of a Christian. Hypocrisy is possibly not a popular subject in the church because it's a popular practice. It is nothing new since Jesus spent almost His entire ministry at odds with the hypocrites of His time. The risen Christ is still heavily dealing with this today in a time where we should be progressing. I pray that we may all see the danger in it and forsake it entirely. Remember that if it's really for His glory hypocrisy is the furthest thing from bringing Him Glory.

Thankfully God's goodness never seizes to shine through because even with all this, I am blessed with some very true and honest friends in the faith.

No matter who

There are many in the body of Christ who have mastered pressing forward to the mark of the high calling no matter the WHAT the circumstance. We are determined , ready to raise the standard of excellence, change and service but we have not yet mastered or have forgotten to master the same attitude no matter WHO we are dealing with. Wrong associations are the best way to fail unaware and yet we still take it lightly. Be it those we do business with, confide in, spend time with or ally with, it is absolutely important that we vet these people for the same values, vision and standards. Most of the time what could have stopped a partnership from failing is the decision to partner with the right person. The people we deal with intimately can change the course of our future in ways unimaginable. One day you can be a friend in need who confided innocently or naively in a seemingly good friend, the next day your name can be tarnished by rumors spread by this very very same "friend" you can be good to others without forming a close relationship with everyone. You owe it to the God that purposed you for a cause and to those that will depend on your success in that purpose to preserve yourself so my  prayer for you is that you don't lose sight of the mark of the high calling no matter what and no matter who.

Disillusionment

Disillusionment comes from many sources but I think the biggest is the little white lies that people tell to encourage you or make you feel better. We are told half truths that do not cover the entire picture and so when true experience hits us, we feel betrayed and abnormal. We feel like complete failures. You are told "Education is the key to success" , so now you're sitting at home after graduation wondering why those applications are not bearing fruit or why you're now employed in a firm that pays you just enough to make ends meet and cares nothing for its employees. You are told "self employment is the only way to be free and happy" and then you wonder why you are being crushed under the weight of responsibility and seemingly never have time for family or anything else except your business. You are told that the church is the safest haven there is and yet you have to wipe bitterness away from your eyes so often from the venom that flows from church folk who can be some of the most cruel, hurtful people with their gossip, hypocrisy and judgement . You are told that whoever be in Christ is a new creature and not the fact that you will have some level of struggle , to be that new creature. oh and one of my personal favorites "follow your heart" but no one tells you that your heart can be the most deceptive of all leading you to the most treacherous and dangerous people.

People would  be better prepared and handle situations better if they would just be told the uncompromising, loving truth!

Every human being is born with a pregnancy of purpose.
Some give birth to it and nurture it to maturity.  They are obedient, humble, prayerful , hard working, consistent , determined , attentive to the Spirit of God , Loving, strong and steadfast.
Some miscarry it because of a hostile womb full of all the wrong ingredients to make it come to full term. Lack of patience,  greed,pride, inconsistency,carelessness, doubt.
Some abort it because of fear, lack of confidence, appeasing people,discouragement.
Some give birth to it but later kill it/lose it before maturity due to falling prey to external influences like peer pressure , temptations, distractions.
Others have the appearance of their true calling which they pursue diligently and nurture only to finally give birth to a still born that can never mature because it was never meant for them. They lack true intimacy with God therefore they miss His voice. They are prayerless and hardhearted.

Which one are you? Which one will you be?

Lessons for success

Lessons  successful people have mastered:
The past is the past.
The acknowledgment of weakness is the presence of strength.
The discernment of character before close association and relationship.
The value of the lesson over the effect of the experience.
Give gossips only a good report to pass around.
Honouring father and mother.
Family is a foundation not a prison.
Love is a must have attitude.
Health is a right and responsibility.
Self is the beginning of all change.
The discovery of true identity is the beginning of purpose.
Quality of friends matters more than quantity of friends.
You reap what you sow.
Reference KJV Phillipains 3:13-14, 2Corinthians12:9, John7:24, Galatians 6:9, Colossians3:20,Genesis2:24, 1Corinthians 13:4-13, 1Corinthians 6:19-20,Matthew7:5,  John12:49

Work for it until you earn it

There are many who want to be the next best thing and yet they can't do the least of things.  They want the major with no clue of the minor. From the new manager at work who was not promoted on merit but just knew the right people to hire him/her , to the preacher's son or daughter who simply takes over the church of his ailing or deceased father with no preparation or calling on his own life, to the leaders who get positions of authority from association with past leaders not by qualification, to children in character foolishly making the decision of mature people to marry.  The examples are many but the attitude is the same, wanting glory without the sweat. Perhaps the reason why so many institutions are failing is because of ill qualified people in the right positions. Someone said "fake it till you make it"and the world forgot about work for it until you earn it! That is the true godly order. Sowing what you have reaped, reaping in due season (after you have suffered a while). The very gaps you did not fill will be the same ones that will trip you at the top so patiently work yourself to the right position, don't rush it. There is value in preparation.

From intimacy to fruitfulness

A man and woman can't be fruitful unless they be intimate. Until a man and woman cleave they can't be fruitful.That is the human order and that is also the spiritual order. We can not be fruitful in Christ unless we are intimate with Him. This is why Paul uses the analogy of a bride and groom to describe the perfect relationship with Christ. He understood that intimacy was the key to a successful walk with Christ. We must be transparent,  we must trust and be trustworthy, we must allow Him into our lives and hearts, we must seek Him as much as He seeks us, then we will be able to blossom in Him. Today I pray that you will take a step forward into the deeper journey with Christ.I pray that as your relationship with Him flourishes He will reveal His secrets to you and confide in you (psalm 25:14)concerning His purpose for your life and that of others. In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen

Healthy Living

Healthy living is a responsibility that most people ignore mostly because of a lack of proper knowledge and understanding of the benefits. It's easy to brush away healthy living a stressful and too much work when when you don't understand the benefits like prolonged life, being able to fulfill your purpose, avoiding a number of communicable diseases like strokes, heart disease, diabetes, kidney and liver disease etc. Healthy living includes exercising, healthy diet (not starvation) maintaining a healthy state of mind and committing to spiritual growth. Anything contrary to these counts as unhealthy living and in the long run has severe consequences on your life. Initially the discipline seems like a burden but once you reap the benefits and compare it with your old lifestyle, you just can't quit or shut up about it! Health junkies often seem irritating because people on the outside looking in think they are blabbering about nothing and should just shut up and "enjoy life".

King James Bible

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

New International Version

"I have the right to do anything," you say--but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"--but not everything is constructive.

That is the crux of it, you have the right to enjoy but when that enjoyment is at the expense of your health that is foolishness and  nearsightedness. Arm yourself with knowledge and make the commitment today to embark on the journey of a healthy lifestyle not just a weight loss goal (another mistake people make).

Enjoy your weekend!

Deliver uniquely

Reading the parable of talents in Matthew 25:14-24 something struck me because it related to what I have learned over a few years.

 "But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money." Verse 18

 This means that until you deliver uniquely, your talent remains hidden! It is as if your talent/gift was never given or birthed in you. What a tragedy that would be!

 

In verse 24  the master likens the servant who hid his talent(verse 18) to one who reaps where he has not sown. This is exactly what happens with writing or any other talent for that matter. 

You can't be a good writer unless you start to write as yourself, you can't sing excellently until you sing as yourself. The unique touch makes the difference between excellence and mediocrity. As a copy cat there is no multiplication, it is only duplication. Further more, one stifles oneself when instead of investing in one's own gift, one farther's the gift of another. It's okay to have a natural similarity in delivering one's talent or to be inspired but to intentionally copy or imitate another's talent is only a disservice to the "copier". You will only be remembered as the copy of whoever it is you are imitating and as such never truly appreciated or effective in producing fruit from your talent. It is better to mature slowly and be effective in your own unique way than to shoot to fame for being like some famous person but not grow or go any further. It is also better to be positively compared to great people in terms of what you have achieved(results and effectiveness) than to be compared for having the same delivery as someone great. 

Reaping where you have not sown in verse 24  also means that you are stealing the benefits of someone's gift/talent.

My prayer for us all is that we may all discover our talents and deliver them uniquely as ourselves. Have a lovely Sunday y'all!

Does the end always justify the means?

Does the end always justify the means? People buzzing on social networks talking about how a sham of a show supposedly representing Christianity is working a great purpose because it is sparking dialogue. Sure it is, but what sort of dialogue are we talking?As far as I can see it's dialogue mocking the church. At what point does wisdom kick in and when do people draw the line because it's not just the ridiculous shows. It's religious extremists blowing up buildings and killing people to get a nation off their own territory, it's immigration laws being ridiculously strict because a small group of people have misbehaved, it's girls selling themselves short so that they can boast of a ring(mind you it's just the ring because the marriage is often empty), it's men behaving like con artists with all the lies and tricks just to get a few moments of pleasure from a lady, it's women taking naked pics to gain ratings and publicity.So many extremes with people disregarding love, human dignity, integrity, health and the sanctity of life because of "freedom of choice" and getting it by all means.

 The state of things today which is generally abysmal is nothing short of a bunch of ungodly, rushed and poor decisions and the people who have enough sense to call things what they really are the crazy, boring bunch. I'll gladly wear those titles any day.  Christ is the standard I'm aspiring to. Enjoy your weekend folks!

Counterfeits

For everything real, there is a convincing counterfeit that will most probably present itself on your journey to real or when you have found real.

You will be presented with a cheap thrill pretending to be true joy.
You will be presented with shortcuts instead of the long but right way.
You will be presented with infatuation and lust purporting to be love.
You will be presented with statistical formulas for chance and probability or "ground breaking" books of great thinkers claiming to have discovered the truth that is "As a man thinketh so is he" in the book of Proverbs just to convince you that their is the true enlightened way and that your break through and life are only a sum of action and luck.
You will be presented with opportunists,liars and enemies putting on a stellar performance of friendship.
You will be presented with tempting wrong paths presenting themselves as your destiny.
You will be presented with other people's purposes trying to convince you that they are yours just because of the very visible rewards.
You will be presented with competitors dressed as team mates.

Even though I have met these counterfeits I know these counterfeits will never stop presenting themselves. I know that they for every counterfeit there is something and Someone real and the TRUTH will always reign. Be sober minded, Be watchful, Be wise.

MENTAL ILLNESS

I sometimes wonder how many people are suffering  silently for no other reason than lack of understanding and a stubborn stigma against illness amongst us Africans/Blacks. Not that other "taboo" illness,don't worry I won't go there yet. We will call it anything: dysfunctional, bad manners, anti social, but not mental illness. I mean how could it be? Isn't that the term psychiatrists and mental health specialists coin to excuse bad behaviour? Isn't that a white people issue? If we do dare to admit and call it what it is, we try to conveniently excuse ourselves from the responsibility to help by claiming that the person in question ought to want the help. How is someone who isn't in their right mind supposed to make the sound decision to get help? What if they never do make that sound decision? What if the only wake up call you get is the one that tells you he/she took her life or the life of someone? Mental illness is an illness like any other illness and the victims of this illness should be treated with compassion and care. When anyone falls sick, he/she will go and see a doctor even if they are praying and believing for healing.The same practicality that will remind us to go see the doctor for a serious illness even when we are praying for healing should be the same practicality that we apply to mental illness. That's for my christian brothers and sisters who come up with the "I'm praying for him/her" defense to their nonchalant approach to mental illness. There is nothing weak or wrong about admitting to a real problem . There is everything wrong with ignoring a silent killer hoping that it will miraculously disappear. If many of us can comprehend a spiritual attack, why can't we come to terms with a mental attack? For a people who claim to be  such a strong group of people we really do exhibit some cowardly traits when it comes to real issues like that.

Let's really be what we claim to be, strong people.Strong enough to handle these issues, strong enough to be our brother's keeper when he can't be his own keeper, strong enough to speak out and change the most secret issues of our people.

Lessons From Scandal

Just because the affair gives your butterflies doesn't mean you're turning into one. It's the reverse. From butterfly to caterpillar.

Just because you're discreet doesn't mean it won't come to light.

Just because it feels right doesn't make it right.

Just because you found a woman with flair doesn't mean your wife's not there .

Just because you fix other's lives doesn't excuse you from fixing your own life.

Just because you committed for convenience doesn't mean the marriage will be convenient.

Just because you are both good people it doesn't validate the wrong you do together.

Just because it's between two people, doesn't  it won't hurt many people.

Just because it's between to elites doesn't make the action any less "common" or "low".

Just because you're strong with other people doesn't mean you'll be strong in the face of your biggest temptation.

Just because he or she makes you feel strong doesn't mean he or she isn't your weakness.

Just because you're intelligent doesn't mean you are wise.

Hey shanda! Come on somebody! I'm getting carried away. I'll stop now 

No to "rachet"

When the term "rachet" first came on the scene, I was tickled ,mostly because it was used to describe mindless behaviour and badly behaved people who thought they were being cool. It didn't take long before "rachet" found it's way on our television screens on a number of reality shows which I still found somewhat amusing  and extremely entertaining (no guilt tripping please) because I couldn't believe anyone with an iota of sense could behave this way. I actually believed it was all for ratings and that most people would have the common sense to see through the lies and even more so the sense not to pick any lessons to live by. I was wrong on both counts because not only do people have  admiration for these sorts of people, people are adopting some of the mindless behaviour. More alarming is the fact that now church leaders think that they have to have reality shows to remain relevant. Enter "Preachers of LA" the newest mess on the scene! Really? No seriously, really?? If anyone has watched 5 minutes of that show you know what I'm talking about. One of the preachers tells us how there is no cohabiting between him and his new fiancée  (note the use of NEW) for "religious" reasons but I was left wondering where the religious reasons went when they had a baby before they were married. I'm not saying he ought to be perfect, I'm just asking him to be subjective about when he applies convenient rules. It's all quite absurd really.  If preachers are now having reality shows I wonder what's next Presidents with reality shows?  It's like I woke up and "rachet" was suddenly the new cool. Seems to that the more time goes by the more the use of wisdom and conscience becomes something to be scoffed at. Nevertheless I won't be joining the mindless movement anytime soon and I hope there are many people out there with me on this!
#NoToRachet

Knowledge, Understanding and Mindset.

Last week, my brothers and I were watching stand up comedy with our parents and besides the great laugh we had, I had a great learning moment. We watched clips of Ann Kansiime and that was easy for us all to follow but when we switched to Trevor Noah, my parents didn't get it much. We decided to stick to something we could all understand. They didn't get Trevor's jokes because they didn't know what he was talking about and couldn't relate much.That got me thinking about knowledge, understanding and mindset. The more you know the easier it is to understand and the more you understand, the more your mindset is changed. I believe that's the way our relationship with God works. The more we know him through His word the more we understand Him as we walk with Him and this knowledge and understanding changes our mindset about life. In the same way, we can miss God entirely because we haven't taken time to know Him,understand Him and therefore our mindsets and lives remain unchanged

"By their fruits ye shall know them"

King James Bible
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Matthew 7:16

A conviction that is not fruitful /causes no change is simply delusion. So we are Christians, the world asks us what do we have to show for it? Does our conviction make any sense or does it make us sound like crazy people running around speaking of a lost cause? Do  we have love, are we victorious, are we changing with ever increasing Glory, do our lives testify?

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" Ephesians 1:3 . How sad it is to be given everything and live as if you have nothing.

I pray that we may seek, find and LIVE the ultimate plan of God for our lives through Christ.

I jus don't get it

 I'm going to talk about some things I really don't understand.

1.I don't understand why women who are forced to play men's roles by men who just won't play theirs are labelled too independent and scary. If there are two adults in the question and the male chooses not to play his vital role who is expected to play this role?

2.I don't understand why this message about "how to KEEP your man" is still circulating. First of all men are not children or pets and if a woman has to fight so hard to keep him committed then maybe the real advice to give her is how to let him go. Listen real men are not slippery, point blank period!

3.I don't understand why some men who are supposed to be leaders and always point that out are/were raised to be parented. Basically the person this type of "man" is with has to be both his parent and his lady.You want to be the "boss" but you straight acting like a child? Really?

4.I don't understand why some people think that everything a woman does should be measured according to what it means for her suitability as a wife.Can't women just better themselves? Can't a woman have self worth as herself and not as a wife?

If you understand do explain please. Merci.