DO NOT BE AFRAID OF PHYSICAL MEASURES OF PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES YOU ARE FACING.

  It happens sometimes in our life that we are facing huge and threatening problems and challenges, that seems to close doors that we once saw as important for us to reach our destinies. Once these doors are closed we find no alternative door, and here comes a feeling of giving up, thoughts of quitting.

  There was a brilliant student, his father died years ago left him with his only crippled mother who cannot afford his education cost. His uncle took over the responsibility, but unfortunately his uncle died also in a bad car accident few years later. This boy felt so confused, his dreams were about to fail as he saw his uncle as the only door.

  But here comes Jehovah, God who once promise you, He provide you with an opportunity to keep you moving towards your destiny no matter what challenges are coming on your way.

  God always instructs us to see Him as the God of impossibilities, who can brightens our darkness days. Here God is telling you, do not be afraid of the physical measurements of challenges and problems coming onto your way.

1 Samuel 17:1-54. This chapter is telling the story of David and Goliath.

  When the Philistines and Israelites gathered their armies for a battle, came the so called a champion of Philistines, Goliath with physical measurements of; height of six cubit and a span, wearing brass helmet on his head, armed with a coat of mail weighed five thousands shekels of brass, greaves of brass on his legs, spear like a weaver’s beam, and the spear’s head weighed six hundreds shekels of iron (1 Samuel 17:4-7). And the man, Goliath was insulting the armies of Israelites and their God (1 Samuel 17:8-10). 

These were the physical measurements of Israelites challenge that time.

  On verse 11 (1 Samuel 17:11), Bible says; Saul and all Israel were dismayed and greatly afraid. Saul and his armies were not dismayed and afraid because of the battle they were to fight, but they were afraid because of the physical measurements and insults of Goliath. They did not saw God fighting on their side, instead they saw the great and well-armed Goliath.

  This applies to you, you are watching the problems and challenges coming onto your way on their sides of physical measurements, instead of seeing God providing you an opportunity through that challenge.

“For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”_1 Samuel 17:26 (read this verse again).

  That was David, seeing Goliath as nothing before his God. He did not consider Goliath by his physical measurements and insults, but he considered how God is great and was there fighting on his side with historical conquer.

  From now on, tell the problems and challenges coming on your way this; “who are you standing on my way, I have a conqueror God who is about to smash you”. Do not be afraid of their physical measurements and insults they are making on your ears.

  Sometimes, problems and challenges makes us see ourselves as already defeated (Numbers 13:31), this happens when we keep God aside and start considering the physical measurements and insults of the problems and challenges facing us (Numbers 13:33).

  But God is there promising you something about the battle you are facing, He is the covenant keeping God (Deuteronomy 4:31).

  There is someone there, you are confused of doctor report, diagnosed having cancer and told you will die, infertile and told you will never have your own child, having incurable disease and told it is your end, and there is you there dismayed by others declarations about your success and plans, they says you cannot afford huge business because there is no one in your family tree holding and controlling even a small business. These all are physical measurements and insults from challenges and problems facing you, they are your opportunities towards your destiny, do not feel defeated.

  Today let me tell you this; there is God fighting on your side, do not be dismayed and afraid, because He is the God who keeps His words (Psalms 89:34).

  You who is infertile, next year this session you will have your own child (Psalms 128:3, 6). You with incurable disease, be healed in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ (Jeremiah 30:17). You who need to hold and control huge businesses, let it be as you wish and be blessed abundantly and become wealthy (Genesis 24:35).

  Every pray you are praying and every wish you are wishing, let it be given to you through the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, no matter problems and challenges you are facing (Isaiah 43:26 KJV). AMEN.

“IF YOU ARE BLESSED, SHARE IT TO BLESS OTHERS”

GLORY BE TO JEHOVAH.

ISIPOKUWA MLIAMINI BURE.

1 WAKORINTHO 15:1-2

BASI NDUGU ZANGU NAWAARIFU ILE INJILI NILIYOWAARIFU, AMBAYO NDIYO MLIYOIPOKEA, NA KATIKA HIYO MNASIMAMA, NA KWA HIYO MNAOKOLEWA: IKIWA MNAYASHIKA SANA MANENO NILIYOWAHUBIRI; ISIPOKUWA MLIAMINI BURE.

Neno la Mungu (hapo juu) linatuambia habari ya injili ambayo kwa hiyo tunapokea zawadi au neema ya kuokolewa na kupokea uzima wa milele. Injili ya YESU KRISTO ambayo ndani yake kuna nguvu ya kutuokoa.

Ili upokee wokovu ni lazima uisikie injili ya Yesu Kristo na habari ya Ufalme wa Mungu Baba, pasipo injili ya Yesu Kristo hakuna wokovu, injili ya Yesu Kristo pekee!

Matendo ya mitume 10:3-6.

Kornelio, mtu mtauwa (hajaokoka bado) anatokewa na malaika katika maono, anaambiwa atume mtu kwa Simoni Petro, aje nyumbani mwake amwambie yampasayo kutenda….

TOBA YA KWELI.

   Kuna tofauti kubwa kati ya toba na toba ya kweli, toba haimalizi kosa/dhambi lakini toba ya kweli inamaliza kosa/dhambi. Na baada ya toba ya kweli, Mungu huzifuta dhambi zetu zote (Isaya 43:25). Unapoamua kufanya toba, fanya toba ya kweli maana hiyo ndiyo toba yenye msamaha wa dhambi ndani yake.

   Toba na toba ya kweli zina sifa kadhaa zinazofanana; kutambua kosa/dhambi, kulijutia na kuliombea msamaha.

Tofauti ya toba na toba ya kweli ni kuacha kuitenda tena dhambi uliyokwisha kuiombea msamaha, hii ndiyo toba anayoipenda na kuitaka Mungu.

TOBA.

   Mathayo 27:3, 5 “Kisha Yuda, yule mwenye kumsaliti, alipoona amekwisha kuhukumiwa, alijuta akawarudishia wakuu wa makuhani na wazee vile vipande thelathini vya fedha, akasema, Nalikosa nilipoisaliti damu isiyo na hatia. Akavitupa vile vipande vya fedha katika hekalu, akaondoka; akaenda, akajinyonga”. 

Toba ni kulitambua kosa, kulijutia na kuliombea msamaha. Muomba toba anaweza akayarudia makosa au anaweza akalitambua kosa na akalijutia lakini asiliombee msamaha. Na jinsi unavyorudia kosa au unafanya kosa, unalijutia lakini hauliombei msamaha ndivyo hofu ya Mungu inavyozidi kuondoka ndani yako na dhamira ya kukufanya uitambue dhambi na kuijutia nayo inatoweka. Mtu wa namna hii anafikia mahali anakufa kiroho, na mfu wa roho ni kazi sana kumrudia Mungu. Mtu huyu anahitaji huduma ya ukombozi yenye neema ya Mungu mwenyewe. (Luka 11:24-26).

Shetani ndiye anayewadanganya watu kwamba wametenda dhambi kubwa sana zisizo na msamaha, na hata kuiua dhamira iliyo ndani ya mtu ili mtu huyo asitafute toba ya kweli. 

TOBA YA KWELI.

   Luka 15:11-19 “. . . nitaondoka, nitakwenda kwa baba yangu na kumwambia, Baba, nimekosa juu ya mbingu na mbele yako; yule mwana akamwambia, Baba, nimekosa juu ya mbingu na mbele yako. Lakini baba aliwaambia watumwa wake, lileteni upesi vazi lililo bora, mkamvike; mtieni na pete kidoleni, na viatu miguuni; kwa kuwa huyu mwanangu alikuwa amekufa naye amefufuka, alikuwa amepotea naye ameonekana.”

Toba ya kweli ni kulitambua kosa, kulijutia, kuliombea msamaha na kutolitenda tena. Toba ya kweli urudisha utukufu na hofu ya Mungu kwako. Ili usirudie tena dhambi uliyokwisha iombea msamaha unapaswa kujikita katika maombi na kuepukana na mazingira yasababishayo dhambi hiyo. (Zaburi 1:1-2 na Waefeso 4:28).

Hakuna dhambi isiyo na msamaha kwa Mungu, dhambi zote zinasamehewa kwa sababu neema na rehema za Mungu ni juu ya wanadamu wote, wote tunaweza kusamehewa ikiwa tutafanya toba ya kweli. (Zaburi 103:11-13 na 2 Wakorintho 5:17).

Unataka kumpokea Yesu Kristo leo? Bonyeza hapa.

X-MAS SIYO CHRISTMAS.

Ni jambo la kawaida kwa wa-Kristo wengi kuchukulia mambo katika hali ya kawaida pasipo kuchunguza uwepo na/au makusudi ya jambo au mambo hayo. Mfano mzuri na ndiyo ukweli halisi ni matumizi ya neno ‘X-mas’, ‘X-MAS’ au ‘Xmas’. Hilo ni neno moja isipokuwa ni tofauti ya matumizi ya herufi; herufi kubwa au herufi ndogo, lakini neno hilo linatumika kuwakirisha neno ‘Christmas’.

Mimi pia nilikuwa ni mmoja wa watumiaji wa neno hilo la kifupi (Xmas) kuwakilisha neno Christmas, inawezekana unalitumia neno hilo pasipo kujua unamaanisha nini au unalitumia kwa sababu unafikiri unaokoa wakati kwa kuiandika Christmas kwa neno fupi. Asante kwa dada yangu aliyenifumbua macho na kunifanya nilifuatilie neno hilo haraka sana.

Ukweli ni kwamba, X inawakilisha thamani, namba au kitu kisichojulikana katika hisabati (mathematics), na ukiliangalia neno Christ-mas na X-mas utapata kutambua kuwa herufi X inawakilisha neno Christ. Na kama X ni thamani, namba au kitu kisichojulikana katika hisabati (mathematics) na kwetu wa-Kristo, je ni halali kuitumia herufi isiyojulikana thamani yake kumuwakilisha Kristo? Kwamba hatumjui au hatuijui thamani ya Kristo?

Funguka macho, acha uvivu, hakikisha unaandika neno kamili, “Christmas”, tena linaandikwa kwa kuanza na herufi kubwa ‘C’.

Na jambo la pili nililojifunza ni kumtumia “Santa Claus” katika kipindi hiki cha kumbukumbu ya kuzaliwa Yesu Kristo badala ya kumuadhimisha Yesu Kristo mwenyewe. Labda ni kwa sababu tunahamasisha kupeana zawadi, lakini ukweli ni kwamba tunapaswa tumtamke Yesu Kristo ambaye ni zawadi tosha maishani mwetu.

Na jambo la mwisho kwa leo ni jinsi wa-Kristo wengi tunavyosherehekea msimu huu wa sikukuu ya “Christmas” na mwaka mpya. Tunasherehekea tofauti na inavyotupasa tuisherehekee, tunasherehekea kwa matendo ya anasa na kujisahau, tumekuwa sawa na watoto wanaofurahi kufika kwa kipindi hiki kwa sababu watanunuliwa nguo mpya na kula chakula kizuri. 

Katika kipindi hiki tunapaswa kufanya tafakari ya mwaka mzima katika mambo makuu manne; imani, uchumi, jamii, kurekebisha. 

Imani: je, wewe mKristo umeitunza na kuitetea imani yako pasipo kumtenda Mungu dhambi kwa kipindi chote cha mwaka unaoumaliza?

Uchumi: je, umepiga hatua kiuchumi kama ulivyopanga na/au kutegemea wakati unaanza mwaka unaoumaliza?

Jamii: je, uhusiano wako na jamii unayoishi nayo unakuwa mzuri au unaharibika? Kama una familia, je familia yako inapata mahitaji muhimu na yale ya ziada kutoka kwako?

Rekebisha: hiki ni kipindi cha kutambua makosa, mapungufu na kufanya tathmini kwa ujumla. Jitahidi kutambua ni wapi ulipokwama na tafuta ufumbuzi ili usonge mbele na inapohitajika ushari, tafuta ushauri kwa watu wanaoweza kukusaidia, usimwambie kila mtu mapungufu yako. Zaidi mtegemee Mungu. 

Mwisho kabisa, ni lazima umshukuru Mungu; wewe umefika mwishoni mwa mwaka lakini yupo aliyepoteza uhai mwanzoni mwa mwaka, wewe umejenga nyumba japo ndogo lakini yupo ambaye analala kibarazani mwa duka la mtu, wewe ulilala njaa usiku mmoja lakini yupo aliyelala na kushinda njaa kwa zaidi ya siku tatu, wewe unaishi katika nchi yenye amani lakini yupo anayeishi katikati ya vita, wewe upo huru japokuwa huna kitu lakini yupo asiye na kitu kama wewe amesingiziwa kesi na kufungwa jela. Huna sababu ya kukwepa kumshukuru Mungu.

 "NAWATAKIENI KHERI YA 'CHRISTMAS' NA FURAHA YA MWAKA MPYA, 2013"