The first miracle by Jesus Christ was the miracle of creation, " For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by , and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." Colossians 1:16-17. In the New Testament the wedding at Cana is the first recorded miracle of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He performed so many other miracles that included healing the body, casting out demons and raising the dead amongst many. The point is that He had a purpose for every miracle. The key purpose is recorded in John 5:36, " But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me." Miracles were to bear witness of Christ that he had been sent by God the Father. They were to prove the deity of Christ. On the other hand every miracle performed by the apostles was to point the people to Christ.
Every time tele-evangelists advertise a miracle crusade I always ask myself what the purpose of the miracles they plan to perform is. Do these miracles point people to Christ or to "the performer"? Believe me, they are couched to draw attention to the preacher rather than the cause of Christ. Many of the so called miracles we see today are stage managed. I strongly believe in a sovereign God who has power to perform miracles but not at any preacher's manipulation. A look at Apostle Paul's ministry shows a clear graph of diminishing of miracles at the climax of the ministry. God authenticated the preaching of the apostles with miracles and that is not needed today in the manner in which they happened in New Testament days. I do not need a miracle to believe and trust God. His Word (the Bible) is sufficient for all today because it answers every lifes question that man has.
What is happening at Loliondo has everything to do with pseudo- Christianity. There is absolutely no preaching of the gospel before the performance of healing at Loliondo. The Word of God should have preceded the performance but unfortunately the miracles have been given preeminence above God. None traveling to Loliondo is interested in God but healing and sadly no one is going to tell them about the love of Christ but instead they shall be served a cup of concoction. If these miracles were of God, they should have drawn these people to God, produced a fear of God and led to a holy living. What I see on television is a carnival party without reverence.
To cut a long story short, no christian should consult Babu Mwasapile because he is involved in what I believe is witchcraft and must be consulting other mediums for mystic powers, the testimonies of healing not withstanding. Satan shall always disguise himself as the angel of light. Christians do not need miracles today to draw closer to God. We have the Word of God and that is all we need. The church should instead be preoccupied with the greatest miracle and that is winning souls for Christ. The healing of the body is important but not as important as the eternal healing of the human soul. The Lord Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead which was good then but Lazarus later died. The raising of a human soul from the dead is the needed miracle today, " But God, who is rich in mercy, for his love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, quickened us together with Christ, ( by grace ye are saved;)." Ephesians 2:4-5
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
TRADITIONAL AFRICAN MEDICINE - THE LOLIONDO CASE Part 1.
Science and religion have been at loggerheads throughout history. This is only true to a few scientists who belong to Psalm.14:1 " The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God..." However there are great scientific minds that have opened their hearts and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
When food supplements were first introduced in Kenya, many in the medical fraternity fought them tooth and nail. When alternative medicine using locally available herbs was again introduced the same people with support from the church firmly opposed and doubted their efficacy with the church labeling the herbs and roots demonic. Time has proven the opposers wrong and forced them to backpedal and start both the consumption and prescription of the same. Let me from the outset state that there are very many counterfeit food-supplements and herbal remedies out there just like there are many counterfeit medicines in our chemists. Statistics tell us that 30% of the medicines in our Kenyan chemists and medical establishments are fake. There are equally many false churches, false teachers, false prophets and false pastors. We are living in the last days and an upsurge of such characters should be expected. " Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Matthew 7:15
Both the print and electronic media in Kenya have been awash with the magical wonders of a herb from Loliondo. Pastor Ambilikile Masapile 79, a retired cleric of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania is administering a highly poisonous arrow root locally known as Mugariga to cure every known ailment. I mean diseases like HIV-AIDS, Cancers, Diabetes etc have succumbed to his treatment. In the past one week, there has been a daily stretch of over 20 kms of vehicles. Politicians from the East African countries are going there in droves. Due to the poor state of the road to this rural hide-out the rich are using choppers to get a sip of Babu Masapile's cup of concoction. There are very many testimonies of healings and this has only added to the numbers flowing there. A picture of Babu Masapile is one of poverty and a life of self-denial that is probably honed by religion or the late President Nyerere's failed socialism. Like the prophets of yore he does not accept gifts and instead asks people to donate them to the needy in society. He also asks for a pittance for the cup of concoction very much less than what television evangelists charge for anointing oil.
Scientists are in agreement that the herb is very poisonous and kills every bird that sucks its nectar in seconds. The people in this area have used it to poison their arrows in the past. The big question is why doesn't it kill humans? Is it the power in Babu's prayers? He claims it is God who commanded him to use the herb to heal people. What does the bible say about all these happenings? Should Christians consult Babu for the many incurable diseases they suffer? Where is God in all these?
Today is a Saturday and obviously tomorrow is the Lord's day so join me on Monday as I attempt to answer the above questions. God bless you and remember to attend church tomorrow for the Lord tells us " Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
Hebrews 10:25
When food supplements were first introduced in Kenya, many in the medical fraternity fought them tooth and nail. When alternative medicine using locally available herbs was again introduced the same people with support from the church firmly opposed and doubted their efficacy with the church labeling the herbs and roots demonic. Time has proven the opposers wrong and forced them to backpedal and start both the consumption and prescription of the same. Let me from the outset state that there are very many counterfeit food-supplements and herbal remedies out there just like there are many counterfeit medicines in our chemists. Statistics tell us that 30% of the medicines in our Kenyan chemists and medical establishments are fake. There are equally many false churches, false teachers, false prophets and false pastors. We are living in the last days and an upsurge of such characters should be expected. " Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Matthew 7:15
Both the print and electronic media in Kenya have been awash with the magical wonders of a herb from Loliondo. Pastor Ambilikile Masapile 79, a retired cleric of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania is administering a highly poisonous arrow root locally known as Mugariga to cure every known ailment. I mean diseases like HIV-AIDS, Cancers, Diabetes etc have succumbed to his treatment. In the past one week, there has been a daily stretch of over 20 kms of vehicles. Politicians from the East African countries are going there in droves. Due to the poor state of the road to this rural hide-out the rich are using choppers to get a sip of Babu Masapile's cup of concoction. There are very many testimonies of healings and this has only added to the numbers flowing there. A picture of Babu Masapile is one of poverty and a life of self-denial that is probably honed by religion or the late President Nyerere's failed socialism. Like the prophets of yore he does not accept gifts and instead asks people to donate them to the needy in society. He also asks for a pittance for the cup of concoction very much less than what television evangelists charge for anointing oil.
Scientists are in agreement that the herb is very poisonous and kills every bird that sucks its nectar in seconds. The people in this area have used it to poison their arrows in the past. The big question is why doesn't it kill humans? Is it the power in Babu's prayers? He claims it is God who commanded him to use the herb to heal people. What does the bible say about all these happenings? Should Christians consult Babu for the many incurable diseases they suffer? Where is God in all these?
Today is a Saturday and obviously tomorrow is the Lord's day so join me on Monday as I attempt to answer the above questions. God bless you and remember to attend church tomorrow for the Lord tells us " Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
Hebrews 10:25
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
WE MUST GO TO WHERE SOULS ARE.
"And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." Luke 14: 23
1. WE ARE COMMANDED GO.
Do you feel guilty for disobeying God? To disobey is to sin and displeases our Savior. The Lord commands us in Matthew 28:19 to " Go ye therefore..." The "go" here though a participle is in the imperative mood. It is a command. Very few sinners shall come to us so we must go to where they are. We must leave all of our comfort for the sake of souls. Going we must.
2. WE ARE INSTRUCTED WHERE TO GO.
In this verse, the instructions are that we go to "the highways and hedges". In Acts 1:8 "...and ye shall be my witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Let us give tracts to the people we meet in the streets. Let us share with them the love of Christ wherever we are. We carry precious seed of the Word of God and we should liberally share it. Tell it to your family, friends, neighbors, work mates, I mean all and sundry. You have to determine to start somewhere driven by the desire to obey God.
3. WE ARE TOLD HOW TO DO IT.
It is not only what we tell sinners that matters but how we do it. With love we are told to compel them. Compel connotes to show necessity, show the need and constrain. The sinner must be showed the imminent danger of neglecting such a great salvation. Tell them that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God ( Rom.3:23) . Let them know that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life found only in the Lord Jesus Christ ( Rom. 6:23). Make a compelling invitation to the sinner to open his heart and receive the Lord Jesus Christ. Assure the sinner that if he calls on the name of the Lord, he shall be saved.
4. WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO EXPECT RESULTS
" He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:6 ( emphasis mine). We are guaranteed of success so we need not fear. The Lord wants His house full and Hell de-populated. Every pew must be occupied and it gives you great joy to see those that you reached by your obedience to the Lord's command in church and growing in the most holy faith.
Our soul-winning is not invain though we may face ridicule and rejection the Lord assures us of victory. I urge you to move to the next person if one does not accept God's grace, you will have planted a seed and it shall certainly sprout one day. Never give up on souls and never allow yourself to be discouraged or contemplate surrendering.
CONCLUSION
Going to where souls are is what the Lord commands us to do. Let us go to places that are both familiar and unfamiliar to us. Stride out of your comfort-zone, learn to deny yourself for God's work. Expect an abundance of souls. The Lord wants to use you but only if you obey and GO!
1. WE ARE COMMANDED GO.
Do you feel guilty for disobeying God? To disobey is to sin and displeases our Savior. The Lord commands us in Matthew 28:19 to " Go ye therefore..." The "go" here though a participle is in the imperative mood. It is a command. Very few sinners shall come to us so we must go to where they are. We must leave all of our comfort for the sake of souls. Going we must.
2. WE ARE INSTRUCTED WHERE TO GO.
In this verse, the instructions are that we go to "the highways and hedges". In Acts 1:8 "...and ye shall be my witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Let us give tracts to the people we meet in the streets. Let us share with them the love of Christ wherever we are. We carry precious seed of the Word of God and we should liberally share it. Tell it to your family, friends, neighbors, work mates, I mean all and sundry. You have to determine to start somewhere driven by the desire to obey God.
3. WE ARE TOLD HOW TO DO IT.
It is not only what we tell sinners that matters but how we do it. With love we are told to compel them. Compel connotes to show necessity, show the need and constrain. The sinner must be showed the imminent danger of neglecting such a great salvation. Tell them that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God ( Rom.3:23) . Let them know that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life found only in the Lord Jesus Christ ( Rom. 6:23). Make a compelling invitation to the sinner to open his heart and receive the Lord Jesus Christ. Assure the sinner that if he calls on the name of the Lord, he shall be saved.
4. WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO EXPECT RESULTS
" He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:6 ( emphasis mine). We are guaranteed of success so we need not fear. The Lord wants His house full and Hell de-populated. Every pew must be occupied and it gives you great joy to see those that you reached by your obedience to the Lord's command in church and growing in the most holy faith.
Our soul-winning is not invain though we may face ridicule and rejection the Lord assures us of victory. I urge you to move to the next person if one does not accept God's grace, you will have planted a seed and it shall certainly sprout one day. Never give up on souls and never allow yourself to be discouraged or contemplate surrendering.
CONCLUSION
Going to where souls are is what the Lord commands us to do. Let us go to places that are both familiar and unfamiliar to us. Stride out of your comfort-zone, learn to deny yourself for God's work. Expect an abundance of souls. The Lord wants to use you but only if you obey and GO!
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