Terms and Conditions Apply

Dear Diary,

#Terms_and_Conditions_Apply
#Are_the_Blessings_of_God_Unconditional?

Every service provider gives terms and conditions for their services. Hakuna vitu vya "bwerere." The other day I saw a friend's post on FB that read (paraphrased), "Is God's love Unconditional really?" I thought about it critically and my conclusion is a YES and NO.

If not all of us, some of us love and like sensational preachers and/or preachings. You know, the feel good  #I_Decree_and_Declare" oratory.

Last week but one we had revival dubbed "Obtaining Favor" in our church, it was full house and we had a seasoned preacher, Bish. S. Munai of South B PEFA Church ministering to us. (A sneak-peek into what he shared: Psalm 5:12, the Lord will bless the righteous; with favor He will surround Him as with a shield. He defined favor, gave practical experiences and examples from the scripture. He also spoke about being established with favor and hindrances to favor. Certainly, no one can obtain, be established with and operate under the favor of God unconditionally. As we came to the close of the week, I realized that for every blessing there are terms and conditions. Some of the hindrances to favor that Bish. Munai spoke about are as follows: 1. Disobedience. You can't operate under God's favor when you're disobedient. "Obedience is better than sacrifice," 1 Samuel 15:19-24; 2. Sexual sin; 3. Pride; 4. Prayerlessness; 5. Miserly/stingyness.)

I have been revisiting my notes and thinking about the theme of our revival week. Surely, I want to obtain God's favor. I really do want His countless blessings to overtake me. I want to be established with favor. Well, here are some timeless terms and conditions gleaned from Deuteronomy 28:1-14 & 1 Chronicles 28:1-9 some of which Bish. Munai delved into:

1. Fully OBEY the Lord, Deut 28:1, 2, 9
2. Carefully FOLLOW & KEEP all His commands, v.1, 9,13
3. WALK in His ways, v. 9
4. Pay ATTENTION to the Commands of the Lord, v. 13
5. Do not TURN ASIDE FROM any of the Commands, v.14.
6. Do not FOLLOW or SERVE other gods, v.14
7. UNSWERVINGLY and CAREFULLY carry out and follow  God's commands, Deuteronomy 28:4
8. ACKNOWLEDGE the God, v.9
9. SERVE God with a loyal heart and a willing mind, v.9.
10. SEEK the Lord, v.9.

For a long time I have observed that there are terms and conditions that our tele-prosperity-gospel-preachers don't tell us. In my morning devotion today I was awed by Deuteronomy chapter 28. The first 14 verses speak of the blessings GOD wants to overtake us if we obey His commands and walk in His ways; the next 54 verses speak of terrifying curses if we don't obey and walk in God's ways. 

Dear sensational preacher, I know you preach to some credulous people; I know you want them to feel good; but for a moment can you stop decreeing and declaring and give us the principles? Can you honestly tell us God's blessings are not really for free? Can you humbly tell your followers the simple yet effective terms and conditions?

Dear excited audience, for a moment, can you stop yelling AMEN if you not ready to pay the price? Can you stop jumping and shouting, "Preach it Pastor (dad/mom)!" If you not intentional about the terms and conditions?

Watch out for the terms and conditions.

Yours faithful scribbler,
NzakuNashipae
© Jesus loves you