KACHELBELA: Heed and Answer The Call

KACHELBELA: Heed and Answer The Call: Dear Diary, #Heed_and_Answer_the_Call In my devotion this week I have been focusing on Jeremiah 1. Here are some facts I gathered ...

Heed and Answer The Call

Dear Diary,

#Heed_and_Answer_the_Call

In my devotion this week I have been focusing on Jeremiah 1. Here are some facts I gathered from this passage.

1. God not only foreordains life and existence, He also predetermines before birth what’s to be a person’s calling, v.5. “Before you were conceived in your mother’s womb, God knew you and set you apart for Himself.” Yeeeiii, si, it’s an honorable thing to be known by God!
2. In His own counsel, God influences a person’s origin and growth in the womb to prepare a person for what he/she is to become and accomplish especially in the redemption scheme. Listen, there are no illegitimate babies. God has it all figured out, v.5. Pengine you were a case of “Unwanted pregnancy” but God did not make a mistake to let you be conceived. You mommy may have attempted abortion but, alas! You came unapologetic. Indeed no one can thwart God’s purposes and plans.
3. God Himself consecrates/sets apart the person He chooses to use for a specific task. Unless the Lord sanctifies whomever He has called, he/she remains unfit for God’s Holy Service. For God to use you, He has to regenerate you by His Spirit so that you can be able to serve your divine purpose, v.5.
4. A person must recognise God’s voice and sense His specific call upon his/her life. Friend, this call is not a product of philosophical musing as to what your calling is/might be.  It’s not even an irresistible impulse felt within. It is a real revelation vouchsafed to you.
5. As soon as a person is consciously aware of God’s call, he/she must willingly take up his/her allotted calling. A person may be consciously aware of his weakness and inexperience for such a call but God equips the person with gifts and grace necessary to discharge the divine duties, v. 6-7. No excuse whatsoever to hinder in the way of accepting God’s call.
6. God gives a palpable confirmatory token to a person He has called for a specific purpose, v.6. First, He gives an assurance of His presence. He says, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” v. 8. It’s easy to feel terrified to speak before high and mighty personages, but God gives assurance of his presence. Secondly, God promises protection and deliverance from distress and danger which the discharge of the fulfilment of the call can bring. Thirdly, God gives a tangible pledge of His inspiration, v. 9. God stretched His hand and touched Jeremiah’s mouth. To me this means that a person who been called by God must speak what has been inspired to him by the Lord Himself. Fourthly, God gives a tangible confirmatory of swift fulfilment of His promise/word, v.12. Fifthly, God gives a tangible confirmation of divine assistance, v. 19.
7. A person who has been consecrated for a divine purpose must stand stoutly and fearlessly proclaim what God has inspired him/her to speak. Or else disaster will come upon Him, v. 17-18.

Application

Friend, I don’t know you but I am certain that you are not an accident. You are alive at such a time as this because God has something for you to do. You are His workmanship. I have no clue what your allotted call is but take the challenge. Be sure God has spoken to you then stand on His word, step out in faith and discharge the ministry He has ordained you for. You have a tangible confirmatory token of His presence, deliverance, inspiration, fulfilment of His word and divine assistance.

God bless you as you heed to His call.

Yours faithful scribbler,

NzakuNashipae

What's the Place of Children in the Church?

Dear Diary,

#A_Theology_of_Children

#What_is_the_Place_of_Children_in_The_Church?

Should the contemporary church consider children as fully-fledged members of the church?

Yesterday I promised to explore the theology of children especially as we start our VBS next week. Over the years, I have become passionate about children’s ministry. God has allowed me to visit various churches and I must say that the state of children’s church in some of the places I’ve visited is deplorable. I have observed that in some churches, children’s ministry is totally neglected. I am grateful to God for PEFA Gikomba. We value children’s ministry great deal. Kudos to my senior pastor Bish. Mwatha, Sunday school pastor-Rev. Nyaoro and the other pastors Rev. Collins and Rev. Irungu and our church board for the relentless support.

Before we can state the place of children in the church, let’s first decode what/who is church? A church designates: 1. Christ followers, 2. A particular denomination and/or religion, 3. A local congregation and/or, 4. A building in a particular location.

What’s the place of children in the church?

In the Old Testament, it seems to me that except for circumcision, children were admitted in the covenant community without much ceremonial requirements. In fact circumcision was a symbol which identified a person as a member of the Hebrew church or the covenant community, Genesis 17:9-14. On the 8^th day after birth a male child was circumcised and reckoned as a full member of the OT Covenant Community. Secondly, at infancy, it was commanded that male firstborns be dedicated. You see, the child was already a member of the covenant community and the ceremony of dedication only publicly confirmed an already established affiliation. Allow me to delve a little into the subject of dedication. First, only the male first born child was required to be dedicated to God. Secondly, dedication occurred soon after the 30^th day after birth as long it wasn’t on a Sabbath. The first born male child belonged to God but since God didn’t require human sacrifices (you know, pagan nations used to sacrifice their children to appease gods but Yahweh condemned that practice because it profaned His name, Lev. 20:1-5; 18:21; Deut. 12:31), besides, the primitive office of priesthood designated to first born male child was superseded by that of Levites. Thus, God instructed fathers to redeem the firstborn sons with 5 shekels. (you can read about dedication and redemption of first born male child in the following passages: Ex. 13:2-15;  22:29; 34:20; Num. 3:45; 8:17; 18:15-16; Lev. 12:2,4; Luke 2:22-35).

That said, is it possible that an individual child can be circumcised, dedicated and reckoned to be a fully-fledged member of a covenant community yet not knowing God? Well, take for example the case of boy Samuel. After weaning, Samuel was dedicated to God and served under priest Eli in Shiloh yet he did not know the Lord and the word of God had not been revealed to him, 1 Sam. 3:7. From this case I think it is possible that an individual child can be dedicated to God and even be involved in the service, however, it’s possible the child does not know God or have a special kind of experience with God. However as the child matures and lives in consonant demands of the covenant relationship he can know and experience God in a special way.

As far as membership is concerned, a child is member of a church not because of their volitional choice but by the virtue of being born into a covenant family. On the flip side the child has a responsibility to manifest personal character in consonant with the demands of the covenant relationship, Psalm 15; 24.

As a parent, you must recognize that the choices you make have a great impact on your entire household. For example, look at Achan’s choice in Josh. 7:24-26. It brought about judgment on Israel and eventually the destruction of his entire family.

Conclusion

In OT church, a child entered the covenant community through shared unity with his father. Secondly, the home was a significant context of religious instructions/teaching and worship.

How do we apply this in the present-day?

Tomorrow I will try to answer this question so stay with me.

Yours faithful scribbler,

NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: A Theology of Children

KACHELBELA: A Theology of Children: Dear Diary, First, theology translates to English from Greek word theologia . Theo for God and logia for word/discourse. Thus, theol...

A Theology of Children

Dear Diary,

First, theology translates to English from Greek word theologia. Theo for God and logia for word/discourse. Thus, theology refers to study/reasoning concerning the Divine/Deity; theology can also be defined as the study of the relation of a thing or person to the divine, God. Secondly, as you think about theology of children, who is a child? Certainly, a child is a living person made in the image of God. I am of the opinion that a child has the potential to respond to God, but, what is the proper age for a declaration of Faith? Many people think/believe it is practically impossible for children under 12yrs of age to have reached the mental, emotional, intellectual and spiritual maturity to experience genuine repentance/salvation.  

Here's a testimony from Drumvale evangelistic activity. On Sunday we had a few minutes to do one-on-one witnessing before the Open Air activity. I happened to catch up with some of my colleagues witnessing to 3 kindergarten boys. I must commend her for considering them as prospects for the evangelistic activity. She was really easy with the kids exploring their understanding of God, sin, and salvation and I loved their innocent responses (@Milanya, and Izzo- @Tony Kitheka’s son, inspired my write-up). My friend asked the kids if they know what repentance (kutubu) is, I observed that they were blank about the adult terminology. Now that brought me to ask myself, how well are children prepared to understand the language of sin, salvation and other theological concepts for them to make responsible decision and who is responsible for their preparation? One of the boys walked away but the other 2 boys got saved. This made me ask, is it possible for boys and girls below 6years of age to be saved? Fast forward, shortly after the witnessing session we had our Open-Air evangelistic activity. I was the one preaching and when I made an altar call actually one of my 13yr-old Sunday Schooler, responded. She kept her hand up but somehow I ignored her, so I called the host pastor to come and make a closing prayer. Well, he saw the hand of the 13yr old girl and led her in the repentance prayer (it reminds me about my own experience. In 1996, I went for a mission at Komothai Girls with the then Yaddah Team. After Rev. G preached, he made an altar call; you can imagine I was the first to raise my hand, hehee). Now, yesterday I met her dad in church. This is what he told me, "My daughter told me that she got saved at Drumvale and now she wants to be baptized." I was awed considering I ignored her when she raised her hand. The dad told me on the wake of the New Year she and her brothers got saved but he observed that the girl was just doing it because of her older brothers. Now he feels that Sunday was transforming encounter for her (may it be so in Jesus's name) and she seems to have a better understanding.

My weekend experience led me mooch about in deep contemplation. Here are some few questions in regards to the theology of children:

1. Should children below 6yrs of age be considered as prospects for evangelistic activity?
2. Is it possible for a 4yr, 5yr or 6yr-old child to be saved/make a simple trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?
3. When is a child intellectually capable of making a responsible decision to become a Christian?
4. How well are children prepared to hear and understand the language of sin and salvation and other theological terminologies and concepts for them to make decision?
5. Can children below 12yrs of age be carefully instructed and so know what they are doing and the implication of their decision?
6. What’s the place of children in relation to Christ and His church?

In the next few days, especially now that our VBS is on next week, I will do some write-ups concerning #Children_Theology to #Build_Kingdom_Kids. Please stay with me on this.

Yours Faithful Scribbler,

NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: What Do You Have?

KACHELBELA: What Do You Have?: Dear Diary, #What_Do_You_Have? What do I have? You know there are days I have nothing to meet my need…, and other times I boast ab...

What Do You Have?

Dear Diary,

#What_Do_You_Have?

What do I have? You know there are days I have nothing to meet my need…, and other times I boast about what I have! More so, there are days I fret because I don’t have what my peers/friends have. But what can I have that I haven’t received?

In several Bible narratives, I see different people being asked, “What do you have?” Though in different contexts, from their responses I recognize their faith, obedience, heartfelt gratitude and humility. For instance, in Exodus 4:2, God asks Moses, “What do you have in your hand? Moses had only a walking stick that God used to perform a miracle. In 2 Kings 4:2, Elisha asked the widow whose husband had died leaving her a load of debt, “What do you have in your house?” She only had a small jar of olive oil which God used to send an overflowing miracle of oil, enough to pay her creditors and sustain her family. In 1 Samuel 21:3, in distress David fled from Saul to the tabernacle of God, he asked Ahimelech the priest, “What do you have in your hand? Only the consecrated-bread was available which Ahimelech the Priest gave David to eat provided he was ‘clean’.

What do you have? Now, before boasting about the temporal things you have consider the following: Jeremiah 9:23-24, if you MUST boast, let it not be because of your wisdom, might and/or riches but boast because you know and understand God who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness on earth. 1 Corinthians 4:7, before you boast ask yourself, “What do I have that I have not received from God?” If you have received from God why boast? Proverbs 25:14, like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give. Galatians 6:14, if you MUST boast let it be in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:31, 2 Corinthians 10:17, if you MUST boast, boast of the Lord. Before you boast, remember that your sufficiency/competence comes from God not from temporal things. 2 Corinthians 3:21, never boast of men but let your soul make its boast in the Lord, Psalm 34:2.

When you have nothing, it’s easy to feel like a failure or a looser especially when your friends/peers boast about what they have. It’s easy to beat yourself because you don’t have what your friends/peers have. It easy to fret. It’s easy to lash at God for not lavishing you with all that you’re currently and temporarily lacking. But here’s God’s message for you who is almost fretting. Acknowledge that it’s only God who can give perfect gifts in due time. Secondly, if you MUST boast, let it be in the Lord, in His steadfast love, justice, righteousness; in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Never boast in temporal things which have no eternal value. Never boast of men. Never boast in your wisdom, might and/or riches but let your soul make its boast in the Lord. Finally, learn to be content with what you have knowing that God will never leave nor forsake you, Hebrews 13:5. And this is for you, you who are fond of boasting about what you have, “What do you have that you haven’t received from God?” Proverbs 25:14 says, “Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.” Be humble and grateful to God that He has graciously given you that which you have.

Yours faithful scribbler,

NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: Can two walk together peacefully except they be ag...

KACHELBELA: Can two walk together peacefully except they be ag...: As usual, I love to use illustrations in my sermons and today I will focus on one of my personal relationships. I have a friend; we have a ...