KACHELBELA: Does Your Faith Expect Results?

KACHELBELA: Does Your Faith Expect Results?: Dear Diary, # Prayer_Without_Faith # The_Acts_Twelve_Challenge Am not sure if am the only one who's a victim on this..., have you ...

Does Your Faith Expect Results?

Dear Diary,

#Prayer_Without_Faith
#The_Acts_Twelve_Challenge

Am not sure if am the only one who's a victim on this..., have you ever prayed for something earnestly and God answered but you found yourself doubting the answer to the prayer!

In Acts 12, we see that Herod had arrested and killed one of the apostles- James. Peter too had been put in prison awaiting his execution but the church prayed earnestly for his release. So, the angel of theLord delivered Peter from the chains and he came to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark where the church was praying for his release. When he knocked at the door a damsel by the name Rhoda went to get the door but upon hearing Peter's voice she ran back with gladness to inform the rest of the prayer warriors that Peter was at the door but gues what! They thought she was mad and didn't believe that Peter had been released in answer to their prayer, v.12-17. Now, am wondering kwani what did this fellas expect? Did they really have FAITH or was it an aimless prayer?

Dear friend, as you pray, HAVE FAITH. Don't just make aimless prayer but trust God for results. Remember FAITH is an assurance and evidence of things hoped for.

Have a faith filled year.

Yours faithful scribbler,
NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: #The_Titus_Two_Challenge

KACHELBELA: #The_Titus_Two_Challenge: Dear Diary, #The_Duty_of_the_Gospel_Minister #Teach #Encourage #Rebuke Whose responsibility is it to teach older men, older women...

#The_Titus_Two_Challenge

Dear Diary,

#The_Duty_of_the_Gospel_Minister

#Teach #Encourage #Rebuke

Whose responsibility is it to teach older men, older women, young men and young women right living that goes along with true Christianity?

Am not sure if I am the only concerned about the teachings we are receiving from our pulpits including the #TV_Pulpit. As I was studying the epistle to Titus, I felt challenged, as gospel ministers, what and how should we teach various social groups in the church? While others are teaching prosperity, legalism and fables, here’s an imperative command that Apostle Paul gave Titus, “To speak/teach things which are proper for sound doctrine (right living that goes along with true Christianity,” Titus 2:1.

#What_to_Teach_Older_Men, Titus 2:2

So, Pastor Titus must approach older men with humility, love and wisdom and teach them to be: temperate/sober, worthy of respect, self-controlled; stable in faith, in love and endurance.

#What_to_Teach_Older_Women, Titus 2:3-4a

Ah, in like manner Pastor Titus is to approach older women with love and wisdom and teach them to be: respectful in the way they live, not to be slanderers and addicted to much wine.

#What_to_Teach_Younger_Women, Titus 2:4b-5

Now, this is not the responsibility of Pastor Titus to teach younger women. But why, isn’t he the pastor? Eh, story for another time. But the older women whom Pastor Titus has empowered and equipped are the ones to teach the younger women. Interesting! What are they to teach them? The older women are to teach the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to be chaste/pure, to be discreet, to be homemakers, to be kind, and to be obedient to their husbands. Clearly, women have a strategic position of influence in the home. Love for the husband and children must be taught! Paul makes an emphasis that by teaching and adhering to the above the word of God will not be blasphemed.

#What_to_teach_Young_Men, Titus 2:6-8,

Similarly, Pastor Titus is to approach young men with love and wisdom, encourage and teach them to be sober-minded, i.e. to take life seriously. With these ones, he must set a practical example for them in all things. In addition, Pastor Titus has to show integrity in his doctrine, seriousness and soundness of speech. By setting such a practical example, his accusers will be embarrassed because they have nothing bad to say about him.

#What_to_Teach_Slaves, Titus 2:9-10

Likewise, Pastor Titus has to approach the slaves with wisdom and love and teach them to be obedient and submissive to their masters, not pilfering/stealing from them but show that they can be trusted. By so doing, they’ll make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

Je, wanaume wazee wanajikosea heshima kwa sababu hawajapokea mafunzo halisi? Je, wanawake wanafahamu sehemu yao katika jamii? Je, nani atakaye wafunza wanawake wachanga jinsi ya kutunza jamii?

Dear Gospel Minister take note of your duty. You are directed to teach, encourage and rebuke with all authority and live in such a way that no one will despise you, Titus 2:15.

Yours faithful scribbler,

NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: Dear Diary,#The_Unsung_Heroine_Yael#Courage #Faith...

KACHELBELA: Dear Diary,#The_Unsung_Heroine_Yael#Courage #Faith...: Dear Diary, # The_Unsung_Heroine_Yael # Courage   # Faith Yael, was she a treacherous woman and an assassin or a godly warrior? By f...

Dear Diary,

#The_Unsung_Heroine_Yael

#Courage #Faith

Yael, was she a treacherous woman and an assassin or a godly warrior? By faith, Yael killed one of God's enemies and she is called blessed of the women, Judges 5:24.

We know heroines of faith namely Deborah, Sarah and Rahab, (Hebrews 11). What about Yael (Jael)? Here's a quick background. In Judges 4, Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord so He sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan. Sisera the commander of Jabin's army had 900 chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for 20yrs, then they cried to God for help, v.1-3.

At this time Deborah was leading Israel as a judge and a prophetess. One time, she send for Barak saying, "The LORD, the God of Israel commands you, 'Go, take with you 10,000 men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mt. Tabor. I'll lead Sisera and his troops to the Kishon River and give him to your hands."

For some reason, Barak was hesitant so he asked Deborah to go with him. She then said to him, "Because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman," v. 9.

In the course of time, Sisera was told that Barak was in Mt. Tabor. He summoned his troops and went to attack. That day, the Lord routed Sisera and his troops. Actually, Sisera had to run for his dear life to the tent of Yael whose household had an alliance with Jabin king of Canaan. He ordered her to lie to protect his life. Yael played the perfect hostess and led Sisera into her tent. She gave him some milk and swaddled him with a blanket. While he lay fast asleep, she picked up a tent peg and a hammer and drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and boom! He died. On that day, God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites.

Now, when a general came into her domestic space, Yael made use of a domestic weapon and became a heroine. What could have informed her actions? I checked the passage but didn't see it but whatever her motives, the story considers her actions the will of God. In her song, Deborah celebrates and acknowledges that Yael is most blessed of the women (chap 5).

She is a heroine because she courageously did the will of God, she snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Well, I don't neither does God condone murder but his is a story of courage and trust in God for victorious living no matter how circumstances in our lives may seem insurmountable.

Yours faithful scribbler,
NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: Dear Diary,#The_Unsung_Heroines#God_Fearing_Midw...

KACHELBELA: Dear Diary,
#The_Unsung_Heroines
#God_Fearing_Midw...: Dear Diary, # The_Unsung_Heroines # God_Fearing_Midwives # Shiphrah   # Puah Ah, wahenga walisema, "Usimtukane Mkunga uzazi ungalip...

#The_Unsung_Heroines #God_Fearing_Midwives

Dear Diary,

#The_Unsung_Heroines
#God_Fearing_Midwives
#Shiphrah #Puah

Ah, wahenga walisema, "Usimtukane Mkunga uzazi ungalipo." Hao wahenga wiliweza sana.

Imagine life without a midwife! Mine was an out-of-hospital birth, back then access to antenatal and institutional deliveries attended by trained health workers were a distant reality; mama didn't have the luxury of hospital delivery. Banana leaves were my first bed, thanks to the loyal community midwife. By the way, who remembers to thank their midwife! Some women don't even remember the face of their midwife leave alone their name.

In Exodus 1:15, Moses introduces us to two God-fearing midwives: Shiphrah and Puah. They are probably the ones who delivered him and saved his life! The Pharaoh and Egyptians were threatened by the growing Hebrew population. In fact they planned to deal shrewdly with them by oppressing them but even that didn't stop the Hebrew from multiplying and growing. So, the pharaoh called for the Hebrew midwives and instructed them to kill the baby boys while their mothers were on the birth-stools, v. 16. But these women were God-fearing, they saved the boys and because of that, God dealt well with them and blessed them with posterity, v.21. When Israelites left Egypt, there were about 600,000 men, besides children, Ex. 12:37. I imagine that most of those men were probably delivered and saved by the midwives.

The midwives were righteous women who understood the value of life and it's importance in God's eternal plan. They recognized that male or female, life is sacred. Without their courage and sacrifice certainly there wouldn't be present and future hope. Before the the sung heroes such as Moses and David could deliver Israel, these two women were the first deliverers.

Midwives deserve some recognition, they're truly heroines.

Yours faithful scribbler,
NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: Dear Diary,#The_Unsung_Heroes#A_Friend_in_Deed#S...

KACHELBELA: Dear Diary,#The_Unsung_Heroes
#A_Friend_in_Deed
#S...: Dear Diary, # The_Unsung_Heroes # A_Friend_in_Deed # Shobi   # Makir   # Barzillai It's that month of the year hapa Kenya, in 18day...

Dear Diary,

#The_Unsung_Heroes
#A_Friend_in_Deed
#Shobi #Makir #Barzillai

It's that month of the year hapa Kenya, in 18days we'll have our Mashujaa Celebrations. It's that time when we collectively honor outstanding men and women who fought for our independence. Initially, it was branded Kenyatta Day which commemorated the Kapenguria Six freedom fighters ( Achieng Oneko, Bildad Kaggia, Jomo Kenyatta, Kung'u Karumba and Paul Ngei). Certainly there are other unsung heroes who contribute(d) positively to the country's history yet they are scarcely mentioned and honored.

Likewise, there are unsung heroes who have left indelible marks in our individual lives. People whose lives and ministry significantly impacted our lives through our formative childhood and adulthood; shaped our thinking; spoke affirming words; saw our God-given potential, purpose and believed in us to the point they even gave us opportunities to explore the potential. The faithful and fervent prayer warriors who kept praying for us through our developing years. Probably, we are not even consciously aware of their influence. Some of those we are consciously aware of, may be we don't even say much about them yet those indelible marks dot our lives.

The Bible is also dotted with unsung heroes, men and women who put their lives on the line; protected, affirmed, prayed for and identified potential in those God had set apart, yet not much is said about them. In 2 Samuel 17, we meet David running away from his son Absalom. In v.17-20, a wife to a certain man of Bahurim protected Jonathan and Ahimaaz who were going to warn David about his son's plot to assassinate him. So the two men and David's lives were saved. That was heroic! Later on when David and his men came to Mahanaim wilderness, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim brought bedding, owls, pottery articles, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grains, beans, lentils, honey, curds, sheep, cheese and milk for David and his people to eat for they said, " The people have become exhausted, hungry and thirsty in the wilderness," v. 27-29. These heroes helped David in his time of great need

Look here, your acts of kindness and influence may get obscure or no recognition but be encouraged, though an unsung hero, seek to leave a postive indelible mark in someone's life. Don't be weary of doing good even when nobody notices.

Yours faithful scribbler,
NzakuNashipae