Does God Want His People to be Poor, Unhealthy or Miserable? Not at All

Many people have misunderstood Pastor Joel Osteen's messages of encouragement and uplifting. Many have misunderstood Pastor Creflo Dollar and Pastor Jesse DuPlantis on prosperity. Some pastors, Ministers and Christians have a hard time of getting to know the God of prosperity,

But you shall remember the LORD your God: for it is he that gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

(Deuterenonomy 8:18)

The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. )Proverbs 10:22)

and the Jesus of abundance who said that,

The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.(John 10:10).

To me it looks like some are just jealous, some ignorant and others want to limit God. I would tell them, just do your best to what God has called you.  And leave the others do what their best.  

Some have to exhort or correct us into the right way. Some have to encourage us when we are down,. some have to show us the wealthy and prosperous side of God. Some have to show us the humble side of Jesus. our God Almighty is all powerful, Mighty in Battle, LORD Sabaoth. God is the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Heaven. The Archangel Michael is a Mighty Warrior. The Angel Gabriel is also a Mighty Warrior. We Christians are soldiers of the Cross. We have to fight against the flesh, our flesh, sin and the Devil in the world. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

 We have to go back and examine what Jesus meant when he preached the Sermon on the Mount and said that, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God." Matthew in the Beattitudes. We should never take out of context Jesus' words for we fall in great danger like Satan who tempted Jesus in the wilderness/desert by misquoting God's word. 

God told Isaac to stay in Egypt in Gerar. And in that famine, Isaac sowed and reaped a hundredfold!!! Genesis 25. The Bible says that the man grew so rich in cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys and servants that the Philistines grew jealous and so envious of him! I can imagine their jealous, envy and anger for it was during a famine. 

People should not try to limit God, for God is unlimited. People try to understand God, but God is fathomless. God has so many faces and attributes so He shows them in the many people. Test the spirit as we are cautioned then give thanks to God for His endless mercies, unboundless grace and loving kindness. If you don't understand something or someone, leave it to God. We cannot defend God. God is much more capable of defending Himself. We waste so much time by trying to defend God. Even the disciples asked Jesus if those they saw preaching in His name should be stopped! Jesus answered them by saying that whoever is for them or for him should not be stopped.

Notwithstanding false prophets and counterfeits, we should ask God to give us wisdom, discernment and grace as we work together in His field. The harvest is ripe but the harvesters are few.

 Let us ask the LORD of the Harvest to lead us into His Field that is ripe and ready. Let us stop the bickering we engage in that does not help us. The Devil delights in dividing us so that many are lost to him. Satan, the Devil wants to take as many with him to Hell by dividing and ruling us so that we don't focus on warning people, God's creation of the impending Doom. Hell is as real as the Sun rises from the East and sets in the West.

That's why Jesus prayed that we may be One just as They are One with the Father - Father, Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

 As Christians of the same Family of God our Father, we should strive to be one. Oneness does not mean that we are uniform.

 Correction - Family of God.

 Since we are created in God's image we are inherently different and inherently able to operate differently so as God to reveal Himself in the many of us. We don't have to be the same neither same modus operandi.

there are different utensils in the household of God.

Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Now in a great house there are not only articles of gold and silver, but also others of wood and of earthenware; and some are for specially honourable, and others for common use.

2 Timothy 2:19-20

Marriage: The Way God Intended it.

How to Love a Black Woman

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How to Love a Black Man

"Empowering...A revealing manual...[that] will challenge women to participate in and receive the benefits of meaningful, mutual, fulfilling relationships. Thank you, Dr. Ronn!"
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"We've been waiting for this for too long. For all women who want to know How to Love a Black Man, Dr. Ronn Elmore clears away the myths and barriers. We can do it!"
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Mercy, Mercy Me

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--Michele Andrea Bowen, author of Church Folk and Second Sunday

http://drronn.com/dr-ronn_bio.html

...Ronn Elmore, Psy.d is a relationship therapist, ordained minister, and author of the national best-seller How to Love a Black Man

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Thank you Dr. Ronn

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The Marriage Destroyer

There is an evil spirit going about destroying marriages. There is so much betrayal, much cheating, much mistrust and much pretense. Obviously, there is less or no God in the picture. And there is so much sex that is not attributed to the bed being holy. many people may not know that sex was created by God for the pleasure of His people, a man, the husband, and a woman, the wife.

"The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does." 1 Corinthians 7:3-4  

 Your body belongs to your wife, your body belongs to your husband. I the context of love.  You should love your wife or husband as your own body. Sex has been so manipulated by Satan, the Devil, the Evil one,that sexual orgies have risen. Unholy sex is for self gratification. "What can I get from you?" not "What can I give you?" so marriage based on sex and self gratification cannot last long.

Many men watch pornographic movies that show many positions of sex with one or more that one man or woman, then turn around to their women and demand them to do it to them like they saw it! Some of these positions are not meant for people but animals! So if you want sex like animals do it, why get a human being in form of a woman! Pornographic sex is not real sex in the context of a holy marriage. Pornographic sex are mostly ungodly sexual acts. These are done in the context of making money. In the context of no soul connection. In the context of no intimacy. In the context of lust. Sex done as a self selfish gratification act has no soul connection. "And the two shall become one." Sex done as a self /selfish act has no intimacy. Intimacy grows. Soul connection grows. Oneness grows.

 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Genesis 2:24
"...and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh." mark 10:8
"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh." Ephesians 1:3

The media has also not helped. there are many soap operas that heighten these betrayals, cheating, ...On the other hand, these movies/films are a reflection of the society we live in.

Church in the Morning, Witchcraft at Night

http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17050&Itemid=114

WEDNESDAY, 08 FEBRUARY 2012 00:30

WRITTEN BY ROBERT MUGAGGA

A great friend and successful Kikuubo businessman owns a fleet of cars.

Whenever he buys a new one, he first takes it to his home village where he performs some rituals at a traditional shrine. The ritual, according to Tom Galabuzi (not real names), guards the vehicles against accidents and thieves. The irony is that at the shrine, Galabuzi drapes the cars with rosaries he claims were specifically brought from the renowned Virgin Mary shrine of Fatima in Portugal.

Yet onlookers would never suspect that Galabuzi professes two religions; he is a staunch Catholic who attends mass regularly. Once, when I asked Galabuzi why he doesn’t simply call a priest to bless his newly bought cars he said: “It is true I come from a staunch Christian family, but I also strongly believe in certain traditional beliefs.

We were brought up believing there are problems both Christianity and traditional culture can solve together. Before Christianity came, didn’t our grandfathers believe in God?”

Galabuzi’s explanation reminded me of former Vice President Prof Gilbert Bukenya who, a few years ago, was almost excommunicated by the Catholic church for once performing ebigali (traditional rituals) at a shrine in Masaka. Bukenya, a regular church attendant who receives Holy Communion from the Archbishop himself, was perhaps trying to demonstrate that our African culture should be respected as well.

He, however, later apologized before the controversial issue blew out of proportion. Sometime later, police in Kampala arrested three suspected thieves in Kisekka market with the help of a witchdoctor from Kayunga.  The witchdoctor administered some herbs on the suspects and later confirmed that those who collapsed were the real culprits.

And did I hear that before the construction work of the Bujagali power dam on River Nile began, the government had to negotiate and relocate a powerful and much-feared witchdoctor in the area, Bujagali? Indeed there are reasons why Africans live a double standard, professing Christianity on particular days and traditionalism on others. For some, it’s because of Christianity’s failure to resonate with their lives.

The Instrumentum Laboris of the 1994 African Catholic bishops synod commented that Christianity remains for many Africans “a stranger religion”.

“This is the source of a certain double quality in living their beliefs, holding them divided between their faith in Jesus Christ and customs or tradition practices.”

Theologians like Steve Nganda, once wrote about inculturation -  the effort to make Christ and his message relevant to the people in a given culture. Nganda writes that people should have faith in both Christianity and the traditional values. Missing one, he says, is like missing both.

Writing about witchcraft, another theologian, G.M Tlaba, argues that when people practise witchcraft, it shows that Christianity has not yet had an impact as the African religion. Elsewhere, Joseph Ssekiwalyanga of Kyengera believes that there would not be any conflict if Christianity responded to all man’s day-to-day needs.

“Every day we hear radio announcements of magical witchdoctors claiming that they can solve any problem under planet earth and these tend to attract many youth into visiting their shrines.

“They claim they can revive lost love, enable people get American visas, instant riches and barren women to conceive,” he says.

Yet for people like Ssalongo Nicholas Mutumba of Musigula, Lubaga, there’s nothing wrong with witchcraft as long as no ritual killings or sacrifices occur.

“Despite being Christians, our family often converges in the village to offer sacrifices to traditional gods. This traditional ritual is part of our culture and is as old as the Buganda kingdom itself,”  Mutumba says.

But not every Ugandan is enamoured by the witchcraft craze. James Kagoda, a boda boda operator along Luwuum street is amused that people flock to witchdoctors’ shrines to acquire riches.

“How do you expect a witchdoctor who wears torn shirts and lugabire [sandals] to enable you become a millionaire when he himself wallows in poverty?” he asks.

And, of course, religious leaders are unhappy that some of their flock visit shrines. Rev Fr Anthony Musuubire of Kigowa-Ntinda Catholic parish says witchcraft of any sort should have no place in the lives of true Christians.

“Christians should accept Jesus Christ as the sole provider to all their needs,” he says.

Fr Musuubire attributes the problem to some churches’ failure to reach out to its people, leaving them no option but to seek traditional engagements. And what does the Bible say? Throughout Jesus Christ’s life, He is seen constantly engaged in battle against evil spirits.

Since Christ in the gospel encountered the devil, it is entirely proper for Christians to believe in the existence of Satan and evil practices like witchcraft. Perhaps they should read St. Paul’s warning to the Galatians:

“I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel.  But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal 1:6-7)

Elsewhere, a great Italian scholar, St. Thomas Aquinas once taught that everything that demons do is subject to God’s consent. He taught that dewmons could indeed perform miracles by clever deceit and tricks, but their power is always secondary to and dependent on the power of God.

 musengeridavid@yahoo.com

Merry Christmas 2011 and A Happy and Prosperous 2012

Belated Merry Christmas 2011

It is never late to wish you a merry Christmas even though it looks like it passed. The message is still the same. The results still the same. Mary, young, unmarried, inexperienced, yet betrothed, engaged to Joseph, got pregnant with Jesus. This was a very strange situation that could even end in death for her. God works mysteriously and He is Lord of everything. How could a young virgin woman become pregnant without ever sexually knowing a a man? And how could just a woman be chosen to bear Jesus, God's own Son? Only a woman who did not amount to much in this culture and society! Jewish men prayed in the temple and thanked God for not making them a woman! Indeed God has a sense of humour!


“34 How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin?
35 The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
37 For nothing is impossible with God.
38 I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered. May it be to me as you have said. Then the angel left her.” (Luke 1)

Do you trust God to do the unnatural in your life or you are still waiting on the status quo?

Don't you think that if Mary had not been obedient to God's angel she would have missed the chance to be blessed among women? Luke 1:46-55

Do you have missed opportunities in you life by not being obedient to the angels God has sent your way?
This is the time to trust God and obey His messengers. Do not let opportunities pass you by just because they don't fit what you know, what you are used to or what you think. Do not be bound down by the created natural or physical principles that the Creator created. For the Creator can change the creation. The Potter can change the pottery. For God is still Sovereign, the LORD of lords, the King of kings, the LORD Almighty, the Great I AM, Alpha and Omega, has no beginning no end. There is still nothing impossible with God.

And A Happy and Prosperous 2012

As we usher in 2012 let us look at another young virgin woman, Hadassah, Mordecai's cousin, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
When the king's order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king's palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem.
Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.
Every day he walked to and fro near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favour of everyone who saw her.
Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favour and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai's instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up. (Esther 2)

Do you use wisdom in your daily deliberations? Do you use discretion with whoever you deal with? Do you have to say everything about you especially in this age of digital and permanent information? Do you liberally splash yourself in the digital age or are you conservative? Do you ever think about your being wherever you are in time as a divine appointment? Do you respect and obey those whom God has put in your life over you? These may be blood relatives. They may be non relatives like Hegai, the eunuch. Do you see beyond the visible inabilities or physical inabilities of those God has put charge over you? Esther could have chosen to be disobedient, but she did not. My Sister, my Brother, these are the times when to be obedient is out of fashion, yet disobedience is the normal.

This is your Year for just one night with the King that can change everything in your life from little to more. However, one night with the King took preparation of more than one night, but years in the making, just like Queen Esther.

All is not lost, if you haven't been obedient, begin from today, now.
Whoever has been in your life and is in your life is for your preparation. Humility is a part of obedience. Obedience is a key to a wholly prosperous and long life.


Welcome into 2012. God bless you as you obey.

Rev. Jessica Nakawombe