Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
GOD IS SPEAKING QUIETLY IN KENYA.
There was a time I was preparing some teachings in the book of 1 Samuel and Mwalimu Martin K. Bussey recommended to me a commentary written by Dale Ralph Davis entitled “Looking on the heart”. Focus on the Bible series published by Christian focus.
Let me start by quoting Dale Ralph Davis in Page 24 of his commentary “Yahweh is so quietly at work that we cannot hear Him, but the mess at Shiloh is so visible that we cannot miss it”
When we look at chapter 2 these are some things we are seeing the wickedness of Eli's Son (vv12-17), we also see their moral degradation in (VV 22-25) and prophecy against Eli's household( VV 27-36).
But in the midst of all this evils we are reading there is a phrase which is repeated over and over again. The phrase is Samuel is serving (V II), Samuel is serving (VV 18-21) and Samuel growing (V 26) and Samuel serving, 3:10.
This is how Davis put it “ These brief Samuel – notes are note worthy. They tell us that Yahweh is already at work providing for a new, godly leadership for His people. There are no slogans, no campaigns no speeches. It is all very quiet.”
Indeed the writer is telling us that things are bad but don't forget Samuel, he is serving, and he is growing.
When I look at Kenya my country things are bad but God is speaking quietly, that sometimes we may not notice wonderful things He is doing.
Let me start with the mess which is so visible in our country that you cannot miss just the mess at Shiloh.
There was a story in the Standard Newspaper pm 11/1/2010 : This strange world of false pastors and “Prophets”. They target vulnerable people and promise to work miracles in exchange to cash.” “Any problem like unemployment or sickness is an opportunity for false prophecy”.
A lot which is being witnessed in our country like – personality cults, prosperity gospel, leadership wrangles and divisions, church leaders lording over their members, manipulation and petty church politics.
A friend told me of a preacher who anointed ten chairs with oil and then he told people that ten people who will sit on these chairs after paying 10,000/= are going to get great financial breakthrough and people scrambled to sit on these chairs.
In spite of the above things I have mentioned God is at work in our beloved country. He is speaking quietly. Let me mention some things which shows that He is at work in our country.
Do you know that good Christians literatures and commentaries are now being translated into Kiswahili and Wanjiko (common man) will now be able to read good books in Kiswahili. I have worked in rural areas for many years and I know many good pastors who cannot speak or read English but the sad story is that we don't have good books in Kiswahili but we thank God that less equipped ministers in various parts of our country are going to benefit from translation.
These are some books which are available in Kiswahili, Je umezaliw mara ya pili? Dhambi ni hatari and many others.
Last year attended a pastors conference in Kisumu where the book of John was exposed to us and the following subjects were also taught Christ as our priest, prophet, the Saviour and Christ the King. We also went through Isaiah 53, as you can see the preachings and teaching we all Christ centred as opposed to man centred preaching which is so popular in our land.
Grace Baptist Church Eldoret was having their first anniversary since the church was constituted and I attended the function. It was very encouraging to see people singing with joy and to see what the Lord is doing there.
The sermon preached that day was why the gospel is glorious (1Tim 1:11-18). We saw that the gospel is glorious because it reveals God's Character, it reveals God's purpose and it reveals God's power.
There is a good Christian book based in Karan (NEGEST) Where Bibles, Bible dictionaries,concordance and vital commentaries can be accessed at a very low prise. The bookshop is called African Christian texts books (ACTS). A commentary like the one I have quoted can be found there.
Gospel for Africa, through brother Chad have been sending to us resources like DVDs, CDs and books. Many pastors even those who are not from reform background are benefiting from these resources.
For example now I am listening to DVD video by Ligonier Ministries pastors conference 2002, where Sinclair Ferguson, W. Robert Godfrey are dealing with rightly dividing the word of truth and John MacAthur on hath God said? We thank God that good resources are coming into our country.
We have a missionary in our country who have been giving MP3 player to pastors packed with sermons by Stuart Olyott.
In Ukambani, there are 12 reformed Baptist Churches in various areas and they are reaching out to masaini where there is a church plant going on in a place called Bisil.
There is also pastoral theological training going on in Ukambani students are taught 2 weeks per month.
I have a brother and a friend called Mikeal Stenhammar based in Mtwapa Mombasa, who is doing a good job. He is training students how to interpret Bible, and he is also writing some apologetic articles.Has a plan of having library where pastors and students can gather and read good books.
Conclusion. What I am saying is that even though man centred preaching and teaching is every where in our country but here are these who are preaching the true gospel and we must not forget them. We need to pray for them and show those seeking true way of salvation where they can find them.
Let me start by quoting Dale Ralph Davis in Page 24 of his commentary “Yahweh is so quietly at work that we cannot hear Him, but the mess at Shiloh is so visible that we cannot miss it”
When we look at chapter 2 these are some things we are seeing the wickedness of Eli's Son (vv12-17), we also see their moral degradation in (VV 22-25) and prophecy against Eli's household( VV 27-36).
But in the midst of all this evils we are reading there is a phrase which is repeated over and over again. The phrase is Samuel is serving (V II), Samuel is serving (VV 18-21) and Samuel growing (V 26) and Samuel serving, 3:10.
This is how Davis put it “ These brief Samuel – notes are note worthy. They tell us that Yahweh is already at work providing for a new, godly leadership for His people. There are no slogans, no campaigns no speeches. It is all very quiet.”
Indeed the writer is telling us that things are bad but don't forget Samuel, he is serving, and he is growing.
When I look at Kenya my country things are bad but God is speaking quietly, that sometimes we may not notice wonderful things He is doing.
Let me start with the mess which is so visible in our country that you cannot miss just the mess at Shiloh.
There was a story in the Standard Newspaper pm 11/1/2010 : This strange world of false pastors and “Prophets”. They target vulnerable people and promise to work miracles in exchange to cash.” “Any problem like unemployment or sickness is an opportunity for false prophecy”.
A lot which is being witnessed in our country like – personality cults, prosperity gospel, leadership wrangles and divisions, church leaders lording over their members, manipulation and petty church politics.
A friend told me of a preacher who anointed ten chairs with oil and then he told people that ten people who will sit on these chairs after paying 10,000/= are going to get great financial breakthrough and people scrambled to sit on these chairs.
In spite of the above things I have mentioned God is at work in our beloved country. He is speaking quietly. Let me mention some things which shows that He is at work in our country.
Do you know that good Christians literatures and commentaries are now being translated into Kiswahili and Wanjiko (common man) will now be able to read good books in Kiswahili. I have worked in rural areas for many years and I know many good pastors who cannot speak or read English but the sad story is that we don't have good books in Kiswahili but we thank God that less equipped ministers in various parts of our country are going to benefit from translation.
These are some books which are available in Kiswahili, Je umezaliw mara ya pili? Dhambi ni hatari and many others.
Last year attended a pastors conference in Kisumu where the book of John was exposed to us and the following subjects were also taught Christ as our priest, prophet, the Saviour and Christ the King. We also went through Isaiah 53, as you can see the preachings and teaching we all Christ centred as opposed to man centred preaching which is so popular in our land.
Grace Baptist Church Eldoret was having their first anniversary since the church was constituted and I attended the function. It was very encouraging to see people singing with joy and to see what the Lord is doing there.
The sermon preached that day was why the gospel is glorious (1Tim 1:11-18). We saw that the gospel is glorious because it reveals God's Character, it reveals God's purpose and it reveals God's power.
There is a good Christian book based in Karan (NEGEST) Where Bibles, Bible dictionaries,concordance and vital commentaries can be accessed at a very low prise. The bookshop is called African Christian texts books (ACTS). A commentary like the one I have quoted can be found there.
Gospel for Africa, through brother Chad have been sending to us resources like DVDs, CDs and books. Many pastors even those who are not from reform background are benefiting from these resources.
For example now I am listening to DVD video by Ligonier Ministries pastors conference 2002, where Sinclair Ferguson, W. Robert Godfrey are dealing with rightly dividing the word of truth and John MacAthur on hath God said? We thank God that good resources are coming into our country.
We have a missionary in our country who have been giving MP3 player to pastors packed with sermons by Stuart Olyott.
In Ukambani, there are 12 reformed Baptist Churches in various areas and they are reaching out to masaini where there is a church plant going on in a place called Bisil.
There is also pastoral theological training going on in Ukambani students are taught 2 weeks per month.
I have a brother and a friend called Mikeal Stenhammar based in Mtwapa Mombasa, who is doing a good job. He is training students how to interpret Bible, and he is also writing some apologetic articles.Has a plan of having library where pastors and students can gather and read good books.
Conclusion. What I am saying is that even though man centred preaching and teaching is every where in our country but here are these who are preaching the true gospel and we must not forget them. We need to pray for them and show those seeking true way of salvation where they can find them.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Why I believe the doctrine of Man’s depravity
Introduction:
I believe in the doctrine of man’s total depravity because it is taught plainly in the Bible. Let us look at:
THE EXTENT OF THE FALL (Rom 3:9-20)
There are two issues here- extensiveness and the intensiveness ( Rom 3:13-18) ( Rom 3:23) – all are sinners; ( Rom 3:13-18) Paul poetically uses the part of body to show that every part of us is sinful.
Extensiveness: Sin has affected all people. It is universal. It is not limited to few isolated individual or even the majority of the human race. All human race without exception are sinners.
Intensiveness: How deep is our sin, your sin, my sin?
We do not accidentally sin or do evil. Our very inclination is evil. Our heart is wrong and must be changed, we need to be created a new ( Jer 31: 33, E3 11:19, we do not merely commit sin, sinful. Our sin is total or total depravity.
Now let us go back to Romans 3:9-20 and see what the bible says:
1. The fall is universal everyone has been affected by it. Jews and Gentiles are under sin (v9) Paul proves this point by referring to old Testament
“ There is none righteous, no not one,
There is none who understands,
There is none who seek after God
They love all tuned aside
There is none who does good no not one”
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
What we are seeing here is that all men are depraved.
Mwalimu (teacher) Martin K. Bussey commenting on verse (9) says “All men (Jews and Gentiles) are under sins. Sin here is pictured as a terrible master who has all men in his power. All are slaves of sin, and unable to break free from it”
Although we do not want to think ourselves as evil or sinful persons the scriptures teaches that we are all sinful.
2. All our faculties have been affected by the fall. It flows from the heart ( the core of the person). In verse 10-12 we see that the fall has affected our character “ there is no righteous not one” and it has affected our practice none seek after God our chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever but none is seeking after Him. To be saved is a grace of God.
Another faculty which is depraved is man’s speech (vv 13-14) whose mouth is full deceit cursing bitterness poisonous. When God look at our walk and inner attitude vv15-18 show that He see them as murderous, destructive and empty, without peace and without godly fear.
3. Our will is corrupt and our understanding is darkened. As the scripture says,
“because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish heart were darkened ( Rom 1:21)
As the scripture says:
“Whose minds the gods of this age has blinded ( 2 Cori 4:4) ( 1Cor 2:14, Eph 17-19 our will is bent towards evil ( Rom 8:7,8. ) It is impossible for us to please God scripture says:
“So then those who are in flesh cannot please God” ( Rom 8:8)
4. Our emotions have gone wrong we desire wrong things ( Rom 1:24-27, 2Tim 3:2-4
Therefore we have become slave to sin. All the above number 1-4 add up to the doctrine of total depravity.
What total depravity does not mean:
(i) it does not mean that unregenerated person is totally insensitive to right and wrong ( Rom 2:15 )
(ii) Does not mean sinful person is as sinful as he could be or very sinful. There are unregenerated person who are very good and genuine altruistic who show kindness. Love, care for the family and many other noble things.
(iii) Does not mean that the sinner engages in very possible form of sin.
It is a matter of the entire person. The seat of sin is not one aspect of a person but entire person. Everything we do and think is twisted and corrupted by sin. It falls short of God’s standard of righteousness or requirement.
Let me repeat here that total depravity means that sin has affected all aspect of our being. For example:
(a) it has polluted corrupted or tainted our mind. “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so ( Rom 8:7)
(b) It has corrupted or affected our freedom. “Everyone who is a slave to sin” ( John 8:34)
(c) Sin has affected our desires. “All of us also lived among them at one time gratifying the cravings of our sinful mature and following its desires and thought ( Eph 2:3)
(d) Sin has affected our heart. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil, thoughts a adulterous, fornication, murderer ------ ( Mark 7:21-23)
What we are seeing here is that even our very best is still tainted with sin. There is nothing we can do 100%
Applications: total depravity implies total inability to save ourselves.
“Pulling ourselves up, we cannot, we need somebody from external to extricate us”
Therefore let me end by saying this: Man is incapable of saving himself in a whole or part ( Isa 64:6 Rom 3:20. We can only be saved by grace ( Eph 2:8-9)
As I was writing I had these two commentaries with me.
The message of Romans by Martin K. Bussey
Romans simply explained by Stuart Olyot.
I believe in the doctrine of man’s total depravity because it is taught plainly in the Bible. Let us look at:
THE EXTENT OF THE FALL (Rom 3:9-20)
There are two issues here- extensiveness and the intensiveness ( Rom 3:13-18) ( Rom 3:23) – all are sinners; ( Rom 3:13-18) Paul poetically uses the part of body to show that every part of us is sinful.
Extensiveness: Sin has affected all people. It is universal. It is not limited to few isolated individual or even the majority of the human race. All human race without exception are sinners.
Intensiveness: How deep is our sin, your sin, my sin?
We do not accidentally sin or do evil. Our very inclination is evil. Our heart is wrong and must be changed, we need to be created a new ( Jer 31: 33, E3 11:19, we do not merely commit sin, sinful. Our sin is total or total depravity.
Now let us go back to Romans 3:9-20 and see what the bible says:
1. The fall is universal everyone has been affected by it. Jews and Gentiles are under sin (v9) Paul proves this point by referring to old Testament
“ There is none righteous, no not one,
There is none who understands,
There is none who seek after God
They love all tuned aside
There is none who does good no not one”
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
What we are seeing here is that all men are depraved.
Mwalimu (teacher) Martin K. Bussey commenting on verse (9) says “All men (Jews and Gentiles) are under sins. Sin here is pictured as a terrible master who has all men in his power. All are slaves of sin, and unable to break free from it”
Although we do not want to think ourselves as evil or sinful persons the scriptures teaches that we are all sinful.
2. All our faculties have been affected by the fall. It flows from the heart ( the core of the person). In verse 10-12 we see that the fall has affected our character “ there is no righteous not one” and it has affected our practice none seek after God our chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever but none is seeking after Him. To be saved is a grace of God.
Another faculty which is depraved is man’s speech (vv 13-14) whose mouth is full deceit cursing bitterness poisonous. When God look at our walk and inner attitude vv15-18 show that He see them as murderous, destructive and empty, without peace and without godly fear.
3. Our will is corrupt and our understanding is darkened. As the scripture says,
“because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish heart were darkened ( Rom 1:21)
As the scripture says:
“Whose minds the gods of this age has blinded ( 2 Cori 4:4) ( 1Cor 2:14, Eph 17-19 our will is bent towards evil ( Rom 8:7,8. ) It is impossible for us to please God scripture says:
“So then those who are in flesh cannot please God” ( Rom 8:8)
4. Our emotions have gone wrong we desire wrong things ( Rom 1:24-27, 2Tim 3:2-4
Therefore we have become slave to sin. All the above number 1-4 add up to the doctrine of total depravity.
What total depravity does not mean:
(i) it does not mean that unregenerated person is totally insensitive to right and wrong ( Rom 2:15 )
(ii) Does not mean sinful person is as sinful as he could be or very sinful. There are unregenerated person who are very good and genuine altruistic who show kindness. Love, care for the family and many other noble things.
(iii) Does not mean that the sinner engages in very possible form of sin.
It is a matter of the entire person. The seat of sin is not one aspect of a person but entire person. Everything we do and think is twisted and corrupted by sin. It falls short of God’s standard of righteousness or requirement.
Let me repeat here that total depravity means that sin has affected all aspect of our being. For example:
(a) it has polluted corrupted or tainted our mind. “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so ( Rom 8:7)
(b) It has corrupted or affected our freedom. “Everyone who is a slave to sin” ( John 8:34)
(c) Sin has affected our desires. “All of us also lived among them at one time gratifying the cravings of our sinful mature and following its desires and thought ( Eph 2:3)
(d) Sin has affected our heart. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil, thoughts a adulterous, fornication, murderer ------ ( Mark 7:21-23)
What we are seeing here is that even our very best is still tainted with sin. There is nothing we can do 100%
Applications: total depravity implies total inability to save ourselves.
“Pulling ourselves up, we cannot, we need somebody from external to extricate us”
Therefore let me end by saying this: Man is incapable of saving himself in a whole or part ( Isa 64:6 Rom 3:20. We can only be saved by grace ( Eph 2:8-9)
As I was writing I had these two commentaries with me.
The message of Romans by Martin K. Bussey
Romans simply explained by Stuart Olyot.
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