You are in the wrong church

Last week while I shared my sentiments on why Joel Osteen is doing a great job motivating people but why he should be addressed as a motivational speaker and not a pastor, I knew emotions, good and bad could be raised in equal measures. A friend of mine blasted me and questioned why I am the self proclaimed righteous. The next question that popped on that status update was what is the right church and who is the right servant of God? I do not want to be judgemental, I want to refer to the biblical teachings which in the spiritual realms are the sound doctrines, the teaching by which Christ commanded that they should remain in me. I will not tell you about the right church, I will tell you about the wrong one, so that it will be upon you to make the right decision.
Isiah 35: 8 and a highway will be there, it will be called the way of holiness. the unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there.
In the contemporary world, a highway in most cases is named after its destination. In the Kenyan context, The Thika super highway takes you to Thika, the same goes for Mombasa road, it lands you in Mombasa. Others are Namanga road, Kiambu road, Murang'a road, Nakuru Highway, all of which are named according to the destination. Now Isiah speaks about a Highway, its name is the way of holiness. This means the destination of this highway is a place called holy. Now who is found in this place called Holy, let us consult Leviticus 19 : 2 " speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy". It is God the almighty, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is the ruler of the destination of this highway.

But is it everybody that will journey on this highway? not really, let alone reaching the destination. A church is a ministry in the spiritual realms. It is a vehicle that takes you to a destination. The destination is called Holy. The place where God is. Now this means for you to know if you are in the right church, the vehicle (church) should be found not anywhere else but on this highway, the highway of holiness. Any road a part from this highway, it is basically taking you to a different destination. There you might never find God.

How will you know that actually your church is sailing on this highway. I will tell you how. The unclean will not journey on it. These are the defiled souls. Those who indulge in sexual immorality, discord, dissension, debauchery, idolatry and as Paul names them in Romans 13: 13. If such people are comfortably sharing a congregation with you, then reader be aware. At least question the destination in which the vehicle is headed. Check and confirm if the road signs indicate that it is the highway of holiness, if not it is time you should alight and look for the right vehicle to take you there.

Secondly wicked fools will not go about on it, these are the words of Isiah. Now who is the wicked fool. Proverbs 13: 19 " A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. " Essentially a fool is he who detests the gospel of christ Jesus and his servant John the Baptist. Repent and turn away from your evil, live a separate, righteous and holy life. Now if in this vehicle, there are those who are still in sexual immorality, in deception, slander, adultery, idolatry, selfish ambitions, drunkenness and name them, may be you should be worried. If your church is housing homosexuals, corrupt people, prostitutes, witches and all sorts of evil, it is not on this highway. I am not saying, that the people are not sinners, everybody has fallen short of the glory of God according to Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" but in the event where the element of recognizing sin, confessing that is sin, repenting and the eventual turning away from our evil deeds is what makes the difference.
Also on this highway, no lion will be there, nor the ferocious beast. This goes to the shepherds, they are entrusted in guiding the sheep of Christ towards the right direction. Now the ferocious beast is what we are experiencing in end times, those who turn against the sheep and lead them astray, they turn against their sheep and rob them of their property and salvation. Talk about the many cases where the shepherd (pastor) has turned against the faithfulness for sexual immorality, recent a senior church bishop was found dead on a woman's bed. the panda mbegus, the false prophets are not found on this highway. Recently a senior member of a church has accused the church of devil worship and the shepherds indulging in homosexuality. Another pastor (father) quit his calling and confessed having slept with nuns and sisters for fifteen years of God's service without any concerns from the church leadership. Does such like issues arise in your church, is your pastor blamed for some of the above allegations, sexual immorality, financial impropriety, devil worship or homosexuality, corruption and deception. it is time you should realize that Christ is about to come and your salvation is your sole responsibility.
Now if you want to know that it is the right church, Isiah says, only the redeemed will walk there. Those who worship God in spirit, those who have turned away from their evil past. Those who love Christ through obeying his commands. The redeemed of God. The pure in heart that Jesus describes in Mathews 5:8. those who will walk on this highway, and those who eventually will see God. As you contemplate of the position of your church, whether it is on the right road or the wrong road, remember also Mathew 7: 13

Joel Osteen's Fellowship, Sorry I have to disappoint you

Early this week, news reaching my desk was that the popular American motivational speaker Joel Osteen's church had been broken into. The cash vaults were dismantled and Dollars worth 600,000 made away with. Speculators and keen observers started doing calculations of how much this church makes in a single year. In a year's time assuming the stolen cash was a single day's tithes and offerings collection, a single years revenue from this lakewood church totals $32,000,000. that is an equivalent to 2.6 billion kenyan shillings. That is a good amount of money, that most of us can do anything to put our hands on, isn't it?
Now, you my audience are wondering what the hell am I talking about this American preacher. Did you ask yourself why I reffered to him as a motivational speaker and not a servant of God. I have been following keenly on the unfolding events that are associated with Christianity around the world both for the developed and the developing societies. Things are happening so fast, innovation is the order of the day and something tells me the church too, is innovating. I know am stepping on your toes, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meryer and Teddy Jakes are some of your favorite clergies. Am sorry today we will have to go down to the good book. The bible. Today my calling is to show you the light, because I believe, I am the bride(Church) and christ is the bridegroom and he said, in mathews 5 :14 that we are the light of the world, oooh yes, today let my light shine upon you.
I respect Joel Osteen, he is a humble and nice guy. Personally I admire his personality. He has done a great job encouraging masses of people including you and me, that actually, our faith in God will always bear fruits. that is for the time being while we still in this defiled world. However, there's much to a christian and a believer in christ. God promises in jeremiah 29:11' for I know, the plans I have for you, declares the lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'.
That is very true Joel, the lord will reward his people, mark my words 'his people'. However I watched his interview on live television, while Joel says he does not rebuke sin in his church. That everybody is at liberty to act according to his concious. He reminds me what paul had to say about the preachers of the prosperity gospel, 2 timothy 4: 3 for the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Today I will not tell you what you want to hear. I will tell you the truth, that paul saw it coming, he saw people like Joel Osteens, Joyce Meryers and teddy jakes and the Kenyan panda mbegus coming. Lakewood church has got the greatest gathering in the America. Why is that so, paul says in 2 timothy 4:3 they will gather around them a great number, why the great number? because the great number is for those who do not want to hear what the lord has for them, they want to hear what the preacher has to promise them. so where are they headed to, Jesus told them in Mathews 7: 13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
At this point, you understand why Joel Osteen has got the greatest following, his road is wide, he does not rebuke sin, he does not tell his sheep to repent and pursue a righteous and holy life, he does not tell them to be separate and come out of the world and live a holy separated life that is acceptable to the father. joel Osteen does not rebuke homo sexuality, he does not rebuke lust, he does not rebuke selfish ambitions, he does not rebuke Idolatry that comes about the chasing of money. His, is a church for the sinner and the righteous, the church for those who want financial rewards from above and not the anointing of the holy spirit.
Sadly, because a great deal of Americans are consuming the bitters waters from the alters of Lakewood church, the third world in our ignorance have followed suit. It is with deep regret to tell you that Joel Osteen does not justify his perspective. he uses human understanding and popular opinion. So if this is the case, how comes he is promising you material blessing in the name of the lord and yet he does not preach God's perspective to mankind. I know I have disappointed you, for I have not spoken what you expect me to speak, I know you will hate me from today hence forth but am sorry this is why Jesus came, Mathew 10:37 For I have come to turn" a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law".

Odinga might Be right

While I was away the deputy president flew to the Netherlands, and while I was away again Raila Odinga lamented the military for being partisan and trying to perpetuate status qua. I cannot ascertain the truth behind Odinga's allegation because am an alien in the corridors of power, am a distant spectator who only can see the smoke and sometimes not even see the fire. But being alive in the political arena, I know Odinga is the man who will speak whenever he is pressed. some may think, he is loosing his mind, but I guess it was time to spill the beans.
I read a post yesterday on the social media, that Odinga should forget about the presidency since he has lashed at the army. Maybe that is very true, but can the intensity of his allegation really affirm the truth of this matter. Might our military been part of this conspiracy, to frustrate Kenya's democratic course? that might be true, but it might not also be true, because as I said earlier, am an alien in the corridors of power.
Again, the national intelligence security have resolved to pursue Odinga, am not sure why? Do they want to establish the truth behind his allegations or do they want to victimise the man for whatever reason. what I also do not understand, is the legality of his allegations and its implications to the independence of the bills of rights. The membranes that house our bills of rights are semi porous, This gives the government the right to confiscate these freedoms, if we put them in the wrong use.
But what define the 'wrong use' is the bone of contention. Freedom of expression, where is the ceiling of this freedom? Is it the supremacy of the government? the under dealings of the government? The character of the president and his presidency? Does the tenets of accountability and transparency exclude the mega government projects like the standard gauge railway? Is our military so immune to public criticism so that any allegations levelled against the military attracts sanction and arrest warrants?
A government that is inducing fear in its citizenry, is not pegged on the principles of democracy. If tribal mobilizations are what define our politics, and if further this is undermining the progress of our nationality, the government should be the remedy. You don't heal the tribal wounds by rewarding loyal tribes and alienating those with dissenting views. You don't unite a nation by victimizing the opposition. You don't preach democracy while dissent cannot be tolerated in your administration.
Something is surely cooking in our government, and we must stand on our feet and proclaim democracy. We must quench our thirsty of the so much questions unanswered on the standard gauge railway. We must establish the truth behind Odinga's allegation against the military. We must also question the president's word on how he can unite this nation minus skewed public appointments. Am just a Kenyan and not a politician.

What Plans do you have for 2014? Here are suggestions

For the previous week since the advent of the new year, I have read so much on what people expect out of this year. Some are looking ahead with pessimism and hopelessness while the majority believe it is the year of breakthrough and great favour. The mixed reaction as i understand can explain the different paths we have come as individuals and whether our former plans materialised. However, it is often said that those who don't plan are otherwise planning to fail. Whether our previous resolutions materialised or not, that is not enough for us not to plan for the future. The mystics of tomorrow favour those who plan for them.
I personally believe 2014 like never before is going to be a year of breakthrough and favour in all the aspects of my life. The optimism that has defined my attitude will propel me to heights that people might not believe. Let me not pretend to have already lived in the future, but for the record, i want to believe in myself, my ability and aptitude. Just to share on the guidelines i used when coming up with my new years resolutions, here are some of what I thought could enable me penetrate through this year prosperously;
1. Time is of the essence, every second counts. Remember it is money, you waste time, you are equally wasting money.
2. Feed your mind an apple, it will produce juice, but feed it poison it will die. What your mind consumes and values will determine the direction of your initiatives. Consume knowledge that is beneficial and that can create utility, stop pursuing inconsequential, obsolete and destructive information it will render you irrelevant.
3. Only action changes reality, thinking doesn't. Believe in acting, because without actions, your noble and powerful ideas won't materialize.
4. Discipline is paramount. The difference between your resolutions and there destiny is discipline. Do you walk your talk? Do you stick to your timetable? Are you honest to yourself?
5. With great power, comes a great responsibility. information is power, consolidate it in the right manner. Peg your responsibilities in closing up of societal gaps, that will go along way to surpass your personal aspirations
6. Responsibility gravitates on those that can shoulder them. Do not be afraid of responsibility, while it comes to you always believe that you have the capability to carry them out. Be a risk taker and have the courage even to pursue unfamiliar territories.
7. Your Mind is your greatest asset. Remember on a daily basis we utilize only 10% of our mental capacity, at the death end, 90% of our useful self is wasted in the grave. Make the difference, increase this % to 20, then to 50%, Things for you will never be the same again.
8. Remember, it is the information Era. Only information, will keep you relevant, it is high time you should love reading, watching news, attending seminars and conferences. This will make you stand out from the crowd.
9. Change is a double edged sword, it is no longer those who adapt that survive, it is those who pursue change that survive. Change no longer changes people, it destroys people.
10. Own your destiny. Only yourself will be answerable to the father on the day of judgement and only yourself will be answerable to your destiny. Learn to stand alone and define the course of your life. seek for advice, make your decisions.
That said and done, i believe all of us will be useful components of the society, we shall transform this nation into a desired Utopia and going forward the generations to come will live in a better world than ours. Shalom

Discover your Potential

With great power comes a great responsibility, that is the greatest philosophy i have ever come across. how we define power and responsibility is a matter of greatness of our minds. Martin Luther King affirmed the notion that all men were created equal by God's powerful hands. Yes, equal we must be served by society and equal we must be protected by our governments. But there's one thing about society that people seem to disregard, that our minds were created with the prerogative of autonomy.
This should be the essence of democracy. Each and every should be entitled to his opinions and perceptions so long as it is within the membranes of morality and civilization. That said and done, we must wake up to the realization that mankind is rich in culture and traditions. All this shape our perceptions and mindset. How we perceive problems is different from how other societies perceive problem. How we judge success is different from how Indians, Chinese, Americans and other societies do the same. We must harmonise all these differences and establish a platform where globalization can be a real playing ground where equality and equity is easier said and done.
Every problem must have a solution, and every solution must emanate from a particular problem. How sweet is it to conceive a solution to a perennial problem. An empowered society is that which is capable and willing to solve societal problems. As a boy child, being part of society, i have learnt to share the responsibility of problem solving. Uniting in victory and triumph, is the half way definition of unity. The ultimate unity is defined by the shared responsibility in times of distress and depressions.The power of our minds can never be realised, until that time when a formidable step separates us from the grave yard.
The greatest asset is our mind, it is the powerhouse of all the complexity of this concrete jungle of our time. We must learn and tune our minds to perceive problems as an opportunity to bring out the best in we, if not an opportunity to change the world. A broke university student, had a problem. He did not have the bus fare back home. The holiday was finally here and a money order from his village could only reach him, when the new year set in. He scratched his head. Then he looked at his phone. He discovered an item called Sambaza. An idea came up. Earlier on in the hostels he had seen his friends transferring credit to other handsets in exchange for cash.
This was an opportunity, to save his misery. His mother sent him airtime worthy his bus fare, he exchanged it for cash and through this the mobile money transfer was conceived. Now the world is mobile and the world is money. Some of us could not survive minus this technology, but just imagine if it was not for a distressed niggar, we could be a frustrated lot. Shalom

The 4 Most Effective Ways Leaders Solve Problems

With as many problems as we are all faced with in our work and life, it seems as if there is never enough time to solve each one without dealing with some adversity along the way.  Problems keep mounting so fast that we find ourselves taking short-cuts to temporarily alleviate the tension points – so we can move onto the next problem. In the process, we fail to solve the core of each problem we are dealt; thus we continuously get caught in the trap of a never-ending cycle that makes it difficult to find any real resolutions.  Sound familiar?

Problem solving is the essence of what leaders exist to do.  As leaders, the goal is to minimize the occurrence of problems – which means we must be courageous enough to tackle them head-on before circumstances force our hand.  We must be resilient in our quest to create and sustain momentum for the organization and people we serve. But the reality of the workplace   finds us dealing with people that complicate matters with their corporate politicking, self-promotion, power-plays and ploys, and envy. Silos, lack of budgets and resources, and many other random acts or circumstances also make it harder for people to be productive.

Competitors equally create problems for us when they unexpectedly convert a long-standing client, establish a new industry relationship, or launch a new product, brand or corporate strategy.   Mergers & acquisitions keep us on our toes and further distract us from solving existing problems by creating new ones.

As Karl Popper, one of the most influential 20thcentury philosophers of science, once eloquently stated, “All life is problem solving.” I’ve often contended that the best leaders are the best problem solvers. They have the patience to step back and see the problem at-hand through broadened observation; circular vision. They see around, beneath and beyond the problem itself. They see well-beyond the obvious. The most effective leaders approach problems through a lens of opportunity.

Leaders who lack this wisdom approach problems with linear vision – thus only seeing the problem that lies directly in front of them and blocking the possibilities that lie within the problem. As such, they never see the totality of what the problem represents; that it can actually serve as an enabler to improve existing best practices, protocols and standard operating procedures for growing and competing in the marketplace. They never realize that, in the end, all problems are the same – just packaged differently.

A leader must never view a problem as a distraction, but rather as a strategic enabler for continuous improvement and opportunities previously unseen.

No. 116 out of 142, Kenya

Happiness is subjective, success and prosperity is judgemental but problems are universal. Going through a forbse publication on countries with the happiest people, http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2013/10/29/the-worlds-happiest-and-saddest-countries-2013/  i held my breath. Nowadays, being Kenyan and so aware of the exposure of our nakedness to the international community, every ranking report leaves me nervous. That said, kenya as a nation we have performed dismally in international ranking almost in all dimensions. our economy, has been and still remains vulnerable to international shocks, our health care is still not very responsive to the growing demands, corruption index remains a tumour in our public sector. 

Are kenyans sad? that is the question. on this ranking, we ve placed at no. 116 out of 142 nations. at least i am relieved we never featured in the bottom 20 countries where some conspicuous economies like Nigeria, Sudan and Iraq are featuring. but a matter of concern was the position of our independence collegues, south Korea. south Korea was ranked at no. 26 globally beating economic giants like Italy, China and even Brazil. remember we have always been reminded that at independence, our economy was at par with the south korean, where did the rain start beating us, that remains a mystery.
looking at the various dimensions that were considered, our economy was ranked at no. 133 meaning we were among the bottom ten, how is that possible and yet we celebrate in the glory that we are east Africa's economic powerhouse. On the governance index, i do not understand how we afforded to be ranked at no. 108 yet i expected us to lead from the bottom. if anything, governance is the epicentre of all our worries and problems. while security and safety remains chronical, no. 127 is not a surprised.
 However, i must admit Kenyan people are the greatest resource this nation has. while all the dimensions that belong in the government portfolio have put us on the losers side, entrepreneurship and opportunities, social capital that is championed predorminantly by the private sector are the only ones where we are featured in the top 100. where then is our glory? are we village champions? Are we used to the league of mediocrity? among the most respected and powerful business people, we are honoured in Africa and around the world, talk about M-pesa, the pioneer mobile money transfer technology that set the pace for the world. read about linus Gitahi http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2011/07/15/the-five-most-powerful-african-media-moguls/