The many sins of Jesus
Filed under: Inspire & motivate, Religion, Spirituality for such a time
‘Guilty as Sin’? That was Jesus. So guilty in fact that the all merciful God couldn’t stand the sight of him – and had to turn away.
Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin or [insert favorite dictator here] – All practically saints compared to Jesus. They had to be, if God’s plan was going to work. Jesus wasn’t going to succeed by taking on just the sin of the guy who steals stationery from the office. He came for the worst we had to offer.
The Satanic, murderous, child molesting, serial rapist…
That’s who he came for…and that’s what he had to become. But he didn’t come just so that you would forgiven of your sins. (That would’ve been amazing enough – but) God’s plan was even better.
See the real truth is that Jesus didn’t just take your punishment, he took your guilt – he became your sin - and that makes all the difference.
If he’s taken only your punishment, you’d still be guilty…with someone else having paid the consequences. But the truth is, thanks to Jesus,
You’re NOT guilty. You’ve done NOTHING wrong!
Your sense of guilt and self-condemnation are completely misplaced and misguided - but ONLY if you’re born again FOR SURE. Only if you’re really IN Christ. Don’t take my word for it - that’s what the Boss says…
Get all the details here - www.bornagainforsure.wordpress.com
With Joy I don’t cry
God’s love is wide like sea,
Once was blind but now i see.
With joy i kissed the blue sky,
But with joy never did i cry.
Whether i own all silver and gold,
Whether i meet my dead friend of old,
Might i become a King under the sun
My tears of joy don’t sip for fun.
But when my heart is sturbed with words
Tears of anger flock out like birds.
Any words that are inflictious and sarcastic,
Leave my eyes in sorrowfull and pathetic.
Whether i’m promised wings to fly,
Ecstacy and bliss may lift me high
But as long i’m in this earth of sorrows
My tears of joy will never kiss my brows.
Its because food never healed hunger.
All joy is vanity beyond stood anger.
When my joy will forever endure
Tears down my cheek i will ensure
My unborn child
Filed under: Notes from the Diaspora, Poetry, Spirituality for such a time
My unborn child
An African fetus
Rocking the belly
As I watch the telly
Born out of this madness
A militant child
Baby of the revolution
Hear my nation cry
As another brother/sister dies
I am having visions of political prison walls
And I hear the call of angels
like doves cry
Will I die tonight
Only God knows
Where life goes
After a revolution
Will a nation
Die of starvation
Or will new politicians
Take us to a new millenium
A nation of thirteen million
Let me breathe
For this poetry could be my death
Is God what we say he is?
To be called a Christian has become as common as to be called a football fan, and many Christians have ways of identifying themselves with Christianity as football fans with teams. Some, have uniforms to identify with, mottos or slogans, leaders, rules and cultures. Most will tell you of “kuChechi kwedu kunoitwa so”, ways and dominions.
Many, if not all will differ fundamentally and these differences however narrow or stark perplex to raise the question, “is God whom we say he is?”. Perhaps, further questions that need enlightenment exist but the fundamental principles of Christianity need defination. Read more
The Rastafarian Christmas
Filed under: Inspire & motivate, News you won't find elsewhere, Religion, Spirituality for such a time, Topical issues
The following articel was originally published in the 24th December 2006 edition of The Sunday Mirror, Harare. The video depicts an Ethiopian hymn celebrating the Birth of Christ.
በተሳብ ቂዱስ The Blessed Virgin Maryam and Her Son
Lidät – the Rastafarian Christmas
Christmas as the saying goes, means different things to different people.
Even so, being the only Rastafarian in my wide circle of friends and family, my way of marking this occasion remains something of an enigma. I get many cards, and presents, but I never return the gesture. I also decline to attend Christmas parties. Then, in the first week of January, those of my people that are online get e-cards with the Amharic Greeting, Inkwan lalidätu baal badahna adarrasaw (lit. “Congratulations, to the Birth of Him the feast in safety He has brought you”)
And so, it emerges that Rastafarians do celebrate the Birth of Christmas, except that it’s not called Christmas and it’s not celebrated on the 25th of December. It is called Lidät, an Amharic word meaning “Birthday”. Because the Amharic language has its own alphabet, you will sometimes find this spelt as Ledet or Lidet as there is no standard transliteration in Western letters.
Already, it is clear from the name that the origin of this custom is Ethiopia, the spiritual home of Rastafari. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian Churches in the world, has been celebrating the Birth of Christ on the 7th of January long before European Christendom even came up with its own version of Christmas. In the light of the on-going controversy about the exact date, let me hasten to mention that the Orthodox Church does not claim that this was the day Jesus was born. Rather, the Feast was instituted by the Three Kings who arrived in Bethlehem on this day and paid homage to the Infant Christ.
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him,” Gospel of Matthew 2:1-2.
Further testament of the particular importance of Lidät is found in a prophecy of the visit if these Three Kings, dating from the time of the Patriarch Adam, who was given their gifts as a consolation after his expulsion from Eden. Read more
Can the media stop prostitution?
Filed under: Family, Friendship, Community, Health & Well Being, I was just thinking, Joking around, Opinion, Analysis, Advice, Relationships, Religion, Social Issues, Spirituality for such a time
Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness-Leviticus 19:29
I don’t think it is news to any Zimbabwean that the crisis that has engulfed our nation has seen a rise in prostitution. Yet the media seems to think it should be news. Time and time again, the pages of the few remaining papers will have some account of these women who feel they have no choice but to sell their bodies. We are told how they are afraid of AIDS, but fear the imminent death from hunger even more. Then, of course, the papers find something else to fill their pages with.
Yes, I am coming down on our media! It is deplorable, this morbid fascination with a social evil and the victims of it that makes little effort to illicit at least our sympathy let alone motivate us to want to do something about it. Interviews with a couple of prostitutes, a generous supply of directions for those who don’t know where they can procure the services of these women and how much it will cost and a statement from a pastor nobody has ever heard of only leaves me wondering what the aim in printing such a story was. Read more
They were praying hard for Obama
Filed under: Politics, Religion, Spirituality for such a time
Church leaders praying for Barack Obama before the US elections. These are the pictures you never get to see on the news.
There is power in prayer.
And meanwhile Zimbabweans starve…
Filed under: Family, Friendship, Community, Politics, Spirituality for such a time, Zimbabwean diaries
ZIMBABWEANS STARVE AS THE POWER-SHARING TALKS GO ON AND ITS LEADERS AND THE WORLD LOOKS ON WITH INDIFFERENCE
Some rural folk in Zimbabwe are now relying on wild fruits which are quickly running out. Quite a number of them have died from hunger and starvation. If only the goevernment had not banned the NGOs (Non Governmental Organisations) who were donating food to the poor the number of deaths would not be that much.
The townsfolk have not been spared from this hunger and starvation mainly because of the low bank withdrawal limits set by the Reserve Bank Governor which make it immpossible for them to buy the highly priced food items as and when they need them. Read more
The source of selflessness
Filed under: Family, Friendship, Community, Inspire & motivate, Spirituality for such a time
Hello!
Phanuel Muverengwi here…
I hope that I find you in the best of health.
In my previous installment I asked the question: WHY DO YOU WANT TO LIVE LONG? I argued in the installment that there are people who live long, in terms of number of years, yet their long lives benefit nobody. I also argued that some people have lived very short lives but managed to bring lots of benefits to others in that short space of time. I might just as well argue that the short lives lived by such people are in reality longer than the long lives lived by some, in terms of value.
I went on to state that a truly rewarding life is one spent in selflessness, not selfishness. Before departing, I asked you a question which goes, “What is the single attribute without which one cannot be selfless?” I hope that you now have the answer to this question. Read more
Coronation Day
The 23rd of Temqt or 2nd of November is the most important date of the Rastafarian Calendar. It is on this day in 1923 A.M (Amete Meherit, “the year of Mercy” i.e. the Ethiopian Calendar) that Ras Tafari Makonnan, 225th scion of an unbroken line that descended from King Solomon of Israel and Queen Makeda, also known as the Queen of Sheba, was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Light and Saviour of the World, Elect of God. His Consort, Wayzaru Woleite Giorgis Manan Assfaw was also crowned Empress of Ethiopia, Queen of Queens. Read more
On The Zimbo Jam- Power FM Top Twenty- 20 March 2010Presented by DJ Chilli (Hazvine Sakarombe) on Power FM. 10:00-12:00hrs, 20 March 2010 Position Song Artist 20 Battle Field Jordin Sparks 19 If We Ever Meet Again Timberland ft Katy Peri 18 Falling Underdog 17 Emperor’s State of Mind Jay Z 16 How Low Luda Chris
- Famba Zvakanaka Sam MtukudziZvinosiririsa sei mhuri yeZimbabwe kusiiwa nemwana achine mukaka pamhuno. Apa ndinobva ndanzwisisa kuti Baba vake vaiedza kurevei uye zvinorevei muupenyu hwemunhu mumwe nemumwe wedu? Samson Mutukudzi gotweuye ari mwakomana mumwechete wa Oliva na Daisy Mutukudzi nderimwe reruva ranga richangotanga kuyevedza rabva radamburwa tinoti mweya wake ngauzorore murugare.
- Salif Keita- A Music Legend Comes to ZimbabweOne of Africa’s all time great musicians, Salif Keita, will close off the 2010 edition of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) on a high note with a long awaited main stage performance at the six day arts extravaganza set to explode into activity in Harare at the end of April.
- Power FM Top Twenty- 20 March 2010