Monday 7 December 2015

Jeshurun's Mind: Spiritual Food

A Conversation Between An Atheist Professor And His Christian Student

An atheist Professor of Philosophy was speaking to his Class on the problem Science has with God, the Almighty. He asked one of his New Students, a Christian to stand and . . .

Professor: Do you Believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.
Professor: Is God Good?
Student:  Sure.
Professor: Is God all powerful?
Student: Yes.
Professor: My brother died of cancer despite him praying to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent)

Professor: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, Young fella. Is God Good?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Is Satan good?
Student: No.
Professor: Where did Satan come from?
Student: From…..God…
Professor: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student: Yes.
Professor: So who created evil?

(Student did not answer)

Professor: Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.
Professor: So, who created them?
 
(Student had no answer)
 
Professor: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son . . . Have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student: No , sir.
Professor: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes.
Professor: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.
Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem science has.

(Student thinks hard and then starts shooting questions at the Professor)

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Professor: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold?
Professor: Yes.
Student: No, sir. There isn't,
 
(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events )
 
Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega Heat, white Heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is
only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
 
(There was pin-drop silence in the Lecture Theatre)
 
Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light . . but if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness cannot exist in and of itself. If that were possible, then you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student: Sir, my point is your Philosophical premise is flawed.
Professor: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the
opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?

(The class broke out into laughter)

Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable)

Professor: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it sir . . . exactly! The link between Man and God is faith. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

That student was Albert Einstein.

Monday 25 May 2015

Jeshurun's Mind: Kiswahili na Mashairi


KANILEMAZA

Mwenzenu kanilemaza, na kunivaa moyoni,
Mengi yamenipendeza, siulize kwa nini,
Mengine ni miujiza, ameshushiwa mwandani.

Ukweli haufichiki, kajaaliwa imani,
Undani yeye hataki, penye kosa hubaini,
Umbile hamithiliki, bashasha za kila fani.

Mkweli kakamilia, anafahamu hisani,
Mpole zake tabia, si mtu wa ushindani,
Mzuri katimilia, aloazimu amini.

Anajua nampenda, moyoni ameamini,
Ameridhi kuniganda, katu hatubandukani,
Popote ninapokwenda, yumo mwangu mawazoni.

Mtunzi: Sihaba Juma

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Jeshurun's Mind: Spiritual Food

Catholic Faith Contradicts The Bible (Part 1)

 1. Calling Priests “Father”

FACT: Catholics are taught to call their priest, “Father”, as a religious title of respect. Christians in the first century never called their leaders, “father”. This first happened hundreds of years later.

Question #1: Does Jesus approve of calling the leaders of the church, “Father”?

Answer:  “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Matthew 23:9


2. Praying repetitive words using Rosary

FACT: Catholics pray repetitive words with Rosary Beads that were first invented in 1090 AD, by “Peter the Hermit” and made popular by St. Dominic in 1208 AD. Catholics believe that Mary appeared to St. Dominic in 1208 AD, at the church of Prouille and revealed the Rosary Beads to him. From this time, Catholics prayed 15 sets of 10 consecutive “hail Marys” in a row (150 times), in the Rosary. However, in 2003 AD, Pope John Paul added a new set of Mysteries, so now it is 20 sets of 10 “Hail Marys”, (200 times in the Rosary, in total.) Catholics will vainly appeal to Psalm 136 that alternates the same phrase 26 times with 26 different blessings God gives us. It is not 26 in a row as with the rosary! This is also a song, not a prayer. Revelation 4:8 has “angels singing” not “men praying”.

Historical note: Roman Catholics borrowed the idea of praying with beads from the pagan religions who were already using them hundreds of years before: In 456 AD, Hindus are thought to have introduced the concept of praying with beads to the world. The earliest reference to a rosary (boberkhas) is in their “Jain Canon” (456 AD) These boberkhas had various numbers of beads 6,9,12,18,36 (any sub-multiple of 108) Islam (610 AD) uses a rosary of 99 beads, one for each of the names of God. Buddhists have 108 prayer beads on the string. The Rosary is of pagan origin and no Christian prior to 1000 AD used beads to pray.

Question #1: Did Jesus forbid repetitive prayer using Rosary Beads?

Answer:  “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7


 3. Virgin Mary

FACT: Roman Catholics are taught the virgin Mary never had sex after Jesus was born and that Jesus had no brothers and sisters. The Pope teaches that Mary is the mediator between God and man. Catholics also engage in more praising of Mary than Jesus Christ himself and actually pray to her to have their prayers answered. Rosary Beads graphically represent how Roman Catholics heap 10 times more praise upon Mary than God himself. Of the 59 total beads of the Rosary, 53 beads are “Hail Marys”, but only 6 beads are “Our Father”. The Rosary most often ends with a “Hail, Holy Queen” prayer to Mary, not God.

Question #1: Did Jesus have brothers and sisters from the womb of Mary?

Answer: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not  His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? “And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” Matthew 13:55-56

Question #2: Did Joseph begin normal sexual relations with his wife after Jesus was born?

Answer:  “And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.” Matthew 1:24-25

Question #3: The Bible says there is only one mediator between God and man. Is Mary that one mediator?

Answer: “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5

Question #4: Catholics engage in endless praise of Mary. When a woman praised Jesus’ mother to his face, did Jesus commend or encourage this woman to continue praising Mary?

Answer: “While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”” Luke 11:27-28


4. Every Christian Drinks From The Communion Cup

FACT: Although Roman Catholics are permitted to eat the bread (body) of the Lord’s Supper, they are generally not allowed to drink the wine (blood) of the Lord’s Supper, as any Catholic knows from his own experience from attending Mass. (Except on rare special occasions.) The laity (the people in the pews) are withheld the cup of the Lord and it is usually reserved for church leaders only. Yes there are denominations within the Roman Catholic “communion” where some RC sects actually offer the juice, but most Mass attending Catholics know they rarely drink the cup of wine.

Historical note: Two early popes condemned withholding the cup, (Pope Leo I [died 461 AD] and Pope Gelasius [died 496 Ad]; but in the 12th century the practice was begun, and formally approved by the Catholic Council of Constance in 1415 AD. So for the first 1000 years, the Catholics in the Pews drank the cup, then the Pope changed this apostolic tradition.

Question #1: Did Christ and the apostle Paul command that every Christian should drink of the communion cup?

Answer: To the disciples: “Drink from it, all of youMatthew 26:27
To the whole church in Corinth: “in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” 1 Corinthians 11:28
“While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:26-28
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-28


5. All Christians Are Saints

FACT: The Pope says only very special dead Catholic people qualify to be called “saints”. For example, Pope John Paul II could not make Mother Teresa a saint (official canonization) until after she was dead. The average Catholic in the pew is never called a “saint” dead or alive! In fact if a pew dwelling Catholic started calling himself a “saint”, he would be rebuked by the parish priest!

Question #1: Was every living Christian in the church in Corinth called a saint?

Answer: “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours” 1 Corinthians 1:2

Question #2: Did Paul write the book of Ephesians to dead saints?

Answer: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 1:1

Question #3: Was the average Christian in the church at Philippi called a saint, in distinction to bishops and deacons?

Answer: “Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons” Philippians 1:1

Question #4: Was every Christian living in Rome called to be a saint?
Answer: “to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:7


6. All Christians are Priests

FACT: The Pope decided to reserve the title of “priest” to be worn by church leaders only. The average pew dwelling Catholic never refer to themselves as “priests”. In fact if a lay Catholic started calling himself a “priest”, he would be rebuked by “the parish Priest”!

Question #1: Did Jesus make all Christians to be priests, including the average member in the pew?

Answer: “you (all Christians) also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ” 1 Peter 2:5
“But you (all Christians) are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ” 1 Peter 2:9
“Jesus has made us (all Christians) to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6
“You have made them (all Christians) to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” Revelation 5:10


7. Bishops Must be Married

FACT: In 1079 AD celibacy was first enforced for priests and bishops by Pope Gregory VII. Before this time, they were permitted to marry.

Question #1: Does the Bible teach that a bishop (overseer) must be married AND ALSO have children as one of the conditions of being qualified to be a bishop?

Answer: “A bishop, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)” 1 Timothy 3:2-5

Question #2: In the very next chapter of the Bible after bishops are told they must be married with children, does the Holy Spirit warn that “forbidding to marry” is a “doctrine of demons”?

Answer: “But the Holy Spirit explicitly says that in latter times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1-3


8.Peter was Married

FACT: Most Catholics believe that Apostle Peter was the first Pope and was not married. As one Roman Catholic leader said, “if Peter had a wife when he first met Jesus, he got rid of her quick!”

Question #1: Did Peter have a wife?

Answer: “Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her.” Mark 1:30

Question #2: Did Paul say all the apostles including Peter had a right to be married?

Answer: “Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?” 1 Corinthians 9:5

Courtesy of  www.amredeemed.com

To be continued with: Catholic Faith Contradicts The Bible (Part 2)

Tuesday 9 September 2014

Jeshurun's Mind: Spiritual Food


GOD'S REDEMPTIVE NAMES

 














EL, ELOAH: God "mighty, strong, prominent" (Genesis 7:1; Isaiah 9:6) – etymologically, El appears to mean “power,” as in “I have the power to harm you” (Genesis 31:29). El is associated with other qualities, such as integrity (Numbers 23:19), jealousy (Deuteronomy 5:9), and compassion (Nehemiah 9:31), but the root idea of might remains.

ELOHIM:
God “Creator, Mighty and Strong” (Genesis 17:7; Jeremiah 31:33) – the plural form of Eloah, which accommodates the doctrine of the Trinity. From the Bible’s first sentence, the superlative nature of God’s power is evident as God (Elohim) speaks the world into existence (Genesis 1:1).

EL SHADDAI: “God Almighty,” “The Mighty One of Jacob” (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 132:2,5) – speaks to God’s ultimate power over all.

ADONAI: “Lord” (Genesis 15:2; Judges 6:15) – used in place of YHWH, which was thought by the Jews to be too sacred to be uttered by sinful men. In the Old Testament, YHWH is more often used in God’s dealings with His people, while Adonai is used more when He deals with the Gentiles.

YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH:
“LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14) – strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles “LORD” (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai, “Lord.” The revelation of the name is first given to Moses “I Am who I Am” (Exodus 3:14). This name specifies an immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance (Psalm 107:13), forgiveness (Psalm 25:11) and guidance (Psalm 31:3).

YAHWEH-JIREH: "The Lord Will Provide" (Genesis 22:14) – the name memorialized by Abraham when God provided the ram to be sacrificed in place of Isaac.

YAHWEH-RAPHA: "The Lord Who Heals" (Exodus 15:26) – “I am Jehovah who heals you” both in body and soul. In body, by preserving from and curing diseases, and in soul, by pardoning iniquities.

YAHWEH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner" (Exodus 17:15), where banner is understood to be a rallying place. This name commemorates the desert victory over the Amalekites in ( Exodus 17
).

YAHWEH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy" (Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:28) – God makes it clear that He alone, not the law, can cleanse His people and make them holy.

YAHWEH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" (Judges 6:24) – the name given by Gideon to the altar he built after the Angel of the Lord assured him he would not die as he thought he would after seeing Him.

YAHWEH-ELOHIM: "LORD God" (Genesis 2:4; Psalm 59:5) – a combination of God’s unique name YHWH and the generic “Lord,” signifying that He is the Lord of Lords.

YAHWEH-TSIDKENU:
"The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16) – As with YHWH-M’Kaddesh, it is God alone who provides righteousness to man, ultimately in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who became sin for us “that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

YAHWEH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" (Psalm 23:1) – After David pondered his relationship as a shepherd to his sheep, he realized that was exactly the relationship God had with him, and so he declares, “Yahweh-Rohi is my Shepherd. I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord Is There” (Ezekiel 48:35) – the name ascribed to Jerusalem and the Temple there, indicating that the once-departed glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 8—11) had returned (Ezekiel 44:1-4).


YAHWEH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts" (Isaiah 1:24; Psalm 46:7) – Hosts means “hordes,” both of angels and of men. He is Lord of the host of heaven and of the inhabitants of the earth, of Jews and Gentiles, of rich and poor, master and slave. The name is expressive of the majesty, power, and authority of God and shows that He is able to accomplish what He determines to do.

EL ELYON: “Most High" (Deuteronomy 26:19) – derived from the Hebrew root for “go up” or “ascend,” so the implication is of that which is the very highest. El Elyon denotes exaltation and speaks of absolute right to lordship.

EL ROI: "God of Seeing" (Genesis 16:13) – the name ascribed to God by Hagar, alone and desperate in the wilderness after being driven out by Sarah (Genesis 16:1-14). When Hagar met the Angel of the Lord, she realized she had seen God Himself in a theophany. She also realized that El Roi saw her in her distress and testified that He is a God who lives and sees all.

EL-OLAM: "Everlasting God" (Psalm 90:1-3) – God’s nature is without beginning or end, free from all constraints of time, and He contains within Himself the very cause of time itself. “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

EL-GIBHOR: “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) – the name describing the Messiah, Christ Jesus, in this prophetic portion of Isaiah. As a powerful and mighty warrior, the Messiah, the Mighty God, will accomplish the destruction of God’s enemies and rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15).

Tuesday 5 August 2014

Jeshurun's Mind: Kiswahili na Mashairi


WAADVENTISTA WA SABATO WALIO FUFUTENDE (LUKEWARM SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS)


1. Nandika waraka wangu, wende karibu na mbali,
Uwafikie wenzangu, mulio kila mahali,
Ameniagiza Mungu, niwadibu kulihali,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.

2. Sana mlibidiika, zile enzi za zamani,
Mkawa mnatajika, mbinguni na duniani,
Lakini mmegeuka, hamko tena makini,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.

3. Mumekuwa mwasusia, kukutana Jumatano,
Isomwapo Bibilia, na kwelezwa kwa mifano,
Nayo Ijumaa pia, hamwendi kwa mkutano,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.

4. Sabato inapofika, hamnazo mwajitia,
Hamwishi kushughulika, Mungu mwamkaidia,
Hivyo basi mwaruzika, kwa mbovu  zenu  tabia,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.

5. Mumezowea vibaya, kuchelewa Kanisani,
Hata hamuoni haya, mwenda mapema kazini,
Baadhi yenu wambeya, hutiana midomoni,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.

6. Licha ya kulimatia, kuwasili Kanisani,
Kelele huwapigia, walowahi Ibadani,
Mukichoka husinzia, na kwenda usingizini,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.

7. Ibadani mkitoka, mwafululiza nyumbani,
Mkiwa na uhakika, hamurudi Kanisani,
Huzidi kuhangaika, Siku ilo ya Manani,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.

8. Ijapo kutoa zaka, pamwe na dhabihu zenu,
Mikono yenu birika, mwampa Mola kununu,
Mkahiniwa baraka, na kukosa nyingi tunu,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.

9. Sinayo chuki na mtu, na mtu sina kinyongo,
Bali naisafi kutu, ya nyoyo na zenu bongo,
Kunoa silaha butu, za kiroho ndilo lengo,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.

10. Nahitimisha shauri, shairi nafupiliza,
Likiwa refu si zuri, kusoma na kusikiza,
Hapa basi nahiyari, beti kumi namaliza,
Enyi watunza Sabato, chungeni wenu mwenendo.
(Mtunzi: Millicent Randa, Jericho SDA Church, NAIROBI.   Mhariri: Dennis Mbae).