….fragrance

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2 corinthians 2:14 – But thanks be to God , who always leads us as captives in Christs triumphal procession & uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere

Scents have a way to evoke memories and mixed feelings in people. Some tend to stir up memories of grief whilst others bring about a sense of contentment , a feeling of being loved or even cause a hint of a smile as you remember something with fondness…perhaps a missed loved one. They is something about the scent of mud just after the rain or of a new car or even that of new tar being laid on the N95 highway that brings happiness to my life. My dormitory when I was in upper six faced the santa fresh bakery and I can tell you they is nothing as appertizing as the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning. It moves you to spend the last dollar you were saving for a rainy day , thats how much impact an aroma can change ones plans. You dont have to look @ the bread or even taste it to want it just the aroma was enough, ask my classmates its a true story….or maybe we were just starved I dont know. But then how can you explain a man unconsciously turning towards another woman whilst walking with his wife because of the wave of freshness that filled his nostrils when she passed by or how a mother quickly grabs the baby a rushes to the bedroom to change its diaper without it wailing first. Clearly the aroma/fragrance of a thing carries influence & i believe those where the images in pauls mind as he wrote to the corinthians. That our ministry of Christ should be as impactful as the aroma of fresh bread that caused a younger me to spend his last dime on bread. People do not need to hear you talk to know that you are a believer but just observing your conduct and talk should be enough. Those who stay in bulawayo , belmont can confess to the sweet aroma of vanilla biscuits in the air as you pass by lobels , it makes you want to brew a cup of coffee and have it with some vanilla creams. This is the kind of impact we are being called to bring in our spheres , bring a good feeling into peoples hearts and provoke them to want to follow Christ unwittingly. In conclusion brethren I beseech you to always smell nice , you know not whose nostrils are close by…. Amen!!

….the things which are seen..

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2 corinthians 4:17-18 our light affliction which is but for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory , while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Today I woke up in a contemplative and nostalgic mood as i reminanced on my earlier walk with Christ before the need to earn my bread became a necessity. The life of a newly born again believer is glorious and they is less clutter its mostly you and your God and nothing else and worse of if you receive him whilst still at school with out responsibilities….you can almost taste heaven. Pastor Charamba once sang a song that asked God to restore him with the heart that he used to have whereby he used to pray everytime he was in need and not hussle and bribe and extort like he does now. I remember when I took my drivers licence I prayed before going for the 2nd time in 3 days and got it without bribing anyone or using anyones name , life was simpler then as a believer. The problem starts when bread and butter issues are threatened & you need a lucrative job or a passport so that you can go and collect your order . They is a burden of expectancy that is placed upon individuals the longer you stay on this earth and you beigin to understand why the preacher in ecclessiates said remember the Lord in your youth before the days of trouble come, ie before you had a kid at home who needed school fees and a wife needing pampering. The pressure of this life will force you to forget the principles you got from Christ and you also join the rat race , you life becomes all about the next deal and you begin to accumulate cars , houses and wives. Our lives become so focussed on accuring more and getting more forgetting the human is tripatite and the part called the soul is perishing . We live in a world that judges you on what you own and not on your character or beliefs so most Christians end up compromising. Nkwame Nkurumah once said dont compromise your principles on the altar of expediency , progress in this earthly world only. Jesus echoed it when he said dont accummulate treasures on this earth where the moth and rust cant attack it better to prepare your self for occupancy in the house that Jesus said he is preparing for you above. They is need for you to refocus and begin to prioritise more on the things which are unseen for those are the ones that are eternal and unlike the world which looks at what is seen. We are not of the world beloveds , this is not all they is to life hama. May God grant you strength as you renew your acquaintance with Christ that had been broken by the pressures of this life and worldly pursuits …..stay blessed. Amen

…blood..

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Leviticus 17:11-12- For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for souls. I said to the children of Israel noone among you shall eat blood….

Have you ever wondered why a physician always asks you if anyone in your family also has the disease or why when you have a road traffic accident they just dont transfuse you with a random bag of blood. Why do they waste time blood typing when I losing life , well the answer ladies and gents is found in this text keep scrolling. I felt compelled to talk about the inherent traits found in blood and why God forbade his people from drinking it. Those in the know , know that they is the ABO classification of blood, the rhesus and other minor classifications which aid us he blood usage. People of different blood types cant share a pint of blood in case of emergency for it will cause a reaction and eventual death. I think the royal family is a classic example of things that follow bloodlines, they should all be hemophiliacs . In our shona culture we talk of an avenging spirit of a murdered relative that kills those in the bloodline of the perpetrator until it has been appeased (ngozi) which makes ones blood a thing of importance for it links you to your ancestors , you may be adopted but you are linked. The whole premise of Christianity is based on total absolution and separation from your original bloodline, its as if we transfused you with new blood and discarded the former hence you hear an echo of it when Paul writes to the corinthians that now behold all things are new (2corinthians 5:17) , they is no single accussation from your former life left. The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel mirror the idea when they say the saying that the fathers ate sour grapes and the childrens teeth were set on edge shall never be uttered again. Not anymore beloveds, they is no more baggage and inherent debts in your life after you accept him as your lord and saviour (Romans10:9-10) , let the accuser of brethren not confuse otherwise. The one who sins is the one who will die , the children will not share the guilt of the parent . The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them and the wickedness of the wicked likewise. In conclusion always remember Pauls words to the Romans , they is now no condemnation to those in Christ (Romans 8:1) Amen

God

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Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses , I AM THAT I AM; he said thou shalt say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you

Are you not curious to want to know the true nature and magnficence of God , to take a peek behind the closed veil and understand what makes him who he is. The human mind though is too microscopic to take in the length and breadth of this God unfortunately , even the Bible doesnt do justice to the uncreated creator who sits in the circumference of himself who is in all things and everything is because of him hence rendering the project understanding God superfluos before we even begin because how can a created thing know about that which created it without consent from the creator. We get glimpses though of who he is through out scripture from his various interactions with mankind but even those interactions add confusion to his nature. For if you call a composite artist and ask him to draw God using eye witness accounts he would be frustrated because David will tell him God is a warrior (Jehovah Nissi) whilst Solomon will tell you he is the prince of peace (Jehovah shalom) . So how is he hercules on one hand and mother theresa on the other , its an oxymoron…… a paradox even which would require a discerning mind to appreciate that our languages are limited when it comes to God. If we trully want to get an approximate of who God is I think they is need to peruse his relationship with Moses and how he addresed or decribed himself to him for Moses was God’s friend, even scripture says he spoke to him man to man as to a friend. So when Moses asks God who are you he gave an obscure answer which I believe revealed alot about him. He wasnt being deliberately vague but was being honest with his friend it only needs discernment. He was saying to the barren woman I am Jehovah Jireh and to a refugee fleeing war in his country I am Jehovah shalom. I am boundless and limitless, you cant package or fit me in a box for I am different things to different people. He is like water in the liquid state, taking the shape of the container it is placed in so as we journey through this life never dare limit Gods capabilities and abilities. You dont know everything they is to know about him , he is too vast ie why its heresy to claim autonomy in knowing the mindset and the will of God over things happening in the world. Brothers and sisters enjoy your exploration of God in this life and dont you dare reduce him to your level of understanding he is too big for that…

Growth

Growth
Exodus 1:9-10… Look the people of Israel are more and mightier than we, come let us deal shrewdly with them
The Israelites were good neighbours as long as they stuck to the set parameters but once they decided to grow they made the Egyptians uncomfortable . The above illustrates the correct dynamics amongst family members and friends they are happy and hang with you as long as you remain were you were last year or last month. The moment you make an effort to break from the invisible boundary or limitations set for you that you can only grow up to this much or you can only possess this much, learn to this level, drive this car they become uncomfortable with you and you become the problem. Phrases like you have changed, wakudada mazuvano begin to pop up in your conversations and they wont be as available as they were with advice and support as they were before but dont panic its part of growth and that is the mandate we are pushing for in 2021. Its easy to be comfortable with were you are because its safe but allow me to remind you that God rebuked Moses for a similar stance at mount horeb, he told him that he has been in the same place for too long and its now time to move ( deutronomy1:6) regardless of your fears , stagnation is never good to anyone the physios will tell you it cause muscles atrophy meaning it consumes the gains of yester years so dont think you are protecting them by staying in your lane. As a foreword though I repeat , growth causes unease with family and peers especially in our African culture anyone wealthy its juju and anyone who loves their wives its mupfuhwira so they is need for blinkers as you step out. A story of Isaac and Abimelech quickly comes to mind ( Genesis 26:12-16) the moment he started owning more than them they chased him from their midst . Its another reason most women put handbrakes on their trajectory because some husbands cant handle as more successful wife may that not be your limitation this year you are who you are and you can only be what you can be the world should accept you as that. The kingdom of God is all about growth from time memorial, the 1st man Adam was told to be fruitful and multiply and Jesus’ many parables seem to support such an assertion. He talks about the vineyard owner who wanted to have a tree cut of because it hardly produced any fruit since it was planted and he himself cursed a fig tree he found with out fruit. So growth is a critical mandate of the kingdom, Onan ( Genesis 38) was slain for ejeaculating outside when he slept with his wife tamar. I gave all these examples to try an stimulate someone to take up this God given mandate of growth this year , think big who said you cant be that , as man thinkenth in his heart so is he but scripture says as he is so are we so its high time we stop being timid people and dare to venture into new things. I always quote the motto of tottenham hotspurs to dare is to do and i pray you adopt it in 2021 it can be your year if you do
Amen

….not in despair

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2corinthians4:8 – we are hard-pressed on every side yet not crushed we are perplexed but not in despair , persecuted but not forsaken , struck down but not destroyed

I know understand why the shona have a saying kura uone , for life was far simpler when I was a babe. Food was provided on demand and I got carried wherever I wanted and did I mention the long afternoon naps which now seem a figment of the imagination. As a toddler I dared to dream to be anything, one week i was presenting in a school play that I wanted to be a soldier and next after watching captain planet I thought of being a pilot , i had unquenchable thirst for life and my dreams where not stunted by the need to provide food for my table . Dont get me about the ideologist in me soon after starting med school thinking It was a calling not a means to riches(gosh youth). They are things we dreamnt of whilst we spent hours burning the midnight oil which now seem out of reach because the mind cant process how this person I am now can become that I dreamnt. The economy, political landscape, personal choices all contributed to taking away the vibrancy and enthusiasm of youth. Your goals look gigantic and feel burdensome and unattainable these days and you haved ceased dreaming despite scripture saying he who ceases to have visions perishes but ie the hand life deals you at times. It now harder to wake up in the morning and your sole mission in life is to survive the day , the week or the month. But today I am here to bring hope to your life & say to you it will take time , remain in the trenches (Rome was not built in aday). Abram was called from Ur when he was 75 but Isaac came when he was 100, David had oul poured on his head when he was 17 but he became king at 30 so do not despair my friend they is hope. You can still get a job at 35 , marry at 40 or even start a business at 50. God when he spake to Jeremiah about the plans he had for us he mentions and unexpected ending which is good so no matter where you are be it in the pit or prison like Joseph. Jobless , broke & unsure of tomorrow or even what you will be tomorrow it is well. Pressured by the progress your peers are making be reminded of the above verse that no matter how low or deep life strikes us down we wont be destroyed. A righteous man falls 7 times & still rises , just believe all things will work together for your good….amen

1 + 1 =2 🤔mmm not always

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This past week I have been reminiscing about milestones and societal expectations at certain stages or age in life. Its human nature to want to give comparisons between age mates or peers no wonder many mothers come to our clinic asking if their baby has a tongue tie because the neighbours child or the sibling was talking by that age. It takes a mature mind to appreciate that each peaks at their own time and everyone has a different purpose and race in this life . I do hope todays message takes of some of the pressures you had and gives you a different perspective of life. The reason you feel frustrated with your returns is because the guy you grew up with now already drives a merc , married and building a home and you are wondering why are you not there yet. Well firstly you might not get there (sorry to burst your bubble) , it not in Gods plan for you to be like him you are not twins stay in your lane. This reminds me of when Saul was jealous of David because the women sang giving David more kills than him , the fact that someone else is succeeding doesnt mean you are failing (you also have kills). They is need to cub the competitive spirit in you & resist the urge to be number one in someone elses race but your own. I once saw a movie called the exam I think, whereby each candidate got a separate question paper and I feel its the perfect analogy of our lives on earth. Matthew McConaughey once said his role model was himself five years from now when he won his oscar ie he was in competition with his future better version of himself and i pray we adopt that mindset to instead of looking in others lanes. The fact that you went to the same school and got the same information doesnt mean your ending is the same, if you doubt me look at the chosen 11. They all stayed and learnt at Jesus feet as interns for 3years and one turned out to be a lover of money, the other a doubter and another a liar. The story in Acts 12 brings things into better perspective; Herod arrested James and killed him and when he saw it pleased the people he arrested Peter. Now a history major like your self who believes in patterns and that history repeats it self would bet his life that Peter would die too but did he? Learn to understand that destinies differ and that we are all pierces in Gods master plan and just life to be the best you can be whenever. In parting never pursue something because someone you admire has it or because you were told it suits your stature rather walk the plan that the Lord has laid out for you not plan the walk afterall noone knows the expected ending even your mentor or prophet (they do prophecy in part)

….if its of God it will stand

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Acts 5:38 Now I say to you keep away from those men and let them alone for if this plan or this work is of men it will come to nothing but if it is of God you cannot overthrow it lest you even be found to fight against God

Esther6:13- ……if Mordecai before whom you have began to fall is of Jewish descent you will not prevail against him but uou will surely fall before him

I once wrote on the sovreignity of God a couple of weeks ago ie his ability to reign supreme over all he surveys and to do as he pleases regardless . Today I will go a step further and talk about a man or a project touched by the hand of God , what happens to it ? The presence of God over a thing brings about the spectacular and longevity at the summit , Gamaliel understood that no wonder he instructed the council to give this new teaching time because like the farmer in whose field tares were sown by the enemy in the night and he allowed them to grow together with the wheat for he knew given time what is of God would be clearly seen. This article sums up my preceding article which spoke about distingushing how good a tree is by the fruits it produces. You have often heard or seen on bumper stickers that if you run alone it is a race but with God it is grace no wonder Hamans wife warned him against fighting someone of the Jewish descent. The Jews were known to be victors always because it was known that their God fought on their behalf as confirmed by Rahabs testimony to the spies in jericho. No weapon formed against a child of God shall prevail , even if the enemy comes to you like a flood God will raise a standard. Please note that i am not saying that because you have God in you it makes you superhuman and will face no defeat or lack in your lifetime but what Im implying is even in defeat or setback like Joseph in prison ultimately your will be Governor. The plan of God over those of his own is to prosper them and make them succesful as it was in the beginning in the garden of Eden before the fall. Let me conclude by Gods words to Moses in exodus 14:14 and by extension to you ,”hold your peace and i will fight on your behalf.”

….we should not be ignorant

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2corinthians 2:11….. to keep satan from taking advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his schemes

” and neither do i condemn you,” the adulterous womans’eyes must have bulged out in shock when the Lord uttered those words for they contradicted the teachings of Moses. But a careful search of the holy scriptures will show us that is how Jesus rolled at odds with traditional teachings and doctrine of that time. The encounter with the woman of Samaria by the well springs to mind as one such incident for you find the master associating with a woman of loose morals( which she admitted to ) publicly and he spoke to her with respect and all probably because he knew honey will attract none believers to the kingdom than a holier than thou attitude. It is a trick of the devil to use our tendency to pass judgement on each other to bring discord to the body of Christ and isolate a lamb for himself so as to kill, steal and destroy its future. He permitted us to classify sin in the church ie why thieves feel they have a right to condemn homosexuals whilst liars were at the forefront of people who wanted to stone the adulterous woman at Jesus’ feet. But the Lord reminded them they is no spectrum of sinness , if you lie you will burn in the same fire as the philanderer. Noone threw a stone at her because noone was clean they only thought they had committed minor sins as opposed to her. In my early years as a youth at our local perish I saw 3 vibrant and charismatic young men change churches after impregnating girls out of wedlock and had to be forced to be pariahs in the house of God and endure snide remarks from collegues as if they were lepers. I have never been a fan of the kuiswa pasi peshamhu principle whereby the whole church is told brother Alfred will no longer serve as an usher because he impreganated sister so and so and the above chapter seems to suggest Paul doesnt support such behaviour in the body too. He cartegories it as one of the schemes of the devil to divide the church he rather advocates for us to show love and support to one who would have fallen by the wayside lest the stigma results in him being isolated from the prey and fall victim to the devil who will be roaming around like a lion looking for such to devour. Love covers a multitude of sin beloveds and may the quick tendency to condemn or pass judgement be removed from our hearts we be more embracing like the Christ we preach. At the sermon on the mount we are cautioned to be wary of looking too much in the fleck in your neighbours eye forgetting the log in yours. Mind you im not saying they should be no correction in the body but it should stem from love and a desire to build not destroy….amen

….the writtings that were against us

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Colosions 2:14- Having wiped out thr handwritting of requirements that was against which was contrary to us

Colosions 2:20 – Therefore if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world , why as though living in the world do you subject yourselves to regulations like do not touch, do not taste and do not handle

When the early settlers came with the good news to zimbabwe it was shrouded by a lot of dos and donts just like in Israel of old which probably explains the yokes of burden amongst the mainline churches and probably explains how the phrase zvakaoma sekunamata came to be. This was probably done because people believe in the absence of laws they is chaos in organisations or movements but they dont understand the power of love. Jesus summarises the law into two which coincidentally is our mantra as cmfz ; loving God and loving people and every other doctrine apart from love subverts the power of the cross. Beware of the leaven of the pharisees Jesus warned us before he departed and we assumed it was a warning for the Jews of that time. But even today we have pastors more focussed on traditions and doctrinal practices set by men rather than preaching Christ and him crucified. They is a push of sacrifice of the flesh (which is a good thing in itself) ie fastings , double tithing , priests appreciation, etc burdening people with yokes our forefathers could not carry. You are told you cant eat certain foods or drink certain things and like the pharisees who begrudged a man who was crippled for 38years for carrying his bed home after being healed some days are held in sacrilage than others. Paul was in constant conflict with the 1st apostles who wanted the gentiles to be circumcised physically instead of just the heart. In times of old when fasting you had to put on sackcloth and look miserable and all will know you were fasting , offerings where taken to the front of the temple for all to see (remember Jesus standing by the offering basket) and priests and those who worked in the temple where not allowed to have additional jobs besides temple bussiness since the tribe of Levi got no portion of the land. But that God the veil was torn on calvary allowing gentiles like my self access to the holy of holies making us priests too (1peter2:9) and abolishing the need of building altars and sacrificing for forgiveness of sins. Now when we fast Jesus says bath well put on lotion and plaster a smile to your face that people cant tell you are fasting for the new way cares not about public displays but more in the heart of a person and even our giving he says give freely from the heart because you love and not because you have been threatened by supposed curses that will come over you. These are the burdens of requirements that Jesus nailed on the cross not the curses from your village people who dont want you to succeed in town. I will conclude by quoting the above verse , now that we are liberal in Christ ; do not touch, do not taste and do not handle no longer apply to me that burden was lifted its time for your to live your best life in Christ eating what you will, dressing how you want and worshipping each and every day ……. stay blessed