THISDASO mini-retreat Morogoro

Dear all,

Over the Easter weekend I was blessed to attend the THISDASO (Tanzanian High Institutions' Seventh-day Adventist Students' Organization) mini-retreat. There were delegates from the Dar zone, Morogoro zone as well as Dodoma zone. We had a variety of programs and speakers. Some of the discussions/presentations are summarized below:

Friday 21^st March, 2008 (07:00am)

Jesus is the Way by Pr. Matinyi (Chaplain, THISDASO Eastern Zone)

Proverbs 14:12, John 14:16

Pastor Matinyi reminded us that there is a “way” that seems right before our eyes but leads to destruction. As humans, we are normally inclined to making choices that destroy us but we can never err if we opt for Christ. Should Christ be the center of every thought and every path we choose to take, we are bound for eternal life.

Friday 21^st March, 2008 (09:00am)

COURTSHIP (I) by Pastor Matinyi

“Life is about making choices and thereafter living with the consequences”. This was Pastor Matinyi’s key quote. During this discussion, we learned about different maternal and fraternal tendencies that either a man or a woman can possess and how they affect their behaviors. We learned for example that a man with “hyper fraternal tendencies” regards his wife as a child and would most likely physically abuse her (beat her). On the contrary, a man with “hyper maternal tendencies” regards his wife as his mother. He remains very loyal and obedient while the woman with the same tendencies would treat him as his child.

During this discussion, we also examined the reasons for which men and women seek for a permanent relationship (marriage). Men normally look for companionship, a home, children and finally a sexual relationship. In the descending order of importance, women seek for secure love, a sustained relationship, sexual fulfillment and lastly children.

When seeking for a life-partner, it is important to ask yourself “whether he/she would be the right person to be the father/mother of your children – socially, spiritually & economically (if it is relevant)?”

Friday 21^st March, 2008 (12:30pm)

Who will go to heaven? By Pr. Matinyi

Psalms 15:1-5 answers the question. But most importantly, we were exhorted to choose our peers carefully. “Birds of the same feather, flock together”.

Friday 21^st March, 2008 (06:30pm)

I MUST TELL JESUS by Dr. Malago

Why must I talk to Jesus? How can I talk to Jesus? Once again, through his richly academic style of presentation, Dr. Malago tackled these questions. Key texts were 1 Chronicles 21 and Eph 1:15-17.

Sat 22^nd, March 2008 (11:20am)

Habits Vs Experience by Pr. Gagi (Chairman, Eastern Conference Tanzania)

Key texts: Numbers 20:1-13, Ex 17:1-7

Moses developed the “habit” of hitting the rock to supply water. Instead of obeying God’s direct command to “speak to the rock”, Moses resolved to his old habit and as a result he was forbidden to enter Canaan.

The Lord, in His mercy, still supplied the children of Israel with water on that day. Had He not done so, Moses would have probably been stoned by the thirsty and angry mob - especially after insulting them.

After this occasion, Moses’ actions were thereafter led by his experience that hearkening to God’s word is crucial. Moses learned that God has different ways of yielding the same results and to pay attention to His Word at every moment is more important that to turn to the “traditional way of doing things”.

OTHER PROGRAMS

During the retreat we also had other programs such as a health talk on HIV-AIDS and nutrition, sports and games, a talent night show on Sunday evening and a tour to the rocky mountains and Motko. I took the following pic at the Rock Gardens. The next retreat will involve delegates from the entire East African region and this year it will take place at Baraton University in Kenya during the christmas season. Please, do not miss! YWHW bless

Psalm 35:3 - tis a devotion that inspired my heart!... Akhsante Amani!

Psalm 35:3
Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

What does this sweet prayer teach me? It shall be my evening's petition; but first let it yield me an instructive meditation. The text informs me first of all that David had his doubts; for why should he pray, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation," if he were not sometimes exercised with doubts and fears? Let me, then, be of good cheer, for I am not the only saint who has to complain of weakness of faith. If David doubted, I need not conclude that I am no Christian because I have doubts.

The text reminds me that David was not content while he had doubts and fears, but he repaired at once to the mercy-seat to pray for assurance; for he valued it as much fine gold. I too must labour after an abiding sense of my acceptance in the Beloved, and must have no joy when His love is not shed abroad in my soul. When my Bridegroom is gone from me, my soul must and will fast.

I learn also that David knew where to obtain full assurance. He went to his God in prayer, crying, "Say unto my soul I am thy salvation." I must be much alone with God if I would have a clear sense of Jesus' love. Let my prayers cease, and my eye of faith will grow dim. Much in prayer, much in heaven; slow in prayer, slow in progress. I notice that David would not be satisfied unless his assurance had a divine source.

"Say unto my soul." Lord, do Thou say it ! Nothing short of a divine testimony in the soul will ever content the true Christian. Moreover, David could not rest unless his assurance had a vivid personality about it.

"Say unto mysoul, I am thy salvation." Lord, if Thou shouldst say this to all the saints, it were nothing, unless Thou shouldst say it to me. Lord, I have sinned; I deserve not Thy smile; I scarcely dare to ask it; but oh! say to my soul, even to my soul, "I am thy salvation." Let me have a present, personal, infallible, indisputable sense that I am Thine, and that Thou art mine.

YWHW bless!

Gigantic Reptiles!

Dinosaurs have caught the attention of many scientists - Paleontologists in particular. Hundreds, if not thousands, of books, journals and articles have been written about these Gigantic Reptiles. In most dedicated institutions of learning you may even find their skeleton structure in place for display. Many are curious to find out when these animals came into being and how they became extinct. For the Bible students, these enormous beasts were created by God Himself in the beginning but were most likely destroyed by the flood (Job 41:1, Ps 74:14 & Isa 27:1). Post Noah's ark, there is no record of their continual existence. The question is why were they destroyed? Why didn't Noah keep any of these species in the ark? Will we ever see them again - even in the new creation?

Faith...Reloaded!

Luke 18:8: Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Faith, which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen (Heb 11:1), is one of the rarest/scarcest commodities in the world today. In almost every arena of this life, people have lost “faith”. People have simply “lost heart” and given up. But can we truly blame them? Looking at the world’s current devastating condition, one is tempted to quit fighting the battle against evil.

Marital instability resulting from adultery, fraud, dishonest living and eventually leading to divorce is showing increasingly devastating stats. A sociodemographic study was conducted at Kisesa, a rural area in Tanzania. Among 118 male respondents the most common reason was unfaithfulness of their partner (55% of men said so), followed at a distance by lack of love (16%), infertility (6%), alcoholism of the wife (6%), and no payment of bride price (5%). Among 314 female respondents, alcoholism of the husband (38%), lack of love (31%), unfaithfulness (27%), and violence (24%) were the most common reasons for divorce, followed by non-payment of bride price (7%) and infertility (3%). (See http://sti.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/78/suppl_1/i97)

Parents have given up on their children. Can or will my 16 year old son ever recover from drug and alcohol abuse? How about sexual immorality? How about my 12 year old brother facing the challenges of peer pressure? These are but a few things which have caused today’s parents to lose faith and hope.

In the public grounds, civil and political leaders have lost faith and direction. The people have lost faith in them too. Corruption in the public services, civil and political wars and conflicts in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Middle East and even lately, the turmoil in Tanzania – all point to this awful truth.

At the workplace, employers have lost faith in their employees and employees can hardly believe a word their employers say. We live in that day and time when “word of mouth” is insufficient. Everything must be clearly stated in a written contract lest one party decides to exploit the other.

Can we trust our brethren in the Lord? On January 9^th, 2008 a gang of four Seventh-day Adventist men in London conned their fellow believers into giving them millions of pounds (about £3.2 million) to invest, which they then spent on luxury flats, holidays and cars. (See http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3155997). As we speak, the trial continues. The saddest part of the story is that even church members cannot have a little faith in one other. You would be interested to know that among these con men, were deacons!

Can we trust in our ministers, pastors and clergymen?

A story is told of three pastors who went to the pastor convention and were all sharing one room. The first pastor said, "Let's confess our secret sins one to another. I'll start - my secret sin is I just love to gamble. When I go out of town, it's cha-ching cha-ching, let the machines ring."

The second pastor said, "My secret sin is that I just love to drink. When I go out of town, I like to take a little nip of something."

The third pastor said, "My secret sin is gossiping and I can't wait to get out of this room!"

In all the countries that I have been blessed to visit or see, I have heard stories of a pastor or church leader misusing and abusing the church funds or fornicating and committing adultery or at least one case of a church leader gossiping, backbiting and slandering fellow church members. In some congregations, the situation is so intense that churches begin to split or members decide to leave. Some even give up their faith completely!

We can lose our faith in our parents. We can lose our faith in our children. We can lose our faith in our employers, employees, political leaders, fellow brethren at church and even our pastors, BUT nothing frightens me more than to see man lose faith in God. Faith in God, according to the apostle Paul, requires one to “believe that He is” and secondly to “believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (See Heb 11:6). Sad enough, modern science and modern education systems even go to the extent of disputing His very existence. The remaining who believe in His omnipresence doubt His promises to provide them with answers to their prayers. They doubt His Word. Spiritual darkness has covered the earth and gross darkness the people. There are in many churches skepticism and infidelity in the interpretation of the Scriptures.

Many, very many, are questioning the verity and truth of the Scriptures. Human reasoning and the imaginings of the human heart are undermining the inspiration of the Word of God, and that which should be received as granted, is surrounded with a cloud of mysticism. Nothing stands out in clear and distinct lines, upon rock bottom. This is one of the marked signs of the last days. {1SM 15.2}

In a church with over 500 registered members, less than 100 return their tithes and offerings faithfully. Less than 100 contribute earnestly to the building funds and we are tempted to ask why.

A preacher announced from the pulpit," I have good news and bad news. The good news is we have enough money to retire the mortgage on the church."

A sigh of relief went through the congregation.

The preacher continued: "the bad news is: the money is still in your pocket."

Why do we hold onto our pockets so tightly? Have we lost our faith in the WORD of God?

Mal 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the LORD of hosts,

“ If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.

But only few believe that the LORD will truly keep His promises today and pour out His blessings such as they cannot contain. Only a handful still have faith that if they “cast their bread upon the waters, they will find it after many days” (Eccl 11:2). Friends, God, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord is faithful (1 Cor 1:9).

When the Son of Man returns, He will find faith, not because we have laboured for it but because He is faithful. He has never given up on us and we ought to take heart and refuse to give up on Him. Multitudes from every nation, tribe, people and tongue will stand before Him that day. Yes, multitudes “which no one can number” will proclaim that “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And when the angels fail to sing their song of Moses and the Lamb, the elders will ask “who are these arrayed in white robes and where did they come from?... “These are they, which came out of the great tribulation.” These are they who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. These are they whom the Son of Man has found with faith in their God for they ceased not to call upon His name day and night. Therefore, do not lose heart. Keep pressing on and He will find you with faith when He returns to take us home!