Mstari wa Leo

"Kiburi cha mtu kitamshusha, bali mwenye roho ya unyenyekevu ataheshimiwa" Mithali 29:23
Mbali na haya maneno ya Biblia juu ya kiburi pia katika maisha ya kawaida kuna methali inasema "kiburi si maungwana". Mtu mwenye kiburi hukosa mengi kwa watu na hata hujikosesha baraka zake toka kwa Mungu. Na ndiyo maana anasema kiburi cha mtu kitamshusha lakini yule mwenye kunyeyekea atapata heshima pamoja na kupata mema.
Unaposoma neno hili kaa utafakari na kama wewe ni mwenye kiburi, jiulize umepata mangapi kutokana na kiburi chako, umekosa mangapi na kimekufikisha wapi? Kumbuka moyo wenye kiburi humchukiza Bwana.
Kiburi hakijifichi, na pengine mwenye kiburi anaweza asione anacho lakini watu wengine wanaweza kutambua kwa haraka kiburi kilichopo ndani ya mtu.
Muombe Mungu akusaidie akuondolee kiburi na akupe moyo wa unyenyekevu upate yaliyo mema. Mara nyingine tunashangaa kwa nini hatuendelei kifedha, kiafya na hata katika mahusiano huoni kilicho cha manufaa, lakini huwezi jua pengine ni kiburi chako hukwamisha hayo yote.

Muwe na wiki yenye kuzaa matunda katika kazi zenu!

FUNGU LA KUMI/ THITHE

Fungu la kumi ni ile asilimia kumi ya mazao ama kipato cha mtu anachopata ambacho anatenga kwa ajili ya kumtolea Mungu.

Kwa kiingereza THITHE is the tenth part of agricultural produce or personal income set apart as an offering to God or for works of mercy, or the same amount regarded as an obligation or tax for the support of the church, priesthood, or the like. OR is a tenth part or any indefinitely small part of anything.

Asilimia 10 ya kipato chako unachotakiwa umtolee Mungu kinatakiwa kiwe kwenye gross salary na sio net salary. Katika hili wapo wenye mtazamo tofauti ya kwamba 10% inatoka kwenye net salary yaani baada ya makato. Binafsi mimi 10% yangu nahesabia kipato changu chote kabla ya makato. Natoa kwa moyo nikijua ya kuwa Mungu pekee ndo atanizidishia. Kumbuka ukitoa extra Mungu nae huona moyo wako ulivyo mkunjufu.

Watu wengi wanapatwa na vishawishi vya kuuliza pindi watoapo fungu lao la kumi ama sadaka zao kuwa zinaenda wapi. Epuka kishawishi cha namna hiyo kwa sababu kinakuzuia kupata baraka za Bwana. Kama utawala wa Kanisa utatumia fungu hilo la kumi kwa kufanya mambo yamchukizayo Mungu, ni juu ya yeye kuwahukumu. Mungu anakujua ya kwamba umemtolea na yeye atakubariki kwa sababu amependezwa na wewe. Kwa kujenga huu msingi wa utoaji fungu la kumi Mungu atakubariki kwenye masuala ya utajiri ambao ni mali, fedha, afya, usalama wako na mambo mengine yanayofanana na hayo. Kwa kifupi utauona mkono wa baraka wa Bwana katika nyanja mbali mbali za maisha yako. Mfano mzuri katika Biblia Kitabu cha Mwanzo 22 ni pale Ibrahimu alipomsikiliza Mungu pale alipotaka amtoe sadaka mwanae wa pekee Isaka. Alipotaka kufanya hivyo akasikia sauti ya Mungu ikimuasa asimtemdee mwanae hivyo kwa maana sasa amejua ya kuwa anamcha Mungu. Ule mstari wa 17 unasema “ katika kubariki nitakubariki na katika kuzidisha nitauzidisha uzao wako kama nyota za mbinguni na kama mchanga ulioko pwani na uzao wako utamiliki mlango wa adui zao”

Jenga tabia ya kutoa kwa kuwa utoaji wako unampa Mungu heshima na utukufu. Ni sehemu kubwa ya utukufu. Mtolee Mungu kwa moyo wako wote na sio kutoka kana kwamba unamkopesha Mungu. 2Wakorintho 9:7 “Kila mtu na atende kama alivyokusudia moyoni mwake, si kwa huzuni, wala kwa lazima maana Mungu humpenda yeye atoaye kwa moyo wa ukunjufu”

Agano la kale linaonyesha kwamba watu walikuwa wakitoa mazao,na wanyama walionona kama fungu la kumi. Kwa ulimwengu wetu wa sasa ambapo watu wengi tumeajiriwa, fungu letu la kumi litahesabiwa kwenye kipato tupatacho katika kazi zetu ama biashara tufanyazo.

Katika kitabu cha Mithali 3:9 “Mheshimu BWANA kwa mali zako na kwa malimbuko ya mazao yako yote, ndipo ghala zako zitakapojaa hadi kufurika, viriba vyako vitafurika kwa mvinyo mpya.”

Pesa kwa sasa imekuwa ngumu na ndiyo maana watu wengine wana mitazamo tofauti ya fungu la kumi. Mtu mwingine anakuambia siwezi toa fungu la kumi kwa sababu sioni likizungumziwa kwenye Agano jipya. Lakini hii ni kutokana na ugumu wa utoaji na upofu wa mtu wa kujua ya kuwa ukimtolea Mungu kazi zako za mikono zinabarikiwa mara dufu. Na pili watu wamekuwa wakiiabudu sana pesa na kusahau kuwa Mungu huyo huyo ndo ametupa uweza wa kutawala vitu kama hivyo.

WAPI NATOA FUNGU LA KUMI

Malaki 3:10 “Leteni zaka kamili ghalani, ili kiwemo chakula katika nyumba yangu, mkanijaribu kwa njia hiyo asema Bwana wa majeshi, mjue kama sitawafungulia madirisha ya mbinguni na kuwamwagieni baraka, hata isiwepo nafasi ya kutosha au la”

Toa fungu lako la kumi nyumbani kwa Bwana ambapo ni mahali unapokwenda kumwabudu yaani Kanisani. Kama umepanga kutoa fungu la kumi litoe hiyo siku uliyopanga, kwa kufanya kinyume chake utakuwa unamuibia Mungu. Kumuibia Mungu maana yake umepanga kutoa fungu lako la kumi kesho halafu inapofika siku ya kutoa unabadili mawazo ama kutoa fungu pungufu, hivyo ni kumuibia Mungu. Mtolee Mungu kwa wakati ulioahidi bila kukoma.

Ninavyoelewa kusaidia wajane, yatima, na wasiojiweza hiyo haihesabiwi kama fungu la kumi, bali inaingia katika upandaji mbegu, yaani kusaidia watu kwa moyo bila kusubiria mrejesho.Nasema hivyo kwa sababu wapo watu wanatoa msaada kwa yatima ama mtu asiyejiweza na kusema hili ndilo fungu langu la kumi. Mmoja wapo ni mimi nilikuwa nasema Mungu niongoze na nifunulie hii pesa nimpe nani ambaye anahitaji zaidi nikijua kuwa ni sehemu yangu ya fungu la kumi bila kujua nilikuwa namuibia Mungu. Kwa hiyo mtu aliyekuwa ananijia kichwani ndiyo nilikuwa nampelekea na kusema kwamba nimetoa fungu la kumi.

KUPANDA MBEGU

Pamoja na kutoa Fungu la kumi, ni vizuri kujenga tabia ya kupanda mbegu yaani kutoa fedha, msaada kwa watu mathalan yatima, wajane na wenye shida mbali mbali kwa nia ya kuvuna mema kutoka kwa Mungu. Kwa kifupi jenga tabia ya kusaidia watu lakini isiwe unafanya mfano kwamba unawekeana mkataba na Mungu ya kuwa ninamsaidia mtu fulani basi lazima Mungu aniongezee. Kwa kufanya hivyo hutafanikiwa kwa sababu unakuwa hujatoa kwa moyo wako wote. Mfano mzuri ni ule na Yesu na mpanzi ( Marko 4:3-8) aliyekwenda kupanda mbegu shambani mwake. Tena kuna hata na wimbo wake. “ Mpanzi alitoka kwenda panda mbegu njema shambani mwake, na nyingine zilianguka kwenye miiba, na nyingne zilianguka pakavu, na nyingine zilianguka kwenye udongo mzurii, zikazaa matunda zikimea na kukua, na kuzaa moja thelathini, moja sitini na moja mia”. Kwa kifupi panda mbegu yako kwenye udongo wenye rutuba, yaani saidia watu wale ambao unajua wanahitaji msaada zaidi kuliko kuwekeza katika miungu mingine.

Maandiko pia yanatuonyesha ya kwamba ni heri kutoa kuliko kupokea (Mdo 20:35). Kwa maana hiyo basi kwa pale unapotoa kwa watu usitegemee kurudishiwa kama ulivyotoa na pengine waweza usirudishiwe kabisa. Jua ya kuwa Mungu ndiyo mpaji, kwa kutoa kwako kwa moyo safi hakika utarudishiwa kwa namna nyingine. Mtolee Mungu kwa moyo wako wote hakika nawe utatimiziwa mahitaji yako. Waebrania 6:14 “Hakika yangu kubariki, nitakubariki na kuongeza nitakuongeza”

Where your treasure is, your heart will be!

 

Congrats Mr & Mrs John Adhero

"Kwa maana nitamimina maji juu yake aliye na kiu, na vijito vya maji ya mahali pakavu, nitamwaga roho yangu juu ya wazao wako na baraka yangu juu yao utakaowazaa" Isaya44:3

Sote wanafamilia tumefurahi kupata habari hizi za ujio wa mgeni Brandon Willness Adhero. Hakika Mungu ni mwema na tutazidi kushangaa matendo yake kwetu sisi hasa ya uumbaji wake. Mungu awatunzie vijana wenu wakue katika misingi ya Kikristo. Awaongoze, awape busara na hekima katika kuwalea na kuwakuza Brandon na kaka yake Austin.
Nasi wanafamilia tunamuomba Mungu nae atuongoze kuwasaidia watoto hawa pale tuwezapo kimawazo katika hatua mbali mbali watakazopitia kimaisha mathalani katika kazi zao za shule na katika kukua kwao katika misingi ya Kristo wetu.
Bwana Mungu awaangazie nuru ya uso wake popote muendapo na katika lolote mfanyalo.
Brandon amezaliwa November 6, 2012!

Such an inspiring message!

Thought I should share this message with you... Hope u will get something out of it!

The song "IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL" was written by a successful Christian lawyer.He had two girls and a wife, and the family planned a summer trip to go overseas. Since he had a lot of work to do, he sent his family and decided to follow them later. He heard the news while on the following ship that another ship has capsized and he knew that his family was there since they mentioned the name of the ship. On His return home, his Law firm was burned down and the insurance refused to pay, they said "ITS AN ACT OF GOD". He had no money to pay for his house and no work, he also Lost his house. Then while sitting and thinking what's happening to him,being a spiritual person, he wrote a song - whatever my Lord, you have Taught me to say - IT IS WELL, IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL. My dear friend, a good attitude will determine your altitude. When you look at your life, career, job or family life, what do you say? Do you praise God? Do you blame the devil? A good attitude towards God makes Him move on your behalf. Just sit down & say, Today God , it is well with my soul , I am thankful I had a peaceful sleep , I am thankful I am alive with possibilities , I am thankful I have a roof over me , I am thankful I have a job , I am also thankful that I have Family and Friends. Above All, I AM thankful that I have the lord Jesus Christ on my side.Be blessed. And please don’t be envious or shocked when others are prospering, because you don’t know what they have been through to get there (test, trials and tribulation) so thank God for what you have."Little is much when God is in it IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL AND YOU?

His love endures forever!

Enjoy!

UMUHIMU WA KUWA NA MAONO

Kwanza kabisa nianze kwa kutoa maana ya maono ni fikra za kinjozi ama mtu mwenye uwezo wa kuona mbali. Ama ni ile hali ya kitu au tukio lionekanalo kwenye akili lakini kiuhalisia halipo. Kwa lugha ya kizungu naweza kusema a Vision is an experience in which a personage, thing or event appears vividly to the mind although not actually present, often under the influence of a divine or other agency. Simply it is a picture you have in mind that is going to happen.

Ni muhimu kuwa na maono kwa maana maono husaidia mtu ajue anachotaka kufanya na kwa wakati gani. Vile vile ni muhimu kwa sababu maono hutoa taarifa katika maisha ya kila siku ya mwanadamu ni jinsi gani anaweza kuepuka na jambo lolote ama atafanikiwaje kuhusiana na maono yake.

“Pasipo maono watu huacha kujizuia, bali ana heri mtu Yule ashikaye sheria” Mithali 29:18

Maono yako lazima yawe clear tofauti na ndoto. “Wasiuone mwili wake wakaja wakasema ya kwamba wametokewa na malaika waliosemakwamba yu hai” Luka 24:23. Maono ni yale yanayotabiri mambo yatakayotokea baadae tofauti na ndoto. Mara nyingi ndoto ni accumulation ya mawazo mtu awazayo kwa siku na akilala akaota mambo yafananayo na hayo. Kwa kufanya hivyo hayo si maono, kwa sababu maono yanaweza kutokea wakati wowote iwe mchana ama usingizini.  

Ukiangalia katika kitabu cha Waamuzi mlango wa kumi na tatu pale Malaika wa Bwana alivyomtokea Yule mwanamke tasa na kumwambia atachukua mimba na atamzaa mtoto mwanamume. Ni moja ya mfano wa maono ambayo yako wazi kabisa tofauti na ndoto. “Kwani tazama utachukua mimba, nawe utamzaa mtoto mwanamume na wembe usipite juu ya kichwa chake maana mtoto huyo atakuwa mnadhiri wa Mungu tangu tumboni, naye ataanza kuwaokoa Israeli na mikono ya wafilisti” Waamuzi 13:5

Lakini vile vile ndoto zinaweza kuwa maono mfano mtu anaweza ota anapandishwa cheo lakini wafanyakazi wengine wanapinga jambo hilo na kutaka afukuzwe kazi. Maana ya ndoto kama hiyo jua ya kuwa kuna jambo zuri litatokea katika sehemu yako ya kazi lakini kutakuwa na vipingamizi. Yakupasa kuliombea jambo hilo na kukataa roho hizo za chuki juu ya mafanikio yako.

“Bwana akanijibu akasema, Iandike njozi uifanye wazi sana katika vibao ili aisomaye apate kuisoma kwa maji. Maana njozi hii bado ni wakati ulioamriwa inafanya haraka ili kuufikilia mwisho wake wala haitasema uongo, ijapokawia ingojee kwa kuwa haina budi kuja, haitakawia” Habakuki 2:2-3

AINA ZA MAONO

·        Personal Vision: Lazima ujue nini unataka katika maisha.Kwa mfano unataka mahusiano yako yaweje iwe umeolewa ama la. What kind of legacy you want your marriage to leave behind? Kwa haraka haraka jiulize mwenyewe nini maono yako kuhusu kipato chako? Pengine unataka uwe mfanyabiashara maarufu ama mkandarasi na hujui jinsi tu ya kufikia malengo yako hayo ya kuwa mfanyabiashara maarufu. Wapo marafiki watakudiscourage kwa kila utakachofanya kwa ajili ya maendeleo yako. Na kama unataka kuendelea never fear about what others will talk about you. Na kama mpaka sasa hujui your personal vision you better find out soon as time is not on your side. Ni muhimu kujua Mungu anataka uwe nani katika maisha yako.

·        Maono ya familia/Family vision: Kwa mfano wewe umeoa/olewa, sasa mkiwa kama mke na mume yaani familia moja ni nini vipaumbele vyenu kwa maisha mapya mliyonayo? Katika tamaduni zetu za kiafrika familia ni muhimu sana. Na kwetu extended families zinapewa umuhimu na hata mara nyingine zinazidi familia za karibu yaani baba, mama, watoto. Na kama mtu utakuwa hujajua jinsi gani ya kuendesha maisha yako kama mtu na mume utajikuta hakuna maendeleo kwa sababu vipaumbele vyako vitakuwa juu ya watu wengine ama nisema ndugu instead of your immediate family.Mfano kuishi nchi za ugenini mathalan US kumefanya sense ya family kupotea na kuanza kuwa individualism. Yaani a family entails Baba, Mama na watoto. Ndugu wengine wanasahaulika huko majumbani na ndiyo maana watu wengine hupata lawama huyu ndugu yetu kabadilika sana hata hasaidii ndugu zake walioko TZ na mambo kama hayo.

Lakini tutambue kwamba Biblia inasema mtu atamuacha Baba na Mama yake ataambatana na mkewe. We should not make our descions basing on what our parents want. Hii haimaanishi kuwa uwadharau unaweza endelea kuwatafuta kwa ushauri lakini jua ya kwamba your immediate family ni mke na watoto wako. Lakini pia hii isiwe sababu ya kukuzuia kusaidia ndugu.

·        Ministry vision:- Unamfanyia nini Mungu? Lazima ujue maono yako katika kumfanyia kazi Mungu. Pengine wewe maono yako ni Mchungaji, ama sister. Ama maono yako wewe ni kusaidia maskini kama Kornelio alivyokuwa anatoa sadaka kwa maskini (soma zaidi Matendo ya mitume 10:9-30). Pia soma Waamuzi 13:2-24 na pia Kitabu cha Daniel kwa ufunuo zaidi juu ya maono.

Mungu awabariki!

SIKU YA WATAKATIFU

Leo ni sikukuu ya Watakatifu wote. Tunaitumia siku hii kuwakumbuka wapendwa wetu waliotwaliwa na Mwenyezi Mungu. Kipekee namkumbuka Mama yangu mpendwa Mariam Jambia na my little brother Adam. There are times I just wish you are here by my side. I have so many things to share with you Mum. Thank you for shaping me into a person who I like and proud to be. Let me tell you something, you know I'm now married to a wonderful husband most women would wish to have. He is a great person and I thank God for having him. I'm sure if you have had a chance to meet him you would have agreed with all kind of praises about him. On that same day of our wedding, I looked up to see if you can give me a hand in applying my last last make-up before entering the Church. I remember you whispered into my ears, "Kisura wangu I'm not good in make-ups, you know how natural I am". Let me just fix your hair. I felt your hand in my hair and that is when I knew you were besides me all along. Words cannot express how much I miss you dear Mother. You were the greatest thing could have ever happened to me. Not a day goes by without thinking about you especially now when I want to enjoy this good life with you. But I thank God for everything, and I'm proud to be called the daughter of Mariam Jambia. May the almighty God continue to rest your souls in eternal peace.
Also nawakumbuka wakwe zangu Mr & Mrs Willness Lyimo. Always mnakumbukwa na watoto wenu (Jackson, Anitha, Linda, Steve & Manny), wakwe zenu (Dennis, John and Myself), wajukuu (Brianna Lyimo, Austin Adhero, Isaac & Aaron William Rweikiza), ndugu, majirani na marafiki zenu.
My late sis in law Glory Lyimo you were one of a kind. I remember when you were in your A-level studies at Kibosho girls secondary school, I used to admire you so much and your friends sis Maria, Nelly, Chegy and many more. You were full of fun. How ironic life can be, who would have thought I will become one of the members in your family? We live in such a small world, look at me now I'm  called Mrs Jackson Lyimo.
We always pray for you guys and that our living God continue to rest your souls in peace. We love you all and forever will be in our thoughts.
Tunawaombea pia Ndugu, jamaa na marafiki zetu wengine waliotwaliwa na Mungu wapumzike kwa Amani.
Amen!