Flowers By The Grave

My Tribute to Senzo Meyiwa- Tony O

Our society is rapidly becoming a habitat for hypocrites and a juggle for those that are truly brave. The wise has being tamed foolish while the foolish parade them selves as the wise ones. I’m not sure whose fault this is though. We live in an era where people would rather contribute to your funeral after you are dead than helping you overcome whatever illness that is threatening your life before their very eyes.

 A friend of mine once said to me, “when I die, I do not want any one to bring flowers to my grave side as  dead men has no need for flowers. How true is this statement to us today? Have you noticed that while you are alive, you could actually count the number of times you received flowers from the people around you? But once you’re dead, you will be surprised at the numbers of flowers that get laid by your grave side. I don’t really know what we mean by that, but the truth is, we seem to be celebrating the dead more than we celebrate the living.

When someone is living a double life style around us we pretend not to care, by saying after all it’s their life, but once they are dead due to their double life style we suddenly rush to the scene and start trying to do things and say words all in the name of preserving their legacy or should I say memory. I’m beginning to believe that the majority of us are hypocrites. We are all drama kings and queens. And this needs to change.

We need to realize that dead men do not see us when we run around, no matter how much we run around while they are already dead. We need to take cognizance of the fact that a living dog as the scripture puts it in Ecclesiastes 9:4 is better than a dead lion. Again this is why Jesus would never prefer any one dead even if they are chief sinners before extending His hands of compassion and love towards them.  Show me a man who died in his or her sin and I will show you a person who has refused corrections and despise God’s rebukes. 

We most realize that even the devil works for God and he is there to punish those who have taken light God’s rebuke and despised God’s corrections through what ever means they were sent to them. Let’s stop being hypocrites. If you could not (send flowers) advice a friend from giving up habits and characters that puts his or her life in danger, then I think you do not deserve to lay by his or her grave side a leaf not to talk of putting a bunch of roses. The truth is dead men do not smell the rose so why waste your time and money.

On Sunday evening at about 11:15 pm, I logged on to the internet to continue my research on a project I was working on, but what I discovered was nothing short of a heart breaking news. I was so shocked as one of the headlines on the news page reads “Senzo Meyiwa is dead” I thought to my self just when I was contemplating joining the Bucs because of this same  talented goal keeper haven being a chief fan behind the veil for years.   What a chattered hope for so many others like myself who truly admire the courage and talent of this very fine soccer player. After going through the story as to what lead to his death I was left with just one question in my heart, and that question is, who killed Senzo Meyiwa?

Was it the gun man who stormed his girl friend’s resident on that fateful Sunday night? Or was it the government, his friends or perhaps the more than 50 million South Africans including foreigners residing in the Republic? I realize failure to accurately answer this question posed to me would mean that in no short space of time we could be losing another very important citizen, which could be you reading this article right now.  At this point friends I believe the gun man only pulled the trigger, but we all, I mean all of us mentioned above killed him. Oh Yeah, we did!As his friends, we killed him the day we found out about his extra marital affair and refuse to protest against it like we would normally protest against our government when we are asking for jobs and increment of salaries. We killed him the day we told him it’s a man thing to have an affair outside his matrimonial home as almost every men indulge in such act including our very selves. As fellow citizens and foreigners residing in the republic we killed him either by refusing to speak against infidelity within our immediate environment or by giving reasons why it wasn’t our place to speak up. Most of us killed him by giving in to the huge pressure of following the crowd even when we have the knowledge of where they were heading.

Someone once said “for evil to prevail all the good men must just sit and do nothing”. As a government we killed him by passing bills and laws that enslave our youth in the name of democracy. We killed him by forcing most good people who would have probably literally go after him in a bid to get him to retrace his  steps to think of the consequences of a possible fine from the law enforcement agents.  As a  government we didn’t only kill him, we have also set in motion a proceeding- if not careful that is capable of killing brilliant sports and state future  leaders by allowing laws that are capable of binding the hands of most parents while washing their children throwing their future away all in the name of freedom of expression.

Can you truly leave a piece of fish with a hungry cat while going out and expect to have it in good shape when you return?  If your answer is no, why then do you expect a child or a teenager to know how to manage freedom when it has being handed to them at a stage when they are no different from a hungry cat with a piece of fish in it custody.

Most of us often wonder why our children find it very difficult to listen to us as parents when we try to show them what morality is, amidst the immoral environment they are being raised in- little wonder Senzo refused to hear the call of his parents to retrace his step about his relationship with his mistress. Like the saying goes “ you cannot teach an old dog new tricks” . The mind of a child is not different from that of soft clay and as such it’s easily influenced by the affirmation of the majority. When an individual learns a particular habit as a child or teenager, it will only take the help of God to unlearn it, even after becoming a Christian. This is one reason why the scripture passage in proverb 6:22 “train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it” should be a watch word for every parent.

As it stands our government is really doing a great job by training our children in the way they should go by passing immoral laws and bills that is shaping the mind of our future leaders.  No wonder they are not departing from it even as leaders of various sectors within our community.

While humans has the ability to shape the mind of a child- Only God can change the hearts of grown ups. This is one reason it become almost impossible for an adult to unlearn thoughts and habits they have learnt from child hood.

I believe as a country, a government, friends and parents of the late talented Senzo Meyiwa the best condolence and tribute we could pay to him right now is not the laying of roses by his grave side or the rendering of eloquent speeches at his funeral but simply taking our stand and pledge our allegiance to make sure we will never lose any of our future sports and states men in such a manner. Let’s take the responsibility upon our selves to train our future leaders in the way they should go while we still have the privilege to shape their future by refusing to affirm things and habits that are hazardous to their moral formation. Let’s say no to crime in South Africa, No to crime in Africa and No to crime in the globe!

Rest In Peace Senzo

What is a Biblical Marraige

Embedded in the Christian community, as well as the secular, is the notion and practice that marriage is non-existent unless each participant makes a vow to the other in front of a government official, and in most cases other witnesses. Once this is accomplished, the official declares, "By the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Believers in Jesus Christ defend Christian marriage based on these stated vows. They proclaim that we will be accountable to God for our vows to one another, and they are correct. We will be held accountable before God to uphold whatsoever we have sworn by oath, but when it comes to the vows that supposedly makes a Christian marriage, are the stated vows valid and are they acceptable to God?

When two people state their vows to one another to unite in marriage, they can concoct the vows to say or imply whatever they want. The most popular is "for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part." Just to pick out one aspect of this vow, what is their meaning for "worse?" If this were true, there would never be a divorce. Just how bad do they consider the word "worse" to mean? Some have vowed to each other "as long as our love shall last." I take this to mean that one could abandon the other, because now their love for the other has diminished and, then, go take another to marry, doing it all over again. Would this vow be acceptable to God in that He would join two together based on this vow? Would this fit within His framework and commands of Biblical marriage?

Does the Creator of marriage base that union on the content of our vows? Does our responsibility end with our stated vows? If so, then marriage is defined based upon what our vows encompass (what we mean at the time) and not what God has prescribed. If we think that, we are sorely mistaken and in deep trouble. In fact, vows aren't even required to be married Biblically.

If one will examine the Scriptures, one will see that Biblical marriage was not fortified based on our present cultural system of vow making. The beginning process of Biblical marriage was cemented by the making of covenants. A covenant was a binding agreement of purchase, as is depicted and exemplified to all believers, through God's Word, who are under the covenant of Christ, "...and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore... (1 Corinthians 6:19,20). Joseph and Mary were husband and wife by covenant to begin with.

Still Hungry? 1 Corinthians 7:23, Matthew 20-28, Acts 20-28, John 2:21

The Reward

One of my lifelong struggles has been finding freedom in the most basic part of the Christian life—personal devotions. It’s not that I don’t do them, of course, but that they rarely seem to come easily and naturally. I want to wake up longing to read the Bible and eager to pray. I want to get up in the mornings thinking, “I just can’t wait to hear from God and speak to God.” But so often I find myself reading and praying out of simple obedience. That duty is too seldom joined by delight.

It isn’t always that way. There are times—times I love—where there is tremendous joy and freedom. For weeks now I have been in one of those periods, and it has been a joy and a delight to spend time in the Word and to pray. And in this time I’ve been drawn to parts of Scripture that rejoice in Scripture. I was recently transfixed by Psalm 19 and David’s sheer joy at this great gift of God. After listing so many of the benefits of God’s Word he says,

More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

David tells us that God’s Word is precious. David is king over his nation and has access to all of its wealth, yet he looks at it all and sees that it is nothing compared to the surpassing worth of God’s Word. Where other men’s desire is to enrich themselves with gold, David’s desire is to enrich himself with the wisdom of God through the Scriptures.
David tells us that God’s Word is pleasurable. I don’t think there is any natural substance more delicious than honey (though perhaps maple syrup could be a close contender), and yet David can proclaim that God’s Word is sweeter even than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. As honey brightens the eyes, God’s Word brightens the soul.

David tells us that God’s Word is protective. He knows that the wisdom of God revealed through his Word will warn him and protect him away from sin and its consequences. David can look at his life and see those times he did not heed the warnings and receive God’s protection, and now he knows: God protects us through his Word.

David tells us that God’s Word is profitable. The Word of God does not only warn, but it also profits. Those who heed God’s wisdom and obey his law receive all the benefits that come from walking with God. They receive the greatest reward of all: they are with God and in God today and every day.

God’s Word is precious, pleasurable, protective, and profitable. What a gift it is!

Still Hungry? Job 22:24, Psalm 119:72, Psalm 119:103

Handling your God given Assignment

What do you do when God gives you an assignment?   One definition of the word assignment is "appointment: a position, duty, or job for which somebody is chosen".   When God chooses you. When God appoints you. When God puts you in a position and assigns duties and jobs for you to complete. What do you do?   Do you work your assignment as though man put you there?  When you get hired by a company, they give you an employee handbook.  A book that tells you the rules and the regulations for working there. They give you the handbook so that you will have an understanding of their expectations. If you don't abide by what is in the handbook, you lose your job.  

What about the assignment and job God has given you?   He gave you a handbook as well.  His Word.  Thankfully, along with His handbook comes grace and mercy. His mercy for you to complete the assignment is renewed every day ... just in case you need it. The one thing we must learn to do in order to complete the assignments that God has set before us, is allow Him to be the boss. We must allow Him to lead.  We must respect His position of authority in our lives. Once we do that, it will be easy to walk out our assignments to completion and help to train others along the way.  

God Rules

Daniel 4: ¹⁷ “‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High(AC) is sovereign^(AD) over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest^(AE) of people.

’

God will give the Kingdom to the lowest of men and women. Similarly, Paul writes in I Corinthians 1:26, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." The lesson is to know that God rules, which has been the issue from the very beginning.

Adam and Eve did not act as though they knew that God rules; they acted as though Satan or they ruled. They rejected the rule of God, and from that time on, God has concentrated on this very fact. Mankind will learn that God rules, and in order to do that, God is going to have to judge, to issue decrees, and to hand down sentences.

His sentences are going to be very stiff indeed, because Scripture shows that the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord will reduce the population of the earth to about 10% of all of mankind. The carnage that will result from God's judgments being handed out, so that mankind will know that God rules, will be bloody to an extreme. An awful lot of pain will result from the execution of this sentence. God judges, and it will begin at the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets.

To most people on earth—if God even exists in their thoughts—He is, at best, a rather remote personality who acted a long time ago but seems to have grown disinterested, as nothing has happened for quite a long time. However, the Bible shows Him to be a hands-on ruler. He is overseeing planet earth, and He is doing it for the purpose of fulfilling His purpose of establishing His Kingdom.


Still Hungry? Daniel 11:21, Matthew 23:12, Psalm 103:19, Jeremiah 27:5-7