Being doers of the word, not hearers only.

       As a young person I saw people do many things that when I look back and start thinking about their significance, I lose a heart beat. Most of these things we were taught as children included some that were superstitious. Like for example, when I had mumps, my sister I were taken to a Flame tree (Erythrina abyssinica)see picture below (in Luhya known as murembe)and we collected sticks, tied them into a bundle and put them on our heads. Then we went around the tree singing tsindendei kalukha khumurembe,tsindendei kalukha khumurembe.( mumps go back/return to the flame tree.....)

          Then we threw the sticks on the tree and fled homeward without looking back. We were warned, if you look back the Tsindendei would not go and we wouldn't be healed. So I remember after I threw my bundle of sticks, I ran so fast. Interestingly, this worked! I got healed and I cannot explain how this works or how it worked then. 

              The going round the tree and healing was curative and the healing power behind that tree and the actions, which do not involve any kind of worship or sacrifice,fascinates me until now. However, one practice that I have come to believe is folly and so stupid, is how I saw the bible being used. I saw some people putting the bible under their pillows so as not to have nightmares. Bibles were used literary fighting unseen spirits, placing the bible on coffins, being buried with the bible, and what happens even now in the law courts. That to show and prove that one is saying or will speak the truth and not lie, courts law require witnesses or litigants to swear by the bible. I wonder how many oceans can hold the disastrous deluge of lies that have been spewed out of millions and millions of mouths in the courts of law! 

            Some of us believe that by keeping our marriage certificates or important documents in the bible safeguards the marriage or the agreement. Some people look for names from the bible so that their children will follow the character of the biblical heroes-which to me is still superstitious and the exact transplantation of some African traditional beliefs where children are named after great people in the belief that the children will take up from the people they were named after. Some of these children grow up into rebellious children. Although some Christian friends believe there is more in a name, I am yet to be convinced. My belief in the proper and efficacious use of the Bible is reading it everyday, systematically, listening to audio bibles while driving along, memorizing portions of scripture and applying the lessons in my real life situations. One way of doing this, is by asking yourself, what would Jesus have done if He were in my situation now? What did the prophets of the old do when they faced by the same situations? What did the people of God in the Bible do when worshiping God? What did God do to the His people when they sinned against Him? What example should I follow? What should I learn to enable me attain such knowledge and stature?
           There is no single successful leader I know who never read the Bible and applied the truth therein. Mahatma Gandhi read and quoted the Bible. George Fox the founder of the Quaker faith read and knew the bible extremely well. 

There is a big difference between knowing and doing. This difference has to be removed by applying what we know to be taught in the Bible and this we should do by allowing God through His Holy Spirit to teach us all things so that we follow and accomplish what James 1:22 says: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves".

Being doers of the word, not hearers only.

       As a young person I saw people do many things that when I look back and start thinking about their significance, I lose a heart beat. Most of these things we were taught as children included some that were superstitious. Like for example, when I had mumps, my sister I were taken to a Flame tree (Erythrina abyssinica)see picture below (in Luhya known as murembe)and we collected sticks, tied them into a bundle and put them on our heads. Then we went around the tree singing tsindendei kalukha khumurembe,tsindendei kalukha khumurembe.( mumps go back/return to the flame tree.....)

          Then we threw the sticks on the tree and fled homeward without looking back. We were warned, if you look back the Tsindendei would not go and we wouldn't be healed. So I remember after I threw my bundle of sticks, I ran so fast. Interestingly, this worked! I got healed and I cannot explain how this works or how it worked then. 

              The going round the tree and healing was curative and the healing power behind that tree and the actions, which do not involve any kind of worship or sacrifice,fascinates me until now. However, one practice that I have come to believe is folly and so stupid, is how I saw the bible being used. I saw some people putting the bible under their pillows so as not to have nightmares. Bibles were used literary fighting unseen spirits, placing the bible on coffins, being buried with the bible, and what happens even now in the law courts. That to show and prove that one is saying or will speak the truth and not lie, courts law require witnesses or litigants to swear by the bible. I wonder how many oceans can hold the disastrous deluge of lies that have been spewed out of millions and millions of mouths in the courts of law! 

            Some of us believe that by keeping our marriage certificates or important documents in the bible safeguards the marriage or the agreement. Some people look for names from the bible so that their children will follow the character of the biblical heroes-which to me is still superstitious and the exact transplantation of some African traditional beliefs where children are named after great people in the belief that the children will take up from the people they were named after. Some of these children grow up into rebellious children. Although some Christian friends believe there is more in a name, I am yet to be convinced. My belief in the proper and efficacious use of the Bible is reading it everyday, systematically, listening to audio bibles while driving along, memorizing portions of scripture and applying the lessons in my real life situations. One way of doing this, is by asking yourself, what would Jesus have done if He were in my situation now? What did the prophets of the old do when they faced by the same situations? What did the people of God in the Bible do when worshiping God? What did God do to the His people when they sinned against Him? What example should I follow? What should I learn to enable me attain such knowledge and stature?
           There is no single successful leader I know who never read the Bible and applied the truth therein. Mahatma Gandhi read and quoted the Bible. George Fox the founder of the Quaker faith read and knew the bible extremely well. 

There is a big difference between knowing and doing. This difference has to be removed by applying what we know to be taught in the Bible and this we should do by allowing God through His Holy Spirit to teach us all things so that we follow and accomplish what James 1:22 says: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves".

Being doers of the word, not hearers only.

       As a young person I saw people do many things that when I look back and start thinking about their significance, I lose a heart beat. Most of these things we were taught as children included some that were superstitious. Like for example, when I had mumps, my sister I were taken to a Flame tree (Erythrina abyssinica)see picture below (in Luhya known as murembe)and we collected sticks, tied them into a bundle and put them on our heads. Then we went around the tree singing tsindendei kalukha khumurembe,tsindendei kalukha khumurembe.( mumps go back/return to the flame tree.....)

          Then we threw the sticks on the tree and fled homeward without looking back. We were warned, if you look back the Tsindendei would not go and we wouldn't be healed. So I remember after I threw my bundle of sticks, I ran so fast. Interestingly, this worked! I got healed and I cannot explain how this works or how it worked then. 

              The going round the tree and healing was curative and the healing power behind that tree and the actions, which do not involve any kind of worship or sacrifice,fascinates me until now. However, one practice that I have come to believe is folly and so stupid, is how I saw the bible being used. I saw some people putting the bible under their pillows so as not to have nightmares. Bibles were used literary fighting unseen spirits, placing the bible on coffins, being buried with the bible, and what happens even now in the law courts. That to show and prove that one is saying or will speak the truth and not lie, courts law require witnesses or litigants to swear by the bible. I wonder how many oceans can hold the disastrous deluge of lies that have been spewed out of millions and millions of mouths in the courts of law! 

            Some of us believe that by keeping our marriage certificates or important documents in the bible safeguards the marriage or the agreement. Some people look for names from the bible so that their children will follow the character of the biblical heroes-which to me is still superstitious and the exact transplantation of some African traditional beliefs where children are named after great people in the belief that the children will take up from the people they were named after. Some of these children grow up into rebellious children. Although some Christian friends believe there is more in a name, I am yet to be convinced. My belief in the proper and efficacious use of the Bible is reading it everyday, systematically, listening to audio bibles while driving along, memorizing portions of scripture and applying the lessons in my real life situations. One way of doing this, is by asking yourself, what would Jesus have done if He were in my situation now? What did the prophets of the old do when they faced by the same situations? What did the people of God in the Bible do when worshiping God? What did God do to the His people when they sinned against Him? What example should I follow? What should I learn to enable me attain such knowledge and stature?
           There is no single successful leader I know who never read the Bible and applied the truth therein. Mahatma Gandhi read and quoted the Bible. George Fox the founder of the Quaker faith read and knew the bible extremely well. 

There is a big difference between knowing and doing. This difference has to be removed by applying what we know to be taught in the Bible and this we should do by allowing God through His Holy Spirit to teach us all things so that we follow and accomplish what James 1:22 says: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves".