Guided by the will of God
Therefore, since the Messiah suffered … arm yourselves with the same determination, so that [you] can live the rest of [your] mortal life guided, not by human desires, but by the will of God. (1Pet 4:1-2)
You are warmly welcome to Kakumba Chapel! We congratulate Rev Chrysostom and Stella Akwech upon the arrival of their baby girl on Tue 11th Oct; and congratulate James and Grace Tebyasa upon receiving a baby boy on Fri 14th Oct. For both these couples, this is their first born.
As we look forward to the Kakumba Home Coming and Thanksgiving, we should expect the Chapel leadership to share development plans and encourage us to support them by our increased giving. We thank God who has enabled us to come this far from really humble beginnings; and He is taking us even further – for He is the Lord of the harvest, and the harvest is plentiful. On the other hand, I am reminded of the instructions from our Lord Jesus Christ, “if you are presenting your gift at the altar and remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and first go and be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift” (Matt 5:23-24). Following this level of righteousness strictly, I wonder how many of us would offer regularly! We need grace and power over evil.
Apostle Peter invites us to a determination that condones suffering in the mortal body. The flesh is the engine supporting sinful life – living in sensuality, sinful desires, drunkenness, wild celebrations, drinking parties, and detestable idolatry; and when the body really suffers, these issues diminish because they lack the engine to run them. Apostle Paul in fact takes the suffering of the body further – he prefers the body dead! He therefore refers to determined believers as ‘dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus’. This is the only way to overcome indulgences that have crippled many lives, many youth, many marriages, and caused frustrations, depressions, separations, curtailed careers and miscarriages of all sorts.
By the grace of God we are forgiven, and we are accepted. He freely pours out the Holy Spirit to those who ask, to give power over evil by suppressing (putting to death) the desires of the flesh. We all need this power if we are to get ready not only for this homecoming and thanksgiving, but also for the ultimate – the return of our Lord Jesus Christ who, at the end of the age, will gather to himself all those who overcome to the end, to live and reign with him forever. May the Lord give you grace to enjoy the discipline, suppression, suffering and death in your mortal body so that you can live the rest of [your] mortal life guided, not by human desires, but by the will of God.
God bless you.