The tale of a 1978 Kenyan number plate on a car in 1958

Many movies that are set in historical points have the singular challenge of getting all the factual details

right. This is never easy. The 1985 adventure film King Solomon Mines was a fantastic but horrible little tale full of anachronisms and replete with inaccuracies.  Based on the book of the same name by Sir H. Rider Haggard, the book created the genre known as lost world. I remember reading this book in the eighties and being fascinated with the adventures in dangerous lands full of cannibals, witches, powerful African kings, and priceless wealth that was only rumored about. (It helped dehumanize Africans making the colonists perceive us as subhuman, an idea that still persists to this very day.) So what is that thing, anachronism?

Anachronism is a literal device placing someone or something out of its proper time period. It comes from a compound Greek word meaning ‘against time’ to show events, places or things that are out of their time. This technique is sometimes used to make it easier for people to understand stories set in a different historical and social plane.

This is widely used in popular culture that is movies, music, and film. Their use can be either deliberate or accidental. For example, Martin Lawrence starred in Black Knight (2001), a comedy that used anachronisms effectively for comedic purposes. Other times it may be accidental showing poor research on the part of the scriptwriter and producer.

Breathe (2017) is the true story of Robin Cavendish, an activist for the rights of disabled people and a responaut.  This is a person who is permanently dependent on a ventilator for breathing.  Robin became one after contracting polio while on honeymoon in Kenya in 1958.  With his wife Diana, the couple had only one son, Jonathan Cavendish, the film’s producer.  Robin died in 1994 aged 64 years, one of the longest living survivors of polio.

The movie has certain scenes depicting Kenya in 1958.  These were shot on location in South Africa. They are the source of several anachronisms.  A blue plane lands with the newlyweds in Kenya (6.09).  The yellow subtitle records this in Kenya, 1958.  At the end of the airstrip, a buxom African woman runs her vegetable stall.  She is unconcerned with the plane landing in this dirt airstrip.  She has put an advert for oranges and bananas, and it’s in English.  This is highly unlikely since there were few Africans who could speak the English language leave alone a Mama Mboga selling by an airstrip. 

The newlyweds sampling Kenyan tea at a Mombasa-based tea brokerage company. (6;35) The newlyweds take a ride in the pristine African wilderness on a Land Rover series 1 registration KTT 8211. (6;55) According to Kenya vehicle registration records, vehicles were registered in the format LLL NNN (L standing for a letter while N stood for digit).

Between 1920 – 1980, vehicles were registered in 14 districts across Kenya. All had a uniform letter ‘K’ standing for Kenya, followed by a second letter denoting a region, and a final letter for the time period.

First, KTT 8211 would not have been possible since this number plate utilizes four digits.  This is obviously contrary to the law. Secondly, the ‘KT’ series was issued in 1977 for the Mombasa region.  The ‘KA’ series was used in Mombasa between 1950- 1966. It is therefore impossible for the KTT 8211 series to have been issued in 1958.

From 1980, the number plate changed from a regional to a sequential system.  In 1989, as the number plates came to an end, Kenya introduced a new format, LLL NNNL.  The additional ‘L’ guaranteed that every generation of the number plates would register 23,976 vehicles. (A generation means KAA 001A – KAZ 999Z.) There are projected to be 23 generations with the exemption of KAF, KAI, KAO. 

This means 551,448 vehicles will be registered at the end of ‘KZZ 999Z’.  The first generation ran from 1989 to 2007.  The second-generation (KBA) run for seven years until 2014 while the third (KCA) was issued between 2014 – 2020. We are currently in the fifth generation (KDA 001A) which was issued in September 2020.

This anachronism is not obvious to any Kenyan. It is also near impossible for the international viewer to spot it, but someone has gotten it for you.

Kayamba goes upcountry for christmas

The Christmas holidays were coming soon.  Kayamba could not hide his excitement. This would be the first time that eight-year-old Kayamba and his two siblings would be traveling upcountry to see his grandparents. The night before the trip, his parents bought him a children’s digital watch for Christmas. They told the children to sleep early since they would be travelling at six in the morning.  Kayamba couldn’t sleep. He kept checking his watch.  He didn’t want to be left behind.

At six the next morning, Kayamba’s parents and his siblings picked up their luggage for the fun trip ahead. The sun was just rising when they got to the bus station. The five of them got into a new colorful bus. It looked smart in the inside and felt very comfortable.  There was some fot music playing from the new speakers above.

Kayamba’s family occupied three seats. Their parents had a seat each while Kayamba and his two siblings shared one seat. Although they were squeezed, the children did not notice because of the excitement of the seeing the bus station. It was exciting to see so many people with lots of bags cris-crossing the bus station. There were also many children walking with their parents. The buses were many and colorful. It took almost one hour to fill up.

Finally, the bus left the station. Kayamba looked at his watch. It was seven in the morning.  It travelled through the countryside past people’s well dug farms. Kayamba’s excitement began turning to sleepiness. Before long, he was asleep. His siblings also went to sleep.

Kayamba was woken up by his parents after two hours. He checked his watch.  It was nine in the morning. His younger brother needed to relieve himself.  The bus had stopped at the side of the road.  His parents took them behind a bush to relieve themselves. 

When they got back into the bus, their excitement had returned. It also seemed that everyone else in the bus was also excited. People were now talking, reding newspapers and eating snacks.  Kayamba’s mum gave each of her children a half cob of boiled maize to eat. Boiled maize was his favorite.

The bus arrived at its destination and mid-day. The sun was high in the sky and it was hot.  Kayamaba and his siblings had to remove their sweaters. Their excitement grew again.  Kayamba could not wait to see his grandparents for the first time. His father came and picked up his family from the bus shade. They boarded a mini bus.  It was plain white and older than the bus they had come with.  The seats were dusty. Everyone squeezed in the bus.  Kayamba’s and his siblings sat on their parent’s laps. Kayamba sat on his father’s laps while his two younger siblings both sat on their mother’s laps.  The mini bus played loud music from the small old speakers under the back seats.

Kayamba looked at his watch.  It was one o’clock in the afternoon. The mini bus left the station and drove off on a small road. Sometimes the road was bumpy and sometimes it was smooth. It was hot although by the time they got to the village station, it was warm.  Kayamba saw that it was three o’clock in the afternoon. There were only a few people around.

They alighted from the minibus and boarded a small van. It was old and rusty. Kayamba could see that it used to be yellow.  It had wooden boards for seats and no windows. Kayamba’s excitement began to shrink. They waited for an hour before it filled up.

Everyone squeezed as much as they could.  Every child was squeezed between someone’s legs.  Kayamba was squeezed between his father’s legs while his two siblings were squeezed between other two men.

The old van drove of on a dusty road.  Kayamba looked at his watch.  It was four o’clock in the afternoon.  The road was really rough. There was music playing from the driver’s old phone. The conductor was hanging outside the door. It made the van creak and sway.  Everyone was swaying to the motion of the old van.

The van finally stopped and they alighted near a big old tree. The driver honked his horn once and drove off.  Kayamba looked at his watch.  It was five o’clock.  Kayamba was no longer excited.  He was very tired.

Beside the old big tree, there was an old motorcycle. An old man came from his house in the bush when he heard the old van honk its horn. Kayamba’s father and the old man exchanged greetings and talked for some time.  Meanwhile, Kayamba’s mother made him and his sibkiing to put on their heavy sweaters. It was getting cold.

Finally, they all got on the old motorcycle with the old man. Kayamba’s mum sat behind the old man while his father was last.  Kayamba sat on the petrol tank near the handle bars holding a bag. One sibling sat between his mother and the old man while another sat between their father and mother. His father carried another bag on his back.

They rode off as Kayamba looked at his watch. It was half past five in the afternoon.  The old motorcycle had no gauges, no headlight and it sounded like a posho mill. They rode off into a small path in the bush and went up a hill.

It was already dark when they saw their destination at a distance.  Kayamba could not tell what type of house it was.  All he could see was light from a lamp through the open door. They finally got off the motorcycle and began walking. Kayamba looked at his watch.  It was half past six o’clock in the evening.

They walked for some time before they got into their grandparents compound. They were welcomed by their grandparents.  Kayamba and his siblings could not enjoy anything since they fell on the sofa sets and slept. Kayamba only remembered looking at his watch before he slept. It was seven o’clock at night.

 

Onward African Christian Soldiers

The last few days have stirred up deep pride in the Church of Jesus Christ in Kenya and Africa at large. 
Last week,  several church leaders in Nyanza openly called MP's and local politicians, hypocrites. The ecclesiastical leaders charged that the political leaders were doing little to help people get out of poverty.  They added that these politicians were only interested in political  succession battles. 
As was expected,  the politicians from ODM,  the powerhouse in the region came out fighting. Characteristically,  they lashed out at the church leaders almost questioning their moral  credentials.
Yesterday,  Evangelical Alliance of Kenya and other Christian religious organizations united in the call for them to be included in the 'handshake'.  They argue that they represent a critical segment of society.
As expected,  the backlash was severe.  The constant criticism was on 'tithe eating',  'offering loving', 'celebrity pastors' among other epithets.
I rise to support these Christian leaders for asserting the Church's critical position in national dialogue and healing.  To those whose harsh words are directed at the church,  I believe  she welcomes the bricks and bats. After all,  Jesus said 'woe unto you if everyone  likes you'. (Luke 6:26) That's a sure sign that you are conforming to society's standards instead of God's word.
Onward African Christian soldiers march.

Christian philosophy is the light for Kenya

Christianity in Kenya is a daily reality, as seen through this
street art. 

'Re-situating reason as the foundation of our society and engine of its aspirations must now be an urgent task of our activism' the author emphatically sums up this opprobrium against the church. Yet the author (and the paper) have colluded to ignorantly launch barbs at Christianity.
In summary, this piece tries to explain why religion (yet the author has the church specifically in his mind) and its growing role in Kenyan politics is a retrogressive idea. His idea is that reason and religion (church) can never co-exist. He goes further on a historical fishing (mis)adventure in shallow historical waters. His intention is to prove his personal notions by trying to get history to align with his fantastic ideas. Let me quote a few of his blunt sayings.
'Human beings need spiritual fulfilment. But when religion becomes a substitute for strategic action to solve our problems, then our society is in danger of regressing to a situation akin to that of the Middle Ages.' This does not make sense. From the beginning (I am Christian), ancient societies never knew a dichotomy between religion and the 'secular' world. This is a product of the 17th-18th century age of enlightenment. Philosophers, thinkers and men of reason began questioning the rationale of religion. Though it resulted in greater knowledge and refinement of religion, it also caused extremists to conjure up fantasies just for the sake of cramping up religious space. This is where the author has situated his argument, in a land called phantasmagoria, where people all their time talking endlessly about the latest ideas without coming to any meaningful conclusion.
Indeed, religion was (and is) an all-powerful balm in everyone's life, to the point that it was abused by men. This is really a problem of man and his self-serving desire to control fellow man for his own benefit. This is false (or contaminated) religion. Even the bible discerns between false and true (pure and undefiled) religion. James 1:27 declares that true religion is 'to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.' (ESV) Essentially, true religion is an issue of a beneficial relationship between one and his fellow man as well as rightness with God. Without knowing it, the writer's argument gets theological. He has just swum into the open sea. The article becomes theologically turbulent without hope of rescue. The author has no grasp of the Church and its nature. Let us throw him (and the newspaper) a lifejacket and lifeline.
He says industrial revolution and democracy are proof of human reason. Democracy itself is a confused idea. Even early philosophers saw it as more autocratic than absolute monarchies. (My opinion: Kenya and Zimbabwe in 2017 are proof that democracy is really a horror movie with an awesome trailer.) History shows us that the 14th century Church Reformation was the precursor to the Industrial Revolution. The church was able to recover and rebuild its true foundations. This allowed for critical thinking which led to innovations and discoveries that changed the world (and are still changing the world). Christian philosophy was behind this revolution. It is based on The Man Jesus Christ's innovative and true teachings that had been distorted by years of contaminated religion.
This author brings home his argument of reason over Christianity's dalliance with Kenyan politics by arguing subtly for separation of Church and state. Indeed he lampoons 'conniving clergy', exercising 'retrogressive influence on our politics and society' and an 'epidemic of preachers laying hands on politicians from both the opposition and government'. He singles out the national prayer breakfast as a hypocritical show of Church's influence. He also scoffs at the recent spate of cleansing prayers at accident blackspots arguing that reason should prove these misfortunes are a result of corruption and bad roads. As is now common, 'faith-based' miracles are labelled as conmanship. Bad leadership is also singled out as the cause of poverty and underdevelopment. He has very valid points, (of course except for the often repeated stereotypical lie about most preachers.) The general tone of the article paints the church and its beliefs as hocus pocus and spiritual twaddle. Reason then, to this author, is Kenya's salvation.
By reasoning then, I must ask Tee Ngugi, who owns The East African and what is his agenda!

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/oped/comment/The-thieving-leaders-and-a-conniving-clergy/434750-4248996-n096gr/index.html

Feminism in Kenyan Christian political theology

We began building the concept of Christian Political theology. This concept is important because it lays the foundation for born again Christians to fully engage in politics at all levels of governance. (The assumption is that Christians still are afraid in embracing politics as part of our God given divine mandate on earth. I believe this is a hangover of 'this is not our home, we are just passing by, have nothing to do with it' philosophy, which has effectively been debunked.)

We dealt with the concept of God as the source of our political opinions and man as the object of these opinions. We did say that the welfare of man and his environment is the object of this theology.

Let us go further into the concept of man and delineate the genders. It is evident we have a lot of work to do to bring in the woman fully into the political life of Kenya. Last week, Kenya got three women governors. This was a great step forward. We would like to see a situation where women engage in competitive politics as equals with men and where their chances are equal to men. (For the sake of clarity, let us make it clear man and woman are different in terms of their sexual composition and function.) KTN ran a documentary entitled 'against the grain' where women detailed the sexually explicit harassment meted against them. It is clear that though we say we want the advancement of women, in actual fact the big men are at the center of oppressing women. Millie Odhiambo Mabona's testimony at the hands of male parliamentarians attests to this. There is a lot of cataloged testimony of women who have tried to advance in politics but they have been intimidated by the androcentric nature of our politics. (Sophia Abdi Noor's win in a strongly patristic area as Ijara shows that there is still hope for more women to be elected in other competitive seats outside of the County Women Reps.)

Christian Political ideology incorporates scriptural feminist theology. We believe that man and woman were created equal and given a divine mandate over creation equally. Sexual construction in no way is a factor for preference of the male over the female.

In fact, gender difference is another reason why women ought to be fully involved in politics. Since man (as a term for both male and female) was created in God's image, the fact that God further made a distinction between the male and female proves that the two are the fullest representation of God's image. Without a woman, the world would be dystopian. A woman in her physical and psychological makeup fully represents God's image as much as a man does in his entire construction.

To discriminate a woman because of her figure and accoutrements is to malign and dishonor the image of God. (In fact, it is an attempt to attack God.) This applies to those who issue sexually suggestive threats, intimidate women by their bigger and stronger physical stature and deride women's delicate emotional nature. All forms of sexually explicit and implicit violence against women(again Millie Adhiambo Mabona serves as a sad example) is not in any way Christian Political Theology.

At this point, congratulations are in order for the three women governors (H.E Charity, H.E Laboso and H.E Waiguru), and 22 women MP's elected to the National Assembly (begining with Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona, MP elect for Suba North) as wel as the 2 senators, Isiolo's Dulla Fatuma Adan and Nakuru's Susan Wakarura Kihika.

In Christian Political Theology, women are indispensable if we are to execute God's mandate of redemption of our political culture in Kenya.

Kenya coming to birth.

I woke up this morning to the whole street freshly plastered with a candidates campaign posters. Most are red and the road looks like a sea. (Was this the parable spoken before by the fathers?) These guys were obviously illegally busy last night. Dirty tricks! Anyway, today is the beginning of the next four weeks.
My wife Gakii Njeru made me a sumptuous breakfast of 2 sausages, bacon, bread and 2 cups of tea - 6 pieces. 😋
I battled the chill and was surprisingly welcomed to seemingly empty school. In 2013, the male and female lines spilled over in different directions into the estate for several kilometers. Not this time. I checked my voting details and as usual, station 1. This can be really slow. 
There will never lack drama especially when you are in the same line for four hours. The usual mumbling about the slow movement. (Someone will not get my vote. I cannot ng'ang'ana for four hours then vote for just some uncouth fellow who feels it his/her right to be voted for).
Some shouts at the head of the line. A bunch of women, various stages of pregnancy, others with startled babies strapped on their backs pleading maternal considerations. Wait! One baby goes to nursery school with my son! (Is it possible rigging begins in the womb?) Some sleepy, freezing, 'non-conjugated' fellows stammer weak protests. Well, the women vote but along with the electoral manicure, the babies also get a 'Hindu' mark. Common sense it seems. 
Finally, after 3 hours, I get to put my right foot on the stair to the room. Huge relief, but there are some 7 people ahead. Each takes about 5 - 7 minutes. Two or three other mothers implead maternal considerations. 
She sits there, all black and sleek. Her eye blinking a romantic red to me. 
'Come on,' She says.
I finally present my precious right index finger to KIEMS for scanning. KIEMS tells me 'you have a beautiful print.' 
'Wait until you scan the other nine.'
I tell her, 'let's make another date Tuesday, 9th Aug 2022'
'Chao amore' KIEMS logs out of my account.
Ballots. A real anti climax. Why should we spend some KSh 50 billion for this ordinary paper than can be printed in Kirinyaga Road? Becuase there is a shortage of trust. In fact, it is so ordinary, one of the MCA aspirants is missing a tooth. In fact, if you count the cost per voter, this election is costing almost Ksh 2,600 per voter.
Let's vote. MP, mmh...MCA...yup...senator...S3..governor...Sonko...President...obvious! 
Now the county woman rep. This is a cliff hanger. 1st question. The Constitution is clear about the spirit of this seat. But as a man with a vote which adds no value to me, shouldn't the constitution be willing to listen to my request of fairer representation? It feels like I am being punished for being a man. Second question. Must the county women rep be a woman? (I know what the Constitution says, but the law can be dumb too. There are men who represent women's rights effectively on a daily basis.) So I decide to make a clear statement...I won't vote!
Phew! Four years of politics resolved in five minutes. I head for the legal manicure. I take my ID and that's that. 
It is 12:54 pm. Half the day is gone.

How To Alight From A Matatu

If you live in Nairobi, then you know that matatus are the most important mode of transport. However, they are not the best form since matatus are unregulated and undisciplined. Matatus are always in a rush, breaking traffic laws and increasing fares whenever it rains. Therefore, it takes courage to travel in matatus and especially if you are a lady. Many times, getting into or alighting from matatus requires extensive acrobatic skills so as to avoid injury. Precise calculation is required for this simple feat. Since most matatus are still in motion although passengers are disembarking, it is important for ladies to know how to alight from moving matatus.

Firstly, early in the morning after getting dressed, take stock of your life. A simple fall could cost you your life. Matatus are notorious for going beyond your stage; they may suffer from an undiagnosed form of recurring temporary deafness. In order to stop them, your skills must include the ability to shout at the top of your voice, whistle like village herder and cause a commotion in matatus. Practice vocal exercise to enlarge your lung capacity in order to shout above 3,000 watt sound systems in matatus. Additionally, shouting the right words is critical. We recommend words like “driver, stop!”, “stop this matatu!” and a continuous “wewee, weweee!” (Secret research shows that when you shout “bed bugs!”, it will cause instant commotion and empty a packed matatu.) Feel free to create your own original phrases. Banging on the door with your open palm is a technique borrowed from matatu conductors, and it is an additional technique to employ. However, this technique can cause hardened palms. Therefore, dermatologists recommend oiling your palms with Vaseline twice a day to maintain petal softness.

Secondly, try to leave home early to avoid competing matatus. In case you leave during the rush hour, check your shoes by jumping up and down to test whether they are genuine or cheap Chinese knock offs. A broken heel will cause you to walk like you have one foot in the gutter. When you get to the matatu stage, frantically wave your hands, jumping up and down at an oncoming matatu. (The rush hour is not the time to stretch out your beautifully manicured hand). Matatus are rough beasts! A word of caution; do not assume that there is a red carpet laid out for you to catwalk into the beast. Instead dig your left heel into the ground, then stretch your left hand out (imagine the matatu as a flying sausage), lean slightly to your left and lift right leg slowly timing the matatus arrival. Grab the hand rail at the door and jump into the matatu with your right leg first. Once safely inside, take a deep breath and thank God for His mercy. Please take a seat and remember, always smile.

Thirdly, after enduring the rough ride to your destination, it is important to begin planning the disembarking process. While the matatu is one kilometer to your destination, get up and calmly walk to the door of the matatu. Remember the vocal exercises, choice words and banging the door? Keep them circulating in your forehead. At any time, the conductor – depending on how low his trousers are sagging - may announce that Pangani, Ngara and Moi Avenue stages ‘ni moja’. Also, ladies, please ignore the flirty remarks from the conductor.  Do not smile. As the matatu begins to slow down, make sure you are the first at the door. Hold the door with your right hand. Dig your right heel into the matatu floor, lean slightly to your left and lift your left leg slowly. If in your judgement the matatu has slowed down to a safe speed, jump out with your left leg first and start jogging as soon as it hits the ground. While jogging, check both your left and right sides to make sure that you are not running in the middle of the road. Once on the pavement, straighten your clothes and prim your hair – this whole process has been proven to rotate weaves. Remember, please smile. (At least you did not have to somersault today.)

The ordinary Nairobian lady has been refined by matatu transport to be a gladiator. She needs combat skills to get to work, school and church. Vocal abilities, whistling skills and gymnastic abilities help in ensuring a good start to a great day. These skills also enhance her attractiveness. By now, you already know the golden rule; please smile. (You still have to go back home in the evening.)

God's Mind on Mastering your Finances

"Jesus spent more time teaching on money than on heaven and hell combined" Apostle Geoffrey  Kiriungi, Jesus Wave International

Breakthrough in money will cause an overcoming of 70% of demons. To be able to justify this claim, let us as first look at doctrinal concepts - the concept of abundance. You cannot rise higher than your faith. Your faith cannot go higher than knowledge because faith comes by knowledge.
Romans 10:17 'So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.'
Prosperity is provided in the redemptive work of God as one of the seven blessings of salvation.
Genesis 22:8 'And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.'
Provision is part of the redemptive work of God.
2Corinthians 8:9 'For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.'
God's mindset is that the only solution to poverty is by REDEMPTION.
Romans 8:32 'He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?'
Adam and Eve were in a world of material abundance (Gen 1). God saw that the abundance is good. Only after God had finished His creative process, was man introduced into an environment of abundance. God's idea was that man would multiply the abundance in the garden of Eden. Man was to super abound.
Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Gen 3:17-19 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eatof it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 
The consequence of sin was the curse. Destitution and material poverty resulted. In other words, poverty is a spiritual condition caused by the fall. If poverty is  merely physical, then many people work extremely hard but never get relief. However much you earn cannot be a solution to your financial condition. Poverty is Satan's way to break human will and keep a person subjugated . It destroys hope for tomorrow so that we may not believe that abundance is God's will. Poverty is universal – New York to Nairobi, London to Lagos, the poor we will always have with us. This leads to compromising on the joy of salvation. The devil has used greed, evil, lust, deceit and covetousness to bring society under his will. That is why we have the rich over the poor, lords over slaves and men over the women. Satan has conditioned humanity to believe that God desires scarcity. This makes people think that lack is a major spiritual milestone, that we make do with less than we have. This has become the default thinking of man. However through the scriptures, we can restore our thinking and bring FREEDOM TO BELIEVE. Schools and economic systems teach us that supply will never match demand. However, we have seen at creation that God created a super-abounding environment. God has created in our inner being the desire for prosperity. Just look at children before they are taught to hate  prosperity. Each one dreams of becoming something big when they grow up.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they mighthave life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 10:10 Le voleur ne vient que pour dérober, égorger et détruire; moi, je suis venu afin que les brebis aient la vie, et qu'elles soient dans l'abondance. (Louis Segond Version - LSV)
The devil is a thief, and tries to steal the abundant life of god in a man. The French translation says that they may be in abundance.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Prosperity has been abused by people who through smooth talk make money from others. This the bible calls filthy lucre.
Titus 1:1-10
Contemporary media constantly bombards the public with negative positions of prosperity taking advantage of people and making moneyof them. So what is God's Perspective?
Psa 39:6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches,and knoweth not who shall gather them.
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 
You have to be rich towards God and have abundance to yourself. Otherwise, it is dangerous because when things are not working out, one can easily blame God for not fulfilling His promises. It is dangerous to the point of backsliding.
Warnings
Mat 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Mar 10:22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
Mar 10:23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Mar 10:24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with manysorrows.
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after  righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
1Ti 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
1Ti 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1Ti 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is theblessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
1Ti 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things toenjoy;


Blessings – Positive Attitudes No prosperity phobia – fear is of the devil and God cannot trust you. You must know that God does not have second class citizens. God is not a grandfather.
Psalms 34:9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Therefore, to desire good is to be a Christian. One of the requirements of an elder according to Titus is to be a lover of good.


3Jn 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Psa 35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
Deu 28:8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Deu 28:11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Deu 28:12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
Pro 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Riches are not blessing but blessing brings riches. Therefore get the blessing. Then every creativity in you will produce after its kind.
Psa 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Ecc 5:19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
Hag 2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Lev 25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
Psa 36:7 How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Psa 36:8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
Psa 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Psa 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

This article is an excerpt from a message entitled "Mastering your  Finances" preached at Life Church International by the late Apostle Geoffrey Kiriungi, Jesus Wave International, a minister of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.