Author: Stephanie Jafta

'A bondservant of Jesus Christ who loves to share and speak GOD'S Word as He wills it'.
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For the Single Christian Woman ‘getting on in Years’

For the Single Christian Woman 'getting on in Years'

We hear about the saying ‘age ain’t nothing but a number’, but that only seems to apply to some situations. When you’re a single woman past the age of twenty-five, your age becomes a topic of discussion, especially if you do not have wedding bells on the horizon or even the perfect job. Before you know it, ‘age ain’t nothing but a number’ transitions to ‘you’re getting on in years’ in a blink of an eye.

I’ll be attending the wedding of a relative in just under two weeks. As many women would agree, finding the right outfit to suit the colour scheme of the wedding, settling on the perfect hairstyle to compliment your outfit, and whether or not it is wise to wear heels are the topics of discussion right up until the day of the wedding. The day after and the following few weeks are usually reserved for those who believe themselves to be the fashion police, commenting on the myriad of outfits worn at the wedding. Of course, the anticipation of what the bride will wear and look like is the main reason for our attendance (well, it is for my large family), followed by other reasons such as showing support, joining in the couple’s happiness, and hopefully catching the bouquet to stand a chance of being the next bride. Now, you will likely not find me anywhere near the bride when it is time to catch the bouquet. I will either excuse myself and rush to the restroom until the commotion is over or busy myself with a task that requires me to stay put, such as quickly picking up a relative’s fussing baby to calm them down. You see, when you’re single and nearing thirty, people cannot help but turn to look at you when all the single ladies are called up for the bouquet-tossing, because when you get to my age, it appears to be a downright shame to not even have the sound of wedding bells in your near future.

The thing is, I don’t live my life according to the rules or recommendations of the world. In fact, I’m considered to be a strange woman by many for the beliefs I have concerning dating and marriage. As a Christian woman, whether single or married, you are always aware of Who you serve and your commitment to Him. His ways are not the worlds’ ways, so must be our ways as well. However, seeing as I know nothing about being married and everything about being single, I’m sticking to what I know!

Whenever I meet an old friend or family member (usually in passing), the topic of marriage and children will be brought up 90% of the time. I try my best to steer clear of the topic, but when you’re a certain age, it becomes near impossible to avoid the discussion. Whenever I reveal my single status, they usually look at me with sympathetic eyes and tell me ‘don’t worry, you’ll meet someone soon’. It then becomes challenging for me to either not laugh or become annoyed by the insinuation that I need a husband to complete my life. If I tell them that I’m not concerned about marriage or having children, they look at me as though I have taken leave of my senses!

Marriage is a beautiful covenant between a man and a woman, and having children is a blessing- there is no doubt about that. However, to imply that the primary existence for all women is to get married and have children by the age of thirty at best, or pushing it at thirty-five is ridiculous to me. As Christian women, our first reason for existence is Jesus Himself. We are to put Him first in all that we do, that includes whether or not we get married. I have met far too many distraught single Christian women because they cannot seem to find the right man to marry. That’s our first mistake- worrying about who we are going to marry.

When I turned twenty-five, I still had no urge to find a man and settle down. Of course, I received a few side looks and whispered words about my single status, but that didn’t affect me. I suppose back then people believed that there was still hope for me yet. Nearly five years later, and those same people think my case to be hopeless. Even some Christian women have something to say, which I find odd considering the fact that we know Who the Author of our lives is. I have no doubt in my mind that if I am meant to get married, then I will, and if I am not, then I won’t- I’m not about to force the situation and end up unhappy. GOD has the perfect plan for our lives, and that includes a life-changing event such as marriage. I believe that many Christian women forget this and try to go at it alone, and when they realise that they have made a mistake, they either try to blame GOD for not improving their situation or take the divorce route.

Getting married is a serious matter, and who you get married to is incredibly important. I believe that GOD has this matter in your life sorted before you’re even born! It is essential to marry the man that GOD has set aside for you, whether that man comes into your life at the age of twenty or fifty. It’s no use going hunting for a husband at a church or anywhere else that you believe you’ll find him because you’re going about it the wrong way. When the right time comes according to GOD’S plan for your life, your intended will enter your life. We waste a lot of our time worrying about this aspect of our lives when we should be devoting our time to GOD. In 1 Corinthians 7:25-40, the Apostle Paul gives advice to the unmarried as a man whom the LORD in His mercy has made trustworthy (vs 25). The particular verse that struck a chord in me was verse 34: There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the LORD that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world- how she may please her husband. As single Christian women, our attention is on the LORD (or should be), we don’t have to worry about pleasing a spouse, making a home for a family, or doing other wifely duties. While there is no wrong in any of this (a shout out to all the wives and all that they do for their families), we should appreciate our single status more rather than fret about it. You can serve the LORD without distraction, give Him more of your time, and in return experience the sweetest joy of communion with our Heavenly Father. Instead of wasting your single state on worrying about getting married, rather use it to further your relationship with the LORD.

Stop looking at your age as an indication for where you believe you should be in life. GOD does not work according to man’s time, but His own. Most importantly, stop comparing yourself to the Christian sister who just got married, or the one who is about to get married or you may fall into the sin of coveting. The devil has the ability to strike you where it hurts the most, and if you’re stressing about your single status, he will most definitely use that to his advantage. Your stress indicates that you do not trust GOD’S plan for your life, that He does not have your best interests at heart when in actual fact He knows you better than you know yourself. Some of us are just not ready to get married yet, and forcing marriage will undoubtedly prove disastrous. Also, marriage is not for everyone. There are people that GOD has set apart, those that will not get married. It is not to say that they never wanted to get married, but they would rather obey the Almighty than their own wants and needs. I would rather remain in GOD’S will for my life than take a route that He never intended for me.

Be happy in your position. It is not people that you should listen to, but GOD. Place your focus on Him, get busy with the work of the LORD. You never know, you might look up one day and see your intended standing before you with no help from you. I would take GOD’S best over my own choice any day, how about you?

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Abortion: A License to Kill

Abortion: A License to Kill

The world went from calling a ‘clump of cells’ nonhuman, to allowing abortions when the clump of cells begins to ‘look human’, accepting third-trimester abortions, and now pushing for the termination of babies moments before birth, or in some cases, just after birth. It seems that what they are seeking is an all-inclusive licence to kill.

Just the other day, a cousin wanted help with writing up an argument for a school debate. The debate? Whether you agree with abortion or not, and why. She took the pro-life route, but not without some backlash for it. Another pro-choice family member said that the world did not need any more unwanted children and that women who were not ready to have children and take care of them must abort their babies to save the rest of the world some trouble. I sat there for a moment, merely listening to the debate going back and forth. The pro-choice side was quite strong and appeared to be winning, but I decided to speak up and deliver one line: you will answer to GOD for what you have done, I hope you’re ready for it. Everyone sort of looked away, looking for something to say, but as they were supposed professing Christians, they had nothing to say. Murder is murder, no matter the stage of life. The excuse that a woman should have a right over her own body at the expense of the growing baby in her stomach is weak. No amount of getting angry or violent will change that fact.

I believe that most people reading this are aware of what the Scriptures say about murder, life, and being known by GOD before even conception has taken place. The most beautiful verse about growing life is Psalm 139: 13-18, verses that I take comfort in during times of uncertainty concerning my purpose and worth. As Believers, we know that we can turn to GOD’S Word and find the words that we need to overcome whatever challenges we are facing, but the rest of the world does not. They are hellbent on living their lives as they will, not accepting the consequences for their choices. Every problem must be looked at in context, but sin does not need a framework to be considered sin, it just is because GOD has said it is, and murder is a sin. For example, a young cousin of mine has recently fallen pregnant due to her promiscuous lifestyle. She is 18 this year, and instead of being in her last year of school, she is only beginning her high school year as she has failed several times. This can be blamed on her lack of school attendance. You dig deeper, and you’ll find that she was not disciplined as a child growing up, in fact, she was primarily left to live her life as she wished. Both her parents have now passed away due to AIDS, and she lives with family members but does not respect them. Most of my family wanted her to get an abortion because her baby would mean one more mouth to feed as she is not working. According to the world, this context for abortion would be acceptable, but to GOD it is not. What they are saying is that a life should be extinguished due to the mistakes of the mother. So, if I was to use their reasoning then the family of a murder victim should be allowed to kill the murderer’s mother, father, siblings, or child to atone for what the murderer has done. It doesn’t sound so acceptable when used in another situation, does it?

Another family member had a botched abortion, by botched I mean that the baby lived. She is also living with HIV, and the father of the child is also HIV positive. We all (or should) know that HIV can be avoided being passed down to the foetus; however, her situation led her to take the abortion route. She already has three children by three different men, does not have a stable job, and is an alcoholic. She does not take care of her children, in fact, two are now considered adults and can mostly defend for themselves. The last born is taken care of by family members. The local clinic told her to have an abortion due to these circumstances, but she waited until she was five months to do so. Off to the hospital she went to remove the child from her womb, thinking that she would not have to deal with another baby in her life. They removed the baby, put it in a black bag, and tossed it on the cold floor of the morgue. A nurse entered the morgue several hours later only to find mewling noises coming from the bag. She opened it and realised that the aborted baby was alive! This sent the hospital into a panic. They quickly got the baby into an incubator and informed the mother that the baby was alive. Could you imagine the shock? For the next five months, the baby was kept in an incubator, damaging her eyesight in the process. When she was finally allowed to be taken home, the mother was told that her baby would never be able to walk, talk, and would likely die as a toddler. To top it all off, the baby was HIV positive. Ten years later, the little girl is walking, and though she cannot speak, she uses sign language. She is the sweetest little girl with a cheeky attitude of her own and is well aware of all that goes on around her. She goes to a special school, is learning how to write more clearly, and loves anything to do with drawing and colours. In short, she is a girl like any other, even with her special needs.

Abortions can bring about emotional trauma that may not be experienced immediately after, but let me tell you that when it comes to bite your rear end, it takes a chunk. I know of an old woman who is riddled with guilt for the two abortions she had as a young woman. It gets so bad that she becomes gravely ill and has to be admitted into hospital and put under observation. Her mind comes and goes, sometimes not recognising her living children and calling out for those who have died. Her reasons for abortion were tied to the hard times of the country when Apartheid was still in effect. She is a black woman who had had relations with white men (I do not know if it was rape) resulting in two pregnancies. She managed to abort two of those pregnancies for fear of being found with a mixed-race child, but she was not able to do so with her third pregnancy. Now as an old woman, those abortions have come back to haunt her and do not give her peace.

Of course, the argument of high-risk pregnancies also comes up. Let me stress here that I may speak frankly, but I do not feel disgust for the people but for the sin. People will say that a medical reason to abort the baby is acceptable, especially if it puts the mother at risk. Also, if the baby is to be born with a deformity, then it would be better to abort the baby before he/she is born. I hear what the argument is, but my stand does not change. Abortion is wrong because it is murder. People would sooner laugh in my face when I say that Jesus is the Great Physician than listen, but it is true. Do you not think that He would be able to save both mother and child? Do you not believe that He can help that child with the deformity? The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is within us today if indeed we are His. Nothing is impossible for GOD, but only if we believe. To doubt is to tell Him that we do not believe that He can do anything for us. He created the world, for goodness sake, will He not help a mother in need? But the world chooses to reject Him still, and even His own people doubt His power to heal. People would sooner find an excuse for their sin than humble themselves and fall to their knees before Him to seek grace and mercy. Or, worse yet, His own people deny that He still performs miracles and wonders in the world today.

Forgiveness is available to those who have had abortions in the past but regret having done so. If you serve our Sovereign LORD, then you should know that He will forgive you for there is no condemnation for those who believe. He scatters your sins away and makes you clean. Do not miss this opportunity due to your guilt. He loves you in spite of your sin, but you need forgiveness from Him and yourself to be set free.

All I know is that the GOD we serve does not change, neither is He cold to the plight of people. He loves us all, but not all of us are His. He loves the downtrodden, the deformed, the unwanted- all of them! The world may reject them, but Jesus stands with open arms to accept them. What He did back then He can do today, and what He considers sin is a sin no matter the reasons the world may give. At the end of the day, you need to understand that there are consequences to everything, and perhaps you will not experience those consequences now and go about your life as you want to. But when you stand before the Ancient of Days and give an account of your life, do not say that you were not warned.

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PURGE THE CHURCH?

Disclaimer: I do not profess to teach or have any sort of authority over men. I share the Word of GOD and any matters of the world that directly applies to our lives and walk as Christians.

Many churches have been brought down by individuals who came in with their yeast and let it spread among the members. Fellowship has been tainted, churches have lost their way, and people are lost in the wilderness. Is the Church in need of a purge?

I have been to a handful of churches in the past, and as with many people unaware of the Born Again factor, you just attend church, listen to the sermon, and then go home. Unchanged. No spiritual growth. No closer to GOD than before. It used to upset me that I could read the Bible and understand the words I read, but not truly understand what I was reading. It was only when I became Born Again that I realised that you need the Holy Spirit in your life if you hope to understand His Word as He intended. Before then, I would open my Bible every now and again, read it, think that I had done my job as a Christian, and then go about my life as per usual. Listening to church sermons was no help either as everything sounded monotonous. We were told to be good, to love one another, follow GOD’S commandments and a bunch in between that I cannot remember. Back then I was unaware of wolves in sheep’s clothing; people who were not true Christians but called themselves that to keep up a certain image of propriety in the community. I genuinely believed that the people who attended church every Sunday were good people, upstanding members who were involved in community projects and life in general. When I became Born Again, it was as though a veil had been lifted from my eyes (2 Cor 4:3). I began to see a whole lot of wrong that I had never noticed before.

When we, as the Body of Christ, gather together in a building or even out in the open, our fellowship must be Spirit-led. The word/message that the preacher will share must be from the Holy Spirit, we need to listen with a discerning spirit, and we need to be open to the teaching from the man of GOD. Our worship and praise need to be in truth and spirit, and when we offer up our prayers to our Heavenly Father, it must be with a clear heart. This is how I believe that the church in the Book of Acts was like. The first Christians were so grateful, humbled, and appreciative of their salvation that they wholeheartedly served the LORD mind, body, and spirit. Of course, there were a few bad eggs, but they were dealt with. I do not recall a professing Christian being allowed to bring sin into the Body of Christ without being called out for it. It was a serious thing back then! However, it seems that we have lost this principle. 

Judgement is lumped up into one bag of avoidance. We all know that we are not to judge each other for we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD (Rom 3:23), but there is a type of judgement allowed, and that is the judgement of immorality within the Church. As I grew in the LORD, I started to notice unsavoury details about professing Christians. While I endeavoured never to judge them (I failed at times), I could not ignore that their lives did not reflect the fruits of the Spirit. It bothered me to sit in church, knowing that there were people who disregarded GOD’S Word in their lives. They were living in sin, but somehow they vindicated themselves because of how ‘good’ they otherwise were. As far as I know, no one is good but our LORD, but we must be faithful.

Grown men would be out partying the night before and come to church reeking of hard liquor, but because they attended church, were helpful in the community, and good givers (money wise), it was deemed okay. You can’t judge, right? No one is perfect. But I didn’t buy that. I have taught myself to think in Scriptures, so when something good or bad happens, I have a Scripture for it- this helps me to avoid temptation as well. Well, these men didn’t just slip up, this was their life, this was how they lived. Now, we have to understand that we are to be ambassadors of Christ, our lives are meant to be a reflection of Him. Of course, we don’t always get it right because we are at war with our own flesh, but to live in sin, justify it, and have the world see you doing it, what kind of message are we sending out to non-Believers?

One of the churches that I attended had a Whatsapp group chat. It was a handy thing because we were able to communicate with one another, notices could be sent out quickly, any events happening in the church would reach all the members, and basically, any updates would be given. One of the leaders of the church, a woman, posted a crude and vulgar joke. Of course, the other women were quick to tell her that it was not acceptable and she apologised, but I had to wonder why she herself thought it was acceptable even to wish to read and share such a thing? As a leader, you lead by example, and I couldn’t help but think about her own state of mind. Did she find this type of thing funny? And if she did, had she never read GOD’S Word concerning coarse jesting? What message was she giving to the people in her life? I was worried for her and the people that she was influencing! One last example that I wish to give is concerning a sangoma (traditional African witchdoctor) who also professed to be Christian. Now we know that Deuteronomy 18:10-12 forbids the consulting of spirits, charms, incantations, etc., but this woman was and is living a dual existence with her life as a sangoma and a Christian. This is simply not possible. Again, what message is she giving out to others concerning our faith? I am sure that many of you are aware of this type of problem in churches, and there is a solution for it, but it’s not exactly an easy one to do. 

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 is clear that immorality in the Body of Christ must be judged. A little earlier, the Apostle Paul states that a little leaven leavens the whole lump (1 Cor 5:6). Paul said: But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner- not even to eat with such a person (1 Cor 5:11). He is saying that if someone professes to be Christian, but does these things, then you should have nothing to do with them. This is the last resort for an erring brother or sister in Christ. First, I imagine that a leader of the church would sit down the person and speak with them concerning their sin. If they are unwilling to repent of it, then out they must go. We cannot have their sin influencing our weaker brothers and sisters in Christ. This is easily enough done in smaller churches, but I do not know how this would be monitored in mega churches.

I know that many people would have a problem with asking members to leave a church, but how can we continue to allow blatant sin in the church? Doesn’t it bother us? By telling them to leave the church does not mean that we do not love them, but that we do not accept their sin. Now, we are not to go all willy nilly telling people that they need to leave the church, this is for the leaders of the church to do so. There must be order in a church, and appointed leaders are the ones to make the final decision (after prayer) based on the situation. Too often we will begin to gossip, condemn people, ostracise them, and basically forget Whose we are and Whose they are. If we cannot do something in love, even when disciplining, then we should not do it at all. Imagine a non-Believer were to come to church, searching for Someone whom they do not know but need. He/she would witness the division in the church, perhaps even recognise a local club goer singing praises to the LORD. What would be going through that person’s head? Likely that Christians are no better than the rest of the world. A young Muslim girl once questioned me about this: why were supposed Christians frequenting bars, going to parties, drinking, and carrying on like the rest of the world? What were they doing in church? She concluded that Jesus had to be a weakling for His own followers not to be obedient. Of course, I explained things to her and told her what a mighty GOD we serve. She went away thoughtful that day.

We also need to bear in mind that there are Christians new to the faith, those who are still growing. They need guidance, not condemnation. I was quite stubborn as a new Believer, and there were some areas of my life that I would not change out of pride and fear. I found it difficult to forgive people who had wronged me, and I hated to be told that I was wrong. I did not yet see wrong in what I was doing, I believed that I was justified. I would hold onto a grudge as though my life depended on it. I actually removed myself from a church because some members would speak to me about it and I just didn’t want to hear it. Sometimes when you carry deep emotional scars, it’s difficult to listen to the truth. It was in the ‘wilderness’ that GOD taught me the importance of forgiveness. It is better to have a person leave the church than have them believe that their sin is justified.

Of course, there will always be wolves in sheep’s clothing in the church, those who are not Christian but use the cover of Christianity for their own means. These people are more difficult to pick out especially if you are not as spiritually discerning as you should be. Then again, some churches have ceased to be a place of true fellowship, and it is far better to leave that church than to sit through services/sermons that do not honour GOD. I love my brothers and sisters in Christ, although I do have moments where I wish to give them a piece of my mind. The Holy Spirit will always then remind me of where I came from, how I started this walk of faith. That is quite humbling, to say the least! At the end of the day, you have to make sure that you are right with GOD because there is nothing that you can hide from Him. Search your hearts daily for anything contrary to Him, and keep Jesus at the centre of all you do. 

Note: Perhaps the word purge sounds harsh, but according to the Oxford Dictionary, it means to make yourself sb/sth pure, healthy, or clean by getting rid of bad thoughts or feelings. Now we know that sin starts in our minds- we think it before we do it. These bad (sinful) thoughts often driven by emotions or vice versa. Get the sin out, and keep the Church clean:)

Disclaimer: I do not profess to teach or have any sort of authority over men. I share the Word of GOD and any matters of the world that directly applies to our lives and walk as Christians.

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The Rise of False Prophets and Preachers

We are living in an age where anyone can call themselves a prophet, a teacher, a preacher or any other authority in the Christian body. All that is required is a silver tongue, charisma, and no conscience. Combine this with social media, and the media in general, and you’ve got yourself a circus.

Many desperate people are seeking a Messiah, but rather than turn to Jesus, they turn to a supposed man of GOD (or woman in some cases). They put their trust, their common sense, and their money into the hands of this man, hoping that he will bring them deliverance, health, prosperity, and love. This man will then capitalise on their need, exploit it, and use it to his advantage. This has happened in the past, and I am sure that many people are aware of the stories of charismatic leaders who declared themselves to be men of GOD, or even the Messiah himself. Their dangerous teachings brought people under bondage, going so far as to convince them to take their own lives. As outsiders, we may look at these unfortunate victims and shake our heads, wondering how they could have buried themselves so deeply in the cult that they believed the radical teachings and lies of the leader, but it’s simple really. If someone has a problem, and you claim that you and you alone have the answer to the problem, people will listen. Perhaps it may be out curiosity at first, but if you have the gift of the gab and you know how to appeal to the needy part of a person, you have them. Once you gain their trust, you can begin to take over their thoughts, beliefs, and will. Before long, you have a group of people who will do whatever you tell them to do. It is this type of person that has made Christianity a detested, hypocritical, and dangerous faith to many in the world.

In years past, these dangerous leaders would pop up here and there on the news, and then only if something horrific had taken place. These days, false prophets and preachers may not be asking you to kill yourself, but that does not mean that they are any less dangerous. In Africa alone, there have been countless stories of these leaders who abused their power by making their congregations do ridiculous and often dangerous things. A couple years ago, right here in South Africa, we had a pastor who sprayed insect repellent in the face of people to remove demons. Insect repellent? Really? I remember watching the video in disbelief, watching this supposed man of GOD spray Doom (insect repellent) into the faces of many people. This had my country in an uproar, with people making negative comments about Christians and painting us all in the same light as this pastor. It didn’t end there. We had another pastor who had his entire congregation eat grass like a cow. They were literally on their hands and knees eating this grass like animals. Funny thing was, I did not seehimdo it. Another pastor, who called himself a prophet (most of them do), had the congregation bring their underwear to church, hold it in front of their intimate parts, while he cast out devils. He actually had a bag full of underwear that he handed out to the church. This particular prophet was documented by an Englishman who had heard about the infamous church leader. The documentary actually aired some months ago on BBC.

Several religious channels in South Africa feature these false prophets and preachers. The latest one that caught my eye while channel surfing was a man who claimed to heal people by kissing them. Interestingly enough, he was picky about who he kissed. You had to be of a certain age (not too old), and you could not be an ugly duckling either. I watched this man put his lips on this woman, and hold her there for at least two minutes. Whether or not this method ‘worked’ I will never know as I changed the channel- I had had enough. These leaders have Youtube channels, reaching a wider audience than they normally would have. Some use Facebook to promote their false teachings, and even Twitter. They use these platforms to sell their ‘anointed’ products as well, whether it be a lotion, lip ointment, clothing, holy water, and other items that bring their followers under stronger bondage. You’re also always sowing into their ministry, but instead of them using that money for the poor and helpless, they use it to further themselves. As their church grows, so does their wealth and their heads. New cars, houses, girlfriends, clothing, and bodyguards are all the rage. They call it their ‘due’ as glorious and obedient servants of the Most High (what a load of blasphemous rubbish). While their church suffers, they thrive? I do not know of any teaching from Scripture that promotes this type of life.

Africa is not the only one with these type of people. America also has its fair share of false prophets and preachers who are glorified by their church members. They make a show out of their sermons, filling it with distracting effects so as to dull what little discernment the congregation has. Flying over the congregation’s head by means of a skillfully positioned rope, worship music that gets the listener into a frenzy that is far from godly, watered down Scripture that promotes tolerability of non-Christian values and lifestyle choices, drama-filled people who love to satisfy the flesh, busybodies intent on sowing disruption in the body of Christ, and people filled with the self who love to be praised and glorified for the supposed anointing on their lives. I don’t hear much about Europe or any other areas of the world, but I’m sure that there are plenty of these false leaders looking to fool an unsuspecting Christian.

Christians should not be able to be fooled, especially if they read their Bibles. However, many Christians are lazy. They are happier to let someone else teach them than actually meditate on GOD’S Word for themselves. With social media being such an essential aspect of a great percentage of peoples’ lives, it is easy to find a leader who you like, follow them, and then wait for them to post teachings, twisted Scriptures, videos, and the like. Not many Christians actually question teachings by Christian leaders anymore merely because their teachings ‘seem right’. Well, the Bible has something to say about ‘seemingly right leaders’.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Just in case some Christians are not aware of what these leaders are actually meant to do in the Body of Christ, I’ll let this Scripture speak for itself:

Ephesians 4:12-14: …for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of GOD, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,…

The Church, the Body of Christ, is more divided today than ever before because of these false leaders. Christians are arguing over problems that the Bible has already clarified, but due to their loyalty to their pastors, prophets, and the lot, they will take false teaching over truth because it suits them better. Sometimes you’ll come across a leader who knows the Scriptures so well that he can twist it to sing to his tune and then proclaim it as the truth. These leaders may not be physically leading people to their death, but they are taking them with on a one-way ticket to hell. 

Brethren, we are not here just to plod along until Jesus returns! This is a fight! In 1 Corinthians 9:26, Paul the Apostle says: Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. You need to put on the armour of GOD and be ready for any evil, whether it be in the form of false preachers or prophets, persecution, attacks by the devil, or anything that opposes the Kingdom of GOD and His servants. I am not saying physically go out there and fight people, no. The Bible says that we do not wrestle with flesh (Eph 6:12), nor do we war according to the flesh (1 Cor 10:3). Spend more time with GOD in prayer, read His Word, study and meditate upon it, memorise Scripture, get into the habit of regular fasting, be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Ghost, and do not lose your faith. Know Whose you are, and Who you serve. Only then will you be equipped to suss out those who are not of The Body.

Disclaimer: I do not profess to teach or have any sort of authority over men. I share the Word of GOD and any matters about the world that directly applies to our lives and walk as Christians.

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MILLENNIALS ARE DITCHING RELIGION FOR WITCHCRAFT. HERE’S WHY

Millennials Are Ditching Religion for Witchcraft. Here’s Why

Disclaimer: I do not profess to teach or have any sort of authority over men. I share the Word of GOD and any matters about the world that directly applies to our lives and walk as Christians.

Gone are the days when people regarded witchcraft as evil and demonic. These days, it has become a path of spirituality that many millennials are choosing to take. The witch population doubled in 2018, and I daresay that not many of us were aware of it happening.

More than half of the young adults in America believe that astrology is a science, compared to less than 8% of the Chinese public. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Astrology is an essential aspect of the average Chinese man or woman. They firmly believe that the time of a person’s birth is the main factor in determining that person’s personality, as opposed to the month you were born in for the Western astrology. Chinese astrology is the divination of the future from the Chinese calendar. Did you get that? Divination. Let’s continue. Wikipedia states that “astrology is the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial objects as a means of divining information about human affairs and terrestrial events.” Yes, I know, I used Wikipedia which is the last source of information that a person should turn to, but they are not wrong so in that I’m justified. Another website (which I very briefly looked through) describes astrology as “an ancient art” and that “understanding the patterns of the universe gives you the insight you need to navigate life.” So, my question is: how different is Chinese astrology to Western astrology? Both are claiming to tell the future based on when you were born. One may take the time of your birth and the other the month, but they clearly have the same roots. Which carries another question: why is astrology considered a science in America by more than half of the young adults and just 8% by the Chinese? Awfully strange if you ask me. It sounds like the Western world are trying to fool the public- what’s new?

Spirituality is increasing, while interest in religion is decreasing. According to a study from the Pew Research Center, it appears that the majority of the American population do not believe that it is necessary to believe in GOD to have good morals. In 2007, 81% of participants between the ages of 18 and 29 who “never doubt the existence of GOD” plummeted to 67% in 2012. It seems that many of them may have looked in the direction of psychic services such as astrology (shocker! Not.), aura reading, mediumship, tarot-card reading, and palmistry. This industry grew 2% between 2011 and 2016, although personally, I believe that it was much higher. The psychic service industry was worth a whopping $2 billion back in 2017, imagine what the IBIS World would report now in 2019?

Friends, people are turning to astrology and tarot card reading at an alarming rate. Several recent studies state that there might be more than 1.5 million witches in the U.S today, but I think that’s a lie. The number is far higher than that. I was watching a Youtube video the other day to see what this ‘sudden’ spike in witchcraft was all about. What do these witches actually do? Well, I do know already, it’s not rocket science or anything, but hearing it from the mouth of a witch was interesting (no, not really). A practising witch pulls tarot cards, they have crystals everywhere, they make shrines, they cast spells, they meditate, and apparently it all speaks to their radical feminism. A spell is supposedly a prayer to the universe, where they will have chalices full of water and candles lit up, something that represents the gods and goddesses and is just like how you pray in church (well, would you look at that!). Being a South African who is familiar with the witchcraft that happens in my own country (I literally live in an area where there are known witches and have been attacked by them), the witches that I know seem hardcore in comparison to the ones described in America. It’s funny how the media is trying to make it seem young, hip, and trendy to cover up what really goes on behind closed doors. There are the public witches (Wicca) who apparently practice ‘light’, good spells, mother earth nonsense etc., and the ones that meet in secret places, make sacrifices and call up all manner of devils, but it’s all the same really. Carrying on.

They say that the powerful are scared of this figure that has been traditionally powerless, but now that is not the case. They (the witches) draw on the sexual assault cases cropping up everywhere (that Weinstein guy, R Kelly, etc.), as well as the Me Too movement, saying that the only way to heal is by coming together in what they see is as a coven of witches. Confused? Well, I was. I didn’t think that there was much correlation between coming together for support and being a witch. But then they brought up feminism, and I thought ‘oh, I see where this is going.’ Witchcraft is making a comeback among US feminists because they believe that is it the only way to be powerful, to have power or take back power from the patriarchal society, and be in control of your own life. Being a witch in the modern world feels rebellious to these millennials, and it seems like a practical approach to spirituality (to them anyway).

One witch (I’m not putting names here) stated that she came from an Irish Catholic background and that there is a lot of Catholic folk magic and Catholic folk traditions that people are not aware of (who among you reading this still don’t know this?) which are witchcraft. Her grandmother and mother did things that they would never label as witchcraft, such as hanging a rosary on your door to keep evil away. One witches’ practice revolves around spirit contact and trance work (going into trances and communicating with spirits there). Witchcraft is also supposedly a method of decolonising oneself, your notions of morality, gender, religion and returning to a mindstate that was pre-Christian to become less prejudiced and ‘free’. Some wake up in the morning and pour a glass of water to their ancestors to honour them (hey, I know all about ancestral worship, it’s huge in Africa) and thank them for where they are right now. At the end of the day they will say thank you to the land, to the gods, spirits and animals of where they live, to the mighty dead, and the living people.

I’m going to take a breather here from all this witchy devilry and insert the Word. The following Scripture clearly tells us that everything that these people are doing are an abomination to GOD.

Deuteronomy 18:10-12: “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your GOD drives them out from before you.”

Go back a couple of years (us millennials) to when Harry Potter became the thing to read, The Hobbit took us to distant lands, and Narnia gave us a world unlike our own. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a cool chick who kicked butt, Charmed was a magical TV series that most people followed religiously, and magical movies fulfilled our every need for fantasy. I will give my last dollar (or Rand which won’t mean much anywhere else) when I say that many of us were so into this world that we imagined ourselves as having powers, destroying the bad guy with them, being unique because of our abilities, and wishing that we could be those people that we were watching or reading. It was a heady thing for us, more potent than a Man whom we spoke about in Sunday School, once a week in school, and not much else. I don’t remember being taught of how powerful Jesus was and is, how He destroyed death by his own death on the cross, how He overcame the devil and gives authority to his people to defeat evil principalities and such, or how Him arising from the dead was a mighty working of GOD’S Spirit. Why weren’t we told that He is the Superhero, the only One that we need? Why was He not hyped up as much as our books, TV series and movies were? There is power in the Name of Jesus, people, more power than any silly made-up world and hero. Maybe some of you got to be taught this Jesus, but many of us were not. He was just this good, benign Man who walked this earth and died for our sins. We were told how He loves us in spite of our sin. This all true, don’t get me wrong, but He is more than that, so much more, and many millennials do not know this or understand it. They only know of the old rubbish taught by religious people who probably aren’t even Christians themselves but agents of the devil masquerading as Christians.

This is an epidemic, plain and simple. Many millennials are being lost to witchcraft. And while I focused on America (well, because it’s America), this can be said for other places in the world. Only, it may not be witchcraft as in Wicca, but other religions, Satanism, Buddhism etc. I am a millennial myself, born in the last year of the 80s and a firm 90s kid. I remember what we used to watch growing up, and it seemed harmless. That is the deceiving part of it, how harmless it all seemed. We all wanted to be powerful, to have control of our futures, and magic seemed like the way to do it, so we may have played around with it- horoscopes, fortune tellers, ‘as light as a feather, as heavy as a rock’, Ouija board etc, but some of us didn’t get out. I once told GOD that if I ever got married and had children, that I would tell them just how powerful He is and precisely what He did. How nothing on this earth compares to Him, and how much He loves them. I want them to see His magnificence, His untouchable glory, and His gift of salvation for us all. There is a way out of this world and its troubles, and that is to give your life to Jesus. And while you still may live in the world, it does not matter because He has provided us with everything that we need to overcome the evil of this world that is not just physical, but primarily spiritual. To GOD be the glory now, and forever more.

There is so much more that could be said about the truth behind the lives of those who practice witchcraft, but I have chosen to tackle what the media is portraying to us. This goes much deeper, and if the Holy Spirit wills it, I shall write another post.

Disclaimer: I do not profess to teach or have any sort of authority over men. I share the Word of GOD and any matters about the world that directly applies to our lives and walk as Christians.

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We Gave Up Everything and Somehow Gained Everything in Return

We Gave Up Everything and Somehow Gained Everything in Return

Time is ticking away and the world is slowly but surely going up in flames. Christians are being persecuted, Christianity is being banned, natural disasters are happening more often, Christians are turning away from their faith and we have become blind and numb to GOD’S Word. It seems as though everything is going pear-shaped for us, but that is only if we believe that GOD is not in control.

I believe that we tend to forget that GOD is in control. We look at the chaos happening around us, and we wonder: where is GOD in all of this? He’s right where He has always been, making things happen at the preordained time. The devil hasn’t suddenly become more powerful, no, GOD is still keeping a lid on what he can and cannot do. If you are Christian, then you know that the devil has no power over you. However, if you commit a sin then you can expect Satan to know all about it. In any well-run and tightly controlled organization, there is the boss at the top, the leaders that work under him, and the people that monitor what happens in the organization to report back to the leaders. It’s the same for Satan and his kingdom. He has monitoring spirits that roam the earth to keep an eye on people and report back to their leaders (the demons higher up in the kingdom). We need to understand that while the monitoring spirits do not attack us, they are watching us, waiting for any open doorways to afflict us. Therefore, when we sin we open a spiritual doorway for the devil to do something to us, and it would be completely ‘legal’. But, with Jesus by your side and the power of the Holy Spirit, you can send those demons packing and have the affliction removed from you. Do not expect it to be easy to detect the work of the devil- he is a crafty being who knows what makes us tick and what makes us fall apart. We are pretty stupid creatures, we may think that we are smart and all that, but when you’re up against a being that had been around since whenever, then you’re in for a rude awakening. That’s why GOD tells us to trust Him in all things- He created Satan, therefore He can put him in his place.

It’s not easy giving up control over our lives. We are always planning for the future, trying to maintain financial security and care for ourselves and our family. But we get it so wrong. GOD had this plan for our lives, a plan that fits you into the grand scheme of things. Think of a massive quilt with hundreds of thousands of interconnecting images that make up one beautiful story. If one of those images were to be removed, then there would be a gap in the story, a missing piece that distorts things but doesn’t necessarily stop the story from continuing. You are an image in that quilt; your life connects to the lives of other people, influencing them and making a lasting impression- whether you realize it or not. But if you choose to remove yourself from that quilt, then there will be a gap, but that doesn’t mean that GOD’S plan for His people changes. It’s just that you didn’t fulfill the plan for your life because you chose to go at it alone. There is a bigger picture that our minds cannot comprehend, but each one of us makes up that one picture and we are all equally important. We are the body of Christ and GOD has plans for all of us, some plans take longer than others to come to fruition, but it’s all part of His plan.

There is nothing sadder than to watch Christians try to live a life for themselves and watch them fall apart. On one side, Jesus is waiting with open arms to welcome them home and on the other are demonic vultures just waiting to tear them apart. But they never look like demonic vultures, they look like everything that you could ever want. A Christian life is as simple or as complicated as you make it, it’s all a matter of trust and obedience. Commit your life to GOD if you haven’t already; it will be the best decision of your life, but don’t expect it to be a walk in the park.

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The Importance Of Being A Prepared Soldier

The Importance Of Being A Prepared Soldier

It would be straight-up foolish to go into any battle unprepared. While you may think that improvising and spontaneity is the spice of life, the enemy has studied your military strategy (or lack thereof), obtained vital information about you and knows combat moves that will probably get you killed. You’re basically walking into that battle to be defeated because you didn’t bother to prepare. That makes you a bad soldier, doesn’t it? You wouldn’t last a minute on the battlefield, that’s for sure. Being an unprepared Believer leaves you wide open for attacks, and when they come you will not know how to handle them.

I believe that we forget that the devil never rests. He has a plan to carry out, and that’s destroying GOD’S people. Every day (and night) is an opportunity for the devil to attack us, and you better believe that his plans are well thought out with great attention to detail. There is no way that we will be able to figure out what his evil plans are and we shouldn’t; all we need to do is to be prepared by following GOD’S Word.

We have a   military plan given to us by GOD Himself and it can only be found if we study His Word as we should. He explains just who the devil is, what his plans are, how to fight and how to defend ourselves.

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Do you understand the strength of a lions roar? The closer you are to it, the more you can feel it. It’s like vibrations traveling through your body and it leaves you on edge. Lions roar to communicate with each other, ward off other lions from entering their territory and to give an indication of their size. It’s no mistake that the devil had been described as a roaring lion. We know that the world is basically his (for the time being), so he’s stating his territory, he’s in constant communication with his demons to keep track of people, and he wants to show that he’s the big fish in the pond (that’s what got him kicked out of heaven in the first place). He has legal ground to torment those who are his (the Lost), but he’s on the lookout for any legal ground that Christians give him through sin. Also, the devil knows how committed you are to GOD and your knowledge of His Word, so if you’re one of those that fail to meditate on His Word every day then you could be destroyed for your lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

Colossians 2:15

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Good news, Family, Jesus overcame Death that we may have life. Death no longer has the sting that   it once had, and the devil is justly angry about that. Who likes being defeated and humiliated so publicly? So now we know our position: we have already won, but that doesn’t mean that the battle is over. There are still souls that are lost, Christians falling away, and a devil that will do all in his power to destroy us that continue to stand. So what can we do?

2 Corinthians 10:3-4

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in GOD for pulling down strongholds.

I don’t know about you, but I get excited when I read the Bible. I’m even smiling as I type this. GOD gave us WEAPONS! And not just any type of weapons, but ones that can and will bring down every evil stronghold in our lives. Family, we need to use exactly what GOD gave us if we expect to stand in that evil day. We need to pray, fast, petition, be thankful, remain obedient and trust in GOD in all things.

Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places,

Family, our fight is not against other people, it’s against the devil and his minions (demons). They are the ones behind every evil and horrendous thing that has befallen us. You need to understand this if you want to be a prepared soldier of GOD. It’s not a physical war, but a spiritual one. There will always be an overflow of what is happening in the spiritual world into the physical world, but our fight isn’t there. Don’t get angry at people, get angry at the devil. We are to hate sin, not people. But let me tell you this: do not become cocky and think that you can disrespect the devil. Jesus never did, and neither should you. You speak the words that GOD has given us, nothing more and nothing less. You’re not honoring him by being respectful, but you need to understand that you are a human being and he is a spirit with more power, knowledge, and days than we could ever know or understand. GOD is infinitely greater, but don’t step into that trap of running your mouth off.

Ephesians 6:11 & 13-17

Put on the whole armor of GOD, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Therefore, take up the whole armor of GOD, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of GOD;

GOD has provided us with an armor. This is not just a concept or some metaphorical description, but an actual armor that goes on your spiritual body. Wearing this armor means that we will be able to stand against the trickery of the devil. Wearing it means that we will be able to stand in the evil day. Every morning, you need to ask GOD for this armor in Jesus’ name; do not start your day without it or you’re just asking for trouble. We need to understand that all that the devil can do is to try and trick and lie to us. He doesn’t have any true power against GOD’S people, only what we give him.

There is so much more to say on this matter of being a prepared soldier, but you need to read your Bible to gain more wisdom and spiritual understanding. Let the Spirit guide you and teach you as you remain faithful and do the will of GOD. There are times that we are attacked, but do not despair, GOD is always with us even when He seems absent. Our times of need are the times that we need to show our faith and trust in Him by standing and trusting in Him. We will go through refining fires, family, but once we have come through them, we become worthy vessels of honor to carry out GOD’S work. Just remember that although you suffer now, your reward in heaven is greater. Fight the good fight and remain steady in your faith.

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Waiting Happily and Patiently

It goes without saying that people do not like to wait. We want everything asap and grow impatient when there is a waiting period. As Christians, we all go through waiting periods in our lives. We wait on GOD to answer a prayer or to give us a sign that proves that He’s listening. What we fail to understand is that there is a blessing in waiting.

I know what it feels like to wait. To wake up each day, and hope that today will be the day. Days turn into weeks, weeks in months, and months into years, but I’m still waiting. It becomes a struggle to get out of bed, to be happy in the small things of life, to remain grateful for what you have already- the joy you once felt seems to have evaporated into thin air. It becomes easy to look at the next person, to see what they have. You know how hard you’ve been working, but someone else seems to gain success with less effort. You have been praying for a spouse, but someone younger than you has just got married and they are beginning the life that you had always hoped for. Someone else just had a baby, a baby that you’ve been praying for, for years. It doesn’t seem fair, does it? Why would the LORD give them, and not to you? Aren’t you good enough? Doesn’t He love you as well? These questions circle in our minds like vultures circling over a potential meal. Your negative thoughts wait for you to lose your joy and replace it with despair, envy, anger, depression and hopelessness. What can we do when we find ourselves in this position?

Psalm 37: 7-8 gives us great advice that we should all take to heart: Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret- it only causes harm. Do you see how beautiful these verses are? GOD has a word for every situation in our lives, including waiting!

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him

King David knew what it was like to face opposition, to wait for GOD to bring an answer to His prayer. He was human, just like us, so it must have been hard for him a well. However, he learnt the ‘secret’ of waiting: resting in the LORD. Do you know what it means to rest? In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it means freedom from activity or labour (there are other definitions as well, but they do not fit the context of the Psalm). We do not need to do something while we wait just to feel as though you’re not wasting your time. We do not need to stress because what we have prayed for has not come to pass. GOD has heard our prayers, so we just need to relax and rest in Him. We also need to wait patiently for Him. So often we rush into things, and when they go wrong, we cry out to GOD as if He is the one to blame. Rushing into a job because it’s what we think is right, rushing into a marriage because everyone else is married, rushing into college and doing whatever course you fancy because you’re too impatient to let GOD guide you. No, just be patient and wait.

Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way

We have all done this. We look at a person who isn’t even living their life right, and we see them succeed. The guy who cheated his way through college and now has a successful job, the lady in church who flashed money and now is in a leadership position- we all know of scenarios where things like this and more have happened, and we’ve all been angry about it. Our biggest question is WHY? Why, LORD? But, we cannot think like this because it doesn’t do us any good. We see those people, but we do not have to be moved by the supposed unfairness of it all. GOD sees you, and that’s all that matters. Do not fret, it only causes harm. How much clearer do we need this to be?

There is one last verse that I did not include, but it gives us what to do when we wait: Trust in the LORD and do good (Psalm 37:3). If there is one who deserves our trust, it is GOD. He never lets us down, and He is always faithful. He does exactly what His Word says. Just trust Him to do the right thing for you. It doesn’t mean that you’ll get what you want, but you will receive peace while you wait. GOD knows exactly what we need, and when we need it. When we grow impatient during our waiting period, we lose sight of Him and suffer for it. So, what should you do while you wait? Do good. See to the needs of others, put yourself out there and make yourself available to those in need.   You may not get your prayer answered in the way that you expected, but you will be content with what you have, no matter how much or little it is.

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What Are You Eating?

What Are You Eating?

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and decided to have an onion and garlic-rich meal? Jump into a taxi afterward and you’ll most likely stink out the driver- he may even decide to kick you out of the taxi! A garlic loaf or loaded burger with a mountain of crispy fried onion is great when we’re eating it, but the effects of the meal are not so wonderful. Now we know that spiritually, food is not about to defile you, but what we feed our minds will.

We have all heard of the saying that ‘you are what you eat’. This saying works well in both the physical and spiritual sense. We probably all understand the implications of a junk food laden diet and what it does to our bodies, but do we fully understand how our spiritual diet affects our walk of faith as Believers? Every choice that we make feeds our spirit in some way; there is a cause and effect situation happening. If we were to examine our lives, would we be able to determine the type of spiritual food that we are filling ourselves with? Let’s examine two types of diets (the only two types, really) that should give you an indication of where you fit in.

  1. The World Diet a.k.a Junk Food

This nutrient deficient diet is sure to starve your spirit. Day in and day out, we watch TV series and programs that do nothing to help us grow spiritually. They are entertaining, immensely so, but they make us dumb people. We are so busy looking into the lives of other people, emulating their speech, fashion sense, and attitudes that we miss out on what truly matters, and that’s spending time doing GOD’S work and living a life of purpose. The sad thing is that we do not leave the junk food at home, but we take it to the public as well by wanting to discuss the junk that we watch. It’s not just what we watch either, it’s also what we listen to and what we read. Our minds are like sponges and will soak up whatever we expose it to. If we insist on reading sensational magazines full of gossip, scandal, judgment, and immoral speech, then you better be aware of the consequences. When we listen to secular music that we know is vulgar and the opposite of GOD’S Word, then you better be ready for the devil to take advantage of that.

The effects of this diet are spiritually debilitating, soul-destroying and eventually leads to death. It is possible to suss out a person who consumes this type of diet. This person is constantly negative and can bring down a person’s mood quicker than listening to music about broken hearts. The filth that comes out of this person’s mouth can and will make you cringe. Their lives are most likely full of the sin of gossiping, slander, backbiting, unforgiveness, grumbling, hatred, coveting, fornication, adultery, blasphemy and everything else that this world has to offer. This person’s heart is far from GOD and is spiritually dead.

Sometimes, a Christian can be following this diet because they do not fully understand what is expected of them. Unfortunately, this makes one a lukewarm Christian and Jesus did say that He would ‘spit’ out any lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. It is no doubt that this diet is delicious, but it rots your soul and silences the Holy Spirit within you. Believe me when I say that you are better off without it.

  1. GOD’S Diet a.k.a The Nutrient Dense Diet

Who doesn’t want to be healthy and full of vitality? The energy from this diet is through the roof and it raises your endorphin levels as well. This diet consists of reading GOD’S Word on a daily basis, speaking to Him regularly, taking heed of the Holy Spirits’s voice, reading material that enhances spiritual knowledge and listening to music that encompasses everything about our faith. There is nothing better than feeding our spirits with the food of the Spirit because it leads to eternal life and brings us closer to our Creator. It’s wonderful to watch a sermon on TV that speaks GOD’S truth and increases our wisdom and understanding. Our lives are considerably less stressful, we have greater peace in our hearts, our joy is more stable and not situation based, and we generally have a more positive outlook on life- even with what’s going on in the world.

GOD’S Diet is simpler, rewarding, and healthier. There are no preservatives needed to extend GOD’S food because it’s eternal, there are no colourants needed to enhance the look of His food because it’s all natural and of the purest beauty, and there are no flavor enhancers to trick us into believing that it tastes better because it’s fresh, wholesome and wonderfully tasty for our spirits, and there are no lurking chemicals to slowly poison us because GOD is life.

You would think that the decision is easy to make, but if it was then we would all be Saved. But it’s not. Those who are still Lost cannot see and understand that the World’s Diet is leading them on a broad path to Death. They have been taken in by the fake pleasure of the diet, not being able to see how decayed it truly is. If they could see what they were truly taking into their spirits, they would be appalled and sick to their stomachs. We as Believers need to be careful about what we allow into our lives by paying attention to what we watch, read, and listen to. Even a little guilty pleasure can corrode your spiritual life and lead you away from GOD. Our lives on earth are but for a moment in the light of eternity, so we need to be wise with our decisions.

 

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Why Real Faith Is Never Perfect

Why Real Faith Is Never Perfect

What does it mean to live by faith? Is it a Que Sera, Sera thinking? (“Whatever will be, will be”) Does it mean for you to just sit back and resign yourself to whatever future God holds for you?

Resign Versus Yield

The idea of “resigning” yourself to whatever fate God has for you captures little of what it means to live by faith. On the other hand, the word “yielding” captures much of what it means to live by faith. In resigning yourself, you take on a passive pose. You do nothing and you follow whatever ebb and flow you feel God is sweeping you by. But in yielding yourself, you take on an active pose. The mind and heart is constantly at work, testing and proving possibilities. As enlightenment comes, you learn to release yourself from pursuing and prioritizing things and relationships that God has led you to forego in order for you to welcome and put more attention and energy into the more fruitful things and relationships God desires to bring into your life. The word resign carries the idea of acceptance and simple absorption. The word yield carries the idea of, yes, surrender, but can also point to a product that results from some work and effort carried out.

Living the faith life doesn’t mean I empty myself of all my thoughts, goals, and desires for my life. Rather, it means that I nurture a heart that aligns itself to the desires and goals of God for my life. For all we know, God may have already put those in us long before we were born. We only need the wisdom to know which passions are God-breathed and which ones are purely self-serving.

Indolence Versus Diligence

Resignation to fate often breeds indolence while yieldedness breeds diligence. You don’t let life happen. Rather, you make life the best it can be. To live by faith is to cooperate with God’s purposes for your life. We can only find satisfaction in this life when we know that we have a purpose and that we are fulfilling it. To feel useless and to feel so for an extended period of time can be a cause of depression and discontent in one’s capabilities and in one’s position or situation in life.

It is true that great discoveries and learnings are found in doing and experimenting. From Ecclessiastes 9:10 we learn that we should put best efforts into whatever our hands find to do. The Bible calls us to productivity. It calls us to action. In the process of doing [with a yielded spirit], we sense God’s guidance. We sense His affirmation and we see His redirections.

Sensibility Versus Intuitiveness

At times the Christian will need to let go of what is sensible and dive into something that seems unreasonable or makes little sense. God loves doing miraculous, impossible, and astounding things and for a person who depends on safety nets, these “God-Moments” may be very uncomfortable and even scary. Sense tells us to act depending on what we know to be true, that is, human reason. Intuition tells us to act depending on what we know and feel to be true even without conscious reasoning.

That is what faith is about. Hebrews 11:1 says it is about having the confidence and full assurance of what we know to be true and real even though we may not yet see the fullness of that truth and reality yet. God is good and He says that all His plans for us are for a great future and a sure hope (Jeremiah 29:11). On some days, it may not seem that way but remembering the many times God has shown up in our past assures us that God is constantly working things out for our good. (Romans 8:28). Needless to say, it takes regular meditation upon God’s Word and surrounding yourself with the right people for you to have a “reliable” and “mature” intuition. Without intimacy with God, we can be fooled into pursuing unfruitful impulses and compulsions by our deceiving hearts. (Jeremiah 17:9).

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

 plans to give you hope and a future.”

– Jeremiah 29:11

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Dangerous “MOMO Challenge”

Courtesy: Hack Forever

Evil never rests, it only regroups and develops a new strategy to bring about as much death, destruction, and pain as it can. It seems that the dust has hardly settled over the last suicide inducing game (The Blue Whale Challenge) that a new one has cropped up: The “Momo Challenge”.

A twelve-year-old girl from Argentina has reported having committed suicide, a suicide linked to the Momo Challenge. There are other suicides that have been linked to the challenge but have yet to be verified. Police officers all over the world are warning parents to be on the lookout for this deadly social media game and to be aware of the signs associated with it.

The way that this challenge works is by sending a number to a person’s phone and asking them to contact a Momo Whatsapp profile. Once a connection has been established, Momo will begin to send challenges/objectives to the users that escalate in self-harm as it progresses. Failure to do so will result in threats such as promising to curse the user, kill their family and appearing at night to them. Graphic and disturbing pictures are also sent to the user to further terrify them into complying with the demands of the Momo.

A father from Cutral Co has claimed that the game threatened his fifteen-year-old daughter with certain death. A Momo-connected profile sent the girl a picture of a dead person and threatened her home, family, and friends if she didn’t respond to the challenge.

The Momo is a terrifying-looking half woman/half bird creature that is weird enough to strike fear into any child (or adult for that matter) when coupled with threats of harm and promised death. The creators of the now-dubbed suicide game are using the cropped image of a bird-woman sculpture that was created by Link Factory, a Japenese special effects company. The Momo challenge has no connection to the Link Factory.

Children remain at risk for games like this because their concept of reality and fantasy can become easily blurred. Parents should keep an eye on their children and their mobile use, but take care not to appear overly controlling because that can create much frustration and distance their children from them. If a child is spending an unhealthy amount of time on their mobile, parents need to promote playing outdoor games. If parents themselves spend a considerable amount of time playing games on their mobiles, all efforts to stop or reduce the time spent doing so should result in your child having less of an interest to engage in mobile games. Having good communication with your child/ren is also vital.

The most important thing that we can do for our children is to pray for them. There is only so much that we can do in the physical realm to protect our kids, therefore prayer is the only form of action that we can take to counter all that takes place in the spiritual realm. I believe that all events that take place in the physical realm first originate in the spiritual realm, and as we do not have constant access to that realm (and should not unless by the Holy Spirit at appointed times and by the will of GOD) we need to put our faith in the Almighty to hear our prayers and petitions to keep our children safe.

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Dead Man Walking

The need to bring the Gospel to the Lost has intensified during these Last Days. It is a terrible thing to walk about and see dead people everywhere and know that their numbers are most likely growing. The world has so many enticements and lies that people are more than happy to remain dead, instead of choosing life. These people may not be six-feet under or even ashes, but make no mistake, they are as dead as you can get because there is only one destination for them: hell.

Speaking about death seems quite gloomy, but it’s a necessary part of our lives, especially as Believers. I used to wonder about Luke 9:60 and what it meant for us as GOD’S people, but reading the first two chapters of Colossians has made the meaning as clear as day. Do you know that we deal with dead people every day? We speak to them, shake hands with them, do activities with them and even love them, but they’re dead. I don’t think that some of us actually understand the severity of this- these people are alive and breathing, but they are as good as dead if they do not know Jesus.   That’s what He meant when He said that the dead should bury their own dead. He was letting the ‘wannabe’ disciple know that to follow Jesus was life, but to go back and bury his father would mean death. That’s a ‘shut the front door’, ‘drop the mic’ type of Scripture (for me anyway). That’s our ultimate choice, isn’t it? The choice of life or death. For us Believers, we know that even though we may die in the flesh, yet we still live because Jesus has ‘delivered us from the power of darkness’ (Colossians 1:13), but those who have rejected him only have one destination after death and that’s hell. We have to just take a moment and realize that this is a hectic truth to know, especially if we are not doing enough to speak to people about Jesus.

This whole ‘zombie apocalypse’ thing seems more believable to people than the fact that Jesus died for their sins. I feel like telling them that they are basically the walking dead due to their unbelief! But that wouldn’t go down very well, would it? This gift of life is such a beautiful truth and needs to be spread like wildfire because the Last Days are upon us. You can just turn on any news channel and see what’s happening in the world for proof of this. Each and every one of us has a mission: to go out and preach the kingdom of GOD. It’s not just preachers and missionaries that have this charge, but each and every one of us who confess Jesus the Son of GOD. We don’t need to ram it down their throats or Bible bash them, but when the Holy Spirit moves you to talk to someone, you do it. It may seem embarrassing or scary at first, but look at it this way: if they reject you, don’t take it personally because they are actually rejecting GOD, not you.

I’m going to flip this around now and concentrate on us. This is the area that the Holy Spirit was most insistent about (at this moment): living to the basic principles of the world when we have died with Christ. Many of us are allowing people to cheat us out of Christ because we are giving into their lies. The people of the world think that they are wise and like to puff themselves up with false wisdom. They have all these philosophical things to say, ‘science-backed’ evidence of nothing but lies, and traditions that have no place in our lives. Why are we subjecting ourselves to the basic principles of the world when they are nothing but the words of dead people? It says in Colossians 2:20  ‘Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-‘. We no longer live in the world, Family, so we have no business following the rules of the world. ‘As you, therefore, have received Christ Jesus the LORD, so walk in Him,’    (Colossians 2:6), we received Him in faith, therefore we have to live faith-filled lives, and that doesn’t include what the world has to say about anything regarding our lives. If we want greater wisdom and knowledge regarding anything, then just ask GOD: ‘…in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Colossians 2:3). GOD created everything, therefore He knows it all. We certainly do not need the world to tell us what we should be doing, how we should be doing it, and when we should be doing it, especially when it contradicts the word of GOD and leads us astray.

‘Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from GOD’ (Colossians 2:18-19).

Run if you must, but do not entertain the words of a man who professes to have wisdom but does not confess Christ. These people can and will cheat you out of your reward with their empty words. These people are convincing, let me tell you, freakishly convincing at times. That is why you need to be immersed in GOD’S Word and presence on a daily basis. You need that daily ‘oomph’ of strength, wisdom, and knowledge that only GOD’S Word can give you if you are going to survive these Last Days, but we’re also all here to help each other out.

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Ladies, Hope for A Joseph-like Husband

Ladies, Hope for A Joseph-like Husband

Many Christian women speak about finding a husband like Boaz, which is fine as he had many good qualities. However, I have yet to come across a Christian woman that expresses the need to find a husband like Joseph, the most beloved of Jacob’s sons and a godly man.

Recently I attended my cousin’s wedding and as a result, I was bombarded with questions about when I was going to get married. One of my aunties even tried to drag me over to the dance floor to stand a chance of catching the bride’s bouquet. Thankfully I was firmly behind the serving table when I argued the fact that technically, I wasn’t all that single and that I wasn’t even on the ‘market’. I firmly believe that GOD has the right someone for everyone and that if you’re patient and faithful, He will reveal that person at the right time. How can we say that we give GOD control but still choose to actively hunt for a husband? Our time is best spent drawing closer to GOD and letting Him handle that important aspect of our lives.

Attending the wedding got me thinking about marriage and the kind of man that I would one day marry. Joseph is one of my favorite people from the Bible and he holds many characteristics of an ideal husband. While many women consider Boaz and even Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, as men with good husband qualities, the Genesis Joseph appeals to me more. Here’s why:

  • First of all, the name Joseph means ‘GOD increases or adds to’ so that’s a good start right there!
  • Joseph was a principled man. He was an honest man of character and integrity. Look at the number of times that he was tempted. But did he give in? Nope. Not once. A godly man like Joseph would not cheat on his wife because he honors GOD above all else.
  • He was humble. This man had all the power and prestige as a man who was second to Pharoah in all things. However, he didn’t let this get to his head. He was always aware of the fact that it was GOD who had put him in that position. As a husband, there would be no gloating and feather primping.
  • He was disciplined. This man was sold into slavery by his own brothers and spent time in prison for a crime that he did not commit. However, he didn’t let any of this make him bitter and forsake his GOD. He disciplined himself to make the most of his situation and remained faithful to GOD, knowing that GOD would come through for him. He had a long-term vision- it wasn’t a case of here and now, but of what was to come by GOD’S hand.
  • Faithfulness. Not once did Joseph’s commitment to GOD waver. Not once. He remained faithful to Him at his lowest moment and at his highest moment. A husband that remains faithful to GOD despite his situation is a keeper:)
  • Grace. Out of pure jealousy, Joseph’s own brothers sold him into slavery. That’s a hard blow. But still, he chose to show grace and mercy to his brothers and forgave them. Such a godly characteristic is a must in a husband.
  • He was a competent man. This man did his best in all that he did. He was a man of excellence- he truly excelled in all of his jobs! Whether as a servant, an interpreter, a ruler or manager of his family’s flock, he did it all to the best of his abilities.
  • Joseph was a wise man. Did you know that he was 30 when he stepped in to help set up Egypt for the famine that was to come? It’s not like he went to business school or something, but he managed to see them through the famine. Without a doubt, it was GOD that blessed him with such wisdom.
  • He was also strategic. I love planning and will often plan for events many months in advance (my family finds that rather irritating!). Joseph was a planner. He successfully planned for the famine by instructing officials to gather up food and store it during the years of plenty.

Not all women will share my opinion about a Joseph-like husband, but when in doubt about someone that you’re considering or possibly even getting married to, base their characteristics on the verses from 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 like so:

“Joseph is patient, Joseph is kind. He does not envy, he does not boast, he is not proud. He does not dishonor others, he is not self-seeking, he is not easily angered, he keeps no record of wrongs. Joseph does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

If you can honestly say that the man you are batting your eyelashes at embodies these values, then you have a godly man who is full of the Holy Spirit.

Now, it wouldn’t be right for me to talk about waiting for the right man without saying that you need to be a godly woman yourself. Often I receive compliments on my cooking skills and I’m told that because of it I’ll make a good wife, but a part of me always rebels against that. Sure enough, my future husband will be spoilt when it comes to food, but that cannot be the ruler that I’ll be measured against when it comes to being a good wife. The Bible has much to say about being a good wife, and that for me is a far better source. Scriptures speak about a noble wife who is worth more than rubies, a wife who her husband has full confidence in, and who brings him good. She is not a slanderer and is sober and faithful in all things. She loves her husband and children and she exercises self-control. She is pure and kind and is subject to her husband so that no one will malign the word of GOD. She respects her husband and loves him deeply, knowing that GOD has joined them together for His good purpose.

Whether you are a wife or a wife-to-be, put your name in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and see how you stack up. Of course, no one is perfect and we all make mistakes, but we must remember to honor our vows and faithfully remain at our husband’s side. It is not good for a man to be alone, and with a marriage of two people who put GOD first in everything, he never will be.

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Domestic Violence in the Church

Domestic Violence in the Church

The words ‘domestic violence’ and ‘church’ do not belong together and do not exist in the same context. To deny this would seem traitorous and unfaithful, and yet, to ignore it would bring into question our faith, values, and beliefs as Christians. Domestic violence is alive and kicking in the church, and turning a blind eye to the plight of women, children, and men will only strengthen the excuses made for the abuse.

I once volunteered in a trauma center in a place where alcoholism, domestic violence, drug addiction and sexual abuse were rife in the area. The trauma center was situated in a police station which meant that I was exposed to countless cases that opened up my small town perception of the world. To a certain extent, I had been shielded from such situations- they always seemed far away from me, and thus not my concern. I always had sympathy for the victims and a sort of ignorance that only a naïve person could achieve, but I lacked the compassion and a sense of duty to help these victims.

One particular case stuck with me, not due to the severity of it (I had seen many horrendous cases of rape, violence etc) but because it involved a well-known church in the area. A woman, whom I had surmised to be in her early thirties, was being routinely abused by her husband. Her two daughters were witnesses to these beatings and were beginning to accept it as a way of life (they were around six and nine years of age). The woman had approached the church on more than one occasion for help, but their advice to her was always to submit to her husband, avoid doing anything that angered him and to pray for him. She followed their advice, but it did nothing to protect her from his fists. When she told me her story, I couldn’t believe that the church had basically turned their backs on her. They were quick to point out that a wife must respect and submit to her husband as the church does to Christ, but they failed to mention that a husband should love his wife as Christ loves the Church. Her husband had failed her, her church had failed her, and it seemed that GOD had failed her too. Her daughters had begun to see her abuse as a joke, no doubt a way for them to handle the situation. I believe that is what led her to seek help from the trauma center. I was assigned to her case (I suppose that they assumed that as I was studying Psychology at the time I would be perfect for the case, but I was way out of my depth) and I just started to speak to her from my heart, letting her know of the love that Jesus has for her. It took a couple of weeks, but she eventually got the courage to leave her abusive husband and her church. It was a scary thing for her to do, but once she understood the love that Jesus has for her, she mustered up the courage and started her life all over again with her two daughters, attending a different church.

This woman is just one example of the hundreds of cases where the church has failed to help their people. A research was done to reveal the prevalence of domestic violence amongst churchgoers, and it was found that one in four people have experienced abuse in their current relationship.

“Domestic abuse happens in churches too,” Dr. Kristin Aune of Coventry University, who led the research, said. “A quarter of the people we heard from told us they had, for example, been physically hurt by their partners, sexually assaulted, emotionally manipulated, or had money withheld from them. This includes 12 women who have experienced between 10 and 20 abusive behaviors and six women who are currently in relationships where they fear for their lives.”

Only two in seven churchgoers felt their church was adequately equipped to deal with a disclosure of abuse.

Although the research surveyed churchgoers in the north-west English county of Cumbria, I believe that it represents other areas around the world as well. The statistics may be different, but their situations remain largely the same. There are certainly many Christian organizations that are working to highlight domestic violence in the church and to address it accordingly, but individual churches themselves and the men within it (even the women) are not doing enough to challenge the attitudes and behaviors that promote this violence.

Scripture on marriage and relationships is often misinterpreted and used to justify abuse, but GOD will not be fooled. Abusers love control and will do anything to maintain it. They seem to find their identity in being respected and feared by others, and this fuels their desire to gain control through abusive behavior. What they lack is an understanding of their identity in Christ, so trying to build their self-esteem or suggest anger-management classes are not longterm ‘fixes’.

The church needs to step up to the plate and really address domestic violence. Abuse in the church has been going on for centuries, mostly due to powerful people within the church justifying it. We are no longer living in times where women are seen as property, where men are laughed at for having their wife beat them, or where children are seen as replaceable and used to bargain with. Yes, it may still happen around the world, but we are all aware of how wrong, barbaric and inhumane it is. We should give a voice to the voiceless, and protect those who come to us.

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Mother Teresa’s Charity Is Under Investigation Over Baby-Selling Claims

Mother Teresa's Charity Is Under Investigation Over Baby-Selling Claims

When one thinks of Mother Teresa, the words peace, serenity, and kindness come to mind. The heinous act of Baby-Selling seems far removed from the values that she embodied. However, it appears that one of her charities have failed to uphold her image.

India’s eastern Jharkland state is home to a Missionaries of Charity center. The center, which is meant to provide shelter for pregnant unmarried women, was accused of selling babies born to unwed mothers to childless couples.

The Indian police were alerted when a social worker discovered that a newborn was missing from the home. They arrested a nun and a staff member after it was found out that the two were involved in baby trafficking.

A police officer spoke to Reuters regarding the matter:

“At least five to six babies have been sold to childless couples. We are investigating to see how the operation was run and how many more children have been given away in the last few years.”

It was said that the Jharkland center for unwed mothers charged about $600 for each baby, with another Indian couple claiming that they paid the equivalent of $1,760 for a baby.

“We are completely shocked by what has happened in our home… It should have never happened,” said the Missionaries of Charity organization in a statement. “It is against our moral convictions. We are carefully looking into the matter. We will take all the necessary precautions that this kind of incident never happens again.”

The police have since closed the center.

It is no small thing to discover that a person who has dedicated their lives to GOD was involved in child trafficking. Many people hold nuns to a different standard, and they are seen as sacrificial people who have turned their backs on the pleasures of life to serve others. We cannot help but inwardly groan at the thought that such a chaste symbol has further damaged the world’s view of our Christians values. If it is not men of the habit molesting and sodomizing young children, it is nuns selling babies to make a profit. It seems as though the Catholic world is riddled with bad eggs, or rotten tomatoes- whichever you prefer. That is not to say that our own Christian sisters and brothers have not defamed our faith. On the contrary, I believe that we have done more to dent the LORD’S image to the world than the world has. It is a comforting thing to know that no matter how much we mess up, we can never derail GOD’S plans for each and every one of us.

Some people may hold the title of being a servant of Christ, but we will always know them by their fruits. While we may understand that those who were involved in selling these babies were not true servants of Christ, the world will not choose to see that truth. It is a waste of our time to fret over the dark works of others, pray and move on. Concentrate on shining your light to the world.

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Rare Justice for Christians in Pakistan after Toddler’s Rape

Rare Justice for Christians in Pakistan after Toddler's Rape

Pakistani Christians are in the minority in their country, posing no threat to those who are of the Muslim faith, and yet they are being targeted. Two-and-a-half years ago Christians raised concerns about the growing influence of the Islamic State in Pakistan-government officials ignored their concerns.

Wilson Chowdhry of the British Pakistani Christians Association (BPCA) told CBN News, “Christians are a highly vulnerable and regularly persecuted body of people in Pakistan and justice is hard to come by as families are either forced to accept a bribe under duress in exchange for an acquittal of perpetrators, or face another family member being attacked or killed.”

So when little Saiba’s rapist was sent to jail for 25 years and fined the equivalent of $1300 for the crime he committed in December 2016, Chowdhry described it as a “highly unusual case of justice for Christians.”  

The day of the rape, then 2-year-old Saiba was left with her 10-year-old brother at home while their mother and older brother went to work. Mohammed Abbas, a neighbor of the family, knew that the adults were away, so he made his move. He visited the home and asked Daoud, Saiba’s brother, to go to the store and buy him some cigarettes. When Daoud returned home, he found the door locked.

“I could hear Saiba crying and screaming louder than I have ever heard her scream before. I knew there was a problem and banged loudly on the door but no one was opening the door for me,” he recalled.

After about 30 minutes, Abbas came out of the house and took the pack of cigarettes from the 10-year-old boy. He opened the package, lit a cigarette and smiled at Daoud before walking away. The young boy rushed into the home and comforted his baby sister as best as he could until his mother returned from work.

“When my mum came minutes later she cleaned the blood off Saiba’s naked body and wrapped her in a towel. We both hugged her to bring peace to her,” said Daoud.  

Two years later, Saiba is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and is regularly having nightmares due to her brutal attack.

Due to the brutality of the rape, she suffered massive physical damage to her reproductive organs. The hospital officials who treated Saiba believe that her chances to bear children will be slim to none.  

Saiba’a family, who Chowdhry describes as ‘brave and devout Christians’, continue to receive help from their church family as well as the BPCA.

I cannot begin to fathom the pain and trauma that Saiba family is going through, especially Saiba herself, who is now 4 years old. Her legal victory gives hope to other Christians in the Muslim-majority country. As Chowdry says, it is showing the world that Christians are strong and brave people who are willing to fight and stand their ground, even when the odds are against them.  

I ask that we include Saiba and her family in our prayers, that Father would heal her both physically and emotionally, and continue to provide for her family in every way possible.

Resources: CBN News

 

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