THE AGONY OF MAMA JAMES

 

Written by Gavin Aleogho
 
It's been over a year since her husband eloped with the lady he met during his official trip to Abuja. Since then, Mama James’ health has deteriorated drastically. She has allowed the situation to put her into depression, which has in turn affected her health. First was the increase in her blood pressure, followed by other medical conditions as stated in the medical report she received from her doctor.
 
Moreover, the situation also affected the behaviour and academic performance of her children. Mama James virtually lost the motivation, strength and zeal to follow up on her children. Indeed, the misbehaviour of their father really affected everyone.
 
Ever since the situation started, she has only channelled all her energy hopping from one prophet to another, seeking to win her husband back from the strange woman. In the course of moving from one prayer house to another, she has fallen victim to different false prophets who have milked her dry. One of such devilish agents has even taken advantage of her body. She even has to close her shop for a period due to the need to attend prayer meetings during working hours.
 
Things had already deteriorated when I met her last month. After listening to her story, I knew that I had to help her to first of all get back herself, before she can get back her husband and family. For she really was a shadow of herself; filled with hatred, anger and bitterness against her husband and against the strange woman.
 
You will agree with me that you can't get answers to your prayers when your heart is filled with unforgiveness, bitterness and hatred against any man. Besides the hatred she has for her husband, she even has greater hatred against the lady who took her husband. She confessed that she had schemed and prayed that the lady should "fall down and die."
 
Even though she was jumping from one prayer house to another, I discovered that she doesn't have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. She wasn't born again, although she thinks otherwise.
 
Your prayers become effective when you strive to grow in your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Mind you, I am not talking about growing in your relationship with any Church or any man of God like Mama James had been doing. I had to lead her to Christ and began to teach her the elementary principles of the faith.
 
I remember on several occasions telling Mama James, "Since you are already praying about this situation; quit worrying. Worrying and faith cannot coexist. You must be strong to face life, especially for your three children. If you die due to thinking and depression, who will take care of your children for you? Besides, you must ensure that the answer to your prayers meets you alive and in good health."
 
Sadly, I was informed that Mama James passed on to Glory last week Saturday due to some medical complications. She has finally allowed her husband's misbehaviour to kill her. She has allowed the devil to win over her. Although, she is guaranteed to spend eternity with the Saviour, since she was born again. But she has allowed the devil to truncate her life here on earth.  
 
Now, I heard that the children have been moved to live with their grannies in her remote village, where I learned there is no good education system. I also learned that Mama James' parents are very poor and that she was the only surviving child of her parents.
 
It's a sad situation, I must confess. The man is still alive with his new catch, but the wife is dead. The children have been displaced from their home due to two factors. First, the father, who could not keep himself from an extramarital affair. Secondly, their mother, who could not be strong enough for her family and stand in faith to win the battle against the devil.
 
See, the devil's agenda from the start of this situation was to disintegrate the family. Satan's objective at any time is to kill, steal and destroy. Mama James never saw the whole picture of the devil's agenda. I am just thinking, "What will become of these children whose parents are nowhere to be found?"
 
Dearly beloved, you must not allow the devil to win over you. Make up your mind to win the battle that the devil has launched against you, your family, children, business, etc. Don't be deceived, the devil may start small, but his goal is to wreak great havoc in your life.
 
Like 1 Peter 5:8 says, you just have to "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"
 
There is nothing wrong with going to Church or making friends with men of God. However, seek first to become a friend of Jesus. Besides prayer, seek to know the truth, for it is the truth that makes you free. Seek to grow in your relationship with the Lord. That is what will help you to effortlessly resist the devil.
 
So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you.
James 4:7 NCV
 
Finally, make up your mind to stay alive, for a lot of destinies depend on you.
 
Don't run away.
Don't chicken out.
Don't give up.
 
You shall triumph over all the hosts of hell that are militating against your joy and peace, in Jesus name.
 
©Gavin Aleogho

THE POSSIBILITY OF SEXUAL PURITY

 

Written by Gavin Aleogho

 

“No man fit kip himself oh. Bodi no bi firewood.” said Rume to his colleague as the chat during a break period at work. “No let anybodi deceive you. It is not possible for anybody to keep himself. Even Pastors, Imams, Reverend Fathers and even Reverend Sisters dey do.”

 

While Rume was expressing his view in Nigerian Pidgin English, three of his colleagues, Frank, Bright and Owen were nodding in agreement to what he was saying. But Gabriel was frowning in disagreement.

 

Gabriel could not take it anymore; he interrupted Rume, “the fact that you have chains of girlfriends does not mean that other men are like you. The fact that you can’t keep yourself with just your wife does not mean that there are people who are not keeping themselves from sexual immorality.”

 

Pointing to the other three, Gabriel said, “don’t let Rume deceive you guys. You can keep yourself if you want to. Owen, you can be faithful to your spouse if you are determined.” Besides Owen who got married three months ago, Frank and Bright were bachelors.

 

“But men, the temptation is much oh,” said Frank. “Just this morning alone, more than three girls have given me a green light that they are available for me. I no go lie to you.”

 

“You guys know Mercy, right?”  Bright interrupted. “That girl that usually comes to pick our product every Tuesday morning.” “Yes, yes,” they others nodded in unison. “She has been on my neck. I have disappointed her twice now. She has always wanted to take me out. But I have not been able to keep the appointment with her. You know that after work I always have Church evening services?”

 

“Church boy,” exclaimed Rume. “You can’t tell me that there are no girls that are chasing you even in your Church?”

 

“Sure, sure there are.” Replied Bright. “Sincerely speaking, it is not easy. All this temptation usually pollutes my mind”

 

We can’t deny the fact that sexual temptation is on the increase and this will keep increasing as the days go by. Diverse sexual perversion which was not too pronounced in the past has now been made an acceptable norm in some communities.

 

We are all sexual beings with feelings and emotions. This is how God has made every one of us. This feeling and emotion is what the devil targets at appealing when he brings sexual temptation to us. We must brace up and put our feelings and emotions under control so as to remain sexually pure.

 

Sexual purity is something that is demanded by God from all His children. It is a possibility that we can all attain through knowledge, determination and the grace of God. For God will never ask you to do something which He has not already graced you to do  Besides, always know that God will never ask you to do what He thinks you can’t do.

 

Whether you are a single, married, adult, kid or a teenager you are expected by God to keep yourself from sexual immorality. Sexual purity is not for specific gender, but for both male and female. Your marital status does not exclude you from the pursuit of Sexual Purity.

 

"God’s will is for you to be set apart for him in holiness and that you keep yourselves unpolluted from sexual defilement. Yes, each of you must guard your sexual purity with holiness and dignity, not yielding to lustful passions like those who don’t know God."

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 TPT

 

Thus, if you are married, you are expected to stick to your spouse alone. If you are unmarried, you are expected to keep yourself from fornication. You are not expected to indulge in any form of sexual perversion like masturbation, homosexual, etc.

 

Sexual Purity includes virginity for the unmarried, but it's more about a PURE HEART than being a virgin, physically. Hence, the primary basis of attaining sexual purity starts from the heart. If the heart is defiled, sexual purity has been compromised. If the heart is pure, the man or woman will always act rightly.

 

In dealing with the issue of the state of the heart, Jesus said that, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Matthews 5:28. Thus, we can safely conclude that to attain sexual purity, we must first of all deal with the state of our heart, ensuring that our heart is not defiled by either what we see, smell, ear or feel. For sexual Purity is not what is ascertained from the outside by people, rather, it is what God sees and this is based on the condition of our hearts.

 

This is why the scripture says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23.

 

Hence, one of the first steps towards sexual purity is to keep yourself from sexual pollution. If you are serious about sexual purity, you must get rid of anybody that often pollutes your heart by their acts or words.

 

You must also get rid of any material like books, magazines, music, videos that tend to tilt your mind towards sexual immorality. Also, you must censor your social media of friends, pages or groups that promote sexual perversion of any kind. You must consciously create your own environment, both offline and online.

 

This is something you must do intentionally if you are serious about the matter of sexual purity.

 

To be continued... Watch out for “STEPS ON HOW TO ATTAIN STEXUAL PURITY.”

PRESERVING A GENERATION FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY

Sexual immorality has always been a significant weapon that the devil is using to destroy the upcoming generation. Ironically, the human agents the devil uses to perpetuate this evil against our rising stars are not aliens but people you least expect.
 
The rate at which kids, teens, young people, and adults are getting ensnared in this web is alarming. I guess I am among the few who are privileged to these statistics. Thanks to the fact that many young adults consider me trustworthy to share their experiences with me.
 
As a counsellor to youths and teenagers, I can tell you that a lot is going on which many parents are unaware of. Your kids are smarter than you think. Your children know more than you can imagine. And many of them have had terrible experiences in this area that are beyond your comprehension.
 
My position as a Pastor and also a Sex Educator specialist gives me access to a lot of information in this regard. It is sad that such is happening in our very nose, especially at the very nose of the Church which is supposed to be the light of the world.
 
We must sound the alarm for all to be aware.
 
Parents must wake up to their responsibility of protecting their children from sexual predators.
 
The Church mustn't turn a blind eye to this atrocity, which is already taking place in some congregations.
 
Our Church boys and girls are falling into sexual immorality. It is happening among some choristers. Some suppose elders, pastors and adults in the faith who are supposed to protect our lads and ladies have become tools in the hand of the devil. They’ve become predators instead of protectors. Besides, you have to understand that many of such sexual predators are involved in such sexual perversion for diabolical purposes.
 
These paedophiles who wear the cloak of religion and piousness have infiltrated our Churches and neighbourhood, they are on a mission of molesting our children and destroying the glorious destiny of these minors. 
 
There is a dead rat in the house, but sadly many people seem to have a nose that is unable to detect or perceive the unpleasant smell, due to negligence in the name of busyness. We must all rise up and become vigilant to preserve the next generation.
 
Mothers and Fathers, it is your responsibility to sex-educate your child. Don’t assume that your children don't understand. They know more than you think. Make your home a place where your kids feel comfortable approaching you with ANY question.
 
Churches must rise up and begin to speak about this illness. Defence tackles must be taught to our children.
 
This is one of the things we teach to our young adults in the Young Adult Christian Club (YACC). Thanks to God for the testimonies and feedback we are getting on how our teaching is helping these young ones to overcome sexual temptations and break free from sexual entanglement.
 
Personally, l have been opportune to speak on this subject to different churches, Fellowships, Schools and to different age groups; for I have a different curriculum for different age groups. I even have a curriculum on how parents can successfully sex-educate their children so as to overcome sexual predators and sexual temptation. You can contact me for any of these services.
 
We must all rise up to preserve a generation from the social vice of sexual immorality.
 
Stay vigilant.
 
Written by Gavin Aleogho