A heart once full of fire and light
Began to fade into the night
Avoiding gatherings, once so dear
Christian fellowship, now brought fear

It’d skip the meetings, one by one
And find excuses, never done
It’s seat was empty, its voice unheard
Its heart was drifting, Its soul blurred

It’d lose Its zeal, Its love did too
For the things of God, it didn’t pursue
Its walk was solo, no longer with friends
Its journey backwards, a bitter end

But still, the love of God shines bright
A beacon calling, through the dark of night
A chance to return, to make it right
To rekindle the flame, and shine with new light

Written by Jesse Nzima, Sang by Remi , Mirriam and Marius Engesvik

By now you probably have heard the screaming headlines on all news media concerning Pope Francis permitting Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples. On BBC News:

Pope Francis has allowed priests to bless same-sex couples, a significant advance for LGBT people in the Roman Catholic Church. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church said priests should be permitted to bless same-sex and “irregular” couples, under certain circumstances (Vock, 2023).

And after approving the blessing of same-sex couples AP news had this to report:

Pope Francis urged Vatican bureaucrats Thursday to avoid “rigid ideological positions” that prevent them from understanding today’s reality, an appeal made days after he formally allowed priests to bless same-sex couples in a radical change of Vatican policy. Francis used his annual Christmas greeting to the Holy See hierarchy to encourage the cardinals, bishops and laypeople who run the Vatican to listen to one another and to others so they can evolve to truly offer service to the Catholic Church (Winfield, 2023).

Well, have you ever wondered why Apostle Paul used such strong words when he called the doctrine of celibacy a doctrine of the Devil –  “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils..Forbidding to marry” (1 Tim.4:1-3)? You cannot modify God’s method and expect it to produce results. A male was designed to carry seed and a woman was fashioned with breasts, a vaginal passage, and a uterus for a purpose. Leave a man and woman on an island for  a century and next you will find a thriving human population. Leave John and Steve there, it’s bones you will find, death. No life, no continuity.

But look at a false holiness the Devil invented: forbidding priests to marry on the premise that they are consecrating themselves to the work of ministry. But inside they so burn with sexual passion, and the pressure eventually finds its way out to the closest human being around, another male! Look at these disturbing words which appeared in a New York Times news article:

Gay men probably make up at least 30 to 40 percent of the American Catholic clergy, according to dozens of estimates from gay priests themselves and researchers. Some priests say the number is closer to 75 percent. One priest in Wisconsin said he assumed every priest was gay unless he knows for a fact he is not (Dias, 2019).

Now, not only are the priests practising it but a step has been taken towards normalising it for congregants. Do you know what impact this will have gradually? The Catholic Church is a big system with millions of members around the world. Although initially people, especially those from conservative Third World nations, will be in denial of the new situation, gradually it will settle in their subconsious. All it takes to make a lie acceptable is to repeat it enough.

Now, like all religious systems, the largest Christian denomination has no regard for scriptural truth. It’s version of truth is defined by how many people are in support of an idea. If its authority was the Word, it would know what Scripture plainly states about this subject:

“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination” (Lev.18:22).

“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them” (Lev.20:13).

Israel was a theocracy and God required a death penalty for this abomination. As for the Pope and the Catholic system, they bless the sin. How can this be; how can the “vicar of Christ” bless that which Christ has cursed? Anyone who blesses what God has cursed is  antichrist and diabolical.

But, are not popes, cardinals and bishops not educated men? They spend so many years studying letters and yet miss a scripture as plain as Leviticus 18:22. Well, it’s not about how plain something is or how simple it is to perceive by common sense. It is about a spell that falls on people when their minds are intent on disobeying God. Yes, it is God who gives them up to a reprobate mind. Such folly had to manifest to the extreme in Sodom and Gomorrah before it rained brimstone on the cities. To this end, Apostle Paul admonished:

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient (Rom. 1:26-28).

The other day I watched the video below and I wondered why it is difficult for anyone to discern the spirit behind this church system; it is the “hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird” (Rev.18:2). Think about the difficulty a Catholic would have to evangelise a Muslim. A muslim knows something about decency, modesty and reverence. Is there any wonder why they see much of what makes up Christianity to be infidels?

If you are still caged in this rotten church system, I hope you have ears to hear that voice still calling out –  “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev.18:3-4). And be warned, do not be decieved, for very soon the clergy with  forked tongues will be in panic to try to explain how the pope was misunderstood. Be wise, if Judas had an opportunity to excuplate himself before cameras, he would have also convinced some people with a rational explanation concerning his sinful transaction. But thankfully, the Lord Jesus did not mince his words when He called him “the son of perdition” (Joh.17:12).  If “Truth”, “Faith” and “Eternity” have objective value in your world, then start going to a Bible-believing church. No, do not look at what name it is called, but what manner of life manifests in it. Do not look at how big and polished it looks, for there are many charismatic and fundamentalist churches which are just as reprobate. Go to a humble place where people are truly consecrated to the Word. Pray about it and be sincere and the Lord will lead you. A true church is not an organisation, it is an organism that pulsates with the life of the Word. It is scarce but God always has people who have never bowed a knee to Baal.

References

Dias, E. (2019). ‘It Is Not a Closet. It Is a Cage.’ Gay Catholic Priests Speak Out. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/17/us/it-is-not-a-closet-it-is-a-cage-gay-catholic-priests-speak-out.html

Vock, I. (2023, December 18). Pope says Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67751600

Winfield, N. (2023, December 21). After approving blessings for same-sex couples, Pope asks Vatican staff to avoid ‘rigid ideologies’. AP. https://apnews.com/article/pope-gay-blessing-vatican-10105d0291f20d471ed2c7ece32d450e

Shalom all,
This evening at 10:30 PM (Central African Time) some brethren are joining me in prayer for Israel. If you would like to join the session a link can be sent to you. We are living in uncertain times, but God’s Word is certain and sure. Our love goes out to all  affected by the unfortunate events.
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee”

(Psalm 122:6)

A C Phiri