 God is good, and all the time, wow, we praise the Lord because whatever we do will bring glory and honor to our Lord. Allow me to bring greetings to you from East Central Africa division headquarters, especially from your president, Dr. Blasius Rugguri. Amen. We thank God because as Christians, as daughters and sons of God, we are united for one purpose, to glorify our Lord, to praise Him, but also to be involved in His mission. Hallelujah. And I know that Nairobi Central, we are dedicated to do mission as never before, from spectators to disciple makers, and nobody is excluded. Allow me also to thank our boys and girls who just performed here, our church of tomorrow. And whatever we need, whatever we just prepare, we need to start from now. What a blessing my leaders, what a blessing brothers and sisters to come together in this special day so that God will speak to us. Allow Him to use you. Allow Him to transform you as we meditate on our thought of today, wolves in sheep's clothing. Have you ever thought about it? When you saw it, wolves in sheep's clothing, did you have something in your mind? Did God speak to you? Are you going to allow God to use you this morning? Brothers, sisters, leaders, daughters of most high, our boys and our girls? The theme is relevant for our days because we are living in the last days and the devil is making sure that whatever he does, he gets you in his trap. Wolves, sheep's clothing. And we thank our sister who read for us John chapter 10 and verse 11. Today is a special day. And it now, adventists are saying no to abuse but many times we do deny it. We do not recognize it. Our elders, when somebody comes, when he wants to talk about abuse, this church is holy. We do not have abuse in our churches. But today we are going to discover it. I did some research. Who are wolves? What kind of animals are these? Wolves. Why at this time the church has decided through women ministry department, children also are involved, family ministry, ministerial because in the church we find all the department. Why at this specific time? Wolves are animals that have some characters. When I was doing my research they are complex, highly intelligent. Yes, they are caring, they are playful and they are self-confident. Why the human being sometimes? We lack self-esteem. Our confidence, I do not trust myself because of my surrounding, because of abuse in my church, in my surrounding, in my community. But these animals, we are told that they are close relative of domestic dogs but they are very aggressive. Look at them, very aggressive, very very aggressive but they are also intelligent. Now we have two animals here. Wolves are also sheep. Who is a sheep? High social animals, emotionally complex with distinct personality sometimes as human being. We lack personality. How often do people consider you? Though you have a family that he doesn't have a personality. Whatever comes before him he doesn't have a standing but here we have animals who have personality. But also we are told sheep have excellent memory. They do recognize and remember humans for years. They are gentle, they are quiet and innocent. That's why here now we have this complexity. Here we have wolves and on the other side we have sheep. The sheep has a meaning in our Christian life and it is compared to the church. Church is a flock of sheep. When you look in your Bible, because you have it, when you open your Bible, all the testament and even new testament we talk about God's people as a sheep. Wow, God's people as a sheep and the body of believers has a flock of sheep. And who is our Lord? The Bible calls him The Sheffard. Hallelujah. Amen. Sum 23 This is a well known even our children. The Lord is my Sheffard. We are not because the Lord is your Sheffard. So we have all the meaning today to talk about sheep in our churches but also wolves in our church. You may accept it. You may not accept it. But it is real. The Lord calls himself Good Sheffard. We have read it in John chapter 10 verse 11 and we are the sheep of his pasture. Sum chapter 100 verse 3 Please take notes when you go back you will meditate on this one. In this special day we are talking about wolves in the church but also sheep in the church. Boys and girls, you are not excluded because you are living in the church as a family so you are also concerned. What about our young people? What about our leaders? But find leaders. Does this message concern you? Our church elders, does this message concern you? Yes, our leaders are also compared to Sheffards. Our young people are also among them. What about our pastors, our elders who are attending the float? Paul says that be on your guard for yourself and for all the flock to Sheffard the church. Acts of Apostle chapter 20 verse 28 Be careful. Leaders in the church the way you lead the flock. Let me tell you. We are living in the last days from our homes. Bad situations are happening. Where you find men being abused. Women being abused. Children being abused. And it now started in 2001. And when it started women ministry department focused more on women and the children as vulnerable. Those who were abused but believe me it was not giving a message because men said but we are also abused by women. So now our materials and resources are inclusive because you find in places where men are abused. May I have a testimony here? Sometimes we are living it. Where powerful women are abusing their husbands. What about children? We will not tell. Abuse in our church is real. Wherever fallen humanity is gathered you have the problem of fallen humanity. The church is the devil's favorite site and the place of work where he has his people who are like those wolves wearing sheep clothes so that you may not discover them. They are very innocent while disturbing their homes. While disturbing the church brothers and sisters we are living in the last days where we need to be careful. Where God gives us a message we all want to believe that our churches are safe places where the shepherd and his sheep live in accordance. They live according to God's standard but when you go deep unfortunately we all know experiences where people are abused knowingly or unknowingly What about that young lady who seek for service in one of our schools and the headmasters because they want to satisfy themselves Yes come, come, I want to teach you so that you can become my secretary and she comes not in the same office not in the same building but he calls her apart from that building it has happened where he tries to mentor her Yes I want you to know I want you to be worshiped so that you become my secretary but behind him he abuses her Later on she recognized that oh he wanted me to become the secretary so that he gets advantage and that young and innocent lady sometimes she knows that this is a married husband he is a husband of somebody but now a kind of mentorship is giving me ok because I made this work leaders, brothers, sisters Jesus is crying in our schools things are happening people of power are taking advantage mistreating our young people our young ladies well educated and when she knows it she is already abused what about that young lady who got married to a man and that man was very very careful but he was mistreating her and because he wanted to get advantage at one time he declared but I will not continue with you he divorced with his wife because he has seen another lady and that young lady suffering emotionally, physically and even socially she goes to one of our church elders sick for hope and release but also for healing because she is heart she is the first she has no place in her marriage and this pastor who welcomes her come here my daughter I take you as your spiritual father every day he is taking sessions of counseling in his office praying with that young lady all will be right taking his hands into that lady's hands before praying all will be ok let's pray and the lady without knowing that he is a abuse thinker what kind of love taking advantage because of your leadership destroying the emotion of that young lady and when she discovers it she has been abused brothers and sisters what about that young man who has come recently to the dormitory he has joined a school and there he has found a professor because you are late I want to help you so that you succeed every time come come to my office no no no here we will be disturbed let's go to the gym and there you are two of you and that boy is not comfortable what is happening why is he taking me this why is he behaving like this do you want to help that young man to succeed in his studies in his education but what you want to do is to get advantage of him all these cases happen in our lives you know what people who are abused sometimes they don't know that they are abused for them they think it is love he is just doing it because of love why he is a wolf that has taken this clothes of a sheep so that people will never think about it what about your leadership you are working as deacon and this deaconess every time you come together every time yes we need to work here but behind you have an interest our viewers wherever you are this is a message that comes to you today we are living in a world where abusers are not strangers to us especially children are vulnerable women are vulnerable because they have no defense and those people whom they trust whom they have faith are taking advantage of their power they are taking advantage of their leadership and destroy those human beings today God has a message for you in our church it does exist that's why we have end it now end it now is a program which advocate for those who are abused as I told you it started with abuse prevention emphasis but at the end the entire world in 2009 initiative was expounded under the name of end it now end it now in Nairobi Central and abuse do not wait it exists we need to recognize it we need to understand it and we need to be determined to end it our children are suffering according to statistics parents be aware that one in five girls in our world we experience abuse from their childhood for every girls here in our church believe me because even the church has experienced it through risk management program and the statistics and the research they have confirmed it one in ten boys we have here for every ten boys one of them will experience childhood abuse so parents do not pretend that it doesn't exist in our church do you know what we have closed our eyes and our minds have refused to recognize it while it does exist remember the church is the devil's favorite place of work where he is very busy yesterday last week even this morning in our families some of us have experienced abuse many times we think that abuse is just this sexual matter when you are caught with a lady it happens in many ways we are focusing on sexual abuse because it happens what is the goal of it now in our church, in our community because we are disciple makers because we are our brothers and sisters keepers we need to open our eyes hallelujah in Nairobi central church my viewer wherever you are open your eyes look in your surrounding how is it happening today we will talk about it with the following goals acknowledge that it exists in our church understand it better and respond more efficiently my elders have you ever had a case of abuse how have you gone through are you well prepared to identify those homes where people are abused and what do you do accepting that this does happen is the first step in enabling us to make our communities of faith a safer place those people who are abused they have to know that the church is dealing with it I have to go, I have to run to eat may I ask you one question how many cases have you had my leaders, my elders, my pastors how many cases have you had about abuse if your answer is no that means you are quiet that means you are silent that means you do not accept it that means you are encouraging it because we will never say that our church is safe prayers be to the God because today he is awakening us that we are living with wolves who are just clothing, sheep's clothes so that you may not know them very humble they may be the first even to come to church they may be the first to volunteer while they are abusing their partners may God forgive us let us define abuse what is abuse? sometimes we think of an abuser as a stranger who approaches a person in a dark place this is what we think most child abuse is perpetrated by someone they trust and they depend on don't tell to your parent don't tell to your parent parent you are living with the children who are hiding they have been abused maybe by their teachers because these are powerful they will never they will never denounce them because if they denounce them they will be punished others are even telling them if you share whatever has happened I will kill you be prayerful parents because our children are in danger the devil is not getting them you may not know what they are going through because they are fearing to share it can we save our children? sometimes our neighbors are the ones who are doing it 91% of children they have sexual abuse which is committed by someone whom the child and the family know and trust what about tutorials you trust somebody to come and emphasize and help your child I know him he is a good teacher but you don't know what is happening many cases have been shared of those so called helpers have destroyed your children and today they are suffering because of those consequences it is time in our church the church is known as the body of Christ and the family of God so we need to address it because our communities, our churches our families are not safe people who know people whom we trust they are the ones who are destroying our children who are destroying our young people what are you going to do abuse impact our churches all types of child abuse have the potential to damage the developing potential of brain of our children why? because it affects them emotionally can you imagine a child who has been affected already the abuser has told him not to share when that child especially our girls when they come home they fear they are scared they are not themselves their self esteem goes low down you ask him he is not confident he is not stable what is happening he will never tell you this is a sign watch on your children watch on them and this will affect their health I have seen people who have been affected and now before people they can't stand they are fearful they can't do anything and their self esteem is very low she gets married still she doesn't trust herself because she was abused because she was destroyed the behavior is no longer clean all kind of problems come socially she doesn't want to live with people emotionally and even in term of academics he will not perform very well because he is not focused my leaders, parents the impact of something that we could have talked about will be great and it will destroy our children when we do not accept it we need to accept it we need to investigate we need to give seminars we need to talk about it we need to prepare our young people sexual abuse is particularly damaging to the very core of who the person is especially our young people we want our children to become people God wants them to be but if we do not prepare them when abuse is perpetrated by a Christian the damage is all the greater because spiritually that person will be affected what do we do the impact of abuse on someone is determined to a large degree by the level of emotional aspect that we are going to take how serious are you to address it if you are not serious it will affect our children it will destroy them and at the end we will regret who will be the victim the abused and your parents because your child will never remain the same your child will never remain the one you dreamt before and even to get married sometimes it will be difficult because you have not taken it as your priority in our church let us take it as our priority let the church be informed let our parents be informed let them talk about it let them watch their children because the devil is at work and the devil will not rest until he gets many what are we doing we need to take a decision we need to be serious on what we are doing what is the response what is the response we give to this abuse what is the response we give to those who are living with us who seem to be good who seem to be quiet who seem to be innocent but they are wolves in our midst what are we going to do we need to take actions what is the action what are the actions we are going to take have safety action plans in place for wherever unacquisition arises again as somebody please act if you are to maybe give some sanctions please do it but what do we do because the church elder is a friend to the abuser you will never bring it to the committee oh it has just happened because the teacher is a friend to the headmaster or the principal you just keep quiet talk about it deal with the abuser pray for him give him counseling because if you leave him he will continue he will be the danger in your church he will be the danger in your school because he will never leave it and he will continue to destroy your children have you heard that there are men who abuse other men today LGBTQ plus is now in our midst I am amazed to say that even in Kenya we have now homosexuals we have lesbians we have those people who say that my parents made a mistake I'm not a man I'm a woman I'm not a girl I'm a boy parent watch out our homes are in danger because we are living with wolves peer pressure has become too much you may think your children are safe but they are not why because we have wolves among us pay attention to this if you ever can support a victim do it because tomorrow you will find yourself in the same situation you will find your child in the same situation acknowledge it understand it and move forward help those who are victims secondly if you ever can hold an offender accountable please do it in the church because this has destroyed our churches my parents he was here he could have cried the way we are now relaxing with our children the way we are relaxing with our daughters there is nothing we can do mothers where is your role we have gave up to our role we need to be role models now our children know everything they know the truth through social media when they use these gadgets and we are happy we are proud of them because he knows how to use all the apps he knows how to use them enter in their world see what they are doing they are communicating with those called masters those who are taking care of them seeing that they are innocent while they are abusing them because they want to get advantage they want to get interest they want to get good grades but destroying their bodies do you know that in our universities for those who have children in their universities some of our girls some of our daughters they have masters this one is the master who takes care takes care of my body he buys for me everything while she knows that he is married this one he just buys for me all makeups and the other one he buys for me food our children I am talking about SDA daughters who are in our universities they have masters they take care of them because they need this the devil is strong we need to cry we need to cry for ourselves we need to ask masters for God because we have released our role are you getting time are you spending time with your daughters how many parents here if I had to ask who are sitting down taking time with their daughters 9, 10, 11, 12 and discuss with them one day I was talking to some people because we have a program which we call women engage for those who are following Hope Channel Kenya Hope Channel Africa Hope Channel International you will find it women engage where real women talk about real issues that affect women watch we have we select it comes from women ministry department EECD we talk about issues affecting our daughters one day I was talking to women and I told them we are going to discuss in panels about sexuality Sister Debia will not be involved sexuality in our church really you don't want to talk about sexuality so you think when we talk about sexuality we are pushing our daughters to do it believe me we are losing an aspect without talking about it clearly to our children according to their levels we are losing them we are losing them God have mercy on us so this program is there to save our children to save ourselves because some of us are doing it knowingly or unknowingly destroying other families destroying women you find a married man when he greets a married woman you think there is something for 5 minutes 10 minutes and looking her straight in the eyes we need to be careful what are we looking sometimes they give signals without knowing even in front of their husband in the past we never heard about women who are also doing this but now in our days women are the ones who are tempting men knowing that she is married but still she tends why because the economy because of the economy is there any difference between the word and the church let God cover us with our dignity let God cover us and let us shine let us shine wolves in sheep's clothing it doesn't exist in our church today I'm here to give you the good news even though these things happen but God has mercy long time impact of abuse depend less on the type of how we handle it there is hope because God tells us that He will help us when we come to Him do you know that this abuse it destroys the brain of our children which is developing so what we need is to get listen with your heart the most important thing that we can do when a person has been abused is to listen carefully to their story most of the time are you foolish are you mad never happen listen to what your boy is telling you to what your daughter is telling you because you may not know what is going listen to them and then when somebody is abused do not say no you know what it's because you are not well dressed it's because you provoked man because of your dress really it's because the way you made your makeup really the devil is very strong listen to people maybe you yourself you have been in that challenge how do you go about it forgiving is forgiveness important are you going to forgive forgiving someone can be very difficult that forgiving someone mean that what they did was okay that what you experienced doesn't matter that you are going to this but you just accept it nothing has happened no if it has happened listen and now help that person to forgive though it is not easy but God will help you it is not easy to be reconciled but God will help you as we are going to God God can heal you but have a tenacity to heal surrender yourself to God let God help you like a shepherd he will tend his flock in his harm he will gather their arms and carry them in the fold of his robe he will call them come he will give them the strength because he is a good shepherd the God who loves us he is ready to call us maybe you have been abused maybe you have abused somebody today God is calling you God wants to restructure your home God wants to heal your home if you have gone through you yes God understands you God knows you but God will give you the strength when you come to him when you surrender yourself to him he will heal you but for the abuser let me tell you my friend my brother my sister my leader but find a leader suba school leader church elder women leader all kind of abuse accepted by God what he wants from us is to come to him confess and end it now it now in our church our viewers in your homes wherever you are and all kind of abuse so that you may be accepted from your God God has it in his Bible when you feel like you do not have all the strength please come to God and he will accept you at this moment before we close before we end God says for the lamb on the throne will be their shepherd God our Lord is your shepherd he will lead you to spring of life giving water and God will give you hope whatever has been done you are heart but God today he says if you come to me I will heal all your wounds in one way or another one we have wounded others or we are all our own wounded by others and this morning may I invite us that because God has given us the responsibility first of all we need as leaders to be committed and say we will end it in our church if we are ready to end abuse may I invite you to stand up God bless you our viewers wherever you are if you know that I know those who have been abused but I didn't have the strength to go and advocate for them wherever you are stand up stand up and make a new commitment to your God that we want to end abuse of all kinds we want to stand firm and if you are among those who have abused others but clothing this growth of sheep God is calling you God is calling you maybe in a way we have laid our churches we have laid our homes maybe we think that it has happened maybe you have been abused yourself in one way or another one as we are going to see may I make this call that because we want to start a new beginning that God will cleanse us that God will help us to forgive those wronged us if you are there as we are going to sing could you please come forward so that we will pray together as our pastors will come before us do we have a pastor here or our church elders yes as we are going to sing