ccm Cross 0024
February 2, 2012
Maranatha Church
Nkonkoni (Jozini), South Africa
ccm Cross # 0024
GPS/DMS 27.4294° S, 32.0651° E
Additional photos after the Testimony:
2951 cdd Concoction
Cyber Daily Devotion
Volume 13 Number 039
Today’s Author: Pastor Bill
Scripture: Isaiah 65:4
“They spend the night in tombs to get messages from the dead, Eat forbidden foods and drink a witch’s brew of potions and charms” MSG (Bible Paraphrase)
My name is Pastor Aaron Jobe from Jozini, South Africa and this is my Cross Testimony of how Jesus set me free in every way to build a life of love and respect.
When I was a young man we didn’t have much and I had even less direction in my life. I fell into the wrong crowd and we became thieves. We found that stealing peoples livestock and selling it to others was a lucrative way to make money fast and live well.
That lasted a few years and then I was arrested. I spent one year in jail and thought there must be a better way — I had heard about Jesus when I was young but didn’t know who he really was or what he was all about. One night alone in my cell I prayed to Jesus and asked him for help. I had no idea why I prayed that prayer or even if I expected an answer.
To my surprise that night in a dream I heard the voice of Jesus — it was very clear and he said, It’s all your own fault.” Meaning my life was a mess and here I sat in jail.
I was an angry young man and the voice stayed with me. For days I cried for what I had done as the voice echoed in my head. “It’s all your own fault.”
I was released from jail after one year and went to a Sangoma (witch doctor) for a concoction of herbs, spices and whatever he could put together to stop the voice — it did the trick — I was in a semi-trans all the time and the voice stopped echoing in my head. I found a drugged-up peace.
The Sangoma told me the concoction would also hide me in plain sight and I would not get caught stealing again. The more of the concoction I drank the more bold I became. A thief was who I was and now I could do anything and no one could even see me.
Then I heard the voice again — “It’s all your own fault.”
I knew the Sangoma concoction was not working and determined to be released from its spell. For five days I didn’t take the concoction and had terrible withdrawal pains. During this time Pastor Peter Mabeka received a vision from the Lord that he was to find me and pray for me to deliver me from being a thief and that Sangoma concoction.
Pastor Mabeka searched for me and found me — I was a mess and told him about my prayer to Jesus and the voice that said, “It’s all your own fault.”
Pastor Mabeka told me Jesus sent him to deliver me from all this — he prayed for me binding and loosing the evil spirits. Jesus set me free immediately, just as he did others in the Bible. All withdrawal symptoms were released immediately and together we destroyed all the concoction ingredients and memorabilia the Sangoma had given me.
I had been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ and Pastor Mabeka began to mentor me in the Bible. Together we studied the word of God and it came alive in my life. Pastor Mabeka sent me to Bible school at Maranatha Bible School in Madadeni, South Africa — there Baa Baa Shadrack Ntombela (Ministry founder) and the teachers taught me about the Bible. I graduated from Bible school and returned home to Jozini to help Pastor Mabeka in his church ministry.
Together we ministered the word of God to the community and in 2006 Pastor Mabeka went to be with the Lord. I became the Pastor of the church. While working with Pastor Mabeka over the years I could sense his wisdom and discernment in each situation we experienced. Now as head of the church I pray every day for wisdom and discernment to make the proper choices for Jesus every day.
I married and we had 11 children — my wife passed away in 2002 and in 2004 I married Molly whose husband had also passed away. Molly and I have one child together and now we have 12 children. The youngest is 2 years old and oldest is 37 years old.
My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 119:65-72 “You have done good things for your servant, as you have promised, Lord. Teach me wisdom and knowledge because I trust your commands. Before I suffered, I did wrong, but now I obey your word. You are good, and you do what is good. Teach me your demands. Proud people have made up lies about me, but I will follow your orders with all my heart. Those people have no feelings, but I love your teachings. It was good for me to suffer so I would learn your demands. Your teachings are worth more to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver” NCV (Bible Paraphrase)
The Cross means to me that Jesus died for my sins and is a symbol of my deliverance from the concoction and my previous corrupt life. We are so happy and proud to be able to have this Cross as a testimony for Jesus Christ. Thank you Pastors Bill and Carol for coming back as you promised and planting this victory Cross for all to see that Jesus is alive and well in Jozini, South Africa.
Pastor Carol and I had the privilege and honor to meet and minster with Pastor Mabeka over the years. And just two months before his passing to be with the Lord we traveled with Baa Baa Ntombela to pray for Pastor Mabeka while he was preparing to meet his savior. It was a special event engraved in our hearts.
Prayer: Father thank you for passing on Holy Spirit Fire from generation to generation for your glory. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
This is the hole dug for the Cross. Looks like most other
holes but this hole had a very special significance.
Twenty years ago when we were building the church
at this site we attempted to dig a well. After several
tries because the soil was too hard and compacted the
well team gave up. Water has been trucked into the
church site every week for the past 20 years.
Now 20 years later we dig a hole for this Cross
and you guessed it — at 6 feet (2 meters) deep
we found water. PTL!
We needed small rocks for the cement mix to make
the concrete. We found a quarry who supplied
the rock and it was free because it is used
at a church site planting a Cross. PTL!
At this Cross site we were short of man power so
these Zulu Mama’s stepped up and helped
throughout the entire Cross planting process
Preparing the cement mix
Mixing cement, rock and sand making concrete
Preparing the beams
Attaching the beams
Lifting the Cross
“Fire in the Hole”
Picture of the Whirlwind dancing around Cross planting site
Attaching the plaque
“Giving God Glory” for the Cross
The plaque “Declaring God’s Glory”
over Jozini, South Africa