I was brought up in a single-parented Zimbabwean Adventist home, and for the first ten years of my life, I was the only child. It was a family tradition to attend church services at the local S.D.A. Church. I still recall how wonderful this experience was, especially during the kindergarten years. My mother always made it a point to make sure that everyone in our household attended church each Saturday. The food, having been prepared the day prior was laid aside for Sabbath potluck (lunch). It was this occasion that used to force me to tag along with everyone else because my family would spend the whole day at church, and have lunch there. Therefore, staying home wasn't an option then because that meant I would miss out on the Brown Rice, Lentils, Soya Mince, etc, that my mother knew well how to prepare for our Sabbath nourishment.
As it happens, I was shipped off to boarding school from the 4th grade until the fourth year of Senior High School, a good 8 years! I suppose it was during this time that my “Adventism” became a bit mixed up as I met with kids from different backgrounds who did things differently to what I had been taught. At this time, all the mischief of childhood exploded onto the scene, so to speak; and this gentle, calm young boy became talkative in class etc. etc! I can truly testify that the grace of our Saviour has abode with me since my childhood, as I can almost recall all the frequent family misfortunes that befell us. Such as the experience I had in getting tormented by evil angels (known by different terms in Africa, during the night times. It was a sad thing seeing my mother struggling to find ways to wade off these evil spirits that almost always woke me screaming in my sleep, in the thick of night. Her care and concern for me, was truly a challenge to her mold of faith and beliefs as she was constantly advised to deal with an African problem the African way. It broke my mother's heart that after trying all sorts of things like praying with me before bed and reading out loud Bible verses, during one of the not-so-frequent school holidays, and out of shear desperation we ended up visiting all sorts of traditional 'faith' healers, in a futile attempt to purge out these demonic influences. Looking back, had I been old enough to understand, I would have pointed out to my loving mother the verse in Isaiah 8:19-20. This might have saved her and myself the agony and humiliation of following useless African rituals, which did not hold any place whatsoever, in an Adventist Christian family! But that is how cunning the devil can be, he uses our fondest affections for the ones we love the most, and places us in very compromising situations in order to drive us to do dishonour to our Maker!
On one of these visits to a certain self-professed “traditional healer,” my mother was asked what faith she practiced, to which she emphatically responded, “We are Seventh-day Adventists!” This certain 'healer' was shell-shocked! In a hushed tone of voice, he inquired why we had come and by whom we had been so advised. If I'm not mistaken, these were his exact words (he spoke in Shona, a local dialect). "You are the people of the Most High, what are you looking for here?" He seemed well puzzled, and from the expression on the faces of all who had accompanied us, I saw shock like I had never before seen! I was about 10 years old then, but I can recall the silence which accompanied us back to our homestead, because after that pricking question, we all just went on our way and nobody spoke to each other. The eeriness of that long walk was a turning point in my life...I remember asking upon our return home, when everyone had sort of settled back into routine, what that meant to say "You are the people of the Most High?"
With this knowledge in mind, I began praying and asking for deliverance with shear faith and confidence because in my reasoning, surely if we were the people of the Most High, then that explained why I was being tormented. More so, it meant logically that I could overturn the situation by virtue of my 'royal affiliation' to heaven, surely. Although this reasoning was childish, I took upon the little faith that I had in my little feeble heart, and I DEMANDED that the demons leave me in peace! Amazingly, and to my utter amazement....it somehow worked! So from that point on there was no going back. "I am a child of the living [God]," it felt soooo good even saying that to myself!
Upon my return to boarding school, my heavenly Father also answered another of my prayers: A group of Seventh-day Adventists were to be driving more than 40km's every Saturday, to come to our (government-owned) school and conduct Sabbath School lessons, fellowship and worship with us! Yes, GREAT BIG WOW!!! Amazingly, because for obvious reasons I knew every chorus, hymn and certain Adventist customs, I then became a very very popular guy at my school, which for a kid of that age, was a BIG plus! So my loving Father brought the church to me, I can seldom believe it even now at 30 years of age. I became more convinced that there truly was someone up there and that He cared about me so much so that He answered my prayers undoubtedly.
Well as the story goes, I grew up into the tenacious teens and that brought on a whole new set of challenges. For starters, I began attending High School at a boarding school administered by the Salvation Army, which meant my beloved Saturday was again confined to sporting activities, as I am a keen cricket enthusiast. Yet still my loving Father was always with me. The Christian values and discipline still held true, and for intellectual endeavor, our school was one of the very best in the country.
My faith took a nose-dive when I lost the only brothers I had. My three lovely cousins went to their rest due to a fatal road collission. The depression that ensued took a huge toll on me in a way a child of that age could not understand. I mean, there was school, and then there was Charles, Keith & Neville. I mean, forget the fact that I had lost a parent at a very tender age, but this was my life and now they had been taken from me! Nothing prepared for me for this very, very, very huge blow. Yet I know, that farther along we shall meet again, and perhaps we will yet again get to play hide and seek in mansions pure and fair, never to part again!
Fast-forward to 2001. After years of teenage rebelliousness and backsliding the spirit of my loving heavenly Father once again whispered into my wandering life. I attended some local SDA Church meetings, charmingly termed an effort, and at the end of that week I was baptized! I soon joined the Baptismal class (there are few of these nowadays oddly), and this is where my spiritual journey really started. There was something rather special about being an Adventist, in comparison with other denominations. There was something of a Godly attitude that I found attractive. I suppose it was the fellowship with like-minded brethren, the solemnity of worship services, the melodious singing of christian hymns and of course the bible study seminars...
I soon discovered I had quite a taste for Bible prophecy. It was during my quest for understanding that I studied the mysteries of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. I noticed at this time also that whenever I asked for knowledge and wisdom before engaging in Bible study, the things I studied stayed with me, and more understanding came my way through the growing experience of faith. In the book of Daniel, we have an awe-inspiring story of how a certain king of Babylon, known as Nebuchadnezzar had an impressive dream. When the king woke up the following morning, He could not recall the dream; however, the severity of the dream had left a lingering feeling hanging over him, and he sought to find out the dream and its interpretation, whereupon Daniel interpreted His dream. The subject of my enquiry had much to do with dreams and their significance on a Christian's life.
A short while after my baptism, I moved to South Africa for studies, and then to the United Kingdom where I now reside. It was during my short stay in South Africa that I had a truly impressive dream:
I dreamt that I had gone out onto the hills and plains for a walk-about and then lost my way back home. After the sun set and it started to grow dim, I saw a cluster of stars in the sky, which seemed to follow me wherever I went. This constellation of stars was to me very frightening and so I began to run as fast as I could. I soon realized I couldn't actually out-run them as they were making this jet-like sound as they moved in their perfect order across the darkened sky. Suddenly though, they started dripping warm drops of what felt like oil onto my head. I was even more petrified, so I ran as fast as I could though of course I could not escape the drips of oil by which time had soaked my face and shoulders.
I woke up the following morning with that strange feeling hanging over me, that the dream I had was significant. For fear of going ahead of myself, I declined to enquire its interpretation and decided in time to let it go for now. The occasion left me wondering what exactly was implied by such a dream. I have had other impressive dreams since the kindergarten years. Some of the dreams (like when I dreamt of the second coming), were nightmares to me as I did not understand their import at the time. Then come summer of 2010, just when I was feeling as though I had lost all interest in spiritual things. I was in the local library browsing away on the web and chatting with folks and friends, when something got my entire attention. I saw a video posted on YouTube by WLC about the Creator's Calendar, entitled "Three Months in a Row." I had received emails from WLC before, from the time I had read the articles and watched the video about The Prophecy of the Century, based on Revelation 17. I had been nonchalant (using the word in its strictest form), to actually believe the WLC claim was true as we had been taught a bit differently at Sabbath School. I had noticed that Sister White had not actually made a commentary note on Revelation 17:10, in the Spirit of Prophecy writings and upon this premise alone, I had reasoned that it was therefore of no particular importance.
But there was something about this luni-solar calendar and its Sabbaths that immediately appealed to my intellect and faith. For starters, it ALL made perfect sense that the Creator would require worship governed by His appointed times, which follow His own calendar ordained in the heavens! Something so incomprehensibly great was stirred within my soul by this momentous and monumental truth that I immediately set out to investigate its claims. It took much study, research, reference, inquiry and certainly a LOT of prayers before I settled that there was absolutely NOTHING that stood against this new light except my own cherished opinions and minuscule understanding of the Scriptures. It took me the good part of three months to finally make the decision to quit observing Saturn's day and keep instead the Sabbath as it occurs upon the luni-solar calendar as set forth in Scripture. With faith and conviction growing, I also asked the Father to give me the enabling grace to have a deeper understanding of the Sanctuary message and to be able to express these truths to others in the same way as they had been revealed to me. Incidentally, this also led me to embrace the WLC position on the prophecy of Revelation 17.
I had felt Yahuwah's calling for years, but had somehow managed to repress its yearnings for way too long and it has only just recently dawned on me that Yahuwah may in fact be speaking right into my life. Something has been brewing inside of me for years and I can smell its sweet essence in my inner being. It is not enough now for me to keep dreaming, but to act. I must embrace this calling regardless of its outworking. Among many other ambitions, I was planning to start a small business selling Atmospheric Water Generators, but Yahuwah spoke directly into my circumstances and answered my prayers while I was standing at the crossroads. Now I am 100% committed to His work and I worry not where my next meal is going to come from, or where I will lay my head, because Yahuwah's voice is speaking much louder than my worries, concerns, sarcastic jests and scoffing from friends and family. I now see unfolding the swift tread of last day events before my very eyes. I can clearly see Yahuwah's hand at work in my life at this time. Prophecies are fulfilling at an awesome pace, and it is my hope and prayer to be among the 144,000 who will proclaim this FINAL WARNING , the loud cry message to the CHURCH and then to the world. Although the ramifications of keeping the true Sabbath according to the Creator's luni-solar calendar are immense, I am compelled by His “principles that rule in the heavens.” I cannot spend the rest of my life regretting that I have not responded to His call. The world desperately needs the truth of the coming Kingdom and I must respond. So I am learning each day to grow in His grace, daily seeking to advance His good will to save the lost and to proclaim to the world the solemn warnings contained in the Scriptures.
I am constrained to make mention that it is with deep sadness and regret though to note the contempt with which many people, especially Seventh-day Adventists are casting upon this message, which Yahuwah has given to this generation concerning HIS Sabbaths (Leviticus 23). Shocking as it may be His Sabbaths can only be observed upon HIS ordained luni-solar calendar. More worrying is the way in which the laity are being blind-folded by those in positions of authority claiming that this message is both false and demonic. At most, these subjects are not even allowed to be discussed and where they are discussed, a false coloring is given so as to keep the people in shear ignorance as to the import of the message. Of great significance is the fact that to date, NO ONE has yet produced texts of Scripture that disprove the claim that the 7th-day Sabbath can only be found on the Creator's luni-solar calendar. Worse still, no one has provided a single piece of evidence from Scripture that Saturn's day is also the Sabbath of YAH. All they do is all sorts of name-calling, because in their mis-informed, twisted and biased reckoning, we are working for the enemy. But I suppose that is the glory of faith. Persecution in its varied forms always assumes a disguise. The comforting thing however is that, this path has been consecrated by our gracious Saviour's own footsteps! More so, we have been told that Yahuwah will use the 'negative press' equally as He will use the positive, to reach His people. So Dearly Beloved Brethren, let us work earnestly to warn our other brethren who are still wandering on the plains of Gomorrah. The continued trampling upon the Holy Sabbath by those who claim to be themselves Sabbath-keepers is a grave issue and our hearts must tremble to contemplate having missed the opportunity to warn the people before the prejudice becomes well nigh hardened in those who still believe in the SATURDAY Sabbath.
Arise ye, and depart; for this is NOT your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction. Micah 2:10 KJV.
You see, when the truth finally hits home, the impulse is to spread the message. And relying on the Redeemer for grace and providence makes it even more exciting. I simply can’t fit everything in a single day anymore because there's simply so much to do, in yet so little time. I have formally withdrawn membership from the S.D.A Church and at the time of writing this testimony, I am studying the truth for this time in preparation for re-baptism. It is a great and solemn privilege to warn others about the fearful consequences of making void the law of Yahuwah, especially about the continued trampling upon His Holy Sabbath, particularly by those who still insist on observing Saturn's day! In this work we are not to consult our temporal everyday life interests, but give our utmost to Yahuwah's service for the salvation of souls. It is a huge undertaking, but one that I now rejoice to do.
I pray you too will soon, if you haven't already done so, give up all and take up your cross to follow Him (and I might add, “whithersoever He goeth”). My greatest battle at the moment is my own sinful human nature, which at best won't submit to the awesome majesty of our Creator & Redeemer. Daily I am constrained to be a debtor to His immense love and grace. My greatest agony is not about the things of this life which are flimsy and temporary, but the constant struggle against sinful impulses inherent in my own human nature!
So, Yahuwah help me!
Prince Nyazika
Zimbabwe