- by Deborah Longe
- February 24, 2026
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The following is a transcription of On the Lord’s Side Podcast presented on GospelBellsRadio on February 24, 2026 by Olufemi Oguntokun. It may not fully match with the audio, but represents a near perfect transcription of the broadcast.
On False Accusation and the Lying Heart
Good morning to you once again. It’s Tuesday, the 24th of February 2026. The programme is On the Lord’s Side: Christian Perspectives on News and Current Events. My name is Olufemi Oguntokun. You can follow me on X at Olive O. G. You can follow GospelBellsRadio on X at Gospel Bells Radio.
I want to begin this morning by sharing with you the audio from a video clip that should make us think deeply and circumspectly about the nature of the human heart. The Bible tells us that when you look into the unregenerate heart, you will find evil continually. We live in an age where people wake up and make accusations, and many rush to believe them.
In this particular clip, a wife accused her husband of raping their three daughters. The matter escalated so much that both parties took lie detector tests on a television show. The husband was asked whether he had sexual contact with any of his daughters. He said no, and the lie detector indicated no deception. The daughters themselves corroborated that they had not been abused.
The wife, however, when asked whether she had made up or exaggerated the story with the intention to harm her husband, answered no. The lie detector indicated deception. She was further asked whether she had said something to the effect of wanting to ensure he would never be happy again. Again, her answer was deemed deceptive.
Eventually, confronted publicly, she admitted that she had lied. One of the daughters pleaded with her mother to say clearly that their father did not rape them. The husband, visibly shaken, said he could not accept her apology, describing how the accusation had broken him for twenty-five years and cost him opportunities, relationships, and peace.
This clip, from Iyanla: Fix My Life, reminds us of a sobering truth: in a fallen world, people lie.
Scripture is clear. Proverbs 6:16–19 lists seven things the Lord hates, including a lying tongue, a heart that devises wicked schemes, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. Lying is not a small matter. It is detestable to God.
Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” That is why we must be cautious. Deuteronomy 19:15 teaches that one witness is not enough to convict anyone; a matter must be established by two or three witnesses. Proverbs 18:17 reminds us that the first to present his case seems right, until another comes forward and questions him.
Christians must never rush to judgment. We must insist on proof. We must remember that lying is the modus operandi of the devil. As Jesus said, the devil is a liar and the father of lies.
Let us pray that any lies told against us will be exposed, that what has been lost will be restored, and that none of us will give ourselves to lying, even against those who have hurt us.
On Kindness with Strings Attached
Next, I came across a light-hearted but revealing account.
A young lady recounted how she and her friend went to an upscale restaurant in Ikoyi, Lagos. After enjoying their meal, they asked for the bill. The waiter informed them that some gentlemen at another table had already paid for their tab. The ladies nodded in appreciation but did not go over to the men’s table.
After taking pictures for about ten minutes, they were approached again and told that the men had changed their minds and would no longer pay the bill since the ladies had not come over to their table. The ladies simply asked for the bill, paid it themselves, and left.
It is amusing, but it reveals something deeper. Often, when people do acts of kindness from an unregenerate heart, there are strings attached. They expect acknowledgment, access, or something in return.
Christian kindness is different. When we do something “for Christ’s sake,” we do it without expectation. Proverbs 10:22 says, “The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” The world’s blessings often come with sorrow attached. God’s do not.
We must examine our motives. Psalm 139 teaches us to pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” When we give, are we doing it for God’s glory, or for recognition and reward?
On Being Known as a Hardcore Christian
Another story emerging from the Jeffrey Epstein files caught my attention. The U.S. Department of Justice has released millions of documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex offenses involving minors and later died in prison.
Among the emails was one dated January 12, 2010, from Ramsey L. Cawley, described as an American musician and producer. In the email, he mentioned several young women but wrote of one nineteen-year-old: “She’s 19, but a hardcore Christian, so I don’t think that will work.”
That statement is remarkable. In the midst of depravity, someone was known as a hardcore Christian, and therefore considered unsuitable for exploitation.
What a testimony. She was known for her faith. Her colours were nailed to the mast.
There is an old hymn: “Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone, dare to have a purpose firm, dare to make it known.” It is one thing to have convictions. It is another to make them known so clearly that sinful propositions never even reach you.
May it be said of us, in our workplaces and communities, “It will not work with her. It will not work with him. They are hardcore Christians.”
On Blaming Marriage Instead of the Abuser
Finally, I came across the story of a woman who posted pictures of injuries to her neck and wrote on Facebook:
“Dear marriage, I attempted you. You tempted me to silence my life. I promise never to go near you ever again. Marriage is not for everybody. Lesson: I should have remained single.”
She implied that her husband inflicted the injuries.
Domestic abuse is wrong. It is sinful, criminal in many jurisdictions, and must be condemned in the strongest terms. But her conclusion is logically flawed. The problem is not marriage as an institution. The problem is the individual who abused her.
Abuse occurs outside marriage as well. The lesson should not be “marriage is not for everybody.” The lesson should be, “I married the wrong person.”
Society often uses individual wrongdoing to attack institutions ordained by God, whether marriage or the church. When a pastor misuses funds, some say the church is a scam. When a spouse abuses a partner, some say marriage is evil.
Institutions are only as good as the people who run them. The Christian focus is on individuals. If hearts are regenerated, institutions will reflect that transformation.
Violence and abuse must be condemned. But we must not denigrate what God has ordained because of the sins of individuals.
Thank you for staying with us this morning on GospelBellsRadio for On the Lord’s Side: Christian Perspectives on News and Current Events. I will be with you again tomorrow, by the grace of God. Whatever you do today, please remain firmly on the Lord’s side.
God bless you.