TO LOVE & TO...CHANGE! - 1 (Fiction Series)

I huddled my husband for warmth but then Jake knew exactly what I wanted. He looked me in the eyes and grinned. Then he responded with a deep smooching.
“I love you…Lovey” that was what he affectionately called me.
As he got up to prepare himself as usual, I seized him violently and launched into a deeper snuggle. He pushed me away lightly
“Hey,” he giggled “what are you doing? Let me get prepared, ok?”
“No…” I muffled on his neck. But then he managed to get his way out of the bed and fixed himself. Then he joined me again on the bed. He was about to launch out when he asked
“Hey, are you fixed up?”
“No…” I said, launching out my kisses.
“What! Is this intentional?” he was surprised.
“Mmm…” I moaned silently “sometimes I want to…”
“You want to what?!” I saw the upset in his face. Was he really afraid?
“We’ve talked about this, Sylva…” he only called me by my first name when he was grave about something unfavorable. “Until…”
“Until next year June! I know…” I said softly and touched his cheek with my palm and gave him a reassuring smile. He smiled.
“That’s my girl!” Now, he was elated.

~~~~~~~~~~

Jake was a man who deeply loved me, treated me like a queen and worshipped the very ground I stepped on. I was the envy of every woman who knew Jake and me. Not only was he truly a gentleman, but, man, he was just fine! He had no problem when it came to good looks. It was impossible for me to disrespect and not to submit to this son of Adam. For almost two years that we’ve been married, it has been so easy to love him – and yes I’d come to love him more. He was a perfect example of the ‘…husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the church…’ and I was submitting so graciously. He was such a near-perfect man so much that sometimes I used to wonder if he was real. Yet, in all, I just thanked my God for this gift of love.

Until eight months ago, when I started seeing changes in my dear Jake! He wasn’t the all-loving, nice-talking and boisterous confident man I knew him to be. He had become a narcissist – he was unnecessarily jealous but won’t admit it. He was getting angry at the least thing I did wrong. He was carping all the time. He saw something wrong with everything I did that he used to be happy about. His church attendance diminished. He had become passive and sometimes he wouldn’t make love to me until I forced him to. The working-hours calls seized. The love-notes were not forth coming. I convinced myself he had only lost his passion to write. He started spending long hours in the Study. He was acting as if I didn’t exist anymore! I was getting tired of his negative behavior and several times, I had wanted to put in a divorce.
Then I vent my upset on my God – ‘God didn’t you say he is the one? Or did I hear a wrong voice? Why didn’t you tell me who he really was?’ I blamed God for this mess of a marriage. Eventually, I thought it wasn’t from Him.

I wanted Jake to do everything I wanted like he used to, but he stubbornly didn’t seem to care! He wouldn’t do most of the simple things as opening the car door for me when we went out together. He acted as if he forgot. He virtually stopped the breakfast-in-bed treat, and all he used to do without me asking. When I uncommonly asked politely if he could prepare me something to eat, he would tell me, “I’m busy. Why don’t you do it?” He had become cheeky and disrespectful.

I had gotten it to my neck and I also started to act up. I intentionally stayed long hours outside home knowing I had to be home and do my duty as a wife. Maybe, at least, if he saw no food on the dining table, he would miss me and call me. But he didn’t. I didn’t care either whatever he did with his life. I didn’t care to check him up in the study anymore when he spent unusually long hours there. Woe to him if he felt like he was thirsty for me and asked for it! He just wouldn’t get it! That would make him thirsty more and he will start to treat me nice if he were to be quenched! I thought. If his presentational work was not typed, I didn’t care! I was no more his ‘private’ secretary…!
There were times I confronted him and it made matters worse.
“We need to talk, Jake!” I would snap. He would give me his patience and listen “You have changed, why?” and I would list to his face all that he did wrong. Sometimes he would exhibit an outward patience and stay until I finished but he wouldn’t say a word. That silence killed me more inside and made me angrier. Sometimes, he would walk away “You walk over me?! You have such a nerve, Jake…” and I will nag till he disappeared.

This devastating marriage life went on for almost eight months. I still can’t make it out how I was able to stay in the marriage all that while, for many times, I had wanted to leave. In fact, I had threatened Jake I was leaving, and I realized those times when he came back home early, it was nervously to check if I was still in the house but he wouldn’t show. Suddenly, three months ago, Jake was back to himself! He was coming around and had come far indeed. How it happened, I didn’t know. All I cared was I was happy to get my man back. Our love grew more. Who said challenges in marriage don’t grow your love? I had experienced it!

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TO BE CONTINUED...

BY: LILLY MORGAN

NB: Kindly access the rest of the parts at the links below:
(Part 2 @ : http://tinyurl.com/8jyle8u)
(Part 3 @ : http://tinyurl.com/bswtejw)
(Part 4 @ : http://tinyurl.com/9k745bd)
(Part 5 @ : http://tinyurl.com/9ytwe5b)
(Part 6 @ : http://tinyurl.com/93y6ds9)
(Part 7 @ : http://tinyurl.com/8rtswfq)
(Part 8 @ : http://tinyurl.com/9zad9xa)http://tinyurl.com/9sr5let

ARE YOU BELIEVING GOD?

I woke this morning overwhelmed with the magnitude of my mandate, the severity of my discipline and the financial budget it entails. It just dawned on me, I will have to believe God for all my desires to become a reality. It got me thinking. It sparked a fiery debate in me that consumed me with an earnest desire to dissect the word "believe" and to grasp its significance, and expectation on my life as a Christian. What is belief? I queried in my mind. The search was on and I was not letting up until I have some concrete biblical facts that could unlock the reality of my expectation.

The dam of ignorance was broken and the flood of divine revelation flooded my soul sprouting the bud of understanding. I realized I have slipped into the same passiveness that had knocked out many church goers who called themselves believers. The word "belief" has become a casual word that we declare to express our expectation in God. Does believe relinquish our responsibility of actions. Do we just park our mandates while we are left in the wake of ambitious unbelievers who just scramble to achieve and possess everything in their path? Does believe mean we do nothing? I wondered. As I pondered on these and searched the living word, I noticed that believe is not just a passive state of “do nothing" but a call to trust the Lord in the path of obedience. Believe is not initiated by your whims, the pressure of your needs or the religious norm that is prevalent in your denominational circles but it is based on the word of the Lord. You cannot believe until God has spoken.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom 10:17)

God's promises in His word or divine revelation is the foundation of our belief. However belief is not complete until you have embraced God’s word as true and taken an action in obedience. Our belief must also be reflected in our utterance. You cannot be speaking against what you believe. What you say in the heat of your circumstance is an evidence of your belief. Your belief must also affect your emotional responses to your challenges.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
(Isa 28:16)

This flood of divine revelation eroded away any root of ignorance that had been planted in my soul. Now I know what it really means when I say am believing God. I accept His promise as true; I walk in obedience, full of expectation, drowned in the rivers of His peace, with my mouth filled with praise and the declaration of my affirmations of his promise. I believe, am believing, I AM A BELIEVER.

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
(2Co 4:13)

BY PASTOR REINDORF MANTEY
www.crusaders.biz

What is Worhsip?

From the onset, worship is not just the lifting up of hands while praying or singing a reverential song, bowing down, laying prostrate, etc alone though all these are forms of worship. Many Christians tend to focus on the outward expression than the inwardness of a man or the involvement of the heart in the worship offered to God. Believe it or not one can pass the human expectation of expressions and dynamics of worship without a single mistake but yet his or her worship rejected by God. For example; The Pharisees in the bible were very experienced in all the forms of religious rituals and worship but the Lord rejected their worship: “in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Not only were their character or nature the grounds for their worship being rejected but also not fulfilling the mandate of their life; as in the specific assignment given to them by God which is teaching for doctrine the commands of God not men. Let’s consider another example. The people of Israel were very pious and excellent in the dynamics of offering sacrifices unto God as required of them by the law. They were very diligent! Somehow along the line, fallen from righteousness, they had the impression that as long as they offered their burnt offering, blood of bullocks, incense, oblation and celebrated their festivities, God will still be pleased and accept them anyhow. Hence, the Lord spoke to them thus: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? I am full of the burnt offering…and delight not in the blood of bullocks…who hath required this at your hands…?” According to the law, the Israelites were to offer those sacrifices, but the Lord through his prophet Isaiah said He had rejected such an offering and he needed no more. Though they were obeying the law and were diligent, because of their lifestyle of sinfulness the Lord rejected them and their sacrifices or worship. Today’s compared to that of the early church exalt expression above character.

Considering the Scriptures, what does God mean when he talks about worship or speak of offering worship to Him?

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Mat 4:8-10

The Lord Jesus had fasted forty days and nights and was very hungry. The devil, Satan comes to tempt him by using his hunger as a bait to get him to abuse his authority and satisfy self but fails. Satan not willing to give up tries again concerning his belief in divine protection and again fails. Then finally the devil takes him up into an exceeding high mountain, showed him all the kingdom of the word and it glory and proposes to the Lord that he will give them all to him if he just bows and worship. Though the devil failed, Jesus made an expecting yet very profound statement concerning worship that will aid us in our search for the definition of worship.

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Mat 4:10

The Lord replied Satan and said that it is written that it is God we are to worship and only him we serve. Considering Jesus’ and Satan’s interaction, the devil was referring to worship as in lying prostrate, bowing down, lifting of hands, etc but Jesus in his reply addresses the devil’s intent request mingled service. In other words the Lord is saying that worshipping and service falls into the same category. This means that the one you adore and reverence is the one you serve or render service to also. To serve means to minister to God, to render religious homage: to worship, in reference to the Greek. Also carefully studying the Greek word we observe that to serve was derived from a Greek word meaning one hired, to hire one for a work. In addition the same Greek word meaning to serve refers to the performing of the Levitical Service. Now the Levitical Service also as the mandate of the Levites included; bearing and guarding the ark of covenant, the vessels of the tabernacle, to assist the priest and to minister to him, to stand before the Lord and minister to him, bring wood for sacrifices and other necessities and so on.

From this (the dialog between Jesus and Satan) we can partially define worship as adoring, reverencing God through our expression streaming from our heart and fulfilling our duties and or our mandates as Christians.

Let’s consider another scripture to bring the definition of worship to a concrete conclusion.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:1

The Roman Church was a church believed to consist of both Jews and Gentile with the Gentile being the predominant members. Imagine the possible chaos and immaturity in the church! Since they lacked better doctrine the apostle made his letters available to them for doctrine sake, edification, and with the intent of a closer intimate relationship with the Lord. The apostle being a man of righteousness and intimacy addressed a lot of issues with regard to the Church, however he makes a remarkable and insightful appeal in the chapter twelve verse one of Romans that I wants us to examine by the Holy Spirit for the definition of Worship. He implored them through the compassion of God that they should offer or present their bodies (all their members and faculty) a living sacrifice, holy (devoted and consecrated: set apart, upright, purity or abstaining from earth’s defilement) for that was their reasonable service (worship).

Here in this text the apostle was referring to the Levitical system of offering a sacrifice to the Lord. In the Old Testament, we will observe that the person offering a sacrifice brings the animal specified without blemish (otherwise will not be accepted) before the priest to offer it to the Lord. He lays his hand on the victim for the purpose of oneness with the victim, then presents it to the priest as in transfer of complete ownership to the Lord. The priest dissects and cut the sacrifice as instructed by the Lord through the Law and finally burns it on the altar as a sweet savor onto the Lord. This is what worship is all about, becoming a burnt offering unto the Lord.

In plain, the apostle instructs us to presents ourselves unto the Lord Jesus our high priest who will offer the sacrifice to God almighty. We must present ourselves holy for that is the only way the offering will be accepted: for without holiness none can see God or please Him. “…Which is your reasonable service” he included. Service here means to worship, the same in meaning compared to that of Matthew chapter four verses ten.

With all this noted, What then is worship?

Worship according to Scripture is having a reverential fear of God which springs from the heart, expressed through your emotions through a time of ministration. It is living a consecrated life (holiness is expressed and evident in your character). Worship is one coming to the destinations of surrendering your agenda, will, desire, to the Lord as you embrace his counsel and purpose for your life. Worship is one with a pure heart fulfilling his or her Christian duties and also mandate and commission of their life.

YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT

One day a woodcutter took his grandson into the forest for his first experience in selecting and cutting oak trees. These they would later sell to the boat builders. As they walked along, the woodcutter explained that the purpose of each tree is contained in its natural shape: some are straight for planks, some have the proper curves for the ribs of a boat, and some are tall for masts. The woodcutter told his grandson that by paying attention to the details of each tree, and with experience in recognizing these characteristics, someday he too might become the woodcutter of the forest.

A little way into the forest, the grandson saw an old oak tree that had never been cut. The boy asked his grandfather if he could cut it down because it was useless for boat building - there were no straight limbs, the trunk was, short and gnarled, and the curves were going the wrong way. "We could cut it down for firewood," the grandson said. "At least then it will be of some use to us." The woodcutter replied that for now they should be about their work cutting the proper trees for the boat builders; maybe later they could return to the old oak tree.

After a few hours of cutting the huge trees, the grandson grew tired and asked if they could stop for a rest in some cool shade. The woodcutter took his grandson over to the old oak tree, where they rested against its trunk in the cool shade beneath its twisted limbs. After they had rested a while, the woodcutter explained to his grandson the necessity of attentive awareness and recognition of everything in the forest and in the world.

Some things are readily apparent, like the tall, straight trees; other things are less apparent, requiring closer attention, like recognition of the proper curves in the limbs. And some things might initially appear to have no purpose at all, like the gnarled old oak tree. The woodcutter stated, "You must learn to pay careful attention every day so you can recognize and discover the purpose God has for everything in creation. For it is this old oak tree, which you so quickly deemed useless except for firewood, that now allows us to rest against its trunk amidst the coolness of its shade.

"Remember, grandson, not everything is as it first appears. Be patient, pay attention, recognize, and discover."

It is very unfortunate that many of us feel the same way. We go through life cycles beaten down and like the old oak tree nobody sees our worth as we also feel likewise. We have given up so much on life that we nothing good can come out of our lives. But just because you do not know your value does not mean you are not valuable. The old oak tree did not have beautiful description, it was not recognized amongst the finest of the trees and even the grandson labeled it useless yet it’s role was very significant; Yes your experiences in life may have forced you to label yourself useless like the old oak tree that had a short and gnarled trunk, crooked limbs, and the curves going the wrong way.

Society may have despised you and ready to “cut you down” nevertheless you are here because you are needed. The old oak tree knew it’s worth. It did not have great accolades but it was needed because it provided shade and a refuge for the grandfather and his grandson, a great need that the other trees could not provide. You may not know your worth but do you know that you are a vital player for the good of humanity? Do you know that in spite of your insecurities and deficiencies, the world needs what you have? Actually you are the product of a billion years of thinking; the Greatest Mind in the universe designed you-GOD ALMIGHTY!

Consider the two scriptures below:
The bible in Genesis 1:26
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness……”.

We see God speaking to Himself, the Trinity (FATHER, SON & HOLY SPIRIT) to make man (us) in HIS image, after His likeness. The image here is not referring to physical likeness but it is translated originally translated from the hebrew wores, tselem and demut which means nature, copy, characteristics and essence. Which indicates that we (MAN (both male & female) are expression of God Himself. In other words, we carry the same characteristics, nature and moral attributes of God. And as children of God we are supposed to talk and act like Him. Look into your life today and ask yourself, are you behaving like God? If not reevaluate your life.

The bible in Romans 11:36 Amplified Bible (AMP) Says,
“36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it).”

Thus from the above scriptures, we know that everything we see in life has a source who is God Almighty and we exist to give Him Glory. Thus the only way you will know your value is to know the mind of your Source concerning you and He sees value in you because you are His original piece, a display of His glory and beautiful creation.

David described himself as unique, “for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalm 134:14)
He was confident because he knew he was a masterpiece. What an attitude! Sometimes we need to stand in the mirror and admire ourselves including all our imperfections and boldly declare our uniqueness because that is what we are.

You may be beaten down by the storms of life nevertheless you are needed by your Creator, and He loves you unconditionally. The gnarled old oak tree was hit by rain and other natural disasters yet it was still needful. The tree that initially appeared to have no purpose at all and deemed useless except for firewood was the same tree that allowed the old man and his grandson to rest against its trunk amidst the coolness of its shade.

We need to rise up today and realize that our presence is needed in our families, job, school, marriage and the world at large we may be stones the builders rejected yesterday or today but we can still be the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22) tomorrow and until we recognize our value we will not contribute to the greater good of humanity.

http://www.crusaders.biz

YOU ARE NEEDED!!!

Mat 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the Mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

Mat 21:2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

Mat 21:3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

Mat 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying

Mat 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

The Lord Jesus was very passionate about fulfilling his divine assignment when He was on earth. Knowing what had been prophesied about him in the Old Testament, He set His face to Jerusalem with His appointment with destiny. As he drew near to Jerusalem He stopped abruptly because there were conditions that had to be met for Him to enter the city. Zechariah the Prophet had prophesied in Zech 9:9 that the Messiah will enter the city riding on a donkey. Therefore Jesus could not enter the city without riding that donkey. Though He was willing, anointed and zealous, He could not break the prophetic law and enter the city. For Him to be qualified to die for humanity in Jerusalem, it was necessary to fulfill all the prophetic declarations about Him. His work of salvation was here hinged on this donkey. He called His disciples and asked them to go and get the donkey because He was in need of it. It is incredible that the son of the most high God is in need of a donkey. Though He was very powerful, yet He needed the Donkey to transport Him to His appointment of destiny. Without this donkey His mandate could not be fulfilled.

I wonder what the donkey felt until this time. It had felt insignificant and useless. It was tied up and no one was riding it. There was no progress in its life. It seemed there was no purpose for its existence. Yet it was the object of divine purpose. It was not born to be just tied up as life passes by. It existed because it was the transport of the most high God for a divine appointment. People might have despised it; it might have embraced its mediocrity and settled for a life of being tied up until the Lord put a demand on its existence. The divine requirement exposed its significance and potential. It was the transport for divinity to fulfill the mandate of salvation.

Do you know God needs you? You are the object of His affection, the vehicle of divine purpose, His precious agent of His will on earth. Do you know the omnipotent God needs you? Don’t let your past experience label you, don’t settle for the limitation of man’s measurement but look up to your maker who demands your presence to reveal divine excellence on earth. Without your cooperation with God, His work in your life will be sabotaged. You must be awakened to this revelation that you are here on earth as an agent of divine purpose. You are an ambassador to implement His order in the vicinity you dwell. Without you, there are many divine purposes that will not progress in your life. Though God is omnipotent, He needs you to manifest His purpose. The Lord sent His disciples to bring the donkey to Him so that they can together fulfilled the mandate of God. The Lord demands our consecration so our significance will be revealed. It is when we have dedicated ourselves to the Lord will we be able to fulfill our divine purpose. Many of our dreams and desires have not manifested because we are over-opinionated, ambitious and selfish believers who live to ourselves. We delight in our religious activities without consecration. We are skilled in our church formalities yet are not submitted to His will. The Lord wants to do incredible things in our lives but are we willing to yield to Him through consecration?

Though the donkey was tied up, it was released because the Lord had need of it. His demand for the donkey was greater than any impediment that restricted or opposed it being brought to the Lord. If many believers will come to the revelation that the Lord is in need of them, the shackles of the enemy will break of them. Many are bound because they refuse to enter into consecration. Consecration to divine purpose liberates one from the restrictions and bondage of the enemy. Let us arise and respond to the call of consecration for the Lord has need to fulfill all those things He has promised concerning us.

Don't Faint; BELIEVE!

Psa 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Fainting is when you are weary of your walk with the Lord. It makes you sluggish and cannot bear any divine responsibility. You are depleted of the invigorating joy that empowers you in your walk of faith. When you feel you have no strength to go on any more you have been bitten by the bug of fainting. You then begin to give excuses why you cannot engage in any divine activity. You compromise your righteous ethics and you utterances are marked with defeat and discouragement. The seemly burden of your disappointment makes you intolerable, extremely sensitive and easily offensive. The virus of fainting is a peril to the Christian walk yet the Lord has given us its antidote and it is called belief.

The writer was so sure that he would have fainted if he had not believed in the Lord in the midst of his challenging circumstances. What he had experienced could have sucked his strength right out of him but his belief in the Lord immunized him from the viral effect of fainting. God has not promised us a detour from the path of contrary circumstances. He has not exempted us from the peril of defeat or the onslaught of the enemy but He has empowered us with the ability to believe in the midst of our contrary circumstances. He has given us a glimpse of the goodness ahead. What you see now is not your end for the omnipotent God has determined the conclusion of the matter. Your belief in the goodness ahead will energize you to keep walking and not throw in the towel. If we will survive the onslaught of the enemy we need to believe to see. Our expectation in the Lord makes us understand that our peril today is temporary. Our joy must not be measured by what we just see today, but the goodness ahead. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE? DO YOU BELIEVE GOD IS ABLE? IF you are paralyzed with the symptoms of fainting I strongly exhort you to look ahead for there is goodness ahead. I urge you to believe and shake yourself out of your slumber. Remind yourself of the promises of God and say with me: I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE TO SEE.

Job 8:7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

BY: Pastor R. Mantey

Discerning your Purpose in Life - part1