Good morning Guys.

Now this is going to be a tough one. Thank God we're anonymous and we can lay it all out

Question is simple. If you weren't a Christian and a follower of Christ, what are those things you would have done?

I had this discussion few years ago with some brothers when I was in the family house of NCCF and boy I knew why the Bible said that the heart of man is wicked and only God can know it. Without further much ado, I'll get the ball rolling :-

First, I would have been a modern day Robin Hood. All these Nigerian politicians that do buying and selling with the country's resources would behave well because me and my crew go mend anybody. But now, I just do whatever is within my civil limits as a Christian.

Secondly, in the aspect of females, I would have been ruthless to them. Christianity would not allow me accept every RP teaching and so I'm somewhat in-between. I don't do premarital sex, I don't withhold good that is within my power, however I don't encourage foolishness in females so I can be firm when it calls for.

Lastly, all these Muslims that feel like they are the sole proprietors of Vayulence eh ..... Lemme stop here

Jesus don try for Rugged men sha. I've seen transformation in Christ and it's the most powerful thing I've seen in my life.

Over to you guys.

I THOUGHT TO SHARE AN EXPERIENCE IN MY CHRISTIAN JOURNEY WITH YOU

READ and pick the lesson(s)

I was in my finals and had just handed over as the President of the Campus Fellowship I presided. This was 2010.

As the days dragged into weeks, I was going down spiritually. No more prayers, Personal Bible Studies, Fasting... Etc. I had become that normal person who just attended church but knew there was a great disconnect between me and God. And yes, I still had the honor as a Pastor.

There was nothing spiritual about my personality, though it would be easy to confuse my calmness for spirituality. I wasn't going down. I had gone down! Something happened along the way.

I received an invitation to minister in prayers in a large congregation at a vigil. That night I was picked from my hostel and off we went. I didn't do any preparation because I just couldn't. Fast forward to the time I mounted the pulpit;

For the first time in my life, I knew things. I spoke prophetically and there were instant confirmations, deep words of knowledge were given, there were strange demonic manifestations. My 30min of prayer ran into hours of ministration. That moment, I felt a surge of POWER. The atmosphere was super charged.

At the close of service that morning, I could see the level of respect accorded me. People saw me as one who probably was wining and dining with the spirit. The honour was massive, but guess what. I felt used!

I knew it wasn't me. I guess with my non chalant life style in my faith over the months, I probably would be headed to hell if I died then, but God decided to use me, NOT FOR ME, BUT FOR THEM.

It was easy for me to understand that a Pastor can backslide and still manifest the power of God. Oh yes, one can jump out of the bed of fornication and still operate in dangerous spiritual realms. But you see, God isn't moved my these manifestations. We are the ones who look at them.

It was then I understood that judging a man's relationship with God/his spiritual maturity by manifestations is totally folly.

This is the very reason Christ would tell many, "Depart from me ye workers of INIQUITY", inspite of the healings and deliverances they did in the name of Christ. Matt7:23

That incident was a quick call to getting back to Christ.

He hears your prayers inspite of your wrong deeds, doesn't mean you are a favourite. His goodness to you could be that call you need to harken to to return back to him. Romans2:4.

Hope you learned something.
Shalom!

Pastor Phil Aghogho Akpoveta

Copied from Facebook.

Speeedy:
Currently, we are faced with this. My immediate elder sister's husband walked away in September. Last week Sunday at about 10 pm I was called that he broke the doors, battered her as usual and threw her things out. On getting there I picked her and the two kids to my family house before the family took over. The reason is we found out she is neck-deep in debt because she has been running the home alone without any input from him and we stopped her from borrowing again.


About 3yrs ago a middle-aged man some plots away beat his wife to death. Neighbors and her family admit it's been on for over 15years of their marriage.


....but God hates divorce

It's well Bro.... Some questions in Christianity our faith is just hinged on assumptions and we can only hope for His mercies to endure.

Your sister should just live for her children and in the event of physical abuse please separation is encouraged. We're not created to die for anyone. Only Jesus had that mission. Cheers.

gabicon:


I think you first need to first ask the question, why God hates divorce. Secondly your idea of God shouldn't be a fellow with a stick anxiously waiting to punish those who do wrong, He is a compassionate God, who understands what we are going through.

The answer to your questions are in 1 Corinthians 7. People are called Christians because they behave like Christ, anyone who calls himself a Christian and doesn't behave accordingly is no better than an unbeliever. We have so many unbelievers parading themselves as Christians, they mentally accent to behaving like Christ.

So if one is married to someone that is an unbelieving Christian and that person has refused to live with them, they are no longer under obligation to remain married to nobody.

The women in the church are the most affected by their badly behaved husband's, its sad to see how these women deteriorate over the years as a result of an absolute marriage ideology while the men enjoy their life.

We as individuals are married to Christ the day we accept his lordship, but should we say we are no longer interested in the relationship, doesn't Christ make the relationship by force? No we are bound by our choices with the consciousness that they carry consequences.

After exhausting all channels of reconciliation, if your husband/wife refuses to reconcile with you, you are no longer under obligation to the marriage and are free to remarry.

Honestly, these are my thoughts. Thanks for the insight.

komekn:


First of all, since the context is Christian principal then you must see the word of God, biblical principles in strict context. In addition have uncompromising concession in the infallibility of the word of God.

There is tendency to use modern day norms and values to articulate Biblical standards and spirit which is not the true context of the word of God.

We dont make the word of God to fall in line with our modern day Western cultural norms and values, to make it more acceptable to our modern day men and women in and out of our Churches.

If this is adhered to then , with God all things are possible couples will work out thier issues positively.

The Bible is clear the only way the marriage convenant can be broken is death.
.

Very insightful comment you made but however I want to point out something in the second to last paragraph from what I quoted, I hope you know that God doesn't enforce His will on anyone? The Holy Spirit can convict but will not enforce His will on anyone.

If the uninterested party decides not to come back, and all efforts of reconciliation proved abortive, do you then say that the other party has to stay that single since the other is still alive?

Mrsoft3:
This issue of divorce is a delicate matter, it is true God hates divorce and base on scripture he made sure the provision and foundation for marriage is made available.

He has place before us blessing and curses, life and death and we are to choose. Many marriages today are not standing on the foundation of God hence it will break, because the lord said if you hear his words and do not do them it is liken to a man who build on the foundation of sand and trials came and wiped the house away.

No marriage that will not stand trials, the devil is interested in marriage because it is the authroised institution for reproduction. Since the days of Adam we have seen how the devil has been disrupting a lot of union, and this is so base on the word of God about the seed of the woman bruising the head of serpent.

Let's look at the two examples you gave

1. Who gives a child? A man or God?

2. Who gives blessings that will take away hardship from the life of a man? God or man?


If you hearken obediently to the word of God all this blessings shall over take thee, I believe I have pointed out the root cause of this menace in the society today

Well you've spoken well but how then do we remedy this issue if it has already been damaged? From the examples I gave.

Ammishaddai:
Bros , the conditions for divorce has been stipulated for in the bible and we dont need to debate this matter further .


See what the bible says in Matt 19:9 :

And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery


From the bolded , it is clear that divorce is impossible and no matter the condition or circumstances, a man or woman is not permitted to have a divorce, and even if he should have a divorce, he/she cannot marry because that will be judged as adultery.

I'm not arguing but this is a very delicate matter. I've resigned to the fact that the way God may judge us may not be how we think He will. If as a man at 35, my wife decides to walk away from me and marry someone else, what do I do with all my hormones that are still raging?? Will God expect me to stay like that or keep fornicating/masturbating or just go and remarry??

This judgment may not be as we think really.

Hello Wonderful people of God,

So I was going through a topic on the front page yesterday about a wife telling her husband that she isn't interested in the marriage again but the husband didn't want divorce.

Now for the Christians among us, you and I know that God hates divorce. No need to start quoting many scriptures you're already aware of but what happens when one of the parties in the marriage isn't interested in the marriage again??

Just to add personal experiences,

1. My ex-colleague's husband walked out of her marriage of 5 years because she couldn't get pregnant, the husband put another woman in the family way and told her people to return the bride price he paid. Guess what? She's just 31.. What would you advise her to do as a Christian? Remain like that because God hates divorce? At 31 years??

2. My former co-worker in campus fellowship walked out of her marriage because she was tired of hardship. She returned to her village and left the husband in Lagos. The marriage was just 3 years. All efforts to reconcile them didn't work. Another mutual friend called me last month that her husband is remarried, why would he do that? God hates divorce and all that... I had to ask her on phone that man isn't up to 35 years from what I know, what would you expect him do as Hanty no gree come back

Share your thoughts people of God.

Karleb:
Don't mind those shouting entitlement here.

It's seem many of you don't have families.


Family are meant to support each other. The only thing that'll make me withdraw my support for a family member is if they become rebellious.

Just forget about your bro and focus on those that'll support you.

One thing that always make me go extra mile for my family is, I've been in situations where I needed help and I got it from them. I know how good it felt.

Blood is thicker man.

I expected mixed reactions but at least someone got it. Thanks for your understanding.

Blizzy9ja:
Africans and their entitlement mentality... Is it your money?

The little money he makes is obviously not enough for his to share, go get a job man

I have a job and I'm doing fine now like I said. But is it wrong to expect help from family?

I wouldn't be sad if he doesn't have trust me.

Equal2DeTask:




Hahaha....







Take a loan to do what exactly?

To settle a pressing need.