CHILDREN’S BREAD
18th. April 2022
IN LOVING MEMORY OF A SISTER IN CHRIST.
WE JOIN MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO MOURN THE LOSS OF A SISTER IN CHRIST: A DAUGHTER, SISTER, MOTHER, THE WORSHIP-LEADER OF A CHURCH, AND A WIFE TO A CERTAIN MAN, WHO SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED HER, INSTEAD OF TURNING HER INTO HIS PUNCHING & KICK-BOXING BAG. AT THIS STAGE, WE CAN ONLY HOPE, PRAY, AND BELIEVE THAT HER SPIRIT AND SOUL MADE IT TO HEAVEN AS SHE IS ALREADY GONE, AND THE DECISION CONCERNING THE FINAL DESTINATION OF HER SOUL WAS SEALED THE VERY MOMENT SHE CLOSED HER EYES INTO ETERNITY. WE ALSO HOPE AND PRAY THAT HER DEATH WILL NOT BE IN VAIN, BUT RATHER HELP US TO BE OUR BROTHERS’ AND SISTERS’ KEEPERS.
I PRAY FOR GOD’S PROTECTION OVER HER CHILDREN, AND THAT HER LOVED ONES BE COMFORTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THEIR PROFOUND LOSS. I EARNESTLY HOPE THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING HER DEATH WOULD MAKE US AS A PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOD-ORDAINED MARRIAGE AND ONE ORDAINED BY THE ENEMY.
I AM DELIBERATELY NOT REFERENCING ANY SCRIPTURE FOR THIS MESSAGE AS GOD ALMIGHTY HAS GIVEN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US THE ABILITY TO KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT IN THE CHURCH, SOCIETY, CULTURE, THE FAMILY, AND WITH A PERSON. THE UNBEARABLE PART OF THE STORY CONCERNING THIS LATE SISTER, IS THAT THIS WOMAN WAS IN THE MIDST OF VERY MANY PEOPLE, YET, ALONE IN HER BATTLE. THIS BEGS THE QUESTION OF THE KIND OF A SOCIETY WE HAVE BECOME, WHERE MANY PEOPLE PREFER TO SUFFER AND DIE IN SILENCE,THAN TO ASK FOR HELP FROM THOSE AROUND THEM!
- WHAT KIND OF A SOCIETY, HAVE WE BECOME THAT PEOPLE ARE READY TO BE IN OUR MIDST; SINGING, DANCING, LAUGHING, GIVING TESTIMONIES OF BREAKTHROUGHS, YET, DYING IN SILENCE?!
- WHAT KIND OF A SOCIETY HAVE WE BECOME THAT WE ARE READY TO REJECT, OSTRACIZE, AND MOCK ANYONE WHO IS STRUGGLING, OR WHO, ACCORDING TO OUR UNDERSTANDING, DOESN’T FIT IN TO OUR SOCIETAL NORMS?
THE CHURCH IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE SHOULD RUN INTO FOR SAFETY, NOT A PLACE WHERE PERPETRATORS OF EVIL ARE ALLOWED TO THRIVE, WHILE THE VULNERABLE DIE IN SILENCE SINGING, AND DANCING TO SUSTAIN A FALSE NARRATIVE OF THE NATURE OF GOD ALMIGHTY!
SOME WOMEN, WHOM JESUS LOVED, AND WHO FOLLOWED HIM ABOUT, WERE NOT MARRIED. GOD AND MESSIAH HE WAS, YET, HE DID NOT DIMINISH THEIR WORTH! IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO SHOULD HAVE HAD THE LEGAL RIGHT TO RELEGATED THEM TO THE BACKSEATS, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE, WHO INSTITUTED THE MARRIAGE COVENANT, BUT HE DID NOT EVEN DO THAT! THEN, WHY SHOULD MANY WOMEN BE DYING IN THEIR UNGODLY MARRIAGES? WHY SHOULD MEN AND WOMEN, WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO GET MARRIED, OR HAVE CHILDREN FOR REASONS BEYOND THEIR HUMAN CONTROL, BE SUBJECTED TO SUCH WICKEDNESS, OR OTHER KINDS OF UNGODLY TREATMENTS, BY THOSE WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES AS BETTER OFF?
THE ABOVE QUESTIONS WERE ACCURATELY ANSWERED BY THE LATE SISTER IN CHRIST AS SHE RELATED HER DECISION TO STAY IN HER “HAMMER-HOUSE-OF HORROR-MARRIAGE” TO A FRIEND OF HERS, WHEN URGED TO GET OUT OF IT. ACCORDING TO THE LATE SISTER OSINACHI, IT IS BECAUSE OF WHAT THE CHURCH AND PEOPLE WILL SAY, SHOULD THEY VENTURE OUT OF SUCH UNION. THIS WOMAN LITERALY DIED BECAUSE SHE WAS CONVERSANT WITH THE CULTURE OF THE CHURCH IN MOST PLACES, AS WELL AS THE TRADITION OF THE SOCIETY SHE LIVED IN; MANY OF SUCH RULES, AND REGULATIONS ARE NOT WRITTEN, YET, ARE STRICTLY OBSERVED, AND ENFORCED IN THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS. THOSE WHO CALL THE BLUFF OF SUCH UNSPOKEN RULES, AND DARE TO VENTURE OUT OF THEIR UNGODLY MARRIAGES, HAVE TO COUNT THE COSTS FIRST; DEAL WITH OPEN AND PRIVATE CRITICISM, AND EVEN MUCH MORE, THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO BE SUBJECTED TO.
PLEASE, CHILDREN OF GOD, EVERYBODY IS NOT IN MARRIAGES, WHERE BOTH PARTNERS GO TO BED EVERY NIGHT SINGING LULLABIES TO EACH OTHER, AND WAKING UP EVERY MORNING, SWIRLING AROUND FOR HOURS NONE-STOP, LIKE BARBIE AND KEN! MANY WOMEN, AND MEN ARE REALLY SUFFERING IN THERE MARRIAGES, AND IT MAKES IT WORSE FOR THEM, WHEN IT IS CONSTANTLY FORCED INTO THEIR MINDS, BY THOSE WHO ARE FORTUNATE TO BE IN WONDERFUL MARRIAGES, THAT EVERYONE MUST STAY IN THEIRS BECAUSE MARRIAGE IS SWEET, AND THAT GOD SAYS SO! I BELIEVE WITHOUT THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT, THAT THERE ARE MANY MARRIAGES THAT ARE ORDAINED BY GOD AND ARE INDEED AS SWEET AS HONEY-PIE. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE ALSO THOSE, THAT SATAN HIMSELF HAS PUT TOGETHER FOR HIS BENEFITS. THE GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE WHO BELONG TO GOD ALMIGHTY, IN SUCH UNGODLY MARRIAGES IS, THAT OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, HE WILL USE EVERY MEANS NECESSARY TO MAKE IT KNOWN TO THEM, AND WILL DEFINITELY PUT SUCH UNGODLY UNION ASUNDER- IN A CLEARER TERM- SLICE AND DICE, SCATTER, BURN, CONSUME, BREAK, DESTROY, SEPARATE, AND YES, DIVORCE!
I HAD A PASTOR FRIEND, WHO WOULD TELL ME OVER AND OVER AGAIN, “SISTER SUSAN, IF I STAY IN THIS MARRIAGE, I WILL EITHER DIE, OR WORSE STILL, STOP WALKING WITH THE LORD!” I WOULD NOT EVEN BOTHER COUNSELLING HIM DEEPLY, BUT WOULD QUICKLY JUMP TO CONCLUSION BY ALWAYS GIVING HIM THE SAME ADVICE, TO MY SHAME, “PASTOR, DON’T PLAY THAT GAME; DON’T LOOK FOR A REASON TO HOP INTO BED WITH A NEW WIFE! YOU HAVE YOUR CROSS, CARRY IT WITH DIGNITY TILL THE VERY END. AFTERALL, I AM ALSO CARRYING MINE!” AFTER WHICH, I WOULD PRAY FOR PEACE IN HIS MARRIAGE AND DISCARD HIM, BUT HE KEPT ON REPEATING THE SAME PLEA FOR YEARS! I WOULDN’T EVEN ALLOW HIM TO LAND BEFORE I SQUASHED THE PROBLEM HE CAME TO ME WITH AS I DID NOT WANT TO GIVE HIM THE CONSENT HE SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN SEEKING FOR, WHICH IN MY OPINION, WAS TO GET A DIVORCE! THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH HOW I HANDLED HIM, IS THAT I DIDN’T EVEN BOTHER TO ASK HIM TO EXPOUND ON HIS ISSUES! THE ONLY BELL RINGING IN MY HEAD THE MOMENT HE BEGAN TALKING TO ME, WAS THE WORD, DIVORCE, WHICH I HAD TO STAND AGAINST BY ALL MEANS, NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT GOD, WAS SENDING PEOPLE MY WAY, WHO WERE ABOUT TO WALK AWAY FROM HIM, IF THE ISSUE CONCERNING MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE WAS NOT RIGHTLY ADDRESSED! AS A RESULT, I HAD TO ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS, SHOULD I EVER HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ANY OF HIS SONS OR DAUGHTERS STAYING IN ANY SITUATION, THAT KEPT THEM BOUND TO THE WILL OF THE DEVIL!
EVERYONE IS NOT PRIVILEGED TO GET INTO MARRIAGE KNOWING THE LORD AND HIS REQUIREMENTS AS IT PERTAINS TO GODLY MARRIAGE. PRIOR TO GETTING INTO THE COVENANT OF MARRIAGE, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO DID NOT, OR WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP, OR DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT; OUR TEACHER AND HELPER. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN THEY COME INTO THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, THE KIND OF COVENANT THEY HAVE GONE INTO WOULD BE REVEALED TO THEM BY THE HOLY SPIRIT; THAT IS WHAT I REFER TO AS FOOLISHNESS! THEIR FOOLISHNESS (LACK OF KNOWLEDGE) IN GETTING INTO MARRIAGES/ COVENANTS, THAT GOD NEVER ASSIGNED THEM TO, WILL BE REVEALED TO THEM. THE HOLY SPIRIT MAY DEMAND DIFFERENT APPROACH FROM YOU, DEPENDING ON THE KIND OF SPIRIT ONE IS DEALING WITH; THE LORD GOD HIMSELF, MAY DEMAND FROM YOU TO DIVORCE YOURSELF FROM THAT PARTICULAR PERSON, AND NOT JUST THE SPIRIT. OH SISTER SUSAN, AND CONTROVERSY! HERE YOU GO AGAIN, HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?! WELL, YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE IT, BUT REGARDLESS OF THE SCRIPTURE YOU MIGHT TRY TO FLING AT ME, IT DOES NOT NEGATE THE FACT, THAT IT IS STILL THE TRUTH! AS TIME GOES ON, I WOULD BE CLARIFYING WHAT I MEAN AND HOW I FULLY MEAN IT, WITH SCRIPTURES TO BACK IT UP AS WELL :- )
AS A FOLLOWER OF THE WAY, AND FOR THE SAKE OF FULFILLING ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, MY ADVICE TO ANY CHILD OF GOD, WHO IS IN AN UNGODLY MARRIAGE, IS AS FOLLOWS:
- BEGIN WITH PRAYERS; BRING THE SITUATION BEFORE GOD ALMIGHTY.
- OPEN UP TO GODLY PEOPLE LIKE THE LATE SISTER OSINACHI DID, AND SPEAK ABOUT YOUR ORDEAL.
- IF YOU HAVE A HOME CHURCH, AND A PASTOR, WHO IS WELL ABLE TO DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, THEN GO FOR COUNSELLING, AND BRING UP THIS MATTER BEFORE THEM. MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE AT LEAST SOMEONE, WHO WOULD SERVE AS A WITNESS FOR RECORD PURPOSES; SOMEONE TO TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH, THAT THE CHURCH WAS AWARE OF YOUR PREDICAMENT!
- AFTER COUSELLING (WHICH MUST INCLUDE DELIVERANCE PRAYERS, FASTING, AND COACHING), AND YOU STILL DO NOT EXPERIENCE SERIOUS AND SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT, WHILE BEARING IN MIND THAT NO MARRIAGE IS PERFECT, THEN YOU DO NOT NEED JESUS CHRIST TO PERSONALLY DIE FOR YOU A SECOND TIME, TO DISCERN THAT THE TIME IS RIPE TO GET OUT OF THAT CIRCUS (UNGODLY UNION), FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING YOUR SOUL!
- IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A HOME CHURCH, THEN, GET OUT AS FAST AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, TO SAVE YOUR LIFE, FIRST!
- IF YOU WANT TO GET OUT, BUT INCAPACITATED DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND YOUR HUMAN CONTROL, THEN, SEEK HELP FROM PEOPLE AND PLACES, THAT YOU KNOW ARE ABLE TO HELP GET YOU OUT.
- CALL THE BLUFF OF SHAME, AND THE OPINION OF OTHERS AS THOSE WHOSE OPINION YOU ARE CONSIDERING, MAY BE IN WORSE SITUATIONS THAN YOU, EVEN WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE. IN A SCENARIO; WHERE THEY ARE NOT, I WANT YOU TO FULLY UNDERSTAND; THAT YOU ARE THE ONE GOING THROUGH THAT UNBEARABLE PAIN, AND THE TRUTH IS THIS, IF YOU DIE IN IT, THEY WILL BE THE SAME PEOPLE, WHO WOULD BE CRITICIZING YOUR CORPSE FOR NOT HAVING HAD ENOUGH SENSE TO SEPERATE YOURSELF FROM THE ONE ABUSING YOU, OR FOR NOT HAVING GOTTEN A DIVORCE SOONER! THEREFORE, DO THIS FOR YOURSELF AND FOR THE SAME SAVIOR, WHO DIED FOR YOU, IN ORDER TO SET YOU FREE FROM UNTIMELY DEATH; OR ANY FORM OF DESTRUCTION!
- HOWEVER, LET’S NOT FORGET THIS FACT, THAT THERE ARE SOCIETIES THAT DO NOT HAVE FUNCTIONING STRUCTURES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THE REQUIRED, AND NECESSARY PROTECTION FOR THOSE, WHO ARE SEPARATING FROM SUCH SPOUSES, WHOSE EGO COULD BE DEEPLY OFFENDED AS THEY DO NOT WANT THEM TO LEAVE THE MARRIAGE, OR RELATIONSHIP. THUS, WHILE WE JUDGE THESE WOMEN, LET’S BE MINDFUL OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, AND PUT THEM IN OUR PRAYERS.
MARRIAGE SHOULD BE A BLESSING, AND NOT BONDAGE. WHOEVER TELLS YOU THAT MARRIAGE IS NOT HARD WORK, IS A LIAR! JUST LIKE EVERY GOOD THING IN LIFE IS HARD WORK, MARRIAGE IS ALSO HARD WORK. IT IS HARD WORK TO TEND A GARDEN AND KEEP IT LOOKING GOOD. MARRIAGE IS HARD WORK BECAUSE THE TWO PEOPLE INVOLVED MUST LEARN TO MAKE SACRIFICES TO MAINTAIN THE BEAUTIFUL UNION THEY ARE IN. OUR SALVATION IS SUSTAINED BY US HOLDING ON TO JESUS CHRIST AS OUR PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR, AS WELL AS STRIVING TO MAINTAIN A GODLY LIFESTYLE, WHICH FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR TIME, IS ALREADY HARD WORK!
GOD THE GOOD FATHER, AND OUR ONLY PERFECT HUSBAND, WANTS HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO LIVE TO THE FULNESS OF THE DAYS, THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO THEM HERE ON EARTH AS SEEN BY HIM AS NECESSARY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF FULFILLING THEIR GOD-GIVEN DESTINIES, AND NOT TO BE MURDERED BY ANYONE BECAUSE OF MARRIAGE, OR ANYTHING ELSE.
FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS SOMEONE, WHO TILL MID LAST YEAR WOULD CONSIDER MYSELF TO HAVE BEEN IN A MARRIAGE FOR 21 YEARS, EXCLUDING YEARS OF COURTSHIP, AND PRESENTLY GOING THROUGH THE PHASE OF SEPARATION, AND ALSO COMING FROM A FAMILY BACKGROUND, WHERE MY PARENTS WERE HEALTHILY, AND HAPPILY MARRIED FOR OVER 53 YEARS BEFORE THEIR DEMISE (IT DOESN’T MEAN THEY NEVER ARGUED OR OFFENDED EACH OTHER EVERY NOW AND AGAIN). THUS, I DO BELIEVE, THAT I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THIS TOPIC AS I HAVE WITNESSED, AND EXPERIENCED THE GOOD, AND THE BAD TIMES IN MARRIAGES, AS WELL AS THE WEALTH OF SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL EXPERIENCES, THAT GOD ALMIGHTY, HAS GIVEN TO ME CONCERNING GODLY AND UNGODLY KINDS OF MARRIAGES.
TO SUM THIS ALL UP, WE MUST WORSHIP GOD ALMIGHTY, AND NOT MARRIAGE, ELSE WE BECOME IDOLATERS! WE HAVE TO LOVE, HONOR, RESPECT OUR SPOUSES, BUT OUR UTMOST RESPECT, AND OUR WORSHIP MUST BELONG TO GOD ALMIGHTY ALONE. WE MUST WORSHIP GOD ALMIGHTY, TO WHOM THE SILVER, AND THE GOLD, AS WELL AS THE ONLY ONE TO WHOM, THE CATTLE ON THOUSAND HILLS BELONG. THUS, WE ARE NOT TO WORSHIP FAME, MONEY, TRADITION, ANY HUMAN BEING, OR PEOPLE’S OPINIONS!
IF YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR ALL IN A MARRIAGE, OR IN ANY RELATIONSHIP ACCORDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF GOD ALMIGHTY, BUT EVENTUALLY REALIZE BY THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU DO- THAT YOU ARE IN THE TITANIC, WHICH IS DESTINED TO SINK! THEN, MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST, YOU DO NOT MISS THE LAST BOAT TO GET OUT OF IT! IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO HAS A DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, HE WILL INTIMATE YOU ON THE RIGHT SEASON TO HIT THE ROAD 🙂 AND IF YOU DON’T LEAVE, HE WILL BURN DOWN THAT SHIP, IN ORDER TO MAKE YOU JUMP OUT, BY FIRE AND BY FORCE; WAILING, SULKING, KICKING, LIMPING, NAGGING,E TC. THIS LAST PIECE OF ADVICE IS NOT FOR EVERYONE THOUGH, AS MANY PEOPLE, DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY HAVE OVERSTAYED THEIR WELCOME IN SUCH UNGODLY UNION.
THE MARRIAGE INSTITUTION IS TO BE RESPECTED BY ALL, NOT JUST BY ONE, LIKE IN SISTER OSINACHI’S CASE! HER DEATH IS FURTHER CONFIRMATION TO ME, ABOUT WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN TEACHING ME, WITH REGARDS TO HOW GOD ALMIGHTY MADE THE GODLY MARRIAGE TO BE, AND NOT HOW RELIGION, AND THE TRADITION OF MEN DESIRE TO HAVE IT, OR INTERPRET IT!
“MARRIAGE SHOULD BE A COVENANT OF SAFETY AND NOT A COVENANT OF BONDAGE: YOU CAN NOT BE IN A MARRIAGE, YET, PERMANENTLY LIVING IN BONDAGE!”
I AM DEEPLY HEARTBROKEN FOR HER, CONSIDERING WHAT SHE HAD TO PUT UP WITH FOR TOO LONG, AS WELL AS FOR MANY PEOPLE, WHO HAVE HAD TO LOSE THEIR LIVES, OR STILL IN RELATIONSHIPS, WHERE THEIR PRECIOUS SOULS LIKE THAT OF LOT, IN THE CITY OF SODOM, ARE BEING HELD CAPTIVE AND TORMENTED, DAY AND NIGHT! MANY PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING SUCH PAIN AS A RESULT OF ERRONEOUS TEACHINGS BY TEACHERS & PREACHERS OF THE WORD, WHO HAVE FAILED TO ALWAYS HIGHLIGHT THIS TRUTH, AND THUS, ARE PARTIALLY GUILTY OF NOT JUST LEADING, BUT ALSO HOLDING MANY SONS, AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD ALMIGHTY IN CAPTIVITY!
MAY THE SOUL OF THIS BEAUTIFUL WOMAN; SISTER OSINACHI NWACHUKWU, REST IN PEACE IN JESUS’ PRECIOUS NAME, AMEN!
GONE TOO SOON!
Jesus loves you!
Written by Susan Ikeokwu