Letters to Young Lovers

Marriage a foretaste of Heaven

Section one.........

The warmth of true friendship and the love that binds the hearts of husband and wife are a
foretaste of heaven. God has ordained that there should be perfect love and perfect harmony between those who enter into the marriage relation.
Let bride and bridegroom in the presence of the heavenly universe pledge themselves to love
one another as God has ordained they should.In Heavenly Places, 202.

A Foretaste of Heaven
Man was not made to dwell in solitude; he was to be a social being. Without companionship the beautiful scenes and delightful employments of Eden would have failed to yield perfect happiness. Even communion with angels could not have satisfied his desire for sympathy and companionship. There was none of the same nature to love and to be loved.

God himself gave Adam a companion. He provided “an help meet for him”a helper corresponding to him one who was fitted to be his companion, and who could be one with him in love and sympathy. Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him. A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self, showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation. “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it.” Ephesians 5:29. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one.” God celebrated the first marriage. Thus the institution has for its originator the Creator of the
universe. “ Marriage is honorable”

(Hebrews 13:4); it was one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is one of the two institutions that,
after the Fall, Adam brought with him beyond the gates of Paradise. When the divine principles
are recognized and obeyed in this relation, marriage is a blessing; it guards the purity and happiness of the race, it provides for man’s social needs, it elevates the physical, the intellectual,
and the moral nature. as the Creator joined the hands of the holy pair [Adam and Eve] in wedlock, saying, A man shall “leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one” (Genesis 2:24), He enunciated for all the children of Adam.

That which the Eternal Father Himself had pronounced good was the law of highest blessing

and development for man.”

It is written...........!

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman,
and went to make war with the remnant of
her seed, which keep the commandments of
God, and have the testimony of Jesus.”
—Revelation 12:17

Kujifunza Kuomba Maombi ya Kweli

SEHEMU YA TATU.

Tunapomwendea Mungu kumwomba rehema zake na mbaraka wake, ingetupasa kuwa na roho ya upendo ndani ya mioyo yetu wenyewe. Twawezaje kuomba hivi, “Utusamehe deni zetu, kama sisi nasi tuwasamehevyo wadeni wetu,” wakati sisi katika roho zetu tungali hatujakubali kuwasamehe wengine. Tukitumaini kujibiwa maombi yetu, sharti tuwe na roho ya kuwasamehe wengine kwa njia ile ile, na kwa kiwango kile kile, kama sisi tunavyotarajia kusamehewa.

Kudumu katika maombi ni sharti jingine lililowekwa ili tupate kupokea.Yatupasa kuomba sikuzote, kama tunataka kukua katika imani na katika uzoefu wa maisha yetu. “Katika kusali, mkidumu,” “dumuni sana katika kuomba, mkikesha katika kuomba huku na shukrani.” Rum. 12:12; Kol. 4:2. Petro awausia Wakristo, “Iweni na akili, mkeshe katika sala.” 1 Petro 4:7. Mtume Paulo awaagiza hivi, “Katika kila neno kwa kusali na kuomba, pamoja na kushukuru, haja zenu na zijulikane kwa Mungu.” Flp.4:6. Na Yuda pia asema, “Ninyi, wapenzi, mkijijenga juu ya imani yenu iliyo takatifu
sana, na kuomba katika Roho Mtakatifu, jilindeni katika upendo wa Mungu.” Yuda 20,21. Kuomba bila kukoma ni muungano wa mtu na Mungu usioweza kuvunjika, kiasi kwamba uhai toka kwa Mungu unabubujika na kuingia katika maisha yetu; na kutoka katika maisha yetu usafi wa maisha na utakatifu hububujika na kumrudia Mungu.

Umuhimu upo wa kufanya bidii katika kuomba; usikubali kitu cho chote kikuzuie kuomba fanya kila jitihada kuacha wazi mawasiliano kati ya roho yako na Yesu tafuta kila nafasi kwenda mahali ambapo watu huzoea kuomba wale wanaotaka kushirikiana na Mungu kweli kweli wataonekana kila mara kwenye mkutano wa maombi; watakuwa waaminifu katika kufanya wajibu wao, tena watakuwa na bidii na shauku katika kujipatia manufaa yote wawezayo kupata. Watatumia vizuri kila nafasi wapatayo ili kujiweka mahali wawezapo kupokea mionzi ya nuru kutoka mbinguni.

Sharti tuombe pamoja na watu wa nyumbani; na zaidi ya yote tusiwe wavivu katika kuomba faraghani peke yetu; maana kufanya hivyo ndiyo asili ya uzima wa roho zetu. Ni vigumu kabisa kusitawi kiroho wakati maombi yanapuuzwa. Maombi pamoja na watu wa nyumbani na yale ya watu wengi katika ibada hayatoshi. Hebu mahali pale pa faragha moyo wako na ufunguliwe wazi ili upate kuchunguzwa na jicho lake Mungu.
Maombi ya faragha ya mtu akiwa peke yake yanapaswa kusikilizwa tu na Mungu asikiaye maombi. Hakuna sikio lo lote lenye udadisi linalopaswa kupokea mzigo wa dua kama hizo. Katika maombi hayo ya siri mtu hasumbuliwi na mivuto inayomzunguka, hasumbuliwi na misisimko yo yote. Kwa utulivu, lakini kwa dhati, moyo wake unamtafuta Mungu. Mvuto utokao kwake yeye aonaye sirini, ambaye sikio lake li wazi kusikiliza maombi yatokayo moyoni, utakuwa mtamu na wa kudumu. Kwa imani tulivu, ya kawaida, mtu huyo anaongea na Mungu, na kujikusanyia mionzi ya nuru itokayo kwa Mungu inayomtia nguvu na kumtegemeza katika mapambano yake na Shetani. Mungu ni mnara wa nguvu zetu. Omba katika chumba chako cha siri; na unapokwenda kufanya kazi zako za kila siku, umwinulie Mungu moyo wako mara kwa mara. Hivyo ndivyo Henoko alivyopata kutembea pamoja na Mungu. Maombi hayo ya kimya kimya hupanda juu kama uvumba wa thamani kwenda mbele ya kiti cha neema. Shetani hawezi kamwe kumshinda yule ambaye moyo wake humtegemea Mungu hivyo.

Hakuna wakati wala mahali pasipofaa kumwomba Mungu. Hakuna kinachoweza kutuzuia tusimwinulie mioyo yetu tukiwa na roho ya maombi ya dhati. Tukiwa katika makundi ya watu mitaani, katikati ya shughuli zetu za kazi, tunaweza kupeleka dua zetu kwa Mungu, na kumwomba atupe uongozi wake, kama alivyoifanya Nehemia alipotoa ombi lake mbele ya Mfalme Artashasta. Chumba cha siri cha mawasiliano kinaweza kupatikana po pote tulipo. Mlango wa moyo wetu ungefunguliwa wazi daima, na mwaliko wetu ungepanda juu ili Yesu aje na kukaa ndani ya moyo wetu kama mgeni atokaye mbinguni.

Kujifunza Kuomba Maombi ya Kweli

SEHEMU YA PILI.

Giza la Shetani huwafunika wale wanaoacha kuomba. Majaribu ya adui huyo anayonong’ona masikioni mwao huwashawishi wafanye dhambi; na hayo yote ni kwa sababu wao hawazitumii haki zote alizowapa Mungu katika mpango wa mbinguni wa maombi aliowawekea. Kwa nini wana na binti zake Mungu ni wazito sana kuomba,
wakati maombi ni ufunguo katika mkono wa imani uifunguao ghala ya mbinguni, ambamo zimewekwa hazina za msaada na mibaraka isiyo na mwisho ya Mungu mwenye uweza wote? Tusipoomba bila kukoma na kukesha kwa bidii, tutakuwa katika hatari ya kutojali na kukengeuka kutoka katika njia ile ya haki. Adui hutafuta daima kuzuia njia iendayo kwenye kiti cha rehema, ili kwa maombi ya dhati na imani tusiweze kupokea neema na nguvu ya kutusaidia kuyapinga majaribu.

Kuna masharti fulani ambayo yakitimizwa Mungu anaweza kutazamiwa kusikia na kujibu maombi yetu. La kwanza katika hayo ni kwamba sisi tutambue kwamba tunahitaji msaada wake. Yeye ameahidi, amesema, “Nitamimina maji juu yake aliye na kiu, na vijito vya maji juu ya mahali pakavu.” Isa. 44:3. Wale walio na njaa na kiu ya haki, wanaomtamani sana Mungu, wawe na hakika kwamba watashibishwa.
Ni lazima moyo ufunguliwe kupokea mvuto wa Roho, vinginevyo, mbaraka wa Mungu hauwezi
kupokewa. Haja yetu kuu kwa yenyewe ndiyo hoja yetu, nayo inatuombea sisi kwa ufasaha kabisa. Lakini sisi hatuna budi kumtafuta Bwana ili apate kutufanyia mambo hayo. Asema, “Ombeni, nanyi mtapewa.” Mathayo 7:7. Tena “Yeye asiyemwachilia Mwana wake mwenyewe, bali alimtoa kwa ajili yetu sisi sote, atakosaje kutukirimia na mambo yote pamoja naye.” Warumi 8:32. Kama tunawaza maovu mioyoni mwetu, kama tunaing’ang’ania dhambi yoyote tuijuayo, Bwana hatatusikia; lakini sala ya mtu yule aliyetubu, na kupondeka moyo wake, inakubaliwa daima. Makosa yote tunayoyajua yanaposahihishwa, tunaweza kusadiki ya kwamba Mungu atazijibu dua zetu. Wema wetu wenyewe hauwezi kamwe kutupatia sifa za kupewa upendeleo wa Mungu; ni ustahilifu wa Yesu utakaotuokoa sisi, ni damu yake ndiyo itakayotutakasa; hata hivyo tunayo kazi ya kufanya katika
kuyatimiza masharti ya kukubaliwa naye.

Sharti jingine la maombi yanayopata ushindi ni kuwa na imani. “Pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza (Mungu): kwa maana mtu amwendeaye Mungu lazima aamini kwamba yeye yuko, na kwamba huwapa thawabu wale wamtafutao.” Ebr. 11:6. Yesu aliwaambia wanafunzi wake, “Yoyote myaombayo mkisali, aminini ya kwamba mnayapokea, nayo yatakuwa yenu.” Marko 11:24. Je, twayasadiki maneno yake?
Ahadi hiyo ni pana, tena haina mipaka, na yule aliyeahidi ni mwaminifu. Tusipopokea mambo yale yale tuliyoyaomba kwa wakati ule ule tuombao, bado yatupasa kuamini kwamba Bwana wetu anatusikia, na ya kwamba atajibu maombi yetu. Sisi tunakosea mno, wala hatuoni mbali, hata wakati mwingine tunaomba mambo ambayo yasingekuwa mbaraka kwetu, na Baba yetu aliye mbinguni kwa upendo wake anajibu maombi yetu kwa kutupa kile ambacho kitakuwa kwa manufaa yetu ya kiwango cha juu kabisa yaani, kile ambacho sisi tungekitamani kama macho yetu yangetiwa nuru na
Mungu na tungeweza kuyaona mambo yote kama yalivyo hasa.

Maombi yetu yanapoonekana kana kwamba hayajibiwi, hatuna budi kuishikilia sana ahadi hiyo; kwa maana wakati wa kujibu utakuja hakika, nasi tutapokea mbaraka ule tunaouhitaji sana. Lakini kudai kwamba maombi yetu sikuzote yatajibiwa kwa njia ile ile hasa na ya kwamba tutapewa kitu kile kile hasa tunachokitamani ni ufidhuli. Mungu ni mwenye hekima mno hawezi kufanya kosa, tena ni mwema mno hawezi kuwanyima kitu chochote kilicho chema hao waendao kwa ukamilifu. Basi usiogope kumtegemea yeye, hata kama huoni jibu la mara moja kwa maombi yako. Tegemea ahadi yake hii ya kweli,“Ombeni, nanyi mtapewa.”

Tukishawishiwa na mashaka yetu na hofu zetu, au tukijaribu kupata ufumbuzi kwa kila kitu tusichoweza kukiona waziwazi, kabla hatujawa na imani, matatizo yetu yatazidi kuongezeka na kuwa makubwa zaidi. Lakini tukimwendea Mungu, huku tukijiona kuwa hatuna uwezo kabisa, tena tumekuwa watu wanaotegemea kusaidiwa naye, kama vile tulivyo hasa, kisha kwa unyenyekevu na imani inayomtegemea tunamjulisha, yeye ambaye maarifa yake hayana mipaka, mambo yale tunayotaka, yeye aonaye kila kitu alichokiumba, tena atawalaye vyote kwa mapenzi yake na neno lake, ndipo ataweza, tena atakisikiliza kilio chetu, na kuiangaza nuru yake mioyoni mwetu.
Kwa njia ya maombi yanayotolewa kwa moyo mnyofu tunaunganishwa na mawazo ya Mungu. Huenda tusione ushahidi wo wote wa kustaajabisha wakati uso wa Mkombozi wetu unapoinama chini na kutuangalia kwa huruma na upendo; lakini jambo hilo ndivyo lilivyo hasa. Huenda tusisikie mguso wake unaoonekana kwa macho, lakini mkono wake u juu yetu kuonyesha upendo na huruma yake inayoumia pamoja nasi.