Chance or opportunity is defined as a suitable time or opportunity (favourable time) to do something, especially something ‘good’ and worthwhile. In our marriages, there are opportune times.
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. –Ecclesiastics 9:11 (KJV)
There are opportunities to do good for our spouses. But most of the time we don’t take advantage of these opportunities. We are not often sensitive to our spouses’ needs.
We most often see things from our own standpoint and not from their viewpoint. This calls for understanding. It becomes impossible to love someone you do not understand. You simply become critical.
The Book of Proverbs says ‘Wisdom is the principal thing, in all thy getting get understanding’.
This means as you are ‘getting’ married, also get understanding of the person you are married to. Each day is filled with numerous opportunities to be kind, sacrificial, loving, understanding, tender, and instructive.
There are also opportunities to be selfish, to think only of your own feelings, and opportunities to fall into sexual sins.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am loving and kind. I seize every opportunity to do good in my marriage. I am sensitive to the needs of my spouse. I seek to understand my spouse. I am not selfish in my approach to my spouse. I seek to understand our differences. I respect those differences and seek to adjust to them. My love account with my spouse is good.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Father in the name of Jesus, I ask for the grace to be selfless. Help me to bring out the best in my spouse and to be lovingly devoted to him/her in love. Help me to use the many opportunities you are giving me well to sow good and lasting seeds of love into my marriage in Jesus’ name. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. –Galatians 6:10 KJV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make a list of the good things you can do to improve your relationship with your spouse. Begin to take note of opportunities to show affection to your spouse. Minimize love busters as much as possible.
Welcome to KHC children’s devotional. It’s always an exciting time here! Very recently we began looking at lessons from the wise words in the book of Proverbs, written by the wisest king ever, King Solomon. We will be continuing on that part for a while. Enjoy every bit of it!
Today our lesson will be centered on authority figures in our lives as children. Listen to what King Solomon has to say.
Start with God — the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. Pay close attention, friend, to what your father tells you; never forget what you learned at your mother’s knee. Wear their counsel like flowers in your hair, like rings on your fingers. –Proverbs 1: 7-9(MSG)
King Solomon mentions three people here, pay close attention dear Child. He mentions God, your Father, and your Mother.
At this stage of your life, these are the first three most important people in your life!
God most high is your God; he created you and gave you to your father and mother to teach and nurture you. God loves you dearly, you should know this! This truth should be at the center of your whole being.
King Solomon advises you to start with God, the first step in your learning, just like you have learn to walk and talk is learning how to bow down to God, learning how to worship God.
Let me show you another translation.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. – Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV)
This translation says the fear of God is the beginning of knowledge; you have to live a life that honours and recognizes God. Having the fear of God is not being scared or afraid of God.
It means living in a consciousness that God exists and living our lives to honour and respect his words. This is a piece of wise advice from a wise King.
To be continued…
PRAYER: Precious Holy Spirit, please teach me how to be a good child all the time. Amen.
ACTION PLAN: Make sure you memorize the verses used in this devotional.
DECLARATION: I am a good Child, I fear God and honour my father and mother all the time.
There are times in your life that speed actually becomes an enemy! I have counseled people that were introduced to sexual perversion as young as when they were just five or six years old. That is when ‘speed’ becomes an enemy. Times when you were hooked up in sexual perversion when you did not even know your right from your left, courtesy of people who were supposed to protect you.
There are a lot of people out there who were dropped by their nurses like Mephibosheth, and consequently broke their ankles while on ‘speed’ But I write to you this morning, not to exile yourself like Mephibosheth, but to reach out to God who will not consult your past to determine your future! Speed might have been your enemy, but God is a re-writer of history.
Do not allow your background to keep your back on the ground. Rise from the rubbles and shackles of yesterday, because your best days are still ahead of you!
While staying in Lagos, on a particular day, we were to go to another area which is different from where we stayed and so we called a dear sister earlier for direction.
As we later found out, her direction was defective as we were practically driving out of the city! We were on the wrong way for quite some time. Her direction lacked landmarks, signs, or anything that will aid us to be sure if we were still on track.
She just said, “When you get to a particular junction keep going straight,” and we did! But the pathetic thing about it was that we got the junction wrong! So even though we were speeding AND GOING STRAIGHT, speed was not our friend because we were on the wrong path! Her guidance was not precise.
Thank God our God is not like this dear sister. God guides us in specific details, step by step, and then gives us “checks” here and there for us to know if we are still on the right path.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have God’s direction in my relationships. I am not confused. The Holy Spirit is leading me today.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, go with me on this journey of life.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Pro 3:6 MSG
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Check the major areas of your life; relationships, family, finances, business, career, spiritual life, etc. Are you on the right track? If not, get back on the right track by asking God to forgive you of all misdeeds and asking for His help and direction.
Help Pastor! I Am Living An Adulterous Life. – Part 3
Continued from yesterday.
Here are a few ways to disconnect.
1. Know that it is wrong and it is sinful.
2. Know that the devil can use that avenue to gain access to your family and finances and wreck havoc.
3. The fact that you still go to church does not cleanse you from adultery. As a matter of fact, what happens in such a case is that the spirit of religion and deception takes over. Spirit of religion says you can come to church on Sunday, praise God, and pray and go back to adultery on Monday.
Spirit of deception tells you that all others are doing the same, you are not alone, and you can continue. At this stage, you need to talk to someone who will help you and speak the truth of God’s word into your life to dispel the operations of wrong spirits in your life. The way you will know that there is demonic influence, is that you still continue in such adulterous rendezvous despite knowing that it is wrong!
4. Stay accountable to someone that can help you! You must be willing to talk about it, not all over the place, but at least with someone that will treat your issue confidentially! Seek help before the sin ruins you!
5. Disconnect from the person with whom you are involved. Runaway! That was what Joseph did to escape adultery. He eventually became a Prime Minister. Samson stayed and played spirituality, combining adultery with being a judge over Israel, because the scripture says He judged Israel for twenty years. He lost his glory, died in the midst of his days, and never fulfilled his destiny. Surely, that wasn’t God’s plan for him.
6. Finally. Go to God and ask Him to help you. Fast if you can. At this point, you may ask a trusted man of God to pray with you. You may call me if you like, and I will pray with you! If you are calling today, please make it later in the evening, I have meetings throughout today.
I pray that God will help you as you make up your mind to do it right!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am faithful to my spouse. I love my spouse. I will not allow any distraction to tear my marriage and home apart. I am sincere to my spouse. My marriage is preserved.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY I destroy every marriage killer; I receive wisdom from God to rule in the affairs of this world. Spirit of God, envelope my marriage with your wisdom and power
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Wives understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. –Ephesians 5:22 (MSG)
Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church–a love marked by giving, not getting. –Ephesians 5:25 (MSG)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Disconnect from every relationship/affair that your spouse does not know anything about or that he does not approve
Yesterday I started talking to you about the wisdom in the book of Proverbs written by the wisest king, King Solomon.
I told you the importance of this book, and how the wisdom in the book is ageless because King Solomon got his wisdom from God.
You also can be as wise as he was, I am sure you are thinking of how possible that is.
All you need to do is ask for wisdom just like King Solomon and, God is gracious enough to always grant requests that are according to his will.
Let’s continue from where we stopped yesterday.
These are the wise sayings of Solomon, David’s son, Israel’s king — Written down so we’ll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it’s going; A manual for living, for learning what’s right and just and fair; To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality. There’s something here also for seasoned men and women, still a thing or two for the experienced to learn — Fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate, the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women. –Proverbs 1:1-7 (MSG)
4. This book is meant to teach young people like you about life –God’s way.
5. There is a lot in it for people who are open to learning wisdom.
6. It also doesn’t leave out wise and experienced people; you and your parents can learn new things together.
Learning from the book of Proverbs is such an amazing experience, I am sure we’ll have so much fun picking out lessons one by one. See you tomorrow.
PRAYER: Father in Jesus name, I pray for wisdom just like King Solomon in Jesus name. Amen.
ACTION PLAN: Start a Bible challenge of reading the book of Proverbs
DECLARATION: I am wise, I know what to do, and I live a life that pleases God, in Jesus name.
