This is the concluding part of this series. I hope you have been following diligently. and you are taking note of what to do before love turns to shock.
So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? [2] I should hope not! If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? – Romans 6:1-2 (MSG)
The grace of God is to deliver you from sin, not to keep you safe in your sin!
9. Character Defects
When you see obvious character defects, don’t close your eyes to them especially when he or she says he will change later.
Marriage changes nobody. Anybody that tells you he or she will change later is deceiving you. What do you do when you see character defects? Seek help! Don’t keep quiet.
10. Take a Pause
If during courtship or after marriage, you suddenly discover you never knew who you were in the same boat with, here is what to do.
In courtship, take a pause on everything until you find a solution. For example, if the issue has to do with physical violence or physical abuse, don’t just keep quiet thinking that marriage will soften him.
Don’t walk down the aisle into that kind of marriage, or you might need to soon run up the aisle and out! If you are getting slaps in courtship, guess what will happen in marriage? In marriage, divorce is not the first option. Look for a Christian marriage counselor or marriage therapist for help.
11. Long-Distance Relationships
If you are in a distant relationship or some online dating, you need to know that you will not have a distant marriage and you will not live online.
The reality must dawn on you never to make life-involving decisions without knowing the person very well. It is wrong for you to fall in love with a stranger.
Something is not quite right with falling in love with an online profile or some voice-over-the-phone! Marriage is not a game! It is a covenant!
12. We are Projects
Finally, we are all projects in the making in the hands of God.
Nobody is perfect, but there are things that are unbecoming for a child of God. When you see some of these things, it is time to seek help, or if intense, run for your life!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not be in shock!
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to trust you.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Romans 6:1-2 (MSG) So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? [2] I should hope not! If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there?
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Pray for insight, to prevent any kind of shock.
Today is Oil For Today – Day 194. Let’s lift up our voice one more time as we pray to God! Watch Video on Youtube HERE. Check other days HERE.
Scriptures For Today
Oil For Today – Day 194
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:2 – 3 KJV
Prayer Points For Today
Oil For Today – Day 194
1. Begin to thank the Lord for today.
2. Whatever is stealing my joy, I exercise authority over such in Jesus name
3. I rebuke every spirit of fear over my life in Jesus name
4. I terminate all operations of the weapon of the scourge of the tongue against my life, marriage in Jesus name
5. I rebuke every spirit of depression and mourning over my life in Jesus name
6. Every spirit of worry, anxiety, troubled mind I bind you over my life, my spouse, my children in Jesus name
7. Every blindness in the eyes from seeing God as my Salvation, I command be opened in Jesus name
8. I receive Grace to be joyful and remain joyful concerning every situation in my life in Jesus name
9. I declare God is my salvation, He is my song, and I trust in Him in Jesus name
10. Begin to thank the Lord for answered prayers
Confession For Today
Oil For Today – Day 194
I have the spirit of joy in me. With joy, I draw waters from the well of salvation today. I draw victory, I draw strength, I draw confidence, I draw boldness. I trust in God because He is my salvation. I walk on dominion over everything that the enemy meant to crush me. I walk in joy and gladness. No sadness, only joy throughout today. Today is a fantastic day
As a marriage counselor for some years, I can rightly say that it is true some people really love the Lord, but along the way, there is a turn around. This can be due to negative influence, change of environment, pressure that comes with marriage, choice of career and so on. Whatever it is, when you find yourself in this kind of scenario, you need to quickly find a marriage counselor to talk to.
7. Meeting In Church Guarantees Nothing
When you meet a new person in a church setting, beyond falling in love with some height or some hot legs, find out how involved he is in church. Is he or she a worker in that church? How long has he or she been in the church? Does the pastor know him or her personally? Is he filled with the Holy Spirit?
All these do not guarantee a successful or stress free marriage, however, they go a long way to establish some credibility and spirituality of the person involved. This is a better approach than meeting someone in church and on the same day, you are in his house! You must learn how to protect yourself!
8. Renewal of Mind Factor
You need to know that being born again can be genuine and yet the guy or lady is still involved in some sharp practices. When you are born again, your spirit is regenerated, but your mind is in the process of being renewed as you listen to God’s word.
This often takes time and is determined by how studious you are in the word and how much time you give to the study of God’s word. In the process of the mind being renewed, a lot of ‘sinful’ mistakes can happen. As long as they are not habitual, God will forgive and you will be okay. But when you do something habitually and unrepentantly, the conscience becomes seared and a religious spirit takes over.
Don’t get caught up with all the erroneous teachings flying over the place that grace will cover for your habitual sins. That you can continue sinning and grace will keep covering for you. That is an error from the pit of hell.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not miss it in marriage.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to trust you.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Today is Oil For Today – Day 193. Let’s lift up our voice one more time as we pray to God! Watch Video on Youtube HERE. Check other days HERE.
Scriptures For Today
Oil For Today – Day 193
For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
Isaiah 50:7 KJV
Prayer Points For Today
Oil For Today – Day 193
1. Begin to thank the Lord for today.
2. I receive clarity of vision. The eyes of my understanding is enlightened in Jesus name
3. I will not experience shame in 2022 over every aspect of my life in Jesus name
4. Send help out of Zion, oh God for me 2022 in every aspect of my life, marriage, career, business and ministry
5. I receive the Grace to set my face as a flint in Jesus name
6. I bind every form of distractions trying to hinder me from pursuing, overtaking and recovering all in Jesus name
7. I receive the favor of the Lord to navigate 2022 in Jesus name
9. I prophecy advancement and promotion into my life in Jesus name
10. Begin to thank the Lord for answered prayers
8. Spirit of the Lord be my helper in all aspect in Jesus name
Confession For Today
Oil For Today – Day 193
I will not see shame. The Lord is my strength. Every distraction is taken off, I helped of God in every area of my life. I am not confounded this year. The Mercy of the Lord is on my life. I experience His lifting in Jesus name.
The issue above is one of the commonest statements of regret from the hundreds of people that I counsel.
“Pastor, he has changed…”
“Pastor, I never knew he was like this…”
“Pastor, before we got married, he was a leader in the fellowship, but now, he doesn’t go to church…”
“Pastor, during our courtship, he was so sweet, but now, he beats me up!
“Pastor, I never knew him because our courtship was a distant one…”
…And so on and so forth…
Well, what went wrong along the way?
Here are a few things to note.
1. There are pretenders out there.
There are people who will feign being in the faith just to get a ‘good’ girl that will not give them ‘problems’ in marriage. This is where Christian pre-marriage counseling comes in.
2. That you met somebody in church does not guarantee that he or she is a true child of God.
Anybody and everybody can attend church services for different purposes. Always seek counsel before you get involved with anybody.
3. Not everybody in the church setting is looking for God.
That is why phones and personal effects get missing in church. An angel didn’t steal them. They were stolen by people with whom you worship but with ulterior motives.
4. Let the leadership of the church be involved in your relationship and marriage.
There are some churches that have marriage guidance councils, these are not instituted to control you or spy into your private life but to guide you appropriately. Let your pastor be in the know. This is important because the pastor usually knows the committed ones and those who are insincere to an extent.
5. Learn all you can learn.
Get marriage tips and free Christian advice online. On KHC, for example, we offer free Christian advice for singles and married couples and you can get advice on marriage issues on our daily devotionals, and several other materials online. Don’t walk into a marriage ignorantly and so naïve that you fall for anything.
To be continued tomorrow…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not miss it in marriage.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to trust you.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
