Two days back in church, we had a strong move of the spirit and below is a short snippet of what went up in the Holy Ghost! Dive into it and experience a rush of joy in your spirit before continuing reading.
Did you feel lifted after watching? I bet you did! You see, you can’t allow anything or anybody or the devil to ever steal, tinker or tamper with your joy!
No wonder the Bible says the joy of the Lord is your strength!
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH.
Neh 8:10 (KJV)
That is powerful.
The topic above says your spouse is right inside your joy. The question is how is that?
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered. Kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals, kindly go HERE
Take a look at the scripture:
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isa 12:3 (KJV)
The word for salvation in the original Hebrew means:
a) welfare, prosperity b) deliverance c) salvation (by God) d) victory
So it takes joy to draw all of these out? Including welfare! Victory in relationship and marriage! You see why everything you are looking for and trusting God for is in your joy?
Keep your joy on! Don’t let anything steal your joy! No wonder the devil seeks to attack our joy all the time! He knows that once we lose our joy, we lose a lot of things!
Decide to keep your joy intact, in all situations, at all times, all day and you will surely have the victory!
Praise be to the Lord!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY The joy of the Lord is my strength
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, cause me to experience joy unspeakable
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Isa 12:3 (KJV)Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
How will you know if your lover truly loves you or not?
He will love God first
This is the first acid test to know whether a man would really love you appropriately or understands what love is.
Listen to me, guys, you will never be able to love a lady the right way until you love God first.
You don’t love a woman with money alone or with fame, otherwise, the love tangos of celebrities should have been successful, but that is not always the case. The fundamental cause of marriage failure among them is that they don’t know God.
God is love and love without God is no love, it becomes lust
Is he a God-lover? If he has issues with loving God, he will have issues with loving you. True love can only be shed abroad in your heart by the Spirit of God.
It is only the God factor in a man that won’t allow him to lift up his hands against his wife in the days on anger.
Will those days come? Yes, they will come, but what will restrain a man from the tendency of beating and battering his wife is that fear of God.
So then, Pastor, how do you know a man that loves God?
a. He would want to obey God always. If you love God, you will keep His commandments. That is what Jesus said. He wouldn’t be insisting on pre-marital sex.
b. He will serve God with his time. He wouldn’t be too busy to serve God in any capacity.
c. He will serve God with his finances. He will not struggle with tithe. That is how you know a man that really loves God.
d. He will listen to his pastor or mentor. If a man loves God, he wouldn’t have problems with the servants of God.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered. Kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals, kindly go HERE
e. He doesn’t joke with his devotional life. He knows that is the source of his strength in God.
f. He will not manipulate your emotions or try to use you. The fear of God in him would not allow all that.
g. He will not be “okay” with habitual sins. He will be uncomfortable with offending God in anyway.
h. He will not be able to accommodate strife for too long. He will be forgiving and will not be comfortable quarreling for extended number of days without feeling bad about that attitude.
I can go on and on but those are just a few.
At the background of all these, however is the fact that nobody is perfect, and nobody will have it all. You will never be able to see a man that has it all. We are all “works of project” in the making.
So there may be mistakes here and there, but you will see signs of genuine repentance and willingness to make adjustments.
At the height of all these, do you have peace? If you have peace, then go ahead, irrespective of some imperfections. When I say, imperfections, I don’t mean consistent habitual sins!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am led by the Spirit of God
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, teach me in the way to go and guide my feet into your plans
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “No one who abides in Him [ who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually ] commits (practices) sin. No one who [ habitually ] sins has either seen or known Him [ recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him ].” (1Jn 3:6, AMP)
That is the name he usually calls her. As he held her hands and looked into her eyes, Angie tried to look back into his eyes and beyond the words, to really find out if Buddy meant his words, but she couldn’t decipher anything.
“Well, I am not sure” replied Angie.
“Why would you say that,” Buddy said, still holding her hands.
“You are going for NYSC next week, I am not sure what you will come back with.”
“Oh, common, Angie, we have been together for four years now and by the grace of God, we will get married soonest. You have no reasons to doubt me.”
“I don’t doubt you, but I get scared sometimes.”
“Angie now, why would you be scared?”
“You know what happened….”
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered. Kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals, kindly go HERE
“Don’t go there!” Buddy cuts in, raising his voice a bit. “I have already asked for forgiveness and that it wouldn’t happen again. I thought you have forgiven me?”
And they went on and on.
Angie has her fears because of the mistake that Buddy made of recent with another girl that he slept with whom he initially claimed he was mentoring. How did a protégée end up in bed? What type of mentoring is that? There is a difference between a mentor and a tormentor!
Angie wasn’t sure whether it was a genuine mistake or a state of his heart. If it is a state of his heart, then he would still do it again.
But the dilemma is that you cannot enter a man’s heart.
Only someone knows the heart of a man, and that is God. Angie knows she would need God to really make up her mind, as she wouldn’t want to be hurt and disappointed again.
How do you know a man’s heart? How do you know a guy who loves you and will eventually marry you? That will be our subject of discourse tomorrow morning.
Don’t miss it!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am led by the Spirit of God
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, teach me in the way to go and guide my feet into your plans
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “No one who abides in Him [ who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually ] commits (practices) sin. No one who [ habitually ] sins has either seen or known Him [ recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him ].” (1Jn 3:6, AMP)
Here is a true story. A woman was having tremendous challenge in her matrimonial home. She had this friend she would always discuss with. The friend told her she is being stupid and that she needed to teach her husband a lesson by packing out. She did.
She packed out and later informed her Pastor what she has done. Her pastor told her to go back to her house before he would say anything. This is after a few days.
Out of respect for her Pastor, she obliged. She got back home with her loads and knocked. When the door was opened, lo and behold, the person she saw was her friend in a towel.
Life is about association. Your level of productivity is often determined by the people you associate with. The same way, your failure is sealed when you walk with foolish people who have no regard for God.
Your relationship decisions are influenced by the choice of your friends. The people you know and you have access to in the days of challenges will determine whether that challenge will crush you or will be crushed.
The relationship and marriage mentors you have will often be the thin line between divorce and victory in marriage.
Most often than not, your relationship or courtship will survive not based on your wisdom alone but on the wisdom you are able to garner from those that have done what you are trying to do. Do you have one?
If you associate for long with a monkey, you will learn how to jump on trees. If you lie down with a dog, you will rise up with fleas. It is all about laws of connections and relationships.
That boyfriend that is always paying for abortion as a result of jeru trip is really an enemy.
That friend that introduced you to that underground jeru trip chain so you can earn dollars is an enemy. You see, your destiny is in contention.
Who is your friend? Your friend is the definition and description of your life. The future of your friend is the picture of your future. Watch the friends you have. Friendship is by choice and not by force.
Can you confidently introduce your friends to your pastor or parents?
Most young people who suddenly find themselves in prostitution were not really decided on doing that, they were introduced by friends.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered. Kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals, kindly go HERE
If your friend is promiscuous, you will eventually become one. If your friend is a goal getter, you will eventually become one. The same way, if your friend is a gold digger, you will eventually become one.
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Pro 13:20 KJV
Message translation
Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.
Pro 13:20 MSG
You must review your friends from time to time. Any friend that is not adding value to you should be disconnected from.
Friendship is an issue of life and so friendship decisions must not be subjected to sentiments. A friend that is always looking out for ‘jists’ on the next bad thing is an enemy in disguise.
Someone once said that your wisdom level is the level of wisdom your circle of friends have. Someone else said that if you are the smartest among your friends, it is time to look for better friends because you are adding to them while you are gaining nothing.
May God grant us more understanding.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not associate with the wrong person.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to disconnect from those who are not adding to me in any way.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. (Proverbs 13:20 KJV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Disconnect from all wrong associations.
Whatever you eat is what you will use to live in your relationship. That is just the reality. You cannot afford to marry a starved person.
The short humorous video (extremely funny) below summarizes what we are looking at this morning. Take a moment to watch it right away
As a single, you have to find what to eat. This is a responsibility all believers have.
When you really want to eat, we are not talking about Golden Morn or nodules. You go for real food when you really want to “jeun soke!”
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered. Kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals, kindly go HERE
It is the same in the realm of the spirit. You have to sit down with God’s word and study extensively. You have to eat to your satisfaction. Eating well takes time in preparation.
Refusal to study God’s word can be likened to a watery stew that has no taste. There is nothing to enjoy there. Do you really want to enjoy your relationship? Then eat well and make sure you marry somebody who has spiritual stamina by reason of what he or she has eaten.
The smell of food never satisfies until you taste it. Tasting is never like eating.
When we hear a revelation on Television or in a conference that blesses us, you have just smelt it, now you need to go home and sit down to really make your own food based on the smell and then cook your own revelation. That is when you really get blessed.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Psa 63:5 (KJV)
People of God, this is how things work. Let’s get into real business as we eat well concerning areas where we are believing God.
May God grant you more understanding and bless the works of your hands today.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I receive the grace to eat well for my marital destiny
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Ask for wisdom and understanding
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Jeremiah 15:16 (KJV)Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
As a single, your greatest asset is not your hips, tips, boobs, complexion, baritone voice, your looks, skills, degrees, background, wealth, sonorous voice, beauty, or any other physical attribute.
It is your character.
Your character is the real you. Not who you profess to be or what people say you are. You can never run away from your character.
A Yoruba adage says, your character is like smoke, you can never hide it for too long. It will always surface.
Young ladies, don’t focus on that which is ephemeral. It is not a big deal to make yourself beautiful.
All you need is some good, quality make-up. A dark-skinned lady can become fair by virtue of the different toning creams available.
A guy can look polished, well packaged with all the six-packs, but really who is he?
A guy may look very responsible and mature, but may not be in actual fact. Remember looks can be deceptive.
The good news is that you can develop your character. You can develop a positive character that will add value to you and not make you a liability in marriage.
Nobody is left out of this quest to develop proper winning character. So don’t ever think you are alone or get overwhelmed with developing your character.
As singles, your priority is to put your strength to improve your character.
Some people will adamantly stick to the character flaws and excuse them away. Some will even pretend and push their negative characters deep down so people will not easily notice.
Whatever negative tendencies you have are to be confronted, dealt with, and replaced with positive ones.
There are a thousand and one character flaws. Some are very glaring, while others are very subtle and hidden.
Whichever way, every negative character will be brought to full view in marriage no matter how long it takes.
God and His word, with our cooperation can help us to develop positive character.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered. Kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals, kindly go HERE
Our present character is formed basically by our thoughts. Our thoughts become our words. Our words become our actions, our actions become our habits and our habits form our character.
We developed our present character through a process and it will also take a process to unlearn the negative character and develop new ones.
Roms 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom 12:2 (KJV)
In other words, we allow God’s word and His Holy Spirit to change our thoughts, which will change our words, which will change our actions, change our habits and then ultimately change our character.
No matter what your character is today, you can change it for good. The earlier you take up this task the better for you.
The character flaws you don’t deal with now as a single will roar at you in marriage.
Whatever bad tendencies you have now can be replaced with goodly and godly character.
As a single, you have no business chasing only funfair while your major course is left unattended. It’s a gross mistake, don’t fall for it.
Spider in the palace? That is sacrilegious! How did it get there? Who granted it entrance? Where are the palace guards? How dare such a creature be allowed into the most secured and guarded place?
It can’t just be. Maybe you did not see well. Or maybe you are hungry and you are taken by mirage or simply hallucinating. It can’t be! Spider sha? No way!
If you are even talking of a lion in all its, strength we can understand. If you say it’s an elephant, oh that is understandable, for who will dare stop the humongous beast from trampling on where it wants?
But a spider! Ordinary spider! Something I can crush with my leg. Spider ko, spider man ni!
But wow, there it is. The spider is actually in the palace!
How did it enter!
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
Pro 30:28 (KJV)
It’s by her hands! It’s by its skill. It’s by what it can do!
An entrance was granted to the spider by reason of the skill it brings to the table.
As singles, I want to encourage you this morning, identify a skill that is inherent and develop it. Maximize it. Don’t be laid back in life for life has no place for such people.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered. Kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals, kindly go HERE
Take hold with your hands like the spider and you will find yourself in palaces.
By the time you are thinking about marriage, you should have a definite stream of income! Nobody wants to marry a liability. That is a simple truth!
Go learn something! How to sew, bake, and such things as additional things you can do. There is money there!
And if you are particularly career-driven, then study more courses that will enhance your area of dexterity!
I pray God will give more understanding today in Jesus name
Have a blessed day!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am not lazy.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Teach me how to use my skill wisely oh Lord
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Psalms 78:72 (KJV) So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
Sense is described by Word Web dictionary as “The faculty through which the external world is apprehended”
As Buddy entered his friend’s house, you could tell he was excited. He was grinning from ear to ear he could almost eat Banana from the side of his mouth.
Woah! I have finally found my wife. I am so much in love with her. I asked her out and she said Yes.’
Daniel was happy for him.
‘When did you meet her?’ ‘Two hours ago.’
‘What is her name?’ ‘Lovett, I don’t know her surname.’
‘And you already asked her out?’ ‘Yes.’
‘And she said yes?’ ‘Of course now, what is the meaning of all these questions?’
‘Where is she from?’ ‘I don’t know. She must be from heaven.’
‘What does she do?’ ‘I don’t know, but she has hot legs!’
One other question that every single will be confronted with is the question of common sense.
You see, you are not supposed to fall in love with strangers. True love emanates from the knowledge of the characters involved. You hardly know somebody you just met some thirty minutes ago. True love should spring up from friendship.
God gave you a brain so that you will not disturb him on some issues that you can already find their answers in God’s Word.
‘I am so happy for you Comfort. Is he born again? ‘l don’t know but he goes to church.’
You don’t need somebody that you can’t even vouch for concerning Salvation. You need somebody that loves God!
‘He does not drink alcohol, he only takes Stout.’ ‘He does not do weed, just normal cigarettes. I will convert him after marriage.’
You see, you are not the Holy Spirit. Watch the person you fall in love with. Use your gumption. Spirituality does not mean stupidity or thoughtlessness. The scripture says that discretion will preserve you!
‘I have aborted for him three times, but I cannot leave him. I love him.’ But when he finally ruins your chances of giving birth, he will leave you! Wake up! The reason you cannot leave him or her is not because of love but because of low self-esteem and soul ties, wrong bonding that comes as a result of violating God’s principles as regards jeru trip.
‘I know I am number three on his list.’ So what are you still doing, playing a second fiddle, opening your legs to a man that you know can drop you anytime? You see, hear me, and quote me anywhere, you cannot use jeru trip to buy love. Jeru trip does not guarantee marriage. In fact, it reduces its chances.
Whoever told you that you are ugly? It is money you need! When God blesses you, you will know how beautiful you are! Guys never have problems with appearance, it is always ladies. Haven’t you seen guys with their legs like Hockey sticks, and yet wearing three-quarters short? They don’t care! And they will come and ask you out like that, and you are like, What?
You are not ugly! Beauty is in the beholder’s eyes. You are fearfully and wonderfully created, so says the scriptures. You will be wonderful to some people, and fearful to others, so never mind if someone calls you ‘ugly’ When you meet your spouse, you will be wonderful! So, believe in God and believe in yourself!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will apply discretion in every area of my relationship as God helps me
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, I ask that you give me wisdom and understanding in my relationship in Jesus name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Proverbs 11:29 [MSG] Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air; common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Have a hearty discussion with your lover today
Betty has always loved family life and she looked forward to marriage with tremendous ecstasy. Eventually she got married but did not enjoy one single day of her marriage. The reasons are not far-fetched. She is the type that wants her husband around her all the time. She is a in-the-home woman. But then she got married to a Military man because she loved Military weddings. It was just two weeks after her wedding that reality dawned on her. She had married a on-the-road man!
Her husband had to answer call of duty and he was gone for months.
The Bible clearly advises that when you want to go on a journey you should first of all take account and make plans.
A major question that needs to be answered as you prepare for marriage is the question of compatibility. Unfortunately, for most singles rather than look critically at these area, they’re busy concentrating on sexual compatibility, a flimsy excuse to indulge in pre-marital sex and satisfy the raging fire of lust in their soul.
Areas where compatibility issues needs to be critically examined include the following.
a. Intellectual compatibility Not a few marriages have been dissolved because of this issue. Marriage is about communication. The moment you are married to someone who is at a great intellectual distance as to the extent of inhibiting natural communication flow, it alters the whole configuration. The other spouse begins to look elsewhere to satisfy that need for intellectual discussions and before long, unholy alliance are formed which eventually becomes a distraction to the marriage. It is like meeting a legitimate need in an illegitimate way.
b. Cultural compatibility A lot of people would not want to hear about their children marrying from another tribe or ethnic group because of the experiences they have had. You see, the major problem is that people often advice others based on their experiences rather than on the principles of God’s word. I don’t see anything wrong in getting married from any tribe as long as you are led of God. You must however pay a lot of attention to parental consent. This is very crucial. What if your parents say an outright NO and you feel you are on the right path? Go to God in prayers. If it is really of God, He will sort it out Himself.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will apply discretion in every area of my relationship as God helps me
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, I ask that you give me wisdom and understanding in my relationship in Jesus name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Proverbs 11:29 [MSG]Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air; common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Have a hearty discussion with your partner today
We began this topic few days back. If you missed the part 1, you can read it here.
3. God speaks in the stillness
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
The waters represent the word of the living God. He would lead you by His word in your heart. He would not necessarily speak to you through thunder and lightening neither will He slap you to get your attention, He leads you gently and will never force you to do anything.
He would not speak outside His word. If you cannot hear Him, then you have not been beside the still waters. Maybe, it has been long since you opened your Bible!
The still waters is not in the romantic soap operas or in the football matches. It is not in Time Magazine neither is it in philosophical novels. Not even in John Grisham. If that is all you spend your time doing at the expense of God’s word, you will have a hard time knowing His voice.
You have to consciously dedicate some time for Him, in the mornings, afternoons or nights. You don’t need any pastor or prophet to help you see something. You can see for yourself and you are the prophet of your own life.
Your pastor is to teach and guide you, not give you direction! Your pastor is not to choose a spouse for you; he can give suggestions though. Direction only comes beside the still waters, in God’s word. When you want to hear Him clearly, study His word dearly!
4. Get healed of hurts from broken relationships
He restoreth my soul:
This is pivotal to a successful relationship. Even in marriage, couples can hurt each other so badly they would start considering divorce. Hurts from the treatment you got from you Ex needs healing before proceeding to another relationship, or else that new person will suffer in your hands as a result of the hurts.
How do you get healed of hurts? How do you forgive somebody that cheated you and manipulated you and you are so hurt that you could shoot such a person?
God offers you an invitation to be healed
He restoreth my soul:
Yes, everywhere your soul has been punctured and ruptured, every area where your emotions were trampled, sampled and wrecked, God can and will restore!
He restoreth my soul:
God will reset your soul to factory default, if you allow Him! He will give you the grace to heal from wounds, forgive those who hurt you so that you can move on with your life.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, guide my with your shepherding grace
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Psalm 46:11The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
I taught a message recently at our church on “What It Really Means To Jeun Soke! Below is a two-minute snippet from the message, which is the crux of today’s devotional. Kindly watch in two minutes before proceeding to read.
The two women decided to boil their children and eat! What could lead to this?
And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
2Ki 6:28-29 (KJV)
What could engender such wickedness in a mother to the extent of making a meal out of her child? Women are not known for such expressions of wickedness and callousness? A woman’s love for her child is established.
But in the above scenario, mother’s love was thrown out of the window!
One of the women actually played out the script, her child was boiled, served, and eaten!
What led to this point where a mother was forced to do something abnormal is famine. They were famished and all sense of decorum flew away. Hunger led them into a place where absurdity took over.
Dear singles, you cannot allow your spirit man to be famished. The reason you find yourself in scenarios where you do things without mercy and consideration is because of spiritual hunger.
May you not get to the point where you boil your posterity.
You’ve got to learn to dive into God’s word and “Jeun Soke!
You’ve got to eat well before you embark on the journey of marriage, just as the angel encouraged Elijah to eat well because of the journey.
May God grant more understanding.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not starve my spirit man
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray for strength to stay with the word
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Jer 29:11 [AMP]For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
There is something personal about that. “The Lord is my…” It didn’t say the Lord is “our shepherd.”
“He is my….”
He will attend to me personally. He does not deal with me generally. Only God can do that. He attends to billions of people with billions of requests in billions of places at the same time without missing a beat or wiping sweat off His brow. He doesn’t make mistakes. He would not mistakenly give me a bicycle when my request was for a car.
The shepherding grace of God then is what I enjoy when I have a personal relationship with God, not just by being a member of a church.
The first thing I need to do then is to develop a conscious relationship with God, who is my shepherd.
No wonder Jesus Christ said:
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
John 10:14
There must of necessity be a personal knowing, a connectedness, a relationship with God upon which every successful courtship and marriage will stand.
He will personally attend specifically to my marital needs. He knows who I am, who I need, and who I don’t need!
He is my shepherd!
2. He wants your submission and obedience
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He wants you to lie down and feed on His Word, and He doesn’t want you running around all over the place. Adam couldn’t get a wife until He slept. Some of us are just too awake. Sometimes, you just need to be still and know that He is God and that He is your shepherd.
It is not only your toasting skill that will get you a spouse, sometimes it is just your ability to be still and follow His direction. It is not all about the dressing and the perfumes alone, there is a place for His fragrance which comes by His favour!
Psalm 46:10Be still, and know that I am God:
Message translations says, “Step out of the traffic…”
That is why He calls you a sheep, even though you might not like that particular creature. You probably prefer a lion. But the sheep actually shows the true vulnerability of the Homo-Sapien. However, the sheep that stay with the shepherd is even more powerful than the lion!
Stay obedient to Him!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want a good spouse
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, guide me with your shepherding grace to find the right spouse.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Psalm 46:11The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Read and meditate on Psalm 23
This article is continued from yesterday. If you missed yesterdays devotional, you can read it here.
Will one ever get to a place in life where doubt is completely extricated and will never occur again?” Like take a gun and shoot doubt forever and ever?
Well, the answer is a big NO. Doubt will still come, whether you like it or not. But it is now your choice to discard it or embrace it.
How do we deal with doubt and how can it be prevented?
1. The first thing to note is that you should never take a step until you are sure of God’s plan! That way, you are rock solid when doubt surfaces because you already know what you are doing. Let doubts come from a thousand ends, you remain steadfast because you already heard God and His word that you heard would stabilize you and become an anchor to your soul.
2. Don’t fall in love anyhow. Fall in love with common sense and with your eyes open.
3. Do not despise the wisdom of authority figures in your life. They may not be right all the time, but God can often use their voice to speak to you and keep you from making costly mistakes.
4. Read God’s word regularly. That is what will stabilize your soul. Pray as well and speak in tongues a lot.
What do you do if you are already in doubt?
1. Take time to go back to God in prayers and listen to Him talk to you again.
2. Fast if necessary and spend time in God’s presence until you hear Him
3. Clean up your life from all forms of sexual compromises. Jeru trip and other sexual sins will usually bring confusion and with confusion, there will be huge kettles of doubt in your mind.
4. If you are married and doubt keeps coming, the solution is not to walk out of your marriage. Rather, stay with your spouse and refuse to entertain doubts. Go to God in prayers and renew your covenant with God. See doubt as an attempt from the devil to render your prayers ineffective, so guard against it.
Lastly, how can one be sure that a decision is of God?
The acid test is what is called “peace”
Take a look at this scripture:
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:7 KJV)
Amplified Version:
“And God’s peace [ shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace ] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
(Php 4:7, AMP)
Did you see that? This peace that comes as an assurance of God’s voice concerning a decision will become like an army officer to your soul, It will mount guard and disallow any doubt from accessing your mind. Glory to God!
My prayer for you this morning is that you will indeed hear God. I speak against every confusion in your life, no more in Jesus name! I come against every plan of the devil, every intent of hell, every strategy of the evil one, no more in your life in Jesus name!
I speak peace to every storm in relationships, and I pray for God’s divine intervention in Jesus name!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am not confused.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray that every doubt will be destroyed
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” (Php 4:7, MSG)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Spend time in God’s presence
BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY 2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalm 136
It happens all the time. You fall in love, you make commitments, in some cases, wedding plans begin, and then like a mighty tornado from nowhere, doubt hits you like you hit someone with a sledge hammer.
I thought I was in love! Where is this doubt coming from? O Lord, help me!
It even gets more confusing when compromise or specifically, sex is involved. You hardly know what to do. On one hand, you think you love him or her, but when you think about your future together, a lump rises in your throat and a subtle fear meanders in the inner crevices of your mind.
What do you do at such times? This is what we want to look at this morning.
At what points do doubts occur? Here are some:
1. A relationship is outside of God’s will and God needed to get your attention.
2. A relationship is actually God’s will, but the devil wants to confuse you so that you can step out of that will.
3. You have huge and sometimes unrealistic expectations and unfortunately the expectations are far from being realised.
4. You are in a relationship and it is God’s plan for you, but somewhere along the line, you are caught in sex. The devil would usually bring guilt trips and if you stay habitually in the compromise, confusion will enter the soul and you won’t know your left from right.
5. You are not informed and you are ignorant of your basic spiritual rights, you will easily get confused and yield to doubt.
6. You start a relationship or courtship without seeking God’s will. That conviction would not be there and doubts would have an upper hand.
7. You sought direction about your marriage from some prophet without a personal adventure in seeking God’s face.
8. You go into a relationship or marriage in order to escape from something. After your escape,then you start asking whether you really love the person.
9. All your mentors, pastor, and even parents are against the marriage except you. Doubt will surely come eventually.
10. Marriage is not all about roses and flowers, when the thorns show up, they usually come in the basket of doubt.
The next thing is “will one ever get to a place in life where doubt is completely extricated and will never occur again?” Like take a gun and shoot doubt for ever and ever?
I will talk about that tomorrow.
Don’t miss it.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am not confused.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray that every doubt will be destroyed
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” (Php 4:7, MSG)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Spend time in God’s presence
BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY 2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalm 136
According to Wikipedia, A player who has been cautioned (with yellow card) may continue playing in the game; however, a player who receives a second caution in a match is sent off (shown the yellow card again, and then a red card), meaning that he must leave the field immediately and take no further part in the game.
Case 1 You are in a relationship but your lover is not interested in the things of God like before, realizes this and is trying to work on it.
As a counselor or referee, I will surely bring out a card and it will be: YELLOW!
He or she can continue in the relationship because of the willingness to work on it and consciously do something about it.
Case 2 Your lover is not interested in the things of God like before, but is open to counsels and is really seeking mentoring.
It will surely be a yellow card – a warning because he or she is open to correction.
Case 3 Your lover is not interested in the things of God but thinks he is okay and is not open to any advice. The card is: RED! It is dangerous to give your heart to such a person, because he or she already showed you who he is.
It is fool-hardy to continue in a relationship with such a person.
Case 4 You have caught him lying on you once. The card will be: YELLOW!
There is a possibility it’s a mistake. But time will tell.
Case 5 You have caught him or her lying and cheating on you severally. Nothing other than: RED! He or she is not likely to change soon. Walk out of such relationship and then do a thanksgiving!
May God bless you!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am discerning Lord
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Open my eyes, Lord
THOUGHT OF THE DAY Php 1:9-10 (KJV) And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; [10] That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Go through the list of your friends and make decisions
This morning, I want to challenge us as we begin a new week to not allow the devil to negotiate you out of the best that God has for you!
My teaching is taken from the below short clip.
The scripture there is
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
Gen 1:22 (KJV)
These were the first words of God to humanity! You can’t allow any nonsense from the devil! Don’t allow him to negotiate with you and come up with all kinds of excuses why your relationship is not working, why nobody is coming your way, why there is an unnecessary delay, and so on and so forth!
Why is the scripture above so important!
This was God’s instructions from the beginning!
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1Jn 1:1 (KJV)
Go back to what God said in the beginning and hold on to that! All other suggestions, instructions, manipulations, adaptations, conclusions, and deductions are inferior to the very first words that proceeded from God!
If your relationship is not fruitful, then something has been tampered with and you cannot settle for it!
It is either fruitfulness or fruitfulness!
And the verse above listed the process involved; hear it, see it, look upon it and let your hands handle it!
This week, I am praying for you, whatever it is that stares you in the face, be it your business, relationship, carrier, ministry, or whatever it is, I declare fruitfulness in Jesus name!
That will be your portion this week in Jesus name! Have a great and fulfilling week!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I refuse to cooperate with the devil
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, take my relationship to how you intended it in the beginning
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 1 John 1:1[ESV] That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life
One way you can achieve this is by rejecting the victim mentality in your relationship.
There are people who live with a victim mentality. It is not a good place to be. It is a negative mentality, an unfortunate place to be.
The guy with the victim mentality goes into a relationship expecting it to break up. The lady with victim mentality expects to be heartbroken, expects to be disappointed, and expects to be jilted.
Somehow, that person is addicted to pain. Until he or she is treated in some bad way, he or she is bored. It is a contradiction. He or she prays against pain but then looks forward to it through actions and in-actions. Such a person enjoys the depression and despondency that comes after being hurt.
So the person indirectly positions himself or herself to be hurt. Even when the hurt is not forthcoming, he ensures something happens that will create the scenario.
It is a victim mentality, a time-waster, a destiny twister.
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Num 13:33 (KJV)
How did these people know that they were like grasshoppers in other people’s eyes? It was their belief system.
When you go into a relationship with this mentality, the break up is guaranteed.
This mentality and feeling must be rejected.
Don’t go into a relationship believing that you will be abused. Don’t go into a relationship believing that you will be jilted. Don’t go into a relationship believing that you will be cheated and conned.
Don’t go into a relationship believing that you will be dumped and discarded. Don’t go into a relationship when you don’t even love yourself.
Believe the best of God. Love believes the best. Give yourself some hope, stay positive and constantly declare God’s word over your life.
I will stop here this morning.
May God bless your relationship!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY
I am loved of God
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, take away from me every negative spirit
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Num 13:33 (MSG) Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants (the Anak giants come from the Nephilim). Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers.”
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Confession God’s word over your life
1. Dating is an appointment between two people (not in a hotel or some guest house)
2. Dating is a meeting to conduct a long-range interview with the purpose of knowing a person.
3. The purpose of dating is to eliminate all surprises eventually if a romantic relationship ensues.
4. Dating seeks to know the person, not the body.
5. Dating is a discovery of who the person is, not what is under the clothes.
6. Once jeru trip is involved, the mind enters into confusion and you can no longer trust your judgment.
7. Dating seeks all information as regards the person in consideration, medical, spiritual, and all.
8. Dating helps you not to fall in love blindly.
9. Dating is perfectly okay for a child of God. However, meeting in his place or at some ungodly hour is not dating! When you are in a guy’s territory, anything can happen.
10. Finally, after dating, take everything back to God. Do all of this before any emotion is involved and let God guide you by His peace!
God bless your relationship.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not be deceived
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, guide me by your shepherding grace
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 2Ti 2:22 (KJV) Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Talk to God every step of the way
Dressing matters a lot. Somebody said the way you dress is the way you will be addressed. Take a look at the below video and then we will get into this:
This video says it all. In no way should people come to church and then be distracted. Distractions are understandable out there, but certainly not in church!
People really want to come to church and be able to focus. You see, we need to understand this especially the ladies.
You see ladies don’t understand that men are moved by sight. The hanging cleavage, the rolling eyes, the flashing laps, the batting eyelids, the chewing of gum and smirking of lips, the seductive dance and gyrating.. all of these and more are killing for an average man.
Some people will say that dressing does not really matter, but the scriptures says otherwise.
Joseph had to change his raiment when he was summoned to the palace from the prison.
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
Gen 41:14 (KJV)
Joseph needed to change his clothes for his new address.
You have to be excited about your life, yes, your own life. You have been excited about other people’s lives, their achievements, their talents, their beauty, their intelligence and so on. It’s time you begin to get excited at God’s wonder called YOU.
Look into the mirror, and celebrate the lady or guy you see at the other side. Most times, we pretend to be too busy not to give a few second’s glance to appreciate ourselves.
Behind that busyness is an avoidance to notice how special and unique you are.
Life is in phases and the last minute that just went by now can never be re -lived again. It is gone forever. Whatever phase you are in, it is worth celebrating. Learn to capture moments, pause and celebrate the major character called you.
You are the major character that the whole of heavens is intently looking at. Your best days are not behind you, your best moment is here and here now. Tomorrow is a promissory note, but today is a gift.
Celebrate yourself because you made it through the night season and you are here now. Even if you are not sure how tomorrow will look like, you don’t have to forfeit the today you can see now.
I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.
Psa 139:14 (AMP)
Get excited about yourself and build a positive self-esteem and a positive atmosphere around you. Others will perceive this and it will make you attractive to them. When you get excited about your life, you are not living at the mercy of others. What people say or think about you does not really matter.
Some people are approval addicts. They go about seeking people’s approval. People that look forward to other people’s approval are never excited. They are too busy, pre-occupied with who is appreciating them. They are always looking for company.
Learn to be your best company. Some people can’t dance all by themselves in their own company. Some can’t laugh or give a little dance step all by themselves.
Ask yourself, can you recognize yourself if you were in another body? Some people don’t know half about the person under their skin.
You are great and unique. You are beautiful. You are talented. You are smart. You can make the right choices. You are intelligent. You are wise.
One of the reasons celebrating yourself is also good is that it keeps you in check. You cannot be smoking, drinking, gambling, having multiple sexual partners and be celebrating yourself at the same time. They don’t go together. When you get excited about your life, it helps you make better choices and vice versa.
Five ways to get excited about your life.
1. Be a grateful person A thankful heart is an excited heart.
2. Be real. Don’t live a fake life Seek help where necessary. Don’t fool yourself covering up or hiding some habitual sins. A double life cannot be an excited life. Seek counsel.
3. Be ready to learn every day Learn how to live life. There is a better way you don’t know. Learning makes life better.Learn more to have and be able to make better choices.
4. Be excited about knowing God Until you are excited about God and excited about knowing Him, you cannot be excited about your life. God is the author of your life, a discovery of Him is a discovery of your life.
5. Be ready to make better choices daily Your choices will make you. Right from the choice of thoughts you permit in your mind, to your words, your actions, your habits and of cause, your character. You can only be excited about your life when you have handled well all these other choices.
Never beat yourself down even when you fall or make a mistake. Be ready to go over the process again and you will see yourself getting excited about your life once again.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am wonderfully made
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, give me inner strength
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Psa 139:14 (MSG) I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation!
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Pray about God’s plan for your life
