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.
As you read this, let every hurt and bitterness that you have towards God and man go, for it is an attempt of the devil to draw you into deception and depression. God is gracious! He is willing to stoop low to bless you. As a Father, He is full of compassion. When you begin to think about this, it is amazing how you will experience that compassion. God is good towards you. You are the work of His hands.
Rather than get bitter toward God, think about how His goodness and compassion will get you out of any mess.
As a single, you might have been abused or violated before you reached the age of accountability. Rather than give up and be regarded as part of the unfortunate statistics of sexual abuse, rise from that abyss, get out of the doldrums of yester-years, and look unto Him that is able to save to the uttermost.
He will embrace you and wipe the tears off your face. He will heal every wound, take all bitterness away from your heart, and bring out the best in you.
Think about it. Believe it. His tender mercies are over you. Respond to His love and experience the tender love of divinity coming upon your humanity.
You see, in order to enjoy that fullness of God’s love, you have to synergize with God and cooperate with His principles.
I see you rising from that problem that has kept you down for long. I see light dawning upon your soul. I see God’s word percolating every pressure and dismantling them.
His love is awesome. Thank him for His love. Forget about what you are going through, and dwell on what He went through for you! It changes the whole equation, and the devil will retreat. You will come to know that it is only by responding to God’s love that you understand how to love others and how to be loved!
I see you having victory!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I position myself to benefit from God’s tender mercies. Goodness and mercy are following me.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY I uproot every root of bitterness from my life in Jesus Name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY You are merciful, LORD! You are kind and patient and always loving. You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation. (Psa 145:8-9 CEV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make a list of all who have offended you in the past. Consciously let go and forgive them. It might not look easy, but do it all the same.
Every day comes with its pressures. The environment, economy and so many other factors affect an average man in a general sense. This becomes even compounded when you refuse to do things and work by the principles of God the Father. The issues take on a spiritual dimension. When you have to face physical pressures and spiritual battles, you can get wearied quickly.
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. – (Psa 145:8-9 KJV)
There are times you feel that you are not supposed to face issues and pressures because you are a child of God. But the question is, “did Jesus face pressure while he was on earth? Did everybody believe straightaway that He is the son of God? Did Paul face pressure? What about our spiritual fathers? Did they face any? What of the Patriarchs? Abraham, Moses, David? What of the prophets? You see, there will always be pressures!
However, Jesus made a beautiful statement when he said:
DO NOT let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me. – Joh 14:1 AMP
Are you troubled to an extent you are wondering whether God has gone on holiday? You might be single, dating, or courting. There is one constant truth you must not forget. It is the nature of God.
The devil strives to present a wrong picture of who God is to us. He knows that once we have a blurred vision of who God is to us, then we will not be able to enjoy the limitless blessings that God has for us.
But, I have to let you know this; God’s love for you is ever unchanging. He loves you absolutely and resolutely.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am loved of God. His tender mercies are over me. God will satisfy me early with His mercies. He is gracious and He is full of compassion.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, satisfy me early with your mercies.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY You are merciful, LORD! You are kind and patient and always loving. You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation. (Psa 145:8-9 CEV)
ACTION PLANFOR THE DAY Make a list of all who have offended you in the past. Consciously let go and forgive them. It might not look easy, but do it all the same.
Is he or she insisting on pre-marital sex? That is a distraction! You are surely not going to the same place and there is no point holding on in that kind of relationship.
You see, you have to know that except the Lord build a house, they labour in vain that build. If you don’t do it God’s way, all your ‘investments’ of time, money and energy on that relationship will go down the drain. Without God, there would be agony and heartache. A home without God is a playground for the devil and his cohorts.
As singles, you need to know it does not only take money or business acumen to run a marriage. It takes money, yes, plus a lot of wisdom and tact founded on a solid relationship with God. It takes a lot of prayers and determination to love your spouse always!
I pray for you this morning that every distraction on the path of your destiny is destroyed in Jesus name. God will strengthen you and give you all-round victory in Jesus name. May the eyes of your understanding be enlightened to see what you need to know to take you to the next level in God!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I receive grace to cut away from relationships that will distract and pull me back.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, help me today to choose to walk with people who are in agreement with my destiny.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. Mat 18:19 MSG
ACTION PLANFOR THE DAY Write the names of your 10 closest friends. Strikeout the names of those who are not going in the same direction as you are going.
The wisest king of Israel once said that two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labour. That is if they are going the same way
If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is all alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up. Again, if two people lie down together, they can keep warm, but how can one person keep warm? Though one person may be overpowered by another, two people can resist one opponent. A triple-braided rope is not easily broken. A young man who is poor and wise is better than an old, foolish king who won’t take advice any longer. A young man came out of prison to rule as king, even though he had been born in poverty in that same kingdom. Ecc 4:10-14 GW
But the pertinent question is which two? Is it just any two? It is definitely not so.
God asked a question, and He is still asking in Amos 3:3. Can two walk together except they agree? When God asks a question, it is not because He does not know the answer, but because He wants you and me to think about the question.
Before you enter that relationship, you need to ask yourself four very important questions.
1. Can he/she go with me?
2. Will he/she go with me?
3. Can he/she grow with me?
4. Will he/she grow with me?
If the two of you are not going the same way, then you do not have a business with that person no matter how handsome or beautiful the person is.
Is your decision based on attraction or direction? Your marital journey is sweeter and smoother when the two of you are going to the same place. Your focus and vision are single. You have the advantage of cooperation and joint effort. You are not pulling at each other, distracting yourselves, and moving contrary to each other.
The pain in your relationship may be a signal that you are not going the same way. Please, do not ignore these signals.
If he/she is not born again and you are, it is a dangerous sign. Don’t say yes to an unbeliever or one with a different spiritual standing.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I receive grace to cut away from relationships that will distract and pull me back.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, help me today to choose to walk with people who are in agreement with my destiny.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. Mat 18:19 MSG
ACTION PLANFOR THE DAY Write the names of your 10 closest friends. Strike out the names of those who are not going the same direction as you are going.
The single man also needs to be connected to God because only God can give you direction to find a true wife.
The Bible talks about strange women, the Bible talks about adulterous women, and the Bible talks about evil men.
The Bible talks about wicked men whose tender mercies are cruel. You need God’s direction in order to choose rightly. Anybody can pretend in the pre-marriage years. Wrong attitudes and defective behavioural patterns can be shielded because you are in love. You will need God all the way.
He wants to favour you as a result of marriage. Your spouse is supposed to be a blessing and not a curse, an addition and not a minus. God is waiting for you, acknowledge Him in your relationship and courtship and you will experience favour.
Do it in God’s way and you will see favour! Don’t succumb to pressures from the environment and friends to compromise, be patient and be prayerful, so that you can rejoice at the end of the day.
Keep your virtue; don’t sleep around in your bid to find love or money, run back to God. You may think you are too far gone, but there are no such things in God, for Jesus is able to save from the gutter-most to the uttermost!
Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them. –Hebrews 7:25 (AMP)
Despite all you might have done, God has not condemned you, He loves you too much to leave you alone and He loves you too much to see you stay where you have been.
It’s time to move up in God! God’s love for you remains unshaken and all you need to do now is talk to Him. You will see calmness descend on your soul as you invite Jesus into your life, you will almost feel the burdens lifted and He will become a father to you indeed!
This week and beyond, you will walk in God’s favour in Jesus name! Every struggle is removed in Jesus name!
Like a shield, God will surround you with His favour and He will surprise you this week, especially in your finances. That’s specifically for someone! You can as well just worship Him for that!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I do not rely on my own understanding. I put my trust in God. He will direct me today. I am not confused; God’s light from His word is dawning upon my soul. I have favour in my relationship. I have favour in my marriage. I am favoured, and I am a favour channel.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY God, help me to choose rightly. According to your word, O Lord, I am a favour factor to my spouse I nullify every negative power working against the counsel of God for my relationship. I declare RESTORATION of all that has been lost.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY You may inherit all you own from your parents, but a sensible wife is a gift from the LORD. Proverbs 19:14 (CEV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Take a pragmatic inventory before you make that proposal or before you give your consent, ask yourself whether God is involved. If God is not involved, it may not be worth it.
One of the ways God blesses us is through His favour upon us. There is nothing like having favour with God and favour with men! This favour comes when you are consistent with God and you live your life based on His principles.
This favour becomes activated when you refuse to trust in your own way of doing things and you decide to put your trust in Him as your father and the lover of your soul.
When you are out of this favour, struggles become the order of the day.
Relationships and marriage as designed by God are not supposed to be a nemesis, a source of agony and tales of regrets. It is supposed to usher you into favour!
Find a good spouse, you find a good life, and even more: the favour of GOD! –Proverbs 18:22 (MSG)
Favour is one factor you cannot joke with. Even Jesus had to increase in favour before God and man to be successful while on earth. Dear Single, Are You A Favour Factor?
Marriage then is a wonderful opportunity and a license into this favour. God is saying here that when you get married, you enter into favour.
No wonder the devil is constantly fighting the marriage institution. He is fighting your relationships because he does not want you to experience the favour factor in your marriage.
He tries to confuse a man as to who to find, how to find and where to find. He tries to make sure that the lady is not findable.
It is not the wedding ceremony that makes the lady a wife. That verse says, ‘He that finds a wife,’ which means you must become a wife material before you can be found.
That is when you are ready to be given out. Can a man look at you and say, you are the good that I am looking for?
Lady, are you a favour factor? You have to be with the Lord before you can be given to the man from the Lord! Until you are connected to God fully and completely, you cannot fulfil this purpose of being a favour from the Lord to your husband.
Dear Single, Are You A Favour Factor?
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I do not rely on my own understanding. I put my trust in God. He will direct me today. I am not confused; God’s light from His word is dawning upon my soul. I have favour in my relationship. I have favour in my marriage. I am favoured, and I am a favour channel.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY God, help me to choose rightly. According to your word, O Lord, I am a favour factor to my spouse I nullify every negative power working against the counsel of God for my relationship. I declare RESTORATION of all that has been lost.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY You may inherit all you own from your parents, but a sensible wife is a gift from the LORD. Proverbs 19:14 (CEV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Take a pragmatic inventory before you make that proposal or before you give your consent, and ask yourself whether God is involved. If God is not involved, it may not be worth it.
Continuing from yesterday on friends, we began by using Amnon and Jonadab as our case study.
…maybe if his friend had not given him that counsel, he might have lived longer. So the question is, who is your friend? Your friend is the definition and description of your life. Watch the friends you have. Friendship is by choice and not by force.
If you are still single and probably living with your parents, can you confidently introduce your friend to your parents? If your friend is a goal-getter, he will influence you. If she is a gold digger, she will also influence you.
A friend is defined as a person you know well and regard with affection and trust. So you really want to be careful who is covering your back.
Don’t lie down with dogs or else you rise with fleas. Disconnect from those distracting your destiny. The one telling you that you cannot be rich unless you sell your body is not a friend.
The one telling you that you are a bush girl for being a virgin is a foe disguising as an enemy. The one telling you to cheat on your spouse and taste stolen waters is not a mentor but a tormentor of destiny!
The one telling you that you cannot make it unless you become crooked and con is not really a friend.
A good friend will bring progress into your life, but a bad friend will usher you into retrogression!
I love these translations of Proverbs 13:20
Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces. –Proverbs 13:20 (MSG)
Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined. –Proverbs 13:20 (GNB)
So make up your mind today. Disconnect and reconnect where necessary. Friendship begins with friendship with Jesus. He will then lead you and guide and help you choose good friends who will add to your destiny.
May God, the lover of your soul guide you to choose good friends that will advance your life!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have the strength to disconnect from bad influences. I will no longer be subject to weak and beggarly elements. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I have God’s Spirit and He helps me to choose my friends. I am not naïve, I am decisive in God.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY God, deliver me from the snares and traps of wrong association. Open the eyes of my understanding, O Lord, and flood my heart with your light.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY There are friends who may be a man’s destruction, but there is a lover who keeps nearer than a brother. – Proverbs 18:24
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make a list of your friends. The good, and the bad. Keep the good and disconnect from the bad ones. It is your choice.
Friends are powerful. They can make or Mar. In history, friends have been known to be foes in disguise, while perceived foes have turned out to be great friends.
Friends are a great influence, and they will influence for good or for worse. You may not be able to choose the circumstances of your birth and the milieu of your family, but you can choose who you want as friends and discard those who are parasites.
But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. -2Samuel 13:3
Amnon died a premature death. Ever before his light could shine, the flames were extinguished in a fit of the revengeful act. He lost the opportunity to bloom and blossom, his destiny was cut short, and his potential never saw the light of day.
He was a prince, a king’s son, but his royal blood was wasted, and his life terminated in the midst of days.
Amnon wouldn’t have died, if he has not been advised by a ‘friend’ Years before, he had heeded a counsel from a FRIEND whose counsel eventually canceled his destiny.
Jonadab was his friend, but his friend became the source of his nemesis. He had hopelessly fallen in love with his half-sister to the point of sickness. Jonadab advised him on how to get his sister’s attention. Singles, Be Careful How You Choose Your Friends
He followed his friend’s advice, feigned sickness, and eventually raped Tamar, his half-sister. Absalom who is also Tamar’s brother made sure he revenged. He went too far.
Two years down the line when Amnon thought all was gone and forgotten, Absalom ensured his murder. He murdered him. Singles, Be Careful How You Choose Your Friends
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have the strength to disconnect from bad influences. I will no longer be subject to weak and beggarly elements. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I have God’s Spirit and He helps me to choose my friends. I am not naïve, I am decisive in God.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY God, deliver me from the snares and traps of wrong association. Open the eyes of my understanding, O Lord, and flood my heart with your light. I will choose rightly, I will not marry wrong.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY There are friends who may be a man’s destruction, but there is a lover who keeps nearer than a brother. – Proverbs 18:24
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make a list of your friends. The good and the bad. Keep the good and disconnect from the bad ones. It is your choice.
SINGLES – How To Survive Hurts And Disappointments
Continued from yesterday…
Forgiveness is releasing the offender in your heart only to discover you are freeing yourself. The offender or the person that hurt has moved on, and it is even probable he might meet Jesus along the way, retrace his steps and do well. It is you that must not resign to fate because of some past occurrences, let go and let God!
Why must you forgive hurts? God says so. You also want Him to forgive you anyway.
It will be too much to hold a person or persons in bitterness in your heart. Free yourself and allow God who is the re-writer of history to rewrite your life. Allow God who can collapse years to recompense every lost year. Allow God who is the restorer to help you to the point that you will forget the shame of your youth!
Yes, he really hurt you. He jilted you. She deceived you. He pushed you into abortions. She eloped with your money. He raped you. Your cousin violated you. Your big sister abused you. Your father slept with you. Your house-help did this and that…the issues are endless…It has happened!
Don’t ostracize yourself like Mephibosheth to Lo-debar, a land of no communication because he was dropped by his caretaker and broke his ankles. Rather, allow God to make a message out of the mess. Allow Him to turn the mistakes into miracles. That is How To Survive Hurts And Disappointments.
Allow God to birth a dream out of the doom. Allow him to showcase you to the world that when He covers anybody with His glory, the shame and the embarrassments become a thing of the past, and the broken become masters at mending.
The first step is to forgive hurts. I pray for strength for you today in your inner man to let go. Some of you have bottled it for years and it has kept you captive like when a lion holds its prey at the jugular.
Don’t allow bitterness and strife to lock their jaws on you and keep you immobilized. If you need somebody to talk with to initiate the healing process, feel free to give me a call on +234 802 3507395. If I don’t pick up your calls, keep trying, I might be in a meeting.
Don’t just become a survivor. Become a forgiver!
It’s a new day for you!
You will succeed!
Your life will be a testimony!
You are blessed!
How To Survive Hurts And Disappointments
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My future is colorful and bright. I will not allow an unforgiving spirit to rob me of it. I receive grace to forgive all hurts and offense
PRAYERS FOR TODAY Lord, I ask you to give me a loving heart like Jesus. Give me a heart that forgives hurts and prays for those who despitefully use us.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Mat 6:14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make a list and forgive all and don’t keep an unforgiving spirit
SINGLES – How To Survive Hurts And Disappointments
Today’s devotional is about a decision we all have to make. Some people have been badly abused, cheated and taken for granted in their past relationships. They feel justified to hold their offenders in unforgiving spirit but the truth is that an unforgiving spirit holds you as a prisoner to the past.
You cannot be pregnant of yesterday and expect to deliver of your tomorrow and enjoy your today. Nature detest vacuum. It is either your heart is filled with the bitterness of yesterday or filled with the joy of today and the hope of tomorrow.
Some of you were rejected and forgotten by your fathers. Some of our mothers were not there when we needed them. They failed in their responsibilities to bring us up. Some mothers even abandon their babies. Some of those we love and hold in respect disappointed us, even abused and violated us.
For some, a trusted friend, aunty, brother, sister, cousin or even a fiancee betrayed your loyalty.
No matter the case, God understands. He knows the pain of the hurts. He loves you so much as you are but He also loves you too much to leave you the way you are. He desires your healing.
Remember He is a Doctor, the Physician. Doctors prescribe the medication for your recovery. The patient will have to trust the expertise of the doctor to receive his health back. No matter how painful or bitter the medication is, the patient has to follow through patiently. You endure the pain knowing it is just for a while…
Most medicines, injections, drips, operations or any recovery procedure are not palatable, but because our health is also very important, we endure them all.
I want you to see yourself as a patient today and Jesus as the doctor, telling you to forgive as a medication to heal your hurts and make you free again to live, love and laugh.
Remember you are not perfect either and always need the gift of forgiveness from God. The fact is that as long as you are still alive, you will hurt people, people will hurt you and you will need each other’s forgiveness.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My future is colourful and bright. I will not allow an unforgiving spirit to rob me of it. I receive grace to forgive all who have hurt and offended me
PRAYERS FOR TODAY Lord, I ask you to give me a loving heart like Jesus. Give me a heart that forgives and prays for those who despitefully use us.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Mat 6:14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make a list and forgive all and don’t keep an unforgiving spirit
The Samaritan woman had met so many men… but then when she met the man, the lover of her soul, she couldn’t but express the difference that turned her life around!
The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man… -John 4:28-29 (KJV)
Respond to God’s love today. Refuse the emotion of guilt! You see the moment you have asked your father to forgive you, He forgives and forgets. The devil tries to bring guilt so that you can feel unworthy and thereby prevent you from coming into God’s presence boldly.
But you see, this issue is a family affair! If your earthly father has forgiven you of an offense, what else can the servant in the house say? You simply tell him to shut up!
That is the way you handle the devil. It’s none of his business. God forgave you, period.
Tell the devil to shut up, it’s between you and your father, it’s a family affair and it is settled! He should stop poke nosing.
The blood of Jesus handled it already! If he tries to remind you of your past, remind him of his future, it’s the bottomless pit! Make sure you stop sinning.
That is what God does not want, continuous and habitual sins. Grace cannot abound when sin continues! Only hearken to what Jesus said to that adulterous woman caught in the act.
… And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. –John 8:11 (KJV)
The fact is that you did something wrong.
The lie is that you will never be forgiven.
The truth is that you are already forgiven and it is forgotten! Embrace the truth today and let it set you free! Truth is superior to the fact!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY Sin will not have dominion over me. I am able to follow God’s injunctions. I put my body under. All my sins are forgiven. I am a new a creature
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, strengthen me in my inner man. Help me to comprehend with all the saints what is the length, breadth and height, and depth of your love for me.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY He touched my mouth with the coal and said, “Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out.” –Isaiah 6:7 (MSG)
Having to start your day by asking God for forgiveness daily can be very frustrating, especially when you know you are going to commit the sin again.
Self-condemnation comes once we violate God’s principles. This self condemnation will surface at unexpected times. Most times, young folks get involved in premaritalee before marriage in order to express their freedom or liberty.
In the end, the purpose is defeated, because the very freedom they seek to express will be lost to emotional captivity and slavery. Freedom from a guilty conscience will be gone.
Years ago, a lady sat before me. She was genuinely troubled. She felt God would never forgive her because she was involved in pre-marital sex. She wept bitterly.
She said she has asked God to forgive her severally and she was not sure God heard her.
Another lady actually lost her mind after indulging in this same act because she believed she had committed an unpardonable sin. She couldn’t recognize anybody again.
She embraced the devil’s lie that she has committed the unpardonable sin because of pre-marital sex. She was talking gibberish and making faces. When we were called (alongside another pastor) to pray for her, all our attempts failed until we started to address the issue of guilt by the Spirit of God.
As we began to speak to her about God’s love and kindness, that demon left her, she calmed down, sobered up and tears began to flow. It was only then she was restored. It was then she told us what really happened. The negative emotion of guilt is a terrible experience. Guilt can be so real to the point of being suicidal.
When troubles ganged up on me, a mob of sins past counting, I was so swamped by guilt I couldn’t see my way clear. More guilt in my heart than hair on my head, so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out. –Psalms 40:12 (MSG)
I’m swamped by my bad behavior, collapsed under gunnysacks of guilt. –Psalms 38:4 (MSG)
You wouldn’t want to live with guilt all your life for violating God’s law. However, no matter how guilty you feel right now; God can always send help if you call upon Him and trust in His Word. That’s the way out.
It could be a sin of fornication or adultery or any form of sexual perversion, the blood of Jesus took care of all!
Then I let it all out; I said, “I’ll make a clean breast of my failures to GOD.” Suddenly the pressure was gone– my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. –Psalms 32:5 (MSG)
I want you to know that there is a lover of your soul that is different from any lover who might have disappointed you. You might have been disappointed by men, abandoned by men, used and dumped by men, treated shabbily by men…but when you meet the man, He will restore your soul!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY Sin will not have dominion over me. I am able to follow God’s injunctions. I put my body under. All my sins are forgiven. I am a new a creature
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, strengthen me in my inner man. Help me to comprehend with all the saints what is the length, breadth and height, and depth of your love for me.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY He touched my mouth with the coal and said, “Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out.” –Isaiah 6:7 (MSG)
SINGLES – How To Detect A Problem in Your Relationship
Continued from yesterday…
3. Only God knows who will make heaven. We are all deceiving ourselves
No! We are not all deceiving ourselves.
You see, this type of attitude reduces a person to a mediocre Christian. No energy or passion for God. He is not committed to his local assembly, he is disconnected from the vine as it were.
Anybody who is not enthusiastic about serving God will always have issues in his or her spiritual life.
4. I don’t like speaking in tongues. I’m not for that balderdash.
Well speaking in tongues is not balderdash!
Speaking in tongues is the supernatural utterance that God has given us to forge ahead in life, stay in touch with Him, and ensure our victory always.
When anybody makes the above statement, it is an indication of serious and deeper issues that will show up later.
5. The Bible never says we should not drink. We only should not get drunk
This person will surely drink and even indulge in other excesses. He or she already told you ahead of time!
When any of the above statement is being made, don’t turn a deaf ear to them. Pay attention to them, seek counsel and pray again and again.
It is better to remain single until the right person shows up than to desperately rush into marriage with the wrong person.
I pray for you this morning, you will not miss it in Jesus name
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have the wisdom of God to detect problems
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, show me what may not be obvious
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Jer 33:3 (KJV)Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
SINGLES – How To Detect A Problem in Your Relationship
When you hear statements like these, then be rest assured the relationship is defective and there is a problem.
1. I don’t know how to communicate, that is how I am
How do you know a man or woman who is not right for you? You will find out in his or her words.
His words will reveal his heart. His words are like a searchlight, highlighting the intents and the intentions of the hearts.
Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
There is nobody who doesn’t know how to communicate. People only choose whether they want to do so or not. There is something about somebody you love genuinely. The vocal chords will resonate!
The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. – Son 2:8 (KJV)
You are at an interview. You are about to be hired and they have one last question for you. “Tell us about yourself.”
Will you say you don’t know how to communicate? You will suddenly have inspiration.
When you stay incommunicado with a supposed lover for weeks, something is not quite right.
2. I serve God my own way, I am not like a fanatic
When a person says things like that, it shows deeper resentments for God and His ways.
His definition of serving God is his own invention. It is as defined by him and at his convenience. This type of heart that is not ready to sacrifice cannot go far in God.
To follow after God, you must be prepared to carry your own cross.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Mat 16:24 (KJV)
To be continued.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have the wisdom of God to solve the problem
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, show me what may not be obvious
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Jer 33:3 (KJV) Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
SINGLES – Why You Can’t Keep Asking Him for Money There is nothing wrong in asking your fiancé for money or for financial assistance during courtship, if you are really in a fix, but this should never become a habit.
You are not married, yet, so you shouldn’t abandon yourself into his hands like a sheep being led to the slaughter!
I once met a lady who told me that she has many guys who are her friends and that they are for different purposes.
One supplies laptops, another supplies phones, and another gets fresh fish and so on and so forth. This is an irresponsible way of living!
That is nothing more like eating your cake and trying to have it. I have always told ladies, there are no nice guys, and nobody wants to sow seeds without expecting some returns.
You see a guy who is an unbeliever and you keep taking things from him, one day he is going to take something from you, and by the time he asks, your capacity would have been weakened to say NO, because you have received too many gifts.
There is a saying in Yoruba language that says you shouldn’t eat what will get stuck in your throat!
The scripture aptly warns that:
A man’s gift maketh room for him… (Proverbs 18:16 KJV)
This is also applicable here. Taking too many inappropriate gifts creates a vacancy in you.
There are gifts that you take, and you wish you hadn’t some few months after. A married man buys you a car, and he has not bought one for his wife and you are happy? You should run for your life, because there are too many ritualists out there.
There are some circles where a believer should not be found. It is not everything you get that is really a testimony. Not every act can be seen as God’s favour.
That is why the scripture warns:
Favour is deceitful… (Proverbs 31:30 KJV)
God is your Jehovah, not man. Stop putting all your trust in a man, because man will surely disappoint. Learn to use your faith to meet your needs and stop putting yourself in compromised positions because of financial favours from men.
There are still men that God can send your way and help to bail you out or to favour you, but let God work it out in His own way. When you try to be smart, you can get more than you bargained for.
We live in selfish world where people may want you to exchange your body for a favour. If you are involved in that kind of racket, please, run from such.
Your body is never designed to be a commodity or a tool for trade by barter, your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and it should be honoured as such.
The Lord is my shepherd, it didn’t say, your boyfriend. When you put a man in a spot where only God can occupy, there will be trouble!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have God’s wisdom to handle money
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to say “No” when necessary
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY A gift gets attention; it buys the attention of eminent people (Proverbs 18:16 Message)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Focus on God to meet your needs, especially when money is involved
The scripture clearly identifies the importance of physical attraction when it comes to marriage.
God in His wisdom knows that if a man does not derive satisfaction from his wife, he would seek it else where, which of course will not only be detrimental to him, but to his whole family.
So, God advises the man:
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings (Proverbs 5:18-21 KJV)
In other words, what God wants is that you focus on your wife and not somebody out there. He said all your ways are before Him and He will inquire about everything you do. More or less, the affair that you think is secret is actually open to God.
As a single, you don’t want to spiritualise everything and say attraction doesn’t matter! It matters a lot!
Marry somebody you like and you love, a friend you can play with and laugh with. That is why the scripture says, “…rejoice with the wife of thy youth.“ The Importance of Body Chemistry
You also need to know that God will not force anybody on you. This idea that you are marrying somebody not because you love the person but because God said so is defective.
As a lady, when a guy walks up to you and tells you that God has spoken to Him, you also need to hear God as well.
Now, we have established that physical attraction is very important! But there is a balance! Physical attraction alone is not the only thing that determines your choice! See the scripture.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. (Proverbs 31:30 KJV)
Message Translation says:
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear–of– God. (Proverbs 31:30 Message)
So we see here, the only thing shouldn’t be outward beauty, but also inner beauty.
It is okay if she has hot legs, but her heart must also be hot for God! A hot leg without a hot heart will get your hands burnt at the end.
So in man or in a woman, I should have attraction for him or her, while he or she must have attraction for God.
This is very important!
In conclusion, no lady should ever think she is not beautiful. There is nothing like that. You are beautiful and you should believe it.
Have you not seen some of the most handsome men (in your opinion) get married to some of the most ugly ladies? (again, in your opinion) And then such men would say their wives are beautiful! You see, beauty is in the beholder’s eyes!
When your husband sees you, regardless of how you think you look, he will love you and will tell you that you are beautiful.
So, you can help yourself and your esteem by looking at the mirror daily and pointing to who you see there and say, “you are beautiful!” The Importance of Body Chemistry
If some people have told you that you are ugly, it is okay. You are wonderfully and fearfully made, so says the scripture. That means you will be “wonderful” to some and you will be “fearful” to others. Certainly when your spouse sets eyes on you, you will be “wonderful!”
So be patient and wait for the salvation of God in your marriage.
May God help us all.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a child of God. I am beautiful
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray that God will be your wisdom and strength
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds. Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it (Proverbs 31:10-11 Message)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Write down what you want in a spouse.
Dear husbands-to-be, being a husband is a calling. It is a leadership and destiny to fulfill. How well are you fulfilling this great call? Generations yet unborn depend on you and the decisions you make in being a great husband.
You will be a good husband if you begin to practice walking in love and not in lust. You will not allow your erection to determine your direction! If you truly love her, you won’t be asking her to sleep with you before marriage, that’s How To Treat Your Lover
Some guys might come up and say, ‘but she wanted it. She even begged for it!’ The question is ‘do you do everything everybody asks you to do?’ How come you suddenly lose your ability to say NO when it comes to this issue? You are still the decision-maker.
If somebody asks you to pull the trigger on him, will you do it? You wouldn’t because your sense of judgment says it is wrong and you might find yourself in trouble. Decide to love truly and say NO to sex outside marriage.
So single guys, here are three things to take note of.
1. Don’t be carnal. Be spiritual. Be a praying man. Take the lead. Work on yourself before marriage and develop a deeper relationship with God. Marriage comes with its challenges, but the wisdom you need begins with fearing God.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. – Pro 9:10 KJV
2. Don’t pressurize her for a sexual relationship. That is what separates the boys from the men. Do not succumb to her if she asks for it indirectly. That is the way to put your feet down and say No Compromise. It preserves your future, and you would have closed the door on the devil.
3. Don’t neglect her. Keep in touch with her. Don’t get too busy with whatever you are doing that you neglect her. If she is not complaining now, she will later on. If you start neglecting her during courtship, what will happen after the wedding then? How To Treat Your Lover
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a love being. God’s love flows in me. My love is selfless and not selfish.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, teach me to walk in love daily in Jesus Name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Col 3:19 AMP Husbands, love your wives [be affectionate and sympathetic with them] and do not be harsh or bitter or resentful toward them.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Memorize, meditate and confess the attributes of love in 1 Cor. 13
His principle is that ‘women are to be seen and not heard. He believes his wife’s opinions are inferior to his. He will rather ask others for their opinion than his wife. He sees his wife has a love-making machine, a cook, a dry cleaner, and a house help.
6. General Husband
He is a husband to every available lady. He does not believe in keeping himself solely for his wife. He sleeps with everything in a skirt.
7. The dry Husband
This type of husband lacks the ability to enjoy himself. He is a total bore. There is no fun with or around him. He is not romantic at all. He does not enjoy the company of his wife.
8. Analgesic Husband
He sees his wife as a problem solver, a pain reliever, and someone to use only to meet his needs. He sees her as someone to exploit.
9. Parasite Husband
He is dependent on his wife for everything and cannot take decisions on his own. He does not work nor does he do anything worthwhile.
10. Baby Husband
He is not mature at all. He is a baby emotionally. He nags, throws tantrums, fusses, refuses to eat when angry, and keeps malice with his wife. Spiritually, he is a baby. He cannot pray or fast. He still struggles with paying his tithes, offerings, and other financial obligations.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am led by his Spirit to choose rightly the man I will marry.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY In the name of Jesus, I receive Grace for my fiance to mature in Christ and be all he can be for the glory of God. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Rom 12:2 Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make sure you are comfortable with the character and personality of the person you are going out with. Prayerfully ask the Lord what to do next.
Let’s check out the varieties of wicked husbands we have.
1. A hard man
He is arrogant. He is not easy to live with; he is unfriendly, proud, and does not understand the principle of flexibility in a relationship.
2. The Mini/Fake Husband
He loves bedmatics, he performs well on the bed and the dining room but he’s a lazy man. He lacks creativity and initiative. He is a poor provider.
3. Bachelor Husband
He is a single married man; he neglects his wife for friends, business, or hobbies. He respects others above his wife, he has a separate room in the house and sleeps separately too.
4.An Acidic Husband
He is hot-tempered, always flaring up over trivial issues. He wants things done exactly in his way. He is no fun to be with, he is always very serious. The home is like a military barracks. He slaps, barks and shouts.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am led by his Spirit to choose rightly the man I will marry.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY In the name of Jesus, I receive Grace for my fiance to mature in Christ and be all he can be for the glory of God. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Rom 12:2 Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make sure you are comfortable with the character and personality of the person you are going out with. Prayerfully ask the Lord what to do next.
