Studying the Bible with your grandparents is another good way to love them. Grandparents can be cool bible study partners too. It would be an honor to them to hear their grandchild ask them to be co-bible study buddies. Since they have vast knowledge and experience of God, they make good teachers of the word.
By doing this, you make them feel they are a part of your life and that they are not forgotten or useless. They feel relevant, wanted, and loved. Even if it can’t be done physically due to location, you can do it online.
Grandparents love to spend time with their grandchildren and would jump at any opportunity to do so. Every godly grandparent wants to share their faith with their grandchildren.
5. The test of people skill. That is respect for individuals. People are like ladders. Does he treat people well? How about his mum, sisters, father, colleagues, et cetera. Is she courteous? Is she respectful? Does she disdain folk with a passion?
Your spouse-to-be will not likely treat you better than his or her family. How he behaves with his or her family is a template of what will eventually happen.
6. The test of excellence. That is wisdom. Is he hungry for wisdom or does he think he knows it all? A friend who isolates himself will crash. He or she cannot be corrected. There are no authority figures that can speak to him or her.
Let me tell you something here. The moment you look at a person and there is nobody you can report him to, there are no regards for parents or pastors, he is just an island by himself, you need to reconsider such friendships. It is a trap of the devil and such tendencies are symptomatic of an unhealthy outlook on life.
7. The test of God’s fear. He must love God. She must be a God-lover. Does he value God and His word? Does she revere God? This is the ultimate acid test. If he doesn’t love God, he cannot love you! If he treats the things of God shabbily, he will end up treating you the same way.
Let him or her be a person that fears God! It is not enough to say one is born again these days because the term has been grossly misapplied. It is not even enough to say one is a pastor or a choir leader or administrator in church, the question is does he or she fear God?
It was the fear of God that made Joseph run away from adultery. It was the lack of God’s fear that made Samson with all his anointing to get into sexual sins repeatedly until he brought himself down. God gave him a long rope because the scripture says he judged Israel for twenty years.
May God expound these words in our hearts in Jesus name.
CONFESSION FOR TODAY I test all spirits before I walk.
PRAYER FOR TODAY Ask the Lord to open your eyes before you take that walk.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY Proverbs 9:10 (KJV)The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
ACTION PLAN FOR TODAY Carry out the above tests before you walk.
It’s beautiful seeing newly wedded couples. The love spark is amazing.
There is love wave, love current and all the love vibes around them. They set out professing their eternal love for each other.
They are deeply in love and could never imagine hurting each other not to talk of harming themselves whether emotionally or verbally.
The question is what happened? At what point did they start to deviate from the zone?
Really, no husband or wife starts out over night from being loving to being rash, unkind, abusive and insensitive.
There must have been little actions or in-actions here and there, that crept into their affair.
The Bible talks about little foxes that destroy the vine, the tender vine.
Our marriages are like these vines that are very tender. Little foxes are like poisons slowly released that will eventually destroy the marriage. We therefore, need to place close attention so that we don’t allow these foxes.
Here are three things not to do if you want to keep love alive in marriage.
1. Don’t blame
‘It’s his fault’ ‘She very disrespectful’ ‘He’s not kind and loving’ She’s lazy and overly sensitive’ ‘He’s always hurting’
Stop the blame game. You have a choice, either you keep blaming and remain hurt, bitter and full of regret and revengeful.
When you keep on blaming the other person you focus on their negatives.
You become blind to their positive sides and you put him/ her on edge.
Remember, when you were in love, it was because you were blind to their negatives and only focused on how good, handsome & lovely they were.
Do the same now. Blaming your spouse continuously is poisonous.
I am not asking you to keep completely silent on your spouse’s weakness but rather confront each other respectfully and lovingly.
Remember you have your own faults too. Forgiveness and mercy is reciprocal in marriage.
CONFESSION FOR TODAY Love is kept alive in my marriage.
PRAYER FOR TODAY Help me to love my spouse unconditionally.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY Song of Solomon 2:15 (KJV) Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
There’s a way to be a true friend. Let’s look at the story of Stephen and Benjamin. Stephen noticed that Benjamin always stayed back in class during lunch break for some days now. Benjamin was his classmate and friend. Stephen decided to speak to Benjamin today immediately after the lunch bell rang.
“Benjamin, where is your lunch pack?” Asked Stephen
Benjamin looked away and tried to smile but Stephen saw that the smile was a fake one.
“I noticed you haven’t been coming to school with your lunch pack.” Said Stephen “Is there something wrong?”
Benjamin shook his head refusing to meet Stephen’s probing eyes. “Nothing.”
“Will you share my lunch with me?” Offered Stephen
Stephen remembered what the bible says about helping others in Galatians chapter six and verse two.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Carrying each other’s burdens is a sign of true friendship because a friend should offer to help his friends when they have a need.
Even if they don’t ask for help and you notice that they need help with something.
This is what Jesus says about helping our friends
John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
Don’t you like to be friends with Jesus? How about calling Him your best friend? Then do what He commands. Help your friends.
I pray that God will strengthen you in the area of helping your friends.
Prayer: Lord, Jesus, thank You for the wonderful friends You surround me with. I pray that You make me a better friend. I want to be always ready to help my friends in Jesus name. Amen.
Action point: Will you look round at your friends today and see what areas they need help with. You could also ask them what they need help with.
Declaration: I am compassionate. I share what I have with my friends.
For some time now, we have been talking about this topic. I hope you are being blessed. If so, kindly take moment to share this devotional, that is after you have read and dropped a comment o.
4. The test of sincerity. That is openness. Is he sincere about his faults, weaknesses, feelings? Is she willing to talk about them or does she pretend? It is dangerous to walk with someone who lives in the delusion of grandeur.
Some of the most dangerous sets of people are those who are self-deceptive. They can abort twenty times and simply use some scriptures to cover up. If it was done in ignorance, that is another thing, because God cleanses you and you can start your life all over again when you genuinely repent. But I am talking of those who have successfully combined this sinful lifestyle with serving God alongside.
I don’t care if he is a pastor or she is a minstrel, if he or she uses scriptures to justify a habitual sin that even an unbeliever will often refrain from, you should run from such people and not be joined in their unrepentant sinful adventures.
An insincere guy will lure you into sexual sin and then turn around to say you seduced him. What are you doing with such people? An insincere lady will offer her body to get some money and then turn back to say you forced her. That is nothing short of wickedness. Those are not friends!
He says he is a pastor and he slides his hands into your blouse each time you visit his office. I don’t care how much ‘anointing’ you think he has, he is a charlatan! What counseling are you looking for with such people, run for your life because there are counsels that can cancel destinies.
May God grant you more understanding.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not walk down the aisle with an insincere person.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, lead me to a sincere man/woman.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Gen 2:18 [MSG]God said, “It’s not good for the Man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper, a companion.”
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Test for insincerity in the life of your intended spouse before you walk down the aisle.
Therefore shall a man LEAVE his father and his mother, and shall CLEAVE unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Gen 2:24 (KJV)
The word “Leave” means to loosen, relinquish, permit, and forsake It is a total departure. But it is never a disconnection.
The man has to do the leaving. Without leaving, there will never be a successful marriage. All undue interference and control from the parents must be minimized.
The word “Cleave” means cling or adhere; to catch by pursuit: – abide, follow close (hard, after), be joined (together), and pursue hard
Allegiance must shift from parents to your wife. This is what marriage is.
Your wife comes first from the wedding day. Your spouse becomes your priority. Your mum is another man’s wife, not your wife. Your own wife must be your priority.
Cleaving means to catch by pursuit, so you never stop pursuing your wife. You keep at it, even after the wedding. In the pursuit lies the cleaving. The man is to cleave unto HIS OWN wife! An attempt to cleave to another man’s wife will usher in a marital crisis.
It also means to follow close. Be joined and connected to her emotionally and otherwise.
When things seem not to be going right, you don’t quit. This is what it means to cleave. You don’t pack your stuff and start singing songs of divorce when there is a little provocation.
This is what cleaving is. It is just like your relationship with God. You are to cleave unto Him and not try to leave when things seem not to be going your own way. Leaving God and refusing to cleave will complicate issues, and that is the same thing in marriage.
You are to cleave for life! Any attempt to leave is a tearing part that would be painful.
Stay with each other no matter what. Cleaving means that you are dedicated to each other. It means sharing with each other on the deepest level. It means enjoying each other and supplying warmth for yourselves.
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
Ecc 4:11 (KJV)
I pray that God will grant understanding. Your marriage will not suffer a crisis. Your marriage will not lose that godly steam. I pray that God will pour new wine into your marriage and cause the love between you to come alive!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I choose to cleave to my spouse only
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Help me to cleave oh Lord.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Gen 2:24 [MSG]Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife. They become one flesh.
There are great benefits of reading the Word. Now, God speaks to everyone including children. Remember the story of little Samuel in the bible, who later became a strong prophet that ministered to the Israelites and anointed kings?
Our heavenly father wants to speak to us and He does so in different ways. One of such way is through His word- the bible. The bible is the only place where all of God’s words reside.
Reading the bible is one of the ways you can hear from God. When you read about what God did, how He did it, and who He did it for, you get to know more about God.
Maybe you are facing a situation and don’t know how to go about it, read the bible. God will speak to you through a verse or chapter. He will direct you to a book where someone just like you, faced the same dilemma you are in.
When you read through, you will learn how the person resolved it with God’s help.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Heb 4:12 KJV
The bible says His words are living. They are alive, quick, and sharp. Always speaking. See it as God speaking directly to you. This is part of the benefits of reading God’s word.
2. The test of diligence. You cannot afford to marry a lazy man or an indolent woman. It will slow your journey down the aisle. Diligence is measured with so many indices like tenacity, business acumen, career pursuit, doggedness, and so on. You may not have so much today, but with diligence in a potential spouse, you can be sure you will be great in life.
Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
(Pro 22:29 AMP)
You cannot afford to commit your life into the hands of a lazy person. That is subjecting your life to unnecessary afflictions that could have been avoided.
What skills have been learnt? What self-development efforts have been made?
3. The test of focus. Is he or she focused? Where is his passion? A visionless man is so easy to identify. His speech will betray him because the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart. Once you know a particular friendship is getting deepened, ask a lot of questions when you can still reason well before emotions take over.
The world is full of people who will readily compromise and who lack focus. You haven’t been together for long and he or she is already asking for jeru trap. That is gross irresponsibility. Run from such people, they are not your friends!
Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives!
(Luk 9:41a MSG)
You ask him what his job is, and he says ‘he is planning to travel out of the country.’ ‘Since when?’ ‘Well, for like three years now.’ Is that a job? Why must a young person stop his or her life because of plans to travel?
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I do not fall in love blindly and helplessly.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask for consistency in your walk with God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Isa 50:7 [NLT] Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Carry out the above tests on your potential partner before walking down the aisle
1. Don’t ignore her needs When you ignore the most importantneeds of your wife over and over again, she is going to get hurt and eventually feel that you never loved her.
This feeling can degenerate to a point where she comes up with an emotional defense, and the peak of that is closing her spirit.
You see, in loving your wife, you have to do so in God’s term and her own terms and not in your own terms. This is basically because the needs of a man are miles apart from that of a woman.
So, in meeting her needs, it is often easy to interpret her needs based on your own, but it is not often so. Priorities are at variance, especially at emotional levels.
Let her communicate her needs to you, you will be amazed that what is important to her is non-issue to you!
And so, the challenge is to focus on what is insignificant to you but is a big issue for her. That is selflessness!
Her greatest needs are always towards attention and quality time!
2. Don’t make her feel stupid and dumb When you are always insinuating that your wife is dumb and stupid, she will get hurt.
Sometimes you don’t say it, but it shows in your body language and the way you dismiss whatever she tries to suggest.
Sometimes, a husband doesn’t even want to hear her opinion. She is to be seen and not heard. That is never the plan of God for marriage. The reality is that she is your helper. Her “dumb” or “stupid” suggestions would have saved you a lot only if you had listen.
You see, she may not be logical, but she is intuitive.
You know the man you want to go into business partnership with because he has all it takes, but she will tell you by reason of intuition that the man will mess things up. She has no evidence, not precedence, but she has intuition!
Don’t ignore that intuition!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I love my spouse on God’s terms and theirs.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray that God will teach you how to love your spouse.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 1 Cor 13:7 [CEV] Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Carry out the above tests on your potential partner
We have to keep learning to share. The bible everywhere talks about sharing and helping the needy. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were instructed to harvest their grains in such a way that the poor and needy will still have something to eat.
In the New Testament, the apostles all shared what they had to take care of those who did not have.
The group of followers all felt the same way about everything. None of them claimed that their possessions were their own, and they shared everything they had with each other.
Acts 4:32[CEV]
Likewise, in the book of Romans and chapter twelve verse thirteen, the writer speaks about helping Christians like you.
Take care of God’s needy people and welcome strangers into your home.
Rom 12:13[CEV]
Another translation puts it this way
Share what you have with God’s people who are in need. Be hospitable.”
Rom 12:13 [GW]
Do you have a friend who is a believer like you, maybe at school, church, or the neighborhood? Do you share what you have with them according to the verse above?
As a Christian, you are supposed to first share with your fellow brethren as the apostles did in the bible. Jesus said we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. keep learning to share.
Your neighbors are your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
May the Lord instill in you a heart of love towards your fellow Christians. Amen
Prayer: Lord help me love my fellow Christians as commanded. Amen.
Action point: In what ways can you share your things with fellow Christians who are your friends?
Declaration: I share my things with those around me.
The fact is that there are no perfect persons and we are all projects in the hands of God. However, there are basic traits to watch out for generally. While you may not be able to find a person that successfully combines all these, the qualities should guide you in your decision.
If a person does not have character defects and does not live in habitual sin, some of these qualities can be improved upon by asking God for His grace.
1. The test of integrity. Test him for faithfulness and integrity in little and big things. Make sure she has integrity and her words and actions line up. Integrity is very important because that is what will eventually preserve you.
The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.
(Pro 11:3 KJV)
God loves integrity. In Job 2:3, God boasted about Job and he mentioned his integrity. Integrity in that verse means ‘innocence’
The potential guy or the lady must have integrity as well. It is a great legacy to pass to the children. Integrity is from the word ‘Integral” meaning one. You are supposed to be the same person within and without.
Don’t marry a gentle saint on Sundays but a vicious man on Mondays. Be careful to not walk with persons of dual personalities who seemed to give their lives to Jesus one moment and then take the lives back the next moment.
How will you know all these? These are the things you will find out when you are friends.
That is why pre-marital sex should be avoided because it will get you confused and distracted. You see, the moment you are illegally bonded together in pre-marital sex, the obvious character defects that others can see will mean nothing to you.
They will ask you questions like, “What are you doing with that kind of person?” And you will be like, ‘leave me alone, I love him, he will change! You see, you have not even changed yourself! You are not the Holy Spirit who changes people! What the scripture says is that that you should not be unequally yoked!
Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands?
(2Co 6:14-15 MSG)
May God grant you more understanding!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have the wisdom of God to walk with the right person
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray that the person who will walk you down the aisle will be a person of integrity.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Prov 11:3 [AMP]The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the willful contrariness and crookedness of the treacherous shall destroy them.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Study the word ‘integrity’.
Do you know that some of the greatest puzzles and enigma in your heart can be dissolved by God’s word? Do you know some of the hidden things that seemed oblivious and far-fetched can be unraveled and brought to the fore by God’s word?
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
(John 1:3 KJV)
Here are some things that God’s word will do for you.
1. God’s word will clean up your past It doesn’t matter what your past looked like, the word of God, anointed in and of itself will wipe the slate clean for you! It is almost unbelievable and incredible to the human mind, but in one stroke of sacrifice, Jesus paid the price on your behalf.
The past should never hold you to ransom again. You have been made free. The mistakes of yester-years can no longer bear their fangs at you today!
2. God’s word will birth hope for your future After your past is forgiven and forgotten, the same word of God will birth hope in you. This hope is a necessary ingredient to help you receive the fullness of God. All of a sudden, light dawns on your heart and hope comes alive, that it is not over, after all.
3. God’s word will produce faith in your heart to conquer the world. Faith comes by hearing God’s word. As you hear and read more of God’s word, faith will rise in you. Why is faith so important? It is with faith that you will get victory in God!
Every God–begotten person conquers the world’s ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith.
(1 John 5:4 MSG)
Did you see that? Faith that comes through God’s word has the power to bring the world and its systems to its knees! Glory to God!
4. God’s word will become light and direction to help you choose as a single There is rigor in direction. Life is about decisions, but that is not all to it, the good life is about making the right decisions. The frailty of our human nature is overcome when we rely on God to lead us in our choice of marriage partner.
‘The Lord is my shepherd’ becomes a living story of our life when we embrace His word.
5. God’s word will bring stability to your relationship and marriage. As you put God’s word in your heart, it will help your discernment in knowing the right people and the wrong ones. In a relationship, you need stability. You need God’s help to have a successful marriage.
You need wisdom from above that will not make your marriage follow the usual pattern of separations and divorce.
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.
(Isaiah 33:6 KJV)
You will make it in Jesus name, amen.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY The word is my guide. I will not stumble.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray for the diligence to study the word.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY John 1:1 [AMP]IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was GodHimself.
Do you know that you need a shepherd? There are several reasons a sheep needs the help of a superior being. In face, a sheep knows better than to be alone without any help.
The first reason is for safety. The first way to ensure your safety is to have a shepherd. Jesus is your shepherd, and He is the good One.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep”
John 10:11 NLT
He repeated it here
“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,”
John 10:14 NLT
What does a shepherd do? He looks over a flock of sheep. He is their guardian, watching over them.
A shepherd also protects. He keeps them safe from being attacked by other animals stronger than they. He is their provider, ensuring they graze on the choicest grasslands.
As a child, you have to be under the protection of somebody. That’s why you have parents to look after you. They gave birth to you and really care for you. They will protect and provide for you because God has made them shepherds over you in this world.
Prayer: Lord, help me to obey my parents who are my shepherds in Jesus name. Amen
Action Point: Have you been disobedient to your parents? Repent.
Declaration: I am an obedient child. I listen to my parents.
Without a relationship with God, you don’t know who God is and you don’t know what love is.
Without God, you are practically unable to love appropriately. You just simply lack the capacity.
Beware of traveling down to meet that man you scarcely know all in the name of desperation. It could lead to a tale of regrets.
Beware of your Ex that suddenly shows up from the blues asking for a time out. It could end with your testimony lost!
Beware of the lady you have asked out and who never cooperated since, but suddenly arrives in your crib for free.
Sometimes, nemesis comes wearing the attire of luck.
How Do you Find The Love of Your Life?
1. The Principle of Timing
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecc 3:1 (KJV)
This means there is a time for you to begin a relationship. This also means you cannot just start a relationship at just any time you want.
Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses.
Ecc 3:1 (GNB)
There is a time God has chosen for you. This is what is important.
The implication of this is that the first order of things is to know God who will then reveal His timetable for your life to you.
God has chosen your wedding date! Stop wasting time on dating sites, the first thing is to know God! God will then show you His timing blueprint for your life. If you miss your timing, a great opportunity can be lost.
There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:
Ecc 3:1 (MSG)
There is a time for you to get married. Don’t miss that timing because great opportunities are embedded in the timing of God for your life.
Looking back at how I met my wife, God really chose a time for me, because he spoke to me about when I should ask her out. God even told me when I should get married.
I remember God telling me to get married before the millennium, hence our wedding was in November 1999. And did God show up for us? Massively!
Dear singles, know God first. Then God will speak to you and show you His ways for your life. And you see, in His voice is that direction you need right now!
I pray that God will grant you more understanding!
CONFESSION FOR TODAY I cooperate with the timing of God.
PRAYER FOR TODAY Father in the name of Jesus, help me not to miss my timing.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY Ecc 3:1 (GNB) Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses.
ACTION PLAN FOR TODAY Ask God to reveal his timetable to you
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
Pro 14:1 (KJV)
Women are just simply powerful. And that is how God created them. This is why they are also called helpers. And the only other person that was referred to as helper in the entirety of the New Testament is the Holy Spirit.
Every other time, you will hear about the prayers of mothers. Hardly will you hear people talk about the prayers of their fathers. That tells you there is something about women.
Dear wife, there is a lot of power and accompanying responsibilities that lie with you. Your decisions, prayers, and actions will eventually build your home or tear it down, therefore, you cannot afford to be foolish. Be wise and cooperate with what God is trying to do in your life.
How do you do this?
Avoid all the strife, bickering, quarrels, and the like for that is how a foolish woman tears down her home. Avoid emotional affairs. They are distractions.
Now, since it is the woman building the house, what then is the responsibility of the man?
Build the woman!
That is what the man should do. Build the woman.
Dear men, build your wife so that your wife can build the house.
Invest in your wife. Support her endeavors and career. Be interested in her passion and you know what, she will give it all it takes to pray for the family.
May your marriage be blessed.
CONFESSION FOR TODAY I chose to honor my spouse.
PRAYER FOR TODAY Pray for your wife.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY Pro 14:1 (KJV)Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
In this article “Here Is Why You Should Not Be Afraid” we would be dealing with fear, and getting rid of it from our lives. Everyone has fears. It’s part of our human nature. Fear can be good or bad depending on if you allow it to control you.
Your words, thoughts, actions can be controlled by fear. Fear can make you say the wrong thing, act the wrong way, and think the wrong thoughts. Having a fear can make you not even take any action at all.
The Bible tells you to not fear because God is with you. Rather than fear, the Bible tells you to give all your fears to God. To release them to Him because He alone can help you overcome any fear. Here Is Why You Should Not Be Afraid.
See one powerful scripture about fear;
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].
2 Tim 1:7 [AMP]
As someone rightly said, FEAR is simply defined as False Expectations Appearing Real.
From the acronym for fear, the letter F stands for false.
Most of our fears are false. They are not real. Our mind has only just painted a terrible picture of what a situation could end up like or is.
For instance, you have an exam in school and your mind keeps telling you that you will fail. It’s all false expectations. Instead of filling your mind with the thought of failure, fill it with the word of God, read and study for the exam.
Bottom line is to learn to bring your thoughts under the control of the word of God.
The Bible says we should judge ourselves so that we are not judged. We see in the Bible,
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:31 (KJV)
The Message Translation puts it this way:
If we get this straight now, we won’t have to be straightened out later on.
1Co 11:31 (MSG)
So, this morning, can we be the judge and the judged, to avoid judgement
1. What has my prayer or devotional life been like? To a large extent, this determines what your relationship with God is like. Have you been consistent? If you haven’t, then you need to make new commitments towards doing that.
If you want your relationship with your lover to work, you had better fall in love with God first! That is a lot of wisdom for you!
2. Have I been walking in love? You are human. You have toes. There are other humans. They have mistakenly stepped on your beautiful toes. But you must forgive and move on.
Are you holding anybody in unforgiving mode? You have to let go. Don’t let anybody slow your journey in God down, because that is what an unforgiving attitude does.
What have they done for you that is new? How much hurt have they wounded you with that Jesus didn’t go through? Don’t you know the devil fights who he fears? Don’t you know it is your glorious destiny that is in contention? What about being thrown into the pit by your family? What about being sold to go and be a house boy/house girl by your family? But, Joseph had to forgive!
My dear, forgive and let go. Better days are ahead of you. Refuse to be bitter. Jesus said if you don’t forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive you as well.
3. Have I been compromising? You sometimes miss your footings. God made allowances as long as it is a mistake. Perpetual life of sin will ruin you. But if it was just a mistake, you just need to ask for forgiveness from God and move on.
If you have found yourself committing a particular sin over and over again, you need to press the stop button. You cannot continue like that. I admonish you in the name of the Lord, decide to stop today!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I walk in love towards everyone. My walk with God is getting better.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray for consistency in your walk with God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 1Co 11:31 (KJV)For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1. The verbal expression of your love to your wife
This may sound insignificant to men, but I can tell you it is a big issue for women.
Saying the words “I love you” could be the solution to the crisis rocking your home. She wants to hear it from you as often as possible.
As a lady, she will definitely get compliments from outside. The problem begins when the compliments she is getting from outside outweigh the ones her husband is giving her at home.
Women go through a lot and struggle so much with their emotions, that is why they always carry a mirror everywhere they go.
As a man, learn to affirm your wife as often as possible. It will go a long way to make her feel loved.
2. The regular attendance of same church
The bible encourages us not to forsake the gathering of the brethren.
As a man, take the lead and find a bible believing church to attend.
It is important for you and your wife to be hearing the same thing. Attending different churches when you both are in the same location is a no-no for me.
Grow together.
Study together.
Pray together.
It will strengthen the marriage.
3. The refusal to assault your wife
Resist the urge to hit your wife. Never do it, for whatever reason.
That is what separates the men from the boys
Yes, she can be disrespectful, stubborn, arrogant, or whatever.
Hitting her will not be the way out.
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
1Pe 3:7 (KJV)
Make up your mind never to physically assault her.
Decide to honor her, protect her and take care of her.
That is how to be a man.
May God bless your union.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I walk in love towards my spouse.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray that the love of God fills your heart.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 1Pe 3:7 (KJV) Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Dear children, be responsible! In the church, we learn about God and His word. Just like at school where you relate with other people, you relate with a lot of other people in the church. At church, you meet with the pastors, church members, visitors, and other children like you.
So, how do you show responsibility in church?
1. Show respect for God’s house
The first step is by showing respect for the house of God. You don’t disturb during service but listen to the children’s church teachers as they teach. Do not cause distractions or lead others into mischief.
2. Show respect for the adults
Respect all the adults including your parents. Greet people appropriately as you meet them, smile, and say “thank you” when they pay you a compliment. Answer and ask questions politely.
3. Do not litter the floor
Don’t litter the church environment with the wrappings of candies or biscuits you eat. Find a waste bin and use it. In the event that you do litter the floor, pick the litter off the ground and trash it.
4. Be of help to your teachers
Another cool way to be responsible is by helping to assist your teachers or those that need help. You could help the elderly to carry their bags or bibles to their car.
You could also volunteer to stay with the preschool kids and teach them some cool gospel songs. When it’s feeding time, you could help to feed them.
Dear children, be responsible. There are more cool ways to be responsible at church. Just ask the Holy Spirit to show you how. And may He do so. Amen.
Prayer: Father, help me to show respect for your house by being responsible for my actions and words at church.
Action point: How will act responsibly at church on Sunday? Answer this question.
It’s as simple as that! Marriage is the most sacrificial relationship you can ever be in. Don’t get me wrong, one can also decide to be selfish, but the marriage will sure be an oven and not an haven! There is a difference!
Marriage requires constant and consistent selflessness. You have to live in that mode daily.
Let’s take a look at definition of love that should under-guard every marriage!
Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving.
1Co 13:4-8 (TPT)
Read the above words slowly and carefully. Look at yourself in the mirror of each word and let it show you the reflection of who you really are.
Can you see yourself in the true image of who you are? You like what you see or you don’t? No worries, as you behold and study the above words, and apply them into your life, you are going to be changed into the image you see right in the scriptures.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2Co 3:18 (KJV)
Good Morning!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am selfless. I understand what love means.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray for a better understanding of love.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 2Co 3:18 (KJV) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Study the word selfless in the light of 1 cor 13
