This type of conversation is not just limited to a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer. The wife’s or husband’s opinion is needed and necessary.
For example, ‘Are the children eating rice this afternoon?’ ‘I don’t think it will be the best option for them. They need more vegetables in their diet’.
It is important to note that, the question, what do you think about….is so important in husband-wife conversations.
Your husband or wife’s opinion matters and don’t want them feeling like they are not smart. If the wife is just accepting every decision made and is not really a part of the decision-making process and involved in the intellectual aspect of thinking through, there will eventually be problems later on in the marriage.
4. Emotional Talk.
‘Let me tell you how I feel’.
In this fourth level of Communication, we share our feelings. When our feelings are shared, we share ourselves because we are what and how we feel.
We are simply making ourselves vulnerable. When we share with our mate how we feel, the intention is not whether we are right or wrong. We mostly don’t want to be judged because of how we feel. We just need our spouse to listen, understand and accept that that’s the way we feel.
We kill intimacy when we are quick to judge the feeling. I am not saying we should not correct but first acknowledge your spouse’s feelings.
It is more difficult for most people to share their feelings than their thoughts. These are two very different things
‘I feel that guy is a thief’.
‘I feel the car will break down’
‘I am thinking the issue with the woman is not natural’.
When you share your feelings, you are expressive. When you don’t share your deepest feelings, a path of you is left hidden or covered.
When you share your feelings, you are vulnerable, open, unashamed, no inhibitions.
Couples should aim at growing together into this fourth level of communication, to enjoy a higher level of intimacy.
In our concluding part, I will be talking about how your marriage can move up on the level of Communication and you both can become intimate couples. The goal in every marriage should be to know each other and be as intimate with your spouse as much as possible.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My marriage will be a blessing to many
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, teach me how to communicate effectively
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. –Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV)
Today we will be talking about overcoming fear. Appearances can look real but in actual fact are not. Your expectations are false but are looking real.
How do you stop yourself from being overwhelmed with all the pressure of fear?
See what the word of the living God says about fear.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Just take a moment to stop everything and just pray.
Praying helps you to get an understanding of what to do or not to do.
Prayer is a tool to help you understand what is happening and how to deal with it.
The major thing is that you shouldn’t allow fear – any of your false expectations appearing real, to stop you from doing what you’re supposed to do.
God doesn’t want you to have any form of fear and even if you do, He asks you to release them all to Him. He can carry them all and has the solution to solving them.
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)
So we learned how important communication is in marriage. Not just anyhow communication but husbands and wives should dedicate time and attention to proper and effective ways to communicate with each other.
It can’t be over-emphasized, that Intimacy in marriage can only be brought as we grow from one level of Communication to the other levels.
There are five levels of Communication. I started with the first level yesterday, which is Hallway talker. Today, I am continuing:
2. Reporter’s Talk
This level is a step further than the first. Here, the conversation moves from general talks to talking or giving facts or information about events. It is a reported kind of talk.
Here more information is given, but still, this kind of conversation does not promote intimacy. In level two communication, we do not express our opinions, thoughts, or how we feel about the subject matter.
If you are at this level two communication, your aim should be to move up and climb the steps of effective communication so that intimacy could be engendered.
Remember, level two communication is summarized; Just give me the facts.
3. Intellectual Talk
In this conversation level, your spouse is given the freedom to think differently. This is an amazing gift to give each other in marriage.
It is recognizing the fact that each one of you is a unique individual with a different perspective, viewpoint, and way of reasoning.
Marriage is trying to bring our way of thinking into alignment without suffocating the uniqueness of each other’s thinking. Two becoming one is choosing the best of our different thinking patterns and or merging our different opinions till we arrive at the best alternative.
When we recognize our weaknesses and strength and know that each one of us has a role and part to play and that neither of us is superior to another. We will honor each other and give each other the opportunity to air their opinions.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My marriage will be a blessing to many
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, teach me how to communicate effectively
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. –Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV)
Hello precious one, today I will be talking to you about God as our shepherd. Have you ever heard the word Shepherd?
It’s a name given to someone. So who is a shepherd and what does he/she do?
A shepherd is a person who tends sheep, his or her responsibility is to watch, keep, feed, and protect a sheep.
In the bible, we see on several occasions that it refers to God as a Shepherd and the bible also calls us God’s sheep.
Just like an earthly Shepherd, there are several responsibilities promised to us by God. Our father is “The good shepherd” and his sheep are always watched by him.
Let me show you a few places where the bible speaks about God as our shepherd and us as his sheep.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. –Psalms 100:3 (NIV)
Don’t you just love the word of God? The bible calls us God’s people, as in his very own, and then he says we are the sheep of his pasture.
Another verse is Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. –Psalms 23:1 (NIV)
This verse makes it a personal confession, God is ”my Shepherd”, as a result of this, I am not in lack of anything, he is responsible for my daily needs!
The last verse we will be looking at is found in Isaiah 40:11
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. –Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)
This verse declares that God carries us as his children, not only are we carried; he places us close to his heart, such that for anything to happen to us, that means God too will be affected.
Thank God we have a Good Shepherd who cares for us! Amen.
PRAYER: Father help me to know you as my Shepherd.
ACTION POINT: Make sure you take out time to pray this morning
DECLARATION: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
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.
There are five levels of Communication. A further read is encouraged on the subject of communication especially by the best selling author Gary Chapman. I am sure you will find it rewarding and worth your while.
1. The Hallway talker
In this type of conversation no intimacy is developed or worked at. This conversation doesn’t involve wanting to know the feeling or thought process or pattern of the other person. The conversation is on autodrive.
You have a particular way of response to what is said or asked. Example,
‘How are you doing?’.
‘Fine’.
‘How are the kids?’
They have gone to school.’
The essence of communicating with each other is develop intimacy. No deep communication, no intimacy. And intimacy is the essence of marriage.
Why am I married if I can’t enjoy love, acceptance, understanding, oneness, sincerity and transparency?
Every married couple, should aim at climbing the steps of communication to further develop the intimacy between them.
You can’t be involved in monosyllable answers and expect intimacy to be developed.
If couples are not careful or well discerning, twenty years of their marred life will pass so quickly and they will discover they have not improved on their communication and that they are still in the ‘hall way’ method of communicating.
They were distracted by work, a busy schedule, distracted with the children and yet each spouse were just coping and not really pleased with each other.
The children are grown and they are now left with each other to deal with the hurts piled up for so many years and not talked about.
May God in His mercy send help to us out of Zion in Jesus name.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have the wisdom of God
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, help me to communicate well with my spouse
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.
Your spirituality is very important! It is very important to your advancement in life. Your spiritual life is a very important part of you.
Part of your activities to advance includes reviewing your spiritual life and asking yourself the following questions
1. Did you create a time for prayers? If yes, how well did you keep to this time? How long did you spend in prayers? Did you pray in the Holy Ghost and for how long?
2. How many times did you fast this year? From morning till afternoon? Morning till evening? Weekly? Monthly?
3. How many times did you attend church?
4. Do you serve in your church as a worker?
5. Did you pay tithes and give offerings?
6. How many times did you read the Bible? Or even opened it?
These are just some questions that can guide you in making better decisions concerning your spiritual life.
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.
Communication is simply talking, but of cause, there are more things involved than just talking. A healthy conversation involves not just what is said but what is heard.
In essence, communication is a two way conversation which involves speaking and hearing. The two spouses must form the conscious habit of allowing the other spouse express himself or herself. While he/ she speaks, the other partner should be actively listening.
Not listening for pleasure, not listening for information but should practise empathic listening. This is putting yourself in the conversation. Trying to understand and feel the impulse of the speaker.
It is unhealthy to to dominate a conversation without waiting at intervals to get feedback. To check whether your hearer is hearing the right thing, to know how he/she is processing the information. The aim of your conversation especially on marriage is for your partner to understand what you are saying , understand and then obey you.
Listening should not also be done with the intention of giving a reply that will defend your status or what you represent in the marriage covenant.
I think we cannot also have a good conversation with our spouse if our interpretation of what marriage is, is defective. Until we see our marriage from the view point of it being a covenant relationship, every other thing becomes loop sided.
What we see most couples practising is contract and not covenant marriage.
This is so important. It is a contract (which could be unwritten and informal), when the marriage is based on mutual benefit. That is, we are both doing something for each other.
For example, I will be nice to you, if you bring in enough money. Or, if you help out in the house, I will prepare the meals.
The opposite obtains if your spouse doesn’t do what is expected. I will be very cold and unresponsive to you if you hurt my feelings. I will be uncaring to you if you disrespect me.
Marriage is a covenant. In which each partner takes up his/her responsibility. A wife is to submit fully. The husband takes up his responsibility to love her like Christ does irrespective of what she does.
It is the aim of covenant relationship to please and serve the other person despite what he/ she does.
It’s kind of difficult right? Very hard. Especially if you have been to some school of hardknocks, where you have been deeply hurt.
If you are starting on a clean note and you have this understanding, how blessed you are.
No matter how farther away we have gone, in Christ there is always a way out. He shows us and leads us in the way since He is the way.
We need to retrace our steps and in humility, accept what works.
When a marriage is not working, both partners are responsible. It is not just one persons fault but the two parties have their contributing factors.
Tomorrow, I will attempt to summarize the five levels of Communication.
God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am communicating well with my spouse.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to be a better communicator
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY They said to him, “Hezekiah says, ‘This is a black day. We’re in crisis. We’re like pregnant women without even the strength to have a baby! Isaiah 37:3 – MSG
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
You must learn to deal with bad thoughts, because your thoughts create your words. How do your thoughts create your words?
For example, because someone stepped on your toes in class and refused to say sorry, you begin to dislike the person.
As you think those bad thoughts, the enemy tells you that you can act out those thoughts physically.
So if you wish for the person to trip and hit her head on the table, you could actually say it out loud.
You could say something nasty, that would make her cry of feel ashamed or something worse.
That’s how your thoughts affect your words. It’s like a volcano that is ready to erupt.
It spills out everything in it without any thought for those around it. It doesn’t care if its lava burns anyone.
More like you. You don’t care if your words hurt the other person. You feel hurt and just want to hurt the other person back.
You want them to feel as much pain as you do too. If not more than you do, as the case is sometimes.
Again you might argue that the other person caused it. Yes, they did you wrong but you had a responsibility to chose your words well.
Careless words stab like a wound. But wise words bring healing Prov. 12:18 ICB
The only way to show God how much you love Him is by obeying Him. Are you obeying God with your thoughts and words?
May God give you the grace to speak sweet and kind words to even those who hurt you. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, Jesus, I need your help with my words. Help me to deal with my thoughts so I can speak positive and life-giving words, even to those that offend me in Your mighty name I pray. Amen.
Action point: After dealing with your thoughts and words, how about apologizing to someone you said some unkind words to? Try it.
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.
A husband that is into ‘house-binding’ and not husbandry loves his wife genuinely, the God kind of love (Agape) that is kind, patient, gentle etc (1Cor 13:4-8)
In Eph.5:25, husbands are given a direct and clear command. ‘Husbands love your wife…’ Husbands are commanded to love but the love being described here is not sexual in which love is based on your wife’s body and the sexual pleasure you can get from her body.
Some husbands are only nice and full of compliments when it is time for sexual pleasure.
In husbandry (animal kingdom), there are no affections, no kind words, no thoughtfulness and tenderness. The male just goes ahead to mate the female.
But for a ‘house-binding’ husband, love is total and complete. It is the God kind of love which says, ‘I love you in spite of this issue.’
It is a willingness to accept your wife for who she is. It is a love that is unconditional. It is sacrificial, willing to go the extra mile.
It is not overly demanding, critical or fault finding. It is simply based on a conscious decision to walk in love not because she deserves it but because the word of God commands it.
To be continued…
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. Shed your love abroad in my heart , O Lord
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 and meditate and confess the attributes of love in 1 Cor. 13
It’s time to learn what causes miracles! Hello dear child, trust you have had a lot to learn here so far! Today we’ll be looking at another interesting lesson from God’s word; it’s always good to learn directly from what the word of God says, rather than earthly wisdom.
Let’s go straight into God’s word!
In today’s devotional, I am going to be showing you how you can cause God to work miracles in your life and that of your loved ones.
The first miracle of Jesus was when he turned water to wine at a wedding at Cana of Galilee. Jesus came to ‘the recuse’ of the bride and groom, wine had just finished at their party, and the party was still very much on. Can you imagine that? Have you held a party before? It’s like someone announcing that food has finished at a birthday party when the party has just started and over a hundred people are yet to eat.
In the story, Jesus’ mother called his attention to the issue, but he wasn’t ready to do anything at that time, because it wasn’t yet time for his manifestation.
But Mary said something powerful to the disciples, and that’s where our lesson is from today.
The bible says in John 2:5;
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” John 2:5 (NIV)
Right after Mary said this, Jesus gave an instruction that didn’t make common sense, but just like Mary told the servants, they did what was told then. The end result of this was that water was turned into wine.
This miracle could only happen because those servants did as they were told, not minding whether it made sense or not, they obeyed!
As children of God we must learn to obey, this is how to get God to work miracles in our lives.
To be continued…
PRAYER: Lord Jesus help me to be an obedient child at all times; Amen.
ACTION POINT: Choose to always follow simple instructions
DECLARATION: I am a child of God; I am obedient at all times. The Holy Spirit is at work in my life helping me live a life of obedience at all times, amen.
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
In summary, these are a few pragmatic things to do when you want a change.
1. Give your life to Jesus Christ genuinely and ensure every member of your family does.
2. Find a Bible-believing church and join the foundation class, with intention of becoming a worker. Do not go to church to seek miracles only, let your motivation be to grow in the things of God.
3. Never miss reading God’s word daily. Find scriptures that address that area where you need change. That is what will renew your mind.
4. From what you read daily, pick one or two verses to meditate on daily. You can do it with your spouse.
5. Go for water baptism by immersion
6. Go for Holy Ghost Baptism with evidence of speaking in tongues. This is the power of Christianity and it is the power of the Holy Spirit that gives you dominion over sin.
7. Pray in the Spirit often
8. Have a close mentor for accountability’s sake. Somebody you and your spouse can access one on one or via phone that will keep you on your toes and help guide you in major decisions.
Your mentor is not the one that pursues you; you are the one that pursues him because he usually has many protégées. I do this for quite a number of people and help mentor their marriage.
9. Serve in any capacity in God’s house and be sensitive to give when God asks you to.
10. You and your spouse should do a personal retreat from time to time.
CONFESSION OF THE DAY My mind is being renewed daily by God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Father in the name of Jesus, I pull down every stronghold in my mind that is keeping me bound to low life.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY Phil 4: 13 ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Take relevant scriptures in the area you need renewal in your mind and begin to study, meditate and speak them to yourself.
Dear kid, you have the power to forgive. Now, your failure to forgive has made you unholy before God, which won’t make Him listen to or even answer your prayers.
That’s because when God looks at you, He sees the mark of sin on you – resentment, unforgiveness, hatred, and He can’t look at you like that.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. – Matthew 6:14-15
When you ask for forgiveness before you pray, it takes the mark of sin away from you.
Or even while praying and the Holy Spirit convicts your heart of unforgiveness, quickly forgive whoever you need to forgive so that your prayers might be answered.
When God sees your entire heart as unholy, He also sees your body as unholy too.
By allowing unforgiveness to stay in your heart, you are causing yourself more harm than good.
An unforgiving heart affects your entire body. It can cause you to have medical conditions.
Be holy today and forgive who you need to forgive.
