Happy New Month to all partners and members of KHC. This month, your dreams shall become a reality.
From the first to the third of March, we will be waiting on God in fasting and prayers. If you are in Ibadan, Nigeria, join us by 6 pm at Shouts of Grace Center, Joke Plaza, beside Trans Amusement park, Bodija-Ui road, Ibadan.
Now, to today’s devotional which is continued from yesterday.
3. Guard your mouth
At this stage also, you begin to verbalize your desire and intention to spend more time with him or her. You no longer hide your compliments. That which has been entrenched in your heart through your thoughts begins to find expression through your mouth because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
You tell him/her how much you desire him. You both begin to enjoy talks that have to do with sex and how it is not so harmful to have an affair with someone other than your spouse. You both talk about the negatives of your spouses and find comfort in each other. You talk about the good, bad, and the ugly, you simply talk and talk. You talk about anything and everything.
At this stage, light pecks and kisses also begin.
4. Guard your body
Just as the body moves in the direction of our words, you set yourself in the mood for an adulterous affair. Your body begins to respond to your emotional words to each other. Words are that powerful. Actually, the scripture says words are spirits, and you know spirits don’t die!
You may begin with a suggestive then seductive body language and movement. You begin to give expression to what has always been in your heart, a kiss there, a tight hug, holding hands, unguarded touches at sexually stimulating parts of the body, eye contact, etc.
At this stage, jeru trap is just a step away. The day you are alone together (out of reach of other people) then your bodies come together in a sexual affair.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I guard my heart, mind, mouth, and body. I take responsibility for the things I do.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, let the fear and love of God keep me on the right path in Jesus Name
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief – we’re not oblivious to his sly ways! (2Co 2:11 MSG)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Have a ‘to do list’ Plan today. Replace every wrong thought with God’s word
Before we delve into learning from Prophet Samuel, I want to wish a Happy New Month to all partners and members of KHC. This month, your dreams shall become a reality.
From the first to the third of March, we will be waiting on God in fasting and prayers. If you are in Ibadan, Nigeria, join us by 6 pm at Shouts of Grace Center, Joke Plaza, beside Trans Amusement park, Bodija-Ui road, Ibadan.
This morning, I want to take us on a journey into the life and times of one of the greatest prophets in the land of Israel; prophet Samuel.
He was so great that the bible records that none of his words fell to the ground. This means that all he ever said came to pass.
But before we delve into Prophet Samuel, let’s take a look at his family history.
There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. – 1 Sam 1:1-8 [ESV]
It wasn’t
One would naturally feel for Hannah because she had no children.
Are you somewhat in the shoes of Hannah? Are there things you need and you don’t seem to have?
Are there certain areas you want God to intervene in your life?
Could it be your parents? Are they going through issues that seem to defy help?
Join me in this series as we see what Hannah did eventually that led to the birth of Samuel the prophet.
Prayer: Help me to learn what I need to know. Amen
My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. – Song of Solomon 2:10 (KJV)
The Message Translation says:
My lover has arrived and he’s speaking to me! Get up, my dear friend, fair and beautiful lover—come to me! – Song of Solomon 2:10 (MSG)
The voice of your lover! There is always something about that voice!
If your lover is not speaking, something is wrong.
My lover has arrived and he’s speaking to me! So says the Message Translation.
You see, the proof of His arrival is His voice whose rich vocals fill the house.
If you want to really know the lover that has “arrived” with you, his or her voice will be busy. If your lover has arrived in his or her heart, if you are truly on the same page, his voice would not be muted.
The moment you have not heard the voice of the one you called your lover for weeks, he has not arrived! You are not on the same page!
If he or she is always busy, and the vocal cords are tied, and the voice is scarce, then something is wrong somewhere.
When married couples have been silent, rendered incommunicado by trivial quarrels and immaturity, that marriage is not in a good state. After silence comes assumptions and innuendos, and assumptions are the lowest form of knowledge.
Are you really in love? We will know by reason of when you spoke last. We will know if you are talking regularly. We will know if you are just doing surface talks and throwing banters with nothing deep or serious.
We will know if the love is one-sided and lop-sided with only one party doing the calling, the wooing, and the pursuing! We will know if he or she sees your voice as a rant, irritated at your calls, making you look like a nuisance.
That, my dear, is no love!
To be continued tomorrow…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not fall in love helplessly.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask for the Grace to recognize the voice of your lover
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY My lover has arrived and he’s speaking to me! Get up, my dear friend, fair and beautiful lover—come to me! – Song of Solomon 2:10 (MSG)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Are you truly in love? Think about it.
Four Ways To Guard Against Adultery. There are steps you take and your destination can be predicted. It is just a matter of time. Every step you take, whether good or bad, is meant to lead to a destination. You cannot be on the path that leads to the house of ‘Mr. Marital Wrong’ and expect to find yourself in ‘Mrs. Marital Bliss apartment.’ It does not work that way in natural things; so don’t expect it to work out in your marriage.
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Pro 14:12 KJV)
Here are some steps you avoid taking if you don’t want to find yourself in adultery.
1. Guard your mind
Adultery starts in the mind. The seed first makes its contact with the mind where it is just a seed of simple admiration. You toy with a first glance and then a good look. It is still a ‘secret’ admiration. But like every seed, it has the potential of growing and becoming a forest. Wise men and women guard their minds and kill the seed of adultery. Don’t give it space, suffocate it, it is unnecessary.
You can admire anybody but desiring someone that is not your spouse is simply uncalled for. Simple innocent admiration can lead to an emotional affair and eventually adultery. At this stage also, you begin to wonder if he/she admires you too, finds you attractive, and enjoys your company. You desire to see him or check him out and consciously make yourself attractive to him/her, you even flaunt your admirable qualities for his/her observation.
2. Guard your heart
The second step into adultery after an unguarded mind is an unguarded heart. The heart is deeper than the mind and at this stage, you develop deeper emotional bonding. You deceive yourself that nothing is going on but in actual fact, this person begins to occupy your thoughts, you even imagine and fantasize your being together, you desire and work out a time to spend together without hesitation.
At this stage, the thoughts of him or her becomes an obsession despite knowing that it is wrong. You start acting it out in your heart. The seed begins to sprout, in no time the fruits will spring forth.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I guard my heart, mind, mouth, and body. I take responsibility for the things I do.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, let the fear and love of God keep me on the right path in Jesus name
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief – we’re not oblivious to his sly ways! (2Co 2:11 MSG)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Have a ‘to-do list’ Plan today. Replace every wrong thought with God’s word
Dear children, I want to show you something I found exciting in the scriptures. I believe it will excite you as well. Do you yet understand the reason for your creation?
I know you might have sometimes wondered why you were brought forth to this earth. Your mind might have wandered far and near as to the reason God made you.
You might have even wished to be born into another country, home, or some other parents.
Hey, listen to me! You are here for a reason. You are here for a purpose.
See what the bible says about you.
My children and I are signs and proofs for the people of Israel. We have been sent by the Lord All-Powerful, who lives on Mount Zion. – Isa 8:18[ERV]
Did you see that? Did that excite you as much as it did me?
You are here as proof of God’s faithfulness.
This means every time someone looks at you, he or she is reminded that God truly exists. Wow!
That neighbor of yours might have been having it rough in school, but merely looking at you gives him hope to forge ahead.
You were sent to the earth by the Lord All-powerful. Which devil can stop you from excelling?
The moment we refuse to step into what God has designed us to be, we are simply short-changing our divine abilities for something less.
I want you to ponder on this verse throughout today.
Read it in several translations so as to have a better understanding of what is being said.
May God give you more understanding in Jesus name, Amen.
Prayer: Oh Lord, make me a wonder to my generation.
Poverty is not your portion! Lack is not part of your redemptive package!
Your prayer should be that God should help you obey Him in giving and other instructions.
For constant financial blessings, there are seeds that must be in the ground. It is a universal law that will never be broken as long as you see day and night.
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. – Genesis 8:22 (KJV)
You can break the back of poverty with your seed and your confession, not just with prayers.
So, your prayer should be that God should give you a heart that gives and obeys God promptly. Always listen to what He has to say and do it.
You should reject poverty with every fibre of your being. Refuse to accommodate flashes and pictures of lack and insufficiency!
The devil likes to flood your mind with images of lack and insufficiency. Passionately refuse, reject and divorce those images. Rather, fill your mind with God’s word about increase and prosperity and that becomes your experience.
4. Mediocrity
We serve an excellent God and we are to do things excellently!
God loves excellence.
There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. – Deu 33:26 (KJV)
He is an excellent God! Everything you do should be done, not with the least energy but with all you have, surpassing expectations and going before the norm.
Oh, when you have that excellence perspective, nobody can just slide into your skirt or trousers! No way!
That excellent spirit abhors chaos, disorder and gate crashing! When a guy wants to gate crash, the excellent spirit in you will not allow such invasion!
Mediocre spirit accommodates nonsense and every kind of violation! Mediocrity celebrates generosity of one’s body!
An excellent spirit births a strong self esteem that makes you secure in who you are in God!
Say with me, “I have an excellent spirit!
May God grant more understanding.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will no longer be delayed. I cooperate with God.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray against the spirit of delay.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
In our many years of counseling married couples, we have had to handle different kinds of issues in marriage. Some of the issues, simple and direct while others are pretty complicated and not direct at all.
The Holy Spirit helps us handle these issues. Some of these issues have their root causes in some generational issues, a complex parental issue, a background issue or a habit that was developed while growing up.
Some husbands are good with silent treatment to their wives. There could be a lot of reasons responsible for this kind of treatment but it takes digging into the issue to get to the root cause.
It will be good to note that there could be different things responsible for such actions. The husband could be frustrated at the wife nagging. The husband could be having issues at work. The husband might have difficulties communicating his deepest feelings. The husband might grow up seeing his dad do the same to his mum. The husband may be involved in extra marital affairs, thus his cold actions. The husband might be dealing with issues that the wife knows nothing about. It could be an act of wickedness on the husband’s part.
So, in the scenario above, let’s assume we are in the shoes of the wife, we have to be tactical in finding out the real cause of our husband’s coldness. E.g if he is cold because he is having an affair and we treat it as having issues at work or overact believing he is mean, we would have ended up majoring on the minor and minoring in the major, and not dealing with the issue.
That is why we have to depend on the Holy Spirit in handling issues in our marriage. Some issues may be complicated while some are not as complicated.
Let’s try to be more patient and think deep through the issues that may arise in our marriage.
Let’s also be prayerful, asking God for the spirit of wisdom and revelation. We also need discernment to discern the root cause of issues.
God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a discerning spouse.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray for the spirit of discernment.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
There are side effects of not forgiving. 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.
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.
There are trends in your life you should reject completely. They are not God’s plan for your life.
Never call them “My problem” They are not your problems, the devil is only trying to impose them on you.
There are things that are already dealt with and finished as a result of the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let’s take a look at them.
1. Delay
There are delays caused by natural situations. There are self inflicted delays as a result of disobedience. But there are also demonic delays, a direct attack from hell.
Whichever way, whatever is attempting to steal your joy is not of God. In God, the price is paid through Jesus Christ.
Whatever has been a hindrance and obstruction on the path of your destiny, it is removed in Jesus name!
A major cure for delay in your life is a passionate cry unto the Lord to satisfy you early with mercy that you may be glad all the day of your life!
Mercy Lord!
2. Compromise
Like plagues, that is how you treat habitual sins, because that is what they are!
Listen to me, if your life must gain traction, if help must reach you, if the heavens be opened over you, you have to let go of habitual sins.
Sin is not supposed to lord it over you again. Jesus dealt with it once and for all!
Read these verses slowly and meditatively.
A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death. [3] God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn’t deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that. The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. [4] And now what the law code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us. [5] Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! – Romans 8:2-5 (MSG)
Hallelujah!
To be continued tomorrow…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will no longer be delayed. I cooperate with God.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray against the spirit of delay.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Our marriage is an integral part of our lives. We will notice that nothing weighs us down more like marital issues. If things are not working between us, the joy level in the home is affected.
Although, Some people might try to do as if they don’t care, but the truth is they do care.
As couples, we need to work together to ensure that our marriage remains intact at all times, no matter the situation or under whichever circumstances.
We should always stick it out together. Remain committed to each other and remain supportive of each other.
You can do these five things to keep your marriage interesting.
1. See you spouse as part of you that nothing can change.
So no matter what challenges, you remain true to each other. Whether loss of job, loss of contract or money in an investment.
2. Learn to make fun and laugh over issues
Even if your spouse is not too much of a jovial temperament, let the other less serious of the two help in lightning the atmosphere. When your spouse is dealing with guilt, shame or not just in a generally good mode, help your spouse feel a little better.
3. You can watch a comedy or action film together
The marriage should not always have to be tensed or serious. You can bring laughter of those who have packaged laughter into comedy shows. It is very helpful to do as you won’t have to bother about cracking expensive jokes or getting on your spouse nerve.
4. Eat out, order a meal or cook a favorite meal
You might want to order something nice for your spouse to eat and indulge your spouse to a treat just to take their minds off whatever is bothering them. A good snack and ice cream could also do the trick for those who like that.
5. Offer your spouse to pray for them or with them.
Prayer is the most powerful and helpful thing you can offer to your spouse when they seem to be down or things are not working.
You offering to pray speaks volumes. It shows you genuinely care and that you recognize the power of God as the ultimate power that can change things.
God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My marriage will not be an adage.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Help me to be a loving spouse oh Lord.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
There is the law of life, and it is found in the Word of God. It is good to know, once more, that God has you in mind. As the scripture says, he has plans to take care of you and not abandon you.
Not only will you be cared for, all that concerns you will also be taken care of.
See this verse of promise in the second book of Moses, the book of Exodus:
Exoduses 9:4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel.
What a promise! This is a word of assurance that nothing that belongs to us will die.
Let us therefore approach God with that confidence over our health, business, academics, finances, and even our parents.
If your parents are having a hard time in marriage, take it to God in prayers, using the above scripture.
God is a prayer answering God, so be rest assured that a change will happen.
Till we meet tomorrow again, keep basking in the euphoria of God’s love.
Prayer: Nothing dies in my hands in Jesus name. Amen
Alright, so when you come and say, I don’t have feelings for him or her again, the question is “was it feelings that led you before?”
Again, to test the genuineness of the loss of your feelings, do you already have feelings for somebody else? A coded way of double dating? And then the sense of guilt pushes you to disconnect with the former, thereby telling him or her, I don’t have feelings again.
Jumping from a feeling-led-relationship into another feeling-led relationship is like jumping from frying pan into fire!
A quick way of dropping the former is to say “I don’t have feelings again.” But you must check the intents of your heart and be sure it is conviction leading you.
Again, when you are dropping someone because you are in love with another one, it is not always healthy because you have initiated a love adventure with a new person without ending the former.
So you try to proceed into the new while you are still intertwined with the old. The new will be frustrated.
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. – Luke 5:37 (KJV)
Not having a sufficient time to heal and pray can often be a decision made out of feelings!
5. Feelings will not equate to God’s voice
Finally, do not allow feelings to replace leading.
You must be led.
Feelings can confuse the soul.
What a married man or woman has for a colleague are feelings and those feelings can get him or her into serious trouble if he decided to feed the feelings.
Learn to not give attention to your feelings especially when you are on the terrain of iniquity. Feelings and lusts are pals. They are close pals, so you need to be careful here.
It was a rush of feeling and lust that David had for Bathsheba. And it led to adultery and murder.
Decide to hear God’s voice and not just rely on feelings.
Take time to ask God for His leading, if you are going through a period of knowing who to marry. Also, if you are already in a relationship or you are married, take time to ask God to help you in your emotions so that you don’t get into trouble. Emotional affair is as real as a physical one.
I pray that God will help you in your emotions and love life and help you discern what is right from what is wrong.
God will help you! The heavens are opened over you! So shall it be in Jesus name!
Don’t forget to SHARE the devotional.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I choose to do it in God’s way.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask for the Grace to stay faithful in a perverse world
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4 KJV
The Family Altar And Your Marriage. You can have the eyes of the Lord upon you as a family and leave His presence with the assurance that He is around you.
The eyes of the Lord cannot be upon you and you not have His presence. His presence is all you need in this life. His presence is the carrier of His glory, His wisdom, His beauty, His intelligence, His understanding, and all of His personality.
His presence gives all-round victory.
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. – Psa 34:15
There is an assurance that comes to you as you gather together as a family to call upon the Lord. That’s one of the reasons the family altar or devotion is very important.
In my family, we didn’t use to have family devotion before. We all woke up at different times and had our prayers separately. My husband was busy with our online ministry and had a different waking time. He was so busy that at times he will be up from 3 am and wouldn’t leave his desk until 9 am or 10 am.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals kindly go HERE
Thank God things have since changed and now our day does not start without our family devotion, where we pray, take daily confessions, and read the Bible.
During our family devotion this morning, I learnt that the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears open to their cry. When we come together as a family, the Lord’s presence is with us. He sees us and He is there. Our gathering together is not a waste of time or religion.
We come together as a family and are confident that He is with us and that His eyes and ears are present with our family. We approach our altar with this attitude.
We also leave our family altar with confidence and assurance that God is with us. We know that we are not alone as we go about our daily activities. Whatever we face in the course of the day, we know He is with us. We rejoice all day knowing that He has got our backs.
God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I know that God is with me as I go out today.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray for the grace to always stay faithful to your family’s devotion
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Psalm 34:15 [ESV] The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
Do you know about fighting from a place of victory? Sometimes you might feel afraid to do something because you are afraid of failing or being mocked. The verse below tells you to do otherwise.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
Fear is part of our lives but is not supposed to stop us from doing what we are supposed to do. Especially as children of God.
God doesn’t want us to be afraid of anything because, according to the verse above, He is with us all the way.
This was what he told Joshua when the children of Israel were going out to tackle an enemy. He told them not to be afraid. They believed Him and went out to battle. Guess what happened? They came back victorious.
May the Lord give you victory and eliminate every spirit of fear in you. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, give me a spirit that is bold and courageous in You. Help me conquer mountains in Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Action plan: Bring every one of your fears before God. Ask Him to show you what to do and obey His instructions.
This happens a lot and I get to hear this from time to time.
Pastor, I don’t have feelings for him again.
Pastor, I don’t have feelings for her again.
I will tell you five things quickly that will put things in perspective and help you judge your loss of “feelings” whether they are genuine or just some ruse.
1. Feelings are different from conviction
A feeling is the voice of your flesh. It is an emotional state. A conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.
So, when it comes to relationship and falling in love, as a child of God, you need to ask, is it just feelings I have for this person or do I have a “leading” from God?
They are two different things entirely.
2. Feelings are fickle
Feelings are not bad in themselves, it is just that you should not trust them.
They are fickle, and they don’t have a forever a status.
You can wake up with seven different feelings for a supposed loved one in seven different days.
They are also temporal and they often don’t last. Feelings come and go!
Feelings are not deep. They are surface surfers. Feelings cannot endure. Feelings are like fair weather friends.
3. You will not always have feelings for him or her
The next thing you need to realize is that you will not always have feelings for him or her.
So, in effect, feelings cannot be a standard for measuring your love!
Even in marriage, there are times you wake up to see your spouse and all the feelings have gone on holiday to Bahamas or some Island of no communication!
What do you do? Are you going to file for divorce?
You see, beyond your feelings, there must be a genuine commitment arising from a conviction towards the person you want to get married to!
So, you cannot afford to be led by what you “feel” alone.
Feelings are too weak to sustain you in the midst of love adventure. Feelings will abandon you at the slightest pressure.
It is only conviction that can travel the whole length with you, in cold or summer!
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am led by the spirit of God. My feelings do not control me.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, lead me to the rightful person for me
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Celebration is the source of life and joy. Keep Celebrating. If you want to experience constant life and joy in marriage, learn to celebrate. Let there be a constant feast in your marriage.
By feast, I don’t mean a party. It is more of the condition of the heart than it is a physical thing.
All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. – Pro 15:15
All forms of moodiness and gloominess are not meant to be allowed in your home. You have to learn to disallow certain things in your home and family. You allow joy and happiness.
Celebration is something you practice consciously. You make it a habit in your family. There are a lot of opportunities to celebrate that God brings our way. We should seize these opportunities.
Celebration puts us in faith. Abraham celebrated God by giving glory to God even when the covenant child was not even born. His celebration kept his faith alive.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals kindly go HERE
When you learn to celebrate, you acknowledge God as the source of your very life. You recognize God as the Lord over your marriage.
There are several opportunities in which we have to be sensitive to celebrate. Some people in a bid to appear humble say to celebrate is not to be sober like the Bible says. But the same bible says we should rejoice and again it says we should rejoice.
To celebrate is to be thankful and grateful. Celebrate every of your birthday. Celebrate the life and the lives of all those around you. Be grateful to God for victory and sparing your life. Many have been laid aside, so be grateful and celebrate life.
Celebrate your children. Celebrate your husband. Celebrate events. Create memorials. Celebrate the beginning of the term for your children. Celebrate the end of term. Celebrate anniversaries, Christmas, holidays. Look into each and find out what to celebrate.
Make things special. Make every dinner and lunch a memorable one. Let your spouse and children have sweet memories. Celebrate your pastors, your boss. Celebrate your parents, your siblings, celebrate everything and anything.
As you celebrate, you will have more reasons to celebrate.
God bless your marriage
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I choose to celebrate at every opportunity I get.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, teach me how to love my husband/wife well
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Eph 5:25 [KJV]Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Today we are looking at “Going The Extra Mile.” What made Jesus take special interest in Zacchaeus? Out of all the people around him, how was he able to distinguish Zaccheus out?
The bible says there was a large crowd gathering to see Jesus. Jesus could have picked out anyone from the crowd and passed his message.
As a matter of fact, Zacchaeus was not the only tax collector in the region at that point in time.
So what really attracted him to the saviour?
Zacchaeus went an extra mile. Oh yes, he did.
Luke 19:4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
He looked beyond his height and refused to be discouraged. He climbed a tree, all in a bid to see the saviour.
Dear children, be like Zacchaeus. Go the extra mile. Don’t settle for less. Don’t be mediocre in your approach to life, your academic pursuit and everything you find yourself doing.
Strive to be the best and God will send for you, Amen.
Prayer: Lord, help me to make amends where necessary.
Action Point: Are there areas you need to make restitutions? List them out.
Declaration: I am living for Jesus so I do things right!
“But that is what you are doing! It is firstly sweet in your mouth, but afterward, it turns into gravel. The mastication process will go awry. So says the scriptures.”
“I don hear. Holy sister.”
“But candidly speaking, your perspective is wrong. Don’t waste your time on what will not work.”
Phone rings, as they made to enter their room.
Nancy picked up her phone and looked at the name on the screen. It was one of her boyfriends, the one that was not caring, but gives her a lot of money.
“I beg, make I pick important call, my foodstuff don nearly finish!”
As she chatted away, Angie sat down on the edge of her bed and ruminated. She prayed silently to God to help her communicate and help her friend who is obviously dancing with imminent disappointments.
She knew what she was doing wouldn’t work. It was simply not God’s order. She wondered at how her roommate had trivialized what is clearly a sin, how she kind of mocked God with her attitude to life.
She seemed to be enjoying it now and she prayed for her silently as the scripture came to her mind:
Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow. – Isa 50:11
She knew all Nancy was reveling in were sparks…and she prayed to God to send light her way, before the night time, when her bed would have been decked up with sorrow!
Despite all she is doing, she knows God loves her deeply, but that is not enough, she needs to love the Lord too and that is where the real blessing is!
When she sees the light, then she would realize she has been living in the sparks!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I choose to do it in God’s way.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask for the Grace to stay faithful in a perverse world
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4 KJV
Husbands should endeavor to pray for their wives daily. This may sound religious but I have found it to work. Apart from the fact that it draws the husband to God, making him take his rightful place as the priest, it takes the pressure off the wife also.
Everybody now looks up to God who is able to transform our marriage and make us better people. The focus shifts to God. The husband sees God as the One who will answer his prayers and he’s patiently waiting on God.
It also affords the husband to pray for those virtues he likes to see in his wife. Praying together brings God into the scene where He becomes a partner with us. He sees to it that there are changes and our marriages become better.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. – Eph 5:25 – 28
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The husbands should be responsible in the transformation process of their wives. They should be committed to seeing their wives transformed to what they want them to be.
So dear wives, a little trick that works is to always ask your husband to lay his hands on you and pray for you. It gives your husband a feeling of your being submissive to him and a willingness to want to please him. It will also reduce quarrels. You can’t be fighting and your husband praying for you.
Note that the devil will try and fight this. He hates this kind of unity and agreement because of the power it generates. Even when there is a fight, make sure you apologize and ask your husband to pray for you.
For example, if your husband is always complaining that you are slow, let him begin to talk to God about it. So he prays for you that God should make you faster or quicker in doing your things.
Two things will likely happen. It is either he begins to see himself as complaining and begins to see the good side of your being slow, or he accept you that way and work on being more patient. If he still complains, you tell him, Senior, we have prayed about it.
In this way, the wife takes the pressure of performance off her and allows the process of change to take its course. You could use this method to kick start praying together for those who don’t pray together at all.
May God give us victory, Amen!
God bless our homes and marriages.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I cooperate with my spouse to have an award winning marriage.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, teach me how to love my husband/wife well
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Eph 5:25 [KJV]Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
This morning, I want to bring out one more lesson, on how to make restitution appropriately, from the story of Mr. Zacchaeus the tax collector.
To have a better understanding of what I am about to share, let us go to the beginning of the travails of Mr. Zacchaeus the tax collector.
Luke 19:1-3 [BBE] And he went into Jericho, and when he was going through it, A man, named Zacchaeus, who was the chief tax-farmer, and a man of wealth, Made an attempt to get a view of Jesus, and was not able to do so, because of the people, for he was a small man.
My point this morning is in verse three. The bible says he made an attempt to see Jesus. That was the beginning of his redemption.
He did not just stay at one point, wishing Jesus would come for him. He made an attempt.
Dear children, make that attempt today. Give that dream a shot. Leave your comfort zone and make that push.
What dreams do you have in mind for years? What ideas do you have unattended to? Speak to your parents today and make that attempt towards realizing that dream.
