As sister Sube walked down the road, her mind was stormy and depressed. This is in contrast with the calm and unusual tranquil weather. Without was so peaceful, but within were rumblings of the murky waters of despondency!
Every step she took down the road was punctuated with deep-seated sighs. What is her problem? She feels something is wrong with her because nobody is proposing to her and age is no longer on her side!
On the other hand, Brother Zerubabbel too is so worried that he is almost bending over. What is his problem? Brother Zeru is angry with all the so-called sisters because he has proposed to thirteen sisters in the same church and each of them gave him a nail.
The nails, sorry, the spikes were so painful. It was as if the sisters all had a meeting on him, actually, they did.
The above scenarios are issues that bother on cultivating friendship the right and healthy way.
Never forget that how to get a friend is more important than how to get a lover. Lovers don’t drop from the sky; they are made from friendship as the foundation.
Loving is a process that should start with friendship. Don’t fall in love with someone who is not your friend. It is not advisable to toe the line of ‘love at first sight.’ Why? You can only love who you know! You might have some body chemistry at first sight, but certainly, it is not falling in love like we normally allude.
Love is a spiritual entity that happens not just in the intellectual realm but in the emotional and spiritual realms as well. When you have a one–night stand with a stranger, it is nothing but lust and lack of discipline. You don’t even know the person and yet the moment you are sexually involved, your histories become intertwined, afflictions and demonic influences are exchanged and dangerous habits creep into your life after such reckless sexual encounters.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I declare that my steps and relationships are ordered.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, help to get the right friends in Jesus name
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Job 19:19 KJV All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY List the names of your friends.
Continued from yesterday. You can read Part 2 HERE
Make sure he knows God. Make sure he loves God. Make sure his priorities are that of the Lord. That way, you will serve God gladly and not be persecuted all the days of your marriage.
You really don’t want to get married to someone who tells you after your wedding that you should try out a threesome! You really don’t want to get married to a man who says he loves it in the anal.
That is out rightly demonic and as a wife, you don’t have to risk your health and life! Seek counsel and don’t die in silence! You really don’t want to get married to a man who brings out ropes and other sadistic objects and says he doesn’t really feel it until he ties you up!
For those who are already married and are caught in this thicket of obeying God and disobeying him or obeying him and disobeying God, thereby kicking against the pricks, I want to offer a piece of advice.
First of all, the scripture says you should submit to your own husband. So we see right away that it is wrong for you to listen to one man, maybe your boss, against your husband.
You are to submit to your own husband, not another woman’s husband. Your boss is another woman’s husband.
So when he is making advances at you, you are to gladly and boldly disobey him. You don’t try to keep a job and then lose your joy!
Then the next thing is that you are to submit as unto the Lord.
What does that mean?
Let’s take a look at other translations.
Wives understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. – Ephesians 5:22 (MSG)
Whatever will not show your support for God should not be done.
You should politely, “submissively” refuse anything that will violate your conscience, that will set you against your maker and that will give access to the hordes of hell to plummet your destiny!
For example, he asks you to follow him to a herbalist. That is a direct affront between the kingdom of light and darkness. You are probably the last hope of that family and the last ounce of strength the children are looking up to, so you refuse! If you “submit” to such, it would not be as unto the Lord, and that might put the whole family in eternal danger.
So, what do you do in such cases?
You seek counsel. You pray in the Spirit. You keep walking in love and refuse to enter into strife.
If you do this, you will eventually have the victory and your husband will respect you more for this because he will realize it later. But if you listen to him, he will blame you when he realizes his mistakes; he will blame you for not stopping him from plunging the whole family into regrettable depths!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not miss it in marriage
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, lead me to that person you have designed for me
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Wives understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. – Ephesians 5:22 (MSG)
Continued from yesterday. You can read Part 1 HERE
The statement “I am your husband to be, you must obey everything I say whether you like it or not” is a fallacy.
Yes, you should obey because you will eventually have to submit after marriage, but you are to refuse any form of oppression, compromise and violation of God’s word.
I will give you another example.
He desperately is in need of money. He suggests you take money that doesn’t belong to you in your place of work because you head the accounting section. Technically, he is asking you to steal.
If you go ahead to do that in love, it is most likely he would not marry you, because the very seed that would scatter the relationship has been sown.
On another level, you would have offended God in your bid to keep a lover, and come to think of it, it is not your supposed “acts” of love that keeps the relationship, it is God’s favour. The question then is that why would you want to lose God’s favour because you want to keep the guy?
You don’t kick against the lover of your soul to keep the lover of your body!
So, this is clear, it is a wrong man that will insist that you compromise your faith and desecrate the covenant.
Walk away from that man without regrets. Walk away from such a man offering thanksgiving to God that you discovered such traits before walking down the aisle.
It is good for you to leave a wrong man as soon as you can because if the wrong man doesn’t go, the right man will not show up.
Some ladies try to wait for the right man while they hold on to the wrong man in case the right man doesn’t show up. The reality is that the right man is never going to show up like that. God doesn’t want you double dating!
This is why we also say you should know who you are getting married to before you walk down the aisle.
To be continued tomorrow
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not miss it in marriage.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to trust you.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Sally is caught in a cross-fire. She really wanted to submit to her husband, but then some of the things her boo wanted her to do clearly contradicts the scriptures. What should she do? Cooperate with her boo and risk losing God’s favour or hold unto God while her love life collapses and her homes boils?
Even in courtship, the lady is often caught in between pleasing him and pleasing Him!
Let’s take a look at the scriptures.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. – Ephesians 5:22 (KJV)
So we see clearly and succinctly here that a wife is supposed to submit to her husband. It never says that a lady should submit to her own fiancé!
So, when he says you must come over and spend weekends, you don’t have to obey and end up jeopardizing your relationship with God in your bid to “submit’
I am saying in essence that in a dating or courtship situation, you are to absolutely follow God and not man!
If whatever your fiancé wants done is as unto the Lord, there wouldn’t be any problem there. You should gladly submit, even if you are not married yet.
But when it clearly violates your conscience, makes you feel guilty, makes you cry and dissipates God’s anointing in your life, you are to leave that guy alone before he wrecks your destiny.
Now, let’s see some examples here.
He asks you to send your nude pictures or else he would end the relationship. Something is not quite right.
There is some level of perversion that is being shown there. There is some traits of a compromised heart coming up there.
In this case, let your “No’ be emphatic and clear. If he walks away because of that, let him walk, he is not your husband.
If you do it and listen to him, this is not submission in any way, it is more of foolishness. If he is asking for nude before marriage, what will he ask for if he ever gets to marry you?
If you go ahead and do it in a bid to keep him, it shows your own depth of devotion to God. it shows that somewhere in your heart, you don’t really trust God.
If you do, you will never do anything that displeases God in other to please your boo. If you do such things, you just sowed a seed into that relationship and opened the door for the devil to afflict.
To be continued tomorrow…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not miss it in marriage.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to trust you.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Continued from yesterday. You can read Part 2 HERE
Most importantly, a blessed man or woman can cast out demons. He or she can take charge of the spiritual milieu of the house. That is what you should go for.
Not a man or woman that will drag you to a herbalist’s house in your hour of need.
You need a blessed man or woman that can speak in tongues! Not just hot legs, but hot legs plus hot heart for God. That is what you need.
What is the purpose of marrying a beautiful lady with an empty head?
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful face on an empty head. – Proverbs 11:22 (MSG)
Hey, ladies, KHC daughters, listen to me, you need a man that can intreat the Lord for you!
Further down in the chapter we are studying, that was what Isaac did for his wife!
And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. – Genesis 25:21 (KJV)
Message Translation says Isaac prayed hard. You need a man/woman that can pray hard when you are down!
Two weeks before I got married, my wife collapsed and was hospitalized. It was an attack. My in laws did not know what to do. She was on drip for three days and had not opened her eyes.
When they told me over the qphone (those old NITEL boxes), I traveled to Abeokuta where she was, and discharged her. I put a stop to the attacks and asked that the life of God flow int her. She opened her eyes, sat up and asked for food. Even the doctor was amazed at the power of God.
That did not happen because I was a Pastor, it happened because I could intreat the Lord. That is part of the blessing!
I will have to stop here this morning.
May heaven assist you to find that blessed special man or woman!
Put your hands on your head, go ahead and speak in tongues a little.
I call your relationship blessed. I call your courtship blessed. I call your marriage blessed. I call your family blessed. I call your home blessed. I call your children blessed.
Now, I pray for you, by the unction on me this morning as I write, everything that looks like a curse, everything that is a departure from God’s promises over you and yours, is removed in Jesus name!
I have been commanded to bless, so with God’s authority over my life and ministry, this morning, I call you blessed!
Go out today declaring that you are blessed and see what the Lord will do today and in the next seven days!
CONFESSION OF THE DAY I am blessed so I attract the blessed.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord I receive the gift of a blessed man
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous
Continued from yesterday. You can read Part 1 HERE
There are Josephs, Samsons and there are Amnons!
There are women who bring help and there are those who bring hell. There are wives and there are knives!
There are those who delight in your God and those who deride your faith.
There are Deborahs and there are Delilahs! There are Sarahs and there are Jezebels.
I say this with all sense of responsibility and humility, if I had married the wrong person, I will not be in ministry today. I know that because a lot of ministries have become miseries.
A lot of gifts and callings have been silenced and hibernated in the kitchen forever because of the wrong choice!
A lot of glorious callings have been guillotined, hung, and suspended because of the wrong choice.
Now, Pastor what do I look for in a man or a lady?
It is very simple. Look for a man or woman that is BLESSED!
Don’t look for money or comfort alone, look for the blessing first.
If he or she is not blessed, the money will all disappear. And even if it doesn’t disappear, joy will be far away.
The blessing! That is what to look for.
Look for a man that will not be threatened of you and will bring out the best in you.
Look for a woman that will complement you and not distract you in this journey.
Look for a man who loves God, he will truly love you.
Let’s take a look at just one example.
And Abraham gave ALL that he had unto Isaac. – Genesis 25:5 (KJV)
What is the “All” that Abraham gave to Isaac?
It is called the blessing!
The blessing makes all that a man does to prosper just like a curse can make all that a man does to come to null and void.
But if Abraham gave all to Isaac, what then did he give to all other sons?
But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave GIFTS and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. – Genesis 25:6 (KJV)
He gave all other sons all kinds of gifts which in today’s world would include cars, houses, lands, and so on.
But to Isaac, he gave ALL, and ALL is the Blessing!
Look for a blessed man, not a man who has a car but is not blessed.
The blessed man will eventually get all the cars and houses and the jets!
To be continued tomorrow…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not miss it in marriage
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, lead me to that person you have designed for me
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY And Abraham gave ALL that he had unto Isaac. – Genesis 25:5 (KJV)
Sally, a God-loving babe is single, sassy, smart and searching! She has many suitors, but she just can’t seem to decide what she should really go for. She knows God loves her and is assured of that, but she is yet to find the man that will truly love her. Who should one really go for? What is it that must not be negotiated?
Before saying “I do,” what should one do?
Before walking down the aisle with the loved one, the sweetheart, the fedora, the rose, the lily, what should one really look out for?
What should a man look for in a lady or what should a lady look for in a man?
This is our bone of contention this morning and we are going to have to crack it by the Holy Spirit.
In relationship and marriage decisions, there is something that should not be negotiated. This is what we are looking at this morning.
There is something that you should watch out for that if you cannot see, you should talk to your lower limbs and pick a race.
You cannot marry everybody or just anybody. In the scriptures, God is particular about where the children of Israel should marry from.
In the contemporary world of 2022 and beyond, what do you look for?
After being involved in ministry work and pastoring for over two decades, with countless experiences in counseling sessions, I can tell you a few things.
After being married for twenty-two years plus, my eyes have seen a little. I have listened to countless brides crying and agonizing over the phone over their regrettable choices in marriage. I have listened to mature men break down like little boys because of the frustration experienced from their wives.
In the world of relationships and marriage, all men are not equal or the same. There are men and there are mean men.
There are honest men who speak with integrity and there are froward men whose mouths speak deceit and lies.
To be continued tomorrow…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not say I do to the wrong person
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, do the best for me
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY And Abraham gave ALL that he had unto Isaac. – Genesis 25:5 (KJV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Do well to share this devotional
9. God’s word will renew your mind and make you become a better person
Are you wondering how you make some changes especially concerning old habits that seemed ingrained in you and tattooed on your mind? God’s word is the way out. The word of God brings transformation. It can lift a man from the miry clay to the mountain top.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2 KJV)
10. God’s word will help you to know your rights in God and get the best in your relationship, marriage and home.
Finally, it is in God’s word that you get to know and discover your rights in God and lay claim on them. You are not to be overcome by sin again. The bond of iniquity ought not to have a hold on you again. Its power has been broken. Sin shall no longer lord it over you. You are no longer the sinner trying to be righteous, you are the righteous whom the devil is trying to trap.
The power of lack, insufficiency, and poverty has been broken in your life. You have all things in God right now. The power of sicknesses and diseases has been crushed in your life! That cancer has no place in your body. That arthritis is no longer your portion. That heart condition has been taken care of…all these truths and more are what belong to you as a child of God.
When you study God’s word and discover what He has done for you when his body hung on the cross, you will have the boldness to demand what belongs to you in God!
May God grant you more understanding!
I pray for you this morning, every tree in your life and destiny that my God has not planted, be uprooted now in Jesus name!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a student of the word
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask for the grace to stay with the word
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Josh 1:8[NET]This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.
4 God’s word will become light and direction to help you choose as a single.
There is rigour in direction. Life is about decisions, but that is not all to it. 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 or marriage, you need stability. You need God’s help to have a successful marriage. You need a 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)
6. God’s word will regulate and help maintain your relationship and marriage when you follow its principles.
Following the principles of God gleaned from His word will help to regulate your relationship or marriage from the hullabaloo of marital journey.
7. God’s word will help you to have peace of mind in that relationship or marriage
God’s word brings peace. It helps put the couple at rest and delivers them from cheating on each other. It helps the couple to be satisfied with each other, and saves them from the pits that the enemy might have dug on their paths.
8. God’s word will help you to raise your children
When you train a child in the way he should go in the principles and systems of God, he will not depart from those principles when he grows up.
Rather than worry about the overwhelming peer pressure that an average youth is exposed to, show that youth the ways of God and his or her destiny will be preserved.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a student of the word.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, make me a word addict
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Put the above points to use
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3 KJV)
Here are ten 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 its 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 wrought victory in God!
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4 KJV)
See it in Message Translation:
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 Message)
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!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a student of the word
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask for the grace to stay with the word
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Josh 1:8[NET]This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.
Tonight wasn’t a good one for Angie. The sublimity of the night couldn’t reach her soul. The night was calm and rested, but the tranquility of the night was a far cry from the turbulence and storm raging in her heart. She has just been jilted, after offering several sexual escapades. The pain in her heart was deep, the lacerations within her elicited endless tears that cascaded down her powdery face, to the very foundation of her makeup.
Only one person can assuage the waters of agony meandering in her soul and that is her dad. She called him severally, but to no avail. She knew if she could just reach her dad, his deep words from his deep voice will lift her soul from the pit of regret.
In the same way, there is something God has given us that if we can just reach out to that in our moment of troubles, tests, and trials, we will always be bailed out. And that is God’s word!
God’s word is powerful. As a single or married couple, you should surround yourself with that word. Listen to tapes, read books, read it online, hear it in church, and by all means, keep feeding your inner man. Your success and stature in life are predicated on your studious habit of God’s word.
And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. (Joshua 1:8 Message)
Do you know that some of the frustrations that you are going through right now as a single or married couple can be terminated by God’s word? Do you know that some of the greatest questions in your heart right now can be answered when you read and study God’s word?
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?
May God grant you more understanding!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a student of the word. I do this one thing passionately.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask for the grace to do this one thing
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Josh 1:8[NET]This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Decide to do this one thing
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. Pro 12:4 (KJV)
Piety
A virtuous woman respects and serves God first by deepening her faith, attending church, and actively serving the community. She honors and obeys the will of God in all things.
Patience
A virtuous woman is patient. She knows that God’s timing is perfect and will not rush Him. When faced with difficult circumstances, she trusts that God has a plan and waits patiently to see what He will do.
Kindness
Kindness is an attribute of a virtuous woman. She cares for those who are hurting or in need without expecting anything in return. A virtuous woman is gentle and patient with others and doesn’t allow her emotions to control her actions, but instead she remains humble.
Humility
A virtuous woman is humble because she does not boast or brag about her accomplishments. She does not compare herself to others and she is generous with her praise and compliments.
A virtuous woman is careful to remember that it is not about her, but that she has been given gifts in order to make other people’s lives better.
Diligence
A virtuous woman is diligent. She is not lazy or wasteful, but she works hard and looks for ways to improve. This characteristic of a virtuous woman is one that can be seen in all over the scriptures.
Gratitude
A virtuous woman is grateful. She is thankful for the things she has and knows that all good things come from God. A virtuous woman doesn’t take anything for granted and she gives thanks to God for her everyday blessings. She is not petty and demanding.
Love
Love is one of the most important qualities of a virtuous woman. Many people think that love is a feeling, but it goes much deeper than that. Love requires patience, kindness, humility, diligence, and graciousness. A virtuous woman who loves deeply understands the meaning of sacrificial love and lives it out in her actions to those around her.
Conclusion
A virtuous woman is a woman who is virtuous in every way. She has many different traits that make her who she is.
She is kind to everyone and never gets angry, even if she is wronged. She is humble and doesn’t always need praise. She has a strong personality, but knows how to stay calm when it’s needed.
She always tries to do what is right and what she believes God wants her to do. She is diligent, diligent, diligent in all her work. She never gives up and always strives to be better.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a virtuous woman.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, make me diligent in all I do.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Proverbs 31:26 (KJV) She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. –Proverbs 31:10 (KJV)
What does a virtuous woman look like? What does she do, and how does someone know if they are one? A virtuous woman is the epitome of God’s will. She is patient and kind, humble, diligent, gracious and full of love.
A virtuous woman respects herself by using her talents for the good of others and not for self-glorification. She cares for those who are hurting or in need without expecting anything in return. A virtuous woman is a joy to be around because her faith in God is pure.
Find out more about what it means to be a virtuous woman with these 7 characteristics.
What is a virtuous woman?
A virtuous woman is a woman who is living according to God’s will. A virtuous woman respects herself and takes care of her body by not bringing harm to it. She does not abuse her body with drugs, alcohol, or sexual activity outside of marriage. A virtuous woman also respects her husband by caring for him and serving him in every way she knows how.
A virtuous woman cares for others by showing love and compassion. A virtuous woman is diligent in whatever she does and graciously helps others with patience and kindness. She is also humble enough to be teachable and humble enough to follow Jesus Christ, the one true God, as he leads the way into the future.
The seven characteristics of a virtuous woman
1. A virtuous woman is patient.
2. A virtuous woman is kind.
3. A virtuous woman is humble.
4. A virtuous woman is diligent.
5. A virtuous woman is gracious.
6. A virtuous woman is regulated by God’s love
7. A virtuous woman trusts in God and His will for her life every day.
These are what to look for in a virtuous lady!
To be continued tomorrow.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a virtuous lady
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord Jesus, help me to put to use what I have learnt
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Prov 31:25 [TLB] She is a woman of strength and dignity and has no fear of old age.
Bode has always lived to impress other people. He has always compared himself to others, allowing other people’s lives and purposes to determine his own goals. He has never been true to himself. In no time, he had worn out himself and at the end of the day, he still lacked fulfillment.
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (2 Corinthians 10:12 KJV)
Why would the Bible say that falling into comparison trap is foolish?
1. You are unique
You are uniquely created. There are over seven billion people on planet earth and yet nobody else has an exact match of your fingerprints. As I write now, the world’s population is at 7.9 Billion!
You have been uniquely packaged for a specific assignment on earth. It is foolhardy then for one to compare himself with another.
2. You have different assignments
Everybody has a unique purpose to fulfill on earth. God told Jeremiah that
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5 KJV)
Your purpose precedes your creation. That is how powerful it can get! Everything you need on earth to fulfill your purpose was packaged into you while God is creating you. You are not inferior, you are gifted and you only need to discover it!
3. You have a different life span
Some people would have achieved so much by thirty that you are wondering how they are able to do so many things in a few years. But then before they are fifty, they are out of this world. Some people are great achievers too, just that they are latecomers. Their limelight begins when they are over forty or fifty! Stop comparing yourself with what others are doing, focus on God to help you do what you are supposed to do!
4. You will weary yourself
When you compare yourself, you will end up getting tired because you will be drawn to do what you are not gifted to do. You will want to impress others and you will soon get tired trying to do that!
5. You will be distracted
Comparison trap breaks your focus. It gets you on the wrong lane of purpose. It is a wasted and futile effort with no reward from God.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am focused
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord Jesus, help me to be focused
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5 KJV)
Betty is so frustrated in the relationships she had been involved with. She seems to have the knack for attracting the wrong people all the time. From deceivers to casanovas and then out-rightly wicked people, she kept having broken relationships. At a time, she began to think that there might be a curse lurking somewhere.
Andy had similar experiences in the hands of what he can only describe as strange women. They kept ripping him off, collecting his money, and eventually eloping just at the times commitments were about to be initiated. He didn’t know what to do again. He seems locked up in the pit of confusion with no flicker of light or hope?
Is there ever a way to know the right person as a child of God? Is there ever a way to avoid the wrong man or woman? Will God lead? If God leads, how? How can I be kept from ungodly people, deceivers, and liars?
Sometimes, you don’t even know which Pastor to talk to because there are so many charlatans who call themselves Pastors but will readily take advantage of naive ladies and end up abusing the abused! It’s pathetic and heart-rendering!
Let us get into the scripture to see some verses in answers to avoiding wrong people in relationships. The truth is that if you are able to avoid the wrong people, you will not waste time and resources on what will not eventually work. You will not be dissipating your energy on wasteful and useless relationships.
(10)When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; (11)Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: (12)To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; (13) Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; (14)Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; (15)Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: (16)To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; (17)Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.(18) For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.(19)None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. (20)That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. – Pro 2:10-20 KJV
In verses 10 and 11, the Bible says that you will be protected and preserved from falling into the wrong hands.
Verse 12 says ‘it will deliver you from the evil man.’ This means wisdom and knowledge will help you not to say YES to the wrong man.
Message translation of verse 12 says,
‘They’ll keep you from making wrong turns, or following the bad directions.’
That is very profound. It will keep you from making emotional decisions.
Message translation of verse 14 says it will deliver you from ‘These losers who make a game of evil and throw parties to celebrate perversity’ That is, you will be kept away from men that are out to deceive you.
Message translation of verse 15 says it will deliver you from people that are ‘Traveling paths that go nowhere, wandering in a maze of detours and dead ends.’ That is, you will be kept away from jobless, visionless, directionless men. This is how to avoid wrong men.
Further down in verse 16, the Bible says ‘To deliver thee from the strange woman!’ This is awesome. You don’t want to get involved with a strange woman. Solomon married strange women and they turned his heart away from God.
Whether you are a man or woman, you are protected. But notice it all boils down to the fact that wisdom must enter your heart and knowledge must be pleasant to your soul. Go after wisdom. Stay in church and learn. Buy books and study.
The key to all this seems to be in verse 10, …when wisdom enters your heart. If wisdom can only enter my heart, I can avoid evil men and strange women. I can be kept from time and resources-wasting relationships.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will go after wisdom. I will locate the right person
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY O Lord, help me locate the right person
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY And here’s why: GOD gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. (Pro 2:6 MSG)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Start searching for knowledge of God’s word now.
It really doesn’t have to be expensive if you are not buoyant, but you should trust God for constant supplies.
There is a large part of the brain that is dedicated to shiny things in ladies.
In men, it is gadgets, anything that looks like a box, phones, cars, sound systems and so on. But in women, it is anything shiny, shoes, bags, jewelries and the likes.
If you don’t agree, buy her one and see how she will grin from ear to ear.
4. Give her time and attention
Hear what she is saying and what she is not saying.
Do not allow communication to die.
Keep talking no matter what.
If you are not in the same city, make sure you contact each other daily unless you are working in a medieval forest where there are no communication networks.
Otherwise, you have no excuse that you are so “busy” and you cannot call.
I really will not agree that a man can be so busy and cannot steal out five minutes out of twenty-four hours to be in touch with the one he professes to love.
If he forgets to call from time to time, it is either he loves another wherever he is or he is deliberately developing cold feet towards the relationship.
If a man loves you, his heart will be with you and he will stay in touch no matter what.
If he has not called you in three weeks, you are the only one in love, he is not.
It can really be painful to be in love with one who is not in love with you. It is a time waster and you should not waste your time on such.
So, time and attention are very important to a man.
I pray that God will grant you more wisdom on this topic in Jesus name!
A shout to all our partners, God will continue to honor you in Jesus name! Be blessed!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My lover is very happy with me. I do things that please him/her.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, teach me how to make my partner happy.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Tell him/her how much you love them
Your fiancee will sense your genuine love for her when you pray for her from the depths of your heart.
She will feel well taken care of and her assurance that the future will be great will increase.
Every lady is looking for a man that they know will be there for them spiritually. It is only carnal minded ladies that don’t care a hoot about the man’s spirituality.
You cannot place your spiritual responsibility on your loved one, but at least, you can be inspired by each other’s faith.
It is beautiful when you dedicate time of courtship for the spirituals and not just for carnality and fun all the way.
Thank God for Cinemas and movies, but what about some fasting and prayers as well?
Thank God for the Ice cream and the burgers, but what about some christian books on marriage to read and discuss as well?
2. Take her out
As spiritual as she may be, she wants to be taken out and sweet nonsense whispered into her ears. She finds that very romantic.
As much as she likes to take confessions, she also want to hear you confess your love for her.
As much as she wants you to share scriptures with her, she also wants to share pop-corn and drink with you while at the cinema.
There must be a balance here. One must not be sacrificed for the other and you have to learn to create a balance.
There is a time for fasting and prayers towards your wedding. There is a time for taking a walk and telling her how much you love her.
There is a time for speaking in tongues together. There is a time for holding the tongue and listen to her speak.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My lover is very happy with me. I do things that please him/her.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Oh Lord, teach me how to make my partner happy.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Tell him/her how much you love them
Yesterday, we identified two steps to breaking delay and stagnation.
Let’s continue…
Step 3: Change Your Actions
The third step is to change your actions. This may seem simple, but it’s important.
If you want to be in a different place in life, then you need to take action and do something about it. If you want something different from your life, then maybe it’s time to do something differently too.
It can be easy to fall into the routine of doing the same things over and over again, but that isn’t going to make your dreams come true. You have to start doing something different in order for anything else to happen.
Take some time today and write down what you want from your life, both professionally and personally. What are your goals? What would make you happy? And commit yourself now to taking some time each day to work on reaching them.
Step 4: Build a Better Future for Yourself
The fourth step for breaking the yokes of delay and stagnation is to build a better future for yourself. When you’re facing difficulty in your current situation, it can be hard to imagine a better future. But with a little creativity and imagination, you can start building that better future right now.
For example, if your job is unsatisfying or you aren’t getting paid enough, see what opportunities are out there in other fields. You could research different careers that appeal to you and see which one would be the best fit. Maybe you’ve always loved social work or writing? Or maybe this opportunity will open an entirely new door for you.
The point is that by building a better future for yourself, you’ll have more power over your life. And when we have more control over our lives, we tend to feel happier and more satisfied with our current situation.
Conclusion;
The way you think, what you do, and what you create now will determine your future.
You can break the yokes of delay and stagnation and create a better future for yourself. If you feel like you are stuck, stuck, stuck and can’t get out, it is time to take action and break through. Get restless!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY No more delays. My wedding is happening soonest.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY I bind the spirit of delay in my life in Jesus name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? – Isaiah 29:17 (KJV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Start preparing for your marriage now.
It’s possible you have been waiting for certain things to happen. You may be waiting for your business to take off, waiting for that next big raise, or waiting for a new job. It can be easy to get stuck in a rut of disappointment, and it can seem like the only way out is to wait for something better to come along. But what if there was a different way? What if you could break the yokes of delay and stagnation by making small changes in your life?
Delay is a yoke. Stagnation is a yoke. That looks like a bad news! But you know what? There is also good news! The yoke of delay and stagnation can be broken!
Let’s take a look at the scriptures.
And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. – Gen 27:40 (KJV)
Take a look at The Message Translation.
You’ll live by your sword, hand-to-mouth, and you’ll serve your brother. But when you can’t take it any more you’ll break loose and run free. – Gen 27:40 (MSG)
What steps do you take to break off these yokes?
Step 1: Get restless. Be angry.
Get to the point when you can’t take it anymore. When you get to this point, you are getting ready to break loose from the yokes of delay and stagnation.
Recognize the problem. The first step to breaking the yokes of delay and stagnation is recognizing you have a problem. The first step to solving your problem is admitting that it exists.
Recognizing what’s holding you back from success can be a difficult process, but it’s necessary if you want to move forward.
Step 2: Identify Your Thoughts and Beliefs
One of the most important steps to breaking the yokes of delay and stagnation is identifying your thoughts and beliefs.
What are you thinking? How are you feeling? What do you think about this situation? Noticing what your thoughts and beliefs are can help you change the way you approach your situation.
Sometimes, when things don’t work out, we make it seem like it’s because of something that someone else did or didn’t do. But really, it came down to how we were thinking.
If we want to break the yokes of delay and stagnation, one thing we can start with is noticing our thoughts. Once you identify what your thoughts are, it may be easier to change them into something more empowering.
For example: “I’m a failure because I haven’t reached my goal yet” becomes “I’m doing everything I can to reach my goals.” This could be just enough to break free from the negative thought pattern that’s keeping us stuck in our rut!
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY No more delays. My wedding is happening soonest.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY I bind the spirit of delay in my life in Jesus name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? – Isaiah 29:17 (KJV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Start preparing for your marriage now.
Today, every form of delays, stagnation, unrealized dreams, dashed hopes, they are destroyed in Jesus name!
I really don’t care if they originated from family lineage or if there is any family curse, what I know is that they are broken in Jesus name!
Now, listen to me, God will not punish you with delay that never seems to end. When you make mistakes and and bring self imposed delays, the moment you run back to God, He forgives and forgets!
There are times that God allows delays as well in order to accomplish His purpose, but listen to me, delay is not denial.
God will not bring delays in marriage till you have crossed menopause! That is not God because He cannot contradict Himself! He already said you should be fruitful.
Now, no delay is permitted to be everlasting in your life. A delay that God allows because of your disobedience or stubbornness is always for A WHILE once you repent!
A demonic delay seeks to become everlasting! There seems to be no end in sight. It brings ridicule to you and your God!
Now, I declare, the backbone of every demonic delay is broken in your life in Jesus name!
Delay in getting jobs, ten years after graduation, enduring hunger and borrowing all over the place is not God.
Delay in getting married, with every relationship ending in shambles is not God, unless you are living in habitual sins and disobedience. You have to refuse every demonic delays with every fiber of your being!
Delay is for a while!
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. – Hebrews 10:37
Waiting for a spouse should be a while, not all your youthful life! You have to rebel against such trend from within you. Get restless and break the yoke.
Take a look at the Message Translation:
It won’t be long now, he’s on the way; he’ll show up most any minute. – Hebrews 10:37 (MSG)
I prophesy over you as God’s servant, your desired spouse is showing up this year in Jesus name!
I forbid broken promises in your life this year! No more teary eyes and lonely nights in Jesus name!
Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? – Isaiah 29:17 (KJV)
It is for a little while! Don’t allow the devil to tell you that your Lebanon will not become a fruitful field!
Go ahead and speak in tongues a while now.
The Message Translations says
And then before you know it, and without you having anything to do with it, Wasted Lebanon will be transformed into lush gardens, and Mount Carmel reforested. – Isaiah 29:17 (MSG)
This year, before you know it, and without you having to run from pillar to post, God will intervene in your situation in Jesus name!
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; [7] And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. – Haggai 2:6-7 (KJV)
Yes! Your desire will come in a little while.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. – 1 Peter 5:10 (KJV)
From today, you are not permitted to suffer unnecessarily.
The tears are dried off your face supernaturally this morning in Jesus name!
I curse every delay in your life today!
The Message Translation says
The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. – 1 Peter 5:10 (MSG)
That situation is not forever. Don’t accept any lie from the devil.
That delay has an expiry day, and today is the expiry day!
Let hope come alive, let faith come to your heart now.
You have suffered a while, now I prophesy unto you according to 1 Peter 5:10,
God will perfect all that concerns you from today!
God will establish you from today!
God will strengthen you from today!
God will SETTLE you from today in Jesus name!
No more delays! No more, not me!
So shall it be for you!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY No more delays. My wedding is happening soonest.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY I bind the spirit of delay in my life in Jesus name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? – Isaiah 29:17 (KJV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Start preparing for your marriage now.
