There are opportunities to lust, to fill our eyes, ears and mouth with promiscuous pictures, movies and lyrics. There are opportunities for pornography, masturbation, homosexuality, lesbianism and the likes.
These are opportunities that should be rejected. You see, there are opportunities that can swallow destinies without a trace. There are opportunities that look like favour but are eternal traps.
No wonder the Bible says favour can be deceitful. There are opportunities that look like testimonies but are orchestrations of hell to trap you.
You see, there are gifts one can take that will make you want to curse God because your hands would be tied. You must be very discerning! You must be like the three Hebrew boys who refused to bow to the idol!
Couples have a lot of opportunities to do ‘good’. A ‘thank you’ here and a ‘word of affirmation’ there will go a long way to improve your marriage.
There are opportunities to profess your unfailing love to your spouse and to labour in prayers for them.
There can be a loving hug, an affectionate touch; an eye to eye contact that speaks volume, the list is endless.
But all these happen only when we are sensitive and discerning and when we go out of our way and comfort zone to extend a loving hand. On the other hand, opportunities to hurt our spouses are like love busters.
They bust the bubbles that make our marriages exciting. They kill the romance and affection in our relationships.
Identify opportunities in the light of the scripture. Let God guide you to know which to accept and embrace and which to reject and avoid.
Men can be doors and they can also be walls. Be discerning. Men can be open doors and they can also be disguised traps!
God will give you wisdom in Jesus name. He will open your eyes to see beyond the obvious. He will help you to identify godly opportunities in Jesus name!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am loving and kind. I seize every opportunity to do good in my marriage. I am sensitive to the needs of my spouse. I seek to understand my spouse. I am not selfish in my approach to my spouse. I seek to understand our differences. I respect those differences and seek to adjust to them. My love account with my spouse is good.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Father in the name of Jesus, I ask for the grace to be selfless. Help me to bring out the best in my spouse and to be lovingly devoted to him/her in love. Help me to use the many opportunities you are giving me well to sow good and lasting seeds of love into my marriage in Jesus’ name. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. –Galatians 6:10 KJV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make a list of the good things you can do to improve your relationship with your spouse. Begin to take note of opportunities to show affection to your spouse. Minimize love busters as much as possible.
Chance or opportunity is defined as a suitable time or opportunity (favourable time) to do something, especially something ‘good’ and worthwhile. In our marriages, there are opportune times.
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. –Ecclesiastics 9:11 (KJV)
There are opportunities to do good for our spouses. But most of the time we don’t take advantage of these opportunities. We are not often sensitive to our spouses’ needs.
We most often see things from our own standpoint and not from their viewpoint. This calls for understanding. It becomes impossible to love someone you do not understand. You simply become critical.
The Book of Proverbs says ‘Wisdom is the principal thing, in all thy getting get understanding’.
This means as you are ‘getting’ married, also get understanding of the person you are married to. Each day is filled with numerous opportunities to be kind, sacrificial, loving, understanding, tender, and instructive.
There are also opportunities to be selfish, to think only of your own feelings, and opportunities to fall into sexual sins.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am loving and kind. I seize every opportunity to do good in my marriage. I am sensitive to the needs of my spouse. I seek to understand my spouse. I am not selfish in my approach to my spouse. I seek to understand our differences. I respect those differences and seek to adjust to them. My love account with my spouse is good.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Father in the name of Jesus, I ask for the grace to be selfless. Help me to bring out the best in my spouse and to be lovingly devoted to him/her in love. Help me to use the many opportunities you are giving me well to sow good and lasting seeds of love into my marriage in Jesus’ name. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. –Galatians 6:10 KJV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make a list of the good things you can do to improve your relationship with your spouse. Begin to take note of opportunities to show affection to your spouse. Minimize love busters as much as possible.
Help Pastor! I Am Living An Adulterous Life. – Part 3
Continued from yesterday.
Here are a few ways to disconnect.
1. Know that it is wrong and it is sinful.
2. Know that the devil can use that avenue to gain access to your family and finances and wreck havoc.
3. The fact that you still go to church does not cleanse you from adultery. As a matter of fact, what happens in such a case is that the spirit of religion and deception takes over. Spirit of religion says you can come to church on Sunday, praise God, and pray and go back to adultery on Monday.
Spirit of deception tells you that all others are doing the same, you are not alone, and you can continue. At this stage, you need to talk to someone who will help you and speak the truth of God’s word into your life to dispel the operations of wrong spirits in your life. The way you will know that there is demonic influence, is that you still continue in such adulterous rendezvous despite knowing that it is wrong!
4. Stay accountable to someone that can help you! You must be willing to talk about it, not all over the place, but at least with someone that will treat your issue confidentially! Seek help before the sin ruins you!
5. Disconnect from the person with whom you are involved. Runaway! That was what Joseph did to escape adultery. He eventually became a Prime Minister. Samson stayed and played spirituality, combining adultery with being a judge over Israel, because the scripture says He judged Israel for twenty years. He lost his glory, died in the midst of his days, and never fulfilled his destiny. Surely, that wasn’t God’s plan for him.
6. Finally. Go to God and ask Him to help you. Fast if you can. At this point, you may ask a trusted man of God to pray with you. You may call me if you like, and I will pray with you! If you are calling today, please make it later in the evening, I have meetings throughout today.
I pray that God will help you as you make up your mind to do it right!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am faithful to my spouse. I love my spouse. I will not allow any distraction to tear my marriage and home apart. I am sincere to my spouse. My marriage is preserved.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY I destroy every marriage killer; I receive wisdom from God to rule in the affairs of this world. Spirit of God, envelope my marriage with your wisdom and power
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Wives understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. –Ephesians 5:22 (MSG)
Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church–a love marked by giving, not getting. –Ephesians 5:25 (MSG)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Disconnect from every relationship/affair that your spouse does not know anything about or that he does not approve
As you read this, let every hurt and bitterness that you have towards God and man go, for it is an attempt of the devil to draw you into deception and depression. God is gracious! He is willing to stoop low to bless you. As a Father, He is full of compassion. When you begin to think about this, it is amazing how you will experience that compassion. God is good towards you. You are the work of His hands.
Rather than get bitter toward God, think about how His goodness and compassion will get you out of any mess.
As a single, you might have been abused or violated before you reached the age of accountability. Rather than give up and be regarded as part of the unfortunate statistics of sexual abuse, rise from that abyss, get out of the doldrums of yester-years, and look unto Him that is able to save to the uttermost.
He will embrace you and wipe the tears off your face. He will heal every wound, take all bitterness away from your heart, and bring out the best in you.
Think about it. Believe it. His tender mercies are over you. Respond to His love and experience the tender love of divinity coming upon your humanity.
You see, in order to enjoy that fullness of God’s love, you have to synergize with God and cooperate with His principles.
I see you rising from that problem that has kept you down for long. I see light dawning upon your soul. I see God’s word percolating every pressure and dismantling them.
His love is awesome. Thank him for His love. Forget about what you are going through, and dwell on what He went through for you! It changes the whole equation, and the devil will retreat. You will come to know that it is only by responding to God’s love that you understand how to love others and how to be loved!
I see you having victory!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I position myself to benefit from God’s tender mercies. Goodness and mercy are following me.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY I uproot every root of bitterness from my life in Jesus Name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY You are merciful, LORD! You are kind and patient and always loving. You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation. (Psa 145:8-9 CEV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make a list of all who have offended you in the past. Consciously let go and forgive them. It might not look easy, but do it all the same.
Every day comes with its pressures. The environment, economy and so many other factors affect an average man in a general sense. This becomes even compounded when you refuse to do things and work by the principles of God the Father. The issues take on a spiritual dimension. When you have to face physical pressures and spiritual battles, you can get wearied quickly.
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. – (Psa 145:8-9 KJV)
There are times you feel that you are not supposed to face issues and pressures because you are a child of God. But the question is, “did Jesus face pressure while he was on earth? Did everybody believe straightaway that He is the son of God? Did Paul face pressure? What about our spiritual fathers? Did they face any? What of the Patriarchs? Abraham, Moses, David? What of the prophets? You see, there will always be pressures!
However, Jesus made a beautiful statement when he said:
DO NOT let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me. – Joh 14:1 AMP
Are you troubled to an extent you are wondering whether God has gone on holiday? You might be single, dating, or courting. There is one constant truth you must not forget. It is the nature of God.
The devil strives to present a wrong picture of who God is to us. He knows that once we have a blurred vision of who God is to us, then we will not be able to enjoy the limitless blessings that God has for us.
But, I have to let you know this; God’s love for you is ever unchanging. He loves you absolutely and resolutely.
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am loved of God. His tender mercies are over me. God will satisfy me early with His mercies. He is gracious and He is full of compassion.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, satisfy me early with your mercies.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY You are merciful, LORD! You are kind and patient and always loving. You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation. (Psa 145:8-9 CEV)
ACTION PLANFOR THE DAY Make a list of all who have offended you in the past. Consciously let go and forgive them. It might not look easy, but do it all the same.
