After God created man, God spoke to him in the very first words ever recorded from God to him. Interestingly and amazingly, God referred to man as “them”
Gen 1:27 (MKJV) And God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him. He created THEM male and female.
God created man. He created them! What is going on here? The reason is that God wasn’t only talking to Adam, He was talking to Adam and all of humanity in his loins. Male and female were both within the loins of Adam and God addressed all of humanity at that moment.
If you are like me, you will want to be interested in the very first words God spoke to Adam and all of humanity. As Adam stood before the Lord, along side with you and me, in huge frame and in the very image of God, here is what happened.
Gen 1:28 (MKJV) And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it. And have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heavens, and all animals that move upon the earth.
So we see what God did. And He spoke the very first words!
Be Fruitful!
Herein lies the mandate of God over your relationship and eventually marriage.
Fruitfulness does not include broken relationships. Fruitfulness does not include jilting experiences and broken hearts. Fruitfulness does not include abandoned marital promises. Fruitfulness does not include irresponsible brothers or unavailable sisters, who are just out to scam your emotions and make a mincemeat of your emotional health.
Never accept or believe anything less of the mandate of God over your life and relationships. It’s fruitfulness all the way and nothing more! This is what you should embrace. This is what you should believe. And that is what will be your experience. So I declare over you in Jesus name!
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CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will fulfill the mandate of God over my life.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to fulfill the mandate
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Gen 1:27 (MKJV) And God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him. He created THEM male and female.
Our text this morning comes powerfully shining a spotlight on the very beginning of things.
1Jn 1:1 (KJV) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
From the text above, there was something or someone which was from the beginning.
Your spouse to be or the person you are about to marry is not just about to be decided by God. He already existed in the mind of God, even before you were born.
Both of you have been “chosen” before you were born! You can now begin to appreciate the scripture which says
Jer 1:5 (MSG) “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations— that’s what I had in mind for you.”
You are wondering whether you just read the right words? Oh yes you did! Before your conception, some things have been decided by God!
No wonder most of all what God wants from you is to listen to Him, follow him and follow that divine map!
Psa 81:13 (MSG) “Oh, dear people, will you listen to me now? Israel, will you follow my map?
If that is the case then, can all singles go and rest a while and stop disturbing yourselves about who to marry?
No wonder Adam had to go to “sleep” before Eve showed up.
Could it be that you have ben too “awake,” and you have been trying to do your own thing rather than simply cooperate and follow that which was from the beginning?
Oh, how the reality sets in, powerfully and resolutely, God has it sorted out!
I only need to trust Him and believe Him as the Lord my shepherd who will not lead me wrong!
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, show me what I need to know that I don’t know.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
God is a God of order. He is a beautiful and loving God. And more importantly, He is an intelligent God. I mean, He has to be the greatest being that has the most intelligence to manage all of humanity in their diverse religion, culture, race, language and dispositions without wiping the brow. That is an extreme intelligence, you will agree!
As a young man in the Primary school, I would often sit at our balcony and stare at the sun imagining who God is and where He is. I would wonder at who gave birth to Him. Then I would consider there was nobody before him which means no parents. So, then where did he come from? And then, after a while, I will just give up!
Today I know He is simply unfathomable! His wisdom is too deep!
Rom 11:33 (AMPC) Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!
It is from this perspective of God as an intelligent father that I want you to know that He wouldn’t want or lead you into a marriage that will extinguish your fire!
It can’t be God when you are so full of fire, serving the Lord with Zeal and passion and then you suddenly become your old self because you are now “in a relationship!”
Something is not right! Something is not at par! When it is like that, you really need to slow down and really understand what God in all His wisdom is trying to pass across to you! It calls for you lifting up your voice and praying that God should show you what you don’t know!
Jer 33:3 (MSG) ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’
A few things to note: 1. Let the leadership of the church be in the know with your decisions. Not with the intent of manipulating you, but to provide counsel relating to your decisions.
2. Don’t join a church for the sole purpose of getting a guy or a lady. Go there because you want to serve God. 3. Serve God genuinely and get busy for Him. When you get busy for God, God will get busy for you. 4. Let the pastor know before you ask a lady for her hand in marriage. It helps you to be orderly about it. In one of the churches where I had pastored, a guy went to propose to a lady who is already married with child. This could have been avoided if he went about it the right way. 5. Before you say ‘Yes,’ tell your pastor about it. Ask questions about him, what he does and where he is coming from. Imagine this kind of conversation:
Lady: Pastor, I will be getting married next month. Pastor: Good. To who? Lady: His name is Buddy Pastor: What does he do? Lady: I don’t really know… I think business. Pastor: Is he born again? Lady: He said so Pastor: Where does he worship Lady: ehmmm…I have forgotten the name of his church Pastor: Is he a worker in his church? Lady: He said he will start after marriage Pastor: Does he drink? Lady: He said he has stopped…. except for small stout for his health.
And so on.
Is this lady doing the right thing? No! You don’t fall in love with strangers! This is why weddings are canceled a few days before the proposed date. 6. Let God guide you, not your feelings alone. Feelings come and go, but God’s word will endure forever. 7. Become friends first. Let it grow. Don’t go and tell somebody you met two hours ago that you are in love. You cannot love somebody you don’t know! There is a difference between love and lust. 8. If a guy in church who is active or who is a leader is asking for jeru trip, disconnect from such a person, or you will soon yield to the pressures. You don’t visit such a person at home! Definitely, something will happen.
For those in courtship, do you find yourself in a situation where you think you might have made a mistake? Well, you need to stop afflicting yourself. What you need to do now is the way forward and not some regretful emotions. Get into a prayerful mode and ask God to intervene. Seek counsel from your pastors and mentors as well. God will surely send help to you and make everything new for you.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will not fall in love with the wrong person
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask that God opens the eyes of your understanding
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. (Psalms 143:10 KJV)
Marriage likeany other structure or organization can fall or fail. Ours will not fall in Jesus’ name.
It is amazing how people, CEOs, general overseers, managing directors put a lot of energy and structures into their businesses, organization, churches, and empires and care little about their marriages.
We think differently about our businesses and differently about our marriages. It won’t work that way. We should aim at putting as much effort, prayers, faith, learning, structures, principles that we put into other vocations into our marriages and things will work out better.
To get a different result, we should do things differently. We respect team work in our organizations, let’s do same in our marriages. We respect other people’s opinions, we are kind and nice to others, we value other people’s uniqueness, let’s do same with our spouses. We spend time, energy, money learning strategies and implementing new ways of doing things, let’s do so with our marriages too.
Here are five simple things that will help keep our marriages strong
1. Never neglect your spouse no matter what Neglect could be in various dimensions. First seek what neglect is to your spouse. Be willing to adjust and avoid neglecting each other spiritually, emotionally and physically. Neglect will cause your love for each other to dwindle.
2. Never stop real communication Communication is very important. In fact, the health of a marriage can be determined by their level of conversation, it’s quality and quantity.
Communication in marriage should not just be reduced to passing of important information and instruction. To keep communication going, there must be a lot of understanding.
Decide to have meaningful, heart to heart conversation with your spouse daily. It warms your heart to each other. Never be too busy. Sexual communication is also important.
3. Never take each other for granted Taking each other for granted is similar to neglect but slightly different. When you take your spouse for granted, you treat them casually or with levity, or without much concern. Never be a one man gang that is always, only concerned about your own affairs.
4. Never harbor hurt or unforgiveness When there is hurt or offenses, try and talk about it. Make your self easy to talk to and with. Some spouses have made themselves so defensive their spouse can’t express their real feelings to them. Hurts will cage your feelings and make your heartthrob grow cold towards you.
5. Never stop forgiving, praying and loving your spouse No matter how rough or tough it may seem. Never stop forgiving your spouse. Never stop praying and trusting God for the best in your marriage.
God is able to bring His beautiful plans and purpose out of your marriage. He is able to make all things work out for your good.
God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My marriage will never fail
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, grant me wisdom I need in my marriage.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Col 3:18 – 19 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
