It is God’s presence that makes all of the difference and His guidance by His word. Joseph was in the prison, but bible declares that he prospered because he was a carrier of God’s presence.
Carry God along in your marriage and let God carry you on your marital journey.
Marriage is very hard and difficult when you go through marriage in your strength and wisdom.
Here are some tips I learnt from one of my mentors sometimes ago.
1. Giving
Every couple must be willing and ready to give and even sacrifice in their marriage. You must both give your spirit, soul and body. Let nothing be too big or too small to give to your spouse. Let your giving also be constant.
Give your time, attention, affection, your body unhindered to your spouse, money, energy, intellect. Don’t withhold whatsoever you have from your spouse. After God, your marriage comes next.
Your must prioritize your home and spouse above everyone on this earth. Not even your family members. Don’t give to any friend at the expense of your spouse.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals kindly go HERE
2. Respect
Marriage is about respecting each other. The husband is not to demand respect as the head of the marriage. He earns it by being a servant leader.
The husband should also respect his wife. Respect your wife’s opinions, husbands. The way you show respect to your wife is peculiar to who she is. Respect her as a joint heir together of the promises of God. Respect is reciprocal and respect begat respect. So respect each other.
We will continue tomorrow by God’s grace.
God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My marriage will be glorious.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to respect my spouse at all times.
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.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Give your spouse a wonderful gift
There is something the sea will see and it will flee. Even Jordan will not be left out, as it will be driven back, despite its fierceness. The mountain in all its grandeur, its intimidating size and gargantuan posture will be humbled, and disgraced as it will skip like rams! The little hills will skip like lambs, and we all know that lambs are so harmless.
3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs. 5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? 6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs? 7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; 8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters (Psalms 114:3-8 KJV)
The issues you have as a single or married, may be tumultuous like the sea, it may roar its waves and even boast of so many that it has drowned, but there is something the problems of your life will see and it will flee and run away as in terror.
The sea which has its waves and billows against your face, that which has stood proudly like the red sea before you will flee! Yes there is something it just needs to see!
Jordan will see something and be driven back! It is said that Jordan runs north and south, and nearly in the middle of Israel’s entire length. Are there issues and problems that seem to run through your entire lineage and family? Are there issues that seem to be the trend in your family and you can already see such tendencies in your own life? Listen to me this morning; fear not, because Jordan, despite its entire 251 kilometers in length will be driven back in your life!
Are there things that look like mountains in your life? Massive issues that looks like everlasting problems and keeping you from having marital fulfillment? Hindrances and obstructions in your way that seems to say that marriage is impossible? Well, there is something every mountain will see, and the seemingly gigantic hindrances will skip without a skipping rope!
What about little hills? Skirmishes here and there? Academic issues, emotional issues, financial issues, health issues and many more, they are all little hills that seem to hold you back, but they will see something and they will become as powerless like lambs!
But what will the sea and Jordan see? What will the mountains see? What will the little hills see?
Well, it is the PRESENCE OF GOD!
The presence of God, when you cultivate it regularly will drive every problem away from your life and give you a resounding victory. The light will shine and darkness will not be able to withstand it
Now the very pertinent question is “How do you cultivate God’s presence?” Here are some clues
1. Read God’s word everyday! Don’t miss it. Use the devotional here. 2. Pray in the Spirit daily. 3. Make sure all hurts and bitterness are dealt with. Forgive all. 4. Have an attitude of Thanksgiving and Worship. Learn to worship God daily. 5. Stay away from sin. Cut off from negative associations. 6. Serve in God’s house. Commit your time and resources.
The list is not exhaustive but they are some things you can do. Go for the presence of God and you will be glad you do so!
May God grant you more understanding!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY By praise, I am relocating into my destiny!
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, give me a heart that praises you genuinely
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Judah became holy land for him, Israel the place of holy rule. (Psalms 114:2 Message)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Find some time to praise God
The Presence of God was taught by Pastor Ogbonnaya Akpoke on the 6th of June 2021 at Shouts of Grace Center, Joke Plaza, Beside Trans Amusement Park, Bodija-UI Road, Ibadan.
To Listen to the audio of this message, kindly go HERE or HERE
He made mention of the following important points in his teaching on the presence of God
Exodus 33:16
The lack of the presence of God can cost you your life.
The evidence that God is with you is when you carry His presence. The true measure that God is with you is the amount of His presence we carry.
God is omnipresent – He is everywhere and so we must fear Him because He sees and knows everything.
Don’t think you can sin (fornicate, steal, lie etc) in dark places because sin thrives in secrecy, but you must understand that God is there.
The Glory of God is the presence of God. There is a difference between God being everywhere and God’s manifested presence.
The Benefits of God’s Presence
1. Death – Genesis 5:24
Our flesh and desires are taken away. It is important that we die to self.
We must die to the world, to sin, to bitterness e.t.c.
2. Graces are revealed – Genesis 6:9
The grace you need to excel is released upon you when you walk with God.
3. Things happen – Psalm 114:1-6
The challenges in your life respond to the presence that you carry.
There are things that will happen in your life that only the presence of God can fix.
Until you present God’s presence to that situation, it won’t give way.
Hindrances To The Presence
1. Sin
Sin and the glory of God cannot co-habit. It is either you are running from the glory of God, or you are running away from sin.
If you want to carry God’s presence, you must deal with sin.
If you are living in habitual sin, God’s presence cannot dwell there, but once you run back to Go, the presence melts that sin.
Your heart, motives, and disposition to that sin will determine whether or not God’s presence will stay or not.
With sin, you cannot harness God’s presence.
2. Guilt
The devil holds you down with past sins, but God forgives and forgets.
Repent genuinely and come out of the sin. God doesn’t condemn you but he doesn’t condone sin either.
The only way to cultivate God’s presence is through fellowship with Him. Enjoy his presence
