4. He does not want you to place your career/work above your relationship with him.
God comes first. That is the order and that is how to make a success of your career.
God wants you to follow the principles as outlined in His word because true prosperity comes from following Him. Your business acumen is nothing compared to His wisdom.
Look at what the bible says in Matthew 6:33;
Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. –Matthew 6:33 (MSG)
5. He does not want you to place your career/work above your wife and children.
After God comes your family before your career. Make sure you devote time and attention to your family. Money will not fill that gap. Your wife and family need your manly direction and presence.
6. He does not want you to abuse your wife or take advantage of her femininity.
He does not want you to physically or verbally abuse your wife and children. A good man will never hit his wife. If you have started doing that, you can stop and make a resolve in your heart, that no matter what, I will never hit my wife! That is how to be blessed of God.
Do you know that spiritually, when you hit your wife, you are hitting yourself? That is not a good place to be. And of course, there are some wives that beat up their husbands. That is even worse.
7. He does not want you spending more time with friends and colleagues than you spend with your family.
He does not want you keeping late nights unnecessarily. When you do that, emotional affairs can develop quickly and that is where adultery starts from.
8. He does not want you keeping secrets about you or your weaknesses from your wife.
Be open to your wife. Like my Pastor would often say, if somebody is winking at you, tell your spouse first. You know what? Immorality is perpetuated in secrecy. The power of iniquity is broken when exposed.
The moment you share it with your spouse, the problem is half solved. If you like the way a certain person dresses, tell your wife to dress same way. Be open, communicate well and that will help your marriage a lot. Remember this golden truth, the moment you can hide it from her, it is the beginning of trouble!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY God is my strength. He will guide me in the right path.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, I ask that you open my eyes of understanding in Jesus name
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. – Ephesians 5:33 KJV
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Take an inventory of your life in the light of God’s principles
Yesterday we looked at “What God Wants From Every Man.” Today, by the Spirit of God, we will be considering “What God Does Not Want From Every Man.”
1. He does not want you to be harsh and inconsiderate with your family.
God wants you to be like Him. That is why the scripture says the husband should be to the wife as Jesus Christ is to the church. What Jesus did for the church is an indication of what God wants every husband to do for his wife. What did Jesus do? He laid down his life. He sacrificed for the church. God wants you to sacrifice for your wife.
Here is an instruction for all husbands:
In the same way, you married men should live considerately with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God’s unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off. [Otherwise, you cannot pray effectively.] Finally, all [of you] should be of one and the same mind (united in spirit), sympathizing [with one another], loving [each other] as brethren [of one household], compassionate and courteous (tenderhearted and humble). Never return evil for evil or insult for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing, berating), but on the contrary blessing [praying for their welfare, happiness, and protection, and truly pitying and loving them]. For know that to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing [from God–that you may obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing welfare and happiness and protection]. -1Peter 3:7-9 (AMP)
Now let’s take a look at the Message translation:
The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women, they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God’s grace, you’re equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don’t run aground. Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless–that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing. -1Peter 3:7-9 (MSG)
The part I love most, Bless your wife! That is your job, to bless! You are the priest over your home, dear husband, so keep blessing. And of course, you don’t want to be praying with no answers!
But my wife is difficult! Yes, just like the church is difficult, and yet Jesus keeps blessing the church and sanctifying it and will present to himself a glorious church at the end.
Keep blessing your wife; you will enjoy the best of her. Keep saying what you want in her and not what you are seeing now!
2. He does not want you to get involved with extra-marital or adulterous relationships.
God does not want you getting involved in adultery. Why? It can ruin your family. It can make you lose your relationship with God. In fact, the Bible sees it as a stupid decision.
But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away. –Proverbs 6:32-33 (KJV)
Here is Message Translation;
Adultery is a brainless act, soul-destroying, self-destructive; Expect a bloody nose, a black eye, and a reputation ruined for good. –Proverbs 6:32-33 (MSG)
If you are already involved, God does not condemn you. He still loves you. It is left for you not to condemn yourself and let God’s love set you free from the bondage of adultery. You may call me so I can guide you on how to fully disconnect and be faithful to your wife.
3. He does not want you to disregard his Word, principles, and any other scriptural injunctions.
My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. -Proverbs 4:20-22 (NIV)
God wants you to follow the principles as outlined in His word because true prosperity comes from following Him. Your business acumen is nothing compared to His wisdom.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY
God is my strength. He will guide me on the right path.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY
Lord, I ask that you open my eyes of understanding in Jesus name
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life so that nothing will hinder your prayers. -1 Peter 3:7 (NIV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY
Take an inventory of your life in the light of God’s principles
3. He wants you to spend quality time in His presence.
God wants you to draw strength regularly from his presence and be anointed with fresh oil daily to face the challenges of the business and career world. Money is spiritual, and you need God as your spiritual source to be truly wealthy.
As you advance in marriage, you are going to get busier! Learn to give God your time now and stop saying things like, “When I do so and so, I will have more time for God.’ You will never have time as much as you have now.
4. He wants you to invest and spend quality time with your wife and family.
He wants you to be available for your family, play with them, laugh with them and be an example to your children. Don’t be too far away from your children. Children raised without existing fathers almost always turn out defective as much as those with existing but unavailable fathers.
5. He wants you to be a provider for your family.
God wants you blessed! All He wants from you is to follow his principles and learn to obey the laws of seed, time, and harvest. Prosperity does not answer to prayers alone but also to the principle of sowing and reaping!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY God is my strength. He will guide me in the right path.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, I ask that you open my eyes of understanding in Jesus name
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Eph 5:33 KJV Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Take an inventory of your life in the light of God’s principles
1. God wants you to adore your wife and enjoy each other.
He wants you to love her wholeheartedly, protect her and be a shoulder she can lean on. He wants you to be gentle with her and exercise patience with her. God wants you to be all over your wife because you are one! God wants you to be satisfied with your wife physically and sexually!
In Proverbs, Chapter 5, God advises every husband to seek sexual fulfillment from their wives rather than look elsewhere.
Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? – Pro 5:19-20 KJV
The amplified version explains it better:
Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant doe [tender, gentle, attractive]–let her bosom satisfy you at all times, and always be transported with delight in her love. Why should you, my son, be infatuated with a loose woman, embrace the bosom of an outsider, and go astray? – Pro 5:19-20 AMP
I also love this advice for every man in previous verses:
Drink waters out of your own cistern [of a pure marriage relationship], and fresh running waters out of your own well. Should your offspring be dispersed abroad as water brooks in the streets? [Confine yourself to your own wife] let your children be for you alone, and not the children of strangers with you. – Pro 5:15-17 AMP
2. God wants you to follow the order
You are to put Him first place in your life, your family second, and thirdly your work/career.
That is supposed to be the rightful order. Don’t allow your work to ruin your marriage by neglecting your wife. If you know you have to be away, then, invest in the little time you are together by creating beautiful memories and deliberately depositing them in her emotional bank so she can have something to withdraw when you are not around!
To be continued…
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY God is my strength. He will guide me in the right path.
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, I ask that you open my eyes of understanding in Jesus name
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Eph 5:33 KJV Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Take an inventory of your life in the light of God’s principles
The Three Most Important Rooms In Your Marriage. A few years back, President Buhari was asked about his wife’s interview in which she made some statements that showed her displeasure with her husband’s decisions.
In his reply, President Buhari said he doesn’t know which party his wife belongs to, but he knows she belongs to his kitchen, his living room, and the other room.
The president was taken up on this and many expanded, amplified, and even dragged the statement beyond its original intention.
Let’s take a look at these rooms one after the other.
The Kitchen
In the physical realm, it is so much a vital part of the house. You couldn’t do without it.
Yes, the woman is always there, but a good man will often be found there as well.
In the kitchen, food is prepared.
In the spiritual milieu, the kitchen is where revelation is cooked. It is a place you don’t joke with and both husband and wife have better belong there.
Without constant “cooking” in this place, the inner man will be famished and results will be defective.
The Living Room
Here is a public place for the family. Everybody comes together in the living room. When Daddy wants to talk to everybody, it will probably be in the living room.
Everybody must have a place where you meet with divinity. Everybody must have a place where you meet with God. Everybody must have a living room where you talk to God.
The Other Room
This room is only for Daddy and Mummy. The other room is for those who are married.
Singles should never have the other room, and should never visit the other room. As singles, if you go to the other room, “other” things can take place that you will not be proud of.
Yes, the woman belongs to the other room. The wife can even delegate the kitchen to some domestic help, she can have the luxury of time off from the living room, but her role in the other room cannot be delegated.
Her functions in the other room are so pivotal to her husband’s productivity in the board room.
The temperature in the other room should be kept hot. The other room should be alive.
As a wise wife, you should make sure that your husband never has the luxury of having another “other room” outside the matrimonial home.
When a man is dissatisfied in the other room, disorder and chaos await him.
Christian wives, don’t be over-spiritual!
The gas cooker belongs to the kitchen.
Chairs and seats belong to the living room.
But what is needed in the other room is the bed!
Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled!
On your wedding date, you were licensed to enter the other room. Focus on each other and enjoy yourselves sexually!
God will more likely answer the prayers of a sexually satisfied couple than that of couples denying each other! Read your Bible very well.
God bless you today!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am wise. I am focused on the things of God. I am not confused
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, teach me to be wise
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 1 Corinthians 7:5 (AMP)Do not refuse and deprive and defraud each other [ of your due marital rights ], except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves unhindered to prayer. But afterwards resume marital relations, lest Satan tempt you [ to sin ] through your lack of restraint of sexual desire.
