Imagine two love birdsintending to get married. They are so much in love. And then comes a time, when the parents of the bride wants to know where the intending groom lives, and as a consequence where their daughter will be domiciled.
And then he proudly leads them to his house, a makeshift shaft, tent-like material supported with tiny sticks which can collapse anytime.
Right there and then, the parents will change their mind.
Jesus spoke about a house built on sand and the other built on the rock. If you were to choose one, which will you choose?
In a deliberate manner, every couple must decide to build their marriage with Cedars and not just some fancy sticks that will give way to irreconcilable differences.
The scripture that inspired my write up today is found in
Son 1:17 (KJV) The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.
A cedar is pleasing to the eye and smell, hard, and never eaten by worms. It is combined habits and practices with which you build your marriage.
Never allow your marriage to be built with materials of carelessness, indecisiveness, mediocrity, laziness and visionless leadership.
Rather, surround yourselves with regularized prayer life, confession laden marriage, strife free zone, and a perpetual giving lifestyle.
These are what will birth cedars with which a great marriage is built.
Take communion regularly, don’t wait till Sunday. Be open to each other and be extremely honest, naked and not ashamed.
Let the husband love his wife as Christ love the church by laying down his life, and let the wife see that she honour her husband, giving him all the honour and respect that he deserves.
Let the love of God be shed abroad in your hearts, forgiving quickly and loving each other with God’s love.
Dear husband, dear wife, have a great and fulfilling day!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My marriage is built with the right resources.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask God for the builder’s wisdom.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Song 1:17 (AMP)The beams of our house are cedars, and our rafters and panels are cypresses or pines.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Be deliberate about your building materials
So today, let’s ask ourselves what did God say about our marriage? Do we see anything in our marriage right now that is not meant to be so? Are there things in our marriage that are aberration to what God said in the beginning?
Hear what is written concerning you and your marriage from the beginning:
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:18 , 24 – 25 KJV
Let’s glean from the above scriptures what God said about my marriage and your marriage.
Before that which was written about our marriage can find expression in our lives, we need to give attention to the Word
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Proverbs 4:20 KJV
We have to be able to see the Word, behold it and then handle it, before finding expression in our lives. Our marriage must be what God spoke it to be, Amen. Anything short of that is not acceptable.
The process of ‘Seeing’ the Word is also the process of faith.
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; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 1 John 1:1 – 2 KJV
There is a process of faith. The process of calling the things that be not as though they are.
You have to call your marriage blessed. Call it good. Declare my husband is amazing, but you have to ‘see’ it first.
Lessons from 1John 1:1
1. You have to hear the word first 2. See the Word working in your life and marriage 3. Behold it, conceive it, through meditation and declaration 4. Handle it by focusing on the word and having a clear vision of what the Word says. 5. The Word will manifest in your life, it will become flesh.
That’s the faith process.
God’s word concerning your marriage will be fulfilled in Jesus name. Your marriage will be what God says it will be. Keep declaring the word and it shall come to pass.
God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will follow the faith process.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to follow the faith process
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 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;
God’s first wordsto Adam and all of humanity, encapsulated in the loins of Adam is “Be Fruitful!” How encouraging and strengthening that is!
Let your imagination run free! Adam, in his huge frame stood before the Almighty! God in his divinely amplified voice, (I guess it will be loud and soothing at the same time) massively reverberating to the very core of Eden, proclaimed over Adam and in effect over you and I “Be Fruitful!
Hey! Your marriage is blessed! Irrespective of the antics and attacks of the enemy of our soul, God’s voice is a resolute and firm. It’s a mandate of Fruitfulness!
You know what I am excited about? It’s the unchangeability of His words and voice! His voce never changes!
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.
Nothing less. In terms of finances, fruit of the womb, job opportunities, career, job, health, the list is endless, the mandate is fruitfulness.
Do not allow the devil to negotiate you out of this blessing. Oh, yeah, that’s his tool of trade! You must be resolute, believing and trusting about what God said about you!
I pray for you this day, fruitfulness in every area of your marriage in Jesus name! We come against every plan of the devil and we cancel and nullify them in Jesus name!
So shall it be for you and your family in Jesus name!
Don’t forget to join us daily for a daily Encounter in prayer on “Oil For Today” by 5.30am on Mixlr (khcglobal) and on Instagram (pastordunamis). If you miss that time, we are still live daily on YouTube by 6.00am (Dunamis Tunde Okunowo)
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I will fulfill the mandate of God over my marriage.
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.
In today’s devotionalwe are looking at loving your spouse with the original plan. We sit at the feet of our master, Jesus this morning as we glean directly from His words and bring light to dark areas of our marriage.
Mat 19:7-8 (MSG) They shot back in rebuttal, “If that’s so, why did Moses give instructions for divorce papers and divorce procedures?” [8] Jesus said, “Moses provided for divorce as a concession to your hardheartedness, but it is not part of God’s original plan.
The reality sets in. Whatever you see in your marriage, is not to be swallowed hook, line and sinker. The question, like a powerful beam light, must be shone upon that situation with all intensity;
Is this part of the original plan?
Before you accept that situation as part of the norm, or as your cross to carry and as something you must live with, can we ask that question again and again?
Is it part of that God’s original plan? Is this what God has in mind for me? Could the situation I am in with my spouse be what God wanted? How do you even know what God wanted for you?
God will not tempt you with evil. God will not punish you. God will not bring you an irresponsible spouse or someone that brings you heartache all day.
Whatever does not look like God’s original plan must be refused with every fibre of your being. It must be refuted and resisted.
Don’t ever allow the devil to push you into accepting what doesn’t not belong to you.
This is why you should be conversant with His word and know what He wants for you. It is now what you want that must be enforced.
What is not in the original plan should be rejected. No wonder the Bible says:
Mat 7:19 (GNB) And any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire.
Every tree God has not planted, that is not in His original plan for you is uprooted in Jesus name!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I refuse every wrong trend in my marriage.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Oh God, show me the original plan you had for my marriage.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Matthew 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Go back to the bible and search for the original plan.
Marriage is the placewhere you will have to come to terms with the practicality of forgiveness. In other relationships, forgiveness is also essential but it may not be as that of marriage.
In marriage, you will have to forgive for the relationship to be healed. You and your spouse cannot avoid each other. You live together, have children together, for the sake of peace and progress, forgiveness is very necessary.
The standard of the Word of God is so high. That’s why it is a narrow road that leads to heaven. The Bible does not mince words when we are told to love our enemies. Hmmm. I thought we should love our friends and well-wishers and stay clear and avoid our enemies.
The bible tells us to love them, and bless those who curse us. That is pretty hard; a hard pill to swallow. I believe that is why we have to live in the spirit so we do not gratify the lust of the flesh. We need the Holy Ghost power. We cannot do it in our own natural strength.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44 KJV
Our differences will most often act as a threat to our marital union and our mandate as couples. It will pose a problem to our becoming one. The natural man tends to be selfish and only the one that is submitted to Christ and His word can love genuinely.
It is easier for women to hold on to hurts and have difficulty forgiving. Women are hurt deeply essentially because they are emotional beings and because they analyze more. Whichever way, let God be true and every man a liar. The standard of God’s word must be followed. A different gospel is not for men and another for women. We are to follow and obey the same word. We should allow the Holy Spirit to rightly discern the situation and analyze it for us.
God is not saying we should not be hurt, angry, or need time to heal. We should do that and then get over it and move on. That’s where power lies. That’s where victory begins. The Word says we should be angry but we are not permitted to sin.
We sin when we over-analyze. There is a spiritual way to analyze things that instead of being bitter we become better. When we allow bitterness we open the door for other demons to enter our lives and afflict us. Disobedience opens the door for the enemy of our souls. We open the door for sicknesses, diseases, poverty, disfavor, et cetera.
Joseph could have wasted his life being bitter. He could have lost years by being bitter. He could have lost opportunities, but he chose to enjoy where he is on his way to being better and his way to where God is taking him to.
Joseph saw his brothers who sold him into slavery and he analyzed the situation well with the help of the Holy Spirit. He said what they meant for evil, God used it to preserve many lives. Can you allow that situation to become a tool in the hands of God?
I am not saying it will be easy. That’s where taking up your cross daily and following God is about.
Couples, learn to give that situation to God. You are reviled, persecuted, unjustly treated, abused, afflicted, cheated, et cetera. . Surrender it to the Lord. Give it to Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to make you see what it really is. Until Joseph saw correctly, he could not forgive and forget.
Jesus was able to pass through the cross because he saw well. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. He could say father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. God is able to turn things around and make your mess a message that will liberate thousands.
Don’t fight your spouse, forgive and move on. Learn what you are to learn. Don’t be afraid of being misjudged or treated unfairly. Jesus was wrongly and falsely accused. He shut His mouth and didn’t answer back. It was though, but in the end, He was justified and glorified
Ask the Lord to help you see well and He will come to your aid.
God bless your marriage
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I amseeing well. I choose to forgive ahead.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Ask for the help of God concerning your marriage.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Matthew 5:44 KJV But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
