Topic: Nurturing Your Relationship (1)

Dear Reader,

I welcome you to this wonderful month. It is my prayer that all that the month holds will be delivered to you speedily. In this teaching series for the month, I shall be exploring the topic: Nurturing Your Relationship.

God instituted marriage so that man can enjoy the power of relationship. God saw that the first man – Adam, was in need of companionship. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him (Genesis 2:18). God wanted it to be for man “as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). So, He gave man the gift of relationship. This means that God believes in relationships and they are important to Him.

Relationship means “to connect with someone else or to be in touch with someone.” But it is important for you to understand that although God initiated the idea of relationships, it is our duty to develop and sustain it. We sustain our relationship by nurturing it with all the right nutrients necessary for it to grow.

To nurture means to care for, to look after and to take care of somebody or something. You nurture your relationship with your spouse, just as you nurture your baby to adulthood. You should learn to feed and care for your relationship, if it must be a success. Food here does not mean what we eat physically, but there are physical, spiritually and emotional nutrients you must give your marital relationship so that it can grow and be well-nourished.

How to nurture and grow your relationship
I will be sharing with you on certain factors that can help you nurture and grow your relationship with your husband, wife and family members.

Commitment

Any man or woman who is genuinely committed to God is bound to be committed to the success of his/her home, because he/she will endeavour to obey God. Someone once said that what the spinal cord is to the body is what relationship is to your marriage.

The level of your commitment to your relationship with your husband, wife or family members will ultimately determine how heavenly your home will be. For you to be committed to your husband, wife and family members, first and foremost, you must be committed to God if commitment to your spouse will yield a positive result.For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God(Hebrews 3:4).

That means all your efforts to build a heavenly home will amount to nothing without the help of God.

The Bible says, I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).

Let me say this to singles, before you marry any man or woman; ensure that he is genuinely committed to God, because if he or she is not, it will affect the success of the home.

I remember my husband (then my fiancé) writing a paper titled “Sailing Under Sealed Orders.” One thing that struck me most in that vow of commitment to God was the phrase, “Christ is either Lord of all or not Lord at all…” I rejoiced when I read and even had to sign that I will allow him to serve God completely and unreservedly. That is why I am not surprised at his commitment to our home, because his commitment to God is unquestionable.

However, commitment to God must find expression in your commitment to your spouse and family members. Commitment to God and to your spouse is like a bicycle. Each wheel represents these two levels of commitments.

Commitment is what drives a man to love his wife despite how he feels or what she has done or failed to do; and it is also a driving force in a woman that is submissive to her husband. Any man you see who finds it difficult to love his wife or makes excuses for not loving her is not committed to making that marriage work.

If you are a stubborn and naughty wife who refuses to submit to her husband, your problem is simply lack of commitment! If you are committed to the success of your marriage, you will not need anyone to advise you, you will willingly and excitedly submit to your husband, and your husband will express his love for you.

A lady once wrote me and said, “I started reading your article in one of the daily newspapers after I got born-again in November 1998. I gained a lot from most of what you discussed in the articles. I am married with four children and used to do many things that were not right to my husband. But as soon as I read your articles, I made a change. Whenever I want to fight my husband, I remember your article on how to be patient with our husbands, and I stop. You have taught me a lot about marriage, so I don’t miss that newspaper.” It is time to get committed if you desire a heavenly home.

You need Jesus Christ to be committed and maintain commitment in marriage. If, peradventure, you are not born again and you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

“Please click to read other inspiring articles by Pastor Faith Oyedepo”

Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.

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Topic: Find Friends Who Hear God [Joyce Meyer’s Devotional Thursday May 10, 2018]

If we listen, God will speak to us about our relationships—our marriages, friendships, business associations, and even casual acquaintances. He may ask us to sever friendships or relationships with people who can tempt us to stray from His plan for our lives.

We can easily become like those we spend time with. If we spend time with people who are selfish and self-centered, we may soon find ourselves often focused on ourselves, thinking about what we can do or get for ourselves. In contrast, God may encourage us to make friends with someone who is a giver. If we spend time with such a person, before long, we will be givers, too.

It is enjoyable and beneficial to spend time with someone who really hears from God, someone who truly senses what the Holy Spirit is saying and doing. It is not fun to spend time with people who are dull in their spiritual hearing, and we can tell when we are with someone like that.

The verse for today says that “iron sharpens iron,” and we can sharpen our ability to hear the right things by being with people who practice listening for God’s voice and obeying Him.

Prayer Starter: Father, please speak to me about my relationships and give me the wisdom to know who I should spend my time with. Help me to develop relationships that encourage spiritual growth and always honor You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Joyce Meyer Daily Devotional HERE’’

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries.

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Topic: Mini Hell [Teens Open Heavens 10, May 2018]

Memorise: And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Luke 11:14

Read: Matthew 18:23-25 (KJV)

23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Bible In One Year: 1 Kings 21-22, John 3:1-21

MESSAGE:

The presence of an unforgiving spirit releases a type of smell that attracts demons. So, eventually, the unforgiving fellow becomes an annex of Satan’s evil headquarters. No wonder good things coming the way of such a person are immediately diverted.

Are you holding a grudge against someone? At the end of the day, you are only troubling yourself; you will lose all your joy, peace and rest. Are you not tormenting yourself instead of the person you are holding the grudge against? Stop holding yourself back. Stop living in a mini hell! Go to that your friend in school that offended you and make peace, buy something for that your neighbor that you have been keeping malice with. You will discover great peace when you do make peace with others.

Key Point: You should forgive, not because you want to, but because you need to. Without forgiveness, you cannot access Heaven.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Teen Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye’’ 

Hymn 13
1. Is your life a channel of blessing?
Is the love of God flowing through you?
Are you telling the lost of the Savior?
Are you ready His service to do?

Chorus:
Make me a channel of blessing today,
Make me a channel of blessing, I pray;
My life possessing, my service blessing,
Make me a channel of blessing today.

2. Is your life a channel of blessing?
Are you burdened for those that are lost?
Have you urged upon those who are straying
The Savior who died on the cross?

3. Is your life a channel of blessing?
Is it a daily telling for Him?
Have you spoken the word of salvation
To those who are dying in sin?

4. We cannot be channels of blessing
If our lives are not free from known sin;
We will barriers be and a hindrance
To those we are trying to win.

Daily Devotional for Teen’s guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.

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Topic: Unreliable Public [DCLM Daily Manna Thursday May 10, 2018]

Text: Acts 14:19-28 (KJV)

Key Verse: “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead” (Acts 14:19).

MESSAGE:

William Tyndale first translated the Bible from Hebrew to English, making a Bible for the common people. In 1535 he was betrayed by a friend, taken prisoner to the castle of Vilvoorde and continued to work on his translation. He was unable to finish his work because he was sentenced to die a heretic’s death: strangulation and burning at the stake. On October 6, 1536 he cried out his last words, “Lord open the king of England’s eyes!” and then he died. His prayer was answered within a year.

Like the story above, Paul, who was almost worshiped as a god for performing the miracle of healing a man lame from his birth in Lystra, was now being stoned by the same people after they were incited by the adversaries of the gospel. He was not only stone to the point of unconsciousness, but also dragged out of the city and dumped in the outskirts, believing he was dead. Graciously, the Apostle was restored when the disciples stood around him in prayers. Paul and his company still went ahead to fulfil their ministry and returned to their base after encouraging the disciples to continue in the faith, despite the tribulations.

Believers must see the utter futility of riding the waves of public opinion. Another lesson here is about the wickedness of the natural, unregenerate man and what he can do under the influence of Satan. The ease with which the devil persuaded these people to stone Paul after all the good deeds he did among them is a great paradox.

We may face or have faced this kind of disappointment and betrayal from people we trust(ed); but like Paul, we must not bear grudges. We must pick up the pieces and move on in life to fulfil the good purposes of God for our lives.

Thought For The Day: It is vain to bask in the adulation of people.

Bible Reading in one Year: Psalm 50; 53; 60; 75

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Deeper Christian Life Ministry, DCLM Daily Manna HERE

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

Flatimes’ Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

The post DCLM Daily Manna 10 May, 2018 by Pastor Kumuyi – Unreliable Public appeared first on Flatimes.

Topic: Your Intake – Key To Your Welfare [Seeds of Destiny Thursday May 10, 2018]

Scripture: But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

Thought For The Day: What you feed on determines how you fare in life.

In life, I have discovered that what a person feeds on determines how he/she fares. For example, if two children are placed on different diets for a period of time; one may be on a balanced diet while the other child is on an imbalanced diet. As the two children grow, it would be obvious that the child who feeds on balanced diet would fare better; he would be plump in stature, have a well-developed brain and appear very attractive. On the other hand, the child on an imbalanced diet would be malnourished and suffer retarded growth and kwashiorkor. This is because the quality of what they ate affected their health, growth and development.

Beloved, this is how it is in the spirit; your intake determines your welfare. What you feed on determines how you fare in life.

There are people who would not feed on God’s Word, listen to Christian messages on tapes or any spiritual material to enhance their spirit and soul for a whole week, or even more, but can never forget to eat physical food. As a result, they suffer from spiritual malnutrition or kwashiorkor and consequently, they cannot resist infections and afflictions from the devil. This is disastrous!

My counsel is, if you want your destiny to be solid, you must nourish your spirit and soul with God’s Word.

Remember this: What you feed on determines how you fare in life.

Assignments:
1. Feed on God’s Word on a daily basis by reading the Bible and listening to preached messages.
2. Visit a bookshop and pick up quality Christian materials to work on.

Prayer: O Lord, I ask for the grace to feed on Your Word always. Help me not to neglect the spiritual intake so I can fare well in the Spirit, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DESTINY CAPSULES (PART 2).

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 8:1 to 9:27, John 6:22 to 42, Psalm 106:32 to 48, Proverbs 14:34 to 35

Amazing Fact: The sun is as bright as 4 trillion 100-watt light bulbs; it is getting gradually brighter at a rate of 6% per billion years.

Today In History: 10/05/1960 – The U.S.S. Triton completed the first circumnavigation of the globe under water. The trip started on February 16.

Quote: Revelation Word is the food of faith. Culled from 15 KINGDOM STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL by Dr Paul Enenche

“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Seeds of Destiny by Pastor Paul Enenche“

Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Paul Enenche of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Pastor Paul and Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

The post Seeds of Destiny 10 May 2018 by Pastor Paul Enenche: Your Intake – Key To Your Welfare appeared first on Flatimes.

Topic: The Land of Far Distances [Our Daily Bread 10 Thursday May, 2018]

Read: Isaiah 33:17–22, Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 10–12; John 1:29–51

Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar. Isaiah 33:17

Amy Carmichael (1867–1951) is known for her work of rescuing orphaned girls in India and giving them a new life. In the midst of this exhausting work there were times she called “moments of vision.” In her book Gold by Moonlight, she wrote, “In the midst of a crowded day we are given almost a glimpse of ‘the land of far distances,’ and we stand still, arrested on the road.”

The prophet Isaiah spoke of a time when God’s rebellious people would turn back to Him. “Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar” (Isaiah 33:17). To view this “land of far distances” is to be lifted above the circumstances of the immediate present and to gain an eternal perspective. During difficult times, the Lord enables us to see our lives from His viewpoint and regain hope. “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us” (v. 22).

Each day, we can choose to look down in discouragement or lift our eyes to “the land of far distances,” to the Lord who is “our Mighty One” (v. 21).

Amy Carmichael spent more than fifty years in India helping young women in great need. How did she do it? Each day she fixed her eyes on Jesus and placed her life in His care. And so can we.

Prayer: Lord, today we lift our eyes from the circumstances that discourage us to see You in Your splendor, and find peace.

Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Insight:

In today’s reading (Isaiah 33), King Hezekiah mourns the Assyrian oppression of Judah. Yet the promise Isaiah the prophet gives is that those who trust in God can see past their present reality to a time of triumph in which the promised Messiah will be victorious over all enemies. Jerusalem is where God’s kingdom will be realized (Jeremiah 3:17; Revelation 21:1–2, 10).

Today we may not be oppressed by a foreign power, but each of us can think of someone who has treated us unjustly. It’s comforting to know that our ultimate destiny is a place of peace and joy.

In what ways does recognizing you have a future heavenly home give you grace to face the challenges of life? Dennis Fisher

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Our Daily Bread Devotionals HERE”

This message was written By David C. McCasland [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

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Topic: Salvation: A Relationship [Andrew Wommack Thursday May 10, 2018]

Mark 6:54, “And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,”

Text: Mark 6:53-56

The word “know” can mean many things from as little as “to perceive with the senses or the mind” to a much deeper meaning of “a thorough experience with.”

This knowing, then, is not just intellectual, but a personal, intimate understanding. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ. Eternal life is having an intimate, personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Son. This intimacy with God is what salvation is all about. Forgiveness of our sins is not the point of salvation. This intimacy with the Father is. Of course, Jesus did die to purchase forgiveness for our sins because unforgiven sins block us from intimacy with God. Sin was an obstacle that stood between God and us. It had to be dealt, with and it was. But anyone who views salvation as only forgiveness of sins and stops there is missing out on eternal life.

Salvation was intended to be presented as the way to come back into harmony with God. Instead, it has often been presented as the way to escape the problems of this life and later the judgment of hell. It is possible to get born again with that kind of thinking, but more often than not, people who get saved through that type of ministry view the Lord as someone to help them through times of crisis and not someone to know in an intimate way. Jesus died for us out of love (Jn. 3:16) – a love that longed to have intimate communion with man.

Most non-believers are so occupied with their “hell on earth” that they don’t really think or care about their eternal future. They are fed up with religion. They are looking for something that will fill the emptiness inside. Only an intimate relationship (eternal life) with our Father can do that. We need to tell them.

“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Andrew Wommack’s Daily Devotional HERE

This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).

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