LOADED WITH BENEFITS

LOADED WITH BENEFITS

It is January 2015, the start of a new year, that time of the year when the mouth speaks of hope, but the heart seems exasperated. For most older singles, every molecule of faith left within them had been used up in the past years believing that something would/should happen but never did. For some who are younger, the pressure of friends marrying all around them is fast becoming too hard to bear, all wants to have a date announced as soon as possible.
The truth is, there are lots of men out there to date, the whole essence of waiting on God and getting it right is to ensure the choice that is made is worth the entire life time to be spent together. Otherwise, anybody can walk up the aisle with just anybody else and they can be married. But for those whose lives have been committed unto Christ the Lord, it is different. It has to be a choice wholly and acceptable unto the Lord, not just anybody.
It is natural to be weary after what has become a very long wait. It initially seemed like it won't be long but alas what we thought would be months has turned to years and  hope of a breakthrough for some  may have even begun to fade.
Let me tell you three reasons why you can continue to trust in the Lord and keep on waiting patiently on Him for the fulfilment of His promise that you will not lack your mate:

1. God cannot lie - Heb. 6:18
2. God keeps His promises - Heb. 8:6
3. God never disappoints - Rom.5:5-6

God did not lie when He promised to strengthen us as we wait on Him. He will keep His promise to grant us our heart desires according to the perfect working of His will. He said those who trust in Him will not be put to shame.

We knew (as previously shared) of a beautiful lady in 2014 who got married for the first time ever at the age of 48. God keeps His word that He'll never leave us nor forsake us.

Beloved, I encourage you by those three reasons above to approach 2015 with boldness and renewed hope in the Lord Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, the maker of your soul that He will do good to you and make you a reference point for His wonder working power.

Step out in style and confuse those who think you have nothing to show for your life that you have a mighty God backing you up. Your birthing time is near, do not give up. Keep pushing on in faith and wait for the 'suddenly' effect when he who shall come for you shall tick all the right boxes.

To enslave yourself under just any man with the hope that he'll redeem you from this status into marriage is like casting your pearls before the pigs. Pigs never , ever know the value of pearls.

You are God's precious treasure, HE has a plan and this plan has a set time.  Wait, wait still and follow HIM as He unfolds His beautiful plans for you in the days ahead.

"....Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit...."
(Rom. 15:13)

CAN I STILL TRUST GOD ?

Truth is, sometimes our human mind produces the thought of God not fulfilling what He promised. Our time tells us He is unmindful and our heart tells us to shift our trust to self-help.
So, why didn't God stick out for me when in my 20s and 30s and 40s.? We may even ask why He's helped some people who may not have asked for His help and He's left us crying out to Him for years.
I knew there were times I had charged God with being partial and being unfair.
Looking back, I can say that I really never understood and still don't understand. However, in my life, right now, seeing what He's doing, I have come to trust Him so much even when I don't have a clue what He is putting together for me. He is God and will always be my Father.
Much of our life today is shaped by decisions we made and opinions we formed when we were young? These immature pacts we made with ourselves often have great sway over the course of our lives. Nevertheless, not only does the Cross provides the remedy for the shame of our sinful pasts, It also speaks, just as His blood atones for our present 'unjust' suffering. (Without doubt, there is physical, psychological and mental suffering in waiting).
So where is God in all of these? Good question! God is at the centre, Where HE promised to make all things work together for our good.
A couple had their first child in their late 50s. The wife married him when she was 44 and had to wait 12years to have a child. Wasn't it enough that she married late? Enduring another wait to have a child  must have been a horrendous one. She did not sin or done wrong, neither the god-fearing husband. This was God's plan to use these couple to showcase His power, His wonder working power to all men. My jaws dropped as I listened to their testimony.
God must have been so proud of this couple who trusted and waited on Him till the very end. He needed those He could trust with His grace to wait in Him for the appointed time. He found this couple faithful.
Perhaps, God's looking for more people to use as vessels through whom His power and greatness will be demonstrated to the whole world. If you can't understand Him, you can still trust in Him; Self-help diverts the course of His divine plan.
When we make our life take on an eternal perspective; and we become able to truly forgive all our oppressors. These realities may be as shadows to us right now, but God is at work bringing them into full view in our life sooner than we can imagine.
God's calling out: "My daughters! trust Me, I know your fears, I am working in your favour, My plans are good, I love you......I will give you a future and a hope."

"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord. who have no confidence in the proud
or in those who worship idols. O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them.
Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord,...." (Psalm 40:1-5)

Although our circumstances had produced great personal pain, they also had been hand-selected by a loving and all-knowing God to produce good things in our life that only they could produce.

In a Culture of Self where the problems of the past continually invade the present, the Cross of Christ in the gospel of Christ is at work invading our past, overturning lies, redefining events, and extending the light of the glory of God into the darkest memories of our lives.
So, yes! We can still trust God for a testimony filled 2014. Our expectations shall not be cut off in Jesus name.
Much love to you all.

NON-CHRISTIAN BUT VERY GOOD

Fondly called MM on campus, he was every ladies dream man. Very handsome, neat and cool guy. We were reading buddies. He happened to be a genius in his field of study and commanded the respect of all, even his lecturers. I knew him to have come from a Muslim background but he was not practising. He was at the time embracing to all. He opened himself to everyone and confessed faith in God. 
After almost two years of whispering his intentions, we sat down to formerly discuss my reservations. Only one, just one reason we could not be talking about marrying each other was the fact that I am Christian and he isn't. We gradually drew apart from this moment. Few years later, he got a top job offer and became a household name with some good money. Still single, he came back to me to rekindle his interest.

This was the time I struggled. I began to rationalise and make excuses for why I should consider him. I suppressed every thought of my knowledge of his background. I compared him with and considered him better than some Christian guys I had met. I made enough justification for him in my heart and would willingly defend my judgement of him. Apart from the fact that I really liked him, he also had everything going for him to make life 'better' for me if I were his wife.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul warns believers by writing, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?” (6:14). Paul doesn’t say love can’t exist between a believer and a nonbeliever, but what Paul observes is that a believer and a nonbeliever cannot ever really understand each other. How can we expect a person who walks with Christ to be understood by someone who doesn’t even know him?

But slowly, MM's intimate and intense influence on me almost began to reshape my long-held convictions. He did believe in a god but had no commitment to him. So when he almost rough-handled me into having sex with him, I was disappointed but not shocked. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:1 that we need to “purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit.” Letting someone who doesn’t hold our convictions and beliefs into the secret places of our heart surely can wear us down and contaminate the good there. I would have missed out on God's plan for me.

There is this theory that women are willing to make sacrifices for their partners, once they have become emotionally attached, they’re willing to make compromises to try to hang on to the relationship. Men won’t do that. ... These girls are probably thinking, ‘He’s not perfect. But I love him and I can help him change.’
It hurts our own faith. We can convince ourselves that everything will be OK once the other person changes. But typically, it’s we who change.

What makes us think we can change a man? First off, we can’t save anyone – no matter how hard we work at it. It’s God’s call whose heart to work in, not ours. Second, the basic premise of 'hope-to-convert' dating is purposeful deception. Do we really want to trick or lure somebody to Christ using our love as bait? I hope not.
Temptation to date a non-Christian can take many forms. We may excuse ourselves with the fact there aren't single Christian men showing interest in us. May I ask here: Can God really lack sons? NO.

If non-Christians are showing interest when Christians either aren’t or aren’t around, it can be hard to resist. I mean, if you’re getting no results in your search, it seems sensible to drop the one stipulation that’s narrowing your potential pool, right?
This is where our loyalty to the Lordship of Jesus over our life is put to test. This is one of the reasons why we walk a narrow way that Jesus said leads to life.
Can two walk together except they be agreed? So how do you pray together and to whom do you pray. Which destination for eternity are you heading towards? Together or different ways? What effect does this have on your eternity and that of your children?
IF YOU ARE DOUBTING IT; DON'T DO IT.

Sister, if this sounds a bit familiar to your situation right now, it is high time you prayed. God can do mighty things through prayer. And he can also do mighty things through the people He puts around us. I try to take advantage of those trusted friends and family members by being open with my life so they can lend me truth and accountability. I try to be honest with them. And to ask them to look out for me and keep me in prayer. In fact, I have even given some loved ones specific permission to challenge me and question me about dating decisions.

Most of all, we need to trust God to build our romantic relationships. And we need him not only as the architect but as a day-to-day presence in both members’ lives. Great advice comes from Psalm 127:1: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain.”

Sadly, the guy I mentioned earlier, MM, married a Christian lady. I understand she is battling with her children being called by there Muslim names as insisted by MM's parents and she has been stopped from taking the children with her to Sunday School. My very liberal and moderate friend called MM has suddenly began to wear his full religion cap as this is what got him the top post he has with the government.

Before you say 'I DO', think again. God's word did say, do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

WHEN IT HURTS SO BAD

Some of us may be having very deep emotional wounds that is proving too painful to heal. We may have been abused, mistreated, or felt unloved as a child. Our growing up may have witnessed domestic abuse both violent and verbal by parents or guardians. 
Even as adults, we may be going through series of unfair treatment, being constantly misunderstood, wrong accusations and shouting down by haters.
We may have trusted or deeply loved people who have been unfaithful, betrayed you, or even turned against you, all of which may have left us excruciatingly hurting or painfully wounded.
These emotional wounds would have inflicted great injury on our sense of worth, identity and security. The effect on our mind could also be self-condemning, self justifying or blame chase. Whichever applies, undoubtedly, must have left us feeling hurt, heaviness, loss, grief, anger, possibly resentment and fierce desire for revenge towards those we consider responsible.
How very quick to say 'I've let go!, I've forgiven!' when actually our wounds are still dripping with bitter pores and bleeding sore. We may have pushed down these painful emotions by denying they exist or suppressing them altogether.
We cannot afford to continue assuming they are no longer there; they are still alive, buried deep within, we have not allowed ourselves to be healed.
Hey! Sis, stop trying to forget it and hoping that time will heal it. Using scripture repetitively isn't the solution either. YOU NEED GOD'S HEALING TOUCH.
Only Jesus Christ can do that for you. No formula or therapy can deal with your heartache. There is no solution in Yoga or any form of meditation. Temporary relief is even worse as the dark stark reality of your wound will be progressing with every stage of your life.
You need to speak openly to Jesus, only to Jesus alone. The only physician Who heals the soul. That is the work He came to do. (Read Isaiah 61:1-3).
Tell him the story (even though He knows already) but crying out to Him reveals your desire to have Him work on you. Tell him honestly that you are hurting, angry, feeling revengeful and deeply bitter. It is OK to cry, but after this, I know in Jesus' name, you will not have to cry over this again. The Lord has been waiting for such a long time for you to admit your helplessness and cry out to Him and allow healing to happen. It was possible for Jesus to forgive those who nailed Him to the Cross while in the pain, he cried out to the Father to forgive them. (Luke 23:34)
Get rid of your hurt for your own sake. You have been held down for too long. It has drained you of spiritual, physical and emotional energy. You have been damaged enough. Those who hurt you aren't feeling a thing. They've moved on. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO MOVE ON!
Releasing the people to God frees you. Your healing begins and the Lord starts the work of restoration. RESTORATION begins to happen for you as you forgive and let go. God sees in you His nature and character; He is able to bring full recovery of all that had been taken away from you. 
This process may bring back painful memories and fresh hurt but you will definitely feel HIS healing touch upon you instantly, and gradually in the days ahead you will experience the healing and full healing that only our CHRIST JESUS can bring.
Remember, you are loved. 

THE CONFIRMED BACHELOR

Times when we've had to let go of a relationship that refused to be defined, the first assumption we make is that something was probably wrong with us and the man may have respected us enough and does not want to discuss it, hence the dragging of feet.
Ladies! No, not all times. Some men are just not ready to commit.
Willingness to commit has nothing to do with age or maturity, but more of the attitude of heart. Some men enter into relationship, knowing they are not willing to be committed and possibly not ready for marriage but will lead women on and then pull out gradually leaving the woman to think she's done something wrong or that she's not worth it.
Jacob in the Bible, worked seven years to marry the woman he loved, he was conned on the wedding night and got the wrong bride. He didn't put Leah away but kept her, worked another seven years for Racheal, the love of his life. The point is Jacob was prepared and ready. Circumstances didn't change him. His attitude of heart was that of respect, show of maturity and honour for the dignity of womanhood.
Identify a loser before you involve yourself too deeply. Do not allow vision-less men to block your sight, they will drag you into the ditch of pain, leave you there and they walk on. You will be left to cry out for help, both for physical and emotional injury they may have caused. Some men are enjoying the single life so much they love it with all the perks of it. They never grow up. How do you explain a 49year old single man who is still not ready to settle down and be committed? You want to imagine how many women such men would have wounded along the way back. You shouldn't be the next in line. You musn't be added to that statistics. 
You have no business waiting for a man for over a year to propose and he is not. If he is a confirmed 'Bachelor' or a 'Player', even if he is in the church, stay away from him. Propose a withdrawal from him to yourself, accept it and fast-forward your journey to the next level that your Father in heaven is waiting to take you.
A god-fearing, serious minded man will give you clue to where a friendship is heading even before he puts words into it. The moment you start to wait day after day, night after night and nothing comes from him, you ask and he says he needs more time, it high time you checked out of that relationship. Such men are like taxis without tyres; no matter how much you flag down, they are not going any where. 
Keep walking on, God is sending the man your way. Leave that bus stop, walk further with God and THE MAN will pick you up and take you to his destination immediately. You aren't far from there anymore, just a little while, and you are walking the aisle.
Loving you all Sisters. Precious are you in HIM.

UNPROFITABLE ALLEGIANCES

I have been struggling with this issue since it was laid on my heart about a week ago. I pray the Spirit of the living God to interpret and make expressly clear the importance and urgency of this message as it applies to us in Jesus name.

It bothers on our unprofitable allegiances; Our strong support  for and loyalty to a particular group, persons or beliefs that does us no good and are actually non-beneficial to our spirit and soul.

Maintaining friendship with people who do not share your values, who are not looking in the same direction as you and do not aspire to reach the goal you want to pursue will always hold you down and drag you their way.
Once you are taken off your route, focus is lost and frustrations begins. unfortunately, it is your frustrations that give them an edge over you because while you sulk, they feel superior.

Sadly in that state of despair, you turn to the same vision-less people, who are stagnated and settled midway, for counsel and direction because they are your 'best buddies'.
You are useful to them, but they profit you nothing. Your time and space is used up by them to stir the thread of gossip in the name of gisting to justify their bitterness for the people they hate. They speak sharp words that turns you from the pursuit of progress because they can't stand you becoming better than them.

You watch them make little progress but always wonder why they don't reveal the secrets of their ways because they can judge you more intellectual to overtake them. These are 'friends' who always want to listen to your miseries and act in full pretence that they've got it altogether.
Sadly, these are the ones you call 'my best friends'. May be it is time you checked what truly defines a friend as 'best'.

It took me a long hard learned lesson to fully understand why JESUS CHRIST calls me friend. It is because there is none other who can be wholly true to me like HIM. When I became fully restored to Christ, He showed me people He wants me to be with. He connected us, placed His love on our hearts for each other and gave us a heavenly driven, pure, honest, sincere and helpful relationship.
Until then, I could not grasp what David meant in Psalm 1:1(MSG)
"How well God must like you—
    you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,
    you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,
    you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College."

Whao!!! What a great reward for living obediently to that command. I so much love how The Message version of the Bible puts it. See what it says in verses 2-3 of Psalm 1:
"Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
    you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
    bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
    always in blossom."

Dear friend, do you fancy God replanting you? Do you fancy bearing fresh fruit every month? Do you dream of never dropping a leaf and always in blossom?
If your answer is 'YES', then my dearest, you have to checkout from those unprofitable allegiances, Sin Saloons, Dead-end Roads and drop out of that Smart-Mouth College.
These are places where the blessings and glory of God can never rain down but such as speaks of retardation, frustrations and regrets. It may still be tasting sweet but its end will be very bitter indeed.

Its the start of a new year, I plead that you may pray to God to direct and connect you   with people who are friends with His Son Jesus and can be true in their relationship with you.
Ask for grace to severe and disconnect from every unholy and ungodly allegiances that are slowing down the wheel of progress to your God given destiny.

Pardon my harshness but I love you this much.
God bless you.

ALL I NEEDED WAS A CUDDLE

“…….One thing led to the other and he took advantage of me.”  This was Betsy’s last statement and she began to cry. It was winter of 2011 when this happened and now she is a single mum to four-month old Jessica. The last time she ever set her eyes on Mark was on Christmas day when she told him she was pregnant. He has not even seen his daughter.

Betsy, 36, was at home, alone on this very cold evening and she began to have this snugly feeling. It came like a surge which left her very desperate for a cuddle up.  Her phone rang while she was making herself a cup of tea. She was unsure whether to return this call or not. She concluded it would be a good idea to return this call and perhaps they could spend sometime together. Mark had met Betsy barely six weeks but has been calling and texting ever since.

My response to Betsy was that the snugly feeling was not the problem but her response to the feeling. God created us and gave us emotions. This is part of who we are as human beings. Our spirit soul and body all engage our emotions to reflect the state of our mind but our emotions in themselves are not meant to control these components of our being.  Unfortunately, what obtains most of the time is the reverse. We have given the reins of our being unto our emotions and do whatever it dictates to us.

As adult single, I noticed whenever I had these feelings, some guy, somewhere just shows up. What makes it happen this way I cannot understand, all I knew was that I would be totally and solely responsible for whatever I choose to do when this aspect of my emotions come calling. Unfortunately I am not the only one that will be affected by the consequences of my rash decision. In Betsy’s case, an innocent child has been denied the joy of fatherly love because of my choice.

No matter how clear the Scripture is on God's precepts regarding sexuality, no matter how convincing the argument that sexual immorality is inconsistent with God's character and His will, sadly, many people will not respond by changing their sexual behaviour. Most of us in today's culture care less about the right and wrong of our actions than we do about fulfilling our craving for love and attention

Sex has become so casual everyone talks about it even more than we talk about the weather. You can hardly turn on the TV, see a movie, or listen to the radio without finding references to it. Not only is our culture talking about sex, it seems that everybody is doing it. 

The biblical boundaries for sex - God's instruction to reserve physical intimacy for marriage have been set aside, disregarded as old fashioned and culturally "out of step." 

Many of us reason that time has changed and that what works for each individual is different. As a Christian, believer in Jesus Christ, what works for you must align with scripture.

Biblical precept of sex is that when it is experienced outside marriage it becomes a sin called immorality. (1 Thess. 4:3)

God’s principle is that we His children should flee from sexual immorality. (1 Cor. 6:18)

God wants us to personally commit this part of our being unto Him to help us keep pure. He offered to help when we become faithless and burning out. (2 Tim. 2:13).

Josh McDowell said God’s intention when he commanded sexual purity was to protect our feelings and to do us good. He wanted to protect us from guilt and from unwanted pregnancies and even possible murder in abortion. He seeks to protect us also from emotional distress.

Our obedience to a life of purity provides peace with God and peace of mind. Provides trust with future spouse and healthy atmosphere for child rearing. Our obedience also provides spiritual reward for true intimacy when we eventually get married.

God is not unsympathetic, (Hebrew 4:14-16). Every "thou shalt not" in the Bible is given to protect us and provide for our good; nowhere is that more clear than in His precept to remain sexually pure. And when we diligently follow the Lord's commands in all areas of our lives, we will find that we are living under the protection of his loving hand and enjoying the immeasurable pleasures of an intimate relationship with him. All other pleasurable experience He will not deny us.

Think about it my beloved Sister.

God bless you.

BEFORE YOU PACK YOUR BAG

NO, it isn't. It is not a must that you spend Christmas in the house of that man or weekend away with that guy who doesn't seem to know what he wants or appears not ready to settle down with you. God's truth already diffuses that myth that you can do just whatever you want with yourself. (Hebrews 13:4).
Well except that you may not mind that it bothers your maker to see you get trashed and being used as part of convenience for a festive period. But that's not who you are. You are a very special treasure, a beautiful work of creation and adorable daughter of the King.
I sat on the WC earlier in the day, getting tissue to clean up and as I dropped it in to press the flush button, I felt the Lord saying to me 'that is how some of my daughters are waiting to be used, drop off and flushed away' . That made me sad I must confess. I stood there and tried to re-process what I've just done and imagining that happening to God's daughter is enough to make the heart of any father bleed, how much more your Lord who died and paid the ransom for your beautiful and precious soul.

My beloved and darling sister, perhaps you are already making plans to go spend Christmas break with that guy, stop! think again. God is speaking ahead because He wants you preserved from being used like a tissue and dumped like a trash. That is not befitting for the daughter of the Most High.
You are a new creation, you are no more in any condemnation. Do not take the liberty of this new life for granted and the grace in vain.
If you truly understand what we are celebrating at Christmas, will Jesus be glad to find you where you are hibernating on HIS special day??? Is your presence in his house and sleeping over honouring to the name of Christ?

Does it really bother you that Jesus calls you special? God never lies. When He declared in Jeremiah 31: 3 saying:
 "......“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;Therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you.", He meant every bit of what He said.
If it has happened to you before, and you have been healed, it will not be wise to position yourself in that vulnerable situation. Satan has mapped out strategy of mass-molestation and you must not position yourself to be caught as a prey in that trap.

I can understand that waiting on God can be excruciatingly frustrating. Hopefully, your parents, family, and friends aren’t bugging you about how long they are having to wait for you to get married. Hopefully, too, your unsaved friends aren’t badgering you about waiting for marriage at all, as if living in sin is better than being married anyway. You would not have needed to wait nearly this long to to get it right maritally if you could marry just anything to change status.

When we trust that the good things God teaches us in His Word are better than throwing in the towel out of impatience; however, we realize that giving up on Him can only harm us.
Waiting can only be true agony when you don't trust the Person for Whom you're waiting.

Our God is trustworthy, dependable and reliable. He has shown His faithfulness to those who truly waited for Him. He is coming back again soon for those who have endured and suffered long to see His will done in them. You are not a hopeless case, why make yourself look like one. You have a father who never lost a battle, He is fighting on your behalf daily.

If you have to be with family or friends this Christmas, God's joy will fill you to overflowing. You may be a source of blessing to the people around you when you radiate the source of your strength which is God's joy.
May the Lord grant us the grace to wait as long as He would have us wait, and to wait with patience, hope, and even joy.

Spend Christmas around people who will celebrate your presence and not with a user whose sole aim is to dump you even before the new year.
Did I sound a little bit harsh?  I love you so much my Sister but Jesus loves you best, He died for you.

DEAL OR NO DEAL

I stumbled on this gambling game programme on channel 4 (UK). The player had a box of 10pence and £100,000.00 on the last round. He was hoping to gamble on the box with the highest amount of money. Players do not know what is in each box but the cash board tells what is left in this last round. The manager of the game known as ‘The Banker’ was trying to make an offer to this player for a deal of 33,000 pounds.  

Most of the co-gamblers advised him not to deal. The player refused to accept the offer and hence no deal. To close the game, he was left with the only option of opening the box on his table. Whatever was in that box was his money. His box had 10 pence unfortunately.

I am not a gambler. When I heard ‘no deal’ on that last round, I felt immediately this player had lost something. He lost an opportunity for a lump some that could have added value to his pocket. He missed accepting an offer that was far more real than what was to be gambled. There is a huge difference between 10p and £100K. He turned down what could have been a juicy offer of £33k.

I am sure some of us would argue (those who gamble especially) that the player could have also won the 100k. Yes, which is why gambling is not realistic. It is a world of guesses. It was not a guarantee or surety. What was real at the time was the 33k that was offered.

Unfortunately this is what some of us have done or are doing with our life and destiny. We listen to the voices and noises around us shouting at us saying ‘No Deal’; we forget that they will not share with us the consequences of that decision.  We have gambled away our precious life and time with unreliable and undependable men because they appear at that moment full of empty promises and unrealistic hopes. We get swayed and fall for their lies only to realise when it is too late that they are worth less 10pence.  We had probably encountered many who had appeared like that 33k, but we turned them down because we thought we can still get 100k from this other ones that appeared more like it.

The Banker could be likened to God, our heavenly father who new that the box we have on our table and hoping to contain 100k actually had 10pence. We have left God out and ignored His offers because it was a little too small and would not be enough. Those were the men whom he offered but weren’t so trendy, don’t seem to have much money, and not too good looking. We made off with the clean guys in top labels and with some bucks to spend. We got off with them to realise they were empty inside and so full of themselves there was no place in their hearts for us. They are like the 10pence but we thought by our outward calculations were 100k.

There is no point crying over spilled milk. Let the mess be cleared. God is still willing to do a new deal. It is up to us to either deal or no deal

When the creation got messed up badly with sin, God made another offer of a deal. He sent Christ Jesus as ransom. Those who said deal to Jesus are in. Those who said no deal are still out. It is the same with us and how we respond on the matters of life and destiny. Our choices are very vital to our future.

So, making the right choice has both immediate and future benefit if it is in God’s will and aligns with His word and the plans he has offered us “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah29:11(NKJV).

He said again that “No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this, never so much as imagined anything quite like it—What God has arranged for those who love him. But you’ve seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you.” 1cor.2:9-10(MSG)

The only major difference in dealing with God is that it is never a gamble, it is a guarantee. It may take a bit of time but still happen in its time, Eccl.3:11 “….He has made everything beautiful in its time….”

So what is God offering today? Here it is: “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the bad lands.” Isaiah 43:18-19(MSG)

If you say ‘Deal’, you are in. All you need to do is “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” Psalm 27:14(NKJV)

If you say ‘No Deal’, you can be sure to experience what that gambler experienced, from the hope of a 100k to taking away just 10pence. God forbid; this one life is not meant to be lived on a guess work. Only a deal with God guarantees the best deal of a lifetime.

Be sure to say ‘Deal’ when you are sure your offer is from the banker (God) and you have peace that the offer is rooted in Him. Even when the offer doesn’t contain all you wished for, you can trust the banker (God) to stand surety for you.  All full benefit will be added.  I testify to His faithfulness. I am a living proof. He’s done it for me; He is able to do even more for you.

  “People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how He works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, and God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” Matthew 6:32-33(MSG)

 On behalf of the Ultimate Banker (God) I present again to you the offer of full obedience to Him and His will for you for the benefit of a fulfilled life both here and in eternity

DEAL OR NO DEAL???

LOVE IS NOT CONTROLLING

I know God is speaking to somebody about this issue. I may just be confirming what He has been telling you. It will be painful to make a wreck of your emotional self because you desperately want this relationship to work. There are signs already that he is a Control Frick but you are in love with him and he seems a nice guy (on a good day). That is who he is, and that is the man you are about to spend the rest of your life with.
1Corinthians 13:5 says: love " does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil."
Controllers are people whose main relationship technique is to control others. Through their forceful personalities, they get their ways and get what they want. They are often times fulfilled and you are not. When you marry such an individual, even in intimacy, he gets sexual fulfilment and can't be bothered whether you do or you don't. You can simply be raped emotionally and sexually by a controller. He gets it when he wants it, it is his way or no way.
Such men never take responsibilities or accept wrongs. You dear not even charge them with any wrong. Even for his obvious wrongs, he'll blame you, blame circumstances or he passes the blame to other people. Always on the defensive. Many women who fell for such men are unable to reach their full potentials in life. A controlling husband will never, under his watch, allow you to rise above him. He can never be Christlike. He is full of self.
Controllers are very good at spotting desperation, this they use to their own advantage.
God is definitely against oppression. The man with an oppressive spirit does not know the love of God and will never be able to give what he doesn't have.
A man can lead/control his family in a loving way. That is why great emphasis is being  laid on marrying a man who has surrendered his life to Christ. This type of man is able to lead his family in the love of God, because he has known the God of love. (1John 4:7-8)
When a man obeys God by loving his wife, It becomes automatically easy for the woman to respect her man. The natural instinct in the woman would be to react to a controlling husband. In reacting, respect is thrown into the wind and that will be followed with a sharp decline in their relationship. However, just when it is easy for a man to move-out and move-on, women are often left with the responsibilities of caring and nurturing the children.
In God's leadership style, leading is meant to be an act of love towards those being led and this is why He commanded the men to love their wives and women to submit/respect their husbands. Jesus said, of leadership role, ".............if you want to be a leader, you must first be slaves, become servants."(Matt. 20:25-28)
There is already enough stress in the world, but to put up with a controlling or abusive husband will place undue pressure on you and and your family.
Marriage is good and very sweet too. This I can tell you for sure. I will choose my husband again and again and again. Even when it is not necessary, he is always making sure we are a part of every decision in the family. Oh yes! I give him credit for that.
Ladies, honestly, you all deserve the best. You are precious in His sight. You cost God His only Son. Your worth is far more than rubies. When a man finds you, he gets God's favour. That's how much you're worth. Begging him to marry you and putting up with all his controlling tactics just so you are married is like mortgaging your future and that of your children.
If that man you are with at the moment fits perfectly into this description, its high time you got back into your room, shut the door behind you and dial heaven using the name of God's Son Jesus to plead your case. God is sure to show up for you with a godly, loving and respectable man.
You are blessed.