God sends Valentines? Why not!

Valentines are messages of love, aren't they? And lovers send Valentines to their beloved. God is the greatest Lover of them all, and each one of us is His beloved. So why wouldn't God send us Valentines, not just on Valentine's Day but all year long!

But how does God send us Valentines? Lots of ways! One is through the sacred Scriptures, the holy Word of the Lord, so full of examples of God's goodness and mercy, love and compassion. What Scriptural Valentines have you collected and treasured over the years? Here are some of my favorites.

But how does God send us Valentines? Lots of ways! One is through the sacred Scriptures, the holy Word of the Lord, so full of examples of God's goodness and mercy, love and compassion. What Scriptural Valentines have you collected and treasured over the years? Here are some of my favorites.

With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. Jer. 31:3

His banner over me is love. Song 2:4

The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in His love as on a day of festival. Zeph. 3:17

I have called you by name: you are mine....I will be with you.... Because you are precious in my eyes and glorious, and because I love you. Is. 43:1, 2, 4

Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, my love will never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the Lord, who has mercy on you. Is. 54:10

O Lord, how precious is your love. My God, the children of the earth find refuge in the shelter of your wings. Ps. 36:8

Your merciful love and your truth will always guard me. Ps. 40:12

The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies are not spent; they are renewed each morning, so great is his faithfulness. Lam. 3:22-23

I led them with cords of compassion, with the bands of love.... Hos. 11:4

But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me. Ps. 13:5-6

I love you, O Lord, my strength, O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. My God; my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! Ps. 18:1-3

The Lord came to my support. He set me free in the open, and rescued me, because He loves me. Ps. 19:20

I will trust in the Lord. I will rejoice and be glad for Your steadfast love.... Ps. 31:6-7

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. Ps. 52:8

God will send forth His steadfast love and his faithfulness! Ps. 57:3

For Your love is better than life; my lips will praise You. Ps. 63:3

But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Ps. 86:15

Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures for ever! Ps. 106:1

For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Jn. 3:16

I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Jn. 14:31

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Jn. 15:12-13

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Live on in my love. Jn. 15:19

Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Mt. 12:28

The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Rom. 5:5

My dear friends, let us love one another, since love is from God and everyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 1 Jn. 4:7

May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God. Eph.3:17-10

Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Eph. 5:1-2

Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Cor 2:9

The love of Christ impels us. 2 Cor 5:14

I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you...for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control. 2 Tim 1:6-7

Although you have never seen Him, you love Him, and without seeing you now believe in Him, and rejoice with inexpressible joy touched with glory because you are achieving faith's goal, your salvation. 1 Pet. 1:8-9

See what love the Father has bestowed on us in letting us be called children of God! Yet that is what we are. 1 Jn. 3:1

We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 1 Jn. 4:16-17

We, for our part, love because He first loved us. 1 Jn. 4:19

The Lord disciplines him whom He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives. Heb. 12:6

1 Cor. 13 -- Every line of St. Paul's glorious hymn on the "Excellence of the Gift of Love" is a Valentine from God and worthy of deep reflection and prolonged contemplation for "there is no limit to love's forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure. Love never fails." (vs.7-8)

The Word became flesh, and made His dwelling among us, and we have seen His glory; the glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love. Jn. 1:14

Of His fullness we have all had a share -- love following upon love. Jn 1:16

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?....No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else is all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:35, 37-39

How dearly God loves us! How much He yearns to fill our hearts to overflowing with His enduring, abiding love! What special Scriptural Valentine is He sending you and you alone as a sign of His love for you? Whatever it is, may you receive it with renewed gratitude and rejoice greatly in the wondrous love of our gracious God!

Giving honor to Alice Claire Mansfield, for Writing this message of Gods love, compiling the scriptures of His love, and also submitting each one of them to Catholic Prayers. Thank you and God bless you.

Barack Obama's Second Inaugural Speech

Here's the full text of President Barack Obama's second inauguration address, courtesy of the White House:

"Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens: Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names.

What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.

For more than two hundred years, we have.

Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.

Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers.

Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.

Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.

Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone. Our celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, are constants in our character.

But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people.

This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.

For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.

We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher. But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.

We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.

We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.

We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.

We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.

We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.

It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.
That is our generation’s task – to make these words, these rights, these values – of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to act in our time.

For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that today’s victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years, and forty years, and four hundred years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.

My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction – and we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty, or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.

They are the words of citizens, and they represent our greatest hope.
You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country’s course.
You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals.

Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.
Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.

The Dream Is Yet Alive

Martin Luther King Jr. did not say "I had a dream". he said "I Have a Dream". Pres. Barack Obama is not the "Dream", nor the answer to that dream, he is part of that dream. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Dream" is (present tense) not about a race, it is about the (human) race. Until we fulfill racial equality throughout the entire world, let alone the Unites States of America, that dream is yet to be fulfilled. .

Until we live in a nation where we will not be judged by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character.

"The Dream" is yet alive.

Until every valley be exalted, every hill and mountain be made low, the rough places made straight and the glory of the Lord be revealed and all flesh see it together.

"The Dream" is yet alive.

Until the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.

"The Dream" is yet alive.

Until we as a people will get to the promised land!

"The Dream" is yet alive.

"The Dream" starts with God as revealed through His Son, Jesus Christ. Through a relationship with Him, we can be agents of healing in a world that is sick with racial and ethnic conflict.

Elder J. A. Vázquez

What is your "ONLY GOD"?

Without actually quoting scripture, we all have an "Only God" faith, trust, reliance, confidence, credence or belief that we live by. Tupac Shakur once penned the phrase, "Only God Can Judge Me Now". My personal faith, trust, reliance, confidence, credence or belief is "Only God can turn a Mess into a Message, a Test into a Testimony, a Trial into a Triumph, a Victim into a Victory. What is your mantra? Better yet... What is your personal "Only God" faith, trust, reliance, confidence, credence or belief?

Think on these things...

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

The theme of Paul's epistle to the Philippians is that the key to experiencing joy in your heart is to have the right thoughts in your mind. So how are we to think? Here's how: Think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy.

Even spiritual men and women become discouraged. You can see it in their eyes. And they wonder why. It's because they've been thinking thoughts that are not true and honest and lovely and good and pure. They stared at David Letterman before they went to bed, and they wonder why they wake up grumpy. If you are prone to depression, do not watch late-night TV. You'll wake up with a cynicism about life, a tainted twisted perspective on life. Instead, fill your mind with the goodness of God and the wealth of His Word, and, like Paul, you'll awake with a song in your soul.

The Blessings For Blessing The Lord.

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

God promises great blessings to his people but many of these blessings require active participation.

He will
set us free from our fears (Psalm 34:4),
deliver us from trouble (Psalm 34:6),
guard and defend us (Psalm 34:7),
show us goodness (Psalm 34:8),
supply our needs (Psalm 34:9),
listen when we call to him (Psalm 34:15),
and redeem us (Psalm 34:22),
but we must do our part.

We can
appropriate his blessings when we seek him (Psalm 34:4, 10);
cry out to him (Psalm 34:6, 17);
trust him (Psalm 34:8);
fear him (Psalm 34:9);
refrain from lying (Psalm 34:13);
turn from evil, do good, and search for peace (Psalm 34:14);
are brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18);
and serve him (Psalm 34:22).”

Its conditional. Some blessings come with a price and in order to receive it we have to be willing to go through in order to get to.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Joyful Noise

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Psalm 100:1

The worship we give to the Lord and the work we do for Him must always be done with gladness. When I look around, I realize the men I most respect are men who serve the Lord. When I look ahead, I realize that anything I do—even if it’s nothing more than offering a cup of cold water in the Lord’s name—will be rewarded (Matthew 10:42). When I look back, I realize the enemy attacks the people at the back of the pack—those who aren’t serving the Lord (Deuteronomy 25:18). Therefore, the best place to be is in the front lines, serving the Lord wholeheartedly.

THE GREATEST

If John 3:16 was the only word we had from God, it would be enough. Put your name in the middle of it and get ready for excitement now and eternal life forever. Thanks, Father, You did it. We believe it.

GOD CAN

And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. Luke 13:11, 12

After you have analyzed your condition and understood its origin, it will take the authority of God’s Word to put the past under your feet! Although the problem may be rooted in the past, the prescription is a present Word from God! The Word you hear today will heal your yesterday!

GIVING & RECEIVING

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38

Notice, the word says, "shall man give unto yo", God is blessing the givers to also receive. As much as you give, as much or more will be given back unto you in return. Its a win-win situation. Therefore, let us all start this new year that was not promised by giving as much as possible to those who are in need. And in the midst of blessing others by doing the possible, God in turn will take care of what we see as the impossible in our lives.

Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back--given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.

THUG LIFE

Thugs are seen as strong, hard, roughneck, they want some thug love. Some even call themselves and their friends by something (dog) less than what God created us to be. Be mindful that behind some thugs story there is a tragic stories of rejection and opposition.

But we serve a God who specializes in taking a thug and straightening him out. God can take those who rejected you and even the ones who opposed you to set the stage for promotion that would not have taken place unless you had had those rejections and oppositions. Trust me, I know... He did it for me and I know wholeheartedly that He can do it for you too.

I Will Bless The LORD

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalms 34:1

take a close look at David’s determination. He says, "I will bless the LORD." The word "bless" means "to confer happiness or prosperity upon another." When we bless the Name of the LORD, we're actually giving Him praise, worshiping Him, glorifying Him, honor Him, exalt Him, magnify Him. Doing so, pleases Him.

It’s amazing to think that we actually have the ability to bring happiness and prosperity to the God of the universe. Yet He genuinely enjoys hearing our praise. We are those who have been blessed by the LORD. But we also have the ability to bless Him back.

In this New Year (New Season) that was not promised to us, lets used the gifts and talents that God has molded into His ministry (not ours) through us to make a difference in someone else's life. Lets give Him the glory by realizing that no ministry belong to man but to God. Let that gift that God has blessed us with in order to bless His people, burn with the passion that blesses & pleases Him.

What You Shall Become

...Do not fear, from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words. Daniel 10:12

The enemy is trying to steal, kill, and destroy you not because of what you are but now but because of what he knows you shall become through Christ Jesus.

We all have goals, dreams, and visions in life. We pray about them and try to hold fast to them, because with faith in Jesus we know they will come to pass. And, when they do, it is the most wonderful feeling. A dream becoming reality, a prayer answered, and our faith in God strengthened even more.

Relax, My dear brothers & sisters in Christ, 'don't be afraid to let your request be made known (Philippians 4:6). Just as God heard Daniels prayers the very moment he humbled himself to receive understanding, your prayers will be heard as well the very moment you do the same.

Another year of success and happiness has passed. With every new year, comes greater challenges and obstacles in life. I wish you courage, hope and faith to overcome all the hurdles you face. May you have a great year and a wonderful time ahead. God bless you.

WHO AM I?

You may say, “There are many reasons why God shouldn’t use me...” You’re right! But don’t worry. You’re in good company.

Moses stuttered.
David’s armor didn’t fit.
John Mark was rejected by Paul.
Timothy had ulcers.
Hosea’s wife was a prostitute.
Amos’ only training was in the school of fig tree pruning. Jacob was a liar.
David had an affair.
Solomon was too rich.
Jesus was too poor.
Abraham was too old.
David was too young.
Peter was afraid of death.
Lazarus was dead.
John was self-righteous.
Naomi was a widow.
Paul was a murderer...so was Moses.
Jonah ran from God.
Miriam was a gossip.
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.
Elijah was burned out.
John the Baptist was a loudmouth.
Martha was a worry-wart.
Mary was lazy.
Samson had long hair.
Noah got drunk.
Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?
So did Peter, Paul---well, lots of folks did.

But God doesn’t require a job interview. He doesn’t look at financial gain or loss. He’s not prejudiced or partial; not judging or grudging, sassy or brassy; not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need. As much as we try, God’s gifts are free. If you are magically in love with Him; if you hunger for Him more than your next breath., he’ll use you in spite of who you are, where you’ve bee, or what you look like. I pray that we will step out of our limitations into the unlimitable nature of who God is. Then our passion for God and our passion to communicate Him will make mincemeat of our limitations.

THE LOVE LETTER

Everyone longs to give themselves to someone, to have a deep soul relationship with another to be loved thoroughly and exclusively.

But God says to a Christian - NO, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled and content with being loved by me alone, with giving yourself totally and unreservedly. With having an intense, personal and loving relationship with me alone, discovering that only in me is your satisfaction to be found. Then you will never be united with another until you are united with me exclusively of anyone or anything else. Exclusively of any other desires or longings. I want you to have the best. PLEASE allow me to give it to you. I want you to stop planning and stop wishing and allow me to give you the most thrilling plan existing, one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best so just keep watching me, expecting the greatest thing and listen and learn the things I tell you. You just wait . . . . that's all. Don't be anxious. Don't worry. Don't look around at the things others have received or that I have given them. Don't look at the things you think you want, just keep looking to me or you'll miss what I want to show you and then, then, when you are ready, I'll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you can dream of!!! You see, until you are ready, and until the one I have for you is ready -- I am working at this very moment to have the both of you ready at the same time -- until you are both satisfied exclusively with me and the life that I have prepared for you, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with me. And this is PERFECT love.

And dear one, I want you to have this wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with me and enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection and love. KNOW that I love you, I am God. Know it and be satisfied!!!

100 PRAYER POINTS

Study the underlisted scriptures to develop faith to pray the following prayers with the understanding that God has planned for your business prosperity.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14, 8:18; Proverbs 10:4, 22:29, 24:27, 27:23-27; Joshua 1:8; Ecclesiastes 5:19.
Also don’t forget that there are responsibilities attached to your prosperity.

As you study, try to identify those responsibilities and fulfill them and by doing so you will be connected to God’s covenant of uninterrupted blessings.

1. Oh Lord, baptize me with the generous spirit of a cheerful giver who gives out of love and not out of compulsion.

2. The Lord will make me a pillar of support for the expansion of God’s Kingdom in Jesus name.

3. All my past generosity will be remembered by God. Every impossible situation in my life will be turned around by God on the account of my past generosity in Jesus name.

4. I believe in miracles, I serve a God of miracles therefore; every chapter closed by men against me will be re-opened by God in my favour in Jesus name.

5. Just as the famine in the days of Joseph elevated him, help me Lord to see the opportunity that the current global financial crises is creating for my prosperity in Jesus name

6. Oh Lord endow me with the required mental skill to interpret every opportunity that comes my way correctly and take maximum advantage of them in Jesus name.

7. I receive Grace to enjoy riches that will endure throughout my life time in Jesus name.

8. I receive total liberty from the embarrassing yoke of debt in Jesus name.

9. I receive total deliverance from the embarrassing stigma of knocking on doors and repeated phone calls begging for financial assistance in Jesus name.

10. I will enjoy the surplus of heaven to achieve my purpose and have leftovers in Jesus name.

11. Murmuring will not take the place of money in my life and money will not mess me up; all my bills will be supernaturally settled in Jesus name.

12. I refuse to be a burden on my neighbours, families and friends. I am a lender and not a borrower in Jesus name.

13. Whenever the needies need my help my purse will not be empty. I will be readily available to meet their needs in Jesus name.

14. Oh Lord, deliver me (my husband, my children etc) from the slavery of evil appetite/habit that are killing my health and destiny in Jesus name.

15. The Lord will satisfy my mouth with good things. I shall have appetite and money to eat choiced foods and accomplish great things in Jesus name.

16. I receive total deliverance from the curse of poverty and affliction that has ever plaqued my family line. I will live to transfer prosperity to my posterity in Jesus name.

17. I shall not only be great in wealth but also have great name in Jesus name.

18. Let your Spirit empower me oh Lord, to attain, sustain and enjoy success in Jesus name.

19. My joy shall multiply at the end of this month… I shall therefore count blessings and not sorrows in
Jesus name.

20. Oh Lord deliver me from profitless labour and confused activities in Jesus name.

21. I shall not waste my seed. I will be divinely guided to plant my seed on fertile soil in Jesus name.

22. Oh Lord, let the resources required to fulfill my dream in the custody of my enemies relocate into the custody of my friends and helpers in Jesus name.

23. Oh Lord, let money forever remains my loyal messenger in Jesus name.

24. Both the help from above and abroad will combine and compete to settle my bills and fulfill my dreams this year in Jesus name.

25. From now on all my investments and labour since the beginning of my career and ministry will begin to yield their
full profit in Jesus name.

26. In every tight situation, let my tithe provoke heavenly solution in Jesus name.

27. This week my past generosity will spring forth a pleasant surprise in Jesus name.

28. Throughout this year, none of my resources shall be wasted on medical bills or any form of profitless venture in Jesus name.

29. Satan will not receive the backing of heaven to wipe out my financial resources with evil erosion in Jesus name.

30. Whosoever looks up to me for help this year will not be disappointed. I shall have enough to satisfy my needs and plenty to give to others in need in Jesus name.

31. I receive deliverance from the bondage of doubt and fear that past failures and misfortune has introduced into my life in Jesus name.

32. I receive the required courage to step into the greatness God has ordained for me in Jesus name.

33. I submit to the leadership of God’s Spirit and I receive the backing of heaven to breakthrough and succeed in all my undertakings in Jesus name.

34. I receive the favourable countenance of God, therefore Heaven will agree with all my steps of faith and God’s will shall prosper in my hands.

35. I refuse to submit my courage to frustration. God will send me encouragement today; I will be energized to continue the race in Jesus name.

36. The sun is rising today announcing my season of success and fulfilling my purpose in Jesus name.

37. Those that believe in me and have invested in my dream, encouraging and supporting me will not be disappointed in Jesus name.

38. The Lord will allow something better to come out of every bad situation that baffles me in Jesus name.

39. Let the prophetic power that operated in the valley of dry bones re-unite me with my lost (glory, helper, husband, wife, children, joy etc) in Jesus name.

40. Every carnal attitude of disobedience and demonic spirits that are promoting barrenness in my life are terminated today in Jesus name.

41. Those doubting my ability to succeed will soon become my subjects in Jesus name.

42. Those that refuse to lend unto me during my moment of struggling will soon begin to lean on me in Jesus name.

43. Those laughing at me today will soon laugh with me and regret their folly of looking down on me in Jesus name.

44. Those who gather to frustrate my vision will beg to be part of my celebration in Jesus name.

45. Every opposition I encounter today will soon form a chapter of my success story in Jesus name.

46. The Lord will release a measure of prosperity into my life that will swallow all my history of poverty in Jesus name.

47. The Lord will give me a new name and a new identity that will bury all the ugly stories associated with my background in Jesus name.

48. My new life in Christ has clothed me with a garment of righteousness; my past sinful life will no longer hurt or haunt me in Jesus name.

49. A similar grace that made Jabez more honourable than his brethren will distinguish me among my equals in Jesus name.

50. Today marks the beginning of my bouncing back. My spiritual life shall be restored and my lost glory shall be fully recovered.

51. I declare every department of my life under the control of Satan disconnected in Jesus name.

52. All the sinful habits that enslave me to Satan will henceforth irritate me in Jesus name.

53. In all the areas where men have failed me, let your mercy prevail for me in Jesus name.

54. In all the areas where money may disgrace me, let your mercy raised men of influence in my favour in Jesus name.

55. This week I will encounter God’s mercy that will end all problems of money associated with my family in Jesus name.

56. Inadequate supply will not compel me to abandon God. Excess supply will not deceive me to disconnect from God in Jesus name.

57. I receive Christ Spirit of endurance to endure the season of adversity and wait for the era of prosperity in Jesus name.

58. The present adversity will not last forever; my business will not sink with the ongoing economic meltdown. The Spirit of God will usher in a new era of prosperity in Jesus name.

59. God’s covenant of exception as it was in the land of Goshen will work in my favour against the ongoing economic recession in Jesus name.

60. Whatever positive purpose, I pursue, I will posses because the Spirit of God will instruct my steps in the right direction in Jesus name.

61. I rebuke the spirit of bareness from my business; my business will be fruitful and profitable in Jesus name.

62. The Holy Spirit will be the invincible Chief Executive Officer of my business in Jesus name.

63. I will not suffer scarcity of idea nor adequate capital to take my business to the next level in Jesus name.

64. The Spirit of God will expose and expel every Achan (traitor) among my employees that has the tendency of ruining my business in Jesus name.

65. The Spirit of God will deliver me from making recruitment error that is capable of crippling my business in Jesus name.

66. The Spirit of excellence, commitment, loyalty and uprightness will compel all my employees to work for the progress of my company in Jesus name.

67. Evil intentions and machination of my competitors will fail in Jesus name.

68. Every weapon sponsored through family relations or friends to wreck my business will not succeed in Jesus name.

69. I pronounce unstoppable prosperity over every project of my company in Jesus name.

70. Because this business is founded in partnership with God, it will take root downward, develop into branches and bear fruits upward in Jesus name.

71. I command a miraculous and total recovery of all debts owned my company in Jesus name.

72. All my long-forgotten proposal will begin to receive the attention of the right and relevant authority in Jesus name.

73. The favour of God will envelope my company, office and shop in Jesus name.

74. Both my company identity and complimentary card will carry God’s presence and attract favour of my prospective customers, clients and contracts in Jesus name.

75. I repeal every Local and International legislation that is not in favour of the prosperity of my business in Jesus name.

76. My business premises will not receive demonic visitation of armed robbers and dupes; law enforcement agents sponsored against me will not succeed at implicating me in Jesus name.

77. Partnership that will ruin my business will not receive my endorsement in Jesus name.

78. Agent of darkness on evil assignment against my business will receive God’s judgment of blindness in Jesus name.

79. The economic policy of this nation will begin to favour the prosperity of my business in Jesus name.

80. The vision of the Government in power will not antagonize my business prosperity in Jesus name.

81. Anoint me Lord to breakthrough without bribery in Jesus name.

82. Holy Ghost fire will consume all satanic rope and chains that is around my wrongly seized goods; heaven will secure their release this week in Jesus name.

83. I untie all my customers and clients that have been tied around the aprons of my competitors with demonic spell in Jesus name.

84. Every goods that have overstayed in this shop and are at the risk of expiration will bring in money and relocate to its end users (consumer) in Jesus name.

85. This month I will sign a contract whose profit will pay all my debts and leave me with surplus that will make me to have nothing to do with debt again in Jesus name.

86. This month, my business premises will relocate from a rented apartment to our own property in Jesus name.

87. Henceforth, I will not borrow to pay my staff again in Jesus name.

88. My business will be sufficient to pay my bills, pay my staff and surplus enough to contribute to community development in Jesus name.

89. I receive help from above to resurrect my collapse business and expand and diversify my flourishing ones in Jesus name.

90. I will not lack creative ideas to satisfy my customers / clients in Jesus name.

91. All the customers that I have pursued in the past without success will begin to beg to do business with me in Jesus name.

92. The current economic meltdown will not fold up my business in Jesus name.

93. The winnowing power of God’s Spirit will blow away the spirit of waste and agents of waste from my business in Jesus name.

94. God’s wind of wonder will deposit wealth into my business in Jesus name.

95. The Spirit of God will guide my business decision; my capital shall not be tied down on unprofitable goods in Jesus name.

96. Products that have lost market value, and customers taste and appetite will not be grounded in my shop in Jesus name.

97. The Spirit of God will resist me from being teleguided or manipulated by fraudsters (419) to sign away all that I have laboured for in Jesus name.

98. I shall not be manipulated by greed and covetousness to disobey heavenly warning through dream and prophecy in Jesus name.

99. None of my business trips will record arm robbery attack or accident in Jesus name.

100. The supreme council of heaven will repeal, reverse, and amend every decree, policy, legislation that is contrary to all my noble business vision in Jesus name.

Thank you, my dear Nigerian Brothers and Sisters of Oasis of Wisdom Bible Church.

IN THE WORDS OF satan

I've been here since the beginning
Know exactly how you work
I know all of your cravings
Know what makes you go berserk
Been lying from the start just to make you play a part in my infinite rebellion against the Father God

Hate
Everything he is
And I make you hate him too
Make you hate him with your actions it's so easy for me to do
'Cause you like it...
Sin feels good for the ego...
You love it...
Oh, come on baby let your hair go

And all the time, I'm winding you up
Like my perfect little puppet, you're my favorite robot, welcome to the show but I'm watching you and all of hell is with me too, helping me make my lies look true

Oh and there is a lie that works for everyone, everyone
A lie that opens your hearts so I can get me some more of your free will
I'm winding you
Winding you
Give me the control that's why I'm telling you
Selling you
Anything
Everything
Appealing to your human way of being and I use it all against you to just keep your eyes from seeing past the life you're living
Past the moment you're in
Past the pleasure of your sin

Or the cigarette you're smoking
Choking on your lust
I'll make you drunk with pride
So deeply spun into my system that you won't see the light
Never mind that I'm drowning you
I keep deceiving you...

`Cuz I don't tell you
Bout the God in heaven
Who loves you
Who yearns for you, no
I don't tell you
`Bout the freedom of forgiveness and truth
Why would I tell you?
Why would I tell you, the truth?

But I'll say that millions of years ago an accident exploded
And you're the result of this cosmic unknown with no real purpose
Created for no real intent
The reason for your living is just coincidence
So all the remains is what you can gain
Whatever meaning you attach to your days you decide
Mmm, but I help you recognize the important things in life
Introducing money, it's the root of all, evil they say so
I attach your self worth to the salary you're paid, be a slave to your property
Your jewelry
Your cars and things
Advertise that lie up on the TV so you want that bling
Selling bit by bit the little pieces of your soul
Climbing up the ladder of economic control
Oh, the greed of man makes it so easy to pervert the Father's plan

Or I'll tell you...
There is a heaven but there's many ways to get in
Keep you so confused that you stay bound to your sin
Tell you there are many ways to the same God
Keep you distracted with your methods so your heart stays hard,
I'll make you think you've got spirituality, but it's really just emotional alchemy
Oh, the vanity of self-idoltary I never let you see that it breeds
Hedonism! Whoo!
And it's the anthem of this generation
Come on, drink it, snort it, smoke it, swallow it
Chew on my illusion of freedom til you vomit it

And still I don't tell you
Bout the God in heaven
Who loves you
Who yearns for you
No I don't tell you
Bout the freedom of forgiveness and truth
Why would I tell you?
Why would I tell you the truth?

"In the Words of Satan" is written and performed by "The Arrows"

Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus

What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion
What if I told you voting republican really wasn't his mission
What if I told you republican doesn't automatically mean Christian
And just because you call some people blind
Doesn't automatically give you vision
I mean if religion is so great, why has it started so many wars
Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor
Tells single moms God doesn't love them if they've ever had a divorce
But in the old testament God actually calls religious people whores
Religion might preach grace, but another thing they practice
Tend to ridicule God's people, they did it to John The Baptist
They can't fix their problems, and so they just mask it
Not realizing religions like spraying perfume on a casket
See the problem with religion, is it never gets to the core
It's just behavior modification, like a long list of chores
Like lets dress up the outside make look nice and neat
But it's funny that's what they use to do to mummies
While the corps rots underneath
Now I ain't judgin
I'm just saying quit putting on a fake look, Cause there's a problem
If people only know you're a Christian by your Facebook
I mean in every other aspect of life, you know that logic's unworthy
It's like saying you play for the Lakers just because you bought a jersey
You see this was me too, but no one seemed to be on to me
Acting like a church kid, while addicted to pornography
See on Sunday I'd go to church, but Saturday getting faded
Acting if I was simply created just to have sex and get wasted
See I spent my whole life building this facade of neatness
But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness
Because if grace is [water](undefined), then the church should be an ocean
It's not a museum for good people, it's a hospital for the broken
Which means I don't have to hide my failure, I don't have to hide my sin
Because it doesn't depend on me it depends on him
See because when I was God's enemy and certainly not a fan
He looked down and said I want, that, man
Which is why Jesus hated religion, and for it he called them fools
Don't you see so much better than just following some rules
Now let me clarify, I love the church, I love the bible, and yes I believe in sin
But if Jesus came to your church would they actually let him in
See remember he was called a glutton, and a drunkard by religious men
But the son of God never supports self righteousness not now, not then
Now back to the point, one thing is vital to mention
How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums
See one's the work of God, but one's a man made invention
See one is the cure, but the other's the infection
See because religion says do, Jesus says done
Religion says slave, Jesus says son
Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see
And that's why religion and Jesus are two different clans
Religion is man searching for God, Christianity is God searching for man
Which is why salvation is freely mine, and forgiveness is my own
Not based on my merits but Jesus's obedience alone
Because he took the crown of thorns, and the blood dripped down his face
He took what we all deserved, I guess that's why you call it grace
And while being murdered he yelled
"Father forgive them they know not what they do."
Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you
And he absorbed all of your sin, and buried it in the tomb
Which is why I'm kneeling at the cross, saying come on there's room
So for religion, no I hate it, in fact I literally resent it
Because when Jesus said it is finished, I believe he meant it.

Thank you brother Jefferson Bethke.

NOW IT MUST BE STATED...

A lot of people I really like and respect have read this poem and some even watched and shared the video. And I realize I may bug a few of them by what I’m about to write. But it keeps getting posted on Facebook, and the more I see it, the more I realize: I’m not a fan.

I think he has several good thoughts, but his opening statement is not true. His entire premise starts there–and it’s not right. Jesus did not come to abolish religion, but to fulfill religion. He didn’t come to tear apart the Temple or the priesthood, but to fulfill everything that religion represented.

Jesus did not hate religion, as is asserted in this video. The rules and regulations of the Jewish faith were His creation, after all. As part of the Godhead, He was the one who established the length of a garment, the feasts and festivals, and the Sabbath, and all the other rules found in Leviticus and Numbers and Deuteronomy. What Jesus hated was that the leaders of that religion had so inserted themselves into the process that they made it even more difficult for man to reach out to God.

It was not the religious man doing his best to offer a pleasing sacrifice to the Lord that Jesus railed against. It was not the woman giving her mite in the temple that He spoke out about. The “white-washed sepulchers” Jesus called out were religious leaders who made it difficult for that man and that woman to reach out to the God who had established the religion in the first place.

The problem here is that his poetry slam is not about religion per se, but his issues with the modern American church. And yet, even then I would argue that his theory is unfounded. Are there dead churches where what you say and do and what you watch and don’t watch are more important than being the hands and feet of Jesus? Of course there are.

But there also hundreds, if not thousands, of local churches–religious centers, if you will–who show the world every day the reality of a life changed by Christ. Churches that reach out and serve food to the homeless, who share gifts and love with single moms, who stand against sex trafficking and slavery. Churches whose people give hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to help feed the hungry, provide education, and build wells in villages where there is no clean water.

The problem with religion is that Jesus has fulfilled it, so the rules and regulations–which are about making you justified before God–no longer have meaning because Christ himself justifies you. Is Jesus greater than religion? Of course He is. Because everything religion is about–man reaching out to God, to make himself better and worthy–is fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.

EMOTIONALLY DISTANT SPOUSE

My dear brother and sister's in Christ, the following are quotes from various resources for those of you who are dealing with an emotionally distant spouse or maybe you ARE an emotionally distant spouse and you will find benefit in reading what others have to tell you. i love you all and pray these quotes will benefit your marriage.

• Each of us will suffer at different points in our lives, and when we are married, we are committed to sharing in the pain of another person. For that reason, we need to look to our commitment and to our marriage vows for strength, stability, and endurance —especially when feelings of love aren’t as strong as they once were. (H. Norman Wright, One Marriage Under God)

• Just because a man answers, “I don’t know”, doesn’t make him relationally challenged. Men speak a different language that has been demeaned, belittled, and just plain assaulted over the past 10,000 years (give or take a few thousand years).

It is well assumed that women are better relationally than men, but I believe it is time to start saying that women are different relationally than men. It’s not that men are poor relationally, we’re just different, special, if you will.

The reason the majority of men give the typical response of, “I don’t know”, is that we are intimidated. The guys way, of relating has been so criticized that we have lost our confidence to relate to women. What your husband won’t tell you as that, “I’m afraid I’ll say something wrong and get blasted for it.” That’s it! Most men fear failure, and when it comes to loving like a woman, we feel like failures. So we end up avoiding it at all cost, many times, at the cost of our marriage. (Michael Smalley,)

• “WE NEED TO TALK.” Why do we fear these four little words? Why do they arouse the same physical protective responses that occur in life threatening situations? She says: “We need to talk.” He hears: “I want to rip you open emotionally and describe all the ways in which you are a failure.” This should take about four hours and afterwards I will probably not be speaking to you and certainly not touching you. (Okay, I may be exaggerating this terror a bit, or perhaps not.) When feeling threatened or attacked, our fight-or-flight response steps in to protect us. (Don Ferguson, “Reptiles in Love: Ending Destructive Fights and Evolving Toward More Loving Relationships”)

• Men who are faced with constant criticism give up. The friction they find when they come home drives them deeper into the sports page and ties them more passively than ever to the TV. Solomon gave up. We detect his hopeless attitude toward the contentious women in his life in Proverbs 27:16: “He who would restrain her restrains the wind, and grasps oil with his right hand.” Most men will do anything to avoid confrontation.

When confronted at home with never-ending conflict, a man will appear to sound the retreat. Only is it seldom a real retreat. Often, it’s an advance in a new direction. He chooses to work late, and so, avoids confrontation. At least at the office he’s in control. It’s wonderful to be at a job where things can be made to happen. He likes the joy of picking up the phone, punching a number and enjoying instant respect. He knows who he is and that he’s in charge. (James Walker, from the book, Husbands Who Won’t Lead and Wives Who Won’t Follow)

• The single best day in every marriage is when two partners take responsibility for their part of the pie. (Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, I Love You More, pg. 119)

• Once a husband and wife, together take responsibility for the good as well as the bad in their relationship a small seedling of hope is planted. Its tiny roots are found in a rich soil, free from negative thinking about what somebody should have done or what somebody didn’t do. It is a seedling that, in time, will sprout optimism. (Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, I Love You More, pg. 120)

• Marriage calls us to an entirely new and selfless life, and any situation that calls me to confront my selfishness has enormous spiritual value. Perhaps God designed marriage to make us holy even more than to make us happy. I’m not suggesting that God has anything against happiness, or that happiness and holiness are mutually exclusive, but looking at marriage through the lens of holiness began to put marriage in a new perspective for me. In fact, it has led me to believe that couples don’t really fall “out of love.” I think it’s more precise to say they fall out of repentance. What usually happens is that we let little vices— like impatience, disrespect, selfishness, pride, and anger— pollute a once-precious relationship. Instead of letting marriage draw us into holiness, we let it draw us into bitterness and accusation. Here’s the kicker: a lot of people want out of a relationship not only because they no longer “love” their spouse. The truth is, they despise what they themselves have become and want a new start with someone who hasn’t seen them at their worst. But changing partners isn’t the answer—changing ourselves is. (Gary Thomas, from the article, The Transforming Miracle of Marriage, as posted on www.ncfliving.org)

• One of the most moving speeches we’ve ever heard was given by President Ronald Reagan. He was standing in front of the wall that had divided East and West Germany for many years. As he concluded, his voice thundered with passion and he issued this challenge: “Mr. Gorbachev, bring down this wall!” Not long after that message, the wall came down. It was a great historical moment, captured forever on film and in the hearts of all who saw it. Some walls are invisible, but they can be just as divisive. The worst is a wall that is silently put in place by a wife or husband because of unmet expectations. This wall can be nearly impossible to bring down—unless, of course, God steps in. (From the book, “The Best Think I Ever Did for My Marriage”, compiled by Nancy Cobb and Connie Grigsby)

• MEN: When you need space, reassure her that it’s not about her. If you’re like most guys, when you have a lot of thinking to do—even if there’s no conflict—you need time alone to process things. Most women we heard from react exactly the opposite—only 9 percent wanted to handle their feelings of insecurity alone. (Which is also why, when you two are at odds and you most want to get away to process in silence, she most wants to talk.) So state your need in the context of hers: “Honey, right now I just need some time alone—I’m just out of sorts. It has nothing to do with how I feel about you.” That will make it much easier for her to let you have space without misinterpreting your need. (Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn, from the book “For Men Only … A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women)

• Some spouses were often giving during the early days of the marriage, but under the influence of numerous types of stress, the emotional wounds of mistrust from childhood and adolescence emerged. These individuals then begin to pull away or to criticize their spouse in an unconscious attempt to distance him/her. Other important factors which lead a spouse to withdraw love and giving are various hurts during the course of the marriage which lead to the development of a fear of vulnerability, anger and sadness. (Richard Fitzgibbons, article titled, “The Emotionally Distant Spouse” as featured on the web site, Marital Healing.com)

• Men, If she’s upset, realize she doesn’t need space—she needs a hug. When our wife is upset, we do what we do with other guys: We give her space to work things out. But with very few exceptions, when women are upset they don’t want space. They want a hug. I think this next comment is one of the most valuable “just do this” quotes in the book:

“All I want is him to know that half the time I’m just as confused as he is. Instead of getting upset and leaving me alone to ‘calm down,’ I just want him to come close and give me a huge hug and let me know he loves me and wants me to feel better again.” (Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn, from the book “For Men Only … A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women)

• Each day I am confronted by women who are extremely frustrated with their marriages. They usually express no hope that their husbands will ever understand what it is that frustrates them, let alone change enough to solve the problem. From their perspective, marital problems are created by their husbands who do little or nothing to solve them. Wives tend to see themselves as the major force for resolving conflicts, and when they give up their effort, the marriage is usually over. When I talk to their husbands, they usually have a very different explanation as to why their wives feel the way they do. They often feel that the expectations of women in general, and their wives in particular, have grown completely out of reach. These men, who feel that they’ve made a gigantic effort to be caring and sensitive to their wives, get no credit whatsoever for their sizable contribution to the family. They feel under enormous pressure to improve their financial support, improve the way they raise their children, and improve the way they treat their wives. Many men I see are emotionally exhausted and feel that for all their effort, they get nothing but criticism. (Dr Willard F. Harley, from the Marriagebuilders.com article, “Why Men Leave”)

• Emotional stability and satisfaction are important to every human being. If the wife hangs all her feelings out to her husband in the hope that he will somehow validate them without being told to do so, that woman is setting herself up for disappointment. She must enlist other allies, same-sex friends who can understand the parts of her that he may never understand. She, and you, cannot afford to hinge emotional stability entirely upon any one person’s responses. People are simply too diverse. (Dr Les Carter, from the book, “Distant Partner”)

• It’s probably not the case that your husband withdraws from arguments out of being indifferent or uncaring. Chances are, he’s flooded with emotions that he doesn’t like and has allowed to build up. Some emotions he’s afraid of, and he feels ashamed of his inability to express them. When he does express them, they may come out fragmented or disorganized, the way someone speaks in a foreign language when not fluent. Finding the right words can feel exhausting; he’s also trying to gauge whether you’re okay, he’s digging himself into a hole, or he’s about to be attacked. Describing what he feels is sometimes hard. He will disengage if he feels you are waiting to ounce on his every word.

We’ve heard frustrated wives describe such men as “stupid.” Whether or not someone is disadvantaged or underdeveloped, telling him he’s dumb is cruel and disrespectful. Doing so will only create or exacerbate an unsafe, disharmonious environment. Ask yourself: What’s my goal? If it’s to prove that he’s wrong, you will probably be trying to prove his guilt and bring him down. If it’s to come together, to be understood and known and embraced and love, bring open heart and open arms. Don’t use honey-we-need- to-talk as an outlet to get a pound of flesh. (Paul and Sandy Coughlin, from the book “Married But Not Engaged”)

• What are the four most intimidating words in a couple’s vocabulary? “We need to talk.” (Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott)

• Many women prefer to deal with conflict by talking it out, only to find that their husbands prefer to withdraw—which the wives find maddening. Occasionally it’s the opposite, with the wife doing the avoiding. A number of reasons for these scenarios have been suggested. The wife may be better with language, better at articulating her thoughts and making cogent arguments. The husband may feel overwhelmed by the onslaught of her verbiage. Rather than “lose” in a straightforward exchange of opinion—which may seem unmanly—he may find it easier to disengage. He may view conflict as a battle if he has to fight with verbal weapons. Another possibility: The avoiding partner may have grown up in a home where one parent verbally abused the other. The avoiding partner may fear that any hint of disagreement will escalate into a painful war of words—and try very hard to stay away from conflict. (Phillip J. Swihart, a contributing author to the book, “The First Five Years of Marriage”)

• Keep in mind that it’s best not to judge another by your own communication style. What is typical and comfortable for you may not be for your partner. An example would be that most women show concern by following up a person’s statement with a question about it. Women are used to this and comfortable with it. But if a man changes the subject, she may view this as indifference. “After all, if he was sensitive, he would follow up with some questions about what I said,” she thinks. But that’s not the typical response for many men. Not asking additional questions could be his way of showing respect for her privacy or independence. For a man, asking questions could be viewed as pushy, intrusive, or unnecessary. Most men tend to feel more comfortable speaking in public than in private, intimate conversations. With most women it’s just the opposite. Women enjoy private, one-on-one conversations because they are more personal, intimate, and they build relationships. (From the book, How to Change Your Spouse Without Ruining Your Marriage, by Norman H. Wright and Gary Oliver)

• Through my communion with God I have learned how to read [my husband] Mark. He still often retreats inwardly when the pressures of being a pastor, author, and speaker accumulate, but I have learned not to take his withdrawal personally; instead, I lift him to God. God often shows me little ways to bless him, to help him see we’re in this together, to let him know I love him and support him. So the best thing I ever did for my marriage i continue to do every day: I speak few words to Mark first thing. Instead, I fill my early mornings talking—and listening—to the One in heaven who cherishes me. He fills me and shows me how to interact with the one on earth who cherishes me. (Cheryl Buchanan, a contributing author to the book, “The Best Thing I Ever Did for My Marriage”)

• I think there’s a great difference between a husband not wanting to talk about work and a husband simply not wanting to talk to his wife. A lot of men feel a need for escape from their jobs when they come home in the evening. They’re tense, tired, and what they look for is an entirely opposite environment. To even think about the office brings back the tension. It’s more work to rehash the day’s activities. Now, maybe it would be good for your husband to talk about work some evenings. But don’t start with that subject. Gently pull him away from it; then, if it seems he might be willing to reflect on his day, ease him into it that way. (Jay Kesler, from the book, “Family Forum”)

• Something wonderful happens in a woman’s heart when she takes her eyes off of her husband and her circumstances and places them on the Lord. We know for a fact that God can turn hearts of stone into hearts of flesh (See Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26). His Word tells us that, and we can testify that it has occurred in our own lives. If you’re letting your differences with your mate eat away at you, you’re headed to a place you don’t want to go. Let go of thinking your ways are better than his. As you do, you’ll find yourself moving in a different direction—you will have veered off the road to bitterness and onto the pathway to joy. And that’s a trip worth taking. (The Best Thing I ever Did for My Marriage, with Nancy Cobb and Connie Grigsby)

• Bad things happen to good marriages when we expect our partner to think, feel and behave the way we want them to. Each unrealistic expectation is like a link in a heavy chain that increasingly binds us to a disappointing marriage. (Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, from the book, “Building Better Marriages in Oklahoma”)

• Having different attitudes toward talking doesn’t mean there is something wrong with either spouse, that anyone was deceived, or that marriage is hopeless. Relating to each other is not a technique we’re born with. It’s like a muscle that needs to be developed over time—and massaged when it hurts. (Romie Hurley, contributing author to the book, “The First Five Years of Marriage”)

• Not every husband can be turned into a sparkling conversationalist. But the surest way to get him to talk is to find out what he wants to talk about. If you can discover those areas, he might start opening up more. (Jay Kesler, from the book, “Family Forum”

• One of the hardest things for couples to learn is to lay down their lives for each other (see John 15:13) in the mundane world of daily living (see Romans 12:1). Learning to understand the needs of a spouse who talks less or more than you do requires sacrifice. It means not demanding your rights, and loving another as you love yourself. But these are things we can do because God promises to help us by His Holy Spirit if we ask. It’s easy to get discouraged when all you hear from your spouse is silence. It may seem that things are hopeless, but you can gain new perspective through prayer, reading the Bible, or seeking counsel from a pastor or therapist. (Romie Hurley, a contributing author for the book “The First Five Years of Marriage”)

BROKEN TO BE BLESSED

Broken and Blessed are two words don't seem to go together. If anything, they seem to be exact opposites. We all know what it means to be broken---to be shattered, to feel as if our entire world has fallen apart, or perhaps been blown apart. We all have times in our lives when we don't want to raise our heads off the pillow, and when we feel certain the tears will never stop flowing. Brokenness is often accompanied by emptiness-a void that cannot be filled, a sorrow that cannot be comforted, a wound for which there is no balm.

Nothing feels blessed about being broken. The most painful and difficult times of my life have been those times when I felt broken. I don't like pain, suffering, or feelings of brokenness any more than anybody else does. Certain circumstances in life hurt, at times so intensely that we think we will never heal.

One of the things I have discovered through being broken, however, is that after brokenness we can experience God's greatest blessings. After brokenness our lives can be the most fruitful and have the most purpose. The dawn after a very dark and storm-wreaked night is glorious. Feeling joy again after a period of intense mourning can be ecstatic. A blessing can come in the wake of being broken.

But this blessing comes only if we experience brokenness fully and confront why it is that God has allowed us to be broken. If we allow God to do his complete work in us, blessing will follow brokenness.

Bishop TD Jakes spoke a message on the Order of the Breaking of Bread and he brought our attention to the similarities surrounding How God deals with us as His children.

Jesus took the bread, He blessed the bread, He broke the bread, He gave the bread. Luke 24:13-31

The Taking Stage: This is the stage where He pulls you from familiar and reliable circumstances to unfamiliar and unreliable circumstances.

The Blessing Stage: This is the stage where He seems to bless everything you are doing. You seem to without effort be having everything given to you.

The Breaking Stage: This is the stage where everything seems to be a mess, and things seem to just be taken from you. It is the fellowship of His suffering.

The Giving Stage: This is the stage where you have been broken enough for Him to give you to others who need you.

What stage does God have you in right now?