The Anomalies To Avoid In Marriage

 

The Spirit Meat Daily Devotional Guide 12-12-2020

Topic: THE ANOMALIES TO AVOID IN MARRIAGE IV

Text: I Timothy 2:12, Matthew 18:19

By Rev. Olusola & Rev. Oyenike Areogun 

6. Lack of agreement and settlement by concession will bring about a compromise, which will affect your marriage negatively and also open you to the attack of the devil. Agreement is what God designed for a Christian home, not compromise (Matthew 18:19). You need to agree on every matter and not get into compromise. Compromise means ‘I give up something, and I stay in the middle of the road’. This means there is no agreement on the matter. 

Understand that marriage is not a business partnership that is a win-win relationship. In business, profit is shared based on the contribution of the shareholders. Marriage is such that the husband is lost in the wife and the wife is lost in her husband, each giving all to the other. If a couple can’t trust each other to say everything they have is theirs jointly, there is a problem.

7. Another critical point to consider is that a woman should not have authority over the man or the home (1 Timothy 2:12). As a man, if your wife will not be ahead of you in spiritual things or teach you, you need to develop yourself to function in headship without hypocrisy. A man is the head and should do more than what the wife is doing. Sensitive organs such as the eyes, mouth, ear, and nose are in the head, so as a man, you must be more sensitive than your wife.

Wisdom should flow from a man as the head of the home. If your wife is arguing with you on every matter, you are not leading by wisdom. Wisdom will make a woman to be in silence and submit to your headship.

PRAYER: Lord, baptize me with the spirit of wisdom to function correctly in my marriage.

Christian Liberality And Benefits

Christian Liberality And Warning Against Self Deception.

 Text: psalm 126:5,6; job 4:8; hosea 8:7; 1cor. 6:9; james.2:15-17; 1john 3:17, 18; romans 2:4-6.

 Christian liberty and beneficence in general, towards the gospel minister is here compared to the seed sown and the harvest obtained. likewise, the eternal destiny of every man is anchored upon the present input to his flesh or spirit. Christians of all ages are expected and commanded to support the gospel work through giving. “but to do good and communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices god is well please”. heb. 13:16.  

 Believers are to realise that every gold of theirs belong to god and must not be kept away from him. Christians are therefore, to submit themselves to god and be willing to give with heart glowing with gratitude and loving confidence that god will not forget their labor of love. they should know that the reason god places materials blessings in their hands are to promote his kingdom on earth. we are stewards of god’s manifold blessings, god owns us and all that we have.

 Some Christians shun giving in the church for various reasons. one, they follow the example of carnal members in the church. two, some feel that the demands are too many and too frequent. three, others fell that people take advantage of their liberty to begin to make personal demands from them. four, few also feel their liberality is not acknowledge and rewarded by men. five, there are those who fail to recognize the true purpose of Christian giving.

 The purposes of Christian giving are one, to sustain the ministry. two, support the weak and the needy members. three, subdue human greed. four, supply seed for the future.five, open doors for divine blessings especially to members of the household of faith.

Some Life Implications Of The Law Of Sowing And Reaping

 

THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING

Read: The continuation of the Law Of Sowing And Reaping

TEXT: Galatians 6:6-18   M/V: Gal. 6:7,8

Some Life Implications Of The Law Of Sowing And Reaping

There are some basic truths about the law of sowing and reaping, among which are:

What we will be tomorrow will depend on what we do today. The right or wrong choices that we make today will affect the rest of our life. It is important that we sow good seeds of obedience to the word of God. In the future, they will blossom into a harvest of righteousness, for us and our generation. As the saying goes, “sow a  thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.

Reaping is not always immediate. So, there is the danger of growing in well-doing because of opposition to good in our own nature or the outward hindrances we may meet from a gainsaying and persecuting world. But we must remind ourselves of the importance of perseverance. God promises that we will reap if we persevere.

There is no shortcut to prosperity. Our hands must continually be on the plow as an opportunity or the season provides us to sow by doing well to others and working hard. While it is the time of sowing, let us sow the good seed; and let our love be, as the love of Christ, free and manifested to all. Let us help all who need help according to the measure of God-given in our lives. But let our priority be people of the household of faith.

Danger Of Perverting The Gospel

 

        Text: Gal. 1: 1-10; Memory verse: Gal. 1:8

Maintaining sound doctrine in the church.

The Galatians church had believed the true gospel when Paul preached Christ, his death and resurrection as the basis for salvation and freedom from sin. Through the influence of Judea, they were led into error. The epistle shows the prompt:  1.Response of Paul to the challenge of false doctrine. 2. Show him the determination to maintain sound teaching in the church. 3. Show that all members and leaders should be diligent to enforce sound doctrine. 4. To ensure scriptural practices in the church. 5. Preaching the truth constantly. 6. Exposure to erroneous teaching. 7. Rebuke of false teachers. This epistle is therefore reminding us that Christian life can only be sustained by a continuous supply of grace and peace from God. We can neither be all that God wants us to be, nor do all he wants us to do except by his grace. 1cor. 15:10. After being saved from sin through the initial saving grace of God, we need sustaining Grace to keep us in the faith.

Attributes Christians should manifest when correcting those who erring in the faith.

Be courageous

Have your emotions under check

Don’t be overbearing whenever we are dealing with erring Christian

Yet, be sincere and don’t flatter our greatest weapon against error in an unwavering affirmation of the truth. This is necessary because false teachers will try to contradict the truth, belittle us before people to scale down the impact of the gospel.

False Groups in time of Paul. Gal. 1: 6-9; 5: 7-12; 2:11-16; Acts 15:15; 2 cor. 11:4, James 2: 14- 26

Judaizers who said true gospel does not necessarily required genuine repentance and simple faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the condition of salvation.

Nicolaitanes – they believed and taught that the gospel frees, Christian from obedience to any law, whether moral, civil or ceremonial. The said Christian can live anyhow because he is under grace and not under the law.

Ebonite’s – they were strictly pharisaic and insisted on ceremonial washings and observance of Sabbath as evidence of true spirituality.

Elkesaites – they respected the virgin birth of Jesus and rewarded him as a higher or ideal Adam.

Others are agnostics and gnestics.

Some ancient and modern perversions of the gospel.

There are those who teach justification by faith and law keeping. They insist salvation does not involve believers in Jesus alone but that ceremonial laws and sacraments’ must be kept.

The Gospel of works without faith. They are called peddles. They base salvation on water baptism, receiving Holy Communion’s etc. forgetting the fact that without faith it is impossible to please God and ordinances are only meaningful after a person has her genuinely saved through faith in Christ. Heb. 11:6: John 8:24: Mark. 16:6, cor. 2:12-13

The gospel of good works only. They insist that a person should be saved once he does good works like giving alms, live morally, do religion duties, preaching often, fast and obey golden rule. Acts.10:1-6; 11:14; Eph.2:8, 9; timt. 3:4-7.

Benefits Of Scriptural Fasting

 

PRAYER AND FASTING cont.

TEXT: LUKE 11:1-13; Esther 4:1-17; James 5:13-18  M/V: Matt. 17:21

Benefits of scriptural fasting: Ish. 58:3-14; Matt.6:16-18; 17:19-21; 2chro. 7:14

Fasting and prayers are beneficial and can accomplish great things when combined with prayer and faith. Basically, fasting means abstinence from food (solid or liquid). Fasting is not optional. It is imperative – Matt. 6:16. 

It helps when one is worried – Dan. 6:18

When under judgment – 1kings 21:27

When in need or in danger- Ezra 8:21; Esther 4:16

During the time of trouble – Acts 27:9, 33.

Fasting is good for the growth of ministry and to develop our spiritual strength for the work of God – Acts 13:1-3. Mat. 17:19-21; Esther 4:16.

Note that:

Fasting was not abolished with the law of Moses, for Jesus Christ also fast during His days.

It does not make one be a false prophet, Pharisees nor an unbeliever. Lk. 18:9-14.

We can fast for gifts such as salvation, sanctification, or the Holy Spirit.

We should avoid long fasting that can tamper with our health and usefulness for God and humanity. 1Sam. 14:24-28.

Benefits of scriptural fasting: Ish. 58:3-14; Matt.6:16-18; 17:19-21; 2chro. 7:14

Fasting and prayers are beneficial and can accomplish great things when combined with prayer and faith. Basically, fasting means abstinence from food (solid or liquid). Fasting is not optional. It is imperative – Matt. 6:16. 

It helps when one is worried – Dan. 6:18

When under judgment – 1kings 21:27

When in need or in danger- Ezra 8:21; Esther 4:16

During the time of trouble – Acts 27:9, 33.

Fasting is good for the growth of ministry and to develop our spiritual strength for the work of God – Acts 13:1-3. Mat. 17:19-21; Esther 4:16.

Note that:

Fasting was not abolished with the law of Moses, for Jesus Christ also fast during His days.

It does not make one be a false prophet, Pharisees nor an unbeliever. Luk. 18:9-14.

We can fast for gifts such as salvation, sanctification, or the Holy Spirit.

We should avoid long fasting that can tamper with our health and usefulness for God and humanity. 1Sam. 14:24-28.

The Biblical Pattern For Prayer And Fasting Part 2

TEXT: LUKE 11:1-13; Esther 4:1-17; James 5:13-18  M/V: Matt. 17:21

Examples of people who observed prayers and Fasting in the Bible.

Moses – Ex. 34:25; (2)  Ahab  - Ikings 21:27 (3) Ezra – Ezra 10:6

4.   Daniel – Dan. 10:3 (5) Christ – Luke 4:2 (6) Paul – Acts 9:9

7.   The Antioch Church leaders – Acts 13: 2 (8) Paul and Barnaba’s Acts 14:23. All of the above-observed fasting and prayers according to pattern and received answer from God. When we also observe it in line with God’s command we shall get a result, an even greater result.

Conditions for answer and hindrances to prayers and fasting. Jer. 29:11-14; 33:3; 2Chro. 7:14; John 14:13,14; Psa. 91:14, 15.

Various passages of the scripture radiate with God’s promises to answer prayers Psa. 91:15; Luk. 11:9; John 14:13, 14. The only form of prayers that God answers must be offered to one, the Father-Matt. 6:6, John 16:23; two, Through the Lord Jesus Christ – John 16:23,24; Matt. 18:20. We are therefore enjoined to One, pray continually in faith – Mk. 11:24. Two, wholeheartedly – Jer. 29:13. Three, with forgiving spirit – Mk. 11:25. Four, with perseverance – Lk. 18:1. Five, in righteousness and obedience – I Tim. 2:8; IJohn 3:22. 

There are no hand and fast rules as to the proper posture to assume before we can pray to our Father in Heaven. These are various positions as reveals in the Bible. One, bowing down, bowing the knees or head(Psl. 95:6; Rom. 14:11, Ex.4:31). Two, falling one’s face, kneeling (Ikings 8:54). Three, standing, sitting, lying, looking up or lifting up or spreading out the hands (ITim. 2:8, Ex.9:29. Four, others include weeping, talking, agonizing, and groaning.

To avoid distraction, you close your eyes. So that you can fully concentrate on God. Note that, praying and fasting without repentance and salvation from sin is a waste. It is a waste to observe prayer and fasting, one, without transformation of life and characters. Two, without righteousness.Three, Holiness. Four, disobedience Deut. 1:43, 45. Five, secret sin – Psl. 66:18. Six, neglect of mercy – Prov. 21:13. Seven, stubbornness – Zec. 7:13. Eight, bloodguiltiness – Ish. 1:15. Nine, doubt – Jam. 1:6&7. Ten, self – indulgence – James 4:3.