Set up for set time, Sermon 02/21/10

Posted on February 23, 2010 by growintheword

Set up for set time
Synopsis of Sermon 02/21/10
Delivered by Bishop Walker
Text: Psalm 102:11-13 says 11My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. 12But thou, O LORD, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. 13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
It is amazing how God moves in our life. Many of us will testify that we are amazed at how we see the hand of God move through the affairs of our lives. If you never been privy to the providence of God or how God moves, you might go through life under the assumption that things just happen. You go through life believing that life is just about chance. The reality is nothing just happens. Everything that happens has a by Devine Purpose tied to it. The hand of God is always involved in the affairs of our lives. Much of what we experience, we attribute to demonic assault. We think the devil is attacking us when things go wrong and in some instances, this is true, but remember that Satan doesn’t have a direct path to us. Whatever the devil brings into our lives, God must allow it. This suggests that the reason we are still alive and the reason we are still here as survivors is, because God still has his hand on us through it. If we have nothing else to thank God for, we ought to thank God for protecting us and providing for us and giving us peace while we were going through whatever came into our life. It is amazing that a Psalms like this is a Psalms that we can all identify with. This is a Psalms where David pours out his heart before the Lord. This is a Psalms where the Psalmist literally declares before the Lord that he is overwhelmed by his circumstance and he has become disillusioned by his experience. As a result, he is at a point that he really needed a breakthrough from the Lord. He must have come to a place where he realized that God moves in his own time. God moves in seasons and shifts. Somebody reading right now needs to understand that their waiting is not in vain. Just like this, know that your waiting is not in vain. God is keenly aware of what you are going through. God is aligning circumstances. Everything that happens in your life, the good, the bad, the sweet, and the sour is all part of a divine setup in order for God’s set time to manifest in your life. The very thing that you are believing God for; know that God has preordained it for you. The circumstances that have transpired have all been divinely orchestrated to push you and usher you into that moment. Your circumstances have prepared you for that particular moment. God knew he could not give you what you wanted when you wanted it. He had to move in a certain time and in a certain place. This is called set time. Know that it is going to happen! What you have been believing God for is going to happen! The truth is you got to be willing to trust God until it comes to pass.
Here the Psalmist is lamenting and he pours himself out saying to God that he is overwhelmed. He shares with us the power to be able to focus through your frustrations.
I. Ability to focus through your frustrations.
a. Many of us have encountered so many distractions and our distractions can derail our destiny. How do you keep your eyes on the prize? How do you keep those things behind you and look forward to those things which are before? How do you lay aside the weight that easily besets you and look to Jesus who is the author and the finisher of your faith? It is all about focus. Every mistake and everything you have blown in life has been because of deadly distractions. It has because you have allowed the enemy to shift you away from what God has promised you and now are focusing more on your problems.
1. If look Psalms 102.1-5, gives us his situation. Psalm 102:1-5 says 1Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. 2Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. 3For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. 4My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.5By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
2. He gives us his Location -Psalm 102:6 says 6I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. – He is out of place. Pelicans don’t hang out in the wilderness. He explains that he is not in the right location.
3. He explains his Isolation- Psalm 102:7 says 7I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top. – He explains that he is like a sparrow on top of a house. He is out there by himself singing his own songs and nobody knows what he is going through.
4. He experiences Hateration- Psalm 102:8 says 8Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me. – He has people that he don’t understand why they don’t like him, they just don’t like him.
5. It has consumed his Concentration – Psalm 102:9 says 9For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. – He can’t do anything, because it has consumed his concentration.
6. He admits he has some Frustration -Psalm 102:10 says 10Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. –Because of what God is doing, he has to admit that he is frustrated.
7. He acknowledges that he is at a place of Desperation – Psalm 102:11 says 11My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
8. He realizes that God will be his Salvation- Psalm 102:12 says 12But thou, O LORD, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. – But God… He is not going to take his problem to anyone else; he has decided to take his problem to God. Remember, you are coming out of this!
b. What is so amazing about this is, all of us go through these rough seasons. These are seasons where we feel like we have gotten weary.
1. Weary-People tell you ought not get tired, but even the best of us get tired. We get tired of dealing with stuff on the job and tired of dealing with people that don’t understand us. It is not that we don’t like our job or our children, but sometimes when we go home, we don’t want the dog to bark or the cat to meow. We just want to be left alone. We feel like we need personal time to get away. We feel like we need some rest.
2. If you don’t deal with your weariness you get “withered”. This implies that we are falling apart. It is really indicated in this next scripture, John 15:6 says 6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. -The enemy wants you to get frustrated so you will disconnect from God and church so will be out there on your own. Before you know it, you will find yourself withering. Then you find yourself worrying.
3. Worry – Philippians 4:6 says 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. You have to come to a place where you remember what God has done in your life.
Psalm 102:12 says 12But thou, O LORD, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. – Just remember, God never changes. Just because your circumstances change, doesn’t mean God will change. You have to realize that God is the one constant that you have. People will come and go out of your life. The hymn writer says build your hope on things eternal and hold to God’s unchanging hand. You can count on the fact that God never changes.
Malachi 3:6 says 6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Hebrews 13:8 says 8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.-If he could do it then, he can do it now. If God healed you before, you know he can do it now. Why do you doubt God? Stay focused and know that devil is trying to make you think this will not happen. Isaiah 26:3 says 3Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.-God will keep us in perfect peace.
II. Acknowledge a father who is faithful.
Psalm 102:13 says 13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. -God can be the truest when he can’t be traced.
1. We serve a God that refuses to leave us in a rut. You must remember that he knows his children’s voice. Just like natural parent would never let their child be in a crisis without responding, there is no way that God can hear your cry and not respond. You don’t have to have all of these cute formal prayers when you are in trouble. Most of us try to impress God with our prayers. We try to go through this cute formal language like “…heavenly father though art great …” or “ … Father, I come on broken knees …” When you ever needed something and needed God right away, you might just cry out, “Father!”
2. God’s faithfulness is not hinged on our faithfulness. If God’s faithfulness was hinged on our faithfulness, we would always be in a rut. At best we are trifling. We don’t pray like we should, we don’t come to church like we should, and we don’t give like we should God is not going to let our unfaithfulness define who is he is. God is going to be faithful until we learn to be faithful back. You know you have not been faithful, but you ought to thank God he is still there! We ought to be thankful he keeping us.
3. There is an amazing deposit of greatness that God has placed in you. God is so faithful; he won’t let you mess up what he has put in you. You foolishness may retard the progress, but remember what Paul wrote; in Philippians 1:6 says 6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: – Him that has performed a good work in us will perform until the day of Jesus Christ. People are quick to write you off, but they don’t what is on inside. They don’t know that one day you will wake up saying when I was a child, I thought as a child, but when I grew up, I put away as childish things, because there is something great inside of us.
III. Anticipate favor in your future.
a. Favor is better than money. Favor can get you stuff that ain’t even on sell. Favor can get you a job that you didn’t even qualify for. Favor is like going in the store with 20 dollars praying that you have enough and then the register rings up $19.99.
b. The Psalmist says he is bottomed out. He basically is saying that he has nowhere to go but up. He says he believes according to verse 13 that the set time has come. Psalm 102:13 says 13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.-Don’t minimize the pronoun “her” in this scripture. To refer to Zion in the feminine suggests that the church (the bride of Christ) is always pregnant with something that has a Divine time before it is birth. The Psalmist is saying in this scripture that God is going to have mercy on Zion, because the set time has come.
a. The set time has come. Whatever God has done, he has done so in time. This is about understanding God in time. God’s not in time, we are in time. God did not begin with time, he began time. God existed before time began. God is in eternity. When loved ones pass away, they go back in time and return back to God eternity. In eternity, there is now M-F and there is no aging there. Since God is in eternity, anything that God has done was triggered by him from there to manifest here.
b. God made man at a certain time. 6 days is number of man. There is a certain time. When the fullness of time had come, sent his son. Jesus could have come at anytime through throughout history, but there was a set time. God could have come through exile or through the time that Isaiah was prophesying, yet God waited for the right time to send his son Jesus. He did that from eternity. When Jesus was crucified, he got up on the third day and appeared to his disciples. When Jesus left, the angels to the disciples that he would return same way. This means Jesus is coming back at a set time. We don’t know the set times, because they are never given to us. Consequently, you never knew when you were born. Somebody told you that you were born on that day and that’s all you had to go on. We really don’t have any proof other than what somebody told us. No man knows the day or hour that Jesus will return. He will not tell us. All we know that he will return in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. He knew we couldn’t handle knowing when the set time was. If we knew, we would live the way we wanted to live and thirty minutes before he would return, we would be at the altar trying to repent saying “Lord take me with you” !/
c. The set time is controlled by God. This means we must live in the mean time. The awareness of a set time instantly moves us to the meantime. This means we are in time, but we are in the meantime. Meantime suggests expectation, unlike in time. As a result the Set time is orchestrated by God. God says he has things set things in motion in heaven that is going to manifest at his ordained time. Imagine what someone is thinking as they wonder when it is going to happen for them. Listen at what Job said in Job 14.Job 14:1 says 1Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.-All these days in time is going to have trouble. – All these days in time are going to have trouble.
Job 14:13 says 13O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! – Job says if God could just hide him or cover him. Job says if he could be kept a secret until his wrath passed, but please appoint him a set time.
Job 14:14 says 14If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.-Try to find until on your watch . You won’t find it, because until means until means meantime. Once a thing is set, you have to stay until it manifests. Ex-Bishop explains working out at the Y. They have this machine that you lay in and it has a timer that you have to set. He explains he sets it for two minutes. You put your legs in it and it stretches you. It pulls your leg out and your leg can’t come out until the set time (the time you set it for) is up. While your leg is up, you are in a stretch and strain, but you can’t move until that time is up. What keeps you going even though you are hurting is knowing that this is blessing you. When we set this thing, you have to stay in certain place. It may hurt and not feel good, but when you come out, you be able to go to another level, reach higher heights and do what you couldn’t do before. Whatever God promised you, you are about to move into your set time. What you do in your meantime while waiting on your set time is you learn how to praise God for what he is doing for someone else. If he is doing it for somebody else, it is right around the corner from happening for you.

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Are you relationship ready Part 4, “So you want to be married” Sermon 2.17.10

Posted on February 19, 2010 by growintheword

“So you want to be married”
Synopsis of bible study 2.17.10
A lot of people are syndical about marriage. Most single people will tell you that they have anxiety about marriage, because most of the married people that they talk to are trying to get out of their marriage. This creates an unusual paradox, because you have one group of folk trying to get out of something and another group of folk trying to get into it. Bishop explains that in his study for this subject he stumbled across something. Columnist Mike Royko from the Chicago Tribune had proposed the following warning to be placed on every marriage license issued in the United States. He suggested that at the bottom of your marriage license there would something that said “Warning, use this at your own peril. The Census Bureau statistics say using this license could be real dangerous to your future mental, physical, and financial health. It can make you miserable for the rest of your natural life if you live that long. It could lead to arguing, yelling, screaming, boozing, sulking, receiving the silent treatment, a bunch of kids that are goofed up, and making you feel guilty (paraphrasing)”. This is a very interesting way to look at marriage.
It is amazing though, because a lot of people have a very dim view of marriage. You must know that marriage is a wonderful institution with the right person. This is why if you are single, you need to be very sure that when you come to the altar; you need to be sure that you are with the right person. If you are already married, it is important that you really work on yourself and that you believe that God is able to do in your marriage the kind of miracle work that needs to be done to bring about a healthy relationship. 1 Corinthians 7:5 says 5Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. Her Paul is talking to this church and he is dealing with doctrinal relationships. Verse 5 is talking about spiritual relationships.
I. Spiritual Relationships
When Paul says defraud ye not one another except it be with consent (in verse 5), he is talking about how marriage is under attack and because of it, you have to guard yourself. Those of you that are in healthy relationships and those relationships that have direction, it is important to know the following facts. The devil attacks marriages and he does so in a manner that assures us that we must always be on guard. 1 Peter 5:8 says 8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: – This scripture says you ought to be vibrant and vigilant. Your adversary the devil is as a roaring lion. He is a stalker. He stalks walking about seeking whom he may devour. The devil is like a lion that looks out upon the prey and picks out those who are weak.
What is important in the marriage is having.
a. The right attitude. We have to make certain that in the relationship, we are not critical of our spouse in every area. We have to be sure that we are not a hateful person or not a smart mouth person. This kind of attitude gives Satan a foothold in the relationship and can produce resentment in a person’s heart and that person’s heart can turn from flesh to stone. Many of you now know that you have a problem restraining your tongue. When you get angry you just speak what is on your mind, not realizing how that impacts your relationship. Some people think “Whatever comes up comes out!” Well this is a problem. This creates stress and strain within your relationship. Colossians 4:6 says Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. – In other words, there is a way to say something. You can do it with grace, yet be stern. You have to be able to say it in a way that is graceful. Ex- Many years ago, Bishop fired somebody and the Spirit of the Lord led him to do it so graceful that they left Bishop’s office thinking they were going back to work. They went back telling everyone that it was a great meeting. They didn’t even realize that they were fired, because it was done so gracefully. When you spread salt, people ought not to realize they have been cut until they get home. You have to know how to gracefully share things with people. Do it in a way where you are stern but you are not disrespectful. It is about attitude. It is about how you speak to one another. It is about the thing that you say. Your attitude leads to your actions.
b. Actions- What happens often times is resentment sets in, because our actions say we can’t talk to you or that you are unreasonable so consequently we lose our self in our work and in our hobbies. This creates tension and as a result distance starts coming in and we start taking each other for granted. This opens up wounds that are very hard to heal. Many of us reading this today walk in situations where people are literally giving each the cold shoulder. They are just together to be together, but there is nothing positive taking place.
We are going to discuss 6 myths in marriage and as you go through them, try to find out where you are.
6 myths in marriage
1. You should read my mind-It is impossible for your mate to be able to read your mind. You change your mind to much for somebody to be able to read your mind. Communicate about what you are thinking. You can’t live in a presumptuous relationship. If you go through your relationship trying to allow your mate to read your mind, before long you will be into it because they read your mind wrong. Nobody on this planet can read your mind
2. Intimacy and sex are the same. Men will use sex to fulfill their needs. If he hurts he wants sex and if he is not hurt, he wants it too. You have to be careful with sex, because the more the husband focuses on the frequency of the sex, the more he feels like you are a sex object. The need for sex in the marriage should be a response to the closeness in the relationship, not the need for closeness. When we use sex to try and bring us closer it makes us end up in dysfunction. For some reason, we think we can get somebody to get into us through sex. This is what happened to Leah in Genesis 29. Our sex and intimacy should be a response to how much we love each other.
3. I can treat you any way I want. Just because you love somebody don’t mean you can abuse them and talk to them any kind of way. We have these parental relationships in our relationships. In other words we try to parent the other person in the relationship. We try and talk to our mate like they are a minor when they are already grown up. This is unhealthy.
4. I have a right to fix you. Unrequested criticism even if this seems warranted, is not appropriate! You come into a dating relationship and there can be fundamental things that are wrong with you, but they may be things that make up who you are. You bring these things to your marriage. Your spouse should know these things about you in the very beginning. They should know the “you” that they are getting. There are some things about you that you ought to be able to own. In other words “This is just who I am” Ex- . We might not be a morning person or we are not a neat person or we don’t like clubbing. When you marry a person, you should know this instead of having to change it after you are married. If you knew this about a person, then you shouldn’t try to change it, because you had a choice before you married them and you chose to marry them anyway.
5. Love is a feeling. – This is what we say about love. “Girl I am feelin her”. Then when you fall in love you say, “I never felt that way before”. Feel me? The truth is you told everyone you dated that you felt that way. Love is not just based on a feeling. There will be days you will wake up and say “God why has though forsaken me”: That day is going to come. It has to be more than just love. Some days you won’t feel like loving, but you have to be lovable.
6. You have to tell it all. Some women say they want to tell their husband all of the past issues that they have ever had, because they want to get everything out in the open. There is a small problem with this. Trust me; your husband is not thinking of this as being a good idea. We believe in transparency in marriage, but in some cases your spouse might not be able to handle everything that you might tell them. A word of advice. Only share the things that will build and edify the relationship. If it is not going to build or edify the relationship, then keep it to yourself. Women, the things that you tell your husband can change the way that they view you forever. Some of you may have contributed to your husband’s exit strategy.
II. A word concerning their sexual relationship
In marriage there should be sex. There is a word to the waiting. -1 Corinthians 7:1-2 says 1Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
a. A word to the waiting. Paul is dealing with celibacy. Touch in the previous scripture doesn’t refer to casual contact. This word (touch) refers to that which stimulates. When you are single, you should be fully devoted to God. 1 Corinthians 7:32 says 32But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: – In otherwords, if you are single, focus on pleasing God and that will be enough to keep you busy.
1 Corinthians 7:33 says 33But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. – If you are married you should be focused on pleasing your wife or your husband.
1. Know that sensual desires are not evil.-Every male or female possess sexual desires. There is nothing wrong with having a sexual desire, but we must keep it in its proper context.
2. Sensual Expression outside the marriage relationship is evil- When you are touched; you bring different spirits into the marriage. This action causes you to bring an expectation of marriage that is based on previous relationships. What you are doing is you begin measuring the effectiveness of your sexual relationship in the marriage based on what you had with the people you cheated with. You can’t expect your mate to be like those you cheated with. You have to develop a healthy sexual relationship within your marriage yourself.
b. A word to the wedded. 1 Corinthians 7:3-4 says 3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
1. There is a debt- That debt suggest that there is a sexual fulfillment within marriage. The way which we render benevolence is a command, not an option. The word render is a verb. As a verb, it is in the present tense. This implies that there is a continual action, suggesting the debt is never paid. One problem many have is that they have fully paid their debt off so to speak. This debt of benevolence is supposed to be a continual debt. Render also suggests that both partners are responsible to make sure this comes to past.
2. There’s is devotion. 1 Corinthians 7:4 says 4The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. – The wife doesn’t’ have power over her body, nor does the husband. You lose control over your body when you get married. This doesn’t mean one has the right to make the other into a slave, but it does mean that you do not have the option to hold back or withhold from your mate.
3. There is a demand. 1 Corinthians 7:5 says 5Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. – Don’t deprive each other of what is rightly your spouses’. You can consent for a time like for fasting. Don’t deprive your spouse of what is theirs using it as a bargaining chip. When you deprive your mate, you open the door for satanic attack.
III. A word concerning the special relationship
a. There must be closeness. Benevolence deals with affections and good will. In marriage you have to feel that a person has your best interest at heart. When you marry somebody, you become vulnerable. When you sleep next to person that doesn’t have your best interest at heart, you might wake up without something. On the other hand, you could also wake up with something if you know what I mean. Our relationship should be about the following statement, “I enjoy being with you”.
b. There must be communication. How many of you reading this is an “A type” personality? This simply means that you are a strong headed person. If you are in relationship with another “A type” then you can have heated and confrontational conversations. In those relationships, you feel like if you listen, you surrender your opinion.
c. Concentrate on this word. The word is “Listen”. Now look at the word “Silent”. Try and match each letter that you find in the word silent with letters found in the word listen and see how many you can find. If you haven’t noticed by now, the same letters found in silent our found in listen. They are the same letters in a different order. It doesn’t mean you are not empowered just because you listen. In order for relationship to have proper communication, somebody has to say they will listen.
d. The true idea of marriage is to give and give. Your relationship should add value to you. If you are married, you need to pray in this area. Marriage should be two ways and not just unilateral. There has to be teamwork involved in marriage.


“8 keys to a great marriage
1. Pray together daily if your spouse is willing. You can’t pray with somebody that is not willing to pray. For example after an argument. Ask yourself do you pray together daily. Psalm 127:1 says 1Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2. Focus on changing yourself. The vast majority of us think the problem is with the other person. You see a lot of this when Pastors are counseling their members. If you have been in 8 relationships this year, it is a good possibility that you have some fault too. Matthew 7:3 says 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? How willing are we to do self asessment.
3. Throw yourself into your marriage. Are you all the way in? Are you all the way committed? Do something every day that will bless your spouse. Colossians 3:23 says 23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
4. Forgive your spouse. Colossians 3:13 says 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. – Don’t let bitterness and resentment grow. Women and men view forgiveness different. Ex – Men say, “What did I do? I am sorry. Are we straight? Cool.” and then we leave and go watch TV. Women’s forgiveness is not like that at all. It can be 3 months up the road and they will just stop talking. Men, we will say, “What’s wrong?” and they will say “Nothing is wrong” and really something is wrong. When a woman is being transgressed by us (men), it reminds them of all the other men that transgressed them, so when we say we are sorry, it sounds like they excuses that those other men gave them. Most of men’s pain is from jobs, money etc… Most all women’s pain came from some man.
5. Serve your spouse. Ask what is important to them. Galatians 5:13 says 13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.- Discuss her fears, hopes, and dreams. Give her the reassurance she needs. Be romantic throughout the day in non sexual ways. Women, express admiration for your husband. Let him make mistakes without saying, “I told you so”. Let him get lost on the trip without you saying anything and let him find his own way. Voice appreciation for what he does. Show some interest in sex when you are married (Both men and women).
6. Speak lovingly and respectfully. There is power in words. Proverbs 25:11 says 11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.-Words can build up and they can tear down. Learn how to speak in a loving way. Ephesians 4:29 says 29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.- Stop all that cursing.
7. Talk together regularly. You should be able to talk about things without it costing them. Proverbs 27:6 says 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. – You ought to want your mate to tell you their likes and dislikes, but you should want them to do so in a tasteful way.
8. Fan the flames of your romance. When you get married, you have to get creative or you will fall into a rut with the same old routine. Song of Solomon 7:11-12 says 11Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. 12Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.- Have a picnic in the middle of the day. Don’t get caught up in the same routine. The element of surprise should always be there.

In conclusion:
In this series we have been trying to help you with your relationships. Know that you are extraordinary and God joined you with another extraordinary person. They will have flaws and so will you. You have to be willing to work on those things. There are things that you will have to accept, but keep your standards high. Know that what you are looking for is looking for you. Don’t live in the unrealistic state of thinking you are perfect. Bishop explains that he had a friend that he hadn’t heard from in years. She thought she was Miss Perfect back in the day. One day she called Bishop he asked her how she had been and he asked her was she dating anybody that he knew? She told him no. She said she wanted to send him a recent picture of her. Bishop told her to go ahead, because he would love to see her. Bishop received the picture of his friend and it was of her looking like a skeleton sitting on the bench all alone. There was a caption under the picture that said, “Waiting on the perfect man”. Just like this, many of you will be waiting on the perfect person that doesn’t exist. You won’t meet the perfect person, because you are not perfect. Focus on your relationship with God, your relationship with yourself, and ask the Lord to prepare you for whoever he has for your life. If we are already with that person, then ask the Lord to help you be the best husband or wife you can be. Ask him to mold you so you can be with them, because you know he had to mold them in order for them to be with you.
God Bless!

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God’s bailout plan, Sermon 02/14/10

Posted on February 15, 2010 by growintheword

God’s bailout plan
Synopsis of sermon 02/14/10
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
All of us witnessed the decline of the financial market last year and it captured our attention and the attention of the entire world. We saw a sense of anxiety that was unmatched since the great depression. In response to the real-estate market hitting rock bottom and in response to the employment rate getting over 10%, Congress and the President decide to launch a bailout plan. This plan was designed to stimulate the economy so that jobs could be created, people could get back to work, and money could get to circulating again. Many people still wonder if the bailout plan was really worth it. When they see companies still giving out big bonuses and people still searching for jobs, they wonder when the bailout plan is going to get to them. Some people still want to know if it will stimulate the kind of growth that was initially projected. It is good to know that our destiny is tied to the Kingdom of God and not the kingdom of this world. Jesus has a bailout plan for his children. No matter what your situation looks like and no matter what statistics say, God can handle any situation that will come into your life. God will step in and send a miracle and all you can do is say it was a bail out. Sometimes when you go to church and acknowledge a bailout, it suggests that you realize that you can’t do anything else. When we have exhausted all of our resources, we come to a place that we can’t go and do it by our self. We can’t see our self coming out and we realize that we need help from a greater authority. It is not uncommon to look through the scripture and see that time and time again, God bailed people out. Whatever has got you nervous; know that God has a bailout plan for you.
Today we will preach to our thesis. The whole lesson is really going to be an introduction. This lesson is really about the miracle that Jesus performed by feeding the 4000 in the wilderness. Prior to this, Jesus had fed 5000 (the multitude). On this occasion, there are many people that had been with Jesus for a few days and they had not eaten. Jesus has compassion on them and what we see (reading this) is a series of events that remind us of some things. First:
I. God is concerned about your situation.
1. The people were hungry. Jesus looks out and says he has compassion for them. Mark 8:1-2 says 1In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:- It is important to know that God has your situation under divine observation. Some people might not pick up on your struggle when they are around you all the time. Some people miss it on their radar. Jesus knows and he cares. If he watches over the sparrow, you know he watches over us. God knows what we are going through and since he knows, he has already launched a plan to help us get out of it. It doesn’t matter if you think nobody cares or nobody knows what you are going through. Jesus has compassion and he already knows what your situation is.
2. Why does Jesus take so long to respond to their hunger? Being with Jesus doesn’t exempt you from having a need. Because you are in relationship with God, it doesn’t mean that you won’t have any struggles in your life. Every now and then, this may be a test.
3. He might not show up on the first day to test.
a. Authenticity of your discipleship. Will you move if God doesn’t do what you want him to do? God is sovereign and he comes when he gets ready. He is good whether he does what we want him to do or not.
b. Acknowledge your dependence on him. Sometimes God will put you in a situation where your resources can’t do it, so you will be forced to look at him. We thank God that we stopped looking to people and started looking at God for help.
4. There is a revelation found in the 3 days. It was after the crowd had been with Jesus 3 days that God fixed the problem. 3 days mean “God’s will perfected”. Ex- Jonah was in the belly of the whale for 3 days. Jesus died and got up on the 3rd day. God’s will is perfected. When God sees his will perfected in your life, that’s when he will show up.
5. Jesus was concerned about send the multitude away. Mark 8:3 says 3And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. – Jesus says he can’t send the people back looking faint from hunger. If they would have left faint, it would come back being an issue with Jesus’ credibility. No matter how bad a situation is God will take care of us. His reputation is on the line. We will not leave him the same way we came. We thank God that he values the fact that we follow him. God is not the kind of God who would just leave us. He has a bail out plan for you.
II. Gods commands are specific
1. The disciples want to know how they will feed the multitude. Mark 8:4 says 4And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? –The disciples want to know how they are going to deal with the issue of the crowd being hungry. Well let’s remind you of the prophecy of Isaiah. Remember the time you shouted on this particular scripture, but I bet you never read it all the way through. Isaiah 43:19 says 19Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. – God says he specializes in making ways for us in the wilderness.
2. Sometimes what God asks you do will seem crazy.- Mark 8:5-6 says 5And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.6And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. Jesus asks the disciples how many loaves of bread they had. They responded by telling him they had 7 loaves. Seven means completeness. We have to put everything on the line and God will do the rest.
3. Jesus says give him everything you have. Zechariah 4:9 says 9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.- You have to get to point that your recognize that God can take your little and make it much. Stop talking about what you can’t do. Everything that God will do in your life will start with a little. Just give God all that you can. Ex- God isn’t asking for all your money. He just asks for one dime. After all of what God gave you and after all he has done for you, how can you fuss about one dime? We have to think back to Kings 17 where the woman gave all that she had. 1 Kings 17:11-17 says 11And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.12And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.- God turned around and blessed what she had
4. How does God do this?
a. Examines our posture. They are not sitting on plush grass in the following scripture. Mark 8:6 says 6And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. – This represents a tough place. Can you sit in a tough place and see realize that God has it under control. God is trying to work it out for you.
b. The process- Jesus breaks the bread after giving thanks and then he gave it to the disciples to distribute it to the people. This would not be the last time that he would do this (i.e. The Last Supper). Verse 6 says Jesus took what the disciples had, blessed it, then broke it and then gave it back to them. This is the process God will use to get a blessing in your life. God will have you sit in a hard place, he blesses you, he breaks you, and then after he breaks you, you are ready to be given in a greater way. The only way God can use you is you have to be broken. Note that if he breaks you, his hand is still on you.
c. Provision- The distribution is about provision. God tells the disciples to lay the loaves before the people. Just like this, God is going to lay our provisions or our blessings at our feet.
III. God can change your situation.
1. Everyone ate and was filled. Mark 8:8 says 8So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.-Everyone ate and was filled. This verse says all 4000 of the people ate and were filled.
2. Jesus sent them away after they were filled. Mark 8:9 says 9And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away. – This scripture says he sent the multitude away after they were filled. Remember in verse one; the scripture said they did not have anything to eat. Jesus called the disciples together. Remember in Mark 8:2 it says 2I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: Mark 8:4 says 4And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? -The disciples wanted to know how they would be able to feed these people.
3. Jesus asked the disciples how much they had. Mark 8:5 says 5And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. – The disciples said they had 7 loaves. To look at this, there are 12 of them with 7 loaves between them. The disciples had the position that they would be cool, because they had 7 loaves between them. What they didn’t know is how were the people going to eat?
4. Jesus’ response would be a message to the disciples. Jesus said tell the people to sit down, because he could see that they were tired. He asked disciples to give him what they had. He blessed it and gave the disciples what he blessed. He told the disciples to set it before the people.
5. After Jesus sent the people away, he got on a ship with the disciples. Mark 8:10 says 10And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.
6. Jesus encounters the Pharisees. Mark 8:11 says 11And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
7. They were looking for signs. Mark 8:12 says 12And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. – Some people are asking the Lord for a sign. God says he doesn’t have to give us signs.
8. The disciples forgot the bread this time. Mark 8:13-14 says 13And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. 14Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. – This scripture says the disciples forgot the bread this time. They only have one loaf this time.
9. Jesus warns them to take heed. Mark 8:15 says 15And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. – Jesus says beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. This means the Pharisees didn’t have the ability to rise to this level. They were still looking for signs,
10. Jesus says they are still immature. Mark 8:16 says 16And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. – The disciples were still immature. They wondered was Jesus saying this because they didn’t have any bread.
11. Jesus is concerned that they still don’t understand. Mark 8:17 says 17And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?- Jesus wants to know why their heart was so stubborn.
12. Jesus wonders why they still don’t see. Mark 8:18 says 18Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?- Jesus doesn’t know why they still don’t see.
13. Jesus reminds them of what he has done in the past. Mark 8:19 says 19When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. – Jesus reminds the disciples that he fed the 4000 previously when they only had 7 loaves of bread.
14. Jesus reminds them if he did it then, he can do it now. 1 Kings 8:20-21 says20And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 21And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.- In verse 20, Jesus asked the disciple how many people he fed before? In verse 21, Jesus reminds them anything that he did before, he can do it now. Just like this, why do we need a sign? After looking back at all Jesus has done for you, why would you need a sign. If he bailed you out before, why do you need a sign? We know that God will do it and we leave here without a doubt in our mind!

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Are you realtionship ready Part 3, “Tools for a successful marriage”, Bible Study 02/10/2010

Posted on February 15, 2010 by growintheword

Are you relationship ready Part 3
Tools for a successful marriage
Synopsis of Bible Study 02/10/10
Delivered by Bishop Walker
God has a plan for the Christian home. In the Christian home, it is important that both people in relationship are under the headship of Jesus Christ, in order to have a healthy relationship. Unless you have on fire relationship with Jesus Christ, the flames will go out. The relationship you have with God is what keeps your relationship vibrant.
I. Have to be certain of your salvation.
1. Both people in the relationship must be saved. This is not just coming to church. It is having an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. We have to make sure we are equally yoked with someone that is saved. If not, our relationship is out of balance. 2 Peter 1:10 says 10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:-You need to be certain of your election or salvation. Know that you are saved.
a. Examine yourselves. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says 5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? -You have a relationship with God. You should be sure of your salvation. Many have made this statement, “I know this is the one God sent to me”. How can you be certain about something like this and not be sure of your salvation? We are not perfect, but we thank God that we have been redeemed from the hand of the enemy. When you are looking to be in relationship with someone, don’t just ask if they go to church. Ask them are they saved.
b. Be clean from all sin. Proverbs 28:13 says 13He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.-If you confess your sins, you will have mercy. Un-confessed sin brings about cover-ups in relationships. You are an extraordinary person. Each person will bring their own sin and nature to the relationship. There are a lot of things that you have done that you need forgiveness for, prior to getting into a relationship. If you are not cleansed of your sin, it can cause the relationship to be one birth in a great cover-up. Ex- When Adam and Eve were in the garden, God said they could have anything they wanted except for that one tree. Eve eats the forbidden fruit and gave it to Adam and he ate too. Adam and Eve were naked the whole time and were not ashamed. After eating the fruit, sin came in and suddenly they were ashamed of their nakedness. Sin makes you shameful. It makes you cover-up. Who wants to be in a marriage filled with cover-ups? You need to confess that sin! We got issues that need to be dealt with. We don’t need to be in relationship where we always have to cover things up. 1 John 1:9 says 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – If we must be cleansed from unrighteousness, then unrighteousness must stain us. Everything that we don’t get cleansed from leave s a stain. What happens is this. It is like we put on more layers of clothing to cover up the stains, but underneath the layers, we are still stained. The grime and stains underneath the layers of clothing eventually make us become smelly. This is why we need the Lord to cleanse us from this. God will take your stain away and when you show up to your relationship, it will be just like you never did it. What can make us whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can wash away our sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
James 5:16 says 16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availed much. – In a marriage relationship, there must be some transparency. Once you confess your sins from what you did you are free. If you confess your sins to your mate and feel the vulnerability coming up in that area again, then your spouse can pray for you. If you cover it up, you are just exposed. You may be healed when you share those intimate details. Note: When your spouse shares those intimate details with you, don’t beat them up with those details. Ex- Why you feeling vulnerable? Am I not enough for you?
c. Be committed to your savoir. In our worship life, we want to be committed. Ephesians 5:19-21 says 19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.-A person that is a true worshiper doesn’t have to worship God confined to a church building. They can worship anywhere. Never enter a relationship with a person that will not worship God. If a person will not reverence their creator, what makes you think they will appreciate or honor you? Our worship should not be hinged to somebody calling us to worship. We don’t come to church to worship. We come to church worshipping.
i. In your work life. Ephesians 6:5 says 5Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ. – I honor authority on my job. I don’t do it not to suck up; I do this because it is an honor to have a job. If we are committed to God, everything we put a hand must be done well.
ii. In your war life. Ephesians 6:11 says 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.- Single people have a certain naivety when it comes to relationships. Married people will tell you, no matter how saved you are, somebody within the relationship will act a fool. If you live in the same house with the same person long enough, something is bound to jump off. The question is how will you respond? The answer is with our war life. When we go to bed, we war with them with prayer. We will take authority over the situation, because we are a warrior. When we war with the devil, we are letting the devil know, that we will stand against everything that comes against us (our relationship). When situations come, we don’t buckle. When your spouse acts a fool, you wait until they go to bed and pray over them in the name of Jesus. When you are warring, you draw the line in the sand and let the devil know that you are willing to fight for what’s yours.
iii. In your wedded life. Ephesians 5:22-33 says 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. – How do you perceive being married? There are people that are so in love with idea of being married; they don’t know what being married really is. They are fascinated more with the things that are involved in the wedding. They think that once the preacher says you are now pronounced man and wife, they will both change inside. The truth is nothing really changes but your jewelry. You are the same people inside. If you will notice at the wedding where Jesus turned water into wine, Jesus didn’t just come to the wedding. Jesus came to the marriage. John 2:1-2: 1And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
2. This means we need to be committed to our spouse. Ephesians 5:31 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. – Know that your parents don’t have a vote in your house. If you are about to get married and you can’t get a place of your own together, then you need to wait. If you go under parent’s roof, then you are subject to their rule. When you come together with your spouse, you have to break away from the influence of your parent’s finances. When a father is walking his daughter down the aisle to be married, he is thinking that she is about to come out of his pocket and get into her husband’s. As a man, you are supposed to be able to take care of your wife. Ex- Ex-Bishop explains that he has a rule in his house. No matter how much distress his sisters may be in, he won’t do anything as long as they got a man in the house. Bishop says he is too much man to be taking care of another man. Real men know how to hold it down.
II. Gods plan for the Christian husband.
1. We must be a leader. The man is responsible for the leadership in his home. He has to be the one to say we are going to church. He is the one that sets climate as leader. He must be a leader. Ephesians 5:25 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; – This is where agape love comes from. Women, your husband should love you so much, he thinks about you first (before himself). He should be steadfast and consistent. He loves you so much; you are like a woman that was mentioned in Solomon. She was loved so much that she was sick of love. Your husband should love you so much; you make others sick talking about it.
2. He must be a laborer. Ephesians 5:28 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. – He is willing to put in the work in to make the marriage work. If a man loves his body, he puts work in it to make his body work. Even if it takes watching the Lifetime channel for 30 minutes in the name of making it work, they are willing to do so.
3. He should be a protector. Ephesians 5:23 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. – One of the top things a women looks for in a man is security. Men must create a safe environment. The wife should feel safe, because her husband made some provisions to make the family secure in their absence (such as: life insurance, savings, and etc…).
4. He should be pro-active- Ephesians 5:25 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; – God reconciled us back to himself. In relationships, husbands will sometimes have to make the first move after an argument. You have to get to a point that you recognize that you may have to be the one that makes the first move. You have to be the one that softens the issue.
5. He should be precise – Ephesians 5:28 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. -He realizes the need of the spouse. Men need to learn how to minister to their wives. Ex- Men, when you wish your wife would fix her hair up a little bit, don’t just say, “I wish you would get your hair fixed”. Take a different approach. Get a pass to a spare for her. You never how much that will bless you between the time you give it to her and bedtime.
6. He must be a provider- Ephesians 5:29 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: – Men, we have to meet our spouses needs. We must provide for her. You need to assure your wife that she married someone that can hold it down. Tell her you want let her drive a dirty car and wash her car for her.
7. He is to nourish her- A good husband should help his wife reach her full potential. Encourage her to go after her goals. A good husband is not intimidated by his spouse making more money than him.
8. He is to cherish- A good husband should make his wife feel wanted. Men, do you know that look you gave her when you first fell in love with her? Now we find ourselves not noticing things about her like when she gets a new hairdo, or new shoes, or new clothes. This action leaves your wife open, because she longs for that attention. As a result, when somebody at work gives her that compliment, she feels bubbly. A woman wants to feel like she still has it. Remind her that she is still your queen.
a. Women, remember that men are not wired like you are. For husbands, sex is the main event. Women think about the chocolates they were given and the nice candlelight dinner they were given, but the truth of the matter is the man is watching his watch and waiting for the main event. Women, remember that flannel doesn’t work out well for the main event. Ex- It’s like when you go to see boxing. They put on the undercard fights first and though they are intriguing, you are waiting for the main event. This note is for the men. The most disappointing thing that can happen is for you to finally get to the main event and the fighter goes down in the first round. Men, this may be something that you will get on the way home.
III. Gods plan for the Christian helpmeet
1. Submission is a military word referring to rank. It is a voluntary attitude for cooperation. God ordained submission, because he wanted there to be order in the home. Under submission, we as a couple talk about things together at home and then the man goes out and represents. He speaks on behalf of the family.
a. A word about respect- There is nothing truer than knowing that a man likes having his ego stroked. Lots of men don’t know what they can offer some women. A man has to feel needed. Women, God desires for you to be covered. If you want a family or children, you need a man. You are not the virgin marry. It is true that the woman should be complete before she gets with a man, but know that your husband needs to feel needed. Women, lift your husband up. Validate your man. Though we may be macho on the outside, we are a little boy that needs ego stroking on the inside.
b. A word about realization.
i. It honors God.- When you submit, it honors God
ii. The husband will answer for the home. – When Eve blew it in the Garden, God came looking for Adam. Genesis 3:8-9 says 8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
2. Submission cannot be forced. Women, watch out for that Jezebel Spirit. When you have other friends criticizing you for fixing your spouse’s plate, ask them who are they fixing a plate for? Don’t use what you have to manipulate. Submission should not be forced. Remember Gods law always supersedes that of your husbands.
3. 5 must haves in a healthy relationship.
a. Self validation- We must affirm ourselves. We are cool with ourselves even if others are not. We have to be willing to validate ourselves.
b. Shared values- You have to have similar values when you connect with someone.
c. Submitted vessels- We are a conduit which God uses to bless the world.
d. Support each other’s vision. God brings our visions together and we support each other’s vision.
e. Spiritually victorious-A person that know Christ can look at a situation such a spouse laid off and the lights getting cut off, and they can light some candles and assure the other person that they will make it through this. They spread positive things. Watch people and how they handle crises. Sometimes you are gong to be weak and you need somebody around you that is strong. Ex- Imagine that your house catches on fire. Just because tragedy comes you don’t have to break down. Spiritually Victorious means this: If you are on hospital bed and the one you have chosen to be with is standing by that bed and then doctor comes in with bad news. Would you be comfortable allowing that person standing by your bedside to pray for you?

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