By Elder Anthony G. Jones
http://www.facebook.com/ElderAGJones

In 2006 my Bishop, Bishop Anthony W. Slater of Tehillah Church Ministries, Goldsboro, NC, preached a message entitled “Is There a Witch among Us”. This message has stuck with me to this day and I use it as a reminder when my flesh tries to take control of my spirit. I know I won’t make many friends with this article and if it steps on your toes just repent and do your first works over again. When I started to do this article I stopped myself but then read a Relationship Tip of The day that reminded me why we are doing this in the first place. Here we go.

What is witchcraft; divination, sorcery, reading the stars (Astrology), calling upon the dead, all of which are detestable to God, Deut.18: 10-14. All these things are in direct rebellion to the word of God. So you are reading this and saying what does this have to do with me? Well are you following and living the word of God? 1 Sam.15:23 says for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. If you are not following the word of God especially if you know you are not, then you are in rebellion with God! Wow!

Now let’s look at some examples; Men you go to church and you are checking out the ladies, as far as they know you are a good Christian man, you love the Lord. You meet a young lady, you talk and invite her to dinner at your place just you and her and all the while you are setting the atmosphere hoping that she will give you some, hmmm sounds like rebellion to me. Men you are wearing that earring, looks nice, bling bling and all that, again rebellion to God’s word! And Ladies there are so many ways that you enter into rebellion. You come to church with that to tight outfit, can barely breathe sitting on the first row in church showing all you can show to the Pastor, choir members, deacons and everybody else and you know they going to look. Rebellion! My Bishop teaches that men are creatures of sight, what we see turns us on. On the other hand women need to be enticed through their minds, what they hear will catch there attention. Men and women both do things to get the opposite sex to give them attention, but the bible says we should not draw attention to ourselves 1 Tim 2:9. Then we have the married folk. He is just getting on your last nerve and you are withholding your body from him. That’s not just rebellion it’s also manipulation and now you are talking about another spirit (Jezebel). Married men who don’t lead your households and are lazy and allow the wife to have to take care of the kids, the bills and take care of you, for sure you are in rebellion.

The enemy floods the air ways with sex and money and things that make us not worship God. We fall into these traps and spells he has set and thus become agents of satan, yes I said it because if you are not following God’s word and you are not for Him, then you are against Him! God’s word is sure He warns us of these things and how to live our lives by the spirit Gal.5:16-26. My Bishop has another saying and it is “Whatever you feed the most will grow the most” Feed your spirit man and break your rebellion against God’s word. Singles live life as God has called you to do and He will send a mate, take down the for sale sign on your life. Married people allow God into your marriage and your home and give no room to Jezebel because that is a very destructive spirit and it hates marriage and authority. Lets all live as children of the Most High.

By Elder Anthony G. Jones
http://www.facebook.com/ElderAGJones

OK so you have reached a point in your marriage where neither of you are listening to one another. You hate when she does “X” and she can’t stand when you do “Y”. All you do is either not speak to one another or when you do speak the words are cold and hang in the air waiting for life. Sound familiar? So you both are Christians, believers in the word of God, living a sanctified life right? So where is God in the midst of all this? What part is He playing in your marriage? Are you even seeking Him, or at least some form of Christian counseling? Well lets look at what we are doing and how we can save our marriages.

The world will have you believe that the Christian divorce rate is as high as non-believers but that may not be necessarily true and some dispute that. What we can not deny is that we live in a world where relationships are tossed to the side when they are not working like we want. So many trade in their partners at the drop of a dime for the newer and better looking model not knowing they are entering a hell that they may never recover from. So what does the bible say? God hates divorce, Malachi 2:14-16 reads 14 You ask,” Why?” It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. 15 Has not [the LORD] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. 16 “I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel, “and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence as well as with his garment,” says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

Wow, pretty strong words from God! What stands out to me is guard yourself in the spirit. We as Christians get so messed up by letting the devil get a foothold in our lives. Just as God hates divorce the devil hates marriage because it is a type and shadow of Christ and the church. We take advice from our non-Christian friends who don’t have a strong relationship themselves. We listen to all the daytime talks show host and what their definition of marriage is and try to measure ours by worldly standards. God said for us to come out from among them. We should be setting the example not trying to fit in to worldly standards. Reconciliation, restoration and forgiveness are supposed to be identifiers of a true Christian, so we must apply the word of God to every aspect of our lives and that includes marriage. We must set conducive atmospheres for us to hear God on a daily basis. Leave the worship music playing while off to work and come home to a peaceful atmosphere. Learn to listen to your spouse, communication is key. Speak to God, pray and listen for Him to answer you. Having been divorced and remarried to the same woman I divorced, I look back at what went wrong. God has given me a second chance. If you have a spouse that loves God then it is your duty to make it work. Proverbs 16:3 sums it all up by saying “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed” Grace & Peace.

by Julia Williams
http://www.facebook.com/JewellsAvenue

Come on, let’s face it, we’ve had plenty of friends give us this advice a time or two.  And the only reason you’re tempted to give in is because you’ve tested the waters in all your other relationships.  Why stop now, right?

There are many Christians who refuse to marry without testing their mate out in the bedroom first.  How does this happen to a Christian?  Well, a kiss here, a parting of the lips with the tongue there and an innocent candlelight dinner turns into a clothesless sleepover.  It’s happened to many of us.  As the saying for Lays potato chips go, “You can’t have just one.”

This is the case when it comes to our bodies and sex.  We’ve experienced it and we want to keep experiencing it.  No matter how many times God warns us of the consequences of sin, we just can’t tell our bodies no.

Recently I was reading in my Bible how if a woman married and her husband was able to prove that she wasn’t a virgin on their wedding night, the judge would send her back to her father’s door where all of the men in the town were to stone her to death.  How would society be if that were the case today?  Where would the church be if those rules were alive today?

We’ve become so comfortable in our sex-filled society that it is commonplace for even us Christians to participate in sex before marriage.  God wouldn’t want us to marry someone who couldn’t fulfill our needs properly, right?  I beg to differ.  Since God created you, don’t you think He knows exactly what or who would be perfect for you even when it comes to the bedroom?  The only reason we want to try folks out is because we’ve tried out others and have something to compare them to.  Had we waited for the one experience our bodies were created for, we would be just fine waiting until we’ve walked down the aisle.

1 Corinthians 6:18 (The MSG) says, “There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others.  In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-molded love, for “becoming one” with another.”

Sex clouds our judgment and in essence, sex outside of marriage destroys relationships.  God gives intuition to the heart and instinct to the mind.  He advises us to guard our hearts above all else, for it determines the course of our lives (Proverbs 4:23 NLT).  We let our guards down and keep God from doing His job when we have sex outside of marriage.

Keep the faith, rest assured your “waters” will be all that and a bag of chips when you do it His way.  Try abstinence or celibacy today.  Your body will thank you and you’ll have peace of mind.

by Shon Hyneman
www.neveragainministries.info

by Deacon Clarence Drakes and Deaconess Jerri Drakes

A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: withersoever it turneth, it prospereth (Proverbs 17:8).

Gift of Marriage

God created the institution of marriage. It is a Divine institution and was established in the beginning of time when God created the heavens and earth. Marriage is not the invention of man. Marriage is a gift from God. The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18

A gift is precious, it is something acquired without compensation —is the act of giving. To have a wife and a family is a gift to be honored, cherished and nurtured; but we must see the gift. If we value the gift we will bless it and be blessed by it. If it is precious to us, we guard it like precious gems.

This new season will you commit to pour into your relationship with your spouse? Will you look at your marriage as a gift? Will you value the gift God has given so freely?

Have you ever accidentally cut yourself? You would not treat the cut with alcohol. The best treatment would be A & D ointment or Neosporin. As a matter of fact, there are specific salves for specific wounds. If you have a rash Neosporin, quite frankly will not do you any good but cortisone will.

Wounds and bitter scars inflicted by the trials of life, generational curses and stains of evil doers are most often below the surface of our skin–some even invisible, but we all have wounds. Wounds that keep us from achieving, and prospering; wounds of unforgiveness, and fear.

Our mates are customized by God to treat our specific wound. Our mates carry the right chemistry mixture, the right ointment, the right balm, the right salve that heals the very wound that ails us and keeps us from getting closer to God.

Much thought was given by God to preparing the right gift for you. not the one that you think you need, but the one God knew was good for you. To see resilience of your gem you must tenderly care for it because it is specifically designed to heal you. Do not abuse your ointment, do not throw away your ointment, and do not waste your ointment. Treat it better than precious gold sparkling diamonds.

A ‘cared for’ marriage will produce honorable fruit; but fruit comes after seeds have been sown. Start your New Year sowing good seeds; seeds of sacrifice, saying “I’m sorry”, seeds of forgiveness of swallowing your pride, seeds of admiration. You know what seeds you need to sow to produce honorable fruit.

We encourage you today to graciously accept the gift that has been given to you. Pray this prayer with us, and please share it with couples. God bless you and keep you. We love you dearly.

Lord God, we praise you and honor you. Please forgive me for my sins. Thank you for the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. Thank you for establishing the union of marriage. Help me to honor the wonderful gift and live according to your will. Thank you for creating and preparing a wife/husband just for me. Thank you for our children, our family and our extended family. Help me to be a better spouse. Bless all husbands and wives in their marriages all over the world. Help us all to sow good seeds that we may produce honorable fruit. I love you in Jesus precious name. Amen.

If you know someone who needs this message, feel free to forward it, share the link or invite them to Click to Subscribe via Email to the Monday Morning series.

by Debrayta Salley
www.mylifecompass.com/Abundantlifecoach

Psalm 27:14

We have all heard and read this scripture many times before but how many can truly say that they get excited and maintain a patient posture of contentment during the waiting periods?  Many of you can probably relate to cringing at the very thought of having to wait.  One of the factors that plays a role in this mindset it the fact that we are living in a microwave society – we want everything quick, fast, and in a hurry!  We take our request to God and then “BAAM”, we sit there expecting an immediate result and when it doesn’t happen in our time, we begin to take matters into our own hands and simply get in Gods’ way!  Well, I personally learned that it is better to wait on God patiently and with a cheerful heart. A few years ago when it seemed to me that my soul mate wasn’t anywhere in sight, I began my own journey to find Mr. Right and 99.9% of the time he ended up being Mr. Wrong.

There is danger in going ahead of God to make things happen in our lives.  In my case, I landed in a verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive marriage because I could not stand the thought of being alone and had not yet uncovered or embraced the unconditional love that God had for me.  Were there any warning signs? – Yes! Did I take heed to them? – No!  In fact, the warning signs were blinking like the signs one might see on the Las Vegas strip, but because my wants surpassed my love for myself and desire for God’ will in my life, I proceeded forward.  I thank God for second chances, for delivering me from that painful situation, and for putting a comma where it could have end up being a period in my life’s story. This does not have to be your testimony!

It is my prayer that the Saints of God, especially our young people would begin to understand the benefits of Waiting on God! The commands that the scriptures give us are not meant to hurt us, but to keep us close to God and our destiny.  It is in this place that we are safe from falling prey to the distractions and traps that the enemy sets before us.  If you are currently in a period of singleness, I suggest that you stop thinking about how long you have been waiting and use this time to establish an intimate relationship with God, seek and walk in your purpose, let him use you, and work on getting mentally, emotionally, physically, and above all else – spiritually prepared for your soul mate should that be Gods’ will for your life.

Believe me, if I had known what I know now, I would have placed my focus and efforts on developing an intimate relationship with God before I even thought about becoming one flesh with anyone else. Gods’ Love is the best model that we have for ensuring that we give, and receive unconditional Love.  So Love God, Love Yourself, Understand who you are, embrace singleness with a sense of purpose, and make the most out of your waiting period!  Trust me, if you don’t, someday, you will look back and wish that you had treasured this time when your time and energy could have been given solely to God.

If you know someone who needs this message, feel free to forward it, share the link or invite them to Click to Subscribe via Email to the Monday Morning series.

by April Mason
http://www.AprilMason.com

Are you holding on to something or someone that is dead? Meaning know matter how hard you try to move forward you CONTINUE to look back at what is dead. Be it a dead business idea, dead relationships…you know they aren’t going anywhere or not good for you, but you keep them around so you won’t be alone. Dead things can’t produce ANYTHING! Trust me…I KNOW!

There has been times in my life where I had to cut dead things off WITHOUT any explanation. As I told you last week, I changed my phone number and I had it for years! When you want a new level you have to make changes. I don’t want anything or anyone hindering me from my promise. So if that means change the dead things in my life, so be it.

If you really understood how precious your purpose is, you wouldn’t let just anybody in your personal space. I learned a very hard lesson about having the wrong people in my personal space. First let me say when I married the wrong man, not out of love but out of not knowing who I truly was and settling (I blame nobody but ME), NOTHING came fourth.

Now y’all know I keep it 100. Please don’t think I’m bashing, not saying he wasn’t a good man because he was…just not MY good man! We must understand that when two people come together PURPOSE should happen. Too many people view marriage and relationships the way I did, and it was ALL WRONG!

God designed a man an woman to come together to create purpose! Abundance should grow out of the relationship. And to go a step further, God designed the woman to birth the vision of the man! This means the man must have a vision to birth first! Ok I won’t preach lol! If the dead thing that you’re holding on to isn’t creating purpose and you can’t SEE the fruit growing, CUT IT OFF! Your paralyzing your own growth!

Jesus even cursed the fig tree that was dead. Nothing good can come from things that are dead. If you’re honest you know what you should do, don’t let pride, fear of being alone or the UNKNOWN stop you from reaching purpose. Yep it might hurt, but how bad do you want to live the life God has designed for you? What are you willing to sacrifice to get it?

If you know someone who needs this message, feel free to forward it, share the link or invite them to Click to Subscribe via Email to the Monday Morning series.

by Rachel Renee Smith
http://www.RachelReneeSmith.com

When you think about the person you want to be in relationship with, what characteristics come to mind? God-fearing, humorous, adventurous, responsible, kind, respectful, thoughtful, good-looking, intelligent, charming or what?

No matter how varied our individual lists may be, we all want the most important and basic thing – we want someone who will love us. We want that unconditional love that will look beyond our past, our faults, and our ugliness and only see the beauty, the power and the potential. We want to rest, knowing that we are safe and secure in the arms of one who will never abuse us or turn us away.

Those who wait on God to reveal their soul mate realize that every good and perfect thing comes from the Lord, so that person is worth the wait.

The question I want to pose to you, whether you are in a relationship, seeking a relationship, waiting on a relationship or already married is – are you that good and perfect gift for your soul mate?

Here are some ways to tell if you are God’s gift:

I Corinthians 13 says, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres.”

Do you love as Christ loves the Church? Are you patient, loving and kind?

Or are you envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking and easily angered? Do you keep record of other people’s wrongs?

Now of course when you fantasize and think of your future mate, it can be very easy to say “Yes, I’m ready! I know how to love.”

It is easy to love when things are going exactly the way we want them to go. However, do you know how to love when it comes to that person who always rubs you the wrong way? What about the ex that always knows exactly what to say to get your blood boiling? That cousin that is just loud for no reason? That aunt who is always comparing you to her kids? What about those parents who you blame for all of your issues?

Many of us have people in our lives that we are pretty much stuck with for better or for worse and we didn’t even have to walk down an aisle to claim them. These are our family, our children, our bosses, our co-workers and the people whose lives are intertwined with ours for some inescapable reason.

How do you treat those people? Do you hold grudges? Do you avoid them? Do you stop speaking? Do you blow up in anger? Do you hold your tongue while secretly getting more and more upset? Do you find it hard to forgive? Do you yell, slam doors or get revenge?

Now imagine God finally sends you your sweetie and you do all of that stuff to them! That beautiful, gorgeous, handsome, smiling and dimpled gift is unknowingly destined to be the victim of your grudge-holding, passive-aggressive, screaming, yelling, door-slamming self.

You may think this is impossible but the reality is that it happens all the time. It is easy to say we should get over our past romantic relationships and clear away that baggage before we get into a new relationship. However, we forget about the relationships we have that are not in the past yet still negatively affect us. We carry that baggage into our romantic relationships as well. Our mistrust of our other loved ones becomes mistrust of our soul mate. The worries, the fears, the triggers – we carry the garbage we picked up from other relationships and never forgave and we eventually see our God-given gift through those eyes.

When God blessed me with my husband-to-be I soon learned how my past was interfering, even in what was the most wonderful relationship I have ever known. As soon as something happened in my relationship that reminded me of something from my past, those old emotions were stirred and we had a problem. I was not free to fully love and accept my fiancée until I forgave and released all of the wrongs that I thought I had already left behind. I had to let those things go in order to fully give him my love. If I had not let those things go, our growth as a couple would have been severely limited. We would not have had a chance to work out any of our real issues because I would have still been fighting against issues from my past.

Forgiveness is a tool that frees you to be able to enjoy your life and enjoy the people in your life. It frees you to love and be loved in return. When you are willing to forgive and walk in love, you become a gift, ready to be released to the one whom God has prepared for you.

If you know someone who needs this message, feel free to forward it, share the link or invite them to Click to Subscribe via Email to the Monday Morning series.

by Shellie R. Warren

“The king said to Esther, ‘Now what are you asking for? I will give it to you. What do you want? I will give you as much as half of my kingdom.’”—Esther 5:6 (NKJV)

10 years ago (shoot even five), you couldn’t have paid me to believe that I’d still be single at the “ripe-and-wise” age of 36. And here I am. Surprisingly, in the words of Antwoine Fisher, “I’m still standing! I’m still strong!” Indeed, God’s grace is sufficient.

Yet, if you spent one week in my cyberworld, you would notice that my life is, some might say, consumed with marriage. I take that back: with covenant. There are currently three blogs up-and-running that focus on marriage (“So, How Did You Know?”, “Before You Jump the Broom”, “On Fire Fast Movement”) and last October, I started a website where people can nominate biblically-based marital covenant couples to receive weekend stays, spa dates, wedding rings—it kind of runs the gamut—free-of-charge. It’s called “10…Again”. I also do premarital and marital counseling.

However, I’m still single. Super single, at that. No boyfriend (I’m too old for a boy anything). I hang out with male friends from time-to-time, but I don’t court or date. And yes, there’s big difference in the two! We’ll have to get into that another time.

So no man and I pursue covenant? That would be correct. My biblical backing is I Corinthians 7:34. Without question, while a married woman is caring about her husband’s needs, an unmarried woman is to care about the things of the Lord. Marriage is of the Lord and the two people who spoke the most profoundly on marriage were, ironically, single: Christ (Matthew 19) and Paul. Yet, it was actually while recently watching a rerun of “The Game” on YouTube that something else hit me. The character, Derwin was talking to his girlfriend, Melanie about needing more of her support. To himself he said, “Martin got Coretta. Look at what I got.” Hmph. Sermons come in all forms!

In the Hebrew, there are two ways to become a queen. If you are appointed to the position, you are a “Malkah”. If it’s because you married a king, you are called a “Shegal” (love that! SHE-GAL). Being that I Peter 2:9 says that we are of a royal priesthood, being that God is the King of kings and “those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14), every daughter of the Lord, when it comes time to be united to her covenant partner, should marry a (spiritual) king. She should be honored as a “shegal”. Yes, Martin Luther King, Jr. had the support of his helpmate (HELP-MATE), Coretta. That said, no man should have the “Derwin syndrome” of thinking that he received any less in his own Ezer Kenegdo; a Hebrew word for “helpmeet” (Genesis 2:18) that means “lifesaver” (LIFE-SAVER).

That said, while still-single-at-36 was not on my agenda, being that two definitions of the word are “whole” and “complete” and being that the Lord is faithful even when we are not (2 Timothy 2:13), I get it. Even when I didn’t act like royalty (wrote an entire book about it!), the Lord saw me as such. We’re all brought into this world “single”. So ladies, we all should be on the quest for wholeness before we are, as the Woman was in the Garden of Eden was to Adam, *presented* (Genesis 2:22) to our husbands. No one but God knows what’s required to make that happen. Esther had to go through a lot of preparation before her king could trust in her enough to grant her whatever of his that she desired. Singleness is a time of becoming equipped for the position of helpmate. Of wife. Of queen. That should make us thankful. Not fearful. Elated. Not irritated. Pleased. Not paranoid.

Another thing that a wife is to be? A minister because indeed, love is a ministry. That’s what got the “On Fire Fast Movement” blog going. Psalm 104:4 says that he Lord will make his ministers a flame of fire. As a child of divorce, generationally so, I want to be refined from all of the stuff that makes a marriage not work. And, I have a desire to see other single women do the same so that when we take our rightful positions, we will remain “in place”…until death parts us from our husbands. Our covenant partners. Our kings.

I’ve heard enough horror stories about marriage to know that if the Lord does not build the house, couples really do labor in vain (Psalm 127:1). Through this time of singleness, I’ve finally come to the conclusion that until a man can see me as his “queen” and until I have no problem referring to our unit as “the king and I”, I need to wait because love is patient (I Corinthians 13:4) and I’m worthy of true love. True love waits indeed and more and more, waiting is proving itself to be worth it because preparation is revealing my worth.

And finally, I am seeing that it’s royal.

Whether single or married.

If you know someone who needs this message, feel free to forward it, share the link or invite them to Click to Subscribe via Email to the Monday Morning series.

by Michelle Cameron
http://shellylove2002.wordpress.com

Recently my church spent a few weeks focused on the importance of a Covenant. With sermons surrounding Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan and other such covenants, I began to reflect a bit on what it means to be in covenant.

(A covenant is defined as a formal binding agreement between two or more entities.)

I’ve always been the type to want any covenant I am involved in to last forever, regardless of the quality of the covenant and its ratifiers and signers. As I reflected on the Covenant examples placed before me by our church leaders, I realized something: A covenant is really only as good as the people (or organizations) involved. If I sign a covenant with a strong banking entity then the covenant between us stands a great chance of being upheld for a lifetime (and beyond). But signing a similar financial covenant with a shady, dishonest person or entity guarantees a breach of covenant in the future. This shows that a covenant is only as secure as the character of the individuals or organizations involved.

With that in mind, I thought of my covenant that I made to follow Jesus Christ almost 25 years ago. People have failed or left me over the years in one way or another (and I have failed others too, make no mistake about that) – yet HE has NEVER failed me at any moment of any day during those 25 years. Even before I was conscious enough to make that decision to follow Him, He had covenanted with me. He decided to die on the Cross on Golgotha’s hill centuries ago so I would have that moment to stand at an altar as a little girl to make that commitment to follow Him. There were moments when I did my own thing over the years, but He’s ever faithful, whispering in my ear and heart what He thinks of me – and because of His binding covenant with me, it’s all GOOD!

In light of my covenant with Christ, I am now reviewing all the covenants I made over the years. Most of them have been breached in some way or another. But one thing is certain – if I allow God to become part of the covenants I seek to make between me and others, they are least likely to fail. (If they fail, we are to blame.)

Let’s look at David/Jonathan and Ruth/Naomi again. Their covenants had no lawyer standing by with papers and ink (or kingly seals) to ratify them. But they had One listening ear Who approved their covenants and helped them carry them out to completion. When God stands as the One Who ratifies our covenants, we can rest assured on their outcomes.

You may wonder why I’m focusing on this so much. I am reflecting on my marriage. I made a vow before God and witnesses sometime ago to love, cherish, etc. “’til death do us part.” As I labored to ‘make it happen’, the entire thing unraveled before my very eyes. I was ashamed and felt like a failure for a very long time. What I now realize is if God was not in it from the very beginning, how could I expect the covenant to be maintained until death?

(Selah)

So, with that said, I now realize the importance of the Ratifier, the One Who holds the collateral for the covenant, and the signers. All participants in this covenant are key to its longevity and strength. As I watched two prominent Bishops in the faith walk across a church’s stage openly declaring their covenant with and for each other, my heart grew full. I realized more than ever my need to ensure that those with whom I enter into covenant are righteous and of noble character, and who are humble and godly. Without these traits in place, I am wasting my time and efforts and it will less likely yield the fruit I viewed for myself not too long ago.

May God bless all those who have signed or declared a covenant before God with the right covenant-keepers! You and your children (and generations to come) will reap blessings and rewards yet to be known and described. Ruth had King David and Jesus Christ in her lineage because of her covenant to Naomi (the Book of Ruth, Matthew 1:5 & 6). Mephibosheth and members of Saul’s household were well-cared for because of David’s covenant to Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:1, 2 Samuel 9).

Who will benefit in the future from your covenant today?

If you know someone who needs this message, feel free to forward it, share the link or invite them to Click to Subscribe via Email to the Monday Morning series.

by Olivia Stith
http://oliviastithministries.webs.com

If I were to ask the average woman if she would prefer to cope with a man or be courted by a man – nine out of ten times, she would look at me as though I were crazy.  Who wouldn’t want to be courted by a gentleman?  Oh, the romance! The excitement!  Now compare that to coping.  Coping with a man entails merely putting up with his “mess” because we feel we can’t be with anyone better.  Even though the average woman wants to be courted, let’s stay in the reality zone ladies.  Most of us today are simply coping.

When we cope, our minds are on our problems and self-induced disabilities.  “I gotta deal with this at the moment because I can’t afford to be on my own.”  “I gotta deal with his late nights because he’s a good father to the kids.”  Some of you are in an abusive marriage and still thinking “I gotta deal with him because the church folks will talk if I leave?”  Seek God’s Word and ask Him how He wants you to handle the situation.  God has called us to peace and righteousness.  A child of God has a sound mind.  Time out for foolishness; you’re too mature for that.  There is no room for child’s play in a godly relationship.  The bible instructs us to “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2Timothy 2:22, NIV).

Many times we’re just doing the best we can to keep the relationship afloat or tolerating a man’s inappropriate behavior just to have him around.  We’re only selling ourselves short.  Come on, we’re better than that!  The right man is not going to step into our lives until God sends him – so you may as well stop stressing it.  We don’t need to worry about our size and whether or not we’ll be too old to appreciate him when he comes a-calling at our doorstep.

As godly women, we deserve better; but, our mindset must first change.  Now is the time to use your spiritual wisdom – shake it up and unleash it!  “Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse.” (Proverbs 2:12, NIV).  Girlfriend, wisdom will reveal to you the proper way to deal with your relationship and set your priorities in order.  Let me tell you now, coping is not the same as being patient.  Don’t get it twisted; there is a difference. The key is to remain patient and refuse to settle for less than God’s best.  When he comes, he will not only be calling; he will come a-courting.

You may think courting and dating are one in the same.  Oh no, wrong again my sister!  Dating can be a dead-end road for sophisticated women such as ourselves.  We are of the royal priesthood.  No, a man doesn’t just pick our number for the day, take us out for a meal, and drop us off only to disappear into the sunset.  No way.  Our dating days are over.  Let me tell you another thing, if a man says that he’s interested in you, but hides you like you have the Bubonic Plague; you better run while you can.  If you haven’t met any of his friends, family, or if you have not been to his church after weeks of talking, something may be wrong. Think sistah!  Not only is he hiding you; he’s hiding something.  We are not waiting patiently to be taken around town by six or seven men to still end up single.  God forbid!  That sounds like coping with single-hood to me.

Courting is more stable and respectable.  Let’s go back in time and take some notes.  We’ve all heard of the Knight in Shining Armor who fought the dragons in order to come to the aid of the Lady-In-Waiting.  Her heart was pounding when he came galloping onto the scene from battle.  They kissed and lived happily ever after.  Okay, maybe your knight won’t arrive galloping on a horse; he may be driving a Ford Expedition or a Benz.  He may even be adventurous and will come wheeling on a motorcycle.  Hey, we’re all different.  God is preparing a Knight made specifically for us and we for him.  This man is not just looking for any woman; he’s observant, prayerful and faithfully waiting for that woman that he battled through life to get.  He has taken the time to let God mold him, as well; now he’s ready.  He’s like Boaz observing the field.

Now sisters, we know that when a man sees what he wants he goes after it – well, most men do.  Your mannerisms and godly attributes will attract him.  Oh, don’t get me wrong, being well-groomed and all of the added extras help.  God wants us to look as good for Him, as we would going to a million dollar party.  Be prepared.  When you walk out into the open, that man may be observing you to see if you’re his special lady.

Before he approaches you, he’ll be able to tell that you are a woman that is not just settling for any man.  The way you handle yourself in business, with your friends, etc. shows that you’re not “pressed”.  He’ll know that he has to approach you in a manner of godly classiness.  You are a woman of integrity.  You may be walking alone but you have the world in your pockets.  It shows in your glow.  Now he is attracted to you and your inner beauty and he knows that he has to take a step because this jewel (you, girlfriend) may soon be gone.

A godly man will approach you in a respectable manner and make his intentions known.  Some may be bold enough to say, “I believe you’re the one.”  Others may be more coy and shy, but you will catch the vibe.  All of that beating around the bush, “You’re my girl today.  I’m with another sister tomorrow.” is not part of the plan.  I’ve seen it happen.  A real man of God will not do that.  Even then, you need to take responsibility for the relationship, too.  God is talking to you during this process, also.  Now that the lines of communication have been opened, it’s time to get to know the game plan.

When God is doing the orchestrating, He is preparing the man to take the relationship with you to the next level.  He’s showing the brother how to stimulate your mind and your heart without touching you at all.  Whoa! Is that powerful love or what?  That man will pull out things inside of you that will let you know that he’s the one.  You’ve heard the saying, “No man can make me feel the way you do?” Girlfriend, you’ve reached that level when that man can move you and not lay a hand on you!

When a man has found the woman he’s been waiting for – a woman of high standards and character, like you – he is going to tell the world.  You will not be sitting in the house eating bon-bons alone.  Oh no!  The brother is flashing you, his diamond, around the town.  Trust me, the real Knight is going to put his Lady-In-Waiting on his horse and show the world his love.  He knows he is blessed by God by having you in his life.  You’re a treasure that has been found – and do you know what?  Everyone will know his intentions toward you – including his family, parents, and his Pastor.  Why is this?  Because in courting, the man takes responsibility for his actions with you.  He’s not just flying by for a cheap thrill.  He sees you as his future wife.  So stop holding back my sister.  It’s okay to move forward; God has your back!  Let your man treat you like a queen.  Show him how much you will honor him as your king.  There are lists of things that come into this process and we will go through several in later chapters.

Now that he has made his intentions known, examine whether or not he is taking quality time to learn all aspects of your life – past, present, and hopes for the future.  Is he praying and fasting with you?  Do you see Christ through him?  Is he elevating your walk with Christ?  During the process of courtship is when you will get to know one another better.  Ladies, get to know the man.  You will be surprised at the small things the enemy will try to use to tear down a marriage.  You need to know as much as you can, up front, to avoid some the issues that can result.  Ask him all of the questions that you can think of from the least to the greatest.  They’re all important.  You want to know who you’re marrying!

Do you know if he wants children?  If so, how many?  Girlfriend, don’t you dare think of marrying a man and not discuss this one.  Do either of you already have kids?  How does the other parent interact with you?  By all means, learn his family customs and traditions – especially, if he’s from another culture.  How does your man handle his finances, disappointment, or anger?  All of these things are important to learn before the final phase of engagement.  Men love knowing that you want to be part of who they are.  Keep them in mind – I’m sure that he will be doing the same with you.  The key to the courtship period is communication.  Don’t leave a stone unturned, girlfriend; this is a lifetime thing.

As you get to know the man, determine his motives.  Watch his actions and listen to his words.  Is he the one you’ve been waiting for?  How are you feeling when he’s around?  What about when he’s gone?  When you’re courting, there shouldn’t be a rush, but at the same time you’re not hanging around for years waiting to know the outcome of the relationship.  Some courtships last longer than others.  Do as the scripture says and “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psalms 27:14, NIV).  As we’ve already discussed, you need this time to get to know one another; and if God has confirmed it, the relationship will be progressing towards marriage.  Hanging onto strings and false hopes is not the way it goes, girlfriend.  Make sure that you have both confirmed the intentions for your future and decide on a timeline for marriage.  This also helps to ensure that you don’t spend endless months fighting off temptation.  Either you are going to “make that move” or you’re not.  It’s as simple as that.  Once that is done, stay on the course, pray together, relax and enjoy.

It’s time to throw those coping clothes away and stop being someone’s favorite Saturday pastime.  Fix yourself up because the doorbell is getting ready to ring with your Knight in Shining Armor waiting on the other side. A-courting you go!

If you know someone who needs this message, feel free to forward it, share the link or invite them to Click to Subscribe via Email to the Monday Morning series.

by Shamine McDowell

It’s amazing that the God of the Universe, who spoke the world into existence has created us, according to Psalms 139:14, fearfully and wonderfully. He sees us in a way that is almost impossible for some of us to see ourselves. We can quote this verse forwards and backwards and don’t even have to crack open our bibles. We go through life day in and day out, trying to convince ourselves that we are indeed what this Psalm says we are.

We dress to impress, spray on some perfume or cologne and walk with a smile and our heads held high as if our esteem is in the clouds. All the while, fears and insecurities continue to manifest. We really don’t want anyone to know that we are feeling this way. We want everyone to think that we have it all together. We go to our jobs and drown ourselves in our careers feeling and believing that these things make us who we are.

We allow our past to hold us hostage. Some of us have an ugly past. I can attest to that myself. Some of the things that we have done, we will never tell a living soul. We dare not tell anyone, lest we are rejected by those we want to so desperately be accepted. However, I have come to realize that if we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us on a consistent basis, then fear and insecurity have no place in our lives. When we begin to really realize that God loves us with an everlasting love and that no one else can take that away from us, the better off we will be.

We all want to be loved. God created us ALL with this desire. He’s created us all for relationship; with Him first and then others.God IS love and if we were created in His image, then it’s fair to say that we should have love inside of us to share with others. However, when we are consumed with our past, it keeps us from truly loving someone the way we ought. When we fear our past, it torments us. According 1 John 4:18, fear has torment. True love, overlooks our past. True love will accept you for who you are; good, bad and indifferent.

So what you have a past. So what you’ve been to prison. So what you have an incurable disease and you think that there is no one out here that will love you, accept you. EVERYTHING about you! So what you had children out of wedlock. SO WHAT! If these things did not stop the Almighty God from loving you, then why should it stop anyone else from doing the same? Remember who you are in Christ. Remember that you are a child of the Most High God. Remember that while you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you. Obviously, you meant so much to Him that He gave His life for you. When your past tries to intimidate you and instill fear in you, cast it out of your mind and spirit with the word of God and remember that you are FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY made!

If you know someone who needs this message, feel free to forward it, share the link or invite them to Click to Subscribe via Email to the Monday Morning series.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Linda Dominique Grosvenor

Matawan, New Jersey–January 14, 2011

The Keep Marriage Visible Campaign tells Facebook, My Spouse Exists!

In a society where infidelity and a moral disregard for marriage is running rampant and the media has jumped the gun on reporting that marriage is obsolete the Keep Marriage Visible Campaign is saying, “MY SPOUSE MATTERS!” Popular websites like AllFacebook.com, SheKnows.com, BlackandMarriedwithKids.com, and other sites that are staunch advocates of marriage have stepped forward to lend their support to this cause.

Facebook’s new profile structure currently does not allow a spouse who is a Facebook user to link anywhere that is visible on their profile a spouse who is a non-Facebook user. The “old” profile at least allowed you to prominently state that you were “MARRIED” on your profile for the world to see. The Keep Marriage Visible Campaign is campaigning for Facebook to change this glitch in their system and allow any spouse to be listed at the top of the profile in the same manner in which other family members are able to be listed in the sidebar–whether they are a Facebook user or not. Our solution is simple: Allow users to include the name of their spouse, but provide no click through link if the spouse is not on Facebook.

Linda Dominique and her husband Calvin Holland and teach people to love better on a daily basis via their websites: http://www.LoveBetterCamp.com and http://www.ThePluralThing.com. She shares daily relationship tips via her Facebook page. She says, “For us it doesn’t matter what the CNN, The New York Times or TIME Magazine says about marriage being obsolete. In our eyes marriage still matters. It was created by God to be the ultimate union, a covenant revered by Him that no one should interfere with–not even FACEBOOK.”

Critics have shared that allowing a link or text space for non-Facebook users would incite abuse, however, Grosvenor who launched the campaign in January, 2011 says, “I’m not so interested in the abuse or people who want to claim they’re married to their jobs, pets or the hottest celebrity, what I’m more interested in is that even if you’re single right now (just like the right to vote) we should all have the right to proudly state one day ‘I’m Married,” on our profiles one day, and the idea of ‘what ifs’ or possible abuse shouldn’t negate that right.”

In an article titled, “Marriage Works and What You and the Media Can Do to Help It,” Grosvenor wrote, “Marriage works, but if we don’t start teaching our young children, adults and the media to honor and cherish the richness and sanctity of marriage (even in the little things) we will end up with a nation of emotional vagabonds who selfishly think nothing of infringing upon the marriage of someone else via email, text message or social networks like Facebook because they have been conditioned by society to believe that marriage has no real value and so they willingly desecrate it.”

There are a lot of things Facebook users can support out there and the LIKE button has become extremely popular, however, the Keep Marriage Visible Campaign is urging single and married Facebook users to “LIKE” their campaign page and invite their friends to “LIKE” the Keep Marriage Visible Campaign Page too, to show the world that marriage is still sacred and an indelibly etched part of our culture. On the campaign page you can upload wedding photos or photos of you and your significant other and share/link pro-marriage related articles. The Keep Marriage Visible Campaign shares that they will continue to tackle other issues beyond Facebook that interferes with the marriage covenant and demand reasonable solutions.

LIKE the Keep Marriage Visible Campaign Today here: http://facebook.com/keepmarriagevisiblecampaign

For interviews, features and questions contact the founders via the Love Better Camp, Inc. website at http://www.LoveBetterCamp.com

###