Favour work things out for you

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: FAVOUR WORK THINGS OUT FOR YOU.

...CONTINUATION FROM YESTERDAY...

Material Direction

When you find favour with God, suddenly, whatever you touch begins to prosper and people will begin to wonder how?

Divine Favour can give you just one contract and all of a sudden for the rest of your life you can enjoy.

Luke 5:1-7 Jesus was preaching by the seaside. He saw two boats. One belonged to Peter. One belonged to somebody else and by favour of God it was Peter’s boat that was chosen.

When God decided to favour you, you cannot escape prosperity whether you like it or not. If He says, ‘I’m going to prosper you!" Prosperity will come!

Marrital Direction

If you have been considered barren and God decides to favour you, suddenly those who have been laughing against you will begin to laugh with you. 1 Samuel 1:9-20

Now when you read Proverbs 18:22, the Bible says whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing and obtains favour of God. if you have no husband you’ll get a husband. (Amen!) If you have no wife you’ll get a wife. If you are barren, you’ll have children. (Amen!)

Mental Direction

When God decides to favour you mentally suddenly you begin to have wisdom that you never can explain.

You know Daniel 2:20-22 tells us that wisdom belongs to God and He gives wisdom to the wise. If anybody lacks wisdom God said you should just ask God. That’s in James 1:3.

You will find that when God decides to favour somebody mentally, he has a wisdom he himself cannot explain.

Ministerial Direction

Everyone who is born again, baptized in the Holy Spirit, is a minister of God – all you are waiting for is favour from God.

When a minister finds favour with God, it becomes easy for him to do the work of God. He will preach a simple sermon and souls will be saved.

When you find favour with God – any door you knock will open.

Many-fold Direction.

Many-fold direction favour is all round favour – when we study about the man called Joseph. He had All round favour.

He was never sick till he died, he had medical favour.

What about materially? If you read Genesis 45:4-13 Joseph said, "God has made me Lord of all Egypt." and he sent to his father and he said, "Come with all your family. I will feed you for the rest of your life."

What about mental favour? If we read Genesis 41:39 Joseph was referred to here by Pharaoh and Pharaoh said, "there is none as wise as thou art..... there is none as wise as thou art.." because Joseph found favour with God he has a mental capacity that is frightening…

What about marital? If you read Genesis 48:8-20 you will discover that in the home of Joseph there was peace, there was harmony.

He had 2 sons – everything anybody could want in a home was there – he didn’t even have to look for a wife – one was given him! He had favour!

What about materially? As far as Joseph was concerned – everything he touched prospered. Genesis 39:21-23. Everything Joseph touched prospered, even in prison. When they took him to prison, very soon he became the man in charge.

LET US PRAY
I PROPHECY INTO YOUR LIFE, FAVOUR WILL TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND BEFORE THIS YEAR RUN OUT, YOU WILL BE CELEBRATED IN JESUS NAME.

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SPECIAL NOTICE
MORNING MEAL WILL STOP FOR A WHILE DUE TO SOME PERSONAL REASON. GOD BLESS YOU. AMEN. PASTOR IOI.

The direction of divine favour

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: THE DIRECTION OF DIVINE FAVOUR.

Let's look at Divine Favour in a
Medical Direction.

-If you are sick and you are considered incurable and you find favour with God, you will suddenly discover that the incurable will begin to have a testimony.

-In John 5:2-9 There was a multitude by the pool of Bethesda. Jesus came there, saw a man who had been there for 38 years. His face shone on that man. He went to that man, healed that man and left the place. There were several others. Divine Favour singled out that man for a miracle.

-When you read the story of 2 Kings 5:1-14. It tells us the story of Namaan – how he was healed. Jesus said something in Luke 24:27, He said there were many lepers in Samaria in the time of Elisha, only one was cleansed! How many? One! Out of the many, one found favour.

A story was told about A Muslim young man who entered Bible study service one day and God healed him of a chronic kidney disease. He had never entered into a church before and according to him, he was used to make mockery of Christianity, but God decided to favour him in the church.

LET US PRAY
I PROPHECY INTO YOUR LIFE. AMONG MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM THE SAME PROBLEM, GOD WILL SINGLE YOU OUT FOR FAVOUR. IN JESUS NAME.

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SPECIAL NOTICE
MORNING MEAL WILL STOP FOR A WHILE DUE TO SOME PERSONAL REASON. GOD BLESS YOU. AMEN. PASTOR IOI.

WHAT FAVOUR WILL DO FOR YOU

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHAT FAVOUR WILL DO FOR YOU.

Today make it the third day I have been inspired by the lord to talk to you about favour, Now basically, amongst several other things Divine Favour will do certain things for you.

-The favour of God found Moses at the backside of the desert. It found David where he was looking after the sheep. It found Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus.

-Another thing that favour does, like we have been told is that it singles you out of a crowd. It doesn’t matter how many people are there, the favour of God will just zero in on you and say ‘You are the one I want!" You yourself will not understand how.

-The favour of God will single you out for a miracle because if you read Mark 10:46-52, the Bible says Jesus came to Jericho and as he was coming out of Jericho a great multitude followed him! A multitude followed Him! But how many of the people in the multitude got a miracle? Only blind Bartemeus who was by the highway side begging!

-When David found favour with God, the boy who was despised by his relatives, the one who they would never have been presented for election to be king, became a celebrated person. Up till today we still talk about David

LET US PRAY
NO MATER HOW FAR YOU HAVE GONE, IN THE NAME OF JESUS FAVOUR WILL SINGLE YOU OUT.

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Description of Divine Favour

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: Description of Divine Favour

a.)When a man is selected for something good among many qualified counterperts.

For instance, Esther was selected among several other beautiful ladies that are qualified to be the queen. Esther 2: 15-17 that is diving favour

b.)When a man is chosen for the position he is not naturally qualified for, especially among others that are far better than him. David was the most unqualified person naturally in his family, but God rejected others to look for him. 1 Samuel 16: 11-13 that is diving favour

c.)When a man seeks the face of God in Prayer, and have all his request granted. A very good example is the account of Jabez. 1 Chron 4: 9-10. that is diving favour

d.)When help is made available unto a man at a time and from a place he least expected. Like the case of the man waiting at the pool of Bethesda. John 17: 1-15 that is diving favour

e.)When a man is called by God to do great work for God when he was not thinking about God. We saw the case of Paul, God called him when he was walking on the path to destruction. Acts 9: 1-6 that is diving favour

f.)When a man is guided to take a little effort, that lead to great achievement. Peter toiled throughout the night with great failure, but at the word of the Lord, he had a great success. that is diving favour

g.)When a man is always receiving kindness from others as a result of God’s hand on his life. At every turbulent time in the life of Joseph, he was always finding help from somebody. that is diving favour

LET US PRAY
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, I PROPHECY, YOU ARE THE NEXT PERSON TO RECEIVE GOD'S FAVOUR IN JESUS NAME.

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DIVINE FAVOUR

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: DIVINE FAVOUR

Study Text: Psalms 5:12

For You; O Jehovah, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.

-It is seen here that God is willing to bless the rightoeus and also protect him with the weapon of favour. When the favour of God is upon a man, he will be secured and protected against all oppositions and anti-favour moves of men.

-We can see this kind of favor operating in the life of Daniel. He and all the Israelites were prisoners in Babylon. For reasons that can't be explained naturally, though, he had favor with the leaders of the land.

"Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs" (Dan. 1:9).

-In other accounts we learn that Daniel had so much favor with the leaders of the land, he was elevated to prestigious positions in the Babylonian kingdom. Even though the circumstances were stacked against him, Daniel eventually became the prime minister of Babylon.

LET US PRAY
THIS WEEK, IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL YOUR PEOPLE, GOD SHALL FAVOUR YOU IN JESUS NAME.

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How should we pray?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: How should we pray?

...CONTINUE FROM YESTERDAY

PRAY THANKFULLY.

David writes (86:12), “I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart.” Similarly, right after telling us to pray without ceasing, Paul says (1 Thess. 5:18), “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We cannot give thanks to God from the heart unless we are submissive to His sovereign hand in our circumstances and we believe that He is working even our trials together for our ultimate good.

PRAY IN HUMILITY.

David’s prayer is permeated with humility. He doesn’t angrily demand better treatment in light of the fact that he is God’s chosen king. He doesn’t complain, “After the way that I’ve served You all these years, I deserve better than this!” Rather, he prays for God to be gracious to him (86:3, 16). He refers to himself as God’s servant, the son of His handmaid (86:2, 4, 16). He admits that he is afflicted and needy. He admits his weakness by asking God to grant him strength (86:16).

These were not “cool” things for a king to put in print for everyone to read! Kings have an image to maintain. Kings need to convey that they’re in control of the situation. Kings want everyone to think that they know how to solve problems. But David humbly acknowledges his weakness and his need for God’s strength. Even so, prayer is not asking God to give us a little boost. Rather, it is acknowledging to Him and anyone who is listening that our need is total, not partial.

PRAY IN FAITH.

David affirms his trust in God (86:2). He knows that God will answer him (86:7). His affirmation (86:13), that God has delivered his soul from the depths of Sheol, may be referring to a past deliverance, or it may also be a statement of faith about his present need for deliverance, viewing the future as if it is already accomplished (Kidner, p. 313). His request that God would show him a sign for good (86:17), does not stem from doubt. David is not saying, “Lord, if you give me a token for good, then I’ll trust in You.” Rather, David has been in this trial for some time now, without any hint of God’s deliverance. His enemies are gloating, “Ha! He trusted in God, but God hasn’t delivered him!” So David asks for an encouraging sign that God is going to answer him and shame his enemies, who were really mocking God Himself.

Faith is not a matter of closing your eyes to reality and leaping into the dark. Rather, faith rests on God’s revealed character and on the many revealed instances of how He has answered prayer in the past. Faith does not presume to command God, as many modern, irreverent preachers claim to do. Even Jesus prayed, “yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). But faith rests on God’s power and abundant love. Faith knows that if something is for our good and God’s glory, He will do it.

LET US PRAY
EVERY EVIL HAND THAT IS HINDERING YOUR MIRACLE, I COMMAND HOLY GHOST FIRE TO DESTROY THEM IN JESUS Y.

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How should we pray?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: How should we pray?

In this new month brethren, We should pray earnestly, continually, thankfully, in humility, and in faith.

David’s close relationship with God permeates the entire prayer. He knew God intimately and personally. So he felt free to pour out his heart as he does here.

A. PRAY EARNESTLY.

David’s earnestness and intensity oozes out of the entire prayer. It stems from his awareness of his great need. If God doesn’t answer, David knows that he is doomed. So he cries out from his heart for God to save him from these powerful enemies.

The point is, he wasn’t mumbling through a formal liturgy. He wasn’t just going mindlessly down a prayer list. Like a starving beggar, he was entreating God to give him food.

B. PRAY CONTINUALLY.

David says (86:3), “For unto You I cry all day long.” Again, his continual prayers were driven by his intense awareness of his great need. Paul tells us (1 Thess. 5:17), “pray without ceasing.” He does not mean that we should pray non-stop, which would be impossible. Rather, the word was used of a hacking cough and of repeated military assaults. The idea is, keep coming back to prayer over and over again, all throughout the day.
...CONTINUE TOMORROW. HAPPY NEW MONTH.

LET US PRAY
Dear Lord Jesus cast out every power of look-warmness and cast out spirit that make our prayer ineffective in Jesus name.

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To whom should we pray?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: To Whom Should We Pray?

We should pray to the only true God, great in power, love, grace, and mercy.

Palm 86.

This psalm shows that David knew the God to whom he was praying. Knowing God’s attributes and His promises gives us hope and endurance in prayer. To approach God’s holy throne, we must know that He is good, ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Him (86:5). We must know that He is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (86:15). In this prayer, David basically pits who God is against his enemies and leaves the outcome to God.

A. GOD IS THE ONLY TRUE GOD, GREAT IN POWER.

David exclaims (86:8-10), “There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name. For you are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.”

Seven times in this psalm, David uses the name, Adonai, or Lord (3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 15). It emphasizes God’s lordship and sovereignty. He made the nations. He has ordained that they will all come and worship before Him. He is great and does wondrous deeds. The Lord alone is God.

By referring to “the gods,” David means the idols or demons that the heathen worship. Satan is called the god of this world (or, “age,” 2 Cor. 4:4; John 12:31). The whole world lies in his power (1 John 5:19). Paul, referring to the demons, says that there are many gods and many lords in heaven and on earth (1 Cor. 8:5; 10:20). These demons are spirit-beings, organized under Satan, with great power over individuals and entire nations (2 Thess. 2:9; Acts 19:13-16; Dan. 10:13, 20).

But, at the time which God determines, He will bring fire down from heaven to destroy His enemies. Satan and all of the demons will be thrown into the lake of fire, where they will be tormented forever and ever (Rev. 20:9-10). And even now, before that time, we are assured (1 John 4:4), “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

This should give us great confidence to pray. Although the forces of darkness are powerful, none of them can compare to God. Hallelujah.

LET US PRAY
EVERY ATTACK OF THE ENEMY IN YOUR LIFE IS SEND BACK TO THE SENDER IN JESUS NAME.

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WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?

We should pray because we have great needs.

David begins (86:1), “Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me; for I am afflicted and needy.” The fact that he cries out for God to save him (86:2, 16) shows that David knew that he could not save himself. In 86:7 he mentions that he is in “the day of trouble.”
In 86:14, he specifically mentions the band of arrogant, violent men that were seeking his life. David was deeply aware of his great need, which drove him to earnest prayer.

It sounds obvious to say that we have great needs that should drive us to prayer. But the truth is, our pride blinds us to how needy we really are, so that we rely on ourselves or on other people or on some godless method to get us out of our troubles. Finally, when nothing else has worked, we say, “We’ve done all that we can do. The only thing left is to pray!” It’s our last resort.
But, Prayer should be our first resort!

The main reason that people do not cry out to God to save them from their sins is that they do not see their great need as sinners before the holy God. They see themselves as basically good. Sure, they know they’re not perfect, but they aren’t evil sinners! They compare themselves with terrorists and child molesters and think, “I’m doing okay.” Not seeing their desperate need, they don’t cry out to God to save them.

But, even once we are saved, we fall into this same trap. We’re oblivious to the power of the enemy, who prowls about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour us (1 Pet. 5:8). We overlook the strong appeal of indwelling sin that lurks within us (Gal. 5:17). We don’t recognize our own selfishness, which undermines our relationships in the family and in the church. And so, we don’t pray. So perhaps our first prayer should be, “God, show me my great needs that only You can meet.”

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS SHOW US MORE OF YOURSELF AS WE PRAY TODAY AND BLESS US MORE IN JESUS NAME.

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God Our Refuge

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: God Our Refuge

THE Israelites were in danger as they entered the region of Sinai A fear-inspiring trek lay before them, a journey through a “vast and terrible wilderness infested with poisonous snakes and scorpions.” (Deuteronomy 8:15, The New English Bible)

They also faced the threat of attack by hostile nations. Jehovah had brought his people into this situation. As their God, would he be able to protect them?

God's words were most reassuring: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, that I might carry you on wings of eagles and bring you to myself.” (Exodus 19:4) God reminded his people that he had delivered them from the Egyptians, using eagles, as it were, to carry them to safety. But there are other reasons why “wings of eagles” fittingly illustrate divine protection.

Why do “wings of eagles” fittingly illustrate divine protection?

The eagle uses its broad, strong wings for more than just soaring aloft. In the heat of the day, a mother eagle will arch her wings—which may span over seven feet (2 m)—to form a protective umbrella, shielding her tender nestlings from the scorching sun. At other times, she wraps her wings around her offspring to protect them from the cold wind. Just as the eagle safeguards its young, so God had shielded and protected the fledgling nation of Israel. Now in the wilderness, his people would continue to find refuge in the shadow of his mighty wings as long as they remained faithful. (Deuteronomy 32:9-11; Psalm 36:7) But can we today rightly expect God’s protection?

Yes because he has promise to protect us. So as the year comes to an end put your trust in God and have faith in his protecting power over all that is yours and you shall surely be safe.

LET US PRAY
WHATEVER EVIL PLANED TO ATTACK YOU, I SEND IT BACK TO THE SENDER IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.

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THE LOVE OF CHRIST

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: THE LOVE OF CHRIST

The phrase “love of Christ,” as opposed to “love for Christ,” refers to the love that He has toward mankind. His love can be briefly stated as His willingness to act in our best interest, especially in meeting our greatest need, even though it cost Him everything and even though we were the least worthy of such love.

Though Christ Jesus, being God in nature, existed from the beginning of time with God the Father (John 1:1) and the Holy Spirit, He willingly left His throne (John 1:1-14) to become a man, that He might pay the penalty for our sin so that we would not have to pay for it for all eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). Because mankind’s sin has been paid for by our sinless Savior Jesus Christ, God who is just and holy can now forgive our sins when we accept Christ Jesus’ payment as our own (Romans 3:21-26). Thus, Christ’s love is shown in His leaving His home in heaven, where He was worshipped and honored as He deserved, to come to earth as a man where He would be mocked, betrayed, beaten, and crucified on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin, rising again from the dead on the third day. He considered our need of a Savior from our sin and its penalty as more important than His own comfort and life (Philippians 2:3-8).

This love which He demonstrated toward us on the cross is just the beginning. When we place our trust in Him as our Savior, He makes us God’s children, co-heirs with Him! He comes to dwell within us through His Holy Spirit, promising that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). Thus, we have a loving companion for life. And no matter what we go through, He is there, and His love is ever available to us (Romans 8:35). But as He rightfully reigns as a benevolent King in heaven, we need to give Him the position He deserves in our lives as well, that of Master and not merely companion. It is only then that we will experience life as He intended and live in the fullness of His love (John 10:10b).

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, REMOVE OUR NAME FROM THE BOOK OF HELL AND LET YOUR SAVING GRACE SAFE OUR SOUL IN JESUS NAME.

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IS GOD'S LOVE CONDITIONAL OR UNCONDITIONAL?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: IS GOD'S LOVE CONDITIONAL OR UNCONDITIONAL?

God’s love, as described in the Bible, is clearly unconditional in that His love is expressed toward the objects of His love (that is, His people) despite their disposition toward Him. In other words, God loves because it His nature to love (1 John 4:8), and that love moves Him toward benevolent action. The unconditional nature of God’s love is most clearly seen in the gospel. The gospel message is basically a story of divine rescue. As God considers the plight of His rebellious people, He determines to save them from their sin, and this determination is based on His love (Ephesians 1:4-5). Listen to the Apostle Paul’s words from his letter to the Romans:

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

Reading through the book of Romans, we learn that we are alienated from God due to our sin. We are at enmity with God, and His wrath is being revealed against the ungodly for their unrighteousness (Romans 1:18-20). We reject God, and God gives us over to our sin. We also learn that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) and that none of us seek God, none of us do what is right before His eyes (Romans 3:10-18).

Despite this hostility and enmity we have toward God (for which God would be perfectly just to utterly destroy us), God reveals His love toward us in the giving of His Son, Jesus Christ, as the propitiation (that is, the appeasement of God’s righteous wrath) for our sins. God did not wait for us to better ourselves as a condition of atoning for our sin. Rather, God condescended to become a man and live among His people (John 1:14). God experienced our humanity—everything it means to be a human being—and then offered Himself willingly as a substitutionary atonement for our sin.

This divine rescue resulted in a gracious act of self-sacrifice. As Jesus says in John’s gospel, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). That is precisely what God, in Christ, has done.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS.
LET YOUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE CLEAN US FROM ALL HATRED AND LET YOUR BLESSING FLOW IN TO OUR LIFE

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WHAT IS AGAPE LOVE?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHAT IS AGAPE LOVE?

The Greek word agape is often translated “love” in the New Testament. How is “agape love” different from other types of love?
The essence of agape love is goodwill, benevolence, and willful delight in the object of love. Unlike our English word love, agape is not used in the New Testament to refer to romantic or sexual love. Nor does it refer to close friendship or brotherly love, for which the Greek word philia is used.

Agape love involves faithfulness, commitment, and an act of the will. It is distinguished from the other types of love by its lofty moral nature and strong character. Agape love is beautifully described in 1 Corinthians 13.

Outside of the New Testament, the word agape is used in a variety of contexts, but in the New Testament it takes on a distinct meaning. Agape is used to describe the love that is of and from God, whose very nature is love itself: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). God does not merely love; He is love itself. Everything God does flows from His love. Agape is also used to describe our love for God (Luke 10:27), a servant’s faithful respect to his master (Matthew 6:24), and a man’s attachment to things (John 3:19).

We are to love others with agape love, whether they are fellow believers (John 13:34) or bitter enemies (Matthew 5:44). Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of sacrifice for the sake of others, even for those who may care nothing at all for us. Agape love as modeled by Christ is not based on a feeling; rather, it is a determined act of the will, a joyful resolve to put the welfare of others above our own.

Agape love does not come naturally to us. Because of our fallen nature, we are incapable of producing such a love. If we are to love as God loves, that love—that agape—can only come from its Source. This is the love that “has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” when we became His children (Romans 5:5; cf. Galatians 5:22). “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). Because of God’s love toward us, we are able to love one another

LET US PRAY
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, SEPARATE US FROM EVERY LUST AND ANY FORM IF HATRED AND LET YOUR LOVE BE IN US IN JESUS NAME. AMEN

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE GOD?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE GOD?

loving God requires knowing Him, and that knowledge begins with His Word. It may sound glib, but to know Him is to love Him.

To love God is to worship and praise Him. "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only'" (Luke 4:8).

To love God is to put Him first. The number-one commandment is to love God “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). It’s an undivided love. God is our priority. If we love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, then we won’t allow other things to crowd in.

Our love for God is manifested by loving people (Mark 12:31), but we do not love the things of the world. “Earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25). We cannot love this present world and God at the same time (1 John 2:15); love for what the world offers can lead us astray (2 Timothy 4:10).

To love God is to desire Him, to yearn for His righteousness, His Word, and His grace. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1). Once we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), we want more of Him. If we love God, we will be like Mary of Bethany, “who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said” (Luke 10:39).

Suppose a man is separated from his sweetheart and receives a letter from her. His first action will be to eagerly open the letter and pore over its contents. His love for his beloved will naturally cause him to love her correspondence with him. The same is true with our love for God’s Word. Because we love the Author, we love His message to us. We read it avidly and often, we hold it close, and we hide its words in our hearts.

Finally, to love God is to obey Him. Jesus tells us, “If you love me you will obey what I command” (John 14:15, 23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3). However, this is not a matter of merely following rules and registering good deeds. It is about having God’s love written indelibly on our hearts. We naturally wish to please those we love. When we love God, we will want to please Him and obey His commands eagerly. “I delight to do your will” (Psalm 40:8).

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST, LET YOUR LOVE BE IN US AND LET POWER OF HATRED BE SUBDUE IN JESUS NAME.

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WHY DOES GOD LOVE US?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHY DOES GOD LOVE US?

This short question is among the most profound questions ever asked. And no human would ever be able to answer it sufficiently. One thing is certain, however. God does not love us because we are lovable or because we deserve His love. If anything, the opposite is true. The state of mankind since the fall is one of rebellion and disobedience. Jeremiah 17:9 describes man’s inner condition: “The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Who can know it?” Our innermost beings are so corrupted by sin that even we don’t realize the extent to which sin has tainted us. In our natural state, we do not seek God; we do not love God; we do not desire God. Romans 3:10-12 clearly presents the state of the natural, unregenerate person: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” How then is it possible for a holy, righteous, and perfect God to love such creatures? To understand this we must understand something of the nature and character of God.

First John 4:8 and 16 tell us that “God is love.” Never was a more important declaration made than this—God is love. This is a profound statement. God doesn’t just love; He is love. His nature and essence are love. Love permeates His very being and infuses all His other attributes, even His wrath and anger. Because God’s very nature is love, He must demonstrate love,

Since it is God's essential nature to love, He demonstrates His love by lavishing it on undeserving people who are in rebellion against Him. God’s love is not a sappy, sentimental, romantic feeling. Rather, it is agape love, the love of self-sacrifice. He demonstrates this sacrificial love by sending His Son to the cross to pay the penalty for our sin (1 John 4:10), by drawing us to Himself (John 6:44), by forgiving us of our rebellion against Him, and by sending His Holy Spirit to dwell within us, thereby enabling us to love as He loves. He did this in spite of the fact that we did not deserve it. "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

God's love is personal. He knows each of us individually and loves us personally. His is a mighty love that has no beginning and no end. It is this experiencing of God’s love that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions. Why does God love us? It is because of who He is: "God is love."

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, LET YOUR LOVE CONTINUE TO MANIFEST IN US AND LET THIS WEEK BE OUR WEEK OF BLESSING IN JESUS NAME

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LOVE IS VULNERABLE TO THE OTHER

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: LOVE IS VULNERABLE TO THE OTHER

John 13

love opens up its life to another person. It goes beyond sentimental feelings. It breaks down barriers. It exposes the heart.

Think about Jesus. He left the glory of heaven to come to earth. He veiled His divinity and took on humanity. And what did it get him?
"He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him" (John 1:11).

Can you imagine being away on a business trip for a week, coming home, and your family not recognizing you?
That's similar to what Jesus experienced when he came to earth. Surely that must have hurt. Then, as Jesus hung on the cross, dying for these people that he loved, they hurled abuses, scorn, and ridicule.
His heart was broken. And yet, He forgave them.
Christian love is the most costly investment you will ever make.

LET US PRAY
EVERY SATANIC MANIPULATION IN US THAT IS CAUSING LUST INSTEAD OF GODS LOVE, WE CAST YOU OUT IN JESUS NAME.

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DEMONSTRATION OF THE VIRTUE OF LOVE

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC DEMONSTRATION OF THE VIRTUE OF LOVE

How do we demonstrate the distinctiveness of Christian love? Because virtue is moral action we practice, How can we practice the glorious virtue of love?

Love values the other person
Let's not confuse Christian love with its modern counterfeits - lust, sentimentality, and gratification. While love is a wonderful, warm feeling, it is not only a feeling. In fact, according to the Bible, love is primarily an active interest in the well-being of another person. Love acts for the benefit of others.

According to William Barclay love "is the spirit in the heart that will never seek anything but the highest good of its fellow man."
God loved us not because we had something to offer him, but rather because He had something to offer us. "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

God loved us so that He could demonstrate His mercy to us in the person of His Son.

everyone around us is of incredible value to God as a potential object of His mercy. His one and only Son died in their place. Because people matter so much to him, they ought to matter to us. And, we, therefore, need to love them as he loves them.

LET US PRAY
EVERY SPIRIT OF HATRED AND JEALOUSY IN US, LORD JESUS CAST THEM OUT IN JESUS NAME.

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LOVE DISTINGUISH US FROM THE WORLD.

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: LOVE DISTINGUISH US FROM THE WORLD.

Embody the distinguishing nature of love

When we demonstrate Christian love, it distinguishes believers from the rest of the world.

Jesus goes on to say, "By this [love] all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

Notice Jesus did not say that people will know that you are my disciples if you promote my agenda, or wear Christian T-shirts or a WWJD bracelet, or have a fish decal on your car, but rather if you love one another.

A watching world will be persuaded not when our values are promoted but when they are incarnated, when we become purveyors of love. It is as though Jesus has given the entire world the right to judge whether or not one is His follower simply on the basis of their love for fellow human beings. The vivacious virtue of love distinguishes the Christian.

From the very beginning, God's plan was to develop a people that reflected his character. And what is his character? Love. "God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; for we are as He is in this world" (1 John 4:16-17).

Believers are God's advertisement to a watching society as to how individuals could best live in that society. In fact, Christian love will always be the best apologetic that the church has.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST MAKE US YOUR GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THE LOVE THAT WILL CHANGE THE WORLD TO YOU IN JESUS NAME.

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UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE

When Jesus spoke to the disciples regarding the first and second greatest commands, he explained that "All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands" (Matt. 22:40).

To the people of Israel, as well as for many believers today, it would seem more logical for obedience to be the peg from which the Law hangs, since the point of writing a law is adherence to it.
And it is written, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15).

Yet Jesus also said, "I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another" (John 13:34).

The apostle Paul goes on to tell us "Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom. 13:10).
This may sound irrelevant to our generation that depends on police departments, guns, and force to uphold and fulfill the law. Yet Jesus' simple command requires greater strength than any of us naturally possess - more power than any man-made weapon.
The logic of Paul's interpretation of Jesus' command that love fulfills the Law seems equally simple.
For if one loves his neighbor, he will not commit adultery with his neighbor's spouse. If he loves his coworker, he will not lie to him. And if loves his enemy, he will not slander him.

Love fulfills the law, because if we truly love every person because he is a person, we will not desire to hurt or violate him or her, thus never break the law. God established love as the impetus for obedience.

LET US PRAY
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER IN JESUS NAME. LET YOUR POWER OF LOVE COME IN TO OUR LIFE AND MAKE US LOVE AS YOU DESIRE IN JESUS NAME.

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MAKE LOVE A PRIORITY

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: MAKE LOVE A PRIORITY

John 13

The Bible says we are to love one another. Sounds good, but can we do it?
Even people at church can be difficult to love. Sometimes we sing a chorus in church: "I'm so glad you're a part of the family of God," and then we look at the person beside us and sing, "I'm surprised you're part of the family of God."
Sometimes it's hard enough to love our own family. One guy told his wife that if she had really loved him she would have married someone else.
How do we make love a dominating characteristic of our lives?

Indeed loving people is difficult. Yet this is what the Bible commands. "For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another" (1 John 3:11).

We spend time on what we deem important. For many of us these choices are valid: time with family and friends, work, prayer, serving the poor, fighting for rights, protesting wrongs. But as the Scripture reminds us, "And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing" (1 Cor. 13:3).

Even though we have the freedom to set our own priorities, Jesus made a point of defining certain ones of them for us: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matt. 22:37-39).

Love, then, is not a gray area the Scriptures. Jesus gave love priority over all other Christian virtues. Every thought, response, and act of goodwill must first pass through the fine filter of love, or it means nothing at all.

In "Strength to Love", Martin Luther King, Jr., encouraged us to realize that "our responsibility as Christians is to discover the meaning of this command and seek passionately to live it out in our daily lives."

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, HELP US TO LOVE TRULY IN YOUR WAY IN JESUS NAME.

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GOD'S BLESSINGS ARE ACTIVATED BY OUR CHOICES.

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: GOD'S BLESSINGS ARE ACTIVATED BY OUR CHOICES.

Deuteronomy 28 is a long chapter of sixty eight verses. This chapter is divided into two parts. These first fourteen verses have to do with blessing. The remaining verses speak of cursing. Blessings or cursing, the choice was theirs.

Deuteronomy 30:15 says, "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil."

Israel was left with a choice, and so are we. While God is certainly sovereign, only a fool would deny the fact of human responsibility. Every human born of woman, has a choice to make. In this life, we will choose between God or Satan, eternal life or eternal death; a life of blessing or a life of cursing. As children, our parents make many of our choices, but eventually we must choose for ourselves! The secret to securing the blessings of God, is to choose obedience over rebellion.

The Bible tells us that "God is love," and love must make a choice. God is not going to save you against your will.

How many of us would want to marry someone against his other will?

Marriage is a decision of love. Salvation is a decision of love. God in His divine pure love chose in eternity past to redeem us through His Son, Jesus Christ. We must choose to receive the Son by faith at the preaching of the Word of God and conviction of the Holy Spirit of God.

It is the same when it comes to serving God. We serve Him because we love Him. As God's children, none of us merit or deserve the least of His blessings. All blessings come to us by God's grace! However, everyday we make choices that place us in the path of God's blessings or the path of God's correction. God help us to make the right choices!

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, HELP US TO MAKE A RIGHT CHOICE IN JESUS NAME.

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GOD'S BLESSINGS ARE ATTACHED TO HIS COMMANDMENTS.

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: GOD'S BLESSINGS ARE ATTACHED TO HIS COMMANDMENTS.

Text: Deuteronomy 28:1-2. "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God."

Verse 1 tells us that if we hear the Lord God and live in obedience to His commandments, His Word, then we can know we are on the road to His blessings. We find the same condition in John 15:10. Jesus said, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love."

Do you get the message? Keep yourself near the Word of God, the people of God, involved in the things of God, doing the will of God, and God will bless your life. Dwelling with God, living in obedience to His Word, is the secret to securing God's blessings.

Now that is easily said, but is not easy. The flesh, the devil, and the world, are purposed to pull you away from the will and Word of God. Only as you are purposed, determined, to keep yourself focused upon God and His Word, will you be successful in life.

LET US PRAY
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, GRANT US YOUR MIND TO DO YOUR COMMANDMENT IN JESUS NAME.

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HOW TO POSITION YOURSELF FOR GOD’S BLESSINGS

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: HOW TO POSITION YOURSELF FOR GOD’S BLESSINGS

You must be at the right place at the right time. You need to change you location to change your position. The people you surround yourself with are important to your faith. Association determines your faith. You will need to leave some of your associates, friends and relatives. You need to change your position to change your condition – Pro. 27:8.

You need to change a number of environments: mental, psychological, physical, spiritual, et al.

You must live a life of obedience – Gen. 12:4, 13:14-16, 15:18. When a man acts in obedience to God’s word there is a blessing for it – Gen. 21:12-20, 22:1-2 and 16-18,.

For a blessing to go into operation, you must live a live obedience.
You must live a life of sacrifice. When sacrifices are offered God shows up. Sacrifice is a thing of importance to God. It is anything you do or give that cost you something and it essentially comes from the heart. When it is a sacrifice it moves God.

Hannah gave her son, Abraham gave God his only son, and the widow of Zarephath gave her last meal. Sacrifice is doing things from the heart – Gen. 46:1-2, 1 Kings 3:4-5.

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, POSITION US TO THE RIGHT PLACE OF YOUR BLESSING IN JESUS NAME.

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Faithfulness in Marriage

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: FAITHFULNESS IN MARRIAGE

Eph. 5:31 speaks of the bond that exists between the husband and the wife. It is a bond that can only exist between two people. There is no room in the marriage relationship for a third party.

It is never acceptable for a man or a woman to have a sexual or emotional relationship with a member of the opposite sex on the side.
Our relationship with our spouse is to be one of absolute faithfulness, both physically and emotionally. Adultery is a sin regardless of the form it takes, Ex. 20:14; Matt. 5:28.

Marriage is one of the greatest gifts God ever gave to humanity. But, it is truly beautiful when it is operates like God intended it to.

Has He spoken to you about your marriage? Husbands and wives might want to come and pray together today. You might want to ask the Lord to strengthen your bonds. You might want to iron out some troubled places. You might need to apologize to your spouse for acting like a jerk. You might want to come and thank God for what He has done in your home. This would be a great time to make your marriage stronger.

Had He spoken to you about some sin or failure in your life? He offers forgiveness, if you will bring it to Him, 1 John 1:9. If you are out of God’s will come home. If you are lost come to Jesus.

Let this weekend be sweet in your home. Do the necessary.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST HELP US TO BE FAITHFUL TO YOU AND TO OUR SPOUSES IN OUR UNION IN JESUS NAME.

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THE PLACE OF RESPECT IN MARRIAGE

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: THE PLACE OF RESPECT IN MARRIAGE

Respect –
Mutual respect is fundamental for any marriage that expects long term success. Several passages speak about this matter. Let’s consider a few today.

Eph. 5:22-24 – These verses have been among the most loved and hated of the New Testament. Some men love to hang these verses over the heads of their wives and demand that they fall down before them in obedience. Some women read these verses and feel that they make the wife inferior to the husband. Neither interpretation is correct.

God is not establishing the husband as some kind of dictator in the home. Nor is God relegating the wife to a place of servitude. The word “submit” means “to arrange under”. The truly spiritual wife recognizes God’s order in the home. She understands that it is a reflection of God’s order in the church. Jesus is the head of the church and we are to submit to His headship. The husband has been given the responsibility of leading the home and the godly wife follows the husband’s leadership willingly and humbly.

The husband is not to demand submission from the wife. She is to offer it freely and lovingly. This submission is to her “own husband” only! Women are not subservient to men. They are equals, even in the home. But, God has invested leadership in the husband and he will be held responsible for the home. He will give an account for his actions as the head of the home when he stands before Jesus.

Eph. 5:28-29 – I willingly submit the Lordship of the Jesus in my life because I know He loves me. I understand that He gave Himself to save me sacrificially, willingly, lovingly and unconditionally. I respond to His love by submitting to Him. The same is true in the home. When the husband loves His wife sacrificially, willingly, lovingly and unconditionally, she will respond by respecting him.

The reason some wives have a hard time submitting to their mates is because the man is anything but Christ-like in his love for her! Ladies, this is no excuse for rebellion in the home! You are told to “submit” without respect to how he acts toward you. Even if your husband is lost, you have the duty of submission, Ill. 1 Pet. 3:1-6. Men, your wife will be more likely to follow your lead if she knows you love her with every fiber of your being.

Verses 28-29 teach us that the husband is to love his life like he loves his own flesh. Husbands are to “nourish” their wives, and they are to “cherish” their wives.

LET US PRAY
IN JESUS NAME, LORD HELP US TO FOLLOW YOUR FOOTSTEP AND MAKE US A LOVING SPOUSES IN JESUS NAME.

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LOYALTY IN MARRIAGE

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: LOYALTY IN MARRIAGE

Eph. 5:31 speaks of the law of “leaving and cleaving”. This was what God expected of the first married couple, Gen. 2:24, and it is what He expects of every other married couple. When a man and woman are married, there is a fundamental shift in their relationships to others.

Their relationship with the parents is altered forever. It can still be strong, but the marriage relationship must have preeminence over the parental relationship. Children need to let go and so do parents. Few things are more devastating to a marriage than a failure to “leave and cleave”.

The word “joined” means “to be glued”. It is the idea of two things being bonded together in such a way that they cannot be torn apart. It is a bond so strong and so deep that you cannot tell where one begins and the other ends.

This kind of loyalty is spelled out in 1 Cor. 13:7. Look at the characteristics of true loyalty.

Beareth all things – Loyal even when things are tough. It doesn’t walk out in the day of trouble.

Believeth all things – Loyalty believes in ones mate. It trusts them.

Hopeth all things – Loyalty never looks for the worst in them, but only believes the best.

Endureth all things – Loyalty sticks it out. Loyalty does not abandon the fort

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST GIVE OUR UNION LOYALTY THAT WE BUILD A HAPPIER FAMILY IN JESUS NAME.

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Importance of love in building a strong marriage

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: IMPORTANCE OF LOVE IN BUILDING A STRONG MARRIAGE

There are several non-negotiable essentials that stand as pillars in every strong, spiritual marriage.

Love –
When we speak of love, we are not talking about the kind of love portrayed in Hollywood. Movies and television depict love as nothing more than sexual desire. While the sexual relationship within the context of marriage is very important, 1 Cor. 7:1-5, even it flows from a deeper, more spiritual kind of love.

Paul describes the kind of love we are talking about in 1 Cor. 13:4-6. A closer look of love’s character is in order here.

v. 4 Suffereth Long - This word means “patient endurance even when provoked, long-tempered”. Love does not retaliate!

v. 4 Is Kind - This word refers to active goodness. It is never hateful or mean. Love is kind in words and actions.

v. 4 Envieth Not - True love is not jealous. Instead of being jealous when others prosper or excel, love is pleased when they do well.

v. 4 Vaunteth Not Itself - Literally, this phrase means “does not make a parade”. Love does not brag! It does not draw attention to itself or to what it is doing.

v. 4 Is Not Puffed Up - Love is not arrogant or proud. It does not demand to be number one.

v. 5 Does Not Behave Itself Unseemly - Love is never rude, but it always treats others with compassion, consideration and respect!

v. 5 Seeketh Not Her Own - True love is never selfish and self-centered, but it is actively interested in what will profit others. It never looks at itself first, but it always considers another ahead of itself.

v. 5 Is Not Easily Provoked - True loves keeps no record of evils done to it, but it willingly endures all slights and injuries. It is not irritable.

v. 5 Thinketh No Evil - “takes no worthless inventory” Two thoughts are in mind here. First, genuine love does not attribute evil motives to people. Second, genuine love does not keep a record of evils done to it. It doesn’t hold a grudge.

v. 6 Rejoiceth Not In Iniquity - Love does not rejoice in sin.

v. 6 Rejoiceth In The Truth - It rejoices when truth is proclaimed and when truth wins the victory. Love is glad for the truth, even when the truth hurts. Love is glad when truth wins the day!

This kind of love is to be mutual. The husband is commanded to love his wife with every fiber of his being, Eph. 5:25; 28, 31. The wife is commanded to love her husband, Titus 2:4. A home filled with love is a home filled with the essence of Heaven!

LET US PRAY
DEAR FATHER, PLEASE FILL OUR HOME WITH YOUR LOVE AND MAKE OUR HOME A GOOD EXAMPLE IN JESUS NAME.

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Making your marriage strong

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: MAKING YOUR MARRIAGE STRONG

Psalm 127:1 says, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” This verse teaches us the truth that every endeavor in life must be based on a relationship with God.

This is especially true when it comes to our marriages. If they are to be strong; if they are to glorify God; if they are to be a blessing to us and other; they must be built on the bedrock of a strong and serious relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

As His love operates in the heart of a husband and a wife, the married couple is better able to love one another. I am able to love my wife better today than I could before I knew the Lord. My love is deeper, stronger and more pure because I am able to love her with His love. People in love with Jesus are able to be channels through which His love can flow to those around us.

Being rightly related to the Lord Jesus brings a divine dimension to marriage. When both the husband and the wife are in a vital, growing relationship with the Lord, they can pray together. They can worship together. They can discuss the things of God together. Their mutual relationship with God moves their own relationship beyond the physical into the spiritual. Thus, their love is stronger, purer and more enduring than it could ever be otherwise.

As most of us know, over 50% of all marriages in our nation fail. Many fall apart during the stormy times. Things like debt, lust, business of life, loss of interest in the other partner, and a host of other things can bring marriages to the brink of disaster.

No marriage, not even Christian marriages are immune from these upheavals. However, a marriage that stands on the bedrock of a strong relationship with Jesus Christ can weather any storm that comes along. (Ill. Luke 6:47-49)

·Marriages in which both partners are not saved can and do last for many years. That is a wonderful thing. Still, those marriages can never achieve the spiritual purposes God has for marriage. The marriage is real and the love deep, but it can never be everything God designed marriage to be.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS, LET YOUR LOVE BIND US TOGETHER IN OUR MARRIAGE TILL THY KINGDOM COME IN JESUS NAME.

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God's pattern for marriage

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: GOD'S PATTERN FOR MARRIAGE

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh" Genesis 2 v 24.

All the way through the Scriptures starting at Genesis chapter 2 we see that in marriage a man and woman leave their parents and are joined together by God to set up a distinct family unit.

This is a picture of the marriage of Christ and His church (His bride) which He loved and for which He gave Himself for.

In speaking of marriage in Ephesians 5 v 32 Paul says "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church." The marvel of this great story of love; of the Love of Christ who gave all that he had that He might win that which He valued so highly.
A marriage that will last for eternity, a picture of which we can experience now.
Our marriages should be full of this love of Christ; giving them a holiness and a powerful testimony in the world, which thing Satan hates. He hates all that is precious to Christ!

Marriage is for many reason of which raising of children in a secure loving environment is part.
We see the problem in society where children are raised without this security, and the instability it brings to children when this is broken.

In our verse, "A man" would indicate a mature person who is able to take the positive decision to "leave" his parents, and the responsibility that goes with that decision.

"Cleave" would indicate a bond of affection, which is enduring; literally to glue or cement. A permanent relationship of love.

Being "one flesh" would indicate oneness of activity and purpose and also the physical relationship.

Marriage is the God-given relationship for the display of our natural affections and desires.

Marriage is until the Lord shall come or death breaks the bond.

Matthew 19 v 6 says "What God hath joined together let not man put asunder."

In marriage too, an individual loses his own identity and both become a new person: "And they twain shall be one flesh: so that they are no more twain but one flesh."

(Matthew 10 v 8) If we take Christ as our pattern we should give our love to our partner, wanting only their love in return. (He loved us and gave Himself for us. Ephesians 5 v 25) and as this is displayed love will grow.
The husband has the role of responsibility as head and the wife the subject position as I have written previously in our morning meal some weeks ago.

This is God's order to which we must be prepared to submit if we wish His blessing Ephesians 5 v 22 and 23 "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husband, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife."

If you are considering marriage are you prepared to share everything with your partner as one person: yourself, your time, your money, your interests, your friends so that all you do will be only that which you are both happily agreed upon before the Lord?
Ephesians 5 v 21 "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of the Lord."
I write this topic this weekend for you to sit with your partner and discuss your marriage. Either single or married. HAPPY WEEKEND.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST. MAKE US A PERFECT COUPLE TO YOUR GLORY AND OUR BLESSING IN JESUS NAME.

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Giving Produces joy

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: Giving produces joy

"For God so loved the world, he gave . . ." (John 3:16). We are never more like God than when we give. Jesus said, "I did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life" (Matt. 20:28). The world's thought is get all you can. But to be like Jesus, we must give.

You've heard it said, "Give until it hurts." That's not true. People don't give because it hurts. They give because it feels good. Again Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35, NIV). The happiest people on earth are givers. They have discovered the joy of giving.

Author Thomas Carlyle tells how, when he was a boy, a beggar came to his door. His parents were out and he was alone in the house. On a boyish impulse, he broke into his own savings bank and gave the beggar all that was in it. He said that never before or since did he know such sheer joy in giving.

When we give of ourselves our heart is changed. And the heart of our Christ shows through.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST, OPEN THE WINDOW OF YOUR BLESSING TO US AND LET YOUR JOY OVERFLOW IN US IN JESUS NAME.

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Giving lead to life

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: Giving leads to life

In the Holy Land, fresh water comes from a brook and fills the Sea of Galilee. This body of water has always been fruitful in fish.
And then the Sea of Galilee takes that water and gives it to the Jordan River. That famous river uses its water to turn the desert into a rose and make it the land of milk and honey.
The Jordan River spills into the Dead Sea.
The Dead Sea does not have an outlet. It takes the water in but does not give any away. That produces the saline problem which makes it salty and dead. Nothing lives in the Dead Sea.

This is a universal principle: One has to give to live. Jesus said "Give, and it will be given to you,".

Karl Menninger said, "Our capacity to give is one of the best indications of mental health.

I have known very few generous people who were mentally ill." The fact remains, abundant living begins with abundant giving.

learn how to give, and you shall not lack, people who begged are not always satisfied and their always at the low class anywhere in the world.
Change your mind and your attitude will change for a fruitful life.

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, MAKE US A RICH GIVER AND NOT A POOR BEGER IN JESUS NAME,

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Giving entails a sacrifice

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: Giving entails a sacrifice

Jesus said, "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28, NIV).

Since godly giving entails a sacrifice, does he expect anything less from us?

Jesus observed a touching event when he watched people give contributions to the Temple. Many people gave considerable amounts. Then came a widow. She gave two coins amounting to less than a cent.
Then Jesus used her action as an object lesson for His disciples. Jesus was saying to His disciples that the size of the gift does not matter as much as the size of the sacrifice.
The woman could have kept one of the coins and everyone would have understood. But, she gave everything she had. She did not hold anything back.

The heart of Christianity says that you haven't given God anything until you have given God everything.

At 30, Florence Nightingale wrote in her diary, "I am thirty years of age, the age at which Christ began his mission. Now no more childish things, no more vain things. Now, Lord, let me think only of Thy will." Years later, near the end of her illustrious, heroic life, she was asked for her life's secret, and she replied, "Well, I can only give one explanation. That is, I have kept nothing back from God."

Note this friends, What you are keeping away from God will keep God away from you if you don't let it go.

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, HELP US TO GIVE YOU ALL THAT YOU REQUIRE OF US IN JESUS NAME.

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Giving begins with a cause

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: Giving begins with a cause

Matthew 20:28

The disciples of Jesus gave up everything to follow Him. They left behind homes and jobs and security to follow this Nazarene Carpenter. Why would those men give up everything to follow an itinerant preacher? Because they were captured by a cause. The kingdom of God was at hand. The Son of God was in their midst. They wanted to be a part of a life-changing cause.

Such actions did not stop with the first followers of Jesus. The Book of Acts records men and women giving up houses, incomes, possessions, land, time, and talents to follow Christ. These people were persecuted, murdered, and endured suffering. Why would they endure such pain and torture? Because they saw themselves as a part of a great cause.

These early Christians saw giving as the means of Kingdom building. In giving what they could, the expansion of God's kingdom on earth would occur.

We can selfishly live for ourselves, meagerly exist and eventually die. Or, we can give ourselves to the greatest cause of reaching people for Christ and therefore find life.

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, MAKE US PART OF KINGDOM BUILDER AND NOT KINGDOM DESTROYER IN JESUS NAME.

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Wife's role in Marriage

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: Wife's Role in Marriage

Submission

"Submit" to the leadership of your husband. Just mention the word "submission," and many women immediately become angry and even hostile. This controversial concept has been highly debated and misunderstood.

Some husbands and wives actually believe submission indicates that women are inferior to men in some way. I have known women who think that if they submit they will lose their identity and become "non-persons." Others fear (some with good reason) that submission leads to being used or abused.

Another misconception is that submission means blind obedience on the part of the woman. She can give no input to her husband, question nothing, and only stay obediently barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.

What does God have in mind? Here are two passages from Scripture:

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them (Colossians 3:18-19).

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body(Ephesians 5:22-30).

These Scriptures make it clear that a wife should submit voluntarily to her husband's sensitive and loving leadership. Therefore, as wife voluntarily submit to her husband, she is completing him. She is helping him fulfill his responsibilities, and she is helping him become the man, the husband, and the leader God intended him to be.

Building oneness in marriage works best when both partners choose to fulfill their responsibilities voluntarily, with no pressure or coercion.
To become the servant-leader God has commanded him to be,
I needs my wife gracious respect and submission. And when i love my wife the way God commanded to, she can be more easily submit herself to my leadership.
She can do this with an attitude of entrusting herself to God.

In one of his letters, Peter told us that even though Jesus suffered terrible pain and insults, He did not retaliate "but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23). When you entrust your life to the Father, it's much easier to be the wife of an imperfect man, particularly when you may have disagreements.

NOTE THIS, Some of you may live with abuse or in excessively unhealthy and destructive conditions in your marriage. At times, it may be inappropriate or even life-threatening for you to apply unquestioningly the principles of submission.

For example, if you are being physically or verbally abused, you may need to take steps to protect yourself and your children. You may need to say to your husband, "I love you, but enough is enough." If you are in that situation, please discerningly seek out your pastor or someone wise who has been trained to help with your specific issue.

Loving, forgiving, and submitting do not mean that you become a doormat or indefinitely tolerate significantly destructive behavior that can send you to hell.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST, COME AND BE THE KING OF OUR UNION TO LIVE A PERFECT JESUS COUPLE LIFE IN JESUS NAME.

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Wife's Role In Marriage

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: Wife's Role in Marriage

...Continue from yesterday...

The Lord expect every wife to love their husband and demonstrate it. Because love is not only in words but in demonstration.

Love your husband.

Titus 2:4 calls for wives "to love their husbands." A good description of the kind of love your husband needs is "unconditional acceptance." In other words, accept your husband just as he is—an imperfect person.

Love also means being committed to a mutually fulfilling sexual relationship.

I realize there is a whole lot more to love than sex, but as a woman you must be looking at how to fulfill God's command to love your husbands. Therefore, we must look at love from your husband perspective, not just your own.

Surveys show that sex is one of a man's most important needs—if not the most important. When a wife resists intimacy, is uninterested, or is only passively interested, her husband may feel rejection. It will cut at his self-image, tear at him to the very center of his being, and create isolation.

Your husband's sexual needs should be more important and higher on your priority list than menus, housework, projects, activities, and even the children. It does not mean that you should think about sex all day and every day, but it does mean that you should find ways to remember your husband and his needs. It means you save some of your energy for him.

It keeps you from being selfish and living only for your own needs and wants. Maintaining that focus helps you defeat isolation in your marriage.

This is another important role of a wife in the marriage which keep the fire of the marriage burning last forever.
...Continue tomorrow

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KEEP YOUR LOVE IN OUR HEART TO KEEP OUR MARRIAGE PERFECT IN JESUS NAME.

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Wife's role in Marriage

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: Wife's Role in Marriage

Thanks to some brethren who read my last morning meal on the role of husband to his wife. I will be writing the role of the wife to her husband too as many has demanded.

Perhaps more than at any other time in history, women today need a clear understanding of how they should relate to their husbands. In fact, the significant social changes brought about by the women's movement over the last few decades have led to such confusion that the very idea of "roles" is repugnant to some. They feel as if somehow they lose their identity and their freedom if they adhere to some type of "outdated standard."

It's important for us to look clearly at what the Bible says on this subject. And while the Bible doesn't apply our modern word "role" to marriage, the Scriptures are clear about the unique responsibilities God assigns to a wife.

A wife's responsibilities can be properly understood only in the context of loving, servant leadership by her husband.

1. Be a helper to your husband.

While all of us are called to be helpers to others, the Bible places a special emphasis on this responsibility for wives.

Genesis tells us that God realized it wasn't good for man to be alone, and that He decided to make a "helper suitable for him" (Gen. 2:18).

It is interesting to note that the Hebrew meaning of the word helper in this passage is found hereafter in the Bible to refer only to God as He helps us.
The fact that this same word is applied to a wife signifies that women have been given tremendous power for good in their husbands' lives.

God has designed wives to help their husbands become all that God intends for them to be.

2. Respect your husband.

In Ephesians 5:33, Paul says, " … the wife must respect her husband."

When you respect your husband you reverence him, notice him, regard him, honor him, prefer him, and esteem him. It means valuing his opinion, admiring his wisdom and character, appreciating his commitment to you, and considering his needs and values.

Husbands have many needs. man who is self-contained, independent, and invulnerable is a myth. list of what is considered to be some of the primary needs most men have:

Self-confidence in his personhood as a man.
To be listened to
Companionship
To be needed
To me, meeting these needs is what respecting your husband is all about.

Every husband wants his wife to be on his team, to coach him when necessary, but most of all to be his cheerleader.

A husband needs a wife who is behind him, believing in him, appreciating him, and cheering him on as he goes out into the world every day.
...CONTINUE TOMORROW.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST, DON'T ALLOW DEVIL TO BRAKE OUR GODLY HOME IN JESUS NAME. AMEN

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Vow

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: VOW

In the bible, a vow has a place in initiating the unusual move of God and miracles in people's lives. In the old and new testament, a vow was always a pledge or promise made to God, never to another person. It was always an expression of unusual devotion. It was also a commitment and was usually voluntary.

A vow is a promise made to God to do something for God in return for a miracle or help we need from Him when there is no other way out. God in His divine mercy has given us the privilege to make a vow and receive a miracle from Him and then fulfil the promise we make to Him. The making of vows are used when one is in crisis or when we have missed God and ended up in a dead-end road.
There are important points you need to know regarding vows.

1. God requires you to fulfil the vow without delaying when it is made and when He brings it to pass; Ecclesiastes 5:4-6, Deuteronomy 23:21-23.

2. God honours the vows we make; Genesis 28:20-22.

3. Make vows you can easily keep, be specific, do not be rash or careless in making vows; Judges 11:29-40.

4. You must be Spirit-led, there is a place for making a vow; I Samuel 1:10-11. We must learn to let go and let God. A Spirit-led vow can be for your own protection; Job 31:1.

A vow is not an outdated thing, it is a God thing. We will all have to make a vow with God at one point or another in our lives.

LET US PRAY
I declare and I pray, that every God-given vow you make, you will see it come to pass, and God will give you the grace to pay the vow. And if there are vows you have made to God out of lack of understanding or irrationally, I speak the mercy of God over you life, no more condemnation in the name of Jesus.

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Christian Giving

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: CHRISTIAN GIVING

...CONTINUE FROM LAST WEEK

6. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in light of the incarnation.

Many Christians argue about whether the tithe (10% of our income) is still the standard for our giving to the Church (disputants usually want to show that less than 10% is fine).

Paul scuttles the whole debate in one verse. He says: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Christ's self-giving is now the standard for our giving! We begin from the base of the tithe and aim for emulation of His self-sacrifice. Our giving is to be inspired and instructed by Christ's inexpressible gift. In light of such a challenge, who could possibly satisfy himself with asking "how little a percentage is acceptable for me to give?" Do you try to get by with giving as little as possible to the Lord, or do you give in view of the Lord's costly sacrifice?

7. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in accordance with our means.

Paul is quite clear on this: "For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have" (2 Corinthians 8:12).

In another way Paul is saying that you should give in proportion to what God has given you. He said it this way in 1 Corinthians 16:2, "each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper."

This means at least two things:

(1) since we are all supposed to give proportionately, those who have more money are expected to give more [those who are particularly blessed materially must remember this], and

(2) the Lord never asks us to give what we do not have, or contribute beyond our means. Are you really giving in proportion to the material blessings that the Lord has given you?

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BLESS US THIS WEEK ACCORDING TO YOUR RICHES IN JESUS NAME. AMEN

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