DCLM Daily Manna April 29, 2017 by Pastor Kumuyi – Love, Not Hatred

Topic: Love, Not Hatred [Saturday April 29, 2017]

Text: 1 Samuel 20:24-34

Key Verse: "And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David" (1 Samuel 20:33).

Being loved is the second-best thing in the world, while loving someone is the best. When you love, you do yourself a favour because you open the floodgates of love from others to you. Hatred or a feeling of revenge does more harm to the hater than the hated.

This is because the hater bears alone the tearing within, of a deep-seated, untreated wound everywhere he goes. Oh, what needless pain! King Saul, in our text, displayed so much anger as a result of hatred for David that he almost killed his heir-apparent, Jonathan, with a javelin. Saul had been after David’s life since the day the women of Israel sang and attributed ten thousands victory to David and just thousands to him (1 Samuel 18:6-9).

His jealousy and hatred made him forget the victory that God wrought in Israel through David. He so sought David’s life at all costs that he lost his peace of mind and murdered eighty-five priests including men, women and children (1 Samuel 22:6-19). The Scripture is clear on the issue of hatred. "...He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:14,15).

You cannot harbour thoughts of hatred, malice, strive, envy, jealousy, wickedness or vengeance in your heart against anyone and claim to have eternal life at the same time. The love of God in the heart of many Christians today is decreasing because the devil is stealthily gaining access into their minds through a swarm of iniquities that dug the landscape. Examine your life to see if the true love of God still abides in you. Do you still love people sincerely and unconditionally as you used to when you first met the Lord? Christ counsels: "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent..."

Thought for the day: Love, a spiritual force transforms an enemy into a friend.

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Corinthians 12-14

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Our Daily Bread Devotional, April 29, 2017 - When Morning Comes

Topic: When Morning Comes [Saturday April 29, 2017]

Read: Hebrews 11:1–8, Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 6–7; Luke 20:27–47

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

It was very late when we stopped for the night at a country inn outside of Munich. We were delighted to see that our cozy room had a balcony, although an oppressive fog made it impossible to see into the darkness. But when the sun rose a few hours later, the haze began to fade. Then we could see what had been grimly shrouded the night before—a completely idyllic scene—peaceful and lush green meadow, sheep grazing with tiny tinkling bells about their necks, and big white clouds in the sky that looked exactly like more sheep—huge, fluffy sheep!

Sometimes life can get clouded over by a heavy fog of despair. Our situation may look so dark that we begin to lose hope. But just as the sun burns away a fog, our faith in God can burn away the haze of doubt. Hebrews 11 defines faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (v. 1). The passage goes on to remind us of the faith of Noah, who was “warned about things not yet seen,” yet obeyed God (v. 7). And Abraham who went where God directed—even though he didn’t know where that would be (v. 8).

Though we have not seen Him and cannot always feel His presence, God is always present and will help us through our darkest nights.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your promise to walk with us through all of life. In moments of doubt, help us to have the confidence You are in control and we can trust You.

Faith is the radar that sees through the fog. Corrie ten Boom

Insight:

In the generations before the great flood, Abel, Enoch, and Noah responded to the spiritual light they had been given. Abel had his sacrifice received by God in worship, Enoch was taken up into heaven without death, and Noah saved his family from the judgment of the flood. Later Abraham and Sarah were called out of their city to a Promised Land and eventually received a much-awaited child of promise. Hebrews 11 lists men and women of faith who received a positive testimony from God as they set an example in spite of difficulty.

How do these stories of faith help you in your walk with God?

This message was written By Cindy Hess Kasper [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

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Joseph Prince Devotional 28 April 2017- JESUS, YOUR GOOD SHEPHERD AND DOOR

John 10:7
Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

Topics
Protection and Deliverance

Keywords
Protection And Deliverance , Good Shepherd , Redeemed , Safe , Protected , Preserves

Scripture Reference
John

Jesus said that He is the “door of the sheep”. What did He mean? Well, a sheepfold during Jesus’ time had no door which could be opened and closed. The door of the sheepfold was just an opening. In this kind of sheepfold, after the sheep had entered it, the shepherd would sleep at the entrance. The shepherd became, effectively, the “door” of the sheepfold.

When Jesus told His disciples, “I am the good shepherd,” (John 10:11) He also assured them emphatically that He was the “door of the sheep”. He was telling them and us, “Inside My sheepfold, My sheep are always safe, completely protected and kept close under My watchful eyes. And since I am just at the entrance of the sheepfold, nothing, not even the muffled bleat of one of My own, can escape My ears. Also, nothing evil outside the sheepfold can enter and touch My sheep without first coming through Me for I am the door of My sheep.”

So when the fight of life comes knocking on your door and when panic threatens to rise within you, see yourself doubly protected! He is both the good shepherd and the door of His sheep. As your good shepherd, He gave His life for you to redeem you from poverty, sickness and every other curse.

As your door, He keeps out everything evil that He has redeemed you from. Because He shed His blood for you, you are covered and protected within the sheepfold by a blood-stained door. Disaster, destruction and death must pass over you and your family because of His blood on your door. Remember that on the night of the first Passover in Egypt, the destroyer could not enter the houses of the Israelites because of the blood of the lamb on their doors. (Exodus 12:13, 23)

Today, you can live life untroubled and unafraid, knowing that Jesus, your good shepherd and door, protects and preserves you and your family. No evil will befall you or your loved ones because He is your dwelling place and refuge!

Thought For The Day
Jesus, your good shepherd and door, protects and preserves you and your family.

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Joel Osteen Ministries Devotional April 28, 2017- He Gives You All Things

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
(Romans 8:32, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD:
God loves you so much today—more than you could ever imagine! Not only did He send His Son, Jesus to pay the price for your sins so that He could have relationship with you, He also wants to lavish you with everything He has and everything He is.

When you join in covenant with Him through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, He makes all things available to you.What does “all” mean? It means exactly that—all. Do you need peace? He is your peace. Do you need joy? He has supernatural joy which gives you strength. Do you need restoration in your life? He is your restorer.

Do you need rest? He has it. Provision? It’s yours. Protection? That too! He is the single source of everything that you will ever need, and He will freely give it to you!Maybe at times you’ve struggled to receive all that He has for you.

Maybe you think that you don’t want to bother God, or you somehow think you don’t deserve what He has for you. Friend, those mindsets are not the truth. The truth is that you can’t earn a gift. He gives it freely. Imagine His arms outstretched to you right now. Receive His love, receive His grace, and receive all that He has in store for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father, right now, I declare by faith that I receive all that You have for me. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus to die for me so that I can live with You. I declare that He is my Lord and Savior, and I receive all that You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Joyce Meyer's daily devotional April 28 2017 – Acceptable Words

Topic: Acceptable Words [Friday April 28, 2017]

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer. — Psalm 19:14

It is acceptable to God when we use our mouths to bring joy, love, and good to others. It is not acceptable to God when we use our mouths to bring hurt and destruction. We are still acceptable to Him, but our behavior isn’t because it will not produce the good results in our lives that God desires for us.

Ephesians 4:29 teaches us not to use our words to cause the Holy Spirit any grief and gives clear instructions concerning what grieves Him: Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.

Properly chosen words can actually change lives for the better. What you say can tear down or build up, so choose words that are agreeable with God’s will.

Power Thought: My words are wholesome and acceptable to God.

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David Abioye's Daily Devotional April 28, 2017 – Cost Price Of Failure

Topic: Cost Price Of Failure [Friday April 28, 2017]

It is very cheap to fail.

In fact it is the cheapest thing to acquire.

To fail, all you need to do is to do nothing.

Doing nothing aids you to fail quickly.

Contrary wise it costs much more to succeed because you are working against contrary circumstances.

It will cost you near zero to go down because you already have the force of gravity to aid you.

But you need to pay the price to go up.

You will never find where anything goes up by itself.

Anything and everything that goes up is made to go up by someone.

Never fold your hands if you don’t want life to fold up on you.

Stretch your hands forward and upward to expand your coast and to redefine your boundary.

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DCLM Daily Manna April 28, 2017 by Pastor Kumuyi – Escape from God’s Anger

Topic: Escape from God’s Anger [Friday April 28, 2017]

Text: 1 Kings 15:25-34

Key Verse: "Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger" (1 Kings 15:30).

God is described in the Scriptures as the Almighty Creator, loving Father and merciful Redeemer; but He is also described as the All-knowing Judge and a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:23,29). He watches our thoughts, words and actions to see if they conform to His laid-down precepts of righteousness and holy living.

And for anyone who chooses to disregard His commandments and warnings, judgment is certain. In the text, Nadab’s (the son of Jeroboam) reign was exactly like that of his father who made Israel to sin and provoked God to anger with the sins of idolatry, disobedience and forsaking of the words of the Lord. God’s judgment came upon him and he was destroyed with every member of his family by Baasha according to the word of the Lord spoken through prophet Ahijah. Several other instances abound in the Scripture of God’s judgment.

The first man and woman were judged by God for their disobedience. Cain was judged for his wickedness. All the people who refused to repent in the time of Noah perished; the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were also judged. Egypt also experienced divine judgment when they refused to release Israel from captivity. Even the children of Israel were not spared when they sinned in the wilderness. If you look closely at each of these cases, you will realise that indeed, "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). God’s judgment is certain.

He is plenteous in mercy to those who humble themselves before Him but fearful in judgment to those who despise the manifold riches of His grace. Be wise; escape for your life. If you choose to be obedient to the warnings of the Lord, repent of your sins and live a consistent Christian life, you will certainly avoid God’s anger and ultimately get to heaven. But if you choose to linger in sin, the consequences will be severe and regrettable.

Thought for the day: A presumptuous attitude towards God is a deadly opiate for the sinner.

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Corinthians 8-11

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PRIVILEGES OF GOD’S CHILDREN I – Friday April 28th 2017

PRIVILEGES OF GOD’S CHILDREN I – Friday April 28th 2017

Memorise: Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4:7
Read: Mark 7:24-30 (King James Version)




24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.



29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
Bible in one year: Numbers 23-25, Jeremiah 22:11-23, Hymn: Sing hymn 13
MESSAGE:
Without a doubt, the responsibilities associated with being a child of God in this present age of spiritual perversion are highly demanding. Nevertheless, our benevolent Father, knowing our frame, has placed several pleasant privileges at our disposal as His children, to ease our sojourn through wicked world. The first privilege we enjoy when we become children of God is that we are moved from the position of a servant or slave to that of a son and an heir of God (Galatians 4:7). This is the reason why we must have passion for evangelism, especially to Muslims, who believe that they are slaves of God. Open Heavens Devotional 2017. God did not create us in His image for the purpose of making slaves out of us. Anyone who has not come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ is indeed a slave to sin and not a slave of God (Romans 6:16-18).

In the story of the Syro-phoenician woman in our Bible text, Jesus Christ did not mince words in revealing her true spiritual state to her as a slave of sin, in order to cause a change in her spiritual life. Fortunately for this woman, she admitted her spiritual poverty, and she was therefore given the hand of fellowship in adoption, so that she could be a parker of the food meant for God’s children. Matthew 5:3 says,

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Another striking thing in this story is that this woman was likened to a dog and she accepted it. Open Heavens 2017 Friday 28 April 2017:- Privileges of God’s Children I. Do you know why? It’s because this verdict came from the Way, the Truth and the Life Himself; when He speaks, He speaks with valid authority. So, when Jesus calls a sinner a dog, that is exactly what he or she is. This is why the liberal theologians who want to be 21st century compliant would want to rewrite the Bible so that it can be “politically correct”. Take note of the fact what is politically correct can be spiritually bankrupt.

In light of these truths, you can therefore see how great your privilege is when you are a child of God. Being a child of God grants you access to the food of salvation, deliverance, healing and prosperity that is meant only for children of God. If you are not yet a child of God, don’t delay further; today is the day of salvation and adoption. Give your life to Christ today, admit your spiritual poverty and let Him cleanse you in His Blood.

Prayer Point
Father, I call You Father because you are a Father indeed. Make me Your own child through Jesus Christ, and bestow upon me the privileges of being Your child today.

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Seed of Destiny Dunamis Center Friday, 28 April 2017- THE POWER OF CHARACTER

TOPIC- THE POWER OF CHARACTER


(FROM APRIL 2017 SEEDS OF DESTINY DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY DR. PASTOR PAUL ENENCHE)

ENGLISH FRENCH AND SPANISH

SCRIPTURE: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Job 1:1



THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Uprightness brings direction.

A good character is one of the key virtues of the life of a genuine Christian; it is a ladder to greater heights in life. Men of impact in the Bible were men of positive and qualitative character.

It is very important to know that character is not just powerful; character is power. The real power of a man is the power of his character and not financial, muscular or diabolical power.

The silence of character is louder than the utterance of compromise. This means that for people of character, their silence weighs heavier than the utterance of normal people. Job was undoubtedly a man of quality character. In his generation, he commanded both the audience and the attention of the people on the strength of character (Job 29:21-23).  

There are people who others long to hear speak and there are those that people have no patience for. For example, nobody looks for career counsel from an armed robber or a harlot. This is because they lack the power of positive character.

One implication of good character is that it guarantees Divine guidance and direction. Uprightness brings direction (Psalm 112:4).

Beloved, righteousness brings brightness and unrighteousness invites darkness. So, uphold qualitative character in order to end as a light to your generation.
Remember this: Uprightness brings direction.

ASSIGNMENT(S):

 1. Ask God for the grace to live an upright life.
2. Prayerfully work on your character.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE:  THE POWER OF POSITIVE CHARACTER (PART 3)

PRAYER: LORD, grant me the grace to continually work on my character, in Jesus’ Name.

DAILY READING: Judges 8:18 to 9:21, Luke 23:44 to 24:12, Psalm 99:1 to 9, Proverbs 14:9 to 10.

AMAZING FACT: The first Internet domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com on March 15, 1985.

TODAY IN HISTORY: 28/04/1930 - The first organized night baseball game was played in Independence, Kansas.

QUOTE: The strength of your destiny is affected by the strength of your character. Culled from WHO ARE YOU? by Dr Paul Enenche.

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Billy Graham Daily Devotional April 28 2017- The Unpayable Debt

TOPIC-The Unpayable Debt


Who gave himself for our sins . . .
—Galatians 1:4




Years ago King Charles V was loaned a large sum of money by a merchant in Antwerp. The note came due, but the king was bankrupt and unable to pay. The merchant gave a great banquet for the King. When all the guests were seated and before the food was brought in, the merchant had a large platter placed on the table and a fire lighted on it. Then, taking the note out of his pocket, he held it in the flames until it was burned to ashes. The king threw his arms around his benefactor and wept. Just so, we have been mortgaged to God. The debt was due, but we were unable to pay. Two thousand years ago God invited the world to the Gospel feast, and in the agonies of the cross, God held your sins and mine until every last vestige of our guilt was consumed.

Prayer for the day

 In gratitude I kneel before You, Lord Jesus Christ.
Billy Graham Daily Devotional April 28 2017- The Unpayable Debt

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OUR Daily Bread Devotional April 28, 2017- An Alternative to Anger

TOPIC- An Alternative to Anger


Read: Proverbs 20:1–15

It is to one’s honor to avoid strife. Proverbs 20:3



One morning in Perth, Australia, Fionn Mulholland discovered his car was missing. That’s when he realized he had mistakenly parked in a restricted zone and his car had been towed away. After considering the situation—even the $600 towing and parking fine—Mulholland was frustrated, but he decided not to be angry with the person he would work with to retrieve his car. Instead of venting his feelings, Mulholland wrote a humorous poem about the situation and read it to the worker he met at the tow yard. The worker liked the poem, and a possible ugly confrontation never took place.


The book of Proverbs teaches, “It is to one’s honor to avoid strife” (20:3). Strife is that friction that either simmers under the surface or explodes in the open between people who disagree about something.

Dear God, give me self-control through the power of Your Holy Spirit.
God has given us the resources to live peacefully with other people. His Word assures us that it’s possible to feel anger without letting it boil over into rage (Eph. 4:26). His Spirit enables us to override the sparks of fury that prompt us to do and say things to strike out at people who upset us. And God has given us His example to follow when we feel provoked (1 Peter 2:23). He is compassionate, gracious, and slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Ps. 86:15).

Dear God, Please help me to manage my anger in a way that does not lead me into sin. Give me self-control through the power of Your Holy Spirit.

Be slow to anger.
OUR Daily Bread Devotional April



INSIGHT:

The Scriptures have a lot to say about controlling our anger. King David knew well enough the potential evil waiting to be unleashed when we don’t master our anger. He warned, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm” (Ps. 4:4; 37:8 nlt). May God help us follow this wise instruction when anger comes calling.

Can you think of a situation where you could have better controlled your anger? What should you have done? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you respond to situations in a way that honors Him.

| Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 3–5; Luke 20:1–26

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Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daily Devotional April 28 2017- Follow Your Dream By Gloria Copeland

TOPIC- Follow Your Dream


And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee.

Exodus 3:11-12




Have you ever had a Holy Spirit-inspired dream, a dream of doing something really great for Jesus? A dream of being so prosperous, for instance, that you can finance a nationwide revival? A dream of leading thousands of people to the Lord?

At one time or another, you probably have, but perhaps you backed away from it. You thought, Oh my, I couldn’t do that. Satan’s kept me defeated for so long I have a poor self-image.

If so, I have some good news for you. If you’ll believe God, even a poor self-image won’t keep you from success. Look in the book of Exodus and you’ll see a man who proved that. His name was Moses.


 Moses didn’t have a very good self-image. He’d made a terrible mistake early in his career. It was a mistake that drove him into the wilderness and kept him there for 40 years herding someone else’s sheep.

He’d once dreamed of being a deliverer of God’s people, but no more. As far as he was concerned, he was finished...a failure...a flop!

But God didn’t think so. In fact, when God came to Moses in that wilderness, He didn’t ask for Moses’ credentials. He didn’t mention his shady history. He just told him to go see Pharaoh and tell him to let God’s people go.

Moses, however, was still wrestling with his poor self-image. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” he stammered.

You know what God said in response? He just said, “Certainly, I will be with thee.”

You see, it didn’t matter who Moses was. What mattered was that the living God was with him. The same thing is true for you today. You don’t need a history of successes behind you to answer God’s call. You don’t need a string of spiritual credentials. All you need is the presence of the Lord.

Think about that when the devil tells you you’re a failure, when he says you’ll never be able to do what God has put in your heart to do. Put him in his place. Tell him it doesn’t matter who you are because the living God is with you.

Then dare to follow your dream!

Scripture Reading:
Exodus 3:1-14

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David Abioye's Daily Devotional April 27, 2017 – Superiority Of Good Success

Topic: Superiority Of Good Success [Thursday April 26, 2017]

“… This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth…thou shalt make thy way prosperous…” - Joshua 1:8

That there is a kind of success described or classified as good connotes that there is an inferior or sub-standard success.

“Good” is a description of quality.

It is definition of completeness.

It means stainless and wholesome.

It indicates that everything is contained within it.

While success may be purchased or attained by any means good success cannot.

It is a gift from God.

It is God that gives good success.

While success could be described as riches, good success is known as blessing.

You may be rich and not be blessed.

Sweat may bring riches but only God gives blessing. Proverb 18:22.

It is blessing that brings about completeness. Genesis 1:28-31

Blessing is a state of having all you need at the time you need it.

Get blessed and enter the circle of good success.

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GODS GIVES THE VICTORY BY JOYCE MEYER-APRIL 27, 2017

God Gives the Victory

by Joyce Meyer - posted April 27, 2017

You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name....
—Psalm 91:13-14

God created each of us with a free will. This gives us the ability to make our own decisions apart from outside influence. Satan tries to force us to do things by placing outside pressure on us, but God attempts to lead us by His Holy Spirit. Jesus is not demanding or harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing. He is humble, gentle, meek, and lowly (see Matthew 11:29-30). We are indeed complex creatures. Our mind can think one thing, while our emotions want something else and our will certainly seems to have a mind of its own.

Once a person's willpower is renewed by God's Word and she knows enough to choose good over evil, she becomes very dangerous to Satan and his kingdom of darkness. The renewed person can override all the negative things Satan has planned by exercising her willpower to agree with God and His Word.

I have discovered that doubt is a thought planted in my head by the devil. He uses it to keep me from enjoying my life and making progress in God's good plan for me.

Lord, thank You for the power of Your Word to renew my mind. I choose to stand with Your truth and overcome the darkness that surrounds me. Amen.

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KEEPING THE CONNECTION IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP BY VICTORIA OSTEEN

Keeping the Connections
Move Forward through Life Together
Our relationships are precious, valuable treasures from heaven, and we should handle them carefully, always looking for ways to build bridges to each other’s hearts. I know that all of us desire to come up higher and one way we can take a step towards the next level is in our love for one another.

Novelist Katherine Anne Porter once wrote, “Love must be learned, and learned again; there is no end to it.” Love should not remain the same year after year; love is supposed to grow. Relationships evolve over time, people change over time, and our love should strengthen and grow over time too. The apostle Paul prayed that our love would abound and grow in knowledge and depth of insight. That tells me that I cannot put my love on autopilot. If we put our love on autopilot and think that the people in our lives will simply “know” that we love them, our relationships will not grow or be as fruitful as they were intended to be. That’s why it’s so important to make every effort to keep strong connections in our relationships.



Several years ago when Joel and I assumed leadership at the ministry, our lives became fuller and more complicated. Oftentimes, we found ourselves moving in different directions, so we had to make an extra effort to connect with each other throughout the day. We recognized that if we didn’t make the effort, we’d find ourselves breezing right by each other, with our minds preoccupied with the tasks at hand. So, to help keep the connection, we decided to acknowledge each other every time we pass. Sometimes we high five, sometimes it’s a quick “I love you,” or a kiss on the lips. It’s not important how we connect, but it is important that we do connect. We are both busy people during the day but whenever we see each other, everything else is placed on hold for a moment while we connect. Keep our connections strong, helps keep our hearts moving in the same direction.

Leaving notes is a wonderful and easy way to keep connections. When Joel travels without me, I put little notes in his socks just to say “I love you.” (I have also been known to put photos of us in his suitcase.) You may want to leave sweet notes around the house, in a drawer, under a pillow, or on the TV remote as little reminders to the people you love that they are valuable to you. It takes time and effort to maintain the connections in our relationships. Sometimes when someone hurts or offends us, we can be tempted to disconnect. But one of the most common mistakes people make in relationships is to give the other person the silent treatment in an effort to pull back.

I heard a story about a couple who had a big fight. That night, the man and wife were still not talking to each other, and since the man didn’t want to give in first, he left her a note saying, “Wake me up at six o’clock in the morning.” The next morning, the man woke up at eight o’clock and was furious. He was about to go find his wife to give her a piece of his mind, when he noticed a note on his side of the bed that read, “It’s six o’clock; wake up!”

At one time or another, we have all faced the temptation to disconnect by giving someone the silent treatment. After being married to Joel for more than twenty-one years, I have learned that is not the best way to handle a disagreement. Scripture encourages, “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.” It’s not good to go to sleep mad and frustrated, because you’ll wake up with that same anger and frustration you went to bed with — and you probably won’t sleep very well anyway. You may not have the resolution to the disagreement by the time the evening comes, but if you will learn that you can disagree and still be friends, you will enjoy your relationships a whole lot more. I have a friend who tells me that sometimes when she and her husband are still mad at each other at bedtime, right before she goes to sleep, she will simply say to him, “I am right, you are wrong, and I love you. Good night.”

Joel and I have decided that sometimes you have just to agree to disagree. One of the most freeing experiences is to recognize that you are two different people who see things differently, and you can still love each other and stay connected. Just because you have a disagreement with your friends or family members does not mean there are not plenty of other areas on which you see eye to eye. It just means you have a difference of opinion. Having the same heart and the same goal is what maintains a good connection. There will be times when we do not agree on every decision or subject, but we should always believe in one another, support one another, and move forward through life together — connected.

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