Sunday, 27th October, 2024
Bible Reading: Hebrews 13:4
Memory Verse: Marriage is to be held in honor among all [that is, regarded as something of great value], and the marriage bed undefiled [by immorality or by any sexual sin]; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4 (AMP)
The spouse God chooses for you will do your destiny more good than one you choose by yourself. Let God choose for you. It is in a similar way God has always led you in making little decisions of life that He will most likely lead you into His plan for your life in marriage. Please double confirm with your Pastor and godly parents. Don’t allow your emotions lead you astray. Courtship starts as soon as the woman accepts the proposal of the man. Courtship, amongst other reason, is a period when intending couples get to harmonise their goals and visions just before marriage. Things intending couples should be doing during courtship include:
1. Asking purpose related questions: Ask each other the reason for the upcoming union. Why do you want to marry me? Then, set out to work on that purpose as soon as possible. The primary purpose of getting married is to fulfil God’s agenda, others are secondary. Find out what his/her vision is and begin working on it together. Couples who succeed in marriage are those who take their future seriously during courtship. What is your vision?
2. Ask deep questions: Ask each other serious questions about their past, childhood, background, and family medical history. This will enable you to know where they are coming from, why they act the way they do, their belief system, and how to help each other become better. Ask: Where would we live after our wedding? How many children shall we have? Do you perceive you have God’s calling upon your life into full time ministry? This is the season to come out openly about any hidden secret about your past such as past marriage, child(ren) outside wedlock, divorce, etc. These seemingly little questions if not well answered can crash the marriage despite the potential of the prophecies hanging over such union.
3. Pray and Plan together: Instead of allowing your emotions to race about, invest it on the altar of prayer and planning. Pray about your future home, your goals, children, vision, career, values, interests and beliefs.
4. Familiarity with Friends and Families: Get to know each other’s friends and family members. Study them, find out about their customs, traditions, and beliefs with a view to see where you are related, where you need to align, realign or blend for balance.
5. Study your partner: Try to know, adjust or perfect each other’s love language. Does he/she find pleasure in activities such as sightseeing/travelling, or he/she simply loves to gist and spend time with you. Does she appreciate love notes, flowers, surprise parties/packages, etc.?
6. Discuss about finance: This is perhaps the major reason for conflict in many home. Discuss how to make money, multiply it, and generally how to strengthen your financial base. Would you prefer to be a full time house wife or does he prefer a white collar job or would he like to be his own boss?
7. Study their personalities and weaknesses: Don’t shy away from this. Don’t sweep it under the carpet. Develop the character to relate well and develop conflict resolution skills. Study each other and know areas where your personality agrees and conflicts. Watch how he/she relates with people, things, circumstances and situations.
8. Go for both individual and premarital counselling: This is a very important foundation. “Love is blind” they say but professional counsellors will distil, dissect and counsel you on all possible areas of marriage issues, conflicts (they are trained and certified on this).
Quote: If you fail to plan your way through marriage, then you have planned to fail in marriage.
Prophetic Decree: May the Lord go before you, and make all crooked marital ways straight, in Jesus name.
Prayer Focus
1. Anti-marital altars in my family, catch fire, in Jesus name.
2. Power of marital error and mistakes at work in my family, my life is not available, in Jesus name.
3. My Father, reveal every hidden secrets I need to know before going into marriage.
4. I shall not marry my enemy, in the name of Jesus.
5. Caterpillar of heaven, uproot any satanic intruder waiting at any junction in my marriage, in Jesus name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 14-15