4 Things You Should Know This Valentine Season [For Singles]

Before you freak out on me and crucify me, shouting, We’re Christians; This is MFM; We don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day; and every other variant of that exclamation, hear me out.

Being single, especially when you feel you’re “due for marriage” can be a challenging thing especially in the twenty first century. Since the beginning of February, you would have been bombarded constantly by adverts and promos on the radio, TV, invitations to concerts, even the shops/malls are offering Valentines discount.

What I’m saying is, it’s a period when single people are reminded of their singleness. And that’s okay. But what isn’t okay, is that it’s also a time for the devil to try to capitalize on this by making you feel lonely and discourage you.

But here are several reasons why you don’t have to let him:

You are loved

1 John 3:1 New International Version (NIV)

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

You see, prior to when Jesus came to die for mankind, you and I did not have any part in God. We were foreigners, aliens.

Ephesians 2:12 King James Version (KJV)

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

There was no connection relationship, no connection, nothing between us and God. The only people God had interactions with were the Jews. Because unto them were committed the oracles of God (Romans 3:2). That means, they were the only ones He chose to speak to.

So, you can understand the apostle John’s joy when he exclaimed, See what great love the Father has LAVISHED on us, that we should be called CHILDREN of God! Because of Jesus, we’re no more aliens. Today, you and I can boldly say, Our Father, who art in Heaven. Let that sink in for a minute. The implications are impressive.

That one day, when you were still lost, ignorant, confused and headed for hell, God decided that it was time to save you, and then He caused you to hear the gospel message, gave you faith to believe the message, got you born again, and now you’re His adopted child, with as much equal right as His first born son, Jesus.

Romans 8:17 New International Version (NIV)

Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

That’s a big reason to celebrate.

With God, you can let down your defences

In the world we live in today, you always have to be on your guard. Like I read somewhere, “Love everyone, but trust nobody”. Such statements are often born out of painful experiences. We put our trust in friends and family, we hope in someone who we feel can help us, but sooner than later, those people fail us. The thing you ought to realize early is that, they all have one thing in common – they’re all human. Human beings are flawed, because man fell.

On the other hand, I can tell you from scripture that God is perfect. He never fails. My experience corroborates scripture’s claims. God is the one Person who won’t gossip about you; He won’t promise you something and then later change His mind; He’s not being nice to you just because of what He wants to get from you. When He gives you something, you can be sure He’s giving you something that will not bring you sorrow. All that, and we’ve not even begun to scratch the surface of His good nature.

Truly, God is love, there is no shadow of turning in Him.

God can become your best friend, if you let Him

Most Christians argue with evolutionists and atheists that God is real, that the Universe didn’t come about through accident, or random occurrences. That a sentient, intelligent personality created the world we live in. And they are right. I believe this too. But when I consider the way they relate with this Personality in light of this knowledge, there’s a dissonance.

A lot of Christians do not have a thriving, living relationship with God. If I told you that, rather than spending valentine’s day feeling lonely and sorry for yourself, you can have the best day of your life, you’d probably roll your eyes and wave me off. And that’s the problem.

It may sound corny but hanging out with God is a real thing. I’ve experienced it. In my line of work, I get to spend lots of time alone and I don’t have too many friends. Days can get really lonely, but I’ve discovered that by engaging God in my heart, the lonely nights have given way to exciting and adventurous ones. I’m serious, stop rolling your eyes at me.

Which leads me to the last point;

You’re not alone

Since you got born again, you have never been alone, not for even a second. You know what would happen if God left you alone for even a microsecond? We can only imagine the havoc satan would do. But God is ever on your guard. He’s never taken a break. He doesn’t need to – He neither sleeps nor dozes off.

God enjoys you. He enjoys being your Dad. He looks at you and He sees not what you are but all that you could be. He sees every gift, every talent, every grace He has deposited in you. He believes in your dreams. He looks forward to talking with you everyday (what Father wouldnt?).

I remember the day I got back from work and I was so tired that i couldn’t even kneel down to pray. I just lay on the bed and suddenly i heard this gentle voice in my heart asking, How was your day? Listen to me, I’ve been born again for years, I’ve seen a lot of miracles and I’ve had many breakthroughs but NOTHING, none of those things, can compare with that day when I heard that voice. God was drawing near to me, showing me He really cared about working on our relationship.

James 4:8a New International Version (NIV)

Come near to God and he will come near to you.

With the voice came strength and joy and such a sweetness that words can only attempt to describe.

Truly, if you have God, you’re really not alone. In fact, you’re with the best friend and partner, anyone could have. Remember that the next time you see a Valentine message.

You have the best friend in the world!

Zephaniah 3:17 GOD’S WORD® Translation

The LORD your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.

HIS WILL , Through Faith?

Your faith in God today is your lifeline to His heartbeat. Faith in God changes everything. Faith does not make things easy, it makes them possible. Faith is taking the first step, even when you can’t see the whole staircase.

Knowledge is only one half, faith is the other.

Faith is believing with certainty based on the knowledge of the spirit which is beyond the need for physical proof. Trusting in what you can’t see. Faith sees the sunshine of God’s face even when there are dark clouds all around.

I must admit that singleness is not necessarily a desired state at this point in my life, but in the midst of it all, over the years, I have come to a point where I learnt to trust God and not my own feelings.

Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Faith put in action is what a Christian is called to do.

Hebrews 11:1-Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

I have fasted and prayed! I have patiently watched everyone else get married (and even some divorced and married again). But where is my Isaac? Lord, you said we have not because we ask not and I’ve not only been asking but I’ve been begging for years. Where is he already?!?

Does this sound like your prayer life? It’s ok to admit it because if you have struggled with singleness to varying degrees at one point or the other. Many of us tend to believe that it’s just not fair. Proverbs 13:12 – Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but [when] the desire cometh, [it is] a tree of life. It’s true our heart could be weary, but this same scripture says- “but [when] the desire cometh, [it is] a tree of life”– God is awesome!

1 Peter 1:21– who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe. Faith is not hoping God can, it is knowing He will. Faith is the hand that reaches up and takes hold of God’s promises and gathers in the spiritual treasures that are found in Christ. If you plant faith in God, you will reap a harvest.

Desiring marriage is not a sin, after all, God designed marriage.

Genesis 2:24 – Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

But He designed it with a purpose in mind. Our desire and motivation for marriage should be aligned with God’s purpose.

In 1 Samuel chapter 8: The children of Israel were once again dissatisfied with God’s provisions and demanded a king to rule over them like the other nations had. Samuel was saddened by their request and he prayed and asked God for guidance. He tried to warn them why their request would not be what was best for them. However, they refused to listen and still demanded a king. In fact their response was, “We don’t care, we want to be like the nations around us.” (1 Samuel 8:20). God saw their request for a king as a rejection of Him.

Saul was made king but we learn that his legacy is hardly one we’d want to emulate as he was ultimately rejected by God (1 Samuel 15).

As we reflect on this story, we must ask ourselves, Why do we want to be married? Is it simply because we feel like everyone else is married (give us a king like the other nations) or we’re just tired of being single or is it because it’s tied to our ministry assignment? Do we really want to be in God’s will or do we just want a warm body to cuddle up to because society says we should be married by now?

God gives us the freedom to choose. We can choose His providential will or His permissive will. God is all-knowing:

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Even though He warned them, God allowed them to get just what they wanted. They got their king but it was not a blessing because he lacked divine approval.

Do you just want a husband or do you want God’s blessings upon your marriage?

Between David vs. Saul, what kind of man do you want to be the leader of your home? Saul was the king Israel chose and David was the king God chose for them.

Saul – Impressive stature; Experienced; Hardened heart; Resistant; Self-reliant; Spirit-possessed.

David – Unimpressive stature; Inexperienced; Heart after God; Repentant; God-reliant; Spirit-filled.

I think you will agree with me that indeed, it’s better and more reassuring to choose a mate from a biblical perspective, not a worldly perspective.

Don’t reject God while looking for a man. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:4-5)

God will provide all that you need including a husband if we just simply learn to trust Him and His timing. Some things are certainly worth the wait. Should that be God’s will for you, your husband will arrive right on time.

Guaranteed.

Proverbs 23:18 – For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

Amen

May this be our prayer: Lord, I don’t want a husband just because everyone else has one, I want what you have for me. I want what is needed to fulfill my life’s purpose. I trust that your will is what’s best for me.

 

By Adetoun Adebogun

A Match Made in Heaven

I’m sure you’ve heard it before. It’s a cliche. The lovers’ anthem – Those two are a match made in heaven.

But in the case of our model couple – Dr. D.K. Olukoya and his wife, Pastor (Mrs) Shade Olukoya, the statement is succinct. This is a pairing ordained by heaven.

The pair share the same birthday date – July 15. They’ve been married for over two decades.

Spending a few minutes with the two in the same room and you can tell these are best friends. They think alike, support each other and generally act like newly weds, still obviously in love, even after so long. It’s a testament to the glorious power of God to pair men and women in holy wedlock and that union is working.

Today, the Gen218singles family celebrates its Model Couple. Happy Birthday to you ma and sir. May the grace and mercy of God abound towards you and your home, even more in the coming years.

Please, take the time to say a personal prayer for the Model Couple, on your knees and on the comment section.

God Bless You.

A SMILE IS ALL YOU NEED…

If you can’t wear a smile, then at least don’t wear a scorn.

A lot of individuals do not know that one issue responsible for their present challenge(s) might be something as simple as the scornful face they wear each day.

There is an invisible force unseen which pushes people away or automatically turns off a potential friend from an unsmiling face. This is due to the unfriendly aura they ooze whenever they direct their scornful faces at them either because they feel is being a disturbance or they feel is less intelligent than they are.

 

Are you weary or heavy ladened? Come unto me and I will give you rest! Mathew 11: 28

 

Smile, even if you are feeling blue, irritated or perhaps you cannot stand the slow pace at which other people grasp things. Why make them feel worse with your demeanor?

Now I’m not saying you should wear a plastic smile on your face, or fake it because a farce can easily be detected so don’t bother.

 

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks Mathew 12: 34

 

We could then also say ‘out of the abundance of the heart, the face smiles or scorns’

Be joyful, and it will show, no matter your present situation or circumstance.

Let your joy be contagious so it affects, and illuminates the people around you.

Do not allow scorn, which is always acidic, near anything good.

Please check your demeanor often.

Wanna know the source to unbridled joy?

The secret to a true smile and bright aura is the Holy Spirit. A daily walk with HIM keeps the scorn away.

The Holy Spirit resides in the heart of the joyful. And when you have HIM in abundance in you, you’ll surely attract the right people to you, even the bone of your bones and the flesh of your flesh.

So wear a smile now.If you don’t have it, ask the Giver to dwell in you, and then He will also make you a giver of smiles.

 

By  Olufunmilayo Amosu

FOLLOW YOUR HEART?

A couple of times, I have heard and seen people talk to one another to follow their hearts, perhaps on domestic issues or on other issues that have far reaching effects on their lives. Trepidation grips me each time I think of following my heart on any issue. Not only because the bible kicks against such tendencies in us as people of God, but more because I have seen what it means to follow one’s heart – it more often than not leads to utmost peril.

The bible says; “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I, the Lord search the heart, and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve” Jer. 17: 9-10 (NIV).  God knows the nature of our hearts. The Lord understands the fickle atmosphere hovering over the heart of the individual and that’s the reason the scripture, in the passage above opens our eyes to the danger of impulsively believing the popular notion of “since it feels good to me and my psyche, then it is ultimately good”. What a lie and a fatal mistake!

The Holy Spirit of God demands from us, an absolute dependence on God and on his son Jesus Christ through His working in us as children of God. In today’s world, there is so much pressure and tendency to trivialize certain issues of our lives thinking they do not concern God. We are apt to think and act believeing that our common senses can fix certain things, forgetting the scripture that says; ”There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death” Prov. 14:12 (NKJV). We prefer on many occasions to go ahead, following our hearts without a patient recourse to prayer and the word of God for guidance. It seems rational to the thinking of our “almighty” brains to do so. Isn’t it? No wonder we come back battered each time and start to accuse the Spirit of God.

The bible says the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. So, can we follow this kind of a heart? You have got to be patient for the answer. First, we must acknowledge the state our hearts as described in the book of Jeremiah 17:9. No matter how beautiful & noble or otherwise the intention of our hearts may be, we must also acknowledge the frailty and deceit that could emanate therefrom because the scripture cannot be broken. Therefore it is our prerogative each time to submit our hearts and its content to the Holy Spirit for scrutiny and ultimate guidance before we take any step in life. At this point, God will begin to work in our reasoning and thinking processes, for the scripture says; “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” Philippians 2: 13 (NKJV). God’s workings in us, as the scripture describes it, will make us to see, discern and think in the right perspectives. We would be surprised at how the folly behind our initial impulsive rationalization will be exposed to us and expunged by the workings of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. At this point, we can follow our hearts! But then, it is no longer our mere human hearts that we are following, it is the heart of God!

God bless us all.

——-Oyeniran Taiwo. A———