Present Versus Presence

photo courtesy of Google.com

This Love Month...

"Your present 

will never substitute 

your presence."

Successful Marriage Is...

"Successful marriage 
is 
always a triangle: 

a man, 
a woman, 
and God."

If A Man Really Loves A Woman...

If a man really loves a woman, he is willing to wait no matter how long it would take.

*****

"So Jacob worked for Laban seven years so he could marry Rachel. But they seemed like just a few days to him because he loved Rachel very much."

Genesis 29:20 New Century Version

Be Very Careful In Choosing Your Lifetime Partner

photo courtesy of google.com

 A wrong choice of a lifetime partner would be a source of problems to your family.

Read the verse below in different translations and you would see how a wrong choice of a lifetime partner could cause some problems in your family.

Genesis 26:34-35 New International Version- "When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah"

Genesis 26:34-35 New Living Translation- "At the age of forty, Esau married two Hittite wives: Judith, the daughter of Beeri, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon. But Esau’s wives made life miserable for Isaac and Rebekah."

 

 

Genesis 26:34-35 The Message Translation - "When Esau was forty years old he married Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite. They turned out to be thorns in the sides of Isaac and Rebekah."

 

 

Genesis 26:34-35 New Century Version- "When Esau was forty years old, he married two Hittite women—Judith daughter of Beeri and Basemath daughter of Elon. These women brought much sorrow to Isaac and Rebekah."

 

 

Genesis 26:34-35 Amplified Bible- "Now Esau was 40 years old when he took as wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.And they made life bitter and a grief of mind and spirit for Isaac and Rebekah [their parents-in-law].

 

 

Genesis 26:34-35 Contemporary English Version- "When Esau was forty, he married Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. But these two women brought a lot of grief to his parents Isaac and Rebekah.

Let's be partners in prayer to have the best  lifetime partner for you and me...the best from our great Creator...our good God...our Heavenly Father! ( Matthew 7:9-11 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!)

 

 

Is The Lord Directing You To That Person In Marriage...Then Go For It!

I'm not an expert on this topic because I'm not married yet and in fact, once in my life, i almost entered into a marriage plan that is not God's will for me (but i thank God that he saved me from it.)

I'm here to share what i've learned from my daily reading of God's word. As a student of the word of God, i've learned that if God is leading you to that person to be your future partner, then go for it, if not, then don't.

In Genesis 24:50-51, we can read there: "Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has directed ."

God will direct us even to the right person we're going to marry. If we would constantly pray and read His word, we would know in our hearts if God is directing us to that person in marriage or not.

God may be speaking to us in different ways but we should always include God in choosing the right mate for us. I know some people whom God has spoken to their hearts  when they met their future mates...words like "That will be your wife."..or "that will be your husband" (even if they haven't fallen in love with each other yet or haven't known each other that well yet.) I'm very fascinated with that kind of love story but that is not always the case. Sometimes, it's love at first sight like what happened to Adam and Eve and sometimes God would direct you to the qualities that you really admire or see in that person..the qualities you've been praying for to have in your future partner. 

We can not put God in a box. I have friends who met their partners in life through online dating (but caution is also needed in this kind of dating or searching for your future partner.) Other marriage began in friendship. Whatever that situation is, if God is leading you to that person to be your future partner...go for it! Don't say one way or the other. Just go for it! A constant prayer and reading of God's word will help you in the direction God wants you for that relationship. In my first relationship, it took me almost four years to really follow God's direction that that man is not his will for my life (if i followed Him at first, it would have not caused me so much pain in my heart.) When the relationship was finally ended, God gave me a promise that He has a better plan for my life.

What God is telling you in your present relationship? Is He directing you to that person in marriage?...then go for it, but if not, be humble before God, ask for his direction everyday in your prayer time and read His word and allow Him to direct you. He knows the best for you and me.

P.S

This was the poem i originally composed for that relationship of mine  which i also posted on my other blog site:

An Utmost Prayer of Love

I feel something for you

with what i feel for you

I just commit it to the Lord

And to Him,I've committed you

My utmost prayer for you:

"May you be in-love with Him deeply
and give your heart to Him completely"

I love you...i know i do

But this love is up to God and what He will do

If its His will for me and you to become one

He will make your heart and mine one

And if this is God's will, His will will prevail....

That one day, i will be yours and you will be mine

and our love for each other will never fail

and i trust God will make a way

May we know Him more as we ask His guidance so divine

And really know His Will as we faithfully abide in the VINE

And if we are really for each other

He will cause us to be together

From this day forward i believe God will prepare a way for us to be together

And to enjoy the beautiful future He has planned for us to be together
May God's angels be commissioned- as what they are called to do
To protect us on our way...to exchanging our "I do"

And as we look forward to that time
May my name be engraved in your heart and yours in mine
May each of us know that we are really the ones God has meant to be..
......through prayers
......through circumstances
......through the people around us
......and through the powerful word and the Spirit of the Living God.
And we will boldly say to each other before we exchange "I do"
These powerful and comforting words "I love you, yes I do"

But if there would be better than you to become my partner
I would just look back to this time and feeling and say,
"Thank God , i've met you and uttered my prayer for you..
To be more in love with Him and be faithful in His word and in prayer"
And if there would be someone better than i to become your partner,
I would just look back to this time and feeling and say:
"Thank God, He gave me an opportunity to love you
and prayed the best for you."

Wise Words For You In Selecting Your Marriage Partner (Part II)

Here Are Other Quotes and Verses That Could Help Us In Selecting Our Mate:

"You are not looking for someone who might be voted "Mate of the Year" by the general public or by your friends.You need to choose someone with personality you can live with and enjoy." -from the Book "Finding The Love Of Your Life "

"But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”"- 1 Samuel 16:7 

-Although this passage was about the words of the Lord to Samuel when he was to anoint a new king for Israel, we can also consider this verse in choosing a mate for us.Sometimes, we tend to look at the physical appearance of a person only and not really focus on the heart. Yes, physical appearance matters but in choosing a mate, you just don't consider the physical appearance per se...it should be the "whole package"---spiritually, mentally, emotionally, socially..every aspect.

"Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God."-Proverbs 31:30 The Message Translation

"Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!" -Proverbs 31:30 Amplified Bible

 

Wise Words For You In Selecting Your Marriage Partner

‎"Don't let anyone select your marriage partner for you, and dont allow yourself to select a lifetime mate in order to satisfy someone else.This is your marriage, your once-in-a lifetime opportunity"

-from the Book Finding The Love Of Your Life

(note: the word "anyone" here talks about humans, ok? The author of that book is a Christian and of course, in finding the love of our lives, he encouraged  that we don't exclude God in that issue (and i agree to that and God should be the center of every issue in our lives including marriage.)

God's Concept Of Marriage

Mark 10:9 

 

Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

(New International Version 1984, ©1984)

 

 

Let no one split apart what God has joined together.

(New Living Translation)

  

What therefore God has united (joined together), let not man separate or divide.

(Amplified Bible)

   


God has joined the two together, so no one should separate them.

(New Century Version)

 

 

"This Could Be Love & I Will Be Here"

 

Thinking of Wedding Songs? If you have talent in song writing, why not write a song for your wedding or while you're courting. That would be so sweet. If my future husband would write a song for me or just even write a poem for me, i would consider that as a treasure and that would give me "kilig -to-the bones" feelings:).

Steven Curtis Chapman, songwriter and singer wrote these two songs "This Could Be Love" And "I Will Be Here ." 

Steven wrote "I Will Be Here" for  his wife and that is so sweet....that's my most favorite love song. Every time i hear that song, it touches my heart and my prayer is, i hope that would also be the song and promise of my future husband to me:) and that's also my prayer for you and your future spouse.This song is very inspiring and i really believe it is great for wedding and it could be your marriage  theme song .

And here's a bonus for you..."This Could Be Love"- Steven's first love song...this song, on the other hand, is good when you're still dating or courting. I researched from youtube.com and these two songs are in one video but before you click  that video which i posted below,  read first the lyrics of these songs.

THIS COULD BE LOVE 

Last night at the football game
I held your hand for the very first time.
I felt something I couldn't explain,
Now I can't get you out of my mind.

           
Since I woke up this mornin',
my knees are shakin' 

And my head is spinnin' too,
Oh this could be love,        
or this could be the flu.


Chorus:

This could be love baby,
or this could be the flu.
I guess  this knot in my stomach could mean that I really like you    
I can almost feel my temperature risin' again, 

I can't tell you what I'm goin' through.
               
This could be love,
or this could be a very bad case...of influenza

This could be love or this could be the flu 

but if it's the flu,    
I hope I didn't give it to you

I WILL BE HERE

Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the sun does not appear,
I will be here.

If in the dark we lose sight of love,
Hold my hand and have no fear,
Cause I will be here.

CHORUS

I will be here when you feel like being quiet;
When you need to speak your mind, I will listen.
And I will be here when the laughter turns to crying;
Through the winning, losing, and trying, we'll be together,
Cause I will be here.

Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the future is unclear,
I will be here.

As sure as seasons are made for change,
Our lifetimes are made for years,
So I will be here.

CHORUS

I will be here, and you can cry on my shoulder;
When the mirror tells us we're older, I will hold you.
And I will be here to watch you grow in beauty,
And tell you all the things you are to me;
I will be here.

I will be true to the promise I have made,
To you and to the One who gave you to me.

HERE'S THE VIDEO