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Most Christians believed that it is definitely wrong  to outwardly express anger in any form. And yet anger is an emotion and God created us an emotional being. This leads to a very important question, "Is it always wrong and a sin to be angry?" To answer this, one must know the nature of anger as defined in the Bible, how it affects us and others, what the Bible says about expressing it, and how to handle it.I. What is Anger?
Anger is a strong emotion of displeasure. The New Testament uses three words for anger?
1. Thumas -- turbulent commotion, boiling agitation of feelings, blazing up, passion, anger boiling up and subsiding, an outburst from inward indignation (Eph. 4:31)
2. Parorgismos-- (wrath) anger that has irritation, exasperation, embitterment (Eph. 4:26b, 6:4)
3, Orge- An abiding and settled habit of the mind aroused under certain conditions (against evil and injustice) a just occasion for this feeling
(Eph. 4:26a; Mark 3:5) (Sometimes with a view to taking revenge that can be lasting. But forbidden in Col. 3:9 for here it includes the scope of revenge.)
II. What Are It's Effects?
1. When anger is present is produces energy in abundance. It impels individuals to do things that tend to hurt or destroy. Some of the many names for anger are aggression, resentment, hate, fury, bitterness, spite, rancor, scorn, disdain, enmity, defiance, antagonism, hostility,etc.
2. When a person is angry we say --he is mad, bitter, griped, fed up, sore, seething, annoyed, exasperated, vexed, hurt, irked, pained, hostile, ferocious, vicious, dangerous, provoked, etc.
3. Anger will motivate a person to -- hate, wound, damage, annihilate, despise, scorn, loathe, vilify, curse, despoil, ruin, demolish, abhor, ridicule, get even, laugh at, humiliate, criticize, scold, bawl out, irritate, beat up, fight, crush, offend, bully, etc. He will probably attack verbally, or subtly.
III. What Happens to the Body When One is Angry?
Many things, such as: sugar pours into the system, creating energy. The blood pressure increase maybe as much as from 130 to 230, and the heart beats faster, often up to 220 or higher.
Additional adrenalin is released, which dilates the pupils of the eyes. Muscles tense up and the digestive tract can become so spastic that severe abdominal pains are felt during or after the time of anger. People have had strokes during a fit of anger because of the increased blood pressure. During anger the person can have a fatal coronary attack.
In 2002 a news item on the BBC website was headed: Angry Young Men Risk Heart Attacks. A finding of a 36 year longitudinal study was that young men who react quickly to stress with anger are three times more likely to develop heart disease. Of course, this risk is not confined to men. Here is a list of possible adverse effects of regular or chronic anger:

• Damaged or blocked arteries-linked to elevated bad cholesterol production
• Hypertension
• Increased susceptibility to infection (because cortisol released when we are angry suppresses the immune system as the body prepares for a fight)

 IV. What Causes Anger?
Why do we become angry? Are there logical reasons for becoming angry?
1. Some people become angry when they are frustrated. When a person is blocked from obtaining satisfaction or fulfilling his desires, impulses, ambitions, hopes, or drives, he readily becomes angry.
2. A person may become anger because of experiencing pain. This may be physical or psychological. A child may turn upon the parent, after spanking, and say "I hate you!" Harsh or brutal words or experiences that hurt can also make us angry. (Job. 19:2)
3 Another reason for anger is anxiety over the threat to oneself or a possession, or a loss. But the anxiety so quickly turns into anger.
4. Injustice is still another reason or cause of anger. Injustices occur every day and are perpetrated upon people often in all levels of society, Far too little anger is expressed at times over the injustices many people suffer, yet it is perhaps one of the most valid reasons for anger.
5. A final cause of anger is selfishness. We want our own way regardless of what happens to others. Some of our frustrations could easily be traced to the fact that our way has been blocked. We could give in and let the other person have his way, but instead we become frustrated and angry. We could eliminated our anger by putting others first. Perhaps at times it is the awareness of our own imperfections that leads us to attack and become angry with those who fail to live up to our expectations. We criticize others which makes us feel better at their expense.
V. When is Anger Wrong?
1. Some Bible verses clearly tell us not to be angry. (Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8; Prov. 29:11, and many more.)
2. Other passages forbid provoking others to anger, and especially our children (Prov. 20:9; Col. 3:21). In Proverbs 15:18 and 16:32 we are encouraged to be slow to anger, i.e. take time to think before acting.
3. People given to anger should be avoided. (Prov. 22:24, 25; 29:22)
VI. When is Anger Right?
Ephesians 4:24 declares "Be angry and sin not.'"This does not contradict what was just stated above. "Orge" kind of anger (look earlier) is a settled kind of anger aroused under certain conditions. The person is aware of it and in control of it. There is a just occasion for anger. The reason is involved and when reason is present anger such as this can be right, if under God's control.
There are times when Scriptures would not only permit it, but on occasion demand it. Many of us think that all anger is wrong, but that is totally in error.
1. The meek are not passive people, who are never angry. Meekness is not weakness, but the person knows how to be self-controlled by the Holy Spirit, even under pressure. We must be careful when, and if we get angry. Meekness is the sanctification of anger. It includes patience and long-suffering for personal affronts, but will speak out vigorously for the glory and honor of God.
2. There are Certain Characteristics of Righteous Anger:
These will be found in the times of Christ's reactions in anger. (Mark 3; Matthew 23; John 2)
a. First of all it must be controlled, not a heated nor unrestrained passion.
b. There will not be hatred, malice or resentment.
c. It's motivation must be totally unselfish.
d. It is directed against wrong deeds, or situations, not against people.
e. It ought to lead to positive and constructive action to right the wrong.
VII. How Do You Handle Anger?
It will take a while to get victory. You don't change a lifetime of patterns over night, so don't get discouraged and give up. Try some of the following suggestions.
1. First, when angry, accept the fact of your anger, admit it to the Lord. Confess it and take full responsibility for it. Don't project the blame on someone else by saying "You made me angry." No one else can make you angry; you allow it yourself. You are to blame, and no one else.
2. Second, try to understand what You are doing to make yourself angry. It is not the situation, it is YOU.
3. Third, control your anger. It is possible, Pray about it. Think before you act. Tell others in your group, or family that you need encouragement and that you are determined to change.
4. Fourth, don't respond to anger with anger (Prov. 15:1), but rather speak softly and get control of your person.
5. Fifth, spend time visualizing how you want to respond the next time you may possibly get angry and practice it. (Prov. 15:1; Phil. 4:6-9)
6. Sixth, develop a sense of humor; it will keep you from taking yourself too seriously.
7.Use Discretion: try to positively explain away the shocking behaviour/attitude of others that want to make you angry."The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." Prov.19:11
(Edited)

Text: II Cor. 12:1-9;11:23-28, and 4:7-11
In order to fulfill those plans for the purpose of God and become “who” God has ordained you to be, you will go through a process:a series of actions, changes or functions bringing about a desired result.”When that process is not palatable but hurting  and tiresome...it is refereed to as adversity.The word adversity occurs only once in the KJV Bible and it literally means trouble,difficulty,affliction...
It is noteworthy that adversity can come  because of our own sinful ways and failures as well as from God ministered to us by a loving Holy Spirit.
1. Adversity is not abnormal, many times it is even permitted by God.
2. God may or may not reveal the reason for what you are facing..
3. Adversity can be extremely painful and hurting, although allowed by God.
4. Adversity can be a  gift from God:though you may not immediately understand this.
5. The Devil can be the main agent by which the difficulty comes.  It might appear to be egregious. The Christian life is not designed to be a bed of roses though at the end it will be glorious.
6. God sends adversity to help, never to hinder us. God is doing good in our lives.
7. God never scolds for praying for release from adversity.
8. Paul learned God will comfort us in adversity -- He will give sufficient and timely comfort.
9. We are never alone in our adversity -- grace will overshadow us; God’s presence will be there. He will give a canopy of love and grace -- 12:9
10. While experiencing adversity we can experience God’ grace -- God is here now- in the present tense for us.
11. By grace we are enabled to endure victoriously. His power will be perfected in our weakness. This was Paul’s attitude and response. We must learn how to respond accordingly.
12. God may not see fit to remove the adversity. He is planning many good things for our growth and maturity. (James 1:1-3; Rom. 5:1-5)
13. God’s power within us reaches its peak at the time of our greatest adversity. His power is perfected in our weakness.Napoleon Hill said The strongest oak tree of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It's the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.
14. The spiritual blessings we receive in our adversity can over-shadow the pain we feel.
15. The right response in adversity develops our fellowship with God. We can move into bitterness or we can become better! We can build a closer walk or we can walk away.
16. If God does not see fit to remove the adversity He can enable us to live with it and grow through it.
17. We not only can live with it, we can rejoice in it.
18. Our present adversity may be preparation for the future lighter or heavier adversity. God is preparing for our future and preparing us for those future plans.
19. The key to enduring adversity triumphantly is to see it from Christ’s point of view, and receive it for Christ’s sake. (See Heb. 5:5-9; Heb. 12:1-4)
20. Adversity empowers us to comprehend others, and to console them in their troubles and pressures. We are able to have an ongoing ministry of encouragement to others.
21.Adversity is not meant to annihilate us but to stand as catalyst for our advancement.
22.The challenges we encounter prepares us for different phases of life.It is virtually impossible to  enter into next phase of life without facing and overcoming the next challenge.
23.Running away from adversities is running away from advancements.
24.Adversity is used by heaven to measure our strenght,loyality and stability(Prov24:10)

To get at the best in anything, you need facts. I consider facts as the father of success. Every success in marriage is fathered by facts, not luck. Quite a number of people have very peaceful and harmonious homes. Some are not even Christians, but they have unconsciously engaged the vital law of success in marriage the law of sense. Many have put the blame for their troubled homes at the door of the devil. But I believe the devil is not to be blamed for some of the problems we find in homes today. Some of them are self-caused. The Bible says by wisdom is a house built and by understanding it is established (Prov. 24:3-4). Wisdom has a way of establishing peace and serenity in the home. But it places a responsibility on you. Men with successful homes have accepted the responsibility of loving their wives, and the wives have also accepted the responsibility of submitting to their husbands. The Bible sense for getting into marriage or for enjoying a successful home is accepting your responsibility in designing or determining your destiny.

I believe that shortage of sense is the reason for problems in the home. Marriage is neither a myth nor magic. It is a relationship consciously entered into. You can't wake up one morning and find somebody by your side. That happened only once in the garden of Eden, never to happen again. Marriage is a good thing established by God, for the benefit of man. But to enjoy the benefits, it must be entered into as God intended it to be. Starting right is the solid foundation for success in marriage. The Bible says in
 Psalm 11:3:
  If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Success in marriage starts even before a couple enters into marriage. A sure foundation sets the pace for a successful home.
1. Finding The Person
"How do I get into marriage?" is the first question you must ask. The answer is in
 Proverbs 18:22:
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord. "Whoso findeth..."
 not, "Whoso prayeth or fasteth", or "Whoso his father giveth a wife..." Finding a wife is a conscious act. It doesn't happen in a sleep or dream. You enter into marriage with your senses alive. You consciously engage yourself in a finding process, by opening your mind and eyes to locate who you can spend your lifetime with. The finding process is not spiritual, but a practical one. You open your eyes wide to find a partner. After finding, you evaluate what you have found, if it is what you really want or not. For a believer, there are two basic criteria for determining who to marry.
Must Be A Believer
No matter the counsel, dream, or vision, there is no meeting point between a Christian and a sinner. The Abrahamic covenant demands that you marry among your kinsmen only. You're not permitted to marry strangers.
In simple language, the unbeliever is out of the question for a believer, no matter how you feel about it or how much you would have loved to.The Bible is clear on this.
 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: forwhat fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Considering an unbeliever for marriage is completely out of the question, no matter how well you are convinced that someday he or she will be saved. If you go on in a relationship with an unbeliever, it is easier for you to backslide than for you to get him saved. This is because it is easier to be pulled down from a height than to be pulled up from a well or valley. It is Scripturally unsafe for you to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. No matter what possession the unbeliever has, he is out of the way. Even if she is the most beautiful lady on earth, she is out of the way. Even if you claim he looks gentle, there are many gentle devils. A gentleman does not mean a saved man. You may say, "In fact, since I knew him, he has never hurt a fly." You will be the first fly he will hurt! You don't need to pray or think about considering an unbeliever as a marriage partner. God gave us brains so we can let Him rest. God doesn't listen to prayers that negate His Word. Your friends and church members may hear your groaning in prayer, but God won't, if it contradicts His Word.
Agreement
The second criterion for making your choice on who to marry is agreement. The Bible says:
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?   Amos 3:3
You ask yourself, "Do we agree? Are we working towards a common goal?" If you desire a successful home, then you must sincerely answer these questions. You don't need prayer to be able to answer them.
If the person is bothered about your prayer life, then you're not heading in the same direction. If she feels uncomfortable when you read the Bible, then you should not bother about her. If your going to church is a concern to him, you might end up in a shrine. If he can't stand your relations, you can't have a good home. "Are we agreeable?" Answering this question has a lot to do with your ability to analyze issues. After these two criteria have been met, then you can make your choice of a marriage partner. Don't be afraid to make your choice, because even God respects your choice (Deut. 30:19). To marry someone you don't like makes you a fool.
Propose
The next thing to do is to propose to the lady. You go ahead to communicate to the person of your choice, your desire to marry her. When you propose to a lady, give her a chance to decide whether she wants to marry you or not.If she is in a church where some protocols are to be followed….dont allow that to frustrate you.
When a lady says "No" to your proposal, go and look elsewhere for a wife. She has a right to choose who she wants to marry, so don't blackmail or stampede her into marrying you by telling her God said she is your wife. Everyone has a right to decide who he or she wants to marry. Marriage is by choice, not by force.
 
2. Courtship
 After proposing to a lady and she has agreed to marry you, the next thing to do is to obey the Biblical injunction to prove all things (1 Thess. 5:21). No matter how much you're convinced that you have made a right choice of who to marry, you need to prove the relationship. The courtship period is the time to prove your relationship. Proving all things is the essence of courtship. It gives you the opportunity of proving your choice. Yes, your spirit agrees that you have made the right choice, but you still need to prove all things. So, take time to prove your choice. Courtship is a fact-finding period. Marriage without courtship naturally ends in crisis, because there was no opportunity to get to know each other and prove whether the choice made was wise or not. Impatience is responsible for many marriage failures in the west today. A lot of marriages in America today don't last for more than three months, and the data keep getting worse by the day. This is because a man can meet a lady on the subway and say to her, "Hi, I am Thomas. Can you go out with me this Saturday? After that, can we be married the next Saturday?" The lady says, "Why not?" Their next meeting after that is on their wedding day. But very shortly after, Thomas says to Jane, "Jane, I am sorry I met you. It is the greatest mistake of my life. Let's call it quits." A woman can just walk out of the house, saying, "I'm tired, I'm fed up." She leaves her home, leaving a note in the hand of the baby. The baby munches half of it, and the man returns home to meet the remaining half! This is why there is need to prove the relationship by knowing one another well enough before getting into marriage. Courtship can be broken. This should not be mistaken for divorce. There is a no law in the Bible that says one can't break a courtship. Courtship is only a period of proving your compatibility. If you are not compatible, then the relationship should end there and not continue any further. If your ideas and ideals are not similar, common sense demands that you call it quits.
Many who have problems in their homes today saw the problems ahead, but they still went ahead, like a horse and a mule that have no understanding. You say, "How can I break our courtship? Our group leader already knows." By the time you start boxing yourselves at home, your group leader would have gone to work! Which group leader are you talking about anyway? I was the leader of my group when I decided I didn't want to marry the lady I first was engaged to any more. Courtship is a covenant culture for a successful marriage. It gives you the opportunity to change your mind in the process. So one month is not sufficient for courtship. Two months is risky. Man is a complex being, so you need enough time to logically and analytically assess your choice, and get to know each other well. The proving process is the personal responsibility of the individuals involved, because they are the ones to live together. Do not allow your parents or Family to prove your spouse for you.

3. Proceed
 After you have satisfactorily proved your relationship, you can then go on to the next stage of informing members of your Family about the relationship. This is the time to meet each other's parents and Family members. You are not permitted to proceed, until you're satisfied with the available facts about each other. When you are satisfied with your proofs, then go ahead and make announcements. You will lose respect before people, if today you introduce somebody to them, and come back tomorrow to say you are no longer marrying each other.
4. Protect Each Other
While in courtship, there is the need to protect the relationship from incurring the anger of God. You must protect your destiny by protecting yourself from defilement. Hebrews 13:4 says: Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Courtship period is not the time to prove if your fiancee can be pregnant or not. That is not allowed in the covenant. It sows a seed of shame for the future and turns God's favour away from you. The covenant demands that you protect the relationship from defilement. The honour of marriage is an undefiled bed. For those who are ignorant of this, the former things God has overlooked. Those who know it pay heavily for disobeying. I was in courtship for six years. One day, the enemy told me, "I will make sure you fall into fornication." I told my wife-to-be what the devil told me, and said to God, "If I ever go into it, strike me with leprosy." That settled the matter, as I wasn't ready to be a leper. Every beautiful thing has a price tag. So protect your relationship, and you will enjoy dignity at the end of the day.
5. Protest
If in an attempt to protect your relationship certain unpleasant things develop, then you have the right to protest.
 Protest means pointing out the unacceptable issues you have discovered in one another before marriage. You have the right to tell your fiance(e), when you discover an unacceptable thing with him or her, "No, no, no, I can't take that!" You can tell him or her, "That step is not acceptable. It is wrong, for so and so reason." If you can't understand yourselves before you get married and start living together, you will never have an outstanding Family. You need to know what goes well, and understand the reasons behind it. You had earlier agreed on certain terms, and then suddenly there is a change or a deviation. You are allowed to react, in order to put the issues right. That way, when you are married, there will be freedom of communication. Disagreements should be allowed from both parties.
6. Prepare For The Future
 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.  2 Chronicles 27:6
Jotham became great because he prepared his ways. Behind every great accomplishment is great preparation. In any task, your output is naturally a function of your preparation. God cannot prepare for you. He said,
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord"   (Matt. 3:3).
You prepare for marriage by taking practical steps towards marriage. What you're not prepared for, you can't succeed in. You can't be a squatter and want to marry. You can't afford to continue living the way you were living before you got married after marriage.

Marriage is not for boys in the kingdom; it is for men. If you want to enjoy the full blessings of God in marriage, be mentally, spiritually and physically prepared for your home.
 Matthew 19:5
 ...For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
A man leaves, not a boy! Marriage is not for girls and boys, it is for men and ladies. Peace and maturity in the home is a function of the parties involved. In recent times there are too many boys and girls in marriage, giving birth to babies. Marriage is for the matured. Maturity has nothing to do with biological age. It is a personal development, that demands that a man or woman be responsible. For instance, to want to get married without a job, a house, and the basic needs of a home is a sign of gross irresponsibility. It is scripturally not permitted for parents to sponsor their children's marriage. If a man can't handle the necessary expenses for his wedding, then it is dangerous to entrust a human being into his care. Maturity determines serenity. Harmony and peace are all products of maturity, therefore, you need a matured mind and body. There is nothing more frustrating than being tied to the apron strings of your parents. Christianity does not equal stupidity. Your mind must be sound. Until you can stand your ground, you are not a man. You're not permitted to marry, until you accept full responsibility for your choice.

7. Possess
When all these are fully in place, you can then march to the altar together to be  joined as husband and wife. This is the appropriate time to possess your husband or wife, and the home is born. It is at this point that the young man can now stand in front of many witnesses and say, "I, Victor … or I, Samuel…wed thee…" The man is set for the home. He is in shape both mentally and physically. He is leaving boyhood for manhood. Until these processes are fully in place, it is not safe to marry. It is only at this point that you can be convinced that you have a goodly heritage, and that a great future is established for your home. It is then you can be sure that you are heading for something very colourful and glorious.
...For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?  Matthew 19:5
This is the foundation. For your home to be successful, the couple must both leave their parents to cleave to each other. You can't enjoy peace in your home when for every small decision, you run home to mum and dad. It means you never left home in the first place. A boy can't leave home; only men can. Neither can a girl leave home; girls live at home. Immaturity is the reason why many couples are in a house, but are not at home. They are married to their spouses quite alright, but they are at home with their parents. Your parents or Family members are not supposed to be involved in the initial moves for marriage. They should not be involved, until all the facts have been properly analysed and a decision reached.
marriage is fathered by facts, not luck. Quite a number of people have very peaceful and harmonious homes. Some are not even Christians, but they have unconsciously engaged the vital law of success in marriage the law of sense. Many have put the blame for their troubled homes at the door of the devil. But I believe the devil is not to be blamed for some of the problems we find in homes today. Some of them are self-caused. The Bible says by wisdom is a house built and by understanding it is established (Prov. 24:3-4). Wisdom has a way of establishing peace and serenity in the home. But it places a responsibility on you. Men with successful homes have accepted the responsibility of loving their wives, and the wives have also accepted the responsibility of submitting to their husbands. The Bible sense for getting into marriage or for enjoying a successful home is accepting your responsibility in designing or determining your destiny.
The race is not permitted to begin, until after these things have been put in place. If you are absolutely responsible for your choice, then you won't look for someone to blame. You will not fail! Your home shall be the haven God created it to be, in Jesus' name!
 
Written By Bishop David Oyedepo (Edited by me)

The believer has been compared to different kinds of creatures in the scriptures

1.The Eagle:
2.A Lion
3.A Sheep
4.The Ants
But we will be talking majorly on ants

Prov.6:6-7
“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise.Which, having no captain, overseer, or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest” 
 #There are over 11,000 different kinds of ants.  They live in colonies numbering from a few to over 20 million.  There are approximately 1 quadrillion ants in the world today. (This is a 10 followed by 15 zeros!)   Ants are so numerous that scientists say that if all the ants in the Amazon rain forests were weighed, they would weigh four times more than all the other specials of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, living in that area, combined!
Ants are so important that some people devoted their whole life to study it….
Lets learn about ants before we learn from them:
Ants are probably the most highly developed social insects. Each colony contains at least one queen. The workers, who are all sterile females, care for the queen, enlarge, repair and defend the nest, care for the young and gather food. Some workers perform only one job throughout their lives while others may change their tasks. The soldier ants are specialized workers whose function is to guard the nest.
The nests are usually underground and are made of numerous passages and chambers. There are nurseries where the larvae develop, a Queen's chamber, store rooms and rest rooms. Some species of ant have special chambers for growing fungi. Workers are continually making new chambers.
In cold weather the developing larvae are moved further down in the nest to give them more warmth. In Europe an ants' nest may consist of 12 or more mounds of earth, each about 0,9m high, connected by underground tunnels. A nest of this size would contain millions of ants. The ant colony is kept together by chemicals produced by the queen. These chemicals are passed between the workers in their saliva. The workers leave trails for others to follow by placing secretions from their mouths on the ground. The workers can also produce alarm chemicals. Foreign ants are identified by their odour. When two ants meet each other, they smell each other with their antennae. If both are from the same colony, one may regurgitate a drop of liquid for the other.
During a few days in the summer, large, winged ants can be seen taking to the air from the nests. The young queens are chased through the air by the males. A queen may mate with several males and she receives enough sperms to last through her lifetime: The sperms are stored in a special sac in her body. The male dies soon after mating but the queen returns to the ground. She tears off her wings and starts to build a nest. Sometimes a queen returns to the old nest to join the old queen in producing eggs.
As said earlier,there are many different species of ants. Some species are known as slave makers. They raid the nest of other species and carry away the larvae. When the larvae change into adults they work for their captors.
Harvester ants gather seeds and store them in their nests. Parasol ants cut pieces of leaves which they take to their nest and chew into a pulp. They have special chambers in the nest where they grow a fungus on the leaf pulp. This fungus then serves as food for the ants. When the young queens fly from the nest, they carry a piece of this fungus in their jaws. They will use it when they build a new nest.
Other species of ants "milk" other insects such as aphids. Aphids have piercing mouthparts which they put into plant stems; they then suck out the plant's sap. The dairy ants stroke the aphids on the back with their antennae to make them produce a drop of sugary liquid called honeydew. The honeydew is then taken back to the nest.
The weaver ants make their nest from leaves. They hold the larvae in their jaws and gently squeeze them to make them produce silk. The ants then use this silk to join the leaves together.We also have carpenter ants. They are found in dead wood, such as trees, fallen logs, stumps, or even in houses.
In Proverbs 6:6 King Solomon wrote, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise." Later on in the same book he wrote, "The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Proverbs 30:25. Since this wise and good King has recommended that we go to school to the ant, let us do so for a while and learn. I am sure it will be delightfully interesting

1.Ants make preparation for the future: Ants don’t know the meaning of procrastination ! They don’t wait til the weather turns cold before they are preparing. They gather food while it is still warm and take it into their colony ! Many of those who work hard all day will never eat of the food they are preparing because their they will die before cold weather……but they want to make certain that their families are taking care of.( Proverbs 30:25)
There is little that can be achieved without adequate preparation. God’s words says ”So Jotham became mighty because he prepared…”(2Chr.27:6)
2.Ants are well organized: Ants are divided into three,when they are in a colony.The workers,queen and males.They are so well organised that they carry out their respective tasks throgh division of labour.All these done without a leader or a commander.
We will get much done in our brief life on this planet if we learn orderliness from the ant. (1 Corinthians 14:40)
3. Ants are persistent: Whenever an obstacle is placed in the way of Ants, they always find a way round such obstacles. Napoleon said, "Victory belongs to be persistent" We must never give up so easily in the face of obstacles. There are many obstacles in life that are to be overcome. As long as you keep trying you will get past whatever is blocking your path.(Gal.6:9)
4. Ants are not selfish :They have an unbelievable spirit of unselfish unity. If they find out something eatable immediately they pass on the message to others. If a scout ant discovers a food resource which provides more than an individual serving, he quickly leaves a trail of pheromones to help the other ants find the shortest path to it thus saving them time to reach it. Generosity and cooperation feed the nest. Hoarding is not practiced by ants.
As a believers, you must be generous. Be a source of blessing to those around you. By that you are creating a success zone for yourself.( 2 Kings 7:9 )
5. Ants are great planners: When it is winter, they store up enough food in their colony. During winter, when the cold is becoming unbearable, they never lack anything. Apart from this, a typical anthill is very much like a well-planned modern city. It has streets,supply-rooms, hatcheries, barracks etc. Ants are better planners than some individuals. It was not raining, when Noah built the Ark. He had to plan ahead, because He knew the flood would surely come. Where there is no plan, there is no hope.
The future belongs to planners. Planning puts you in control of the future. Planning makes you smile at what others are crying about. Those who plan well can never be caught unawares and are never afraid of the future
6. Ants are dedicated and determined: You can destroy an anthill, it will be back in few days. Ants are extremely determined and dedicated to their tasks. We must know that one determined person can make a significant difference, and that a small group of determined people can change the course of history. Extraordinary people in life are ordinary people with extra ordinary amount of determination. Many times the difference between failures and achievers is strong determination!
7.Ants cooperate, they maximize the power of teamwork: If a load is too big for an ant to handle alone, the lone ant signals to  others around that it needs help. Sometimes it takes a lot of ants to move that bread crust…that is teamwork. In fact you seldom, see the ant by itself.
According to Andrew Carnegie,Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability,to direct individual accomplishments towards organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. If you want to see farther, you need to stand on other people’s shoulder. Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.( Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 3 John 1:8; Proverbs 27:17; Psalm 133:1)
8.Ants care for the young ones: Ants don’t forsake their young ones. They feed them and carry the eggs while travelling.They even have a way of disinfecting their young ones by literally spitting out formic acid.
9.Ants are hardworking. Ants always keep themselves busy all day long doing something.They are noted for carrying objects that are bigger than them. This is only made possible through sheer hard work and strength. Ants are not scared of heavy task, but rather take pleasure in lifting these objects to their colony. If we don’t look at how big a task is, we would easily accomplish task that seemed insurmountable.
In life it is no longer a secret that hard work is the father of high worth. Those who will not work hard have settled for hard life.

There are six faculties of the soul you need to understand and harness for your progress:1. Memory: with it you contact the past.
2. Intellect: with it you process information.
3. Emotions: with it you react to events and people etc.
4. Imagination: with it you contact the future and create things.
5. Will: with it you make decisions.

6. Reason:with it you bring out a way even where there is no way
 We are going to focus on imagination; one of the greatest gifts of God to mankind. This is the quality of seeing images in your mind of things that don’t exist physically.
Imagination is the mother of Vision!
“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.” Jonathan Swift
  Vision is seeing the future before it comes into being (Hebrews 11:1).
  Vision is the ability to see farther than your eyes can look.
  It is vision that makes the unseen visible and the unknown possible.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18
Success requires vision. What is vision? It is an image of a preferred future.
God specialises in creating images of greatness in the minds of those who became great. God spoke about making Abraham great and giving him a great name. Gen 12:2. Later, God showed him stars to create an indelible image of his future seeds in his mind Gen 15:5. You can see your future from where you are.
These images of greatness are created throughout scripture for those who would follow Christ.
Whatever dominates your mind will dominate your life.
It is the ability to see farther than your eyes can see. It is seeing the future before it comes into being.
John Sculley, the former CEO of Pepsi and Apple Computer once said, “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.”
Sight is a function of the eyes while vision is a function of the heart. Eyes that look are common, but eyes that see are rare. Helen Keller said, “The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but has no vision”
Success never comes by accident. Success begins as a dream. Every great venture you see today began as a dream, an idea. There can be no real success without a vision. Every successful person desired it, dreamed it and worked it out or shall we say worked hard at it. What you cannot conceive you cannot achieve. Only those who see the invisible can accomplish the impossible. What you see long enough you conceive and what you conceive you deliver; you become. This was the principle God made Jacob to use to get the flock to conceive and deliver spotted sheep and transferred the wealth of Laban to Jacob.
“Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.”   - As A Man Thinketh

Unanimous Disagreement
A gentleman who served on one of Walt Disney’s original advisory boards told amazing stories of Walt Disney. Those early days were tough; but that remarkable, creative visionary refused to give up. He talked about how Disney responded to disagreement. He said that Walt would occasionally present some unbelievable, extensive dream he was entertaining. Almost without exception, the members of his board would gulp, blink, and stare back at him in disbelief, resisting even the thought of such a thing. But unless every member resisted the idea, Disney usually didn’t pursue it. Yes, you read that correctly. The challenge wasn’t big enough to merit his time and creative energy unless they were unanimously in disagreement!

IT IS TIME FOR YOUR DREAM TO BE FULFILLED
Hab 2:2-3 “2And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

15 Things You Need To Know About Dreams
1. A dream is a proof you have a better future
2. A dream is a promise to be received and claimed by faith.
3. A dream is a preview of your destiny; a chapter in your future.
4. It is futuristic so there is a time of waiting for manifestation.
5. The fulfilment of a dream requires a process. You move from promise through process to possession.
6. A dream must be documented for records, planning and constant reminder. Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables…(v2)
7. There is an appointed time for the fulfilment of every vision. 3For the vision is yet for an appointed time…(v3)
8. A dream is meant to be pursued actively: That he may run that readeth. Apostle Paul said, I press. You have to press if your dreams must become reality; press in prayer and work.
9. A dream is a harvest therefore seeds must be planted for them to come to pass. Seeds of time, energy, resources etc.
10. A dream must be celebrated until fulfilled. Israel murmured; they spent 40 years instead of 40 days. Celebrating life and your dream while waiting is a secret many have not discovered. If you want to get out of the wilderness fast, you must not allow the devil to steal your joy.
11. A dream protects against anxiety, frustration and fear. Joseph could be cheerful in a slave house and in prison because he had seen his future.
12. Vision helps you to set goals.
13. A dream focuses our energy and steers us in the right direction. Vision helps you to remain focused. Vision protects you against unprofitable ventures. It is not enough to run, you must be in the right race and run in the right direction. You must run in the direction of your vision if you expect to win.
14. Vision is tied to purpose. Your Vision in not your assignment. Your assignment is what you are called to do but your vision is what you will eventually become. God gives you visions based on His purpose for your life. A very simple way of looking at it is this: purpose is what you are meant to do; what you are created for; while vision is what you are meant to be in order to accomplish what you are meant to do. God showed Joseph what he was going to be in future. He was going to be raised to a position of leadership in life where he will be higher than his brethren; even his parents. But the purpose of that elevation was in line with God’s plan for His people Israel - to preserve them through the period of farming, multiply them in Egypt before taking them to the Promised Land. God will always show you how far and how high you can go; how blessed you can be but you must find out why he is taking you high and why He is blessing you. He is not blessing you just so you can show off. He is not blessing you for you only but for the Kingdom and others.
15. A great vision attracts great opposition.

The Example of Joseph
God gave Joseph a dream of greatness. Genesis 37:5-11 “5And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 9And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.”
God fulfilled it.
Genesis 42:6-9 “And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
7And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.  8And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. 9And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them…”
The activities of betrayers could not stop him. Household enemies could not stop him. Slavery did not alter God’s plan. Temptation could not overpower him. He refused to compromise. Prison connected him. Favour is released when dream manifestation is ripe. Satan’s plan for you will not succeed in Jesus name.

Seven Basic Principles Of Vision
1. Dream big. Create a dream that is so big that it will keep you excited. Dream big; very big. The cure for littleness is great dreams. As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Disregard your limits. Think of what you thought you couldn’t do that you have accomplished. “Instead of giving myself reasons why I can’t, I give myself reasons why I can.” Change your ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can’. Become a no-limit thinker. Become a possibility thinker. Develop a limitless mindset. Develop an all-things-are-possible mindset. Don’t just dream big, dream limitless dreams. God wants to give you as far as your eyes can see; He will give you limitless breakthroughs if you see limitless possibilities. So you are limited only by how much you permit yourself to see. Modify your beliefs. Your beliefs create your reality. When you make positive changes in your belief system, a corresponding positive change will take place in your level of achievement and level of fulfillment. Before we started the Ministry, the Lord told me two things not to believe: (a) the beginning of anything is always hard. It happens that way because people believe and expect the beginning to be difficult. (b) Anything good takes time. It does not necessarily have to be.
2. Dream long range. Most of the time we major only on the size of the vision but the most crucial factor of success is the longevity of the vision. God gave Abraham a vision that saw beyond him as far as his descendants. In one conversation, God told him of events of more than 400 years into the future.
Sir Winston Churchill stood in front 10 Downing Street in 1884 at the age of 10, took a picture with a dream to become the PM of Great Britain. That dream became a reality in 1940; 56 years later.
3. Document and Define the dream in minute detail,
4. Pray: for vision anointing (ask the Holy Spirit to help you actualize your dream), helpers, open doors, provision (financial and material), etc.
5. Plan accordingly. Be guided by the Holy Spirit to determine the timing for pursuing aspects of the vision that are due. The accomplishment of a vision is in phases. Note that the vision is for an appointed time. Depend on the Lord to know that appointed time and act accordingly.
6. Live in the dream so that it becomes real to you on the inside. Talk about it to the right people. Let it dominate your thinking and your conversation. Sleep with it, wake up with it, breathe it!
7. Work, work and work. Run with the vision. The proof of desire is pursuit. It is only what you pursue you possess.
8. Hold on to it so tightly that no one can take it away from you. Believe it will happen, ignore the challenges and hold on tightly like Joseph. The just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:4
There was a man:During his senior year he was assigned a writing project to describe what he wanted to be when he grew up.  His seven-page essay minutely detailed the 200-acre ranch he wanted to own.  It included a diagram of the ranch and a detailed floor plan of his 4,000 square foot home.
Despite the passion and effort Monty put into his paper, he received it back with a large “F” written on it and a note to see the teacher after class.  The teacher told Monty that the reason he had given him that grade was because his paper was unrealistic.  He went on to cite all of the reasons why, and told Monty that if he would rewrite the paper with a more realistic goal, he would reconsider the grade.  After considering it for a week, the young man turned in the same paper with no changes, along with the remark, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.”
The conclusion of the true story has the teacher bringing 30 students for a summer campout at the 200-acre ranch of the now grown (and successful) Monty who lives in his 4,000 square foot dream home.
If it worked for the son of an itinerant horse trainer it will work for you.

Start dreaming and dream big. The Bible tells the story of a poor man called Lazarus who kept competing with dogs for the crumbs from the rich man’s table. He was looking under the table instead of over the table. Step up your thinking. You are bigger than you think. You are capable of achieving more than you realize. You can rise higher than where you are right now. Forget the last time you tried and failed, it was only an event. What circumstances have said about you is not true. Dare to reach higher! Remember, if it can happen in your mind it will happen in your life.

Your vision will produce proofs in Jesus name. Your vision will produce amazing testimonies in Jesus name.
Your God-given Dreams will soon begin to manifest in Jesus name. Long-standing problems will be solved. Get ready for jobs. Husbands will manifest. The barren will conceive. Cars will manifest shortly. Delayed payments will be released. That contract you have been waiting for will soon be given to you

1. Every relationship is like a building. The beauty, strength, size and durability of relationship are determined by the foundation upon which the relationship is built. Build on
the word of God.
2. Forgiveness strengthens and builds relationship……Forgiveness nourishes
love……Forgiveness helps to heal broken hearts – internal hurts and wounds.
3. You can’t be one with God and not love.
4. Marriage is commitment to a person you dearly love to share your lives together till death
do you path.
5. It takes your all to make marriage succeed. Your whole heart, love, money, energy,
creativity and entire personality are required.
6. For your marriage to work, don't concentrate on what your spouse can give or buy for you,
but concentrate on what you can give to make your spouse happy.
7. No relationship will succeed when only one party is giving and making input for the
success of the relationship. It takes two to succeed in a relationship.
8. If the two of you will attempt to outdo each other in showing love, caring and buying of
gifts, I assure you, your relationship will stand the test of time.
9. Sincerity is the ingredient that heals hurts in relationships. It enables one to accept
responsibility of mistakes and offenses committed within the relationship, apologize and
make amends.
10. Selfishness, greed and secrecy are destroyers of relationship any day, any time anywhere.
11. Becoming like Christ takes away stress from marriage.
12. Submission is the key to greater love.
13. Freedom of sex expressions in marriage strengthens the bond of love and oneness.
14. Love without sacrifice is, fake.
15. Love without patience will not last.
16. Troublesome mother-in laws are not devils, but have only failed to realize that their sons
and daughters are no longer babies but independent adults.
17. Your vision of your marriage determines the way you approach matters in your home.
18. Marriage is serious responsibility. And courtship is a time to develop in taking
responsibilities.
19. Quarrelling does not change people or situations.
20. Becoming more like Christ is the pathway to marital bliss.
21. Your children are the blessings and responsibilities of your marriage.
22. Your children’s habits and character depends on your investment of love, time and money
into their lives.
23. Time and effort invested in making yourselves compatible is a good investment that will
definitely pay off in the end.
24. The liveliness of your family Altar determines how far your marriage will receive God’s
support.
25. Invest love and time in helping one another overcome your weaknesses.
26. Give allowance for failure knowing that you too do fail sometimes, and you will always
want your spouse to understand and bear with you.
27. Say and do unto your spouse what you will have her say and do unto you.
28. Faith and patience are necessary for marriage to work….. “Better a patient man than a
warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)
29. He who covers over an offence promotes love. (Proverbs 17:9)
30. Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.
(Proverbs 19:18)
31. He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.
(proverbs 21:17)
32. A humble wife brings out the lover in the husband.
33. The sweetness of marriage can only be discovered when the home is peaceful.
34. Trust gives strength to a relationship.
35. Who you did not submit to, you cannot obey.
36. The proof of love is obedience……Love without obedience is fake.
37. Sincerity is a necessity in relationship.
38. Pointing the accusing finger does not solve problems, but compound and defer them.
39. A peaceful home is not just prayed down, but worked out.
40. Conquer self and the problems will disappear.
41. If you really love your spouse, do what will please him or her at all times.
42. If you will channel your energy and effort at building and perfecting yourself, you will
attract a quality partner.
43. Obedience is the proof of love. Submission is part of obedience.
44. When love is strong in the heart, it is easy to overlook an offence
45. When bitterness becomes strong, it is a sign that love is weak.
46. Your partner is not supposed to take God’s place in your life. God must always be number
one in your life. When the order is changed, things go wrong.
47. It takes sincerity for marriage or any other kind of relationship to work successfully.
48. If your husband is not standing by you and you are not standing by him, then you have no
business with each other.
49. Build your family on Christ, the Rock that cannot be moved.
50. Your marriage is all about you; just you - your character, habits, desires and dreams.
51. Marriage is not about wishes, but purposeful actions.
52. Marriage problems are proofs of a lack of wisdom in the area of conflict…..Wisdom is not
just knowledge, but the right application of knowledge. Failure to apply the knowledge you
have is foolishness.
53. Failure to deal with the weaknesses in one’s life is an invitation to crisis in the home. Your
weaknesses will always manifest until you overcome them.
54. Pointing of the accusing finger is not the solution to relationship problems. Both of you
should settle down and look at yourselves critically and sincerely and deal with what needs
to be dealt with.
55. Your thoughts towards your spouse determine how you relate with him or her.
56. Respect is a product of our mental assessment of our spouse. A lack of it reveals a bad
mental picture of your spouse.
57. The atmosphere you create determines your experience.
58. Don’t give your ears to gossip. What you hear repeatedly, you will eventually believe and
this will affect your marriage negatively. Please read proverbs 26:20-28.
59. Never allow what people say about your spouse to form your opinion about him or her.
60. Never allow what people say about you to change your scriptural opinion of yourself. You
are who God says you are. You have what God says you have. You can do what God says
you can do.
61. Never allow what people say to change your godly principles upon which your marriage
and relationship is built.
62. What you think of your partner is more important than what people think about him or her.
63. Like the soil to seeds, so also the mind to words. What you open your mind to will grow in
you and affect, influence and control you in many ways.
64. Give your mind to what will enhance love, unity, happiness and celebration in your
home……Guard your mind with all diligence…… “Above all else, guard your heart, for it
is the well spring of life”. (Prov.4: 23)
65. You are responsible for all the decisions you make in your marriage……Every other
person is an adviser, while you are the decision-maker in your own marriage.
66. He who speaks into your marriage contributes to the success or failure of your marriage.
67. Life is a collection of choices.
68. Problems never leave you the way they met you. Your attitude to the problem determines
the effect of the problem on you, your spouse, your children and your marriage.
69. You programme your marriage to succeed and become better by the values and habits
formed and displayed yesterday and today. Start now to reprogramme your marriage with
the truth from God’s word.
70. The submission of the wife to the husband, provokes greater love from the husband.
71. Sex in marriage is not only for childbirth, but for union, enjoyment and satisfaction. Lack
of satisfaction causes infidelity.
72. Life without understanding the principles of successful living is always full of miserable
experiences.
73. You are what you do repeatedly.
74. Life is a collection of choices
75. Your decisions in life determine your experiences.
76. Tomorrow will never be an accident. Today started yesterday, tomorrow starts today. You
progress into tomorrow…….Tomorrow is a continuation of today.
77. Stagnant water stinks. Life without changes stinks………Life is dynamic. It requires
changes to be made as at, and when necessary. Don’t remain the same……You can’t
succeed without making changes.
78. Make room in your heart for offences and mistakes so that when they occur you will be
able to forbear and forgive.
79. Love is the medicine that heals every wound. Apply it.
80. See yourself in your spouse and your spouse in you. That is God’s concept of oneness in
marriage.
81. Secrecy destroys trust. Without trust, marriage cannot work.
82. The proof of love is the investment of time.
83. Submission is a strengthener of love, while rebellion is a killer of love.
84. Him whom you submit to will love you more.
85. Love is like wine, it intoxicates. Does your love for your spouse intoxicate you? Measure
it.
86. He who speaks into your marriage programmes you for success or failure.
87. Self-control is a virtue you can’t do without in relationships. Develop it.
88. Listen to others when you talk.
89. Only you can’t be wise, and every other person a fool.
90. Feeding your laziness with excuses is fatal. Watch it!
91. Marriage is not man’s concept, but God’s. So He is in a better position to instruct on
marriage.
92. You can never know more about marriage than the author of marriage.
93. The principles of God never fail to work in the life of the one that practices it.
94. The word works, even in relationships. Use it in faith always.
95. Those who speak into your life and marriage direct the cause of your life and marriage.
96. If you can control your thoughts towards your partner, you can control your words and
actions towards him or her. (Your thoughts give birth to your words and actions.)
97. Always remember that your feelings towards your partner are products of your thoughts.
Therefore changing your thoughts towards your partner can change every feeling.
98. Love is rooted in the heart and expressed through words and actions.
99. Love can turn sour when thoughts towards your partner turn sour. Thoughts stimulate, stir
and control love.
100. It is not counsel that delivers you from trouble but wise counsel.
101. Love is meant to be guarded and protected against all that seek to destroy it.
102. Your marriage is what you make it.
103. Before you complain that your spouse is going out with someone else, ask yourself, am I
responsible? Why the sudden interest in another?
104. Love and much love will win over discontent from your spouse.
105. If your home is built on the word of Christ, the Rock that cannot be moved, your home will
be stable.
106. Avoid “I too know”, it brings rivalry.
107. Avoid reactions that will subdue or inhibit each other’s feelings and opinions about any
given matter.
108. Marriage is nothing but the manifestation of the personalities involved in the marriage.
109. A gentle answer turns away wrath.
110. “I am sorry” is a sign of maturity.
111. Submission is a proof of understanding.
112. Your mate is a gift from God to you. That gift is intended to (a) Protect your focus, (b)
reduce distractions and (c) create a climate of protection. Value your spouse.
113. Not all who are qualified for your attention are qualified for your heart.
114. Those who speak into your life direct your thoughts and create your experiences.
115. For your marriage to work, you must give it your all.
116. Marriage is not a game of luck, but a life that is lived.
117. It takes commitment from both parties to make marriage work.
118. Sincere people are loveable people;be sincere
119. Trust is one of the foundations for durable and enduring marital relationship.Trust one another
120. Giving your ear to gossips is opening the door for the devil to destroy your relationship.
121. Forgiveness and forbearance are the two great pillars of love. Without them, love cannot
survive.
122. To make the right choice in marriage, emotion must be put aside, and the facts considered.
123. Marriage is responsibility meant for only responsible people.
124. Maturity is not just age, but the ability to manage the problem and responsibilities of life.
125. Don’t criticize the other person but rather encourage them to reach their goals
126. Marital well-being requires compromise, sacrifice, letting go and giving up false pride
127. ALWAYS appreciate even little things and NEVER take each other for granted
128. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can change your partner
129. Periodically go on short trips together (leave the children with grandparents);it will rekindle your love.
130. Never react with fear, anger, or frustration…be loving in times of difficulties and dont get into a “tit for tat!”

One  of the worst tragedies of these end times is the inability of Christians to build and maintain great and fruitful prayer life. Personal prayer lifestyles is not really celebrated.Meanwhile,prayer should play major role in our Christian life. Apart from this,our prayers should be result -oriented and productive.

We should be careful enough to nurture and build our prayer life to the extent that our whole living revolves around the continuous growth and progress of our prayer life. Until prayer becomes the main business of our life and church, there can be no growth. A fruitful prayer life is not a monologue but a dialogue. A two way communication. A personal and fruitful prayer life is basic to godly living. The private life is the secret of great growth and usage.   

1.    God's Word On Prayer life - Lamentation 3:56.

The Bible does not leave us in doubt as to the importance of maintaining a prayer life. Prayer is the Christian’s native air, the breath of the believer. Since the fall of man it has become necessary to pray in order to receive help and maintain an open communication with the creator - Gen.4:26. The more reason there are numerous commands in the bible concerning prayer - I Chr.16:11; Ps.65:2; Isa.56:7; Lk.18:1; Matt.26:41; I Thes.5:17; Jam.5:13.

All those who walked with God and who amount to anything in life have maintained a prayer life. Enoch - Gen.5:22-24; Noah - Gen.8:20-21; Abraham - Gen.12:8; 13:4; Isaac - 25:20-21; Moses - Deut.9:25; Samuel - I Sam.25: 11; Elijah - Kings 17: 1-3; Elisha - 2 Kings 4:33-35. Daniel - Oan.9:1O; Jesus - Mark.l:35; 6:46; Lk.5:15-16; 6:12; 9:8; 22:41-42.

These Biblical examples show to us that the key to knowing and enjoying profound relationship with God lies in the prayer life. Your greatest lack therefore is that you do not know how to pray. Developing a personal and fruitful prayer life with God is the key to walking with God and being mightily used by him.

2.     God’s Intention For Our Creation - Gen.3:8; Pro.8:30-31; Ps.16:3.

God’s original intention in creation was to fellowship and have intimate communion with the man. God desires to share fellowship time with his creatures. His delight is with the sons of men for communion and fellowship. The fellowship was destroyed by sin, yet it was restored through Jesus. The call of God to us now is a call of love to come and share in His divine love for us. We cannot really know and enjoy God if we have no time to commune and fellowship with Him. Spending time in His presence will inflame and empower you.

3.    Glaring Facts On Our Prayer Life - Job.l:5; Act. 10: 1-4; 9-16.

God desires intimate communion with his people. We cannot develop a deep, rich prayer as long as we look at prayer as a command and duty of Christians. It is only when we see prayer as a relationship will we see the need to develop and maintain a fruitful prayer life. Prayer as a loving relationship between God and man. “What you love you worship; true prayer, real prayer is nothing but loving; what you love, that you pray to” - Augustine of Hippo. ‘Prayer is love in need appealing to love in power” ­

1.     Servant relationship            
2.     Sonship relationship    
3.     Father relationship           
4.     Friendship relationship
5.     Daddy relationship           
6.     My Daddy relationship
7.     Favourite relationship.

The lowest stage is the servant relationship - sadly many are rooted there. The more we have a fruitful prayer life, the rnore we move up in our relationship with the Lord. We cannot attain a high, deep, rich relationship of a favourite in one day. It takes time and persistent and continuous fellowship and communion with the Lord.

4.    God Guarrantied Benefits of Prayer Life - Mark.1:35; Luke.6:12-13

No one should give the answer that it is impossible for a man occupied with business cares to pray always. You can set up an altar to God in your mind by means of prayer. And so it is fitting to pray at your office, shop, on a journey, standing at a corner or sitting at your handicraft. Without these personal times of communion with the Lord we are failures.

Nothing can atone for lack of private and secret praying. Without it we lose in many ways. Personal prayer life is important and beneficial in these following ways:

a     Fresh and daily infusion of grace, mercy, power and blessings
b     Guidance and light needed
c     Kept burning and alive to God
d     Strong bulwark against temptation and attack of Satan.
e     Maintaining first love and faithfulness
f.    Fruitfulness in the Christian life
g     Deeper understanding and knowledge of God
h     Refreshing presence of God
i.    Victorious living and expectation of rapture
j     Restoration and revival.

“Prayer is a powerful thing, for God has bound and tied himself thereto. None can believe how powerful prayer is, and what it is able to effect, but those who have learned it by experience” ­    Martin Luther.    .
Do no forget prayer. Every time you pray, if your prayer is sincere, there will be new feeling and new meaning in it, which will give you fresh courage.
E.M. Bounds wrote “God’s acquaintance is not made hurriedly. He does not bestow his gifts on the casual or hasty comer and goer. To be much alone with God is the secret of knowing him and of influence with him”.

5.    God's Prescription For Building A Stable a Prayer Life - Jam.5:16-18

We must fight for our prayer life. The devil and the flesh plus the pressures of life will make sure it does not exist. But we must realize that the great leaders of the Bible were not leaders because of brilliancy of thought, because they were exhaustless resources, because of their magnificent culture or native endowment, but because, by the power of prayer, they could command the power of God. Ways to develop a prayer life are:

i.    Study yourself
Know the amount of sleep you need for a night. Every normal human being needs six hours sleep, some need seven a night. Know yourself either as an early or late worker and schedule your prayer time. John Bunyan counsels “make conscience of beginning the day with God, and the best way to begin the day well is to begin it the night before”.

ii.    Set a particular time
Either morning, evening or night, even afternoon, find a convenient time for yourself; through early morning is the Biblical model - Gen. 19:27; Exo.34:4; Judges 6:38; Job 1:5; Mark 1:35. The heart of man is like a soup - without daily warming it will stink and decay. We must receive daily manna if we are to live properly for God.

iii.    Deny Yourself
To maintain a daily prayer life will demand sacrifice of some things. Self indulgence is the law of death, while self denial is the law of life. Late night television, visitations, useless conversation, heavy foods must be done away with.

iv.    Pray for your prayer life - James 1:5
Prayer for our prayer life is vital if we are to have a truly effective and fruitful life of prayer. Ask God for a prayer life and continue to maintain a quality and fruitful life of prayer. Whenever you detect weariness, doubt and reluctance to pray, ask God for strength and renewal.

v.    a.    Format for a life of Prayer.
1     Thanksgiving and praise - Ps.100:4
2     Sing unto God
3     Gratitude for who He is and for what He has done.

b.    Confession and Cleansing - I Jn.21
1    Invite a search
2    Don’t be deceived
3     Receive forgiveness

c.    Offering up your life
1     Surrender your day to God
2     Show childlike need
3     Ask for specific guidance
4     Obey instructions.

d.    Family and Church
1     Each member of the family
2     Immediate family needs
3     The church family
4     Remember those who ask for your prayers
5     Lift up the pastor/minister.

e.    Intercession for the Nation:
1     The rulers of the nation/peace
2     Intercession for the nation
3     Spiritual warfare for the nation

f.    Pray for yourself
1     Need for fresh grace and power
2     Physical and material needs
3     Urgent requests
4     Listening to the Holy Spirit
5     Praying in tongues
6     Thanksgiving and praise.

Following this format will take you at least one full hour, which is the set time by our Lord (Mat.26:40) and as you are opportune it can be stretched to two, three hours. Note answers to your prayers and thank God. “Endeavours even times a day to withdraw from business and company and lift up thy soul to God in private prayer” - Adoniram Judson.

6.    God's Way To Preserve Your Prayer Life - Isa.40:28-30.
This would demand serious efforts on our part. The devil would contest for each step of the way. Men of God in history have realized the importance of the prayer life that they consider it as the number one battle ground to conquer. The lay so much importance to it that every other thing takes secondary position. Securing your prayer life from becoming casual, monotonous, weak, shallow and powerless would require you take the following steps.

a.    Constant watchfulness
b.    Special day of fasting and waiting upon the Lord.
c.    Seasons of waiting upon the Lord
d.    Seeking renewal and restoration each time there is failure
e.    Balance it out with study and Christian literature
f.    Guard against pride and self confidence.

Having a prayer life is so much important that without it there will be no growth. The progress and development of our personal, public, family and business life de end on our prayer life. “Prayer is the guide to perfection, and delivers us from every vice, and gives us every virtue; for the one way to become perfect is to walk in the presence of God” Madame Guyon. (Act.6:4; Pro.8: 17; Ps. 63: 1)

“Prayer has the salutary effect of purifying, refining and enabling our heart. It banished evil thoughts, and thus saves us much pain and sorrow”. To be prayerless is to be without God - without Christ, ­without grace - without hope - and without heaven. It is to be on the road to hell” – J.C. Ryle. Here are few points to further underscore its importance to every Christian:

a.    No growth and progress
b.    Victorious living will be a mirage
c.    Carnality and the flesh will have upper hand
d.    Guilt and condemnation in the heart
e.    Confusion and bewilderment
f.    Touchy, irritating and quarrelsome
g.    Unstable Christian testimony
h.    Shone of glory and blessing
i.    Hard and bitter blows of life.

Richard Newton says “the principal cause of my leanness and unfruitfulness is owing to an unaccountable backwardness to pray”. We can safely conclude then that he that flees from prayer flees form all that is good.

Finally, brethren, I have read the lives of many eminent Christians who have been on earth since the Bible days. Some of them, I see, were rich and some poor. Some were learned, some unlearned. Some of them were Presbyterians, and some catholic. Some have loved to use a liturgy, and some choose to use none. But one thing I see, they all had in common - they all have been men of prayer.

Life is be lived once, if you have correct information, once is enough!
⦁    To enjoy continuous progress, there must be continuous change
⦁    The kind of thinking that brought you to this place is not the kind that will take you to your destiny.
⦁    The road to success is always under construction!

What is perspective? It is an expression of your attitude.

Effect of negative perspective
1.    It stagnates.  Num 13:31
    What you see today determines where you will be tomorrow (wilderness or Canaan)
2.    Removes your joy and the joy of people around you. Num13:33, 14:1
3.    Impart fear and remove faith
Lets review Peter’s story walking on the sea.
At very junction, you have two choices:
⦁    Look unto Jesus
⦁    Look unto the storm
If you look at Jesus, you will walk
If you look at the storm, you will sink
Perspective made David a winner in the battle of Elah! (I Sam. 17).

Effects of positive perspective
1.    It attracts God into your situation.  Ps. 34:22
2.    It imparts enthusiasm and zeal.
    David just began to talk to everyone who cares to listen! This non-living thing, I will bring him down.
    During rainfall some shiver, some hiss, some look for clean vessels to collect water.
You can’t deliver the goods if your heart is heavier than the load.
3.    Positive perspective increases your speed. David ran when he saw the smallness of Goliath!

    I can’t   is the conclusion of fools. It cannot be done is the conclusion of thoughtless men.
Some years back In Kings College London, Cancer researchers did a long-term study of 57 breast cancer victims who had mastectomies.
Results:
⦁    7 out of 10 with fighting spirit were alive 10 years after
⦁    4 out of 5 women who felt helpless at the diagnosis died.

What To Do To Develop Right Perspective
⦁    Pray right prayer
⦁    Listen to right words
⦁    Stay around with right people.
⦁    Read the right books
⦁    Look unto God
Life is not an experiment. You can either stand up and be counted or lie down and be counted out! It’s up to you.

What Is Prayer: Psalm 54:2
Prayer is spending time with God as you express your heart to Him. It is not a one way activity. When we speak to God in prayer, He listens. God speaks to our hearts and we listen to that still small voice.
Prayer is seeking and finding, searching with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
God listens when we pray IN JESUS NAME, so we need to pay attention to what we are praying. (Matthew 6:7)That is why we must understand the types of prayers we can pray
Different Types of Prayer
Thanksgiving (1 Thes. 5:18)
When we pray we need to give thanks to God for all things in our life. Being thankful is being grateful for God’s protection, His provision, His blessings, and most of all for His Son. Sometimes things aren’t going well in our lives and frankly we don’t feel like praying let alone giving thanks, but we are commanded to give thanks in all circumstances. Philippians 4:6 and Colossians 4:2 tell us to pray with thanksgiving. Psalm 95 and 100 tell us to enter into the presence of God with thanksgiving. When Christ prayed He often gave thanks (Matthew 15:36; 26:26, 27; Luke 22:19). Praying with thanksgiving should be a regular part of our prayer life
Petition
The prayer of petition is when we ask God for the things we need, or think we need, in our life.  Petitions are usually self oriented … give us our daily bread, give us the things we need to survive:  a roof over our heads, employment etc.  When we pray a prayer of petition we are presenting our personal needs to our Heavenly Father, trusting Him to provide.
Intercession
To intercede means to plead or mediate on behalf of another person. Intercessory prayer means praying earnestly for the needs of others, and seeking God's will for their life. We are called to intercede for others, just as Jesus is interceding for us (Hebrews 7: 25). .  It is love on its knees in prayer, for others. Genesis 18:22-33 (Abraham); 1 Kings 18:41-46 (Elijah);
Prevailing Prayer
This type of prayer is fervent, insistent and consistent until a breakthrough takes place.  This can be a prayer for ourselves, our families, or for someone else. Example Believing for emotional or physical healing.
Consecration
When we pray a prayer of consecration, we are committing and dedicating of our life to God’s use.  To some this is a scary prayer because they are turning over their own personal will to that of the Lord. Jesus prayed a prayer of consecration  in Luke 22:42
Agreement/Corporate:
The Biblical principle that governs this type of prayer underscores the power of unity and harmony among Christians Matthew 18:19,20
When we pray the prayer of agreement, we cannot be casual in choosing a prayer partner.  We need to pray with someone whose basic viewpoints are the same as ours and who agrees with us on spiritual matters.
Warfare
A prayer of warfare battles against the spiritual forces of evil.  We should pray for alertness and insight into Satan’s tactics in our lives and in the lives of others. Ephesians 6:12
A prayer of warfare also involves binding,loosing and using of Christs authority with all boldness.over It is before witnessing, teaching, or during periods demonic attack

Prayer of Authority.( Binding and Loosing)
This prayer is found in Matthew 18:18-19. Jesus says: "'Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.'"
There are additional steps that will help in prayers
Carve out a specific time to pray each day.
Pick a quiet place where you can be alone with God.
You will also find a special blessing if you begin your time by reading the Bible
Prayer needs to be personal.  We need to pray for ourselves and for others by name.

Text:I Kings 17:7-16, Luke 4:25-26
Arise get to Zarephath
Zarephath was a small town outside Israel, north of Israel on Mediterranean Sea. About 100 miles from Cherith.
That was the town under Sodom, a kingdom ruled by the father of Jezebel.
The hometown of Jezebel before coming to town to sustain Elijah!
God was making fun of the power or darkness - he was ridiculing them. He likes bringing up Moses in Egypt. You see Satan is limited in knowledge and strength. You can ridicule him – God went right into Satan’s territory to get prophecy fulfilled.
This should give you confidence over powers of darkness. You can ridicule juju,you can belittle their charms, and frustrate their plans.

John 1:5
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
 
    The devil is confused, he can’t catch with you.
Zarephath means smelting furnace or crucible where refining is done. Elijah had passed the first exam, he need to go into the second exam.
    But wait, Elijah walked 100 miles and was not arrested. You can’t be arrested by the devil. He was enveloped in glory and power.
In your journey in destiny, no man will insult you. The terror of God was upon everybody he met, they couldn’t pursue him. When Elijah got to Zarephath, he did not wander much, right at the gate, God knew this man was tired. God gave him speed.
And with supernatural speed the prophecy came to pass. Every prophecy released into your destiny, let them begin to come to pass.

2 TESTS  were conducted for Elijah immediately.
1.    Test of First Impression
    What Elijah saw was not a wealthy widow. He could as well say I don’t think it will work. This place must be worse than Cherith.
    But he refused to quit; he believed God is not a man that he should lie. You see, first impressions could be very terrible. But Elijah passed.
2.    Test of physical Impossibilities
    In our walk in destiny, this is one test that should never floor us. Humanly speaking, the situation was terrible – 17:12. The widow expressed the impossibilities, but thank God for Elijah, he heard from God, it’s too late to turn back!

    I recall the story of a church. They have just completed the building. But in US, parking space must correspond to church size.
One week to dedication, government told them that they couldn’t use the place. A mountain was behind them, they need to clear it and use it for parking.
The pastor called for prayer meeting that God should move the mountain back. Only 24 people turned up! After prayer, the 5 days to the dedication, a construction manager rushed in. they are in emergency need of a debris and they have found that hill, they were begging the pastor to give it to them that they will immediately help him to make the ground plain and cemented.
What took place between the widow and Elijah was significant –
 Principle of Harvest
Vs 13-16
The principle of harvest runs through the Scripture.
⦁    God gave His son, he has many sons now
⦁    Adam gave a rib, he had an helper
⦁    The widow of 2 Kings need money, she gave oil (2 kings 4: 1 – 7)
⦁    You wanted mercy, then show mercy!
There is something you have that can give you something you don’t have. If what you have is not an harvest, make it a seed!
Sometimes you have to give it all before you can take it all.

See there is a miracle in your house.
The faith of that widow was classical.
Elijah was there by divine direction; therefore there can’t be any destruction.
At Zarephath, there was an helper. At Cherith a bird, at Zarephath a human being.
Your day of starvation and lack is over. At Cherith it was twice daily, at Zarephath it was as needed.
Elijah will go and come, stretch his hand, take the meal and take the oil.
Barrel of meal did not waste
Cruse oil did not fail
Your food will not fail in the name of Jesus
For Elijah, things have gotten better. Inside famine, he was gaining weight!

Prayer Point:Lord, take me to my Zarephath in destiny.

Text:I Kings 17:1-7
Life is a series of Examination. Just like physical Exams, if you are not prepared, you cannot prevail.If you are not set,you may not succeed.
Unlike physical exams however, examinations of life have no  specific time-tables!You must be ready to face it every time you wake up.That's why the scriptures says LEARN to do well.

Today,we are going to study the life of Elijah as he faces his life examination!

Here is Elijah, for the first time. If you hear the name “Elijah”, what comes to your mind? Fire on mount camel, climbing to heaven without dying!
But we see that the man of God was instructed: to go, hide and sit at brook Cherith. What’s God saying?
Before Elijah can stand on mount Carmel, he needed to sit by the brook.
In life if you don’t sit down (to learn / meditate to be instructed) you can’t stand up.
God will TEST before he can TRUST. I Peter 1:6-7
Before the faith of Carmel, you need to discipline and maturity of Cherith.

Place of the Exam
God want to transform Elijah the Tishbite to Elijah the man of God.
171 / 1724. Elijah must therefore go to school.
The first place is Cherith which means to cut off / to cut down.
Ordinarily, God should keep Elijah before Ahab,  but he decided to cut him off from public view in order to cut him down to size!
Lesson:Champions in life are made away from public glare.That champion you celebrate today have been working in secret for a long time!
V 3
Hide thyself
God told Elijah to hide himself!Your hidden life is where your strength is built. God can’t take us to the highest height until our hidden life is satisfactory.
+Your discussion in your sitting room
+Your attitude to your neighbours
+Your discussion with your wife / husband
+Your attitude toward your staff members when  no church person is there!
+Your prayer / study / thinking
God will purify your walk with him, before he can give in boldness to talk to the enemy on Carmel.

YOU CAN’T TALK THE TALK  IF YOU CAN’T WALK THE WALK
Cherith is a place of quietness, as if you don’t exist. But know God is preparing you, when you manifest everyone will bow.
At Cherith you can’t complain, or you’ll stay long there.
Your stay in Cherith is for your good! Its ordained by God

Elijah may begin to think, why am I hiding, is this all God want to use me for. Is God powerless, why should he tell me to go and hide?
Answer:
Sometimes God hides his soldiers to prevent premature exposure.
Remember when  Israel was coming out of Egypt.
1.    It was in the night,when majority of the Egyptians were sleeping!
2.    They were Not made to pass through the land of the Philistines though it was nearer and could have been convenient and time saving!because the Philistines are warriors.
3.    He made them cross the Red Sea, you know why
    a.    That their enemies might die in the  Red sea without them shooting an arrow!
    b.    That they might see the miracle of God in stages
    c.    That they might not be able to go back before they will need  another miracle!

Thank God for Elijah: he didn’t question God. He got to Cherith where he was taught how to trust on God for daily needs.
Wake up, prepare water  to drink.He will then sit down,look up expecting the Bird to bring in his food!
Lesson:You’ve got to know how to look up!
That food comes through the RAVENS – unclean birds / a scavenger.
Every morning / every evening.
Are you in need, are you hungry for something and there is no one to help, no one to assist, those who could assist have declared you wanted. Brother look up, your own miracle is coming.

Why didnt that Raven give Elijah's food to another person?
Look,your miracle has your name inscribed on it.No one can snatch your miracle.
What a mighty God God we serve!Every person was living in  hunger but Elijah waseating assorted meat through a supernatural helper.
GOD WILL SEND YOU A SUPERNATURAL HELPER!
Nothing could stop that ravens because he was on special assignment to sustain you.
Where did the raven got the meat,… probably from Ahab / Jezebel table or kitchen.
God wanted to teach Elijah how to look up in the valley, so on mount Carmel, he will not be disappointed.
Wherever you are God knows your need and he will meet your need. Elijah went to Cherith through divine instruction, he must be sustained buy divine provision.
But when you choose to walk your own way, you pay the fare.

Verse 7
After a while – Elijah was settling down, waking up / sleeping and eating and gradually the brook dried.
And he went out, as usual “ where is my raven” looking up looking to the left, to the right; but the raven did not appear.
And before you could say whats happening to the raven? The brook also dried up. Why?
When your brook dry it’s a sign that something is about to happen.
Your brook could be:
Your source of income
Your business
The love of your husband / wife
The love of your father and wife
The help of your uncle /  brother in  Kano / Kaduna – your relationship
Door of help – door of favour

The brook dried:
Not because God stopped loving Elijah
Not because Elijah had sinned
Not because Elijah is not praying again
Not because Elijah was out of the will of God
Not because God is limited – God can prevent that brook from drying but because God has a better plan.

What happen last year is not enough to make you cry, God has a better plan.
Because your brook dried does not mean you should dry too! Elijah still heard from God,his spiritual life did not dry because the brook dried.

After the Brook(We will talk fully about this in Part2)
Elijah was not crying, he waited. He did not look for alternative. He waited and the word of God came because God has not forgotten him.
God will make a way for you. He didn’t abandon Elijah, he will not abandon you.