How My Offering Affects My Life by Adonai Magazine

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COVER STORY

How My Offering Affects My Life

Pas. Abraham Obadare

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." Genesis 8:22

ecently I was reading some illustrations on the internet about giving and I came about this story:

“JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER GIVING STORY: John D. Rockefeller is an example of the benefits of giving. He achieved what our culture calls success. Rockefeller had amassed more wealth than he could ever spend. By the time Rockefeller was fifty-three his life was a wreck. Throughout his business career he said, “I never placed my head upon the pillow at night without reminding myself that my success might only be temporary.” He was the richest man in the world and yet he was miserable in every sense of the word. He was sick physically, mentally, and emotionally. There was no humor, balance, or joy in his life. Then a transformation occurred. He determined to become a giver rather than an accumulator. He began to give his millions away. He founded the Rockefeller Foundation, dedicated to fighting disease and ignorance around the world. He lived to be ninety-eight years old and was a happy man in those years because of his new and revitalized definition of success.” Http://www.kluth.org/church/illustrations.htm I’d like us to see the reasons why some people give offerings in the church.

Here are some reasons: People love God and want to obey Him: In John 14:15, Luke 6:38, It is a good practice to give out of love for God and willingness to obey His instructions. People want to honor God: Proverbs 3:9-10 We 4

should all strive to honor God with what He has given us. People understand the treasure principle: which says we should lay up our treasure in heaven – where moth cannot destroy it – Mat. 6:19-20. Go ahead, become heaven-conscious too and give without hesitation. People want to grow in their faith walk with Jesus: 2 Cor. 8:7 says, “Since you excel in so many ways--in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us--I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.” Now let’s go back to see how giving may aﬀect your life.

Oﬀering Peter oﬀered his boat for Jesus to use for preaching – Luke 5:1-10

Reward: He moved from struggle to satisfaction. This can happen to you also.

Oﬀering The woman at Bethany anointed Jesus with expensive perfume – Mark 14:3-9

Reward: Her name got recorded in the book of remembrance for life. Your oﬀering can cause Jesus to recognize you.

Oﬀering Solomon oﬀered generously – 1 Kings 3:3-11. The principle here is in Luke 6:38 cont. on pg. 16

Pastor Abraham Obadare is a minister at Christ Apostolic Church WOSEM, New York City •Our TV programs show: Queens: QPTV 34 on Wednesdays at 10:30pm & Fridays at 5:30pm, Brooklyn: BCAT 56 at 12am on Sunday Long Island: CABLEVISION 20 on Saturday 7:30am Tel: 718 658 8981. w w w. a d o n a i m a g . o r g

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COLUMNISTS

Henry Ayensu Franklin Kwaku Kyei Pas. Abraham Obadare

2012 FIRE CONFERENCE Theme: OPEN HEAVENS House of Faith Ministries, NJ holds its Annual FIRE CONFERENCE at North Brunswick, NJ, from August 8 - 12, 2012 under the theme “OPEN HEAVENS”; with one of Ghana’s renowned preachers with a great ministry in the heart of Accra, Ghana, Rev. Steve Mensah as the Guest Speaker. The host Pastor, Rev. Herbert said, “In the life of a man there comes a time and a season where the LORD opens the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on His children in season and to bless all the work of their hands. He has promised us we will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.” Based on these promises we are coming together in one accord to seek the face of God in intensive teachings and prayers for His promises to come to pass in our lives. You are invited to be part.

God Bless you, Pastor Herbert

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Franklin K. Kyei

Editor of the Adonai Magazine Send your letters and suggestions to the editor at info@adonaimag.tv or call: 347 449 5892 visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

Dear Preacher And Pastor feel led by the Spirit of God, as a fellow shepherd and preacher, to bring to the fore some issues of great importance to the work of Ministry. These are issues that have a great bearing on our worthiness for divine approval, the health and divine focus of the flock placed in our care, and our eventual success in Ministry.

The issues in point pertain to our sense of responsibility and accountability, our approach to Ministry, and our regard for spiritual substance in Ministry. We have been called by the Lord Jesus to work in His vineyard. We are, therefore, responsible and accountable to Him in the absolute sense for our conduct and approach to Ministry (1Thessalonians 2:4). We should always bear in mind that we are not in the pulpit to seek our own glory, but that of the Master who put us there; and that we are also accountable to Him for every word we have issued in His name and would ever say in His name (1Corintians 1:26-31). We have been called to lift Him high for Him to draw all men to Himself and not ourselves (John 12:32; 1 Corinthians 2:1-2). Some of us have gotten into the habit of promoting ourselves at the expense of the Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s honor and glory; forgetting that He is the one who does the saving, the sustaining, and all the various ministrations of grace some of us are so quick to take the credit for. Yes, the Church needs to acknowledge the hand of God on our lives, but not at the expense of what should be their obsession with Jesus. As proclaimed by the Apostle Paul, we have whatever we claim to have in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God. We are, therefore, never sufficient of ourselves as to be able to do any thing by ourselves. Our sufficiency, according to Apostle, is of God. None of us can save or heal or deliver anybody. It is, therefore, needful for some us to wake up to the truth that it is just a privilege afforded 6

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us by the Lord, and stop deifying ourselves in the House of God (2Corinthians 4:7; 3:5). The people we serve have been saved to celebrate the Lord Jesus on a daily basis and not us. We cannot be a spiritual covering for anybody, not even ourselves. We have been called to take care of the flock that belongs to Jesus. He is the spiritual covering for them as well as us; and we need to get the flock of God to focus on Jesus and not the pulpit. According to Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 2:4, the best our eloquence and human ingenuities that seem to be adored by many in the pulpit today can do outside the lordship of the Holy Spirit, is make people build their faith on us, and not in God. It can only birth carnality and not spirituality. The Ministry of the Word of God is not just about semantics or linguistics; whether Greek or Hebrew; otherwise the nation of Greece and the Jews would all be born-again evangelical Christians by now. If the two disciples on the Emmaus Road (who might have read the Old Testament bible in the original language) could not understand the relevant meanings of the scriptures as they pertained to the work of redemption, until Jesus expounded it to them, and OPENED THEIR UNDERSTANDING TO RECEIVE THE DEEPER MEANINGS thereof; then we should understand that there is more to the Ministry of the Word of God than just familiarity with the semantics thereof (Luke 24:13-32). The ministry of the Word calls for revelation, the burden of the word, words within/without, divine utterance and anointing. It is not by oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s might and power; but by the manifestation of the Spirit and His power, so that our hearers become linked and hooked to divinity and not humanity (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). To be continued.

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Dr. Myles Munroe

For Books or Teachings by Dr. Myles Munroe on CD, audio or video tapes, call or visit us at: Bahamas Faith Ministries International. The Diplomat Center, Carmichael Road. P.O.Box N-9583, Nassau, Bahamas Tel: (242) 341 – 6444. Fax: (242) 361 2260

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Authority & Fulfilling Your Potential know many individuals, and you probably do, too, who have great gifts, talents, and dreams, and who had great promise for their lives, but who destroyed their futures by violating genuine authority.

certain angels, who subsequently discarded it. God had given positions of authority to these angels; authority for various assignments, but they left these assignments when they rebelled against His ultimate authority as Creator.

The prisons are filled with potentially great leaders who are confined for life within their walls because they violated the authority of society, which has established laws for order and peace. The drug houses are filled with talented people who will never fulfil their potential because they are violating the authority of their bodies by abusing them with harmful, illegal substances.

Jude went on to talk about “godless men” who act in the same way as these angels and who “reject authority” (Jude 4 & 8). When humanity disobeyed God’s word, it fell from its place of authority, and life on earth was fundamentally altered. Our true “home” as human beings is the place where we were created to live out our personal authority. Your domain of authority is not a literal building but a place of being, a position. If we violate the principle of authority, we automatically hinder our potential and life’s eﬀectiveness.

Many people currently have great ideas, dreams, and plans for their lives, but they are on a collision course with destruction because they are—or are contemplating—violating the privilege of authority the Creator has given them by seeking their own authority for selfish purposes. Why do people end up ruining their lives in this way? They have left—or have never known—the place of authority where they truly belong. For example, the Bible states, “And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day” (Jude 6). This scripture gives us insight into a sobering consequence of abandoned authority. He wrote about how God gave authority to 8

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What is your dream for yourself, your family, business, or nation? Many people don’t know how to live out their dreams or find their true place in the world because they don’t understand or know how to put into practice principles of authority. You may have some idea of your personal authority but are not fulfilling the vast potential still inside you. Or, you may know you are living well below your potential and purpose in life. Authority is an inherent part of the design of humanity by God. We must understand the establishment of authority as an essential principle for our lives.

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Joyce Meyer

For more on this topic, order Joyce’s four-CD series Simple Prayer…Simple Life. You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting www.joycemeyer.org. Ladies, join Joyce Meyer for the 30th Anniversary Love Life Women’s Conference September 20-22 in Saint Louis, MO. For more information, go to www.joycemeyer.org/womensconference.

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The Simple (Yet Powerful) Results of Spending Time with God I remember a time when Dave and I needed a miracle every month to pay our bills. I had quit my job so I could spend more time preparing for full-time ministry, which cut our income in half.

stuﬀ, but he’ll go for the stuﬀ to get our joy, like he did with me when I was upset about our finances. If he can get our joy, he knows we won’t be strong in the Lord. And we’ll lose our focus on God.

Each time I paid the bills, I would get upset because we didn’t have enough money. It became a routine. I’d be sitting at the table in one room with the bills, checkbook and calculator in front of me, while Dave was in the other room, playing with the kids, laughing and having fun.

We need to focus on God and our relationship with Him.

It eventually led to a conversation like this… Me: Every month we don’t have the money to pay our bills. Dave: Yes, and every month God comes through. Me: Well, how is He gonna come through this month? Why don’t you do something?! Dave: What do you want me to do? Do you believe we’re in the will of God? Me: Yes, I believe we’re in the will of God. Dave: Do you believe God told you to quit your job? Me: Yes, I believe God told me to quit my job. Dave: Well, has God been taking care of us every month? Me: Yes, yes… (exasperated sigh) Dave: Okay, Joyce, we’re in the will of God, we’re givers, God promises to meet our needs… What else do you want me to do? What I wanted was for him to count the money with me and get upset too. But what I needed to do was spend time with God, rather than the checkbook.

Quality Time Is the Key Spending quality time with God is so important. And there are many promises in the Bible about what happens when we do this. For example, Psalm 16:11 says that in God’s presence, there is fullness of joy. And Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that God’s joy is our strength. The devil wants to steal our joy. He’s not really after our 10

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In fact, we’ve got to desperately require Him! When we do, we realize that He’s given us authority over the enemy. This means you don’t have to let the devil run your life – you don’t have to believe his lies. You can resist him and bind him as you pray in faith for God’s will to be done. Now, we can’t stop the devil from coming against us, but we can overcome him each time – if we exercise the authority of Jesus and decide not to put up with him. It’s true. If you really believe God hears your prayers and you know what the Bible says, the devil can’t control your life! The Power of Faith and a Good Attitude I want you to get the revelation that God has given you – a born-again Christian – authority over your enemy. And one way you can use it is by keeping a good attitude when hard times come. Romans 8:28 is a scripture that’s quoted a lot. It says that when we are partnering with God, “all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” This verse is a promise to us that no matter what happens in our lives, if we will keep praying, keep loving God, and continue in the purpose He has for us, good things will come. I want to encourage you to live by faith, not fear. Keep your focus on God, trusting that He’ll do whatever needs to be done in His way and His time. And in the meantime, you can enjoy the life He’s given you today.

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Rev. W. D. Watley Ph.D.

is the Senior Pastor of St. Philip A.M.E. Church, Atlanta Georgia. A world renown preacher and teacher, he is the author of 18 books. For more information and materials, visit www.williamwatley.org.

Whom Shall I Fear? visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

A Revelation in Psalm 27

was battling fear and losing… All throughout the day, I could feel fear gripping my heart. I was bombarded with the feeling of inevitable failure and defeat. It was almost physically painful. And relentless. It even aﬀected my ability to pray. All I could say, all day long, in desperate repetition was, “Lord, help me!” This went on for days.

Then, one morning, the Lord woke me up, and as soon as I opened my eyes, I felt that same fear come over me. The Lord gently said, “Let’s go to the dining room table.” I grabbed my bible and went. Once I sat down, “Go to Psalm 27.” Verse 1: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? That first verse, in and of itself, was like a breath of fresh air coming into a stale room. “Now, who am I?” the Lord asked. The God I serve is The Almighty God, the Creator of the earth and universe. There is none greater. He owns everything, and is Lord over all. He is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. There is nothing that He does not own, understand or rule. That is your God. When facing fear, always do a reality check first. Remember who your God is. Don’t trip. Understand who your God is. He is not some small, weak, puny god. We serve the only wise and true God. We serve the Creator God, in whom there is no failure, no defeat, no sickness, no fear, no loneliness, no confusion, no abuse, no lies and no “take-backs” . Ps. 27:1 starts oﬀ with “The Lord is my light…” What is light? It is that which allows you to see and keeps you from stumbling. It is guidance and direction. Light gives hope to the trapped. When a person is trapped, he thinks there is no way out until he sees some light. Then he has hope…He knows that because there is 14

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light, there must be a way out. So he follows the light to get to his freedom. Your God is your ticket to freedom. He is your light. That first verse goes on to say, “…and my salvation.” So, we know that God not only gives guidance and direction, but deliverance. He doesn’t just let you know that there is a way out, He is the way out. He is your deliverance, or your salvation. This means that God gives us deliverance, prosperity, victory, and salvation from external evils, both in the physical and spiritual realms. There is nothing that escapes it, not even fear. Psalm 27:1b goes on to say “The Lord is the strength of my life.” In other words, I am not operating in and of my own strength. His resources are available to me. His power is available to me. His grace is available to me. His favor is available to me. His strength is available to me, even when I am weak and being viciously attacked by fear. He is the strength of my life. That is why I don’t have to give up. That is why I don’t have to listen to the reasoning of defeat, telling me that I’m destined to lose, so I might as well give up now. Seeing as I have the God who knows no limits, constraints, weakness, lack or failure on my side, the reasoning of defeat is simply illogical. It is senseless. I am winning. Period. Hallelujah!!!! Since we are those who are strengthened by God Himself, we should spend time meditating on His greatness, His goodness, His protection, and His deliverance, allowing our fears to be washed away in the confidence of who He is and our praise! Fear has no power in the face of the Almighty God. The next time you are faced with fear, remember that He is your light, salvation and strength, and move forward in praise and His power, in Jesus’ name. By: Rev. Marcia Salter, ST. James AME Church, Newark, NJ

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Contd. from pg. 4

How My Offering Affects My Life

which says, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Reward: God visited and Solomon gave wisdom and riches. If you offer bountifully to God, He will visit you. 2 Cor. 9:6 says, “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. As you can see, there are various things one can offer unto the Lord, but you will notice that all those offer-

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ings were of high and best quality. Therefore, whenever you come to the Lord with your offering, ensure that it is your best, whether it is money, time, prayer or other materials. Move away from the $1 group and let God lift you up. You will increase in Jesus name. Now that you’ve seen the rewards of offering unto God, I believe your mindset will change concerning this issue. May the Lord continue to teach us His ways. Finally I say that offering to God is continuous, not just money or material things but even our lives. Paul advises in Romans 12:1-2 to offer our lives as living sacrifice unto God.

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Dr. Kelafo Z. Collie M.D.

Dr. Kelafo is a life coach, leadership developer and trains persons into purpose worldwide. He is president of Kingdom Apostolic Ministries Intl. and Kingdom Apostolic School of Ministry. He is the author of two books “You are my Father, I am your Son- Understanding Kingdom Sonship” and “ Re Ordering the Nation- Principles to transforming the Bahamas”, visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

Autism - Child Acting Out The condition Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and aﬀects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.

Demographics: Autism is a physical condition linked to abnormality of biology and chemistry in the brain. The exact causes of these abnormalities remain unknown. Autism aﬀects boys more often than girls. Genetic factors are important to Autism. Chromosomal abnormalities and other nervous system (neurological) issues are also more common in families with autism. Other suggested causes include: • Diet • Digestive tract changes • Mercury poisoning • The body's inability to properly use vitamins and minerals • Vaccine sensitivity AUTISM AND VACCINES It is very dangerous for parents not to vaccinate their children due to Autism risk. Some people believe that the small amount of mercury (called thimerosal) that is a common preservative in multidose vaccines causes autism or ADHD. However, studies have NOT shown this risk to be true. The American Academy of Pediatrics, and The Institute of Medicine (IOM) agree that no vaccine or component of any vaccine is responsible for the number of children who are currently being diagnosed with autism. They conclude that the benefits 18

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of vaccines outweigh the risks.

Symptoms Most parents of autistic children suspect that something is wrong by the time the child is 18 months old and seek help by the time the child is age 2. Children with autism typically have diﬃculties in: • Pretend play • Social interactions • Verbal and nonverbal communication Some children with autism appear normal before age 1 or 2 and then suddenly "regress" and lose language or social skills they had previously gained. This is called the regressive type of autism.

People with autism may: • Be overly sensitive in sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste (for example, they may refuse to wear "itchy" clothes and become distressed if they are forced to wear the clothes) • Have unusual distress when routines are changed • Perform repeated body movements • Show unusual attachments to objects

Communication problems may include: • Cannot start or maintain a social conversation • Communicates with gestures instead of words • Develops language slowly or not at all • Does not adjust gaze to look at objects that others are looking at • Repeats words or memorized passages, such as commercials contd. on pg. 20

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contd. from pg. 18

Autism - Child Acting Out

Social interaction: • Does not make friends • Does not play interactive games • Is withdrawn • May not respond to eye contact or smiles, or may avoid eye contact • May treat others as if they are objects • Prefers to spend time alone, rather than with others • Shows a lack of empathy

Response to sensory information: • Does not startle at loud noises • Has heightened or low senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste • May find normal noises painful and hold hands over ears • May withdraw from physical contact because it is overstimulating or overwhelming • Rubs surfaces, mouths or licks objects Play: • Doesn't imitate the actions of others • Prefers solitary or ritualistic play • Shows little pretend or imaginative play Behaviors: • "Acts up" with intense tantrums • Gets stuck on a single topic or task (perseveration) • Has a short attention span • Has very narrow interests • Is overactive or very passive • Shows aggression to others or self • Uses repetitive body movements

Signs and tests All children should have routine developmental exams done by their Pediatrician • Gesturing (pointing, waving bye-bye) by 12 months • Saying single words by 16 months • Saying two-word spontaneous phrases by 24 months (not just echoing) • Losing any language or social skills at any age These children might receive a hearing evaluation, 20

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blood lead test, and screening test for autism. An evaluation of autism will often include a complete physical and nervous system (neurologic) examination.

Treatment Most programs will build on the interests of the child in a highly structured schedule of constructive activities. Treatment is most successful when it is geared toward the child's particular needs. An experienced specialist or team should design the program for the individual child. A variety of therapies are available, including: • Applied behavior analysis (ABA) • Medications • Occupational therapy • Physical therapy • Speech-language therapy

APPLIED BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS (ABA) This program is for younger children with an autism spectrum disorder. It can be eﬀective in some cases. ABA uses a one-on-one teaching approach that reinforces the practice of various skills. The goal is to get the child close to normal developmental functioning. Medicines are often used to treat behavior or emotional problems that people with autism may have, including: • Aggression • Anxiety • Attention problems • Extreme compulsions that the child cannot stop • Hyperactivity • Impulsiveness • Irritability Risperidone is approved to treat children ages 5 - 16, anti -depressants, divalproex sodium and other mood stabilizers, and stimulants as methylphenidate. There is no medicine that treats the underlying problem of autism. Remember the Lord is our healer….

Hebrew Names of God Word Search Game

BIBLE GAMES

Elohim - Yehovah - YHVH - YAH - El - Eloah - Elyon - Shaddai - Adon - El Shaddai - Elyon El - YHVH Elohim - Adonai - Adonim - YHVH Yireh

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Jimmy Evans

Dependence Within a Healthy Marriage visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

s individuals, our most important dependency is upon God. But we must also recognize our need for human relationships—the kind that help us relate on a social, emotional, and practical level.

These relationships give us pleasure and fulfillment, and they include friends, extended family, and work associates. There are two kinds of human relationships that meet this need: 1) Spouses. The most important relationship on this level is with a husband or wife. Whether we recognize it our not, each of us longs for a relationship of deep trust and mutual support. God designed marriage to meet this need. This mutual interdependA strong, healthy ence is very marriage requires a important for husband and wife to the developboth depend upon ment of intimacy in a each other. marriage. It requires unity and cooperation, and also creates a healthy environment for successful parenting.c Of course, in every marriage, there are problems to work through and obstacles to overcome in the pursuit deep trust and intimacy. But the benefits are worth it. A strong, healthy marriage requires a husband and wife to both depend upon each other. 2) Friends. In addition to our deep relationships with our spouses, we also need a group of godly, supportive friends. Great friendships with fellow believers—especially those who share our same values—support us in our faith and help us main22

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tain the health of our marriages and families. I've pastored and counseled people for many years concerning their marriages and families, and have noticed a common thread among those who constantly struggle and fail in family relationships. They lack godly, supportive relationships around them. Or, to put it another way, they are involved in unhealthy and unsupportive relationships. "Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits'" (1 Cor. 15:33). Sadly, I've seen the truth of that statement time and time again in failed marriages. Unhealthy outside relationships can lead to unhealthy marriages. When a husband and wife are unable to meet each others' need for healthy dependency within marriage, their lives suﬀer. We need those relationships as a couple and we need them as a family. The best place to build these types of relationships is through a healthy, Biblebased church. Find one. Get involved. Don't hide out on the fringes, but become active and build relationships with healthy people. Positive relationships keep us on the right track within our marriages. These friends support us, encourage us, and often model successful, godly relationships for us. While there are no perfect people, a person who is committed to following God and living by the standards of Scripture will have a healthy influence on us. As a family, as a couple, and as individuals, those are relationships we need. Blessings,

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