PRAYING FOR MY SPOUSE TO BE A GOOD STEWARD OF OUR RESOURCES

"What if we as couples were to live as if we truly recognized that God owns everything (Psalm 24:1), and our job is simply to manage and invest His resources for His purposes? How would that change our mind-set toward our bills, what we buy, where we eat, and what we do? How would we use our time differently? And how much joy and freedom would we experience if we remembered that our legacy in life and our reward in eternity depend not on our bank accounts but on the lives God touches through us?" Evan, T. (2016). Chapter 10, Resources. In 1042110467, 797252129 T. Evans (Author), Kingdom marriage: Connecting god's purpose with your pleasure (p. 123). Coral stream, IL, IL: Tyndale House.

Me and my husband are in a Couple's Sunday school class and we're currently reading "Kingdom Marriage" by Tony Evans. The quote above comes from the book. While posing the questions to myself are easy because I know the reason behind my answers, posing them to my spouse and having a discussion may not be so smooth. Why, you ask...because humans are selfish and stingy! Yep, I said it.

The very fact that Mr. Evans had to remind us that we really don't own anything and everything we have belongs to God, proves that point.  Our flesh nature is to hold onto things and not share.  To claim ownership and consequently, become slave to the things we "own" (house, car, credit card, etc.).  

The great "love" chapter in the bible (1 Corinthians 13) talks about what love is and what love means.  The New International Version (NIV) uses the word 'love', but the King James Version (KJV) uses 'charity'.  It's been said that you can't love and not give.  Giving shows love!

Dear Lord, I lift up my spouses heart and head to Your will concerning our resources.  We know that You are the source of all our resources.  We know that You are our true provider and everything that we have is because You have provided.  Great is Thy Faithfulness unto us!  I lift up every concern that my spouse may have about our resources.  Where they see lack, I ask that You give him/her peace in Your word that says, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalm 37:25).  Thank you for giving him/her a cheerful heart, so that he/she can give according to the riches You have bestowed on us.  In Jesus name, amen!

PRAYING FOR A PURPOSE DRIVEN MATE

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.  Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also in the Lord:  and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.  (Psalm 37:1-5)

When your spouse is following God's purpose for his/her life, the lord can and will open doors to abundant blessings.  The natural thought would have one thinking of monetary blessings, but following God's purpose yields an abundance that we won't have room to receive.  The things that are priceless, like the fruit of the spirit.  The scripture goes on to say, of those that operate in God's purpose, that they "shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." There's a saying that if you do something you love, you will never work a day in your life.  When your spouse seeks to do what God wants him/her to do; it takes away a lot of the stress and strife sometimes connected to a paycheck.  

Lord, we pray that You will reveal Your purpose for our spouse so that he/she will bring glory to Your kingdom.  We thank You for the gifts that have been imparted to our spouse.  We thank You for leading, guiding and directing the path of our spouse and we also declare that he/she will follow, trust and obey Your will for them.  If there is any doubt or uncertainty about what You would have them do or where You would have them go, we pray that You make it clear and plain to them.  Thank You God, for knowing what's best for our mate.  Amen!