APPLYING UNDERSTANDING IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP...TRUTH IS...

OK, SO NOW YOU HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT BEING A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING WHEN DEALING WITH YOUR MATE. CONGRADUALTIONS! YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT ROAD BUT YOU HAVE'NT GONE ANYWHERE YET; TRUTH IS...

PRINCIPLES, THAT'S THE NEXT SUBJECT. WHETHER OR NOT YOU REALIZE IT, BUT YOUR CONSCIENCE IS INDEED A "GIFT FROM GOD"...JUST LIKE JESUS. IN FACT JESUS PROMOTED A REVIVAL OF ADHERING TO "PRINCIPLES"! PRINCIPLES ARE THINGS YOU KNOW ARE THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT THERE'S REALLY NOTHING STOPPING YOU FROM N-O-T DOING THEM...EXCEPT YOUR CONSCIENCE.THAT LITTLE VOICE INSIDE THAT TELLS YOU" YOU SHOULD DO THIS...". OR MORE OFTEN "YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT!". YOUR CONSCIENCE IS A COMPONENT OF THE "HELPER" JESUS SPOKE ABOUT. YOUR CONSCIENCE ALWAYS SPEAKS TO YOU, AND UNLESS YOU'RE A SOCIOPATH AND/OR YOUR CONSCIENCE IS CORRUPTED , IT ALWAYS TRIES TO TELL YOU TO DO THE "RIGHT" THING(S). YOUR CONSCIENCE IS LIKE A "WARNING SIGNAL" , ALERTING YOU THAT YOU ARE IN ONE OF THOSE " FREE-WILL" SITUATIONS, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE A CHOICE AND DOING WHAT GOD HAS NATURALLY INSTILLED IN YOU: THE ABILITY TO LOVE, RESPECT, CHERISH, CARE IS ON THE LINE. tHESE ARE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES, ANBYTHING ELSE IS FROM THAT" OTHER GUY" WHO SEEKS TO DEVOUR AND DESTROY ANYTHING POSITVIE.

YOUR CONSCIENCE IS GIVES YOU A HINT OF WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO THAT WOULD PLEASE HIM AND IN TURN RESULT IN YOUR GAINING HIS ASSISTANCE TO CARRY IT OUT. i ALWAYS TRIED TO TEACH MY CHILDREN TO RESPECT AT LEAST "ONE" THING IN LIFE. i STRESSED THIS TO THEM ACTUALLY ABOVE ALL ELSE. THE REASONING HERE BEING THAT IF YOU RESPECT ONE THING IT WILL INTRIDUCE YOU TO ONE OF IT'S COMPANIONS AND USUALLY YOU'LL RESPECT THAT TOO. SOON, YOU'LL HAVE A COLLECTION OF THINGS THAT YOU RESPECT AND IT JUST KEEPS GROWING FROM THERE. THIS PROMOTES POSITIVE ENERGY, AND AGAIN, ANYTHING POSITIVE IS FROM GOD. WHEN WE LISTEN TO OUR CONSCIENCE AND ACT ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL IT GIVES, WE PROSPER, WE GAIN GOD'S APPROVAL AND GUIDANCE; WHEN WE OPPOSE IT WE SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES. (JAMES 1: 13-17) YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED!

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH APPLYING UNDERSTANDING IN A RELATIONSHIP? EVERYTHING! REMEMBER, THE UNION OF A MAN AND A WOMAN IS SOMETHING INSTITUTED BY GOD, IT HAS HIS STAMP OF APPROVAL, HE CARES ABOUT IT AS IT PROVIDES RELIEF, STRENGTH, AND ENCOURAGEMENT WHILE WE WORK TOWARD HIS PRAISE.

JUST AS THERE ARE ENEMIES TO UNDERSTANDING IN A RELATIONSHIP, THERE ARE ENEMIES TO APPLYING IT. THINK ABOUT IT, TRUST IN A RELATIONSHIP IS CRUCIAL, ONCE IT IS LOST IT CAN NEVER F-U-L-L-Y BE RECOVERED. YES, YOU MAY BE FORGIVEN FOR WHATEVER, BUT UNDERSTAND IT IS N-O-T FORGOTTEN . NO MATTER WHAT WE TRY TO DO, HUMAN NATURE REMAINS STEADFAST WITHIN US...IT'S AN UN-ENDING BATTLE. IN ANY BATTLE THERE ARE CASUALTIES, AND BY BETRAYING OR EVEN MANIPULATING THE TRUST THAT YOUR MATE HAS IN YOU, YOU RUN THE RISK OF BECOMING A TRAGIC CASUALTY; TRAGIC BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECCESARY.

REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO PLEASE GOD BECAUSE HE IS BLESSING YOU AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP. THIS MEANS YOU ARE GOING TO BE UNDER A RELENTLESS ATTACK BY SATAN. I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU, SO DON'T BE SO NEAR ME THAT YOU CAN'T HEAR ME! (PROVERBS 20:5)

YOU WANT YOUR MATE TO TRUST YOU, BUT DO YOU DO THINGS THAT GIVE EVEN A "HINT" OF A REASON NOT TO BE TRUSTED? THINK ABOUT IT. SELF-EXAMINATION IS YET ANOTHER KEY TO APPLYING UNDERSTANDING IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP. YOU KNOW THAT THOSE "THOUGHTS" KEEP COMING TO YOU. "THOUGHTS?" YOU ASK? YES, YOU KNOW THE ONES. THOSE THOUGHT S THAT ENTICE YOU, THAT PULL YOU, THE ONES THAT SUBTLY TEMPT YOU TO CALL HIM/HER EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH SOMEONE (YOU TOLD THEM WHEN YOU WERE ALL EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW LOVE IN YOUR LIFE...REMEMBER?), bUT YOU KEEP GETTING THAT URGE TO HEAR OR EVEN SEE THEM "JUST ONCE MORE", OR AS THE CORRUPTED WORLD TODAY PUTS IT: "TO GET CLOSURE". YOU'RE GETTING CLOSURE ALRIGHT, BUT NOT THAT WHICH YOU THINK! tHESE "THOUGHTS" USUALLY REAR THEIR UGLY HEADS UP IN TIMES WHERE THINGS ARE GOING TOO WELL BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR MATE, OR ON "SPECIAL" OCCASIONS LIKE HOLIDAYS, BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES OF CERTAIN EVENTS, OR SUCH THINGS LIKE THESE. THAT'S WHEN THE RUSH OF EXCITEMENT FLOWS MUCH MORE FREELY THROUGH YOU AND MAKES YOU MORE SUCCEPTAB;LE TO THEIR ALLURE. THESE ARE TIMES WHEN THAT WHICH IS TRULY "UGLY" WITHIN MAKES IT'S WAY TO THE TOP LIKE A PIMPLE HOPING TO POP! IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS ILLNESS (IT IS WHAT IT IS), AND TREAT IT IMMEDIATELY JUST AS WITH ANY OTHER DISEASE (COLD, FLU, ARTHITIS, STUPIDITY...). PRAYER IS THE BEST MEDICINE. ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU HAVE THE MATURITY THAT YOU PROBABLY CLAIM TO HAVE, THEN YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO ESTABLISH A RAPPORT WITH YOUR MATE WHERE YOU CAN TALK TO THEM ABOUT A--N-Y-T-H-I-N-G, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING RIGHT AFTER TALKING TO GOD!

BEING TOTALLY HONEST IN A RELATIONSHIP IS A BIG STEP TOWARD APPLYING UNDERSTANDING. HOW SO? WELL FOR ONE, IF YOU ARE TOTALLY (AND i MEAN T--O-T-A-L-L--Y) HONEST WITH YOUR MATE WHILE ALSO SHOWING COMMITMENT, YOU NOT ONLY BUILD A STRONGER FOUNDATION FOR THE RELATIONSHIP WHERE YOUR MATE IS MORE WILLING TO WORK THINGS OUT THAT AREN'T QUITE PROPER, BUT YOU ALSO RESPECT THE OTHER PERSON'S RIGHT TO OPTIONS AND CHOICES. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DENY YOUR MATE THE OPTION OR CHOICE OF WHETHER THEY ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT YOUR INPROPRIETY. IF YOU ARE SO SELF-SERVING THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO TEMPT FATE BY ALLOWING INAPPROPRIATE THOUGHT(S) TO MANIPULATE YOU, THEN AT THE VERY LEAST ALLOW YOUR MATE THE OPTION OF WHETHER TO ACCEPT IT OR NOT. THIS IS THE WISEST OF COURSES AS REMEMBER THIS: WHEN YOU DEDICATE YOURSELF AND/OR YOUR LIFE TO GOD, YOU ASK HIM TO GUIDE, DIRECT, AND PROTECT YOU; BUT YOU ALSO ASK HIM TO "PARENT YOU" WHICH INCLUDES DISCIPLINE AND CORRECTION. REMEMBER, WHAT YOU SOW YOU SHALL ALSO REAP! IF YOU WANT TO PLAY IN TRAFFIC, THEN BE WILLING TO RISK GETTING HIT BY A TRUCK OR OTHER LARGE VEHICLE, AND DON'T GET MAD AT THE TRUCK!

WHAT SO MANY OF US FAIL TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT SATAN IS IN FACT FORMERLY THE NUMBER THREE BEING IN HEAVEN AND OF ALL CREATION. OF COURSE, THIS IS WHEN THE "ROLLERS" SAY THAT'S AGRANDIZING THE ENEMY; BUT IT'S REALLY ONLY BEING REALSITIC GRANDMA WAS A GOOD PERSON, BUT HER RELIGION WAS N-O-T THE TRUTH!)...(NOT TOTALLY ANYWAY, OK?) REALIZING THAT ABOUT SATAN, REALIZE TOO THAT HE IS FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES A "GENIUS"! THAT'S RIGHT, HE KNOWS MORE THAN A LOT OF ANGELS EVEN! WHY DO YOU THINK HE WAS SO BOLD THAT HE APPROACHED CHRIST WITH A PLOT AGAINST GOD? (STOP FANNING YOURSELF, I KNOW IT'S GETTING WARM) BEING A GENIUS, SATAN KNOWS SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU; HE IS VERY SKILLED AND ADEPT AT DEVISING WAYS TO CIRCUMVENT (GET AROUND) THE MANY PROTECTIONS THAT ARE AROUND YOU AS CHRISTIANS AND /OR OTHERWISE. I TOLD YOU WE'RE NOT GETTING ANYTHING TWISTED BEFORE!(OR AS THE YOUTHS SAY: "HOLLER IF YOU HERE ME!).

THAT BEING SAID MY NEXT WORDS FOR YOU IS SIMPLY: "STOP IT!"...

IF YOU KNOW ,LET'S SAY DEEPLY WITHIN YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE UP TO SOMETHING THAT YOUR MATE WOULD NOT APPROVE OF.; AND ON A GRANDER SCALE...GOD...AND YOUR MATE DEMONSTRATES THAT THEY "FEEL" SOMETHING, RECOGNIZE THAT AGAIN, THIS IS G-O-D'-S ARRANGEMENT, AND IF YOU INFACT HAVE A SPIRIT-LED MAN GOD IS GOING TO GIVE HIM WARNING OF IMMINENT DANGER! THIS APPLIES TO YOU MEN TOO SO DON'T GO PUMPING YOUR FIST AND YELLING:"BABY LOOK AT THIS...SEE?" (NOTHING TWISTED). GOD SPEAKS TO YOU TELLING YOU :" THIS IS THE ONE!".((HE TOLD ADAM THAT TOO) ...HE ALSO SPEAKS TO YOU BOTH ALERTING YOU TO THINGS THAT IMPERIL THE BLESSED ARRANGEMENT HE IS OVERSEEING. REMEMBER, THERE'S SPIRITUAL WARFARE WAGING ALL AROUND US, DON'T BE A CASUALTY OF WAR, OK? STOP IT!

IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A CERTAIN WEAKNESS FOR OR CONCERNING ANYTHING, ANY PLACE, OR ANYONE AND YOU KEEP GETTINMG AN URGE TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DRAWN TO THE FLAME...STOP IT! HOW? P-R-A-Y-E-R! USE THAT WEAPON! PRAYER DRAWS GOD INTO YOUR INNER-AREA. IT BRINGS HIS "IMMEDIATE" PRESSENCE AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE ENEMY DOES WHEN GOD'S AROUND....

THE MESSAGE HERE IS IN ORDER TO "APPLY" UNDERSTANDING TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP, Y-O-U HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN INVOLVED IN A SPIRIT-LED RELATIONSHIP YOU ARE A TARGET OF THE "OTHER" SPIRITS AND THE ONLY WAY TO COMBAT THEM IS TO LET GOD DO YOUR FIGHTIING; HE IS THE ONLY ONE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO WIN! YOU'VE BEEN TOLD IN CHURCH THAT " YOU HAVE AUTHORITY OVER DEVILS AND DEMONS"...NO...NO...NO! STOP IT! WHAT YOU HAVE IS A-C-C-E-S-S TO THE ONE WHO DOES! USE THAT ACCESS AND YOU WILL SUCCEED. BELIEVE ME, THEY'RE WAITING ON YOU AND YOUR CONFIDENCE, IT'S LIKE EATING POTATO CHIPS TO THEM (THE ENEMY) NOONE CAN EAT JUST ONE. THEY WILL DEVOUR YOUR RESOLVE ON ONE SITUATION OR ISSUE AND START EATING AWAY AT ANOTHER, BEFORE YOU KNOW YOU'RE JUST A DIRTY PLATE WITH A FEW "CRUMBS" LEFT OF WHAT GOD HAD SERVED-UP, AND YOU'RE HUNGRY AGAIN. THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE "MEAL" GOD HAD FED YOU TO BEGIN WITH, AND THAT MAKES HIM WANT TO LET YOU GO HUNGRY FOR A LITTLE WHILE SO THAT THE NEXT TIME HE FEEDS YOU YOU'LL BE A LITTLE MORE GRATEFUL.

GRATITUDE IS YET ANOTHER ASPECT OF APPLYING UNDERSTANDING IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP. IF YOU ARE GRATEFUIRL TO GOD FOR THE RELATIONSHIP, YOU'LL "STOP IT!". YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK TO HAVE OUR PRAYER (S) ANSWERED AND GOD BROUGHT SOMEONE HALF-WAY DECENT INTO YOUR LIFE. WHY WOULD YOU GAMBLE WITH THAT BLESSING? THE BIBLE SAYS DO NOT ALLOW PLACE FOR THE DEVIL. THAT MEANS NOT EVEN A SMALL CRACK TO CREEP INTO. THAT'S ALL HE NEEDS, HE'S SMARTER THAN YOU!

FINALLY, APPLYING UNDERSTANDING ALSO HOLDS ANOTHER ASPECT TO BE CONSIDERED. YOU AND GOD ONLY KNOW YOUR TRUTH; IT'S WRONG FOR YOU TO THINK SOMEONE ELSE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANMCE OF IT OR VERIFICATION OF IT. THE'YRE STILL SUCCEPTIBLE TO HUMAN ERROR AND HUMAN NATURE AND THE ONLY THING POSITIVE ABOUT THAT IS WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO THEM AND THEY LISTEN. IF IN FACT YOU DO HAVE SOMEONE IN YOUR LIFE WHO ACTUALLY ENDEAVORS DAILY TO SEEK FIRST GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ACTUALLY LISTENS TO GOD...AND YOU...DON'T GO POKING GOD IN HIS EYEBALL; BE HONEST WITH GOD, BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF, AND BE HONEST WITH YOUR MATE; RESPECT THEIR RIGHT TO A CHOICE OF WHETHER TO DEAL WITH IT OR NOT TO...STOP IT! THAT WAY, YOU'LL STILL BE IN OPPOSITION TO GOD'S WAY(S), BUT AT LEAST YOU WON'T HAVE THE MUCH HEAVIER BURDEN OF HURTING ONE OF GOD'S "SHEEP", OR POSSIBLY CAUSING THEM TO STUMBLE, AND SUFFERING THOSE CONSEQUENCES.. AS LONG AS YOU ARE ABLE TO COMMIT AN UNFORGIVEABLE SIN, FORGIVENESS IS TRULY NOT GUARANTEED; ANOTHER REASON WE CONTINUOUSLY PRAY TO GOD FOR FORGIVEN- NESS. BUT GOD DOES CHANGE HIS MIND; JUST LOOK AT THE STORY OF JONAH AND THE CITY OF NINEVEH...

BEFORE I GET TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE VISITING TEAM'S HUDDLE, LET ME SAY IN CLOSING, THAT ULTIMATELY IT IS JEHOVAH...ALMIGHTY GOD WHOM YOU MUST TRUST, AND UPON WHOM YOU MUST RELY IF YOU ARE TO SUCCEED' AND BY AND THROUGH HIM YOU WILL BE ENABLED TO. HE HAS OFFERED HIMSELF AND HIS SON AS RESOURCE (S) NO MATTER WHAT HE HAS GIVEN TO YOU AS A GIFT, NEVER FEEL THAT YOU SHOULDN'T GO TO HIM AND ASK HIM HOW TO DEAL WITH IT...THEN FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS...FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS (HAD TO SAY THAT AGAIN FOR EMPHASIS)...,; IF YOU DON'T THEN WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN THINGS START BREAKING-DOWN OR RUNNING "LOW"? THEN IT'S LIKE GOING TO THE 'REPAIRMAN'; THERE'S A PRICE TO PAY! KEEP THAT UP AND SOON YOU'LL BE BROKE...OR BROKEN AS IT WERE.

TO APPLY UNDERSTANDING FUILLY IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE TO RMEMBER THIS: THE ONLY THING THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY GIVE YOUR MATE THAT THEY'LL TRUTHFULLY APPRECIATE AND CHERISH ARE THESE TWO THINGS, 1) RESPECT...2) THE BENEFTS ASSOCIATED WITH CLOSE ADHERENCE (OBEYING IN TRUE FAITH) TO AND FOR GOD'S WILL, PURPOSE AND AND PRINCIPLES. ANYTHING ELSE WOULDN'T JUST BE UNCIVILIZED, IT WOULD BE UNSANCTIFIED BY GOD AND THEREBY IN OPPOSITION TO HIM..

THIS ARTICLE IS N-O-T INTENDED TO TO "SCARE" YOU

...IT'S MEANT TO HELP "REPAIR" YOU!

TRUTH IS...