LOOKING FOR A MATE

(Testimony behind the teaching)

When I was in my early twenties, I was a single minister and I traveled all over singing and preaching the gospel of Christ. And because I traveled a lot, I never really got a chance to know people my age. To say the least, it was lonely. Sure, I would have loved to date but when you are called into the ministry, your reputation is everything and at least in that day, people looked at you differently because you were a minister. I finally decided to take my situation to God in prayer and I was led to a passage of scripture in Genesis where God put Adam to sleep so He could make Adam a help mate.

How many of you who are single would love God to give you someone who was made just for you? I sure did especially because I was in the ministry. I wanted someone who had the same commitment to God as I had. I wanted someone who understood the ministry and the sacrifices it would take to serve God in that capacity. This is how I was after I gave my life to Christ. Before then I was like so many other guys I grew up with. For that, I am not proud. But God started changing my "want to" when I came back to him and I didn't want to live a sinful life anymore. To the best of my ability, I was serious about my relationship with God.

Anyway, I started dwelling on this portion of scripture in Genesis and I started asking God what he wanted me to understand about this. And then one day it clicked. God wanted to put me to sleep, so to speak, like He did Adam. I understood that I needed to receive the woman God wanted for me by faith. I needed to understand that God had someone especially for me and that He was preparing her for me. And even though I didn't know who she was at the time, I began to pray for her and ask God to bless her and to keep her safe.

It wasn't immediate but after a short time, I began to sense the reality of my prayers and according to Mark 11:24, I began to believe that I had already received my helpmate. And every time I felt loneliness set in, I would pray. Every time I was tempted to give in, I would pray. I would say something like, "Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the one you have given me, that one you are preparing for me. I just ask you to bless and protect her according to 2 Timothy 1:12, " I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that you are able to guard what I have entrusted to you until that day."

From the time I began to pray to the time I received God's promise, it was six months, give or take a few days. We met one day and we were married in four months. Bettie and I have were married in 1983 so we have been married now Thirty-five years. I won't tell you it has been easy because we have had struggles like any couple would, with finances, etc....

But the key to a happy marriage is the same key used to unlock a happy life, Always put God first and He will add those things to your life that you are believing Him for. I truly believe that and He has shown Himself faithful throughout the years.

Listen, Maybe this is you and you love God but you have felt the need to compromise your life in order to find happiness. This doesn't have to be. Maybe you've done this and you feel ashamed or maybe you've been hurt because you put yourself in a compromising situation. God loves you and He wants to heal you and forgive you of your sins. Just ask Him and make Jesus the Lord of your life. He will show himself faithful to you. God bless you. Amen.