DAILY VIDEO DEVOTIONAL
My wife and I made a commitment many years ago to never go to bed with a heartfelt disagreement between us. Most of the time we have kept that commitment. However, there have been times when we haven’t kept it. Early in our marriage we had a disagreement over an issue. It was so long ago that I can’t remember what the issue was. But I do recall that I felt very strongly that she was wrong and that I was right. I was really upset when we went to bed that night.
The strangest thing happened as I tried to go to sleep. Now remember, I was completely convinced that she was wrong and I was right about the argument. But she immediately fell asleep with the “peace of God that passes all understanding.” And I tossed and turned for hours. I couldn’t believe what was happening.
I began arguing with God. “It’s not fair,” I said. “She’s wrong, and I’m right. Why does she have such peace, and I’m so miserable?” I reasoned with God that it should be just the opposite way. However, when I became so tired that I couldn’t argue any more, God began to speak to my heart.
“It’s not your wife that’s the problem,” He seemed to be saying to my heart. “It’s your attitude.”
I was broken. I realized that my pride had broken my fellowship with my wife and also my Lord. I learned a great lesson that night – you can’t be in fellowship with God and out of fellowship with your wife. In fact, you can’t have intimacy with God and have a broken relationship with a brother or sister in Christ.
I didn’t have peace with God because I didn’t have peace with my wife. Finally, I woke her up and said, “Honey, forgive me. I was the one that was wrong. Please forgive me.”
She said, “Sure,” and immediately fell back asleep. And I had peace with God and restored intimacy with Him.
Many people try to pray, but it seems as though God is far away. Often it’s because of our broken relationships. We no longer have intimate times with God because we must make some things right with others that we’ve wronged.
Jesus said, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Matt. 5:23, 24 NIV). If we’re going to have great power with God, then we must have great fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Before you go to your secret closet in prayer, why don’t you go to that person with whom your relationship is strained. It may make a difference in what happens in the secret place of prayer.
1 Peter : Chapter 3
5) For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6) like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. 7) Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 8) Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9) Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10) For, 11) They must turn from evil and do good; 12) For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
Book of the Month
Sammy Tippit told his fiancée, “I can’t promise we’ll be rich, but life won’t be boring.”
Sammy had no idea what an understatement that would become. Beginning in the bars of Baton Rouge and the nightclubs of Chicago, Tippit has shared the news of life-changing faith in Christ all over the world – including in the middle of a revolution in Romania, the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda, and war in Burundi and the Congo.
Sammy’s lifelong adventure has come at a great price. He’s been cursed, threatened, arrested, deported, and blacklisted. He’s also been personally broken, ravaged with illness, and devastated by grief.
Yet he continues to preach to in stadiums, in open fields, and via satellite technology to hundreds of thousands around the globe. For all other books…
About Sammy Tippit Ministries
STM has been providing inspiration and help around the world for nearly 50 years. Sammy Tippit, founder and president, is a world renowned counselor, teacher and evangelist with experience serving and helping people in over 80 countries. Sammy provides materials that help people tackle a broad array of social, societal, psychological and spiritual issues. He is particularly passionate about making materials accessible to other countries around the world. Sammy is married to Debara “Tex” Tippit, and they have two children and five grandchildren.
Sammy Tippit Ministries is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization.
Contact: info@sammytippit.org
All Rights Reserved