7 Signs that You Are in a Wrong Relationship

Post written by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

Photo source: www.lovepanky.com

In this post, we have compiled 7 signs to recognize that you are in a "wrong" relationship. It applies to both married and unmarried couples, but the applications from each would be quite different from one another.

We believe that marriage is a lasting covenant done with God and so recognizing that a marriage relationship is wrong should not end up in divorce or separation from our perspective, but it should be worked out by both partners, of course, with the help of God.

However, if you are still unmarried, then there is a lot to think about these 7 signs of a wrong relationship.  

Faith Pleases God

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

Photo source: www.alphaconsultant.com

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:6

Our relationship with God through Jesus Christ is largely determined by our faith. When we come to Him, we must believe that He exists and that He is exactly who He has revealed Himself to be in Scriptures.

Christ Makes All Things New

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

Photo source: www.firebreathingchristian.com

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” – Revelation 21:5

In Christ, we don’t get something new… we become new. We become a brand new creation, re-created in the character of Christ. Working out our salvation means re-training our mind and body to live a life pleasing to God.

Daily Dependence

Raymund's Note: Taken from "What Matters Most for Men" by Mark Gilroy Communications

Photo source: www.biblestudytools.com

“Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

We rightfully teach our children – and attempt to live our own lives – by the credos of responsibility, self-control, and mature self-reliance.

And yes, being responsible is a very good thing. But when our attitude reaches the point where we trust more in ourselves than in God, twin temptations, both that lead to spiritual shipwreck, suddenly confront us.

Whom Should You Marry?

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

“It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman in a whole house.” – Proverbs 21:9

During Biblical times, women were often viewed as men’s property, good for bearing children and not much more. 

The Book of Proverbs addressed the young men of that time who were approaching the age of marriage to take a different view.

Improve Yourself (No One Else Can)

Note: Taken from “God is in the Small Stuff” by Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz

Photo source: goodmenproject.com

“No, dear friends, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” – Philippians 3:13, NLT 

Will there ever be a time when you will stop learning and improving yourself? 

Will it happen when you get your high school diploma? Not then, because the education process has only just begun. 

At college graduation? Hardly, because the lessons of the real world await. 

When you become a parent with your own children to raise? Certainly not, because every parent has to stay mentally sharp just to keep up with the “new math.” 

Will you be able to stop learning and improving when you reach your “golden years?” That’s doubtful, because then you’ll need more wits than ever to figure out all of the discounts to which you are entitled.

Give God Time

Raymund and Denielle's Note: This is an essay taken from "God is in the small stuff - and it all matters" by Bruce & Stan. We reformatted the paragraphs to make a better online reading experience.

Photo source: quotesgram.com

"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act." - Psalm 37:7, NLT

If there's one thing we need in the midst of our busy, loud, and nervous lives, it's the inner peace and quiet and assurance that only God can give.

It's the only way to see God's purposes for us, let alone keep our sanity.

The thing is, God doesn't yell out and say, "Hey, you're neglecting me. Sit still for a moment so you can hear me."

The Husband's Leadership - Growing To Become the Husband God Wants You To Be (Part 4)

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Writer's note: This is the continuation of my previous blog post, "How to Love Your Wife the Biblical Way - Growing To Become the Husband God Wants You To Be (Part 3)" aimed to share some basic biblical knowledge to my fellow young husbands and/or husbands to be.

Photo source: www.pinterest.com

In this post, I will talk about the kind of leadership that God wants a husband to have over his wife and family. 

As we all know, there are many different types of leadership styles that the world uses these days not only at work but also within the context of a family, such as autocratic, democratic, pacesetting, affiliative, and coaching.

God's mandate of leadership for a husband is a unique one, but it could also be applied not only with your family but also in a workplace setting.

How to Love Your Wife the Biblical Way - Growing To Become the Husband God Wants You To Be (Part 3)

Post written by Raymund Tamayo 

Writer's note: This is the continuation of my previous blog post, "Growing To Become the Husband God Wants You To Be (Part 2)" aimed to share some basic biblical knowledge to my fellow young husbands and/or husbands to be.

Photo source: wordsofwilliams.com

The Biblical Love

The biblical kind of love is based on God's love for us. It is also called Agape love, which refers to the unconditional love of God for his created beings.

It is only through the understanding and comprehension of this Love that he himself had received from God can a husband begin to love his wife with the right motive and endurance.

Growing To Become the Husband God Wants You To Be (Part 2)

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Writer's note: This is the continuation of my previous blog post, "Growing To Become the Husband God Wants You To Be (Part 1)" aimed to share some basic biblical knowledge to my fellow young husbands and/or husbands to be.

Photo source: www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com

According to the Bible, God has at least three purposes for marriage:

Growing To Become the Husband God Wants You To Be (Part 1)

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: searchingforaguyafterhisheart.wordpress.com

God's will for every Christian husband is to love his wife and lead his family in the same way that Christ loves and shepherds the church.

Take note, it is the husband who leads his wife and not the other way around, as Christ is the head of the church and also not the other way around.

No one can become a godly husband without following the perfect role model, Jesus Christ, on how He loved the church unconditionally. As husbands, we must carefully and purposely strive to follow Him, no matter how incompetent we may be at first.

The Blessing of Shalom

Raymund and Denielle's Note: We would like to share this post at Roy Lessin's meetmeinthemeadow.com to all of you. May our Lord God fill our hearts and minds with peace that passeth all understanding. Blessings!

Photo credit: www.meetmeinthemeadow.com

"Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord and called it Jehovah-shalom." Judges 6:24

“Shalom” is much more than a casual social greeting— it is a prayer, a blessing, a deep desire, and a benediction. It is a word that is packed with the full blessing of God. In Hebrew the word has many significant meanings throughout the Scriptures. The following blessing is a compilation of those meanings.

Envision us standing by you with hands extended, speaking these words of blessing over your life…

Realize That God Loves You

Raymund and Denielle's Note: This is an essay taken from "God is in the small stuff - and it all matters" by Bruce & Stan. We reformatted the paragraphs to make a better online reading experience.

Photo credit: faith1stministries.com

"This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that He loved us." - 1 John 4:10, NLT

Love is a powerful emotion, perhaps the strongest of human emotions. 

People will go to great lengths to express love, and they will do almost anything to get love. 

So if love is in such demand, why does it seem in such short supply? To paraphrase the song, "Why is love the only thing that there's just too little of?"

You Cannot Have a Positive Life with a Negative Mind

Post written by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

Photo credit: thecoggintoboggan.com

The human mind is more powerful than we can imagine. Our thoughts influence our beliefs, feelings and actions more than we know.

They rule what we are; in fact, we are what we think.

When thoughts are positive, life becomes hopeful.

When thoughts are negative, life becomes depressing.

Ergo, you cannot have a positive life with a negative mind. The two just can’t go together.

5 Priorities of a Godly Husband - A Must Read

Posted by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

Photo credit: www.onlinechristiansongs.com

One article that caught our attention these days was from www.onlinechristiansongs.com titled "5 Priorities of a Godly Husband - A Must Read" and we wish to share it here at Plain Haven.

Without further ado, here it is in full:

8 Ways to Get Ready for the Second Coming of Christ

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: www.praise-and-worship.com

One of the most obvious certainties about earthly existence is the fact that someday each one is going depart from this world. This is as evident as saying that the sun is bright. 

However, it's sad to know that only a few people are watchful or even considering the unavoidable appointment with death or the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Be Aware Of Your Own Biological Clock

Our good and gracious God was even nice enough to put in place a biological clock that would remind us of our temporal status, yet people still ignore the warning signs. 

These wake-up calls haven’t escaped my attention. 

At age 36, I’ve noticed changes in my body fat, eyesight, mental capacity, and joints. 

They all express one common message: “Hey, Raymund, this is your halftime warning!”

How to Handle a Tactless Person

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Note: This is a series of posts on How to Handle Difficult People. These articles will guide you on how to interact with a difficult person without severing your relationship with them.

Photo credit: fabafter40.tumblr.com

It is awkward and uncomfortable being around a tactless person.

Much more so when people around you start to realize that you are friends. 

Being with The Big Mouth should not be that uncomfortable if you know what to do and where he is coming from. 

Below are some tips on how to handle a tactless person.

How to Handle a Needy Person

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Note: This is a series of posts on How to Handle Difficult People. These articles will guide you on how to interact with a difficult person without severing your relationship with them.

Photo credit: f3y.com

Living with a needy person is really quite a challenge. 

"The Leech" always wants your time and attention and always needs your perpetual assurance to be happy and contented. 

It is annoying, frustrating, and exhausting spending time with dependent people, and the best way to handle them is to stop being around them. 

Assuming that the difficult person is close to you and you can’t simply avoid, here are some practical tips to help you maintain your own emotional wellbeing when you have a needy loved one.

How to Handle a Person Full of Negativity

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Note: This is a series of posts on How to Handle Difficult People. These articles will guide you on how to interact with a difficult person without severing your relationship with them.

Photo credit: projectlifemastery.com

Being with a negative person is extremely difficult. 

He constantly complains about everything in his life.

He is fearful and always presumes that nothing good is ever going to happen. 

Even if you talk for only a few minutes, you can be affected by his negativity.

You can always avoid people like these. But if you can’t, here are some ways on how to handle them.

How to Handle a Bossy Person

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Note: This is a series of posts on How to Handle Difficult People. These articles will guide you on how to interact with a difficult person without severing your relationship with them.

Photo credit: www.expertbusinessadvice.com

Hanging out with bossy people will definitely make you feel miserable. The catch here is they can affect you if only you let them. 

It is one thing to spend time with a manipulative person and another thing to let her control you. Most people are not aware that they are domineering and controlling and, more often than not, they will get hurt if you tell them. 

There are many ways to deal with a bossy person and here are some things that you can try.

How to Handle Difficult People

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Note: This is a series of posts on How to Handle Difficult People. These articles will guide you on how to interact with a difficult person without severing your relationship with them.

Photo credit: madamenoire.com

Four Types of Difficult People

To handle a difficult person, the first thing to do is to identify the type of difficult person you are trying to deal with. There are many different kinds of difficult people, but most of them are a combination of the following personalities.

Planted in a Local Church

Post written by Denielle Tamayo

"Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body." - 1 Corinthians 12:27

As the body is one unit but with many parts, so is the body of Christ, the church. God has united us with other believers through the Spirit. He has brought us together to be the tangible companion and encouragement for one another. Where one rejoices, others rejoice with him. Where one suffers, others would suffer with him.

God made us different from one another to function differently. So as when one is weak, someone else would be his or her strength. All members of the church contributes something of necessity to keep the church at it's best. Our gifts are used not for personal fame but to sincerely help others and have genuine concern and care for others.

Spiritual Laziness

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: www.michaelberg.net

“How long will you lie there doing nothing at all? When are you going to get up and stop sleeping?” Proverbs 6:9

The Book of Proverbs warns us about laziness. Chapter 6 verses 4 to 11 says that we can learn a thing or two from ants on being diligent and productive. Ants store up food while they can to make their future secure. It also says that lazy people just sleep and wait for better days.

When it comes to our finances, we ought to copy the traits of these ants. We should save money to prepare for our future.

God or Money?

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: familyfriendlydaddyblog.com

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Luke 16:13

God owns everything on earth and in the universe, and we are stewards of what He blesses us. If we can't be trusted with little, how can we be trusted with much bigger and valuable things? Honesty and faithfulness are the marks of a great steward of God.

We must always put into heart and mind that God is our Lord and Master, not money. We cannot say we love God, if we love money. We cannot serve both God and money simultaneously. People should use money to live, and not the other way around.

God sees and knows what is inside our hearts. We cannot justify our wrong decisions because God knows our inner motives. What we value here on earth may be abominable in God's sight, so we have to be careful. Let's examine our lifestyles and question ourselves who or what we really love. Is it God or money?

A Changed Life

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: mikepittman.org

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

The moment we enter a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit starts to re-new us – our personality, our behavior, our judgment – into becoming more like Christ.

The old things that we use to enjoy wouldn’t give us pleasure anymore.

The first thing you will notice in a newly-“born” Christian is his changed life. It is the very first sign that a person sincerely accepted Jesus Christ in his life.

Our Ultimate Comfort

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

Looking back on what God has done for me strengthens my faith for the future. I realize that even if you ask for comfort, God may not give it to you if it will keep you from doing what He wants you to do. Our ultimate comfort should be the thought that one day we will be with Him forever.

My Thoughts on God’s Promise of Eternal Life

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

I’m sure of God’s promise that whoever has Jesus Christ in his life has eternal life (1 John 5:11-13). Why? Because He said so. That is what I believe. That is my faith.

The nature of my personal relationship with Christ

Christ is a kind, caring, encouraging, compassionate, and generous Father and friend to me.

I never doubt His love for me. I love Him in return. I’m loyal and faithful to Him.

Through wisdom from His Word I know what He wants and I try to do as it is.

If I were to sin, I’m confident of his forgiveness and mercy, but will not abuse it.

He is my protector and refuge. I have faith in him.

What makes me want to follow Him and do what is right? My love for the Lord. That is the driving force of my life.

It is really all that simple.

A Short Prayer of Restoration

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: reflectionsintheword.org

May God renew our souls, refresh our spirits, and remove every cloud of sin, anxiety, and despair, and restore to the fullest every joy, hope, and blessing that He has made available to us in the riches of Jesus Christ.

Morning Praises: Delight in the Lord

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: static.topandroidwallpapers.com

"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4

"You have found your delight in the Lord, and He has placed within you the desires that are from Him, for Him, and can only be fulfilled by Him. Never step away from trust in His timetable, even if it means waiting a lifetime. He who placed His desires in you has the power to fulfill them, the knowledge to know how, and the wisdom to know when the time is best." - Roy Lessin, www.meetmeinthemeadow.com

"He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them." - Psalm 145:19

3 Important Tips on How to Contribute Positively to the World

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: www.miasage.com

"It’s not the depth of your intellect that will comfort you or transform your world. Only the richness of your heart and your generosity of spirit can do that." – Rasheed Ogunlaru

Generosity is not only about money. It is also about contributing something positive to the world to make it a little bit better.

The great thing about this is when many people contribute something positive, these small contributions can become huge. And what if everyone did that?

Be Inspirational

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: www.lakersnation.com

“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.” – Kobe Bryant

You know that you are doing something right when you are able to inspire other people rather than making them feel bad about themselves.

One of the most profound things you can do for others is to inspire them to reach their full potential. To help them achieve their true greatness. To make them realize the reason why on earth they are here.

But you cannot become inspirational if you yourself are not inspired. Inspiration begins within you and how you think.

Lead Your Year in Prayer

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: www.knoxtrinity.org

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Not everyone is excited about beginning a new year. For some, it is a reminder that life is just passing them by and they are still far away from their hopes and dreams. Others think of a new year as something dreadful because they are obligated to do “promised” resolutions. While there are also people who are plain indifferent about starting a new year and see it as just another ordinary day.

As children of God, the New Year should hold great importance to us as it means that God took us through an old year and is ready to be with us again in the coming year, and the years ahead.

Resolve to Live a Godly Life

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Photo credit: secure.crackpot.org

It’s the beginning of another year and people are psychologically triggered to make New Year’s resolutions. If you ask me, I’d rather create good habits one at a time, and put off old bad habits to start the year. 

I’d also rather take you to the book of Psalm chapter 101:2 where the psalmist King David said “I will be careful to lead a blameless life – when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart.”