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And the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper meet for him." ... And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.
Genesis 2:18, 20-24

But I would have you be without cares. He that is unmarried careth for the things which belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
1 Corinthians 7:32-34

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God. As God hath said: "I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." Therefore, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate," saith the Lord. "And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters," saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth. But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know, even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1 Corinthians 13



WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT...
Choosing A Mate

by Dre


For the Singles on the Lookout click here.


While in my twenties and still single I made a distinct and specific prayer to God requesting a mate. Soon after, a man came knocking on my door. He was a neighbor. The first thing he wanted from me was to skip Wednesday night church and do something with him. I said "No, thank you." The man would not leave my doorstep and even after very firm repeated "No thank you's" he remained persistent to the point of begging me to do something with him so I eventually gave in. This relationship almost cost me my life but God turned things around for me. If I only realized at the moment the man was standing at my doorstep what I learned later then I would have slammed the door in the face of the devil.

The devil heard my prayer too and he sent a decoy to me to lure me away from God and keep me distracted from the real mate that God was busy working on and rearranging people everywhere in an effort to create the opportunity for us to meet. If I had remained in the wrong relationship then I would have never been able to experience the best relationship.

I am greatly inspired to discuss witchcraft in this area of choosing a mate because I have heard many people say that if they want a certain person in their life and want this person to "love" them that they turn to what they call "love spells." They say that a little ritual or incantation to get what they want is not hurting anybody. That is a lie from the pit of hell.

Whether "white" - "black" or any other color you want to label it, it is still all the same. It is witchcraft no matter how you rearrange the words. To begin with your desire to disrupt natural God-arranged events is selfish within itself. 'Selfishness' in this way is yet another form of witchcraft. Manipulating another person is another form of witchcraft. When you perform rituals or incantations then you are asking Satan and his demons (instead of God) to enter your life and intercede in another persons life in order to bring about your selfish desires. (See also about other religions.)


The definition of witchcraft

- Magic; sorcery.
- Wicca.
- A magical or irresistible influence, attraction, or charm.
[The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 09 May. 2009.]

- The practices or art of witches; sorcery; enchantments; intercourse with evil spirits.
- Power more than natural; irresistible influence.
[Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary. MICRA, Inc. 09 May. 2009.]


The definition of sorcery

- Use of supernatural power over others through the assistance of spirits; witchcraft.
[The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 09 May. 2009.]

- the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world.
[WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. 09 May. 2009.]


The definition of manipulation

- exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage.
[WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. 09 May. 2009.]


The definition of magic

- the art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of incantation or various other techniques that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or the forces of nature.

- power or influence exerted through this art: a wizard of great magic.
- any extraordinary or mystical influence, charm, power, etc.

Synonyms

- enchantment. Magic, necromancy, sorcery, witchcraft imply producing results through mysterious influences or unexplained powers. Magic may have glamorous and attractive connotations; the other terms suggest the harmful and sinister. Magic is an art employing some occult force of nature: A hundred years ago television would have seemed to be magic. Necromancy is an art of prediction based on alleged communication with the dead (it is called "the black art," because Greek nekrós, dead, was confused with Latin niger, black): Necromancy led to violating graves. Sorcery, originally divination by casting lots, came to mean supernatural knowledge gained through the aid of evil spirits, and often used for evil ends: spells and charms used in sorcery. Witchcraft esp. suggests a malign kind of magic, often used against innocent victims: Those accused of witchcraft were executed.
[Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 09 May. 2009.]

- The art that purports to control or forecast natural events, effects, or forces by invoking the supernatural.
- The practice of using charms, spells, or rituals to attempt to produce supernatural effects or control events in nature.
- The charms, spells, and rituals so used.
- A mysterious quality of enchantment: "For me the names of those men breathed the magic of the past" (Max Beerbohm).
- Of, relating to, or invoking the supernatural: "stubborn unlaid ghost/That breaks his magic chains at curfew time" (John Milton).
- Possessing distinctive qualities that produce unaccountable or baffling effects.
[The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 09 May. 2009.]

- A comprehensive name for all of the pretended arts which claim to produce effects by the assistance of supernatural beings, or departed spirits, or by a mastery of secret forces in nature attained by a study of occult science, including enchantment, conjuration, witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, incantation, etc.
- An appearance made by some magic. --Chaucer.
Celestial magic, a supposed supernatural power which gave to spirits a kind of dominion over the planets, and to the planets an influence over men.
Natural magic, the art of employing the powers of nature to produce effects apparently supernatural.
Superstitious, or Geotic, magic, the invocation of devils or demons, involving the supposition of some tacit or express agreement between them and human beings.

Synonyms

- Sorcery; witchcraft; necromancy; conjuration; enchantment.
- Pertaining to the hidden wisdom supposed to be possessed by the Magi; relating to the occult powers of nature, and the producing of effects by their agency.
- Performed by, or proceeding from, occult and superhuman agencies; done by, or seemingly done by, enchantment or sorcery. Hence: Seemingly requiring more than human power; imposing or startling in performance; producing effects which seem supernatural or very extraordinary; having extraordinary properties; as, a magic lantern; a magic square or circle.
[Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary. MICRA, Inc. 09 May. 2009.]

- art of influencing events and producing marvels.
[Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 09 May. 2009.]


The definition of magick

- An action or effort undertaken because of a personal need to effect change, especially as associated with Wicca or Wiccan beliefs.
[The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 09 May. 2009.]


When you practice these things you are telling God that you know better than He does about making such choices in your life and therefore He steps out of the situation and allows you to do what you want. What you are doing is asking demonic spirits to intervene in your life - evil spirits from the pit of hell which know nothing about your future and have no good intentions for you. The only intentions of evil spirits is to make sure that you are continually steered away from God - to keep you in the dark about the truth and to ultimately send your soul to hell.

Why would you want anyone in your life who does not want you? Let me say it this way, why would you want to "force" anybody into your life who does not want to be there?

If you desire a partner in life, God wants us to turn to Him first. Before we can ever have a successful relationship with a significant other, we first have to get our relationship with God in order. God wants us to want Him first and He wants to select our mates. What could be greater than that? When you allow God to choose your mate, it is the most incredible experience in life. God is the ultimate matchmaker. He can bring that person to you in any situation or across the world. He knows the exact person for you and He knows exactly how to get you together without you trying to make something happen. God's way is a lot less work, much less unhappiness, and always works out. But when you insist that you know better and you want to do only what YOU want to do then you are missing out on something more wonderful than you could ever imagine. God would not have you jumping around from one relationship to another looking to fill only your needs and wants. When God sends you a mate, that person is the perfect person for you and it is a lifetime committment. If you are miserable or end up in divorce or a broken relationship, then you cannot blame God because that mate was never His idea in the first place - it was YOURS!

If you have ever been involved in any form of witchcraft described here, then you have left the door open to Satan to continue deceiving you. Oftentimes, it seems like a small thing in the beginning but down the road Satan will always lead a person deeper and deeper into occultic practices until one believes they cannot get out or the person has turned away from God for so long that they are blinded by Satan and God just lets the person go. If you have practiced these things and want to be free from past involvement, then I urge you to pray and renounce any form of this craft and ask God to close the door to Satan ever being able to trick and deceive you in these areas ever again.

Now I hope that you will read on to see what Betty Miller has to say about choosing a mate.


------------------------------

Choosing a Mate

Excerpt from the book Neither Male Nor Female by Betty Miller.


We know that it is the Lord's will for people to have a mate if they desire one. In the beginning when God created Adam, God Himself made this statement:

And the LORD God said, "[It is] not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." Genesis 2:18

Now the Lord God said, It is not good (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper meet (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him. Genesis 2:18 Amp

The Lord wants to bring a mate to those who will ask Him and have the patience to wait for His choice.

There are some single people who are constantly out looking for a mate, and they are miserable because God has not sent them one yet. They have prayed and prayed, yet they still have no mate. Some settle for Satan's provision instead of asking God for the patience to wait for the one whom He would send. If they would look to Jesus and seek to please Him, rather than being concerned about a mate, soon they would find the right one crossing their path. Looking for a man or woman to just keep them from being lonely or just to fill their needs or to be a father or mother to their children should not be the only reasons for desiring a mate. They also need to be concerned about what kind of husband or wife they would be for a mate. These single people are still much in the flesh if they just want their own needs met. They should ask the Lord to fill them with His love and peace.

Being single is an important time to prepare us for marriage. It can also be a time to experience a closer communion with God. As we seek God to cleanse us of the world and help us become the kind of wife or husband that would bless someone, we will soon find that we are not lonely. First, the Lord would begin using us to bless others; then we will find we are content in Him. Eventually, in God's plan and timing, He will bless us with a wonderful mate so that both lives can be a witness for Him. We believe if a marriage cannot glorify the Lord, then it would be better to remain alone. There are worse things than being alone. One of these is to be out of God's will by compromising and marrying someone who does not feel the same way we do about the Lord.

Marriage is the second major choice we make in our lives, and we should never enter into it without much prayer. To rush into a marriage can be disastrous. The most important decision of our lives, of course, is our decision to follow the Lord. This decision is not a one-time declaration, but a daily determination to follow Jesus above all. If we allow the emotional or soulish realm to dominate our lives we become more susceptible to the enemy leading us astray through someone. This area of the flesh should be brought under the Lord's subjection so that Satan does not get the advantage and consequently destroy our lives and ministries. So many have failed the Lord because they chose a man or woman over the Lord.

We find this true throughout the Bible, too. Solomon's heathen wives led him into idolatry. Samson lost his eyes because of a woman, Delilah. David committed murder because of passion for Bathsheba.

Our emotions need to be cleansed as they are not the sign of love. The true definition of love is "God is love." If God is not in a relationship it is not true love. What this world calls love is really lust since it is built on what the other person does for me, not what I can do for him or her. If the other person fails to keep up his end of the bargain, a divorce occurs because the offended mate is no longer pleased. This is the attitude of the world's so-called "love." God's love loves without receiving back; God's love is forgiving and patient. God's love is gentle and kind. God's love waits. God's love sacrifices.

1 Corinthians 13 in the Bible gives us a beautiful definition of real love:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)

Man's emotions are not a reliable gauge upon which to establish a marriage relationship. We must know in the Spirit that it is God's will. It is much better to marry for character than for emotion. Emotions fluctuate; character doesn't. Emotions are in the soulish realm, and unless the carnal mind has been renewed, Satan can give us emotions or feelings of love for someone of his choosing. (If he did not have this in his power, he could not split up marriages.) One of his favorite techniques is to suddenly take away the feelings one once had for his mate and give feelings for someone else. When he has successfully convinced a person that he no longer loves his or her mate, then he leads them to divorce, whispering, "You are living a lie." After he has destroyed that marriage, he then leads one to marry again by stirring their emotions for another. Often after their next marriage something happens that they do not expect. Before too long, friction begins to develop with the new mate, then arguing. Finally, they find the same thing has happened again; they feel no emotion for their new mate and the next divorce is in the making. "Falling" in love is Satan's way. The very expression of these words should tell us something. A Christian should not blindly "fall" into any trap. Love is bigger than simply falling for someone. Certainly, the Lord gives us a wonderful emotional feeling for the one we are to marry. However, this "feeling" without God's direction can be disastrous as Satan can tamper with our emotions and feelings too.

Marriage, in a Christian's life, should be based on a decision directed by the Holy Spirit. A Christian's love for another is a commitment. Of course, the Lord will supply the emotions for the mate He sends, but that should not be the criterion for making the decision to marry. The Lord should be sought, and whatever He speaks to us we should do. He knows the future and what is best for us. If we trust Him He will not fail us in this or any other important area. Women or men who allow emotions to rule them will never be victorious Christians. Emotions should always follow, never lead.

During Old and New Testament times, fathers and mothers chose the mates for their children. God's people were very careful to choose those who were "believers." We find this practice still prevalent in India and other Eastern cultures. The parents, being older and more prudent, made wiser decisions than the children in this area. The divorce rate in India is only about 7%, whereas in the USA, at the present, it is nearing 50%. Marriages that are loveless can be saved and restored simply by asking God to restore the love that was once there. Sexual relationships can also be healed by praying for a desire for one's mate. Prayer is a mighty weapon. God's love can mend and heal, providing people are willing to lay down their lives for their mates. His love will not fade, as does the love of the world.

Those who are single and have never been married are cautioned in God's Word to seek a mate who is a like believer.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14

Many precious people suffer because they are living with unsaved mates. Some did not have Christ when they made their marriage decision, but they have since found the Lord. Those will have God's grace and love to win their mates for Jesus. The Lord always strives to bring the lost mate to Himself through the partner who knows Him. Mighty miracles of deliverance and salvation have occurred when people have endured suffering in order to bring their mates to the Lord. Those people who have the light, but choose to marry into darkness by yoking themselves to unsaved mates find that their flesh has led them away from God.

The Lord wants to bless marriage unions and see His plans fulfilled in both mates' lives. What a glorious plan He had from the beginning for both male and female. We can trust Him in this important decision. If we will totally commit to do His will we will never be disappointed in the one He sends into our lives.