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Category: Family forum

  • Loving your wife the Bible way! (3)

    Dear Reader,

    Welcome to yet another time of refreshing. Since this month began, we have discovered that the journey into marital fulfilment will only be a success, by walking in the light that comes from the Word of God.

    Last week we started examining what must be in place, for true expression of love. Today, we shall be looking at the practical ways love can be expressed to your wife, in what I have titled: Loving In Thoughts & In Words!

    Loving essentially starts from the heart, but eventually finds expression through the mouth and by actions. Therefore, beginning from the thoughts of your hearts, husbands, learn to love your wives. It is noted from God’s Word that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). Thus, when your heart is full of loving thoughts, it readily finds expression in the words you speak.

    If, for instance, you use abusive words on your wife, you have succeeded in convincing everyone that is a witness to it that you are speaking out of the abundance of your heart. Until you change the contents of your thoughts, you cannot speak otherwise.

    Men initiate things and women respond to them. Husband, initiate the love relationship between you and your wife, and she will respond to you in love, for no woman hates to be loved. When you love your wife, you easily win her submission.

    Furthermore, as a caring husband, you must learn to speak kind words to your wife. Words create the right atmosphere in the home. Express to her the nice qualities you like in her. Handle your wife with care by speaking kind words of appreciation to her often.

    Your relationship with your wife started with the use of these three words: “I love you.” That means, it will grow by its continuous use.  Often, however, these words are forgotten after the euphoria of the wedding ceremony is over. Words are powerful, and saying, “I love you” over and over, spices up marriage. Just as it is necessary for rain to fall again and again for farmers to reap a bountiful harvest; so also, it is to say, “I love you” over and over.

    The presumptuous claim that it is not necessary to say it over and over because, “She should know I love her”, is wrong. She needs to hear you express daily how much you love and appreciate her. My husband says it to me daily, and I never get tired of hearing it.

    Even God’s Word points out the importance of voicing out what one believes in the heart (Romans 10:10). Give voice to your feelings; it is not a sign weakness, but of strength! The world was made by faith-filled words; therefore, let your “I love you” to your spouse be also full of faith. Even if your spouse is a monster, she would change to a marvel! That is how God won man to Himself. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, thus saying, “ I love you” to the people who rejected His love.

    Some men find it hard to say, “I am sorry. Please, forgive me,” because of their ego. God’s Word says: And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places (Isaiah 32:18). That is, God’s original intent for the home is to be a place of peace and quietness. “Quietness,” not in the sense of silence, but of rest.

    Therefore, any man who desires his home to be heaven on earth should not let ego stand between him and his wife, or children. Don’t give room to the devil to bring problems to your home. Learn to say “I am sorry”, when you offend your wife or you observe that she’s not just happy with you. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s never a sign of weakness but of strength, and it works!

    Next week, I shall examine loving with actions. Meanwhile, if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you are incapable of demonstrating God’s kind of love. It is when you accept Jesus into your life that the love of God is shed abroad into your heart (Romans 5:5).

    If you want to give your life to Christ, say this prayer with me: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

  • Loving your wife the Bible way! (2)

    Dear Reader,

    Welcome once again to this column. This month, God’s Word will make you better than you were last month, in Jesus’ name.

    Last week, we began looking at the topic: Loving Your Wife the Bible Way. We saw from scriptures that if a man would love his wife without conditions, he must lay hold on light from God’s Word, as seen in Ephesians 5:25.

    This week, I shall be teaching on what I have captioned: Love Expression! Everyone wants to be loved, and everyone needs love. Jesus showed this to be a healthy desire when He asked: Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? (John 21:15).

    Love is not love until it is expressed. Even God Almighty did not just assume He loved man; He expressed it by giving His most precious possession His Son. The Word of God says: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son… (John 3:16). You don’t just love in your heart or thoughts; you must go one step further by giving it an expression.

    Husband, until you comply with this commandment to love your wife the Bible way, you may never taste fulfilment in marriage. You make it automatically easy for your wife to response in total submission to you, when you exhibit unconditional love to her.  Remember, no woman resists love or hates to be loved. As you begin to love her wholeheartedly, not minding her errors, she will begin to respond to you, and your family harmony will be kept aflame, radiating the glory of God.

    If only husbands could learn to give their wives more attention and more time, their situation will brighten up. Some men can give a lot of money to their wives; but to give their time is the problem. They claim that their time is too precious to be wasted.

    Does spending quality time with your wife equal time wasting to you? To give a listening ear to what your wife is saying, thinking or going through should be of greater value to you than the physical or material things you may be privileged to give her. If only you can do this, your discussions with her will not always end in physical combat.  I know I’m communicating to someone right now.

    Husband, attempt to be 100% patient with your wife, as you may seem to know better than her. Allow her make her mistakes and lovingly intervene. By so doing, she will be more careful next time, so as not to make the same mistake.

    It is throbbing to know that most men find it difficult to say, “I love you.” Well, it could be a cultural hang-up; but Jesus, Who, though is God and is a man among men, set the pace when He told His disciples that He loved them and asked them if they loved Him (John 15:9).

    Saying the words, “I love you” to your wife, may be just what you need to do, to cause a transformation in your home. It doesn’t portray weakness like others conclude, but strength. Also, action speaks louder than words, they say. So, if you are confessing love for your wife, but you act selfishly by not giving money for her upkeep and that of the children (1 Timothy 5:8); screaming, “I love you” at the top of your voice, would have no meaning to her. This is because your actions are disproving your love.

    To sum up, God is love! To bring God, Who is righteousness, peace and joy personified into your marriage and home, you must love your wife unconditionally. Remember, love is not love until it is expressed. As you express your love to her in particular, and the family in general, great shall be your peace in every aspect of your life.

    Moreover, you need God’s help in expressing love to your wife, and that begins with you accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord and Saviour of your home. Say this prayer with me and Jesus will come into your heart, and your home: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

  • Loving your wife the Bible way!

    Dear Reader,

    Happy New Month! A new month has just begun with new opportunities to make life count more for you and your family. I can tell you that God is set to do something more glorious, in your life and family this month.

    This month, I shall be speaking extensively to the men, as we examine the topic: Loving Your Wife the Bible Way. It is my prayer that as you open your heart to receive and act on God’s Word concerning your family today, your marriage and home will experience a positive transformation in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

    What is love? The Advanced Learners Dictionary defines love as warm liking or affection. It is also described as affectionate devotion. Love is a major requirement for making your marriage successful. It is the major material required in building and transforming your house into a home.

    The love I will be examining, however, is not the type of love the world has to offer which says, “If you love me, I will love you in return.” The type of love I am emphasizing is God’s kind of love. It is from the Greek word “AGAPE.”  It is an unconditional love. It is the kind of love that says: in spite of your faults and shortcomings, I love you all the same.

    God’s Word says: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Just as God did not wait for you to be perfect before sending His Son to die for you, husband, do not lay down conditions for your wife, before loving her.

    The Bible says: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it… (Ephesians 5:25). This love is not optional but mandatory. It is an instruction that must be obeyed.

    God is telling husbands to love their wives, sacrificially and unconditionally. This does not depend on your wife’s character; rather, it is in obedience to the Word of God. Christ’s love for His Church is not only when she obeys Him, but even when she offends also (Romans 5:8). God’s Word instructs you to love your wife, in spite of her shortcomings.

    This testimony of amazing restoration will encourage you: I have been married for 12 years, but up to last year, my marriage was in shambles. By November, I came to this church in tears. I removed my wedding ring, put it in an envelope and said, ‘God, I put in this ring here because I want you to restore my marriage.’

    When I got home, I was ready for another confrontation from my husband who never goes to church; all he does is sit with his beer bottle. But, when I entered the room, he said, ‘Honey welcome. How was church and your Bishop?’ I was surprised! He said, ‘My darling wife, you look tired. Go and take your bath, I have prepared food for you to eat.’ I did not believe it; I thought it was a trick.

    He asked if I was surprised, I said, ‘Yes.’ He then told me that while I was in church, he laid down to watch the TV, and suddenly, he heard a voice audibly call him saying, ‘Sit up! What have you done about your marriage? Set your home right.’ That made him go on his knees, weeping and he told God he was sorry and that was the beginning of good things. I never knew that marriage could be so blissful!”  Agbetiku, U.

    Your home also could become a place where joy, laughter, excitement and peace are the order of the day. It can be the home God created it to be. Just make it a duty to love your wife not only by saying it, but also showing it, and you will discover that your home will become a delight to yourself and the envy of others.

    You can’t, however, love effectively without accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Remember, without Him, you can do nothing; but with Him there is more than enough grace to love. You can accept Him by saying this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Family Government (3)

    Dear Reader,

    Last week, we saw the place of the woman in handling her primary responsibility to her husband in the area of family government. When the Word is discovered and applied with wisdom, treasures are uncovered that makes for fulfilment in family life.

    Handling finances is a very sensitive area in the family. It is important to understand the place of money in the family to avoid tension. That is why, today, I shall be unveiling some key spots about Family Finances.

    God’s Word says: For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence… (Ecclesiastes 7:12). Money is simply a medium of exchange, but it is referred to as a defense, because with it you are not embarrassed.

    Right from the time God blessed Adam with a wife, he has been the head of the family. This placed upon him the responsibility of providing for his household (1 Timothy 5:8). So, by God’s arrangement, you, as the man, are to provide for your family. You are the one who must ensure that there is food for members of your family. You must also ensure that your family members are well taken care of, especially your immediate family members (Song of Solomon 1:6).

    Thus, as a husband, you cannot afford to be lazy. Your hands must be working hands. God’s Word says: Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase (Proverbs 13:11). There is dignity in labour. In fact, God’s Word enjoins that a man who is too slothful to find gainful employment should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

    You are also responsible for catering for your wife and children. If you fail in this duty, you are a failure indeed! It is a curse for the wife to take on this responsibility.

    To the woman, everything you have belongs to your husband, even your income. If you are employed outside the home, you must submit all to him. This is so because in family finance, there should be no ‘his’ and ‘hers’. Both should have access to each other’s money. Where there is a joint account, no one should spend money without informing the other.

    Trust is the key word in family finance. Husband and wife must trust each other enough to put their money together and be prudent in spending it. Note that accountability boost trust. In a situation whereby no one wants to be accountable to the other, there will be no progress financially. The virtuous woman in Proverbs 31:11 is trustworthy!

    Another key point in the area of family finance is giving.  God is a giving God. He demonstrated His love for man by taking the initiative and giving us His Son, even when no man understood what He was doing and could not say, “Thank you”.

    Therefore, if you claim to be God’s children, you must imitate Him in all things (1 John 4:7). Giving gifts to one another spices up the family. You can take initiative to surprise your spouse and children with thoughtful little gifts. If it did wonders for you during your courtship days, it will do you no harm to carry the habit over into the family.

    Since two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9), you can “better” your giving to the Lord by giving as a family, thus making better your receiving (Luke 6:38). As a family, you must be encouraged to sow seeds. Ensure that your tithe and offering are paid, either separately as husband, wife and children or together as a family. There is a portion to eat and a portion to sow (Proverbs 11:24).

    As a family, you must also be generous to the poor, the underprivileged, and those who do not have as much as you do.  God loves the merciful and releases blessings upon them (Proverbs 28:27). When you reach out to bless the poor, God ensures that you do not lack.

    It is also wisdom to give to men of God. As a couple, especially, you must provoke each other to do right things. Sowing to men of God, who are placed over us is right and provokes great blessings from the Lord. God is glorified when you handle your money this way.

    Also, you have an undeniable responsibility towards your parents. It is your duty to honour your parents according to how God has blessed you. You must honour your parents if life must be well with you (Ephesians 6:1-3).

    The “grace to be responsible” in the area of finances is the privilege of those born again. You can become born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus Christ into your life. If you are ready for this, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, pstfaithoyedepo@gmail.com; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Family Government (2)

    Dear Reader,

    Welcome to this week’s teaching. Last week, I started this teaching series on Family Government and we examined the responsibilities required of the man, as the head of the family. This week, we will be examining The Responsibilities of the Woman in the family.

    The role of the woman in family government is one of submission. To “submit” means to put oneself under the authority of another. A wife is therefore scripturally expected to be under the authority of her husband. So woman, if you are the type that your husband cannot instruct; then you are not submissive!

    God’s Word in Ephesians 5:22 says: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands. You have a primary responsibility of submitting to the leadership of the man as commanded by God. According to the creation story recounted in Genesis 2:22, God took a rib from the side of the man to form the woman. This means that the role of the woman is beside the man in submission.

    My husband used to say that anything that has two heads is a monster and I agree with him. In a family government, there is only one head recognised by God and that is the man. This is unquestionable and non-negotiable.

    Also, it is hypocrisy when submission is not genuinely from the heart. Genuine submission to your husband should reflect in your speech and behaviour in public, and private. Your words will reveal it and of course, your actions will speak even louder than your words! Submission should cover every area. Even if your husband is an unbeliever, he is still the husband, so you the wife, should submit.

    However, it is also important to note that submission to the authority of your husband does not mean doing it in foolishness.  Any submission that will make you go into sin, disobey God’s Word and eventually miss heaven is unscriptural. When whatever you do, does not fit into the Lord’s command as Ephesians 5:22 and Colossians 3:18 admonishes, you are to decline. This, however, must be done in meekness.

    Submission should provoke you to contribute to the success of the family government by giving reasonable suggestions, ideas, prayers and other forms of helps as the case may be. Allow no room for arguments, fighting and disagreement because they are easy access by which the enemy comes in. Communicate effectively in wisdom.

    There are four major keys that make submission easy, and they are: prayer, obedience, love and humility. If you don’t love your husband, you will find it difficult to submit to him (Titus 2:4).  I have been married for over three decades now, and my husband and I have never had an occasion to look at each other in the face in a scuffle, argument or fight. Your submission speaks for you and wins your husband (1 Peter 3:1). I am a living testimony to the fact that it is possible to live together without fighting and arguing, and many couples are enjoying the same blessing. If it is working for others and me, it will also work for you, if you believe, in Jesus’ name.

    This sister’s testimony will build up your hope and determination in fulfilling your responsibility in your government:

    “I lost my marriage in 1996, due to stupidity and ignorance. I came to the Bible School in August, and during the course on Family Life, the Bishop’s wife said, ‘Divorce can be healed.  Wounds can be healed, but the scars remain forever. As much as possible, fight them’.

    I made up my mind to fight it and take my home back. I discovered that there were some things I needed to drop from my life. God worked on me through the messages I received on this altar, and I straightened my path. Right now, we are reconciled and there is peace in my home. My husband has more respect for me now, and I have also learnt to respect him better. I give God all the glory!”  Adeniran, F. (Mrs.)

    God is still in the business of restoration and He will restore, and help you make things right again as you accept Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, and become born again. If you will like to be born again and begin to enjoy God’s help and peace in your home, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, pstfaithoyedepo@gmail.com; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Family Government

    Dear Reader,

    You are welcome to another teaching time on your favourite column. This month, via the Word of God, I will be teaching on the series: Family Government! In this end-time when the devil is doing more wickedly, it is essential that the secrets that make for effective family, especially in the area of government, are discovered.

    The family can be likened to an organisation involving two or more people having certain rules controlling it. Family affairs must be directed and controlled by the individuals involved, or else there will be chaos and lack of peace.

    However, the individuals concerned have different roles and duties to carry out in order to ensure a smooth run of the family. The ignorance of these individuals’ roles is one of the reasons most families lack success and fulfilment. That is why I will be teaching on the various responsibilities and duties that are to be discharged by the individuals involved in the family government.

    This week, I will like to begin by discussing The Responsibilities of the Man.

    The man is the head and leader of the family. He can be likened to the “President” in his own family government. God’s Word says: For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and He is the Saviour of the body (Ephesians 5:23). As the head, just as most of the blessings of a successful leadership are first poured on you, so also, the blame and consequence of an unsuccessful leadership, will first and foremost be suffered by you.

    God sees the man as the overall head of the family and will hold him responsible for anything that goes wrong in the family government. In Genesis 3:20, it was Adam who named his wife Eve; however, he failed in discharging his duties as the head and leader of his family. As a result, he suffered a dethronement (Genesis 2:23).

    If your family fails, it is your fault; and you are the one who God will question. It was Adam whom God called upon, not Eve or the devil, even when God knew that it was the devil who deceived Eve!  God has committed the government of your home into your hands; therefore, He holds you responsible.

    One major key that guarantees successful leadership, as the head of your family is the key of LOVE (Ephesians 5:25, 27-33).  Men, let me tell you one secret: no woman hates to be loved. When you demonstrate your love to your wife, you will be able to govern your house with ease. This love is demonstrated in words and actions, irrespective of the weaknesses of the other members of your family. Your love should provoke you to render honour to your wife.

    God’s Word in 1 Peter 3:7 says: Likewise, ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  Honour, in this sense, means caring and providing financially, and materially for her. Your role as the leader is not that of being selfish, maltreating, humiliating and beating your wife.

    As a father to your children, you are responsible for their training in conjunction with your wife. Many men push this responsibility to their wives. It is supposed to be jointly done with you as the man playing the role of training your children to grow in the fear of the Lord like Jonadab did in Jeremiah 35:14, 18-19. You will definitely partake of whatever your child becomes in future; whether good or bad.

    Therefore, your office as the head and leader in the family government, is not that of a ‘dictator” or ‘oppressor’ but that of living up to the responsibilities of loving and providing for the welfare of your family as commanded by God. You are the driver of the vehicle of your family and you occupy a strategic position that can influence and determine what the lives of all the other members of your family will be like. You must live up to this expectation, so that God will not regret making you the head of your home!

    God is the Author of family; as such, your efforts outside His help will be ineffective. That is why you need to accept Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, and become born again. If you will like to be born again right now, please say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, pstfaithoyedepo@gmail.com; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • A new wine for a new bottle (4)

    Dear Reader,

    Welcome to another week’s teaching on Family Forum. We have been examining the topic: New Wine For New Bottle. So far, we have discussed one of the things we must do to accommodate the new wine of God. Today, we shall conclude this teaching by examining another requirement for the New Wine which is:

    EMPTY YOURSELF

    The number two thing that you and I must do, to qualify for the new wine, is to empty ourselves. In Luke 5, the Bible tells us that no one having taken the old wine immediately desires the new ones, because he believes that the old is just good enough. He is satisfied: he has no push or zeal; he is just seated there complacently. He doesn’t even desire to move forward. He says, “Where we are now is just the best place to be and we are just okay here.”

    If you want to be a partaker of the new wine of God, you must be ready to empty yourself every time you come into His presence. It may be in a gathering, in your home or wherever you go; don’t ever make the mistake of saying, “Oh! The old wine is enough. I am just satisfied and I am just okay.” Don’t come with a vessel that is already filled up. Any time you have the privilege of being in God’s presence, come with space in the vessel of your heart, so that God can fill it. If your own vessel is already filled, there would be no space for God to put anything in. Therefore, come every time into God’s presence, not as a religionist, but rather as one who wants to learn of Him.

    The Bible says that if any man thinks that he knoweth anything, that man knoweth nothing. It is only those who are ready to learn that God teaches. Anyone who knows it all, God can’t reach such individual, and you know that God looks at the heart. You know, sometimes, it is even possible to come for service and still play religion. You are there and everybody counts you present, but the condition of your heart has no room or space for God. There is nowhere for God to drop anything in your heart. I think it is high time we believers began to open up to God, and give Him a chance to do a new thing in our lives, especially in this New Year.

    The Bible tells us about Apostle Paul, a great man of God. The Scriptures say that he prayed a prayer: That I may know you and the power of your resurrection and the fellowship of your suffering (Philippians 3:10), and I began to wonder that this was a man after God’s own heart, no doubt.  This was a man that did great wonders in the church of Jesus Christ. This was a man whose life was a threat to the government of his days. This was a man the Bible tells us that they took apron from him to wrought miracles in the lives of people. This same man came and said, “That I may know God.” What else does he want to know? The secret is, he said: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).

    Let us, therefore, begin to pray the same prayer that Apostle Paul prayed in his days: “That I may know You, Lord,” every time we have the opportunity to come before the Him. Tell God and yourself: “I have come that I may know You. I have known a bit of You, but I haven’t known all of You yet. I open up to You, Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I surrender my will and intellect, and I am ready to obey whatever You tell me to do.”  I believe that if you will always come into God’s presence with this spirit and understanding, God will never pass you by. If you will always come with the right condition of the heart, God will always pour the new wine into the new bottle, because by this acts, God sees you as ready and prepared. He sees you as a vessel that is ready for the new wine, and He begins to pour it into your bottle, and you become a partaker of the new wine.  As it is written: New wine must be put into new bottles.

    No one else can help you to become a new bottle; rather, you must make yourself become a new bottle.  No one can purge you to become a new bottle; you must be ready to make yourself a new bottle. When you make up your mind and come into God’s presence all the time, it becomes very easy for you to partake of His move for this end-time.

    In conclusion, therefore, remember that God’s wine is ready for an outpouring. You have a duty to purge yourself and to make yourself a new bottle. How well are you prepared for the new wine of God, this New Year? The grace of God will be poured out on you exceedingly. Remember, the Bible says that many who were last, shall be first; therefore, let no man take your place. That means you are the determining factor, whether another man will take your place or not.

    No matter what height you have attained, right now, in the things of God, always present yourself before Him with a readiness of heart to receive from Him. The Psalmist says: Just like a hart pants after the water the same way my heart pant after you, oh God!  (Psalm 42:1). The same way an animal that is thirsting looks for water everywhere, let your heart’s desire be drawn toward God all the days of your life. In your home, everyday businesses, as you go on trips or as you do dishes at home, let your heart’s desire be drawn towards God. Let God see the condition of your heart as one that is thirsty and hungry to receive the bread of life. When that becomes the constant condition of your heart, as the cloud of glory is moving, you will see it and move with it.

    You can pray this prayer, if you want to be that new bottle: “Lord, if new wine must be put into new bottles, I make my life available as a new bottle, before You today. I open up my heart to You right now; touch me Lord Jesus. I have come with my vessel and I receive the grace from You to always present it in dignity and honour before You.”

    In case you have never given your life to Jesus, you are not born again.  That means there is no way you can be a part of God’s new move for this end-time. If you are ready to be born again, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, pstfaithoyedepo@gmail.com; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • A new wine for a new bottle (3)

    Dear Reader,It is a great privilege to share with you from the Word of God. Last week, I shared on: God’s move for the end-time. Today, I will be examining the topic: “The requirement for the New Wine”

    What Can I Do To Be A Partaker Of This New Wine?

    What can I do to become a new bottle in the hands of God? The Bible says: But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved” “No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, the old is better (Luke 5:39). If you sit down to think about it, you will discover very clearly that there are certain things that vessels who want to become new bottle in the hands of God must be ready to do, in order to partake of this new move. In the course of this teaching, I will mention one of these qualities.

    God has a container in His hand and He is ready to pour the new wine into as many vessels that will come before Him. God is getting the wine ready in His container and He is looking for people to pour His new wine into. Right now, He is distinguishing between the goat and the sheep; He is looking for the bottles that have been refined and are ready to partake of the new wine. That brings us to the first requirement for this new wine:

    PURGE YOURSELF

    The first thing the Bible tells us that such bottles must be ready to do to partake of the new wine is to purge himself or herself from the old wine.  Any bottle that wants to be a container of the new wine must be ready to purge himself of all the leaven.

    So, if you and I want to be partakers of the new wine that God is ready to pour out in our time and days, the first thing we must do is to purge ourselves of the leaven. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 5:6 that: “Don’t you know that the little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” A little leaven, no matter how small it may be, when you mix it with flour, the effect is always tremendous and visible. I don’t know what leaven you need to purge yourself of at this moment: it may be the leaven of pride or anger; or those little things that you say don’t really matter.

    The new wine cannot stay in the same bottle with that leaven. It may be the leaven of little lies that you tell and you say to yourself: “Oh! It doesn’t really matter.” The old bottle cannot contain the new wine. If you put the new wine in the old bottle, the bottle is going to burst or get destroyed. God doesn’t want you and I destroyed; rather, He wants us to make our lives living sacrifices in His house.

    There is a story in the Bible about Ananias and Sapphira. There was a time in the history of the church, when God began to do a new thing just like He is determined to do in our days. God was busy pouring out the new wine into new bottles when suddenly, Ananias and Sapphira brought in their old bottles and wanted the new wine poured into it. The end result was a great calamity. The Bible tells us that they were destroyed; they died physically just because of that little leaven that was still in their lives. I don’t know you, and I don’t know the leaven that is in your life but you know it. That is why the Bible says: if we judge ourselves truly, we shall not be judged. Every Sunday morning, we all go to church, sing to God and listen to the Word of God; yes. But from Monday to Saturday, what is your life like?

    Everyone who comes to church on meeting days appear holy and righteous before God; but on other days of the week, what kind of life do you live? What is that leaven that is in your life? It may be so tiny and small, according to you, but remember the Bible says: “Little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” Let’s read that verse of Scripture together: Your glorying is not good.  Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.  For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincererity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

    There are leavens of malice and wickedness; yours may not be either of this but I am sure you know what yours is. God is giving you and I another opportunity, today, to get the leaven out of our lives. The Bible says: “The little foxes that spoils the vine” (SOS 2:15). As little as they seem, they have the power to spoil your vine. Don’t ever forget that your vine have tender grapes; therefore, give no place to the enemy. God is getting ready for His people; He is building for Himself an army, but that little leaven in your life can be a deterrent to you being a partaker of this new wine. You must examine yourself as every day comes, and make sure that you don’t give room to any leaven in your life.

    You will discover that some of these leaven come so subtly on man. They come so gently, they enter so secretly and anyone that is not careful will open up a place to the enemy.

    Maybe you just did something good and everybody says, “Oh! That sister is just wonderful. That brother is just great. Oh! What a mighty thing.” Before you know what is happening, the devil says that you are the wicked and crooked person in your environment. Then, you look at yourself and say, “Me! oh!” You may not tell the next person to you, but you say in your heart, “As great and wonderful as I am?” The devil says, “It doesn’t matter.” As a result, you too start crying. Subtly, that is the leaven the enemy uses to see what he can do or how he can eat up the tender vine that God has given to you.

    The Bible says that we should give no place to the devil. You have the power to refuse the devil at will. I don’t know what that leaven in your life is, but you have the duty to make sure that you don’t give room to it. The Bible says that pride goes before destruction; it comes in subtly. It is, therefore, a matter and conviction of the heart. No other person knows that thing which exists in your life. Maybe, you are the only person who knows that leaven; do yourself a lot of good by purging your life of that leaven and giving no place to them. As you do so, you are preparing yourself as a new bottle for the wine of God this end-time.

    Every heart that desires to be a partaker of the new wine for this end-time must first make his life available to God by accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. This is an opportunity for you to give your life to Jesus, right now. If you are ready to be born again, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, pstfaithoyedepo@gmail.com; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • A new wine for a new bottle

    Dear Reader,

    Happy Prosperous New Year! You are welcome back to Family Forum. 2016 is gone; a new year has just begun for you. You shall never have a better last year in Jesus’ name! The Word of God says: Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.  Behold! I will do a new thing (Isaiah 43:18-19).

    Forget about all your past failure, prayerlessness, weaknesses, spiritual laziness, etc. This New Year, you need to position yourself for new things and as you do so, the new things of God will not pass you by.

    To begin the New Year, this month, we shall be looking at a very vital topic: “A New Wine for A New Bottle”

    We shall start by looking at the parable of Jesus to His disciples. I know that you are very familiar with this passage of the scriptures: And He spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.  And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better (Luke 5:36-39). I want you to take note of that word must. It is a task that must be done.

    So, each time Jesus comes around to teach a parable, what He is doing is to paint a picture to you and I, who are students in His school. When we understand those pictures, we will be able to retain them in our memory and apply them in our daily lives.

    This parable happens to be one of the pictures that Jesus painted for His disciples during His earthly ministry. I believe this picture is going to help you and I, a great deal, in our walk with God.  The question before you today is: How prepared are you for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? I don’t know how you are preparing, because even though Jesus Christ is coming soon, there are certain things that must be done before He does. You and I have a duty to get ourselves ready for His second coming. In the parable above, Jesus tells us that no man who wants to repair an old garment or clothe, goes to look for a piece from a new material and joins it, thinking or expecting that the old material is going to last him a long time before it tears again.

    Secondly, you will discover that no matter the level of your smartness in trying to mend the old clothes with the new piece, they don’t go together; there is always a difference. The thread will still show, no matter the colour you use. The shape of the new clothe will also be so evident when you put it on that you don’t need anybody to tell you that you have used a new piece of clothe to amend an old one. Have you ever seen a man that wore a cloth that is mended this way? It speaks for itself, doesn’t it?

    When the garment is old, the best thing you can do is to get a new one to replace it. Jesus goes on to say in Luke 5:37 that: In the same way, no one who wants to apply wisdom, puts a new wine inside an old bottle. In other words, just like you do not use a new piece of clothe to amend an old one and expect the old one to be strong as the new one, no wise man looks for new wine and puts it in an old bottle. The Bible tells us that if a man does that, he is endangering the life of the bottle, as well as the content.

    What Does The New Wine Stand For?

    “The new wine” in this context, does not necessarily refer to the wine that man drinks. No! The new wine in this parable is referring to the new move of God for His people. It stands for the new plan and purpose of God for a generation. It also implies the vessels that will be used as containers and channels by God to carry out His plans and purposes for this end-time.

    Time and again, we have been told and have heard people say, “Oh! Jesus is coming back.” But something very important Jesus made clear in this parable is that: for anyone to be a partaker, a channel or a vessel that God is going to use this end-time in His new move for this generation, such individual must be ready to change from an old bottle to new one.

    Now, look at verse 38 of that Scripture; it says: but new wine must be put into new bottles. We, as members of the body of Christ, have enjoyed the old wine of God. We have enjoyed several moves of God and several phases of God’s plans and purposes for His people. God is at the verge of beginning a new move all together, and He will lay hands on the people He is going to use as channels or vessels for this new move. However, they have a duty of making themselves new bottles to be able to contain the new move of God for our days. The Bible says that when you make a mistake of putting the new wine into old bottles, you destroy the bottles. In other words, you destroy the vessels and also waste the wine therein.

    If men, by their wisdom, wouldn’t want a natural and earthly wine to be wasted or the earthly bottle to burst, God isn’t going to act that way. God isn’t going to make a mistake of pouring the new wine into old bottles!

    In case you have never given your life to Jesus, that means you are not born again and there is no way you can be a part of God’s new move for this end-time. If you are ready to be born again, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom. If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, pstfaithoyedepo@gmail.com; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • How to improve on your marriage (5)

    Dear Reader,

    I strongly believe you enjoyed the Christmas celebration. I feel so delighted to say to you: Happy New Year in advance! Sounds of joy shall not cease from your habitation in Jesus’ name.

    I started this teaching by notifying you that marriage is a miracle. Also, I unveiled to you marriage covenant responsibilities. I also taught on beware of divorce. Today, as 2016 gradually rolls by and never to be observed again, I wish for you to Make Right the Wrongs of your Marriage Covenant!

    Time never corrects an error! An error yesterday remains an error today, except it is corrected. You can make a wrong, right!  Many people, today, pass through a lot of difficulties in their marriage because of a wrong foundation in their marriage. I have seen women being driven out of their homes at the death of their husbands, because their union was “illegal”. The woman had no voice, because she had no legal backing. Wisdom is profitable to direct (Ecclesiastes 10:10).

    I remember a woman I counselled sometime ago. She had been going through tough times in her home, and was ready to call it quits. To top it up, she had no child. When I interviewed her closely, I discovered that there were a lot of loopholes in her marriage. Her dowry was not paid, and there was nothing legally binding herself and the man together, as husband and wife. No court wedding, no church wedding; both of them just started living together!

    I counselled her to ensure that the dowry was paid, legal papers signed in the court of law, and that their union be blessed by a minister of the gospel. The next time I saw her, she was over-joyous and full of testimonies. To the glory of God, today all is well with that marriage.  To crown it all, she was expecting a baby as at that time!

    If the foundation of your marriage is not built on instructions from the Word of God, there is no way you will have a fulfilled family life.  It is important, therefore, that you go and pay the dowry, if it has not been paid. This is scriptural!

    Furthermore, parental blessing is very important in a marriage covenant, as read in Genesis 24:58-60. It is something you cannot rule out. There is something about the blessings your parents pronounce on you that makes it stick on you until all their good wishes are established in your life. From the account in the Scripture quoted above, Abraham’s servant did not just grab Rebekah and disappear with her. No! Rather, due procedures were properly followed, and the blessings of her parents became a practical reality in her life.

    It is also very important in your marriage covenant to acknowledge the place of a holy Christian wedding. The Word of God says: And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man (Genesis 2:22). In this verse of Scripture, we see God’s practical involvement in the institution of marriage. He gave Eve out to Adam.  It is, therefore, unsafe for you to go into marriage without God. This will definitely attract the attacks of the devil. You shall not be a victim in Jesus’ name!

    Are you reading this article and have been living together with your partner without the payment of dowry, or any formal engagement/ public Christian wedding? Or you have been living together for years and have even had children, without a proper marriage. This is not a holy union.

    Instead of feeling or living in condemnation, you need to make things right, today, by paying the dowry. Go and legalise your union. A proper legal documentation of your union is that point of contact to remind God that you have fulfilled all righteousness concerning your marriage, and therefore, the enemy must not have access into your family. You can do this simply by going to the court for a court wedding.  Then look for a minister of the gospel to bless your union.

    You need the grace of God to make every wrong, right in your marriage. That grace only is available to those who have acceptable Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. That is what it means to be born again. If you desire to become born again, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).