The Nation Newspaper

Category: Family Forum

  • Why Success in the family

    Dear Reader,

    You are welcome to Family Forum, where the ingredients for a successful home are practically delivered into your hand. You shall not miss your own portion, in Jesus’ name!

    I want you to know that success in anything in life, and particularly in marriage, is not accidental. It is a product of proper alignment with the truth of God’s Word. No accident is ever said to be successful. No one succeeds by chance. A successful marriage does not just happen; it is made to happen.

    A wise man said, “Many people dream of success, but others wake up and work at it!” So, the responsibility for the success of your family rests absolutely on you. This week, I want to share with you from God’s Word, Why Success In The Family.

    God Is Interested In The Success Of Your Home: One of the reasons why your marriage must succeed is that God has interest in your home. God was practically involved in the first wedding ceremony between Adam and Eve. He designed the home to succeed. The Word of God says: 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 (Genesis 2:21-22). We can see in this scripture that God was fully involved in the first wedding. This is to say that, He designed marriage for success.

    God did not just speak marriage into existence like He did to the rest of creation, He made Adam. He caused him to sleep a deep sleep, and then took a rib from his side. Out of this rib, He formed the woman and brought her unto Adam. God Himself, therefore, was the Initiator. This means that marriage is rooted in divinity. Without any doubt, anything associated with God is meant to succeed. Marriage is associated with God, therefore, it is meant to be successful. Your marriage shall be successful, in Jesus’ name!

    God Designed Your Marriage For All-Round Fruitfulness: The Word of God says: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (Genesis 1:27-28).

    God began the human family by blessing, not cursing it. He said to Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful; multiply; replenish the earth; subdue it!” What wonderful words of blessing! It is interesting for you to know that fruitfulness goes beyond procreation; it includes success in all areas of life. It also means having many good results. The fact that God rained blessings on the first family is a clear indication that every family is meant to be successful. These blessings will answer for you, in Jesus’ name!

    God Established The Home For Dominion: Marriage was established to be in control of, and not under the control of circumstance and situations of life. This is a sign that it was established for success. The Word of God says: Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (Genesis 1:28). Dominion means to have control or exercise of control. The home, therefore, was designed to have dominion; that is, to have and exercise control. I want you to know that God has given you dominion to succeed in your marriage.

    God Designed Your Home To Be Like Eden: It is evident that God designed families for success, because of the place where God placed them. The Word of God says: And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it (Genesis 2:15). If you have the description of Eden, you will appreciate the fact that Eden was no wilderness. In fact, it literally means delight, or great pleasure.

    God placed the first couple in a place of pleasure. His desire is that your family gives you pleasure. God designed the home for every member of the family to enjoy one another, experience fulfillment, laughter and excitement. He never intended the family to experience pressure, but pleasure. He designed the family to make life pleasurable. In case the situation in your home is far from being pleasant, as you read this article, believe God for a reversal, and it shall be so for you!

    Your Marriage Is Not Designed For Shame: One of many reasons God designed marriage is for success and to take shame away from man. You shall not see shame in your home anymore! This year has been declared as our year of Double Portion, Next Levels. I see you moving from one level of glory to another in your home, business, health and finances.

    God instituted marriage to ensure that man never experience shame. Marriage brought man into a state of better living, glory and beauty. There was no cause for fear or regret. Your will not regret your marriage!

    Marriage Is The Beginning Of Miracle: It is absolutely awesome to discover that the first miracle ever performed by Jesus, during His earthly ministry, was at a wedding ceremony. God is a God of priorities, who would always put first things first. By this miracle, He put a stamp of approval on the need for success in the home.

    At the first wedding ceremony, the wine had finished. The wine, here, represents joy. Jesus then stepped in, instructed them on what to do, they obeyed and thus had more wine than at the onset of the wedding. The home is ordained of God to be a miracle centre! Many have and are still enjoying miracles in their marriages and families; yours will be the next!

    Success in the home begins by knowing God, the Creator of the universe. If you are not born again, you need to surrender your life to Christ. Surrendering your life to Christ entails confessing your sins and accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour. If you want to do that right now, you can please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today as a sinner. Forgive me of mu sins. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today.

     

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 08141320204; 07026385437; 07094254102

    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, Single With A Difference, Building A Successful Family, and Success In Marriage (Co-Authored with Bishop David Oyedepo).

     

  • Dwelling according to knowledge (2)

    Dear Reader,

    You are welcome this glorious week of another exciting edition. I believe you enjoyed this column last week? Your home will continue to experience a positive transformation in Jesus’ name!

    One of the most important lessons we learnt last week is that, there are lots of family crises when we have little or no knowledge of our duties in fulfilling God’s ultimate purpose for the family. That is why the Bible says in Hosea 4:6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge… Today, I will be examining the Duties of the Men

    To the husbands, we read in the Bible: Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them (Colossians 3:19). 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 (1 Peter 3:7). Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church (Ephesians 5:25, 28 -29).

    A man’s primary responsibility in the family is to care for and generally oversee the welfare of his family. A great burden is placed on the man to love his wife as Christ loves the Church, and he is not exempted from this responsibility, even if his wife is not submissive or is unsaved. This responsibility can be accomplished only through sacrifices, being a godly example, and through an unconditional devotion, commitment and dedication to his family.

    Your wife is your chief concern, second only to God. Matthew 5:43-48 defines this type of love beautifully. There Jesus enjoined us that human love must be patterned after the manner of God’s love. This kind of love is generous and with an unconditional goodwill. Likewise, irrespective of the behaviour of other members of the family, the man must always seek their welfare.

    The man is the head of the household and bears the responsibility for the entire family unit. His leadership position as head of the union places a great responsibility on him to protect, care for, and seek the general well-being of his family spiritually, physically, and emotionally. This kind of love must be seen in action, not mere words. A man can tell members of his family all day long that he loves them, but until he shows them that love, his words will do little to strengthen their family relationship.

    The husband should encourage the spiritual development of his family, as Christ encouraged the spiritual development of His disciples. He must even be prepared to lay down his life for them, if necessary. This includes giving up selfish hobbies and past times, which take him away from the family unit or drain needed resources from the family budget.

    For the spiritual development of the family, it is also required that the husband leads his household in the study of God’s Word and in regular family devotions. He is to take the lead, particularly by example, in the worship of God.

    Also included in the meaning of “dwell with them according to knowledge” is the intimate knowledge of your wife and family members. Familiarity breeds intimacy. The man must take the time and make the effort to know what his wife and family members like and dislike, what makes them happy and sad, and what makes them secure and insecure, and strive to satisfy or please them.

    A man of wisdom said, and I agree with him, that the more we know God, the greater love for God we will have, and the greater allegiance and obedience we will yield to Him. The same is true of the family. The more a man knows his family and his responsibilities towards them, the more he will love his family and desire to serve and provide for them. The only way to acquire the required knowledge in all these areas, is by a diligent study of God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15).

    Another fundamental duty of the man is to honour his wife and other members of the family. This perhaps is an even higher level of responsibility, than just providing for their physical needs. Respect, they say, is reciprocal. If a man must enjoy respect from members of his household, then he must be willing first to invest in it. He must respect, admire, appreciate, praise and exalt his family. These he does by his chaste conduct, behaviour and speech.

    A man should not be a tyrant. A man and his wife are equal before God, though they have different functions. Husbands and wives are to submit to one another (Colossians 3:18, 1Peter 3:1-7). It should be noted that women are not inferior, nor are they subservient in status to the men. Though a woman is equal to her husband, yet by the marriage covenant she has chosen to submit herself to her own husband (Genesis 24:8, 58), even though she is equal in status to other men.  If a man, therefore, recognises this important fact, it becomes easy for him to give honour to his wife.

    A man cannot direct the affairs of his family, without first having daily fellowship with the Lord in prayers and the study of the Bible. This can only be possible only when you give your life to God and be born again. To get born again, you have to confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. If you are ready to be born again, please say this simple prayer with me, in faith: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I believe You died and rose again for my sake. Forgive me of my sins, take over my life, make me Your child and let Your peace reign over my life. Thank you for saving me. Now I know I am born again.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 08141320204; 07026385437; 07094254102

    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, Single With A Difference, Building A Successful Family, and Success In Marriage (Co-Authored with Bishop David Oyedepo).

  • Family government

    Dear Reader,

    With great joy and happiness, I bring God’s Word your way today. I want you to be rest assured that God is going to visit you this month. All through this month, via the Word of God, I will be sharing with you, Family Government.

    A family is a group of people affiliated by blood or marriage. It is the nucleus of the Church and a nation. It is the fundamental social group in a society, typically consisting of a man and woman (known as husband and wife) and their offspring.

    The family can be likened to an organization 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. Ignorance of this, is one of the reasons why most families lack success and fulfillment.

    This month, 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. Ephesians 5:23 says: For the husband is the head of the wife, eve as Christ is the head of the Church: and He is the Saviour of the body. As the head, you are leader. Just as most of the blessings of 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 you as the overall head of the family, and will hold you responsible for anything that goes wrong in your family government.

    This is clear as accounted in Genesis 2:22, when God brought Eve to Adam. In fact, it was Adam that named his wife Eve, but he failed in discharging his duties as the head and leader of his family in Genesis 2:16. Consequently, he suffered dethronement in Genesis 2:23.

    If your family fails, it is your fault, and you are the one that God will question. It was Adam that God called upon, not Eve, not the devil, even when God knew that it was the devil that had deceived Eve! God has committed the government of your home into your hands and therefore, He holds you responsible. You will not make the mistake which Adam made, in Jesus’ name!

    One major key that guarantees successful leadership, as the head of your family, is the key of LOVE. That same scripture in Ephesians 5:25 says: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it… and verses 27-33 says: So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church … Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself…

    As a woman, 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 involved. Your love should provoke you to honour your wife.

    God’s Word in I 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 you prayers be not hindered. Honour, in this sense, means caring for her, 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 Jonadad 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. 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 and your efforts outside His help will be tasking, except you accept Him through His Son Jesus Christ and become born again. Being born again opens you up to God’s help. He, alone, will release unto you the knowledge and wisdom from an understanding of His Word that will guarantee your success as a leader of your family government.

    If you will like to be born again now, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

     

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 07026385437; 07094254102

     

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

  • Building a sound relationship (3)

    Dear Reader,

    You are welcome, this week, to another exciting time in the presence of the Lord. My focus is still on Building A Sound Relationship. Last week, I unveiled the two types of relationships. This week, I shall be sharing with you some fundamental factors. To build sound and meaningful relationship, certain fundamental factors must be in place. Let us examine some of them here.

    Define the purpose: This is the principal factor that must be in place, if a sound relationship must be built. To everything under the sun, including relationships, there is a purpose (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Whatever relationship you are into, whether with your mates, superiors or juniors, it is crucial and fundamental to define its purpose, right from the outset. Dr. Myles Munroe said, “When purpose is not known, abuse in inevitable.” Purpose is power and relationships thrive on it. Purpose enhances your focus.

    Constantly keep the purpose of your relationship before you. Defining and knowing the purpose of your relationship, will help you to fight and overcome distractions. With well-defined purpose, you are able to know whether you are on track or not. It makes correct evaluation possible.

    Be Sincere to yourself: Another major factor is that you must know, understand and be true to yourself. Remember, you are the principal actor in any relationship you are involved in. So, refuse to play the game of self-deceit! Know, understand and be true to yourself.

    Where knowledge is present, power is present for performance. Where there is understanding, there will be outstanding accomplishments. For any relationship to be outstanding, a good understanding is required. Be practical, be real! Find out your weaknesses and your strength, attitude and temperament. To build sound and meaningful relationships, learn to seek and receive help in your area of weakness.

    1 Corinthians 10:12 says: Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Successful relationships begin with you. Do not hide from your own flesh. Do not pretend to be super-strong, when you know you are not. A sound relationship is possible when the principal actor, which is you, is sincere.

    Examine your motives: Motive is defined as the reason for doing something. Motives are powerful and they are everything. No wonder, 2 Corinthians 13:5 says: Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves: know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Examine your motives; you are the best examiner of your life, whether there is an ulterior motive or whether your motive is pure and godly. Your motive is clearly known and never hidden from you.

    Interestingly, God sees beyond your actions. You may succeed in deceiving man, but can you deceive God? Impossible! So, right from the outset, sanitize your motive, before you enter into any relationship whatsoever. This will make it sound, healthy and rewarding.

    Be a contributor: It is very important for you to enter into a relationship as a contributor, not a burden. What you take into a relationship will determine what you get out of it. Take a close look at Proverbs 27:17 which says: Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Seek to sharpen and add something to the life of the other party involved in that relationship.

    Don’t keep looking for what to get, what to grab and what to take. What to benefit. Instead, think of what to add and give. Constantly bear in mind the fact that what you make happen for others, determines what God makes happen for you.

    Giving, you must remember is living! So, give, contribute and invest spiritually, materially and otherwise, to the development and growth of the relationships you are involved in. When contribution is one-sided, it cripples relationships. Beware of selfishness! Stop taking undue advantage of people. Refuse to join the company of those who keep sucking life out of others, rather than adding to them. Don’t always sit at the receiving end in a relationship.

    Engage in Constant Evaluation: Constantly evaluate your relationships. In evaluating your relationships, ask yourself: Is this relationship profitable, both to me and to the other person or persons involved? Is it contributing anything to me and the parties involved? Is it leaving me refreshed, energized or is it draining me?

    In a sound relationship, there will always be mutual respect for each other. This means that each person values who the other is. You need to evaluate whether this respect is there or not and if it is, whether it is growing or diminishing.

    Another important area that requires constant evaluation is trust. No relationship at any level for that matter can be healthy, without trust. Evaluate whether there is trust and if it is present, whether it is growing or not. Examine your spiritual walk with God, because any relationship with man at any level, male or female that draws you backward in your walk with God is not godly and does not deserve your consideration or attention.

    The questions then are: is He Lord over your life? Or are you lord over yourself? God must become the Lord of your life, so you must be born again. To get born again, you have to confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour.

    If you are ready to be born again, say this simple prayer with me, in faith: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I believe You died and rose again for my sake. Forgive me of my sins, take over my life, make me Your child and let Your peace reign over my life. Thank you for saving me. Now I know I am born again.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All round rest and peace are guaranteed you in Jesus’ Name!

     

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Single With A Difference, Building A Successful Family, and Success In Marriage (Co-Authored with Bishop David Oyedepo).

     

  • Building a sound relationship (2)

    Dear Reader,

    It is a great joy for me to bring God’s Word your way today. Last week, I brought you the introductory part of this teaching. I taught on what relationship is and why we need to build a sound relationship.

    Today, I will be teaching on the types of relationships we have. Basically, there are two types of relationships. The first is your relationship with God, while the second is with your fellow men. Let’s briefly examine each of them.

    Relationship With God: Your relationship with God can be considered from three different levels, namely: as your Creator, Father and Lord.

    God is your Creator (Genesis 1:27) and you can relate with Him as His creature. He is the Creator of every living.

    God becomes your Father when you give your life to Jesus, and get born again. God’s Word says: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John. 1:12). When you have a personal relationship and encounter with Him, then He becomes your Father.

    However, the highest relationship with God is when He becomes your Lord. He becomes your Lord when your life is sown as a seed in dedication and absolute commitment unto Him. He is only the Lord of those who are ready to say: “Yes Lord” to His will, plan, purpose and destiny. When He becomes your Lord, you can be sure nothing can change His plan and purpose for your life. May that be your portion in Jesus’ name.

    To Develop an Intimate relationship with God, however, you have to consciously, deliberately, intentionally, willingly and excitedly make yourself available. How? Through deep Word study, prayer life and constant fellowshipping with Him. There is no other relationship in life that compares in value, equal or can replace your relationship with God.

    In actual fact, we can safely say that your relationship with God is the only sure foundation for success in every other kind of relationship. It is utterly important for you to straighten up your relationship with God.

    Relationship With Men: The second type of relationship is your relationship with men. The word ‘men’ here is not talking about gender. This is not referring to the male gender of God’s creation. ‘Men’ in this context is referring to both male and female gender of God’s creation. Here, I am referring to your relationship with people. This is in three levels: your superiors, mates and juniors. During your life’s journey, you will definitely meet and need people in these three categories and this is the best time to develop such relationships.

    Your Superiors: Your superiors are the people you draw from. They could be your boss at work, your lecturers in the school or your spiritual parents. These people have the skill you do not have, the experience you do not have and you could climb on their shoulders to see ahead. The truth is: no matter your level in life right now, there are and there will always be, people above you. These are people who can speak into your life, especially when the going seems to get tough.

    My husband, my entire household and I are beneficiaries of this type of relationship. During the time I went through the valley of the shadow of death, this was one of the major areas of strength for me. Senior men in ministry were greatly used of God to stand in the gap, to ensure my total liberty and freedom from the pangs of death. Alleluia, today, I am a living testimony and can boldly say that God is too faithful to fail! He is dependable and He is more than enough!

    Be humble and smart enough to identify your superiors and draw from their wealth of knowledge and experience. This will expedite your rate of accomplishment in life.

    Your Mates: These are either your colleagues at work, in school or people at the level that you are in. These are the people you share with. They could be your friends. The need for you to identify your own company (Acts 4:23) so as to derive maximum benefits from it, cannot be over-emphasized. Remember, if you stand alone, you fall alone. One tree never makes a forest!

    Then, Your Juniors: These are the people that you flow out to, the ones that look up to you as their superior. Wisdom demands that you identify people that you can reach out to. The need to build sound relationship with people at these levels cannot be over-emphasized. No matter who you are or the category to which you belong, you should get involved in these three levels of relationships. You will always have superiors, mates and juniors. Receive the wisdom to build these strongly, today.

    The question then is: Is Jesus Lord over your life? Or are you lord over yourself? God becomes your Father only when you give your life to Him and be born again. To get born again, you have to confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour.

    If you are ready to be born again, say this simple prayer with me, in faith: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I believe You died and rose again for my sake. Forgive me of my sins, take over my life, make me Your child and let Your peace reign over my life. Thank you for saving me. Now I know I am born again.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Single With A Difference, Building A Successful Family, and Success In Marriage (Co-Authored with Bishop David Oyedepo).

     

  • Building a sound relationship

    Dear Reader,

    You are welcome to another new month in our year of Next Levels. I want you to be rest assured that God is going to visit you this month. All through this month via the Word of God, I will be sharing with you, Building A Sound Relationship.

    Today, I want to start by looking at what relationship is and why we need to build a sound relationship. Relationships are vital to destiny. Your association defines your destination. The relationships you are into never leave you the same; they either add to you or take away from you. They either increase you or decrease you.

    The Word of God says: He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed (Proverbs 13:20). The scriptural understanding of how to build and keep sound, healthy and Godly relationships is very vital in the fulfillment of destiny.

    To relate means to connect. It means to contact and interact. To relate means to be involved in or with; to connect, to interact, to link up and to be involved in. Therefore, relationships can be defined as the way in which two or more people connect. A sound relationship is one that is free from defect, decay, damage. It is a relationship in good condition. It is unshakable, healthy and valid. These are the kind of relationships God expects you to get involved in.

    Why Relationships?

    In order for you to build relationships that will positively influence your life, you must have a full knowledge of the reasons why God wants us to be involved in relationships. There are two basic things that you must understand here: First, God by nature is involved in relationships. The Bible says: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one (1 John 5:7). There is a powerful relationship between the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that these three are one. That is, they agree in one. This is a vivid picture of God’s relational nature.

    In the Garden of Eden, God related well with Adam, before the fall of man. Out of His relationship with him, God knew that Adam would need a helpmeet for the work in the garden and for companionship. Also, on the day they ate the forbidden fruit, He came in the cool of the day to see to their welfare. God believes in relationships and He Himself is into strong relationships. If He is involved in relationships, then, it is necessary for us to also get involved.

    Second, Man is created to relate. Genesis 1:27 says: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Man is created in the image of God; therefore, he is expected to relate and connect. Nobody can ever live successfully in isolation. We all need one another. You need people to help you get to where you are going in life, no matter what level you find yourself. You cannot live in an Island of your own, no matter who you are.

    Every part of the body works and relates together (Ephesians 4:16), so also you are created to relate. In actual fact, man is created to be inter-dependent and that includes you. God made man to …dwell together… (Psalm 133:1).

    To effectively build a sound relationship, being born again is the only sure foundation. To be born again, you have to confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour.

    If you are ready to be born again, say this simple prayer with me, in faith: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I believe You died and rose again for my sake. Forgive me of my sins, take over my life, make me Your child and let Your peace reign over my life. Thank you for saving me. Now I know I am born again.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

     

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 07026385437; 07094254102

     

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Single With A Difference, Building A Successful Family, and Success In Marriage (Co-Authored with Bishop David Oyedepo).

     

  • Consequences of defiling the marriage bed (IV)

    Dear reader,

    Welcome to the concluding part of this month’s series. I strongly believe that you have been blessed and edified. Today, I shall be looking into Ways Out Of Marital Infidelity.

    We live in modern times, where a lot of virtues our parents upheld are pushed aside as being old-fashioned. Liberality appears to be the password of the new generation. Thank God, the Bible was not inspired by man’s customs and ideologies, else, several updates would have become mandatory. What is contained therein was inspired by the Holy Spirit, Who is eternal. The Word of God in 2 Timothy 3:16 says: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

    Renew Your Mind: For anyone to be free from today’s pollution, renewal of the mind is inevitable. The Bible says: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2). God’s Word cannot become obsolete; His Word cannot become old-fashioned. The potency of God’s Word is as ever. It is the best ‘water’ that can wash away every contamination.

    If you discover that you have a weakness towards the opposite sex, do not fold your hands, fight spiritually and overcome the devil. Lay hold on the Word of God, read, study and meditate on it. Get materials like books, tapes, etc. These will help your mind from wandering about. Be careful not to watch or read materials that can prompt you into your old ways.

    Be Open: Keeping secrets could be dangerous, especially with the opposite sex. Sending text messages that you would not want your spouse to know about, is like sitting on a gun powder. Any relationship that your spouse is not comfortable about should be dropped. If you are a single person, be careful not to stay alone in secluded places with the opposite sex.

    The Bible says: …for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). I receive mails on a daily basis of wives suspecting their husbands and men not trusting their wives, because of secret calls and text messages. The truth is: there is nothing secret that shall not be made manifest; neither anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad (Luke 8:17).

    Marriage is founded upon a very delicate material called trust. One cannot afford to get caught in the web of adultery. When trust is broken, suspicion sets in and eventually the marriage breaks. By committing adultery, you literally take the honour God bestows upon you and cast it before swine: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (Matthew 7:6).

    When your honour is trampled upon, nothing remains of it. Another dimension to this is that the respect or value which your spouse has for or placed upon you is shattered. There are many out there, who are ready to play on your emotions and get at you; do not give them room.

    No one can overcome this nature except by the power that is in the Blood of Jesus Christ. Are you ready to be saved? If you are ready, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today, I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today.

     

    Congratulations!  You are now born again! Till I come your way next time, please call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com; Tel.  No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437; 07094254102

     

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work and Building a Successful Family.

  • Marriage: A divine origin (4)

    Dear Reader,

    You are welcome to another exciting and edifying moment. So far, we’ve been discussing Marriage: A Divine origin, Companionship and The Obligations of Husband to The Family.

    This week, I shall be sharing with you, The Wife’s Obligations. What God did at creation clearly reflects the position of the woman in the home. He took a rib from the side of the man, to make the woman. What God did at creation clearly reflects the position of the woman in the home. He took a rib from the side of the man to make the woman.

    Genesis 2:21 says: 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;

    The fact that the bone was extracted from Adam’s head tells you that the man’s position as head is incontestable. Also, the fact that the bone was not taken from Adam’s feet proves that the wife is not to be trodden under foot or trampled upon as a slave.

    It would be demonic for any Christian to question the leadership of Jesus over the church. Similarly, any woman or women’s organization that attempts to question the position of the man in the family, should be regarded as begin under a demonic influence. God expects that just as the church is subject to Christ in everything, even so, women should be in subjection to their husbands in everything.

    When a woman allows her husband to fulfill his covenant role of headship, she has automatically given him the room to play his messianic role over her.

    Sometime ago, my wife’s health was challenged. I then went apart to enquire of the Lord what to do. As I searched the scriptures, I discovered from Ephesians 5:23 that I am the Saviour of my wife’s body, the same way Christ is of the church. I concluded, therefore, that my wife did not require her faith to be healed. I could exercise my God-given authority over her, as head of our home.

    Submission has to be done in love, not out of fear or threats. When it is rooted in love, it is perfect and brings God’s presence down in the home.

    Also, note that if a woman doesn’t submit to her husband, she would submit to someone else. The same is true for the man. If he doesn’t love his wife, he would love someone else. It is, therefore, important that both husbands and wives fulfill their covenant obligations to one another. The end product will be success in marriage life.

    However, for you to be able to carry out your obligations as a wife, you need a personal relationship with Christ. If you are set for that relationship please say this prayer of faith with me: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today, I am a sinner. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today.

    Congratulations!  You are now born again! Till I come your way next time, please call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com; Tel.  No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work and Building a Successful Family.

  • Marriage: A divine origin (3)

    Dear Reader,

    You are welcome to this wonderful time in God’s presence. I started this teaching by unveiling to you, marriage as a divine origin. Last week, I taught on, companionship.

    This week, I will be examining, The Obligations of Husband’s in Marriage.

    The man is the principal figure in the family unit. Bishop David Oyedepo often says, “Anything that has two heads is a monster.” The same principle is applied to every other human institution. There is one head for an institution, who takes responsibility for the happenings per time. God designed marriage in the same way.

    Man – The Head: The husband is the head in every God-ordained marriage. This position is not debatable. The Bible puts it this way: 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). God reckons with his position as head of the home, and holds him responsible for any mishap that occurs there. For instance, when things went wrong in the Garden of Eden, God did not question the woman, rather, Adam was the one held responsible.

    The man is the principal actor in every home. Until the husband accepts his responsibility as head, there can be nothing like success in that family. I am not referring only to men who are married to Christian wives, but also to those who are married to unbelieving ones (they probably got married before they got born again). If the men accept God’s instructions and do them, their homes will be very successful. But what is the master key to making the home successful?

    Love

    The love responsibility is the master key. Love is the instrument a man uses to make his wife a glorious woman, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Therefore, the making of any wife is in the hands of her husband.

    Do you want a glorious wife without spot or wrinkle, holy and pure? Then, love your wife as your own body! By so doing, you would have created a glorious wife. Love is the price you pay for a glorious home.

    Giving

    Giving is the practical expression of love. John 3:16 says: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

    One of the ways a husband should express his love for his wife is by giving. A husband should willingly and joyfully give gifts to his wife. How much (quality) is given is not the issue. He should rather accept his responsibility, by joyfully giving his wife gifts. That is what counts. It is the man’s responsibility to provide for the home. When a man stops looking after his household, his life becomes worse than that of an unbeliever. No matter how much tithe and offering he gives, God says he has denied the faith and will suffer the same fate as an unbeliever.

    Communication

    Love is also expressed in communication. I call it seasoned communication. Ephesians 5:26 says: That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. You are expected to cleanse your wife by the washing of water by the Word. That implies that every word of your mouth must be seasoned with sail, giving grace to the hearer (Col. 4:6)

    God has given you control as the head of the home; be a smart driver, otherwise that family is heading for an accident. For instance, if you notice that your wife is downcast, you should ask her what the matter is. You must not open up your home to malice or discord. You can prevail over them all by knowledge.

    For you to successfully carry out your obligation as the head in your marriage, you need the grace from above. The right place to begin from is a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. If you want to start this relationship right now, you can say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today, I am a sinner. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today.

    Congratulations!  You are now born again! Till I come your way next time, please call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com; Tel.  No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work and Building a Successful Family.

  • Marriage: A divine origin (2)

    Dear Reader,

    I welcome you again to this exciting week, in the presence of God. Last week, I taught on, Marriage: A Divine Origin. This week, I shall be discussing the topic: Companionship.

    In Proverbs 27:17 the Bible says: Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

    In the first unveiling of the marriage bond, God said: It is not good for the man to be alone… (Genesis 2:18).  Eve was created as a companion for Adam and vice versa. The Hebrew word for “companion” expresses a close personal relationship. In marriage, a man and a woman are to become intimately united in body, purpose, thoughts, and goals -”one flesh”.

    The idea of partnership, companionship, the combination of husband-wife mind-power, a shared dream or vision should not be ignored, lest the union is impoverished.

    For instance, there are some decisions I would have taken that would not have profited me; but because I’m privileged to be married to my husband, a man of integrity, who is sincere and godly, those errors were avoided

    If your marriage begins with the clear understanding that companionship is a vital pillar of your relationship, then this concept becomes a powerful force which encourages a permanent bond.

    The secret behind good companionship is the rule of leaving and cleaving, which is an essential part of a marital union.

    However, there’s no way two pieces of iron can sharpen each other, except they both come together in contact. Thus, this provision only works when you are united as a couple.

    Friend, you can tap into the honour God has reserved for those united in purpose. But the problem with many families, and the reason nothing seems to be working, is that many times, both parties have not caught the same picture of their desires. They are not united in purpose, so they slow down their blessings from coming.

    You need to apply this spiritual principle of agreement, to see your dreams come true.

    The right place to begin from is a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. If you want to start this relationship right now, you can say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today, I am a sinner. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today.

    Congratulations!  You are now born again! Till I come your way next time, please call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com; Tel.  No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work and Building a Successful Family.