The Nation Newspaper

Category: Family Forum

  • Marriage: A divine origin

    Dear Reader,

    I welcome you to another enlightening edition of Family Forum. I strongly believe that 2013 will be a period of overflowing blessings for you, in Jesus’ name.

    In the course of the month, I shall be considering the theme: Marriage: A Divine Origin. This week, I will be teaching on Marriage, A Divine Institution.

    The coming together of a man and a woman in a holy matrimony, was not born out of a man’s idea, but it has God at its foundation. After God had made Adam and put him in the garden, the Bible records in Genesis 2:18-24: The Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him… Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man… The man said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

    Marriage is not a cultural thing, neither is it a man-made programme; it came directly from the mind of God. Lack of this understanding is the cause of many troubles that many are experiencing in their marriages, today.

    Before you venture into marriage, make sure you commune with God, and let Him choose for you. Do not choose by sight or allow someone to match you with someone that you have not prayed about. It is only God that knows what is in a man, and only He can choose for you aright.

    God is a God of priorities. He set up marriage before coming down to fellowship in the cool of the day. Marital unions invite the presence of God on earth.

    God showed His interest in marriage, by personally fashioning the woman and delivering her to her husband. It is, therefore, untrue to assume that the union of a man and a woman in marriage is man’s idea, or a cultural and traditional affair.

    Therefore, to enjoy God’s best in your marriage, you must make Him the centre of your home. You must be ready to give Him priority place, recognizing Him as the foundation for a successful marriage.

    The problem with many couples is that they push God aside, and yet expect to enjoy divine benefits. They ignore the Word of God, and the Bible says: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3)

    God is the foundation for success in the home. Marriage and family are the oldest institutions in the world; they must not be toyed with. The right place to begin from, is a personal relationship with God. 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.

  • God’s master plan for the family(4)

    Dear Reader,

    Last week, I taught on fruitfulness as God’s plan for man. This week, we shall be examining The Secrets Of A Winning Family. Let us look at some of them:

    LOVE – Between family members.

    The issue of love is so vital that without it, the whole world would have perished in their sins. Why? Because God so love the world that He gave His only Son (John 3:16)

    Love is important for the survival of your home. Let not the wood of love go out. Love knows no bound. It does not fail. Don’t try to love your spouse once and then stop, because of her attitude or something else. Keep loving over and over again. God is love and He abides forever. Your love to your spouse and family members must abide. It must be an absolute, not only when convenient. Remember, love is a commandment. As you obey this commandment, you continually eat the good in marriage

    SUBMISSION – Spouses must be subject to one another.

    Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:21-22).

    The husband is the head of the wife and that of the family, but here, the Bible still points out that we all must submit to each other. Husbands, don’t because you are the head you now become the lion of the tribe of your house. Respect the feelings and individuality of your family members too, and administer authority with respect. However, wives are commanded especially, to submit to their own husbands in everything. Are you a wife that submits your body, but cannot submit your money?

    Do you submit in some aspects, but in the other areas, you have vowed never to obey your husband? This is not total submission, and it is not the will of God. As long as what he is asking you to do is not against the Word of God, you must submit in everything, if you want to please God. Partial submission has no reward, but total obedience shall attract a full reward from God and your husband.

    WISDOM – A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, the Preacher says: (Ecclesiastes 8:1)

    Wisdom is what makes your family life to constantly shine and burn brighter. Without this wood, the home does not radiate beauty. You need wisdom to keep the fire of love burning in your family (Proverbs 4:7).

    God’s Word says: He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart (Proverbs11:29).

    Don’t trouble your own house with foolishness. Correctly apply the Word of God. The rod of the prophet does not work in the hands of the foolish. The Word must be correctly applied, for it to produce. Whenever you are faced with any circumstance in the family, ask God for wisdom. Use the wisdom of God to quench every fiery dart of the enemy in your home.

    Constantly Give God Glory

    Constantly acknowledge God as the only reason behind the success in your home. Give Him back all the glory (Hebrews 3:4). Never attribute the success of your home to yourself, rather, give Him the glory due to Him. God’s Word says: Without me ye can do nothing( John 15:5). Anything you praise God for continually appreciates. Let high praises flow out of your heart and mouth at all times. Let your home be a habitation of God Almighty. Keep your family in the spirit of praise and the earth shall continually yield her increase to you.

    Is your marriage and family experiencing a breakdown or turbulence? Do not be troubled. All that you need is a personal encounter with God. You need to make a decision to belong to God. You need to be born again. This is done by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, 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 me 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.

  • God’s master plan for the family(2)

    Dear Reader,

    Last week, we saw the fundamental nature of the family. This week, I will be teaching on, All-Round Blessings as part of God’s plan for the family.

    There is no limit to the pleasure and blessings God can bring to you in all areas of your life, through a successful family life. There is joy that comes along with family success, which simply spills over into every area of life. These blessings include the following:

    Divine Dominion

    To have dominion is to have control or to exercise control. God has established the family, therefore, to have dominion; that is to have and exercise control. The family is to be in control of circumstances and situations of life. …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 1:28). God designed the family as an unbeatable team on the earth, but because Adam failed in the family government, he lost control and was sent out of the Garden of Eden.

    Divine Favour

    Once divine favour is present in your home and family, it is irreversible. Even men are compelled to favour you, because when a man’s ways pleases the Lord, He causes even his enemies to be at peace with him. The favour of God elevates you to such great heights that men begin to envy you. You become a reference point for a good marriage.

    God’s favour also secures for you a lifting and promotion in status, often occurring in an increase in material possessions, finances, etc.

    Taking a look at the first family (Adam and Eve), one discovers that even after the fall, Adam’s family still enjoyed God’s favour. They had sewed fig leaves together and made aprons to cover their nakedness. But because of the special favour God reserved for the family, God overlooked their betrayal and clothed them with animal skin. He clothed their nakedness and thus removed shame from them.

    Divine Security

    God, the husband and wife form a three-fold cord that is not easily broken. As man co-operates with God and establishes God’s purpose for marriage in the home, God honours that family by ensuring that nothing prevails against it. They (the man and his wife) are equipped to withstand, with the help of the Lord, all demonic forces and the pressures of the secular world. God’s Word says: …If one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

    Divine Presence

    The enemy is walking to and fro looking for “cold” homes to infiltrate. When there’s fighting, discord, selfishness, quarrelling, and unforgiveness, the home can be said to be “cold.” But when there is love, understanding and harmony in a home, God rewards it with the warmth of His presence and peace that burns off the attacks of the devil which could cause tension. In His presence are fullness of joy and pleasures (Psalm 16:11).

    To enjoy all-round blessings is to become a born again child of God. If you want to become a child of God, please say this prayer of faith with me: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, 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 me 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.

  • God’s master plan for the family

    Dear Reader,

    Attempting to put up any physical structure, without a master plan, will certainly end in futility. Once a master plan is drawn, all the builders have to do is to follow it explicity, thereby ending up with a beautiful building.

    Marriage and family are not exceptional. Every architect knows the futility of attempting to put up a structure without a master plan.

    Marriage can be likened to a house. The Architect who drew the master plan is God. God’s Word says: For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God (Hebrews 3:4).The husband and the wife are the builders, who must painstakingly follow the design of the Architect, to arrive at success in their family. Under the topic, God’s Master Plan for the Family, this week, I shall be teaching on, The fundamental nature of The Family.

    Marriage is the foundation for the family. After marriage couples no more live like single individuals. After marriage, children are added (either by birth or adoption) and additional parties (related either by blood or association) come into the home. A family then is established. Families are products of marriages.

    The essence of the family is to create an enabling environment for effective upbringing of children, so they can grow and properly pursue the plan of God for their lives.

    The home is where the character and destiny of an individual should begin and take proper shape. The future of humanity depends on the family because it is through the family that we all come. No matter how good or luxurious a school is there is no better environment than the home.

    Abraham understood this and by that understanding, he was able to order his household aright. God’s Word says: For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him (Genesis 18:19).

    If God were to comment on your family, would He say something positive about it? Abraham and his family were successful in all that they did, because their lives were patterned after God. The question is, are we fulfilling God’s plan for our family? We desire our families to be the best for our children, so they can make the most of life.

    When families operate according to God’s plan, they become successful. Family success is the foundation for all-round success.

    There is only one right way to live, and it is laid out for us in the Bible, which is the Word of God. A man’s testimony is incomplete without a mention of the state of his family.

    Is your marriage and family experiencing a crash or turmoil? You need to make a decision to belong to God. You need to be born again. This is done by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, 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 me 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.

     

  • Keeping your teenagers pure (3)

    Dear Reader.

    You are welcome to another exciting edition. This week, we shall be re-emphasizing again on, Reasons for keeping teenager pure. As you open up your heart to God’s Words concerning your teenagers, I see God opening your eyes to see and to know what to do to keep, and to direct them in God’s ways.

    There are basic truths about child training, which when you embrace and practise, will enable you to raise godly children. These basic truths form the foundation of child raising; as you know, the foundation of a building is its most important part (Psalm 11:3).

    Let’s take a look at these key points.

    God owns your children

    One of such truths is, knowing that your children in actual sense do not belong to you, but to God. He has simply put them in your charge and made you their caretaker.

    The only way to preserve the coming generation is to train the children today. We must understand that the little ones of today are the giants of the Christian faith tomorrow; they will constitute the church of Jesus tomorrow. Thus, if the present move of God must be sustained and increase, then parents must be awake to the call of God to raise godly children. The future of the church depends, to a large extent, on what we do with our children today. Psalm 11:3 says: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

    This means if you lay a solid foundation for your children in the Word of God today, then there will be co vacuum tomorrow. Now that your children can be shaped and moulded, shape them and mould them according to God’s standard.

    It is a commandment

    Another fundamental truth that you must understand about child training is, it is a commandment from God. A commandment is a law or an order. So, in case you previously thought child raising is an advice, a suggestion or a thing you do at your convenience, understand this: child training is a commandment! It is a must for you! It’s a commandment from God, not from man.

    Remember, however, that God’s commandments are not grievous. My husband says, “His commandments are not to grieve you, but to groom you!”

    A refusal to train your children in God’s fear is absolute disobedience to God’s commandment.

    It requires deligence

    God specifically instructed Israel to mind the words of His command and pass them down to their children with all diligence. So, child training is no small responsibility, it must be done carefully and purposefully. Note that successful farmers do not scatter their seeds on the highway as they travel. No! They acquire a piece of fertile soil and sow diligently and deliberately, expecting a bountiful return.

    Children spend a greater percentage of their time at home with their parents. So, Christian parents need to sit down and teach their children the scriptures.

    It is a seed

    Successful farmers pay close attention to the quality of seeds they sow, particularly as they want to make good profits from the harvest. Child training God’s way is a seed with promises of great reward.

    Understanding this dimension of child training enables you go about it as a labour with profit. Genesis 8:22 says: While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

    There is profit in sowing the seed of a sound Christian upbringing in your children. Personally, there were certain positive instructions that were sown as seeds in my life as a little girl, that I will forever be grateful to my parents for. I didn’t enjoy the rigour of the training then, but now I have good fruit to show for their labour of love.

    If you sow the seed of good child training today, you will reap the fruit of peace, joy and fulfilment tomorrow.

    To keep your children and teenager in God’s ways and directions, you need to be in a good relationship with God. You to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. Are you born again? If not, Please say this prayer of faith: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Until I come your way next week, 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 Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian Bookstores: Single With A Difference and A Living Witness

  • Keeping your teenagers pure (3)

    Dear Reader.

    You are welcome to another exciting edition. This week, we shall be re-emphasizing again on, Reasons for keeping teenager pure. As you open up your heart to God’s Words concerning your teenagers, I see God opening your eyes to see and to know what to do to keep, and to direct them in God’s ways.

    There are basic truths about child training, which when you embrace and practise, will enable you to raise godly children. These basic truths form the foundation of child raising; as you know, the foundation of a building is its most important part (Psalm 11:3).

    Let’s take a look at these key points.

    God owns your children

    One of such truths is, knowing that your children in actual sense do not belong to you, but to God. He has simply put them in your charge and made you their caretaker.

    The only way to preserve the coming generation is to train the children today. We must understand that the little ones of today are the giants of the Christian faith tomorrow; they will constitute the church of Jesus tomorrow. Thus, if the present move of God must be sustained and increase, then parents must be awake to the call of God to raise godly children. The future of the church depends, to a large extent, on what we do with our children today. Psalm 11:3 says: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

    This means if you lay a solid foundation for your children in the Word of God today, then there will be co vacuum tomorrow. Now that your children can be shaped and moulded, shape them and mould them according to God’s standard.

    It is a commandment

    Another fundamental truth that you must understand about child training is, it is a commandment from God. A commandment is a law or an order. So, in case you previously thought child raising is an advice, a suggestion or a thing you do at your convenience, understand this: child training is a commandment! It is a must for you! It’s a commandment from God, not from man.

    Remember, however, that God’s commandments are not grievous. My husband says, “His commandments are not to grieve you, but to groom you!”

    A refusal to train your children in God’s fear is absolute disobedience to God’s commandment.

    It requires deligence

    God specifically instructed Israel to mind the words of His command and pass them down to their children with all diligence. So, child training is no small responsibility, it must be done carefully and purposefully. Note that successful farmers do not scatter their seeds on the highway as they travel. No! They acquire a piece of fertile soil and sow diligently and deliberately, expecting a bountiful return.

    Children spend a greater percentage of their time at home with their parents. So, Christian parents need to sit down and teach their children the scriptures.

    It is a seed

    Successful farmers pay close attention to the quality of seeds they sow, particularly as they want to make good profits from the harvest. Child training God’s way is a seed with promises of great reward.

    Understanding this dimension of child training enables you go about it as a labour with profit. Genesis 8:22 says: While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

    There is profit in sowing the seed of a sound Christian upbringing in your children. Personally, there were certain positive instructions that were sown as seeds in my life as a little girl, that I will forever be grateful to my parents for. I didn’t enjoy the rigour of the training then, but now I have good fruit to show for their labour of love.

    If you sow the seed of good child training today, you will reap the fruit of peace, joy and fulfilment tomorrow.

    To keep your children and teenager in God’s ways and directions, you need to be in a good relationship with God. You to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. Are you born again? If not, Please say this prayer of faith: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Until I come your way next week, 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 Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian Bookstores: Single With A Difference and A Living Witness

  • Keeping your teenagers pure (2)

    Dear Reader

    I welcome you to another exciting edition of this week. As you read and pay attention to God’s Word, I see God giving you the grace to know and understand your teenagers.

    This week, we shall be looking at, how to understand your Teenager. Some people lay up money, houses, clothes, cars and other possessions as an inheritance for their children. But the greatest inheritance you can leave behind for your children, is a good Christian upbringing.

    A child is a gift from God, a blessing to the family and a unique blend of husband and wife. The Bible says:

    Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. ( Psalm 127:3).

    God ‘s purpose for giving you children is not only for replenishing and filling up the earth, but because He is seeking a godly seed.

    The best environment, therefore, to raise a godly seed unto the Lord is the home.

    When I discovered this truth some years ago, I made up my mind not to fail God in my responsibility towards my children. From then onward, after every church service, I returned home to break into smaller pieces the message preached in the church. I asked God to teach me how to break the principles in His Word down to my children’s level of understanding. I then began to ensure that hardly a day passed by, without a time spent sitting down with them, opening scriptures and ministering to them.

    I have found out that even when the children leave home and are in places where we as parent cannot be physically, the fear of the Lord implanted in their hearts and the knowledge of the Word of God keep them intact.

    The teens years are the most demanding years for many children and parents alike. A lot of the prevalent challenges stems from a basic lack of understanding of this phase of life. The children are wondering, “What’s going on here? Why is my body changing so rapidly? Do I have a disease? Why is my voice cracking? Why is my breast hurting? Can I talk about it with anyone?”

    But the teens years need not to be frustrating; all that is actually required is knowledge and understanding.

    Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: (Proverbs 24:3).

    Clearly understanding the transformation that takes place in the lives of your teenagers, will help you to offer relevant guidance, besides, it will equip you with the patience you need to go through the period.

    Children are alarmed about such changes; the comfort and reassurance of their parents, make them to know they are normal and that everything is alright. Go beyond being their parent to being their friend, so they can open up and confide in you.

    Therefore, in this phase, we believe to explain certain terminologies that may have sounded like Greek to you, and describe what happens at various stages of your teenage children’s development

    PUBERTY

    The first phase children pass through is known as puberty. Puberty is a phase of sexual awakening in the life of a child. This is when the sexual organs and reproductive system of a child begin to develop, in preparation for adulthood, reproduction and childbirth.

    The age it begins differs from on child to another.

    For boys, puberty starts from the age of 12. Rapid growth begins to take place in their bodies. At this stage the pituitary gland (also known as the “big boss”) attached to the base of the brain of man, is activated. It produces hormones, which bring about changes in the body and the ability to produce a child.

    Some other notable changes occur in the girl during menstruation. Her body becomes more rounded and curvy, her breasts begin to enlarge, and may become sore or slightly painful.

    What is Adolescence?

    Adolescence is a term used to describe the period of life between childhood and adulthood. It is usually between age 14 and19. It is the final stage of childhood, before adulthood sets in. It is similar to the “pupal stage” of growth in a butterfly before the cocoon finally breaks forth into a beautiful butterfly.

    As parents, for you to understand your children or your teenager, you need to be in good relationship with God? Are you born again? Do you want to accept Him as your Lord and saviour? If you are ready, please say with me. Dear Lord, I come to you today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Until I come your way next week, please call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com; Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8, 0702638543,707094254102

    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: Singles With A Difference and A Living Witness.

     

  • Keys to a lasting marriage (3)

    Dear Reader,

    I thank God for the opportunity He has given me to bring His Word to you again. This week, we shall be expounding on the benefits of a lasting marriage.

    God designed marriage to involve the spirit, soul and body. So, the blessing marriage carries is expected to affect your spirit, soul and body. When God blesses the union of the man and woman, certain things follow. These include:

    Spiritual strength

    God expects the married couple to become stronger spiritually, than when they were both single. Two of them brought together in the warfare against the devil will cause 10,000 devils to flee. Deuteronomy 32:30 says: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up? Thus, they become a greater terror to the devil than they were before marriage.

    However, many people (women in particular) complain of not being as active as they were before marriage. Some claim it is because they are faced with greater responsibilities (a husband and children to look after, meals to cook, and general household chores), particularly if they are also employed outside the home.

    However, this does not negate God’s Word which declares that: Two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9). The blessing of a husband and children should not be used as an excuse not to stay in touch with God; otherwise you’re opening up for the blessing to be turned into a curse. All you need to do is to believe God for better time management, so that nothing suffers – not your walk with God or your family.

    Divine Favour

    Another benefit of marriage is divine favour. Favour of God elevates you to such greater heights that men begin to envy you. You become a reference point of a good marriage. When you step out hand in hand with your partner, people will begin to whisper, “See those two. You will think they only got married yesterday.” Marriage then becomes desirous, which is what it should be.

    God’s favour also secures for you a lifting and promotion in status, often bringing about increase in material possessions, finances, etc.

    Taking a look at the first family (Adam and Eve), one discovers that even after the fall, Adam’s family still enjoyed God’s favour. They had sewed fig leaves together and made aprons to cover their nakedness. But because of the special favour God reserved for the family, God overlooked their betrayal and clothed them with animal skin. He clothed their nakedness, and thus removed shame from them.

    Also in spite of the fact that Eve was the one deceived, and the primary cause of the fall, out of favour, God made her a promise in Genesis 3:15: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

    Divine Security

    God, the husband and wife form a three-fold cord that is not quickly broken. As man co-operates with God and establishes His purpose for marriage in the home, He honours that family by ensuring that nothing prevails against it. They (the man and his wife) are equipped to withstand, with the help of the Lord, all demonic forces and pressures of the secular world.

    Physical Fulfilment

    God honours the physical union of a man and his wife, by ensuring that they find pleasure and fulfillment in each other’s body. Apart from preventing temptation, both husband and wife satisfy their sexual urge. They are provided with legitimate avenues to release their sexual desires.

    This is why God frowns at adultery, because your partner should be enough to satisfy you. I often say humorously, that there is nothing another man or woman has that your partner doesn’t have. All you need is to be content with your spouse, and then you will enjoy the blessing of marriage.

    Fruit of the Womb

    The marriage union is expected to produce children. That was God’s plan from the beginning (Genesis 1:26-28). If it doesn’t, grief and frustration often set in.

    The fall of Adam and Eve was what opened the door to barrenness, but God sent Jesus to redeem mankind from every curse of the law. Now, if you are born again, you are exempted from barrenness! Therefore, see your griefs and frustrations ending right now. Children are your entitlement, if you’re serving the Lord.

    To enjoy the benefits of marriage, you have to first be in a oneness relationship with God. You secure this oneness relationship with Him, by confessing your sins and accepting Him as your Lord and personal Saviour. If you are set for this, please say this prayer of faith: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, 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 me 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.

  • Keys to a lasting marriage (part 2)

    Dear Reader,

    It’s my privilege again, this wonderful week, to bring you the Word of God concerning marriage. So far, we have discussed the concept and the keys to having a lasting marriage. This week, I shall be teaching on the hindrances to a lasting marriage.

    There is war that rages within. This battle goes on everyday. Sometimes, one party gains the upper hand, and another time the other party sings a victory song. As long as we are in this temple of clay, the battle lines are drawn.

    By the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary, we are without excuse. If we yield to the flesh, we shall reap corruption, death; but if we yield to the spirit, we shall reap life! It’s a matter of choice (Galatians 6:8).

    Marriage does not automatically leave a man above the works of the flesh. Yielding to the flesh accounts for the heartache many born-again couples experience in their homes today.

    What are these works?

    They are impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism…hatred, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own group (Galatians 5:19-20).

    Let’s find out how a few vices can steal peace and joy from marriage, hinder a marriage from lasting, and how to combat them.

    •Slothfulness

    Laziness is a work of the flesh. Good homes and marriages don’t just drop from heaven; they are made to happen! God had to first work for six days, creating the world before He rested (Genesis2.2). You must be ready to do what it takes, before you can enjoy rest, peace and honour in your marriage. If there is any indication of laziness in you, get rid of it now, because the fruit of laziness is shame, whether it is spiritual (laziness in studying the Word of God, prayer) or physical, doing house hold chores or caring for the family (Proverbs.10:5). Nobody loves a lazy person.

    Slothfulness is a destroyer of families. Many know what to do to improve the state of their families, but they simply won’t do it or they do it for a while and give up. You must co-operate with God for your marriage to work.

    Receive grace to be diligent, so you can enjoy your marriage, in Jesus’ name.

    Idolatry

    God commanded man in Exodus 20:3 saying: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Nothing should come before your relationship with God, whether it is a car, jewelry, children, or even your spouse. Your love for God should not be replaced with a love for money, shoes or any other thing (Matthew 22:37).

    There is another dimension to idolatry. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 15:23: For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. Stubbornness is equated with idolatry. This means that before God, stubbornness is a grievous sin as the worship of graven images!

    What does it mean to be stubborn?

    It means to be adamant, to be fixed in purpose or opinion, to refuse positive changes. God hates it!

    Flee stubbornness! Be flexible with your spouse. Allow mercy and compassion, and God will not let you experience shame in your home.

    Anger

    We all get angry at one time or the other, but the difference between this and the work of the flesh is sin. The Bible says that: Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. (Ephesians 4:26) By holding to anger, you open the door to sin.

    If you get upset about the way your spouse does certain things at certain times, rather than exploding and speaking cruel words which can cause irreparable damage, control your emotions and take a walk or pray, until you cool down.

    Anger is a killer, and must be dealt with. It puts asunder faster than fornication. One may not kill physically, yet by angry words or even silence, you can kill a person’s spirit. It has the same consequences as murder. Learn to control it!

    To be free from these hindrances in your marriage, you need to put God first in anything you do. He is the One Who can help you out, because He is the Founder and the Originator of marriage. To do this you need to accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour. Let Him into your heart, and then you will see changes in your marriage. If you are ready, please say this prayer with me, Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, 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 me 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.

  • Keys to a lasting marriage (2)

    Dear Reader,

    Welcome once again to this column. Last week, we began by looking at the concept of marriage. This week, we shall examine the keys to a lasting marriage. Let us examine some of these keys.

    •Communication

    This key is very vital in marriage. You may not enjoy your marriage, if you and your spouse don’t know how to communicate effectively. It is like having gold in a garden, but not knowing how to dig it out. The gold is there, but as long as it is not dug out, you cannot be enriched by it.

    The basis of any fruitful and lasting relationship is effective communication. God our Father and our Ultimate, proved this to us by communicating His plans and intentions to those whom He trusted. He spoke clearly to Moses, Samuel, and David, right through to Jesus, and beyond Him, to those of us who love and serve Him.

    Marriage without effective communication never works. A wise man once said,” If you talk together, you stay together.” How true!

    In times past, particularly in the African societies, women were regarded as mere objects and a part of a man’s possessions, and were not consulted on major issues, neither were their views regarded as important. In those days, women stayed married because they had no choice. But that has never been God’s arrangement. He made marriage as an avenue for both husband and wife to find fulfilment, which comes when there is effective communication.

    Family Finance

    It is important to understand the place of money in marriage to avoid tension. Ecclesiastes 7:12 says: For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

    Money is simply a medium of exchange. It is required to live comfortably on the earth. It is a defence, because with it, you are not embarrassed.

    However, handling finances is a very sensitive area for couples. It is, therefore, crucial to say a few things about family finances here.

    Husbands: Right from the onset, when God blessed Adam with his wife Eve, he was made the head of the family. This charged him with the duty of providing for the house hold (1 Timothy 5:8). So, by God’s order, the husband is to provide for his family. He is the one who must ensure there is food for members of his family, that they are well taken care of, especially his immediate family members.

    Wives: Everything the wife has belongs to her husband, even her income. If she is employed outside the home, she must submit all to him. This does not mean that she may not have her own separate account, if they both agree to this. But by divine order, this account also belongs to him.

    The term “his” and “hers” is not allowed in the family finance. They both should have access to each other’s money. Where there‘s a joint account, no one should spend money without informing the other. As agreed by them, at an appointed time, they can both sit together to plan the family budget, mapping out how much should be spent on food, children and each other, as well as paying electricity bills, etc. It is refusing to work together as a team that places families under tension. Trust is the underlying factor in family finance.

    •Commitment

    This is the backbone of any successful relationship, marriage and family inclusive. It is the adhesive of every marriage. When commitment is lacking in the relationship between husband and wife, the chances of that home surviving is very slim.

    Therefore, to enjoy family success, you must be committed both to the institution of marriage and to your spouse. God has joined you together, but you must be so committed, both to the institution and your spouse that nothing is allowed to put you asunder (Mark 10:9).

    Commitment makes you choose the expedient above the lawful. It makes you forgo some things that you like or take pleasure in at times. Rights and privileges that are lawfully yours, may have to be forfeited in the interest of the family.

    God’s Word says: Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Commitment, therefore, demands that you promote whatever it will take, for you to ensure that peace reigns perpetually in your marriage. Whatever shortcomings your spouse or other members of your household may have, commitment demands that you find a way to cope with them.

    Your commitment to God is the gateway to your commitment to your spouse; you must therefore, first be committed to God. This entails surrendering your life to Christ by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. If you are set for this change, please say this prayer of faith: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, 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 me 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.