The Nation Newspaper

Category: Family Forum

  • Setting a solid foundation for your home 2

    By Pastor Faith OYEDEPO

    Dear Reader,  I welcome you to this teaching, in Jesus’ name! The quality of success you will ever achieve in any given venture hinges on the quality of the foundation you lay. You cannot enjoy a glorious marital life without paying attention to the foundation you build for your marriage. Last week, I taught on what a solid marital foundation is and that for your marriage to last, it must be founded on God. In this edition, I will be looking at understanding your spouse as one of the foundations for a solid union.

    As male and female partners in marriage, we must understand and appreciate the peculiarities which make up our personalities. Your understanding of your spouse is very important in becoming a good partner.  For you to have a stable home, you need to understand your husband or wife. You must get to know that everything about your spouse is unique. There are no two people on planet earth that are exactly the same. You are unique and peculiar; your spouse and children are equally unique and peculiar, fashioned to fit a particular purpose.  You are not a carbon-copy of anyone; you are an original and so is your spouse.  You and your spouse are wonderfully and fearfully made (Psalm 139:14). You must understand your spouse if you must enjoy a stable family.  Understand his or her background, his or her likes and dislikes, what makes him or her happy and what affects his or her mood.

    For those who are yet to be married, before you say, “Yes I do’ to any man or lady on the altar, ask yourself, “How much of him or her do I really know?”  Someone met me some years back, who had only been married for three months and both of them were already so fed up that they were ready for divorce.  I asked a simple question, “How much of your spouse did you know before you got married?” I was amazed at the next-to-nothing knowledge of the spouse this person had. No wonder in three months, their marriage had technically broken down. If not for divine intervention, that would have ended their marriage with all of its consequent effects.

    Every man should be knowledgeable about his wife and the wife about her husband. Know your likes and dislikes, preferences, choices, etc. It is common knowledge that men and women do not have the same needs. A man derives his self-worth from a sense of respect, recognition and reputation, while a woman wants to be appreciated, loved and praised. Failure to know how to satisfy each other’s needs might be a problem to your relationship.

    To enhance the understanding of your spouse, two things must be in place:

    1. You must be sensitive: Never walk around with your eyes closed. Your mind is a sound mind; be sensitive.
    2. Communicate effectively: Communication is the life of any relationship. Learn to communicate effectively with your spouse and when you know how to do this, it will help you understand who your spouse is. You need to ask questions. The disciples of Jesus were around Him; they didn’t only listen to His teachings. Whatever they didn’t understand they always asked and Jesus never told them to “shut up”, He always answered their questions.  So, rather than assume to understand what your spouse is saying, ask questions such as, “How about this area? How about that area of your life?”  Communicate so you can have a better understanding.  And when communication is effective, you will become a good spouse.  Understanding is required to have an outstanding marriage.

    Wisdom – The Principal Thing

    Wisdom is the principal tool for securing peace in the home. The Bible says: Wisdom is the principal thing… (Proverbs 4:7). Both the man and the woman in the home need to constantly ask God for wisdom in handling the day-to-day affairs of the home. Most times, what people call affliction in their home is nothing but ignorance. The treatments for ignorance are wisdom and understanding which enhance peace in the home.  In fact, the Bible says: Through wisdom is an house builded, and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3). Also, James 1:5 says: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and unbraided not, and it shall be given him. Wisdom tells you when to talk, when to keep quiet, what to say and the right time to say it, where to go and at what time.  Do you know it is possible to say the right thing but at the wrong time and thereby jeopardizing the peace in the home? I pray for a fresh baptism of the wisdom of God upon your life today, in Jesus’ name!

    Compliment Your Spouse

    One other way to nurture your relationship is by an often neglected key, and that is compliment. Every human being loves to be praised either for what he/she has done or simply for who he/she is. However, the key is to locate the good qualities in your spouse and focus on it. Then express your appreciation for those good qualities by the words of your mouth. Learn to show appreciation for both small and great acts of kindness. You can also show appreciation by giving little gifts. Make room for praise in your home. Praise God always and compliment your husband or wife and your marriage will be a heaven on earth!

    In all, you must understand that you need Jesus to achieve anything worthwhile in your home. If you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are born again and now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily; obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21). With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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

     

  • Setting a solid foundation for your home (1)

    Dear reader,  happy new and glorious month. All of your desires for this month will be greatly manifested, in Jesus’ name! I am glad to let you know that God has so many good things in store for you, your home, spouses, children, business, finance and career. God is too faithful to fail! Whatever promises from His Word you have held on to till date will find speedy fulfilment beginning from this month, in Jesus’ name!

    The year is still very young and this is a perfect time to make right decisions about your family life. It is often said that the way you begin a thing determines the end of it. That is why in this great month, I will be teaching on: Setting a Solid Foundation for Your Home. We all know that the foundation of a building is the most crucial aspect of it.  No matter how glorious a building is, if its foundation is faulty, then it does not stand a chance in the face of a storm.  No wonder the Word of God states: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3). The strength, height and lifespan of any building is determined by its foundation. A building without a solid foundation is not going to last long, no matter how beautiful it may look. The mere blowing of the wind will bring it crumbling down, because the foundation cannot accommodate the strength of that wind.

    Similarly, a marriage without a solid foundation cannot stand the test of time. Success in marriage and family life, therefore, hinges on the quality of your foundation. There is nothing that can really substitute the need for a solid foundation and to set your marital foundation right, you need to begin by making a resolution to depart from iniquity. The Word of God says: Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19). To have a sure foundation, therefore, it is of utmost importance for you to really depart from iniquity. The only thing that will hinder God’s blessing in your marriage and family this year is sin. Sin is a destroyer of destiny. Your destiny shall never be destroyed, in Jesus’ name! Sin has robbed many families of the blessings of God and their true place in life.

    As a family, you need to do away with sin and live a righteous life. Righteousness is the sure foundation upon which a life of distinction is built. Until this is in place, life remains an endless struggle. We live in a world of sin and it has become the order of the day and the way of life in the world today. Families that will stand out are those who will care to embrace purity. The Word of God says: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8). If you really want to see God’s intervention and manifestations in your life, marriage and family this year, it is time for you to clean up and return to God. The Bible says: And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes (Exodus 19:10).

    The first requirement for a life of purity is a departure from iniquity.  It is interesting for you to know that the Bible places the responsibility of departing from evil on you and me. You can’t sit down and wait for iniquity to depart from you; the onus lies on you to make a complete departure from whatever sin has been ravaging your Christian colour. The Word of God says: …For sin shall not have dominion over you… (Romans 6:14). The price for sin has been fully paid but you need to make your choice whether to depart or to remain in sin. The Bible says: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1).

    I want you to know that Jesus Christ did not shed His Blood for fun; He did so to provide for you and me an eternal cleansing from sin.  I want to say here that as a woman, you must not allow yourself to be deceived by sin. Do you remember how Eve fell? The serpent deceived her through his subtlety.  You have been warned seriously by the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 11:3:  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

    We all know that sin crept into the world through womanhood because Eve allowed herself to be deceived. Unfortunately, satan has not changed his tactics. He is still on the lookout for women to deceive, but he cannot get you!  Eve lost her unique place to sin. It destroyed her destiny, and robbed her of a life of fulfilment. The devil got Eve, but he will not get at you!

    The moment sin came, it birthed evils. One of the evils that manifested after sin was selfishness.  When God came into the garden and asked Adam why he had transgressed His command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam blamed Eve. Then God turned and asked, “What is this that thou hast done?” And Eve shifted the blame, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat”. That is selfishness! Today, many homes have been broken because nobody wants to give preference to the other.  The man is selfish, the woman is selfish, and the children are selfish!  All each person thinks about is “Me, Myself and I”. This even reflects in the kind of prayers they say, “Lord, bless me. Remember me with favour. Help me to succeed.  Well, if you care to remember others, not bad, but if not, still don’t forget me.”

    It is a known fact that humanity was corrupted through a woman, but God in His infinite mercy also chose to bring redemption to mankind through a woman. So, womanhood (or the feminine nature) is not an excuse to live in sin. Every woman can choose either to be a Mary or an Eve, and whether to live a pure or an impure life. The ball is actually in your court!

    Therefore, if you have chosen to live a pure life, then you need to surrender your life to Jesus. Just say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are born again and now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily; obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21). With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

     

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

  • Enjoy rest in marriage

    Dear Reader,  this is a glorious day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. It will be a day of rest, laughter, rejoicing and fulfillment for you. I am so excited today about what God is expounding to His people. He says there is a place of rest in Him. He says, you have been battered and wounded enough, come around and obtain rest for your soul. In your family life, career and businesses, children and finances, there is rest for you.

    You have run around enough. You have carried that burden for too long and you keep running helter-skelter just to survive. God says for the remaining part this year, He has prepared a place of rest for you and your family. I pray that you will see it and enter into it in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

    Today, I shall be examining the place of rest. Where is this place of rest? How do you get there? What does it take to get there? These are the things God wants to expound to us today. I pray that your eyes of understanding will be enlightened, and every unrest in your life and family will be destroyed.

    What is rest? How can you say you are restful? A state of rest is to be at peace or at ease; a state of tranquillity. Jesus said: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

    Rest is obtainable, but only in Christ. You have been battered by the happenings all around you. Jesus invites you to come unto Him, if you desire rest. I don’t know what has been responsible for your unrest; you can be free today. No matter the mountain, no matter how big the burden has been, Jesus, the burden-bearer, invites you to come. The Bible says: Whatsoever the Lord doeth shall be forever (Ecclesiastes 3:14). When Jesus carries your burden for you, you can be rest assured that the case is settled for ever. All He requires of you is to come to Him. Come with the faith that He can do it; come with hope and He can never fail. That thing that causes you heartache, makes you sigh and shed secret tears, see Jesus walking by your side and lifting those burdens off you and giving you liberty. He says He will do it, not he may or he will try.. It is His absolute desire to give you rest in life.

    He said: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).It is the thief (devil) that is giving you unrest. His ministry is to kill, to steal and to destroy. Jesus, the author of life says, if you now come to Him, He will give you what the devil cannot access.

    Maybe, as a student, you have been writing a particular exam several times, and the result is always the same. It has become a yoke in your life and a burden to you. Maybe, yours is in the area of finances, you wake up every morning, no breakfast, lunch not in view, not because you are fasting, but because there is nothing to eat. See Jesus take off this yoke from you and be free. All it takes is to come to him. See what the Bible says: Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness (Isaiah 55:1-2).Stop running helter-skelter, come to Jesus. Who is Jesus? He is The Word of God made flesh.

    The Word of God is the water of life. Take refuge in the Word against all odds of life and every form of unrest. Is it a spouse’s ungodly behaviour or action? Is it a child’s unruly behaviour bothering you? Is it in the area of your finances? All you have to do is to turn to the Word. There is no rest in any other place; true and absolute rest can only be found in the Word of God. God has declared this year as your own year of turning point. A genuine turning point only comes from a restful soul. God cannot lie; it is your duty to allow His Word to produce in your own life. As many families as will care to find rest in God’s Word this year, they shall have cause to turn all-round.

    For instance, every night, when you go to bed, you look through the window more than ten times you do more work when you sleep than when you are awake. Every bit of noise you hear wakes you up. This is not rest. Your protection is not in your looking out, neither is it in your jumping out, rather, sure protection comes from the Word of God. The Word says when you sleep, your sleep shall be sweet and nothing shall make you afraid. God cannot lie.

    Maybe you are the type that each time you are on the road travelling, all kinds of picture come to your mind and you begin to picture every kind of accident. Then your heart begins to pant and skip a beat; this ought not to be so. Jesus says, “Come unto me.” It is in coming that you will have total rest either on the road, in the air or on the sea. Come to Him today. Dedicate your family to Him. Hand over all your children to Him. When your children travel to school, your mind is not at rest again. You begin to imagine all sorts of evil, accident, kidnap, immoralities, etc. When you and your family members come to Jesus on the basis of His Word, you all have a sure covering in his blood! You can be rest assured that your children, your business, all that belongs to you would not suffer what the people of the world suffer.

    How do you come to Jesus? The Bible Says: If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10). It doesn’t take more than this to have perfect rest all around you. Make a wise decision today. Accept the Lord Jesus as your own personal Lord and Saviour. Make Him the Lord of your entire household and be at rest.

    The Scripture above says you should confess with your mouth, and then believe what you have said in your heart. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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

  • A good marriage attracts God’s blessings

    Dear reader, marriage was instituted for better living for mankind.  It is not to bring hurts or constitute a hindrance. If you want your home and marriage to exhibit a better living, God must be at the centre of your heart and home. You have to be open to His Words and follow His instructions. His Words, instructions or commandments are not grievous or burdensome (1 John 5:3).

    It is an easy thing to do. God made man with a desire to please and follow His will (Scripture). The Lord Jesus came to make it easier for man to follow and obey the Word of God. Come, all that labour … for my burden is light and my yoke is easy (Matthew 11:28). Instead of seeking to do things your way, doing them God’s way will give you cheaply the results you desire.

    Family life originated from God; hence, He must be the centre of your family life to enjoy a better living. Countless people are having a near death experience in their family lives. Some have had many wives and still are dissatisfied. Others are separated, while some live a cat and dog life, wishing that someone would deliver them from it. Despite all these, there are some who are enjoying family life and making a success of it. This is not just by luck. Success is not by luck, you programme yourself for the type of success you desire.

    As a born-again child of God, enjoying a better family life is your birthright. It is God’s will and desire for you to enjoy an exciting marriage, an exciting home, life and family. Apart from making God the centre of your family, the next thing you must understand is that family life is meant for better living. It is meant for help, not hurt. The Bible says: I will make him a help (Genesis 2:18); Two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9). One of the ways to enjoy this better living in marriage is to know your role, accept it and work diligently with it.

    It is very important as a man or woman in marriage to accept your responsibility. Nothing works on its own.  You have to work out your marriage to make it a fulfilled one.

    Husband:

    Your primary responsibility is to love, care for and generally oversee the welfare of your 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 marriage.

    It is very important for you to know that your wife is your chief concern, second only to God. As a man, you are the head of the household and you bear the responsibility for the entire family unit. Your leadership position as head of the union places a great responsibility on you to protect, care for, and seek the general well-being of your family spiritually, physically, and emotionally. This must be seen in action and not in mere words. You can tell your wife all day long that you love her, but until you show her that love, your words will do little to strengthen your relationship.

    As a husband, you need to encourage the spiritual development of your family, as Christ encouraged the spiritual development of His disciples.  You must be prepared to lay down your life for your wife and every member of your family if necessary.  This includes giving up selfish hobbies and past times which take you away from family unit or drain needed resources from the family budget.  For the spiritual development of the family, it is also required that as a husband, you lead your household in the study of God’s Word and in regular family devotions.  You are to take the lead particularly by example, in the worship of God.  In addition, you cannot direct the affairs of your family without first having daily fellowship with the Lord in prayers and the study of the Bible.

    Another fundamental responsibility of the husband is to honour his wife (I Peter 3:7).  This, perhaps, is even a higher level of responsibility than just providing for her physical needs. Respect, they say, is reciprocal.  If a man must enjoy respect from his wife, then he must be willing first to invest in it.  He must respect, admire, appreciate, praise and exalt her.

    Wife:

    The woman’s primary responsibility, after the Lord, is to her husband and her children.  The woman received the title of “help meet” in Genesis 2, which clearly established her role in the family as one of a support to her husband.  The Bible specifically demands of the woman, submission in all things.  A man of wisdom, David Lipscomb, wrote, “The submission of the wife to the husband is that of love, respect and reverence, which is befitting the relation she holds to her husband.  In her sphere she is spiritually on equality with man, but as a husband, he is the natural scripturally recognized head and leader of the family.  Her submission must be in accordance with the principles of righteousness, and nothing is required of her inconsistent with Christian character”.

    The idea of submission is a stumbling block to many women, because they equate submission with inferiority.  Men and women are created co-equal by God, but for the purpose of His plan of redemption, God has assigned to each of them differing roles to carry out.  God has clearly called the wife to submit to her own husband.  That is God’s design ordained for her blessings.  The Word of God says: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 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. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing (Ephesians 5:22-24).

    Just as the body submits to the brain located in the head by design, so the wife should submit to the husband who is the head. The manner of submission is as unto the Lord, and the motive is God’s design to make the husband the head of the wife.  When you see a body that does not respond to the head, you see a deformity, you see something that is not normal.  You see a dysfunctional person.  The same is true in a marriage.  Where a wife does not submit to her husband, there is distortion, deformity, and dysfunction.  God has designed that the body respond to the head, and the husband is the head of the wife.

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

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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

  • Nurturing your relationship

    Nurturing Your Relationship (3)

    Dear Reader,

    I thank for God for another opportunity to write you from the platform. It is my prayer that you will be abundantly blessed today. I know you have been blessed with the previous teachings. Two weeks ago, I began teaching on the subject, ‘Nurturing Your Relationship’. The first week, we examined what relationship is all about and one of the factors that can help you to nurture and grow your relationship, which took us to the subject of commitment.

    Today, we shall equally be looking at another powerful factor that can help you to nurture and grow your relationship as a married man. This article will teach you the qualities you need to possess for you to be a man of your wife’ s dream. You want to know what qualities your wife expects from you? ‘Be the Man of Her Dreams!

    Before marriage, many women lay out the kind of qualities they want their future husbands to possess. In this section I want us to look at the typical characteristics of a “dream” man.

    He is loving

    This ‘dream man’ is loving. Following the example of Christ and the Church, this man does not wait for his wife to be perfect before he loves her. He is steadfast in his demonstration of love for his wife, believing that love is not love until it is expressed. He hugs, touches, buys her gifts and generally is caring and goes to great lengths to convince his family of his love.

    In expressing his love, he consciously ignores the negative and unattractive things about the members of his family. He thinks no evil of them. He calls his wife a virtuous woman and so motivates her to live up to his expectations. He calls his children gifted and intelligent children but disciplines them in love when necessary.

    He is Caring

    The typical dream man must be caring. He must be concerned at all times about the welfare of members of his family. He cherishes, nourishes and ravishes his family members with care. He makes time to be with them and is always there when he is needed; he is not too busy to listen to them.

    He is a Worker

    Every woman’s dream man is a worker! He is one with working hands not collecting hands. He doesn’t collect foodstuff from his mother, money from his father, clothing’s from his uncle. He does something productive to sustain his family.

    “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel”1 Timothy 5:8.

    He is a Provider

    In providing for his family, the dream man puts his total trust in God, not his salary (Psalm 62:5). He recognizes that he has absolute covenant responsibility to provide for the needs of his family and does so with delight. Like my husband would humorously say, “God is Jehovah Jireh, while the man is ‘Home Jireh.’ Jehovah is the Almighty provider, the family man is the home provider” he does not send his wife begging for what to eat, wear or drink.

    He is a Giver

    This dream man recognizes the importance of Kingdom investment and the hidden covenants of blessings (being a blessing to one’s parents). He diligently invests in the Kingdom of God and is liberal to members of his extended family. In addition, he gives to those in need.

    He is an Intercessor

    Like Jesus who is presently praying for the church, this dream man invests time praying for his family. He recognizes that prayer is the means by which the power of God is released to the believer so he faithfully prays for them.

    He does not find it hard to say, “I am Sorry”

    Some men find it hard to say, “I am sorry, please forgive me,” because of their ego. But, the dream man does not let his ego stand between him and his wife or children. Man, don’t give room to the devil to bring problems to your home. Learn to say “I am sorry” when you offend your wife. It works! If you do that, eyeball-to-eyeball, you will see her countenance change! You will make it!

                For you to be able to possess good qualities that will make you relationship to last, you need a good relationship with Christ.  If, peradventure, you, the reader, is not born again and you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

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

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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

  • Nurturing your relationship (5)

    Dear Reader, it is important to know that God’s intent is that we build a sweet and cordial relationship with one another, especially within the confines of marriage. No man was created an island, relationships are vital to one’s destiny. However, in order for you to build and sustain relationships that will positively influence your life, especially in marital relationships, you must engage the key of wisdom.

    Gaining wisdom is vital to our success in any given venture. God has made provisions for your marital relationship to produce good for you, but you have the responsibility to nurture it through wisdom. Couples must search the Word to access revelations for outstanding success in their family life. From the pattern of God’s Word, you can draw up a blueprint for your home.

    What is Wisdom?

    Wisdom is hearing the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ and doing them. It is the correct application of knowledge. It demands that you take correct steps in line with all you will learn from God this month concerning your home. Only then, can you begin to reap the fruits of a sweet and a successful home. The Bible says: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock (Matthew 7:24). The place of wisdom in building a successful home cannot be overemphasized. The Word of God says: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).

    Wisdom is the principal thing on which all other things rest. A home is meant to be built for it to be successful. The Bible says: Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3). Therefore, to build a successful home, wisdom is required. A wise man said, “Courtship brings out the best, marriage brings out the rest.” That is why you need the God-given wisdom to know your spouse, adapt to him or her, and bring out the best that God has designed for your home.

    Build a Godly Expectation

    God has promised to grant your expectations; so, you must ensure the expectations you have for your family and relationship is in accordance with God’s Word. Houses are in different sizes and shapes and you cannot build what you do not desire. Don’t enter into marriage not desiring a good relationship with your spouse. Begin to tell yourself and nurture exactly what you want out of your relationship. You only get peace when you genuinely desire same. Debunk whatever negative experiences you may have had or heard people say and expect the best, as ordained by God.

    Accept your responsibilities

    You are the builder of your home. Stop wishing! Work on making your home a success and you will reap the fruits of your labour! Expectation is the mother of manifestation. What do you expect your home to be? Success or failure, stressful or stress-free, full of troubles or peace? Then, get down to work.

    If you expect success in your home, then apply the wisdom of God. Be a doer of the Word! Do whatever He tells you to do. This is wisdom. When you do your part, God is committed to making your home a success. He can never fail. The Bible instructs all husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge (1 Peter 3:7). Understand her nature. When a man understands the nature of his wife and works according to that understanding, problems are less likely to arise in that home. Realise that she is a wife, mother, and homemaker all at once, and these place demands on her. Be considerate towards her and be available to minister to her needs. Don’t wait for her to play her part first. Live by example. Wives are not to be treated as slaves or inferior human beings, rather they should be held in respect. This is the wisdom of God! Men who beat their wives exhibit folly and sin against God.

    God has placed the building of the house into your hands. The Bible says: Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands (Proverbs 14:1). Don’t operate in foolishness. Don’t pluck down your home, operate in the wisdom of God. Abide with God’s instructions. They are not grievous. Even if you happen to be married to a man whose level of understanding is lower than yours; remember Abigail. Through her wisdom and understanding, she saved her home even though she had a foolish husband.

    Identify your husband’s weaknesses and help him to work on them. Learn to appreciate his good points, point out his mistakes in a kind and loving manner. This is God’s wisdom. Embrace it! If you abide by God’s instruction, it will make your home precious before God and before men. Here is the testimony of a sister who wisely applied God’s Word as she was taught and obtained a positive result.

    As husband and wife, you are the builders of your home. Marriage can be likened to a physical house. Houses in the physical don’t just happen, they are consciously built. You don’t just wake up one day and see a physical house grow up somewhere.  It takes conscious effort and input to make it happen.  In the same manner, and even much more, a good marriage doesn’t just happen, it is consciously made to happen.  The Word of God says, Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3).

    You have the duty to build it the way you want it to be. Stop shifting your responsibilities to God!  As my husband would always say, “Any faith that makes God absolutely responsible for the happenings of your life is an irresponsible faith”.  The act of building is your responsibility.  You must fulfill your own part for God to fulfill His own.

    For you to be able to possess good qualities that will make you relationship last, you need a good relationship with Christ. If, peradventure, you are not born again and you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

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

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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

  • Nurturing your relationship (4)

    Dear Reader, God has been faithful and He has really opened your eyes to so many things you didn’t know before about relationship. I know you have been blessed.

    For the past few weeks now, we have been exploring the subject, ‘Nurturing Your Relationship’ Under this subject, we have been able to look at what relationship is all about, we have leant about the factors that can help you nurture and grow your relationship; The factor of commitment, the factor of Putting your home in order, and last week we discussed Be the man of her dream. I am sure the married men have been able to take advantage of last week teaching in particular. This factor when you put it to use, it will help you to win your wife. Today, we shall also be looking at another interesting factor that can help you as a married woman to nurture and grow your relationship. You want to know this factor? Be the Woman of His dreams!

    Just as every woman has expectations about the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with, woman, know that every man (your husband) also has some basic expectations of the woman he wants to marry.

    Be a Help

    Obviously, God instituted marriage to get a suitable help for man, so He made the woman. The woman is therefore an ordained help for her husband. What are you to help your husband with? As wife God expects you to help your husband bear the load of responsibilities he carries.

    “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him”

    Genesis 2:18.

    Your ‘ministry’ is to ensure that the man does not fail in his duties and that the family system does not break down. In other words, you are there in the family to help lift the weight not add to it. You are there a helper not a destroyer, castigator or betrayer.

    Be a Home Maker

    Every home is like a garden, and just as God gave Adam an instruction to dress and keep it, every home must be dressed to be kept. No matter how colourful your garden, if it is left unkempt, it is open to the attack of all kinds of insects that will eat up its good fruits.

    “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.

    Who keeps the Home?

    Woman, how well kept is your home? This scripture has many implications. A woman is to keep her house spiritually by prayer and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, but she also keeps it practically by cleaning up and beautifying it. “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” they say. Let the environment be conducive for the Holy Spirit. Titus 2:4-5 says it is the woman.

     “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

    To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

    Feed Him Well

    There is a popular adage that says, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Woman, your family is what they eat. If they are healthy it can be practically traced to their eating habits.

    It is not enough to feed with sumptuous food, but you need to feed them right. Are the foods they eat nutritious? Or do you give them just anything? Wisdom is profitable to direct. (Eccl. 10:10).

    In this day and age of processed foods and snacks (fast food) please secure the health of your family by feeding them with good food. Remember, “garbage in, garbage out.”

    Eve fed her husband; unfortunately, she fed him with poison instead of life. Woman what are you feeding your dream man with? Genesis 3:6 says,

    “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

    Be Financially Accountable

    Financial rest does not only come when you are a millionaire, it comes by being a good money manager. You must have a financial plan or else you are creating room for financial pain. A wise man once said, “Pain is a sign of disorder” it follows that to experience financial pain is a sign of disorder in your spending.

    You can prioritize your spending and maximize your income. Why must you put yourself into such pain getting into debt? Spend within your means and be content with your income size for now.

    “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase” Job 8:7.

    Complement Your Spouse

    One other way to nurture your relationship is by an often-neglected key, and that is complement. Every human being loves to be praised either for what he has done or simply for who he is.

    The key is to locate the good qualities in your spouse and focus on it. Then express your appreciation for those good qualities by the words of your mouth. Learn to show appreciation for both small and great acts of kindness. You can also show appreciation by giving little gifts.

    Make room for praise in your home. Praise God always and complement your husband or wife and your relationship will be heaven on earth!

    For you to be able to possess good qualities that will make you relationship last, you need a good relationship with Christ. If, peradventure, you are not born again and you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

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

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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

  • A good marriage attracts God’s blessings (3)

    Dear reader, God has designed the family for blessings and not curse. He proved this when He blessed the first family ever created. The Bible states: And God blessed the, 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 1:28). The truth is, defeat and failure is not God’s intent for your home. He ordained you for dominion, increase, peace and exploits. Failure in homes does not give glory to God, but your success gives a worthy example to others.

    Understand that victory in a home makes a successful family and this is one of the benefits/blessings of a good marriage. Any family who gains victory or success in family related issues is bound to succeed in other areas of life. There is no limit to the kind of blessing and pleasure God can bring to your life, when your home is in order.

    The responsibility of having a victorious family rests absolutely on you and that begins with your perception of the family unit and its benefits. When the purpose for the family is clearly understood, then proper family structure and values will be treasured, strengthened upheld. A lack of understanding and appreciation of the family ultimately creates tendency for abuse, misuse and taking for granted.

    The family can be likened to a highly valuable product. Just like every product requires the necessary raw materials to become finished goods and function excellently, so also the family cannot function successfully until relevant materials are fully processed. Family triumph comes through consistent obedience to God’s Word. To begin however, you must understand the following:

    1.God is interested in the Triumph 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).

    God is the originator of family life and just like every other manufacturer, He desires that His product succeeds. He made all it takes for a triumphant home readily available for you through His Word and obedience is what it takes to access it. Without any doubt, anything associated with God is meant to succeed. Marriage is associated with God, therefore, it is meant to be successful.

    1. Triumph also entails all-round Fruitfulness: When God created the first family, His first interaction with them was to bless them. Among other things, His blessing includes fruitfulness, not just of the body, but in all areas of life. He said to Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful; multiply; replenish the earth; subdue it!” (Genesis 1:27-28). The fact that God rained blessings on the first family clearly indicates that every family is meant to be successful. These blessings will answer for you in Jesus’ name!
    2. To be triumphant, means to have Dominion: Man was created to take dominion over all things, this includes every force that may want to hinder the peace and joy in your home. Dominion means to be in control and marriage was established to be in control of, and not under the control of circumstances and situations of life. 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). You family, therefore, is designed to have dominion over all situations and circumstances of life. This includes, financial, material, health, spiritual, etc. Be endued with this dominion in Jesus’ name!
    3. God designed your home to be filled with Abundance: From the beginning, it is evident that God designed families for abundance because of the place he kept 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). The Garden of Eden was filled with everything that man would ever need. It was a place of abundance and splendour and there was no lack, sickness or terror there. That is God’s plan for your family; 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!

    1. God designed marriage for glory: God designed marriage to take shame away from man. It is meant to advance, increase and promote you. It is not a necessary evil like some people in the world call it, but it is ordained to make life complete for you. You shall not see shame in your home anymore! Marriage brought man into a state of better living, glory and beauty. There was no cause for fear or regret.

    Success in the home begins by knowing God, the Creator of the universe. You get to know God by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour; this means being born again. If you are not born again, you need to surrender your life to Christ. If you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

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

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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

  • A good marriage attracts God’s blessings (3)

    Dear reader, it’s an honour to bring God’s Word your way today. It is my prayer that all you have learnt from these teachings since the month began, will build your family and life, thereby attracting constant blessing to your home. One of God’s blessing in marriage is fruitfulness. This entails both fruitfulness in your physical body and the works of your hand.

    God has ordained you to be fruitful. The first family that ever existed was born into abundance. The Bible says, male and female created he them and God blessed them and said ‘Be FRUITFUL have dominion over fish…fowl and EVERY living thing. I have given you EVERY herb, EVERY tree to you (Genesis 1:27-29). This as an example tells us that abundance talks of surplus, more than enough, prosperity, excess, plenty, an increase. The Lord’s desire for your home is abundance. Prosperity is meant to be your portion not only in your office, Church, or with friends, but most especially in your home.

    God has said to you concerning your home that it shall be: … a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not (Isaiah 58:11). ‘Fail not’ means you will not be short of provisions at home both spiritually and physically. Thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens (Proverbs 27:27). Yet you are wondering: Why is God slow concerning His promises? Has He changed His mind concerning me? Is He angry with me?  Maybe He has not forgiven me that sin I confessed to Him the other day? Or that one committed in my youth?

    The Lord is a God of mercy and slow to anger, at the same time He is a Holy God who is purer eyes than to behold sin in your life (Habakkuk 1:13). He wants your home not only to reflect increase, blessing and joy but to reflect holiness, righteousness, grace and peace. Both sides of the coin are necessary: you can’t have one side without the other. You can’t desire the Lord’s prosperity and increase in your home and reject His holiness and righteousness. The Word of God says: Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and BLESSED him and INCREASED him (Isaiah 51:2).

    Abraham our father of faith enjoyed abundance and: …was VERY RICH in cattle, in silver and in gold (Genesis 13:2). But how did the Lord bless Abraham?  Did he just wake up one day and see riches, cattle, men and maid servants, etc.?  No!  The Lord was able to bless Abraham and his household because he fulfilled a major requirement. The Word of God says: …Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; …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 to him  (Genesis 18:17-19).

    The Lord’s will and desire is to see you and your household swim in abundance but are you willing to fulfill the requirements? That is, will you command your children and household to follow the Lord or will you turn away from God when abundance arrives? God can’t afford to bless some men financially because they just use the money to acquire more wives and begin to do things that cause their household to turn from God. It was Abraham’s diligence in commanding his children (household) in God’s ways that secured abundance for him and generations after. He was not only an example of what the Lord required.  God was able to say, “I know him.  He will make sure everyone follows his example.

    In your home, can you boldly say others can follow your lifestyle?  Can they look at how you live and see God’s glory, holiness and commendation?  If you can’t answer this questions positively then something is wrong somewhere. Don’t be too quick to say, “yes” but closely examine your lifestyle.  Can you tell the little children at home to follow your example and God will be pleased with them?  The Lord knew Abraham was able to do this.  From the passage, the Lord reveals something vital to us. “…that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him”.  The fervency which Abraham gave to conduct his life and the life of his household, according to God’s Word, determined how much of God’s abundance and prosperity he enjoyed.   It was Abraham’s diligence in applying God’s Word that secured God’s blessings and abundance for him.  You need to follow the instructions you have heard God speak concerning your home, your family, your marriage, your parents, before you can see his promises come true in your life.  For almost every instruction God gives, there is a reward; for almost every reward or promise of God there is a responsibility.

    Abundance in your family life is the Lord’s desire for you. However, it must be accompanied by a God-fearing lifestyle for not only you but all under your roof. Note: There is no success without a successor.

    Abundance in the home is not just financial wealth. You can have all the money in the world and still not be prosperous. Also, you can have all the children, furniture or possessions you want and still be lacking in true prosperity.

    You may ask: How do I enjoy abundance in my home?  The Lord Jesus said: The thief comes only in order that he may steal and may kill and may destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in ABUNDANCE to the full, till it overflows (John10:10 Amp).

    The Lord’s presence in your heart and home is the first step to fruitfulness. Allow Jesus to come into your heart now and your story will change. If you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

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

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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

  • A good marriage attracts God’s blessings (2)

    Dear reader, marriage was instituted for better living for mankind.  It is not to bring hurts or constitute a hindrance. If you want your home and marriage to exhibit a better living, God must be at the centre of your heart and home. You have to be open to His Words and follow His instructions. His Words, instructions or commandments are not grievous or burdensome (1 John 5:3).

    It is an easy thing to do. God made man with a desire to please and follow His will (Scripture). The Lord Jesus came to make it easier for man to follow and obey the Word of God. Come, all that labour … for my burden is light and my yoke is easy (Matthew 11:28). Instead of seeking to do things your way, doing them God’s way will give you cheaply the results you desire.

    Family life originated from God; hence, He must be the centre of your family life to enjoy a better living. Countless people are having a near death experience in their family lives. Some have had many wives and still are dissatisfied. Others are separated, while some live a cat and dog life, wishing that someone would deliver them from it. Despite all these, there are some who are enjoying family life and making a success of it. This is not just by luck. Success is not by luck, you programme yourself for the type of success you desire.

    As a born-again child of God, enjoying a better family life is your birthright. It is God’s will and desire for you to enjoy an exciting marriage, an exciting home, life and family. Apart from making God the centre of your family, the next thing you must understand is that family life is meant for better living. It is meant for help, not hurt. The Bible says: I will make him a help (Genesis 2:18); Two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9). One of the ways to enjoy this better living in marriage is to know your role, accept it and work diligently with it.

    It is very important as a man or woman in marriage to accept your responsibility. Nothing works on its own.  You have to work out your marriage to make it a fulfilled one.

    Husband:

    Your primary responsibility is to love, care for and generally oversee the welfare of your 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 marriage.

    It is very important for you to know that your wife is your chief concern, second only to God. As a man, you are the head of the household and you bear the responsibility for the entire family unit. Your leadership position as head of the union places a great responsibility on you to protect, care for, and seek the general well-being of your family spiritually, physically, and emotionally. This must be seen in action and not in mere words. You can tell your wife all day long that you love her, but until you show her that love, your words will do little to strengthen your relationship.

    As a husband, you need to encourage the spiritual development of your family, as Christ encouraged the spiritual development of His disciples.  You must be prepared to lay down your life for your wife and every member of your family if necessary.  This includes giving up selfish hobbies and past times which take you away from family unit or drain needed resources from the family budget.  For the spiritual development of the family, it is also required that as a husband, you lead your household in the study of God’s Word and in regular family devotions.  You are to take the lead particularly by example, in the worship of God.  In addition, you cannot direct the affairs of your family without first having daily fellowship with the Lord in prayers and the study of the Bible.

    Another fundamental responsibility of the husband is to honour his wife (I Peter 3:7).  This, perhaps, is even a higher level of responsibility than just providing for her physical needs. Respect, they say, is reciprocal.  If a man must enjoy respect from his wife, then he must be willing first to invest in it.  He must respect, admire, appreciate, praise and exalt her.

    Wife:

    The woman’s primary responsibility, after the Lord, is to her husband and her children.  The woman received the title of “help meet” in Genesis 2, which clearly established her role in the family as one of a support to her husband.  The Bible specifically demands of the woman, submission in all things.  A man of wisdom, David Lipscomb, wrote, “The submission of the wife to the husband is that of love, respect and reverence, which is befitting the relation she holds to her husband.  In her sphere she is spiritually on equality with man, but as a husband, he is the natural scripturally recognized head and leader of the family.  Her submission must be in accordance with the principles of righteousness, and nothing is required of her inconsistent with Christian character”.

    The idea of submission is a stumbling block to many women, because they equate submission with inferiority.  Men and women are created co-equal by God, but for the purpose of His plan of redemption, God has assigned to each of them differing roles to carry out.  God has clearly called the wife to submit to her own husband.  That is God’s design ordained for her blessings.  The Word of God says: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 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. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing (Ephesians 5:22-24).

    Just as the body submits to the brain located in the head by design, so the wife should submit to the husband who is the head. The manner of submission is as unto the Lord, and the motive is God’s design to make the husband the head of the wife.  When you see a body that does not respond to the head, you see a deformity, you see something that is not normal.  You see a dysfunctional person.  The same is true in a marriage.  Where a wife does not submit to her husband, there is distortion, deformity, and dysfunction.  God has designed that the body respond to the head, and the husband is the head of the wife.

    To fully walk in the light of this truth, you must be born again. This means accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your life. If you are not a part of God’s people and you want to be, now is the best time. Do not postpone or procrastinate rather, if you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

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

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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