The Nation Newspaper

Category: Family Forum

  • Obtaining rest in the family

    Dear Reader, this is a glorious day. It’s a day of rest, laughter, rejoicing and fulfilment. I am so excited today about what God is expounding to His people. He says in His Word that there is a place of rest in Him. He also says, “You have been battered and wounded long enough, come and obtain rest for your soul” (Hebrews 4:9-11). That means, there is rest reserved for you concerning your family-life, career, business, children and finances.

    Therefore, your running around is over. You have carried that burden long enough; an end has come to it. You have been running helter-skelter just to survive; today marks the end of every form of unrest in your life. God says, “For the remaining part of 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 means 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; but I know you can be free today. No matter the mountain or 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, you can be rest assured that the case is settled forever. All He requires of you is to come to Him. Come with the faith that He can do it and with the hope that He can never fail. That thing that causes you heartache, makes you sigh and shed secret tears, I see Jesus walking by your side to lift those burdens off you and give you eternal liberty. He says, “He will do it”, not He may or that He would try. That means 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 steal, kill and destroy. However, Jesus, the Author of life says that if you come to Him, He will give you what the devil cannot access.

    Maybe, as a student, you have been writing a particular examination 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 with no breakfast or lunch in view –not because you are fasting, but there is nothing to eat. I want you to see Jesus take off this yoke from you to 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 (John 1:1-14).

    The Word of God is the water of life. So, take refuge in the Word from 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 that is bothering you? Or is it in the area of your finances? All you have to do is 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 life. As many families as will care to find rest in God’s Word this year, they shall experience turnarounds on every side.

    Do you look through the window more than ten times every night before going to bed? Do you do more work in your sleep than when you are awake because every bit of noise you hear wakes you up? That 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, it shall be sweet and nothing shall make you afraid. God cannot lie (Psalms 127:2).

    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 form of accident. Then your heart begins to pant and skip a beat; this ought not to be so. Jesus says, “Come unto me…” That means it is in coming that you have total rest either on the road, in the air or on the sea. Come to Him today; dedicate your family to Him and hand over all your children to Him. So that, whenever your children travel or go to school, you will not imagine all sorts of evil, accident, kidnap, immoralities, etc. As a result, your mind will be at rest. When you and your family members come to Jesus on the basis of His Word, you all have a sure covering in His Blood! By so doing, you can be rest assured that your children, business and all that belongs to you would not suffer what the people of the world suffers.

    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 you will be at rest in every aspect of your life.

    The Scripture above says you should confess with your mouth, and then believe what you have said in your heart. The time for you to do that is right now. Wherever you are reading this article, kneel down and with conviction in your heart that you desire the rest that comes only from God for you and your family, say: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

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

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

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

  • How to manage your home (1)

    Dear Reader, welcome to another wonderful segment of this month’s teaching series. I established from the Word of God, last week, that the head and the leader of the home is the husband (Ephesians 5:23). He has the God-ordained task and responsibility to take the lead in the management of the home. However, it is important to note that in exercising the mantle of leadership, the man must be a loving leader and not a taskmaster.

    Love is a necessary ingredient for effective leadership. Without it, those who are being led may eventually refuse to follow and choose to go their own ways. Jesus Christ heads the Church with the rod of love. Likewise, every husband will need the same rod of love to get the effective followership of his family members. When a husband demonstrates his love for his wife and children, he will be able to lead his home with ease. The truth is that no one hates to be loved. As a husband, don’t just rejoice at the fact that you are the head of the home; be ready to fulfill the following responsibilities attached. In continuation of the role of the man in the home, you must understand that as the head, leader and man, one of your responsibilities is to:

    Be A Provider In Your Home:

    The husband is designed to be the provider, making provisions available to his household. The Bible says, But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse that an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8). It is not scriptural for the wife to be the chief provider in the home. Just as Christ is the Head of the church and provides for it, even so, every man is expected to make provisions for his home. Don’t sell your birthright to your wife by relegating your God-given responsibility to her. God did not make any mistake by making you the head of the home. He, in His infinite wisdom, already knew the situation of your family before the foundation of the earth. So, if in spite of that foreknowledge, He still chose to make you head and provider, then live up to His expectation. That is why the marriage institution is not for boys but for mature men.

    To be a successful husband, you need to be productive, hardworking, thoughtful and a genuine planner. If you say God will provide, you are right. But He has said it is through you, the man, that He will provide for your family. The age long system of women going to the farm while men sit down and rest is not the Christ-order of leadership. Men need to get to work to be respected at home. When a man stops looking after his household, his life becomes worse than an infidel (one who has no religious beliefs).

    Some men leave home, not concerned whether their family members have eaten or not. This is a violation of covenant obligations, and it is very risky. You must be concerned about your wife and children’s welfare. No man has any right to wear new clothes, when his family is going about in rags. You should set aside some amount of money from whatever you earn, to cater for the personal needs of your wife and children.

    The Bible says: A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinners is laid up for the just (Proverbs 13:22). Some men shy away from their responsibilities and don’t give their wives home-keeping allowance, under the guise that their wives are working. This is not right! It is not of God. The scriptures say that the man should provide for his own household (1Timothy 5:8). Prayer is not the way to enjoy success in home management; it is by accepting responsibility for your home.

    A great burden is placed on you, as the man, to love your wife as Christ loves the Church, and you are not exempted from this responsibility even if your wife is not submissive. This responsibility can be accomplished only by sacrifices, being a godly example and through an unconditional devotion, commitment and dedication to your family. The Word of God says: Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them (Colossians 3:19); Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.  He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church (Ephesians 5:25,28-29).

    Learn how to say, “I am Sorry”:

    Some men find it hard to say, “I am sorry, please forgive me,” because of their ego. But a man that desires his home to be heaven on earth, 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.

    Compliment your wife:

    As a husband, you need to always compliment your wife about those good qualities in her and that will bring out the best in her. Every human being loves to be praised either for what he has done or simply for who he is.

    No one is perfect. Express your appreciation for those areas that she is good at verbally. 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 and your relationship will be heaven on earth!

    The first step to take, in order to be the man that God ordained you to be for your family, is to become a bona fide child of God. If you are already born again, rejoice because your case is settled. 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).

  • How to manage your home

    Dear Reader, congratulations! You have successfully gone through the first half of this New Dawn year! I believe God has been dealing wonderfully well with you and your family. It is my prayers that all through the year, every day shall speak goodness for you. This month, I will be teaching on: ‘How to Manage Your Home.’ I am sure that by the end of this month, God will set a new order in your home for positive transformation in Jesus’ name.

    The home, like any other organisation needs to be properly managed to get the best out of it. To manage means, to effectively rule your home by directing and controlling its affairs in order to find fulfillment and joy in it. A glorious home is not a product of wishes, fasting or prayer; it is only attained by operating in the wisdom of the Almighty God. It is not enough to build a home, it has to be sustained and maintained.

    In home management, both the man and the woman have roles to play. Therefore, if any unpleasant situation arises, both parties need to check if they are fulfilling their duties accurately. Responsibility, they say, is the price for greatness. You must be ready to pay the price to get the prize. If the home is not handled and managed properly with guiding rules, it suffers mishaps and tragedies. That is why I know that by the time we are through with this series, your struggle will be over in Jesus’ mighty name.

    FOR THE MAN

    Be A Leader In Your Home

    The man is the principal figure in the family unit. God reckons with his position as head of the home and holds him responsible for any mishap that occurs in it.  The man as the husband, is the God-ordained leader of the home and not an uncle, a friend or an in-law. He must, therefore, be ready to accept the responsibility of leadership. The Bible says,For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body (Ephesians 5:23).

    He should accept his fair share of the blame for the things that go wrong. For instance, when anything goes wrong in a moving vehicle, the person to blame is the driver. Likewise, the husband is the driver of the home and should be answerable when things are not right. We see it illustrated in God’s Word when, after Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the Lord God called unto Adam first before Eve (Genesis 3:9).  Adam, as the head of the home, was asked by God to explain the sudden failure in their home.

    To lead means giving guidance by going first or in front. As a husband, your job is to ensure that rules that aim at the overall interest of the family are in place and are complied with by your own example. Some husbands don’t have any problem with setting the rules in the home, their problem is showing exemplary behaviour by being the first to obey these rules. Please note that leadership by example is leadership indeed. I have never had a problem following my husband’s rules because he is always quick at showing the example of what he wants done in the home.

    Husbands are under an obligation to lead their homes in the way of the Lord. Gods’ testimony about Abraham was: I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord (Genesis 18:19). Husband, what will be God’s testimony about you in your home? The Bible tells us that it was Adam that named Eve. Whatever you call your wife is what she will be to you. If you call her sweet, joy, peace or love that is what she will be to you. On the other hand, if you say she is stupid, wicked or idle, that is what she will be to you.

    Just as in every human organisation, there is need for one to assume the mantle of leadership in the home; husbands, should not be a sellout to their wives.

    Leadership is by no means a cheap task; it requires strength and courage. Wherever you go, that’s where your family goes. It is your responsibility to lead effectively and several things can help you do so:

    v              Be grounded in the Word of God. A sound knowledge of the Word will help you make sound and quality decisions.

    v              Pattern your leadership after that of Jesus (1 Cor. 11:3)

    v              Lead tenderly, yet firmly and decisively.

    v              Let your decisions take into cognisance the welfare of your wife, children and other family members.

    v              Involve your wife in the decision-making process (be prepared to listen to her contributions and advice; but accept responsibility for the final                  decision).

    v              Be ready to accept blame for whatever goes wrong and be willing to give God all the glory for everything that goes right.

    v              Accept responsibility for providing spiritual leadership for the family. Don’t leave your children and family to social institutions like the                            school, society or even the church to raise for you. Take time out to teach your family the Word of God, ensure that each member of the                            family is born-again and filled with the Holy Spirit.

    v              Also, take practical steps to ensure that each one is on the right path, by helping them discover their purpose (Genesis 18:19).

    Lack of management in the home is a serious problem, which quite a number of families are facing today! In case you have abandoned your legitimate duty of leadership over your home, you have to repent now and allow God to give you a new life altogether. Allow Jesus Christ, the builder of all things, to come into your life and home to help you discharge your duty as the head of the home.

    If you are already born again, rejoice because your case is settled. 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).

  • God’s promise of fruitfulness (3)

    Dear Reader, today, we shall be exploring on the topic ‘Having and Raising Godly Children’. Every child needs to undergo a process of moulding, when he or she is instructed and drilled in preparation for the contest of life. In other words, every child needs training. Why? Simply because God is in search of a godly seed, and the only way to arrive at having godly seed is through training.

    The Bible speaking to the couple says: Yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth (Malachi 2: 14-15). For us to make a difference as parents, we must learn the act of not only having, but also raising children unto the Lord – Godly children who will live and take their generations for Christ.

    No one comes into the world by chance. For every human creation of God (male or female), there is a purpose for him or her. We must be ready, therefore as caretakers of God’s creature, to discharge our duties with utmost care and according to the pattern, even as God Himself would have done it. I believe, therefore, that this article will be a useful tool for both the singles and the married.

    For the singles, you have the additional privilege of having all the aces in your hands before you actually begin the experience. If you are young now, remember, one day it will be your turn to marry and begin to raise a family. You need the wisdom of God. If you know these things now, and you set yourself to applying them, then the Bible says, happy will you be. The Word of God never grows old. For those who are about to get married, as you look forward to a Godly man coming your way, also begin to plan and get ready for raising Godly children. We must see the ways of God as higher than our own ways and also better and more result-producing, if we must find rest for our souls. For the grannies, the Bible commands to ‘teach the younger women’ (Titus 2:4). Let us learn and pass Godly instructions to the future generation, so that our world will be a better place. May the good Lord give us all understanding!

    The Word of God can never fail. He doesn’t speak idle words. Our life and future depend on it. As parents, it is important that we understand how God sees our children because until we do, we cannot show them the exact direction to go. What is God’s perspective of our children?

    Children are God’s heritage

    The Bible says: Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward (Psalms.127:3). As far as God is concerned, children are His heritage. The word heritage means inheritance. Just as divine health is part of your inheritance in redemption, so are children. Just the same way you will react against sickness and disease, knowing that it is the devil trying to rob you of your inheritance, you must react against barrenness.

    The devil comes to you in the thoughts of your mind and tells you there’s no way you can have children. Don’t start weeping, No! You have what it takes to stand your ground and tell him, “Devil, to hell with you! Children are the heritage of the Lord not you. They are part of my inheritance in redemption. You can’t rob me of my inheritance. Now lose your grip!” I assure you that despite any negative medical report, you will carry your own children in your hands! You can stand your ground and God will honour your faith! In case the devil has made you to shed secret tears because you are yet to have children, I want you to settle this in your heart that God has more than enough children for you and He will not deny you the privilege of carrying your own children!

    Children are in His agenda

    God must see children as important, otherwise they would not have played an important role in His agenda, right from the beginning. Look at Samuel, as a child, he had begun to hear and understand the voice of God. What about David? It was as a youth (not an adult) that he killed Goliath. Then what would you say about Jesus? By the time He was twelve, the Bible says He was already in the temple, reasoning with doctors of the law. So, as a child He was already in God’s agenda. All over the Scripture, children have always played an important role in the agenda of God. That is why I know that there is a place in God’s agenda for your children. Please allow them to fit  into that.

    Jesus Blessed Them

    One further proof that God sees our children as very important is found in the life of Jesus. Jesus spent a great part of His ministry blessing children (helping, healing, raising dead children, etc.) If Jesus spent time blessing them, why do you see yours as a curse? The Bible records in Matthew 19:13-15: Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.And he laid his hands on them.

    Jesus not only carried the children and blessed them, He taught His disciples to respect them! So, children too deserve respect. What is wrong in saying sorry to them when you offend them? That word of apology may look small but those children never forget. But if you keep hurting them and never say sorry, you may think that they have forgotten but even after many years, the pain will still be there. If the disciples had to learn to respect children, so must you, because the children of today are the generation of adults tomorrow! Children are therefore not nonentities! They are young human beings. If you have this perspective of them, you will be able to train them more effectively.

    It takes being a child of God to truly comprehend and understand the place of a child in God’s agenda. If you are not yet born again and you would like to, please pray this simple prayer:Having a Christian home begins with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.  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).

  • God’s promise of fruitfulness (3)

    Dear Reader, we have had wonderful sessions since we began this series on fruitfulness. In the first week, you learnt that a consecrated heart and genuine service to God is a guaranteed way of being fruitful.

    Last week, you were also taught some keys to engage with when confronted with delay in child bearing. In this edition, I will be discussing with you on:Principles to a stress-free pregnancy period.

    God’s Word can never be broken! He declared you fruitful and you are indeed fruitful. Now that you have been blessed with the fruit of the womb, what next? This may sound funny to you, maybe because this is not your first pregnancy or you are already a grandma, or even still, you are not married yet. Remember, there is always something new in the Word of God. Pregnancy, as it were, might be seen by some people as traumatic and hectic. But I tell you, by the Word, it can be quite exciting and filled with ease. This shall be your own experience in Jesus’ Name. Amen. If we are to groom children for greatness, we must begin with their conception, through delivery, unto adulthood. The Bible in Psalms 139:13-16 says that right from conception, He has known us. In the entire pages of the Bible, it was never recorded that any woman had a traumatic pregnancy period due to some medical anomalies. The Bible is our perfect guide and blueprint for successful living. We must not, as covenant children, give excuses for the lies of the devil. If we follow the instructions contained in it, we shall not experience what the people of the world do experience. So, what are the blueprints for a stress-free conception for God’s covenant children?

    1. Make Joy Your Life Style:

    The Bible says: Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). Make joy a lifestyle. As you wake up in the morning, whether you feel like it or not, praise God. Let everything within you spell joy. As you form the habit of letting joy surge from within you, every part of your body system is revitalized. The Bible says: A merry heart doeth good like a medicine(Proverbs 17:22). It has been said that during pregnancy, moods swing. You are up now, but down in the next minute. You begin to frown at everyone around you. You are easily irritated. This shouldn’t be with a covenant child of God. The Bible says the Hebrew women were lively. For you to be lively on the delivery table, joy must have been part and parcel of you. It is already in your system.

    Consider this, the Bible says in Luke 1:44: For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. If the mother was not joyful, how would she have known that the baby in her womb was leaping for joy at the instance of that greeting? Don’t let the time of pregnancy be a time of depression for you. Remain joyful, glorifying God for the wonderful experience of procreating with Him. I tell you, women are most privileged of God. It is just a unique experience that cannot be absolutely described. Joy is an important ingredient in the school of healthy living. It is better to stay healthy by remaining joyful, than spending money on drugs by being moody or sad.

    1. Study the Word of God

    The Word of God is the bed rock of all things in life. The Bible says He upholds all things by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). All things include you and the baby in your womb. Read the Word, meditate and study it. This is the time to drink in the juice of the Word, for your ‘health’ and the baby’s. The Word is the maker of all things. It has power to create. The Bible says: In the beginning was the Word…. And nothing was made without the Word(John 1:1,3 paraphrased). Fill your belly with the Word of God. Speak it to the baby in your womb. Sow the seed of God’s Word into his/her life.

    1. Be Prayerful

    No one can pray for you like you. Commune with God on the basis of His Word, which you have received. The Psalmist exclaimed: O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come (Psalm 65:2). Soak yourself and the baby in the Blood of Jesus. Destroy the hold of the enemy upon the developing child in the womb and also on yourself. Commit and dedicate the child to God, even while inside the womb. Pray concerning the delivery day. Cover yourself, the baby, the birth attendants, the clinic, the materials to be used, etc. with the blood. Commit his life, school, career, marriage, life, etc. into God’s hands. Pregnancy is not a licence to begin to go from house to house, talking and gossiping with neighbours and friends, just because you no longer have to go to your business place. Invest your time in prayers and secure your environment from any form of evil.

    1. Keep the Right Company

    Show me your friend, and I will show you who you are. Don’t keep company with negative talkers. People who only remember those that died during pregnancy or childbirth are dangerous. Those who only talk about babies born deformed are to be feared and run away from. Saturate and clean your environment of any negative talking. Negative talks don’t edify, flee from such companies. Foolish talks bring disasters. In fact, the Word says foolishness kills. Don’t try it. Anywhere you see them talking negatively, draw away and fill your own heart with positive reports.

    As you combine all these with personal hygiene, taking a lot of rest, taking balanced meal diet, (not just eating any junk that comes your way,) and adhering to the advice from your medical personnel (I mean qualified medical personnel in the field of gynecology and obstetrics), you are set for the easiest time of pregnancy and delivery, bringing forth a Godly seed to the glory of God.

    Are you born again? If your answer is no and you would want to be born again and to be called a child of God, say this prayer of 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).

  • God’s promise of fruitfulness (1)

    Dear Reader, it is another privilege to share God’s Word with you. I mentioned last week that God’s greatest desire is that you have your miracle children. I started by pointing out the fact that God’s plan and purpose for every family is to be fruitful and multiplied. Just as He instituted marriage and placed everything at their disposal to make life pleasurable and pleasant for them, He also decreed that man shall be fruitful and nothing or nobody can make man unfruitful.

    In this edition, I shall focus on some peculiar set of people, who perhaps are facing physical unfruitfulness right now and what they can do to come out triumphant in this battle. Immediately after establishing the first home, the Bible says: And God blessed them… (Genesis 1:28). In other words, He proclaimed blessings on them, not curses. When God blesses, no man can curse (Numbers 23:20); His blessings stick!

    This should excite you, because it means that no matter the family into which you were born or married, it is God’s intention to bless your family. Your family is blessed; and because the blessing of God make rich and adds no sorrow to it (Proverbs 10:22), whatever has been causing sorrow in your family is rolled away right now!

    One major cause of crisis in homes today is curses, particularly curses from the devil and his agents. You find a husband and wife who have vowed to love each other for the rest of their lives and who are believers, quarreling, fighting or even going as far as divorce just for a very temporary delay in bringing forth children. While, any of these can be traced to many other factors, for many, there is a curse at work.

    However, no matter where that curse is coming from, because you are connected to God and you are a child of destiny, I see God turning those curses into blessings. God has declared in His Word: Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. Nevertheless, the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee (Deuteronomy 23:4-5)

    But, when Faced with barrenness, what do you do?

    1. Praise Him(Psalm 67:5-7)

    Praise is comely. As you praise Him, your womb begins to yield her increase. Stop murmuring, God is not against you. Stop complaining, God is not the cause of your trouble. Remember Hannah, year in and out, she went to Shiloh with her husband, full of complaints that her mate was mocking her. Until she learnt the art of heartfelt prayer and vow to God, nothing happened. Stop looking at your distractors, face your God. When you look up to the sun, you don’t see the shadows. Look up unto the Sun of Righteousness and let your healing and deliverance from the bondage of barrenness come speedily.

    Wake up in the morning, let joy fill your heart and soul. Sing His praise and thank Him for a good day ahead. Thank Him that you are even in your right senses to know the desire of your heart. Will a mad woman on the street remember being barren? Thank Him that you even have a husband who is one flesh with you for procreation. Thank Him for His Word that can never fail in your life. Thank Him and thank Him again. As you keep rejoicing in Him, everything that the devil has stolen is being replaced, and sooner than you even think, you will carry your baby. God did not give Hannah only one child as she requested, but many more children followed. This shall be your portion.

    1. Get Rid of Unbelief:

    Unbelief symbolizes lack of faith in God or His ability to make you fruitful. It always places a limit on God because He cannot go outside His Word to bless you. The Bible says: According to your faith be it unto you (Mathew 9:29). Until the stone of unbelief is rolled away from your heart, your miracle cannot reach you. Therefore, it is time to get out of unbelief and enter into faith. Remember, faith guarantees victory.

    1. Shun Tradition and Vain Philosophies:

    When you agree with tradition, you make the Word of God ineffective in your life. Tradition can be defined as a tale, belief or practice handed down to one from generation to generation. While Philosophy is the investigation of the nature of being, knowledge or cause effect of all things. Many have accepted that they might not be able to conceive because medical doctor has confirmed they do not ovulate, menstruate or even have a womb. However, I have seen God over and again break such rules of medical science.

    Some others might have been pregnant and because they saw signs of blood, they assume they had a miscarriage. The truth is, the report you choose to believe will determine your outcome.

    A woman recently shared her testimony in faith tabernacle of how she was said not to be ovulating and her husband had low sperm count. However, God broke those negative medical verdicts when he confirmed her set of twins, even when several scan results could not detect these babies. They chose to believe the report of God, engaging in Kingdom advancement services to God and He proved Himself faithful in their lives. You too can have the same testimony if you chose to believe God’s Words, over whatever anyone has to say.

    1. Destroy all Alternatives:

    God is a jealous God. He will never share His glory with anyone, talk less of an idol. Whatever else, apart from God that you put your trust in acts as a hinderance to God’s intervention in your life. The Bible says: They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed (Psalm 34:5). Those who rely on God are never be stranded. He is a covenant keeper; when you believe His report, He reveals His mighty hand to you.

    Nothing has power to stand against your being fruitful. All it takes is knowledge – locating yourself in the Word of God. If you want to enjoy fruitfulness, as God has declared you to be, go for the light of God’s Word. Keep declaring it until that barren situation disappears. As it is recorded in John 1:5, no situation is too much for God to handle. Countless number of people got their own testimonies simply by operating God’s Word and your own will not be an exception. By the power backing the Word, I bring to you today, that situation of barrenness is consumed right now. You are liberated! I declare you fruitful in Jesus’ Name! This is your own month! Your trials are over in the Precious Name of Jesus Christ! I await your testimonies!

    Have you been born again? If your answer is no and you would want to be born again and to be called a child of God, say this prayer of 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)

  • Calcium

    Calcium is the most abundant nutritional mineral in the body.  The majority of it, 99%, is found in bones and teeth where calcium is important for their structure and function.  It gives strength to bones and teeth.  Calcium is also stored in bones for use in general body functions.  Some calcium is released into the blood when blood levels of calcium fall short and some is taken back into bone stores when calcium level in the blood rises too high.  Thus blood calcium level remains balanced because of the bone stores.  Bone itself undergoes continuous remodelling, with constant resorption and deposition of calcium into new bone. Resorption is the destruction, disappearance, or dissolution of a tissue or part by biochemical activity. It happens in bones and tooth dentin. Certain cells called osteoclasts break down the tissue in bones and release the minerals.   Another type of cells called osteoblasts are involved in bone formation and cause calcium to be deposited into bone from the blood. “Bone remodelling is a process which maintains bone strength and ion homeostasis by replacing discrete parts of old bone with newly synthesized packets of proteinaceous matrix. Bone is resorbed by osteoclasts, and is deposited by osteoblasts in a process called ossification” (Wikipedia).

    Bone formation exceeds resorption during growth in children and adolescents.  In adults up to about 50 years (midlife), both processes are balanced. In postmenopausal women (50 plus) and older men (70 plus), bone breakdown exceeds formation, resulting in bone loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis over time.  For this reason, adults under 50 years of age need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day while postmenopausal women (51 plus) and geriatric men (71 plus) need about 12000 milligrams of calcium per day.

    Calcium is required for muscle contraction. The blood vessels need to be constantly fit for blood pressure regulation by contraction and dilatation (vasoreactivity).  Blood vessels require calcium for contraction. The heart needs to be constantly fit for pumping oxygenated and nutrition rich blood to the brain and all other parts of the body.  Heart muscle require calcium for contraction. Muscles in the chest involved in breathing require calcium for contraction.  All skeletal muscles involved in bodily movements that we need for life processes: talking, walking, working, dancing, sports, etc., require calcium.

    Calcium is also required for nerve transmission and brain function and, within all cells, signalling functions that determine biological processes including hormone secretions.

    Less than 1% of total body calcium is needed for these critical metabolic functions.  The rest is in bones. The presence of calcium in blood and its balance in extracelluar and intracellular environment is very important and is tightly regulated and does not fluctuate with changes in dietary intakes in healthy individuals.   The balance is maintained by calcium absorbed from the intestines, calcium movement into and out of the bones, and the kidney’s reabsorption of calcium from the forming urine or excretion of calcium into the urine.

    Three hormones involved are: parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin and calcitriol (or 1, 25 dihydroxy vitamin D, the active form of vitamin D). When blood levels of calcium falls, the parathyroid glands in the lower part of the neck release PTH into the blood and this stimulates osteoclasts to release calcium from the bone and the kidney to prevent calcium from being excreted in the urine and to synthesize calcitriol.  All these players increase blood calcium levels.

    The hormone calcitonin tones down the process of elevating blood calcium.  Calcitonin is produced by special cells in the thyroid gland different from the thyroid hormone containing cells. Calcitonin is released into the blood and gets to the bones and makes osteoclasts to slow down removal of calcium from bone.

    The PTH system with several hormones working in concert is the day-to-day regulation of calcium levels through the monitoring of blood calcium levels.  A more prompt regulation is by osteocytes that can instantly change their contribution of calcium to the blood depending on if blood levels are too high or too low.

    Calcium is naturally found in some foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, and sardines with bones, calcium is added to some processed foods such as fortified juices and cereals.

    High calcium intake, e.g. by taking some antacid tablets, can cause constipation.  Imbalance of calcium levels can occur with thyroid dysfunction or cancer. Excessive high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia) can cause kidney failure, vascular and soft tissue calcification, hypercalciuria (high levels of calcium in the urine) and kidney stones. High intake of calcium from supplements has been associated with increased risk of kidney stones. High amounts of calcium due to dysfunction in various compartments of the body can lead to a disease such as hypertension.

    Calcium supplements can react with some medications such as thiazide diuretics, biphosphonates  used to treat osteoporosis, the fluoroquinolone and tetracycline classes of antibiotics, levothyroxine, phenytoin (an anticonvulsant), and tiludronate disodium  used to treat Paget’s disease.  Serious problems can occur.  Glucocorticoids such as prednisone and cortisol used to control inflammatory conditions can cause calcium depletion and lead to osteoporosis.

    For healthy amounts of calcium eating vegetables and milk products regularly should suffice.

    Dr. Theresa Adebola John is a lecturer at Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) and an affiliated researcher at the College of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis.  For any comments or questions on this column, please email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 08160944635

  • God’s promise of fruitfulness (1)

    Dear Reader, A wonderful New Month to you! In this sixth month of the year, God’s awesome presence shall be made manifest in your home, bringing about great signs and wonders. If you have waited a while to hold your baby in your hands, I am glad to let you know that this month is your time of visitation!

    Barrenness is an issue that transverse geographical, economic and social barriers. This challenge has made many people to engage in unspeakable things, so they could be called parents or be successful in life. Many people have found themselves in strange places, sacrificing to strange gods; yet, to no avail. The truth is, your long-awaited answer is in Jesus Christ. From the beginning, God blessed man: And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (Genesis 1:28).

    When God blesses, He adds no sorrow to it! So, receive your long-awaited blessings now, in Jesus’ name! This month, we will be examining the topic: God’s Promise of Fruitfulness. When God told Adam to be fruitful, it was not intended for him alone, but all human beings that would come after him. So, from the beginning, before you ever came into existence, you have been proclaimed blessed.

    You must understand that the word ‘fruitful’ does not only include physical fruitfulness or child bearing but to be successful and have good results. In other words, God blessed the family and said, “Be successful, have good results”. If God said, “Be fruitful”, it means He had made adequate provisions for you to be fruitful in all ramifications. God is not wicked; He will not ask you to do what He knows you do not have the ability to do. So, when He said “Be fruitful, and multiply,” it should dawn on you that you have what it takes!

    Fruitfulness is not reserved for a few people; every child of God is ordained to be fruitful. The Bible says:

    Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle (Deuteronomy 7:14). You need a working knowledge of your covenant of fruitfulness

    to take what belongs to you. Just in case you have been looking up to God for the blessing of children, you can be sure that God will put your own miracle into your hands right now! God has designed your home to be a heaven on earth, and in heaven, there is no barrenness, everything is productive, you cannot remain barren.

    But what are the factors that make the covenant of fruitfulness effective?

    1.Consecration: God through several Scriptures have made it clear that righteousness provokes or gives room to His blessings upon our lives. If being fruitful is part of God’s blessing, then consecrating ourselves will grant us access to these blessings. The Bible says: The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing (Psalm 92:12, 14)

    What does consecration mean? It is to ”set apart, or be separated, for use by the Lord”. It is the giving of our whole being to God for service.Many people have undertaken risky and frustrating journeys, all in search of fruitfulness. Until you find your place in Christ, this journey will be more frustrating. There is a covenant of fruitfulness with Christ and this come by truly dedicating your life to Him. God’s foundation as stated in 2 Timothy 2:19 cannot be changed, whoever builds on it can be sure of all round fruitfulness, including having your biological children.

    2.Service: The Bible says: And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil (Exodus 23:25-26).When you genuinely serve God, you commit Him to your welfare.

    Service means giving yourself to the advancement of God’s Kingdom through prayers, fasting, reaching out to lost souls, seeking the welfare of other believers and giving your time and energy to the advancement of God’s work on the earth. When you are truly committed to these, God’s integrity is intact to ensure your fruitfulness. Take the story of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4, as an example. She devoted her time and resources for the care of Prophet Elisha and she received the blessings of a son in return. Even when that child was challenged, he was raised instantly by her devotion to the Prophet (2 Kings 4:16-17).

    When you are actively in God’s service, you are entitled to a reward and Psalm 127:3 says: Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As you covenant to serve God today, I see Him making you fruitful.

    Marriage is designed for fruitfulness. Barrenness is not of God and should not be seen as a lesson or punishment from God; He tempts no man with evil. If there is anything like that, it is of the devil. Remember, the devil is the thief who has come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). If you are married and reading this article and you are expecting the fruit of the womb, know that God is very interested in your being fruitful and multiplied. The devil is the cause of your affliction. A loving father does not give his son a stone in place of bread. Splash the Blood of Jesus on the devil and collect back your inheritance from him now!

    For instance, you have been married for a few years now, and you are running out of patience with God. Maybe, there are even some mockers around you saying it to your hearing that you are ‘Baba or Mama nobody’, rejoice and be glad. Why? The will of your heavenly Father is that you be fruitful and the Word says: For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly (Psalms 84:11).

    He will not ask you to come back tomorrow for this good thing; It is in His power to give you and He will surely give it to you now. This is your hour. God has made known His will to you. Who can turn His hand back? What kind of medical report can annul what the Almighty Himself says? Whose report will you then believe? Relax and stop panicking and running helter-skelter! Stop cursing and abusing your mockers! Be at peace with yourself and with your God and let His Word come to pass in your life.

    If you are already born again, rejoice because your case is settled. 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).

  • The failure-proof principle (4)

    Dear Reader, you are welcome to the last edition in the series for the month. I believe your home has been experiencing a positive transformation. One of the most important lessons we learnt is that love must be expressed in words and actions. It is my prayer that you will be a diligent doer of God’s Word in Jesus’ name.

    It is also critical to note that love must be expressed in thoughts. Love essentially starts from the heart and eventually finds expression through the mouth and by actions. Couples must learn, beginning from the thoughts of their hearts, to love their spouses. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). When your heart is full of loving thoughts, it readily finds expression in the words you speak. If a man for instance, uses abusive words on his wife, he is speaking out of the abundance of his heart. Until he changes the contents of his thoughts, he cannot speak otherwise.

    However, to effectively express love in your home, you must practice it the Bible way. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (TLB) tells us practically what love should be. It says: Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong.  It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.  If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.

    Personally, when reading this scripture, I try to put my name in it; asking myself if I have been loving just the way this scripture describes it. I will be taking this step-by-step for better understanding.

    Love is Patient and Kind:

    God’s Word instructs that we love with patience; that is, not being easily provoked. You should be willing and ready to accommodate whatever behavior or excesses your spouse possesses. Jesus exemplified kindness. Many of the miracles He did were out of compassion; even when the people didn’t deserve His kindness. So, your spouse might not deserve your kindness, because of his or her character; but loving the Bible way requires that you still express practically and genuine love in kindness and patience.

    Love is Never Jealous or Envious:

    Can you imagine Jesus being jealous of the achievements of His disciples? Love rejoices and desires that your spouse excels or succeeds at any given task. The truth is: the reason why some partners get jealous at the successes of their spouses is because they have not seen themselves as partners but opponents. When you understand that your husband or wife is your partner, you realize that whatever success one person achieves, is also enjoyed by the other.

    Loving your spouse as Christ love the Church means, being the catalyst for the other person’s success, not a deterrent. Whatever I have come to know in God today, the bulk of it was learnt from my dear husband. Were it not for his love and encouragement, I don’t know what life would have been like for me. So, do not fail to render your support to your spouse, for the end result will be enjoyed by both of you.

    Love is not Boastful or Proud:

    Being boastful means always bragging about your accomplishments or how better off you are compared to your spouse. Some spouses get carried away by their responsibilities in the home. They feel because they are the breadwinners, all other members of the home are less important. The truth is: Your humility goes a long way in creating the right atmosphere in your home. When you remain, humble God keeps lifting you and supplying all your needs (James 4:6).

    Love is Not Selfish, Haughty or Rude:

    Me, myself or I, has destroyed so many homes. Marriage is built on selflessness and courtesy. Couples must learn to pay the price of selflessness if they want an enviable marriage. Being rude to your spouse is not love; just as derogatory remarks and sarcasm do not please God. If you disrespect your spouse, you will be passing across a wrong message to your children and other family members, because your spouse will be mostly respected by others, just the way they see you respect him/her.

    Love does not Demand its own ways:

    Love is not self-willed; it does not demand always for his/her own rights. Love is not forceful, but pleasant. The Bible says: Pleasant  words are as an honeycomb, sweet  to the soul, and health to the bones (Proverbs 16: 24). You could exact your authority over someone pleasantly, without making the person feel inferior. Love makes you speak politely at all times, no matter who you are talking to, or the relationship you share with that person.

    Love does not hold grudges or notice when it’s wronged:

    A grudge, is an angry feeling against a person for something he has done in the past. This leads to unforgiveness. Meanwhile, love is expected to forgive and forget as it does not keep records of wrongs. Love approaches the other party as if he/she has never wronged you. If you claim to love your spouse, then you must learn to forgive all wrongs, and practice that in advance. This means, you give room for his/her mistakes and let go of all. Keeping grudges create vacuum in the home, which becomes a breeding ground for other negative vices. You must not allow it!

    Remember that the love you express to your spouse today goes a long way in creating a better and brighter future for your children. It becomes difficult for children to love, when they see their parents fighting and arguing in their presence. The best way to teach them is by example. Tell them you love them and ask them if they love you too. It is not enough to buy them clothes and shoes, give them your time and attention too, but most especially give them an atmosphere of love.

    When you study the lives of some of the great, positive, history-making figures, you will often find that they speak of the influence of a parent. Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “All that I am I owe to my angel mother.” General Douglas Mac Arthur said, “My sainted mother taught me devotion to God and a love of my country which have ever sustained me. To her I yield anew a son’s reverent thanks.” It is my earnest prayer that your children will arise and call you blessed, sharing wonderful testimonies of how you have impacted their lives.

    In conclusion, brethren, God is love! To bring God’s righteousness, peace and joy into your marriage and home, you need to beborn again. Having a Christian home begins with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.  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, 070263854 or 081413202004.

    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).

  • The failure-proof principle (3)

    Hello Reader, you are welcome to another exciting edition of this month’s teaching series. From all we have learnt since the month began, I believe you have been expressing your love to your spouse and other family members practically. Expressing love to others is one practical way of showing that you obey God’s Word. God designed marriage and family for love, joy, peace, pleasure and prosperity. Lack of love is responsible for most of the crises in the home. Love is a vital key that unlocks all other blessings of marriage. In other words, when love is given expression in the home, there will be joy, peace, fruitfulness, progress, etc.

    As I have said time and again, love is not love until it is expressed. For Husbands, love is essential for effective leadership. Without it, those who are being led may eventually refuse to follow and choose to go their own ways. Jesus Christ heads the Church with the rod of love. Likewise, every husband will need the same rod of love to get the effective followership of his family members.

    However, the important issue that will be addressed in today’s article is: Love by Action.

    Someone rightly said, “Action speaks louder than words.” There’s a place for words, but there is also a place for action. Lending a helping hand, being available, all make a lot of difference in relationships. They are ways of saying, “I care.” Someone once said that it can be quite frustrating for a woman to be engaged in housework, while the man just sits in front of the television enjoying a game of football and from time to time turnaround to say to the tired and worn-out woman, “I love you dear.” She knows you love her; at least you have said so. But take a step, help her by doing your fair share of household chores; it adds credence to your words!

    Here is the testimony of a brother who put this wisdom to use: “When the Bishop’s wife taught us the course Family Life at the Bible school, one would have thought she had secretly conducted a research on me, because every aspect of the lecture was directed at me, positively or negatively! After the second day of course, I got home and saw that my wife had to carry 20 crates of soft drinks down the road, while she was at the same time getting dinner ready. Unknown to her, I packed all the crates into my car and took them there for her. When I got home behold my wife was at the door and seeing that I had packed all the crates down the road, she started singing and dancing! Children of God that was all the service I needed to have rendered in my family; and ever since, it’s been tranquility, joy and peace galore!” –David, D.

    Ways to give Action to your Love

    By Touching: Sometimes, a touch speaks just as much as words. It communicates,” I am with you.” It keeps the fire burning all the time. Husband and wife, study to be romantic. Couples are to be “ravished” by each other’s love! God’s Word says, “… Be thou ravished always with her love” (Proverbs 5:19). “Ravished” means transported by delight. It will work wonders in your family.

    By Giving: God so love the world and gave His Son! If you claim to love, it must find expression in giving. A thoughtful little gift at the right time can work wonders! You must make it a point of duty to remember special days such as birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions, and share the joy of the moment by exchanging gifts. These were the things you did while courting, you should not let them slip by just because you are now married.

    Husband, sometimes, your wife is down physically. Remember “love is medicine.” At such times, all you need to do is to show a little more love and she will be okay! Some kind words, a little physical touch, some kisses or a little gift from you will do the magic! You can use the time you would have spent at the doctor’s office to demonstrate your love to her and you won’t have to spend money on drugs.

    I will never forget an experience I had some years back. I was down physically and my husband went out one of those days and came back with a little beautifully wrapped gift, which he personally presented to me, expressing his love for me. Could you believe that that little act of love from him brought me health and I never needed any medication? Many years have passed, but I still keep the gift. There is no woman who hates to be loved! Wives don’t take your husband for granted and say, “He knows I don’t earn money.” A kiss or a little gift from you will constantly go a long way to express your love for him.

    This is a duty for both the man and the woman. There is a popular inscription in a lot of families (especially Christians) homes which says, “Christ is the Head of this home, the Unseen Guest at every meal, the Silent Listener to every conversation.” Christ must be allowed to be a living presence in your home and not just an inscription or painting.

    Understand that, genuine salvation is not in Church attendance; it is one thing to be a member of a particular Church and it is another to be born again. Remember, as a man or woman, you need God to make your home what God designed it to be. Therefore, it is time for you to surrender to God, the builder of all things to help you build and practice the love of Christ in your home because by strength shall no man prevail.

    Therefore, the love of God can only find expression through you, when you are a born-again child of God. Having a Christian home begins with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.  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.