Ingredients For Building a Sweet Family (3)by Pastor Faith Oyedepo, Week 3, November, 2008

Ingredients For Building a Sweet Family (3)

Dear Reader,

It is a wonderful thing to be in God’s presence today! You are most welcome to this week’s teaching. For the past weeks now, I have been teaching on the above subject. I have been able to show you two powerful ingredients for building a sweet home. This week, we are going to examine two other ingredients that make for a glorious and sweet marital life. I refer to them as the nuggets for Christians, who desire to reap all the blessings of the marriage covenant. These ingredients are LOVE and EXCITEMENT

Love is a potent force in the quest for a sweet home. It is the magnetic force that binds couples together. It is a vital force for sweet relationship. No wonder, Mother Theresa (Late), a noble peace prize winner, when asked, "What is the solution for world peace?" She answered, "Let everyone go home and love their families." Love is the solution to every marital crisis! The Word of God says: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always, trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

The above scripture enumerates the characteristics of love. You can't claim to love your spouse or family members when any of these is missing in your attitude towards them.

The opposite of love is selfishness. This is a plague that has destroyed many homes, and rendered many innocent children homeless in the society today. It is an abnormal affection for self and pursuit of selfish desires, at the expense of your spouse or other members of your family.

Selfishness is one of the traps of the devil. So, if you desire a sweet home, you must not give room to it. Maintain a standard of self-control and discipline in your home, by running your home in accordance with the Word of God.

Another plague that prevents love from flourishing in most Christian homes is anger. It carries very costly consequences. It has ruined the destiny of most homes. It steals the seeds of love from homes, and replaces it with the seeds of discord, hatred and strife. Watch it! Stop it before it robs you of a sweet home!

God's remedy for anger is: Let every man be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to be angry (James 1:5). You should, therefore, encourage your family members to love one another, so that you can escape every trap of the enemy and enjoy the blessings of God as a family.

Excitement

Joy and excitement are the spices of life. Unfortunately, however, they are the major things lacking in most homes today. Some couples even find it difficult to smile at one another. But the Word of God says: Rejoice, and again I say rejoice (Philippians 4:4). The home is not meant for silence and dull atmosphere, resulting from cold wars between husband and wife or lack of love between family members. The home is meant to be a place of excitement.

Look at this testimony:

"I have been married for over 12 years, but what I am enjoying now, I've never enjoyed since I got married. I thank God for His Word to me through you. You taught … and laid emphasis on wives being submissive to their husbands in everything, just like the church submits to Christ. My understanding opened and I told God, ‘Lord, from this day, I know that obedience is the key’. And ever since that day, I have been enjoying what all my fasting, binding and all couldn't deliver to me. I thank God that now it's like I am wedded anew. And just yesterday morning, to confirm God's faithfulness in my home, my husband gave me a cheque for one hundred thousand Naira, which I cashed this morning. I now enjoy peace, love and harmony. -Adebayo, L

The Word of God says: If I make you sad, who is going to make me happy? You are the ones to do it, and how can you if I cause you pain?” (2 Corinthians 2:2TLB). God created the family in such a way that the joy and pain of each member affects the other family members. You are the one to create excitement in your home. Instead of being a problem to your family, why not create an excitement? Don’t give room to sadness in your home.

You need to give your life to Jesus, so as to get all it takes for building a sweet home. You give your life to Christ by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. This is what being born again is all about. Are you ready to give your life to Christ? Why not say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today as a sinner. I believe You died for my sins and rose on the third day. Forgive me my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today.

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

E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8

For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Book Stores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian book stores:

* Single With A Difference

* Marriage Covenant,

* Making Marriage Work

* Building a Successful Family

* The Effective Minister’s Wife

* Success in Marriage (Co-Authored with Bishop David Oyedepo).