MARRIAGE: A GIFT FROM GOD (1)
I count it a great privilege to share God's Word with you today, it's my prayer that there will be a transformation in your marriage and home as you go through this article in Jesus' name. This month by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, I will be looking at Marriage: A Gift From God.
God's Word says: A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: withersoever it turneth, it prospereth (Proverbs 17:8).
When a man is presented with a gift, how he sees it will determine how much value he will place on it, and how much value he places on it will determine how much he prospers by it. If it is precious to him, he will guard it jealously and be filled with excitement whenever he remembers it. Marriage is a gift from God.
Marriage is not an invention of man God is the originator of marriage. God's Word says: And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man (Gen 2:18,22-23).
Adam received his wife as a gift from God. In a sense it is still true that a man receives his wife from God. God's Word says: House and riches are the inheritance of fathers and a prudent wife is from the Lord (Prov 19:14). Marriage is an expression of God's favour. God's says: Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord (Proverbs 18:22).
How Do You See Marriage?
Your perspective of issues often affects your confession and your confession determines your possession (Mark 11:23).
Caleb and Joshua exempted themselves from the ten other spies who saw themselves as grasshoppers. They saw themselves as being well able to possess the land of promise so they spoke it out; and it became theirs (Numbers 13:30).
When an intending couple are about to get married, it should be a thing of joy, congratulations and gladness. People should rejoice with them and encourage them. Just like in a race all run to win the prize, in marriage all must press to experience the beauty and honour it bestows (Philippians 3:14). Therefore all believers must encourage the harmony and stability of the marriage union and the family unit in the Body of Christ. If you desire harmony then sow harmony in the homes and families around you and your family too will experience the same.
The world and it's ways of quarrelling, fighting, separation and divorce, has marked out marriage as an evil. However, believers who know God's purpose for establishing the family must be pace-setters in our world. If there is nothing to distinguish your home from that of those in the world. If you quarrel, fight, and live in bitterness and unforgiveness, just as the world does, then there's nothing enviable or different about you.
The world bemoans the marriage institution. It purports that those within are rushing to get out while those without are rushing to get in. The world sees it thus, and so it is for them. If the believer agrees with this view he can experience nothing better, nothing more honourable.
Marriage is not a matter to joke about as the world does, neither do good marriages drop from the sky. Rather, marriage must be worked at to produce honourable fruits. There are times of self denial, times of swallowing ones pride and saying, ''I am sorry'' Those times are like seeds. Then there are times of great excitement and tremendous happiness - all these are honourable fruits of marriage. But fruits come after seeds are sown. The planting time proceeds the time of harvest. No seed time, no harvest (Genesis 8:22) Sow good seeds of patience and forgiveness and you'll reap an enviable marriage.
Look at this testimony: "I used to worship in a place where the pastors there believe that 'misunderstanding brings about understanding.' One day, the lady pastor asked me if I have had any serious quarrel with my wife (then my fiancée) and I said, 'No'. She said we had not started, that until we quarrel and fought, we would not know if we truly loved each other.
After our marriage, we started having problems in our home. But when I came here, I heard the Bishop say 'I have not had the first argument with my wife.'
I told my wife that if what the man of God is saying is true, then we have been in the wrong place and have often been fed with the wrong food spiritually.
We told ourselves, 'What this man of God has seen that is making his marriage sweet, we also must discover it. And then I was in the Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI) full time programme. After each lecture I would go back home and teach my wife the same thing.
Today, to the glory of God, we don't have misunderstandings anymore!"
- Ibiang, A. I.
As believers in Christ Jesus, being redeemed from the world and it's standard means being redeemed from disgrace to grace. Jesus said, In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the World (John 16:33).
So, anyone outside Christ has signed up for tribulation, pressure and frustration. The world has nothing but these to offer. Any marriage or family founded upon any other premise but Christ cannot escape difficulties and troubles. No wonder, married unbelievers see themselves as trapped.
Do you want to be free from marital tension then say this prayer and be born again: "Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today as a sinner. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today.
Congratulations!
Principles of A Successful Marriage
When you are in courtship, before you finally appear before the altar on your wedding day, I am sure you would have been under so many counselors telling you the dos and don't s of marriage. But after leaving the altar, you are faced with the reality in marriage. The good news is that your marriage will be successful, fulfilling and fruitful in all areas, if you will take heed to the instructions below.
The Word of God
God formed your union before it became a reality by His Word! Not just by prayer, but by His Word! That is why the only thing that can uphold your marriage is God's Word. The Bible says: ... and upholding all things by the word of his power (Heb 1:3). Some people believe that laying on of the hand of a man of God and prayer are what make a successful marriage. There is nothing wrong with that, but it has to be done in accordance with His Word! If you will not pay attention to the Word of God and allow the Word of God that has been gathered by His breath to uphold your marriage, there is no prayer anybody can pray for you that will give you the result you desire.
There is no hand laid or anything anybody can do for you that can bring about your desire for a fulfilling marriage. It is my prayer that after reading this article and you apply the Word of God, your marriage, family and life will become what God has destined it to be in the name of Jesus Christ. When you allow God's Word to be in operation in your marriage, there may be some adjustments which you need to make.
Although you might have been used to a particular way of life, you need to allow these changes if you are looking at the best for your marriage. Like the clay in the hand of the porter, the clay must subject itself to the formation of the potter, if that clay must become a centre of attraction tomorrow.
God wants to turn your marriage to a centre of attraction. God wants to turn your family to a centre of attraction. Before that will happen, you must be ready to subject yourself to the formation of the Almighty God by His Word. You must be ready to subject yourself to the formation of the one that initiated marriage Himself.
Acquire Knowledge
The major reason for crises in marriages, today, is because husband and wife do not fully understand their God-given responsibilities in a marriage set up. A person cannot do that which he does not know. If a person does not know his duties in a marriage set up, he cannot fulfill his obligations. The Word of God says: Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered (1 Peter 3:7).
The main emphasis here is the phrase, "Dwell with them according to knowledge." The word "dwell" is translated from the Greek word, "Sunoikeo", which is used to denote domestic association. This association is to be done according to knowledge. For any marriage to experience any degree of success, knowledge of the nature and duties of every member of the family are inevitable. The Oxford Dictionary defines knowledge as awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a person. Dictionary.com defines it as, "The state or fact of knowing; familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study; specific information about something."
When the Bible, therefore, enjoins us to dwell according to knowledge, it means there are certain facts that one must lay hold on in order to be fulfilled in marriage. There will be crises when we have little or no knowledge of our duties in fulfilling God's ultimate purpose for our marriage. The Bible says: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... (Hosea 4:6).
To enjoy family success, therefore, the place of knowledge cannot be over-emphasized. The Word of God enumerated the benefits of knowledge; it says: By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures (Proverbs 24:3-4 NIV). If your marriage must be filled with rare and beautiful treasures of peace, love, joy, satisfaction, sunshine, fulfillment, etc, then knowledge is the key. It takes knowledge to be fulfilled in marriage. Read the Word of God and anointed books by proven authors with fulfilling testimonies in their marriages.
Do You Want To Be Saved and Start A New Life Afresh
For you to know your spouse, first and foremost, you need to know God, the One who is knowledgeable about everything. Give your life to Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Do you want to be born again? Why not say this prayer in faith and you shall be born again! "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".
Congratulations! You are now a child of God!
Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:
E-mail: bgichina@yahoo.com
Tel. No: 254-733-331081 or 254 - 718 - 975900
For more insight, read these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo which are easily found in most leading Christian bookstores:
1. Marriage Covenant
2. Making Marriage Work
3. Building a Successful Family
4. Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)
Remain Blessed
Pastor Boniface Gichina