Rights, Righteousness And Responsibilities In A Refreshing Family

GENESIS 2:18,21-24; PSALM 68:6; MATTHEW 19:4–8 Genesis 2:18,21-24 

#S – Scheming instead of Supporting (Genesis 27:5,6; Proverbs 31:10–12) Christian women don’t scheme, but they support. Instead of scheming to oust Esau from the blessing, Rebecca ought to have wisely and prayerfully talked to her husband and reminded him of her dream, and see how to pacify Esau. Isaac would still have given Esau some blessing, but not the birthright, because God has ordained to be called God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The scheming would not have been necessary. This is what ruins the family – scheming instead of supporting.

1. THE FOUNTAIN OF HEALTH IN THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY (Ephesians 5:22-33)

The Lord has given us so many promises in Scriptures – Exodus 23:25-26; Psalm 103:3-5; 105:37; 107:20; Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 2:24; 3 John vs 2 and we have the fountain of health in families. Both husbands and wives should age gracefully, happy, holy and healthily. God confirm it in your lives in Jesus name.

Ephesians 5:22 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” Culture, tradition, psychology of the world, civilization, the West do not teach this, but the Scriptures. The wife must submit to her husband as the head of the family, not as some culture that teaches 50/50% or some that apportion up to 60% of power to women and 40% to the husband in the home. Men should love their wives as Christ loved the Church and He is the Head of the Church and Saviour of the body. Have time for your wife as Christ had time for the Church and gave Himself for her. The way I like to preach is that after the message, you can go to my wife and ask how much of what I preach I practise. By the grace of God, I practice what I preach and I pass the grace to you. You will practise what you preach in Jesus name.

#H – Homely Heart Holiness (1 Timothy 2:8-15) We must keep ourselves away from the world, but when we get home, we must express ourselves to our spouses. This is the holiness that fits the home. No wrath, anger, slapping anyone, and there is no doubting, but to pray, lifting up holy hands everywhere.

#E – Expedient Essential Expense (1 Timothy 5:6-8) Couples must be open and transparent to one another. There must be proper planning before anything is spent. Every woman must be concerned about the family first, not buying aṣọ-ẹbí or attending events – weddings, events, burials within and outside the country. Only essential expenses should matter. A woman who does not care about food, school fees, and rents, but to attend events lives in pleasure and is dead while she lives. Anyone who fails to prepare for his family has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel even if he teaches, testifies or sings.

#A – Appropriate Affectionate Assistance (John 13:34-35) This is what keeps the home healthy – helping one another joyfully and lovingly without complaints.

#L – Learning, Leaving, Cleaving Love (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:28-33) Learn to leave your parents and cleave to your spouse. Your old friends must not take your attention from your spouse. We must not allow people outside the home to come between us and our spouses. Our attention must be towards our them. No kind of work – volunteer or paying jobs or activities must be allowed to take our time away from our husband or wife. A man must leave his parents, friends and other acquaintances and cleave to his wife.

#T – Tender, Truthful Tongue (Proverbs 15:1-4) We can say same thing – “Amen, thank you or well done” – in either soft or harsh, soft or sarcastic tone. Christian husbands and wives must learn to speak gently to one another even when correcting one another. Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”