COMMITTMENT TO YOUR SPOUSE (1)

by Pastor Faith Oyedepo, Week 2, March, 2008

Dear reader,

It is another wonderful time in God’s presence! It is my prayer that at the end of this teaching, you will be able to catch all it takes to be committed to your spouse. Last week, I shared with you how you can be committed to God. This week, I want to teach on another secret which I titled, Treat Your Spouse As Yourself.

It is important for you to know that as husband and wife, God recognizes you as one. Two becoming one is God’s own arithmetic. An understanding of the mystery of one flesh will make husband and wife treat each other the same way. The Word of God says, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31). What you cannot do to yourself, don’t do to your spouse. Treat your spouse the same way you want him or her to treat you. Mike Murdock, a renowned man of God says, “What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you.”

If you want your spouse to be kind to you, then you have a responsibility to be kind to him or her too. If you want respect from your spouse, you also need to sow respect. It is important that husband and wife foster the development of each other, promote each other, treat each other with affection and tenderness, hold each other dear, and keep each other fondly in mind. An understanding of the mystery of one flesh will help a great deal to be able to treat your spouse as yourself.

The Word of God says, “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourished and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church” (Ephesians 5:29). The word ‘nourish’ means to provide with food or other substances necessary for life and growth; feed. To foster development of, promote.” It also defines “cherish” as “treat with affection and tenderness; hold dear; To keep fondly in mind.” What you sow is what you reap. You must not maltreat your spouse, if you do not want to be treated the same way. What you put into your marriage is what it will give back to you!

When it comes to the issue of love, love is reciprocal. To love your spouse is to love yourself, and to hate your spouse is to hate yourself. Some couples so maltreat each other that they physically beat each other. But when you understand the mystery of one flesh, you will never dare to maltreat your spouse. Read this sister’s testimony:

“My husband deserted two children and I, and stopped giving us feeding allowance. He would even beat me whenever he was in town. At a time, he didn’t come for six months. I got to know where he was from the company calendar, and when I got there, he said he didn’t tell me to come. He left me there for three days! I started seeking help from everywhere I could think of – both from churches and ungodly avenues. But things just got worse!

Then an elderly couple invited me to this church. I was touched when the Bishop’s wife ministered on forgiveness and forgetting the past, and I prayed. Therefore, things turned around completely! My husband returned and asked for forgiveness. My marriage is now restored and there is now peace in my home.” – Philips, T. (Mrs.)

Most times, I cannot understand how a man or woman can rise up and beat his wife or husband. That is an extreme case of a person absolutely out of control emotionally. My husband would often say, “A man that beats his wife will be construed as being mentally imbalanced, because he is actually beating himself.” The Bible says’ “For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh’ Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh” (Matthew 19:5-6).

The grace to stay committed to your spouse can only be given by God. Therefore, if you are not born again and want to be, you have to confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Saviour and your Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord, I come to you today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with your precious Blood. I accept you as my Lord and Savious. Now I know I am born again!

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).

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.

? Marriage Covenant

? Making Marriage Work

? Building a Successful Family

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