Notes Sunday 12 May 2013..
Speaker: Pastor Yide Ukachi
Key Passages: Psalm 133
Learn to give honour to your spouse as this is the only way to keep the joy and harmony in your family
Message summary:
It is in the place of unity that the Lord commands his blessings and life. What happens in the place of disunity is the opposite of what happens in the place of unity. The theme of the concluded convention- walking in divine blessings was treated well by the speakers however there are some grey areas that bother members of the church. The mission of today’s word is to go over those issues that have been bothering members of the church about harnessing the blessings God has promised. These issues cover those that could affect honour and make honour difficult in our lives.
God has commanded us to honour. But there are some situations that make it difficult to do so. How can we distinguish between where honour starts and where honour ends? Or better still where the lines of honour become blurry into issues of indulgence, overdependence and taking advantage of others. People often get it wrong when they honour only those above them or those that they are dependent on but fail to give the same honour to other people who they deem below them. This is wrong as honour is to be bestowed on everyone. Honour and respect are reciprocal.
To be a strong family man or woman, you have to be able to make critical decisions, stand by your decisions and take responsibility for them. These decisions must be made based on strong moral and Godly values even at the detriment of your relationship to other people. It is when we are united as husband and wife, as family and as brethren that God would command his blessings. It is important to note that people who sow seeds of disunity and discord would always come however, it is our duty as Christians and man and women of unity to ensure that they do not affect the core of our relationships. As children of God, we ought to be sensitive and to run away from all appearances of evil. These seeds of discord have the possibility of germinating and destroying what God has given you. No matter how bad things are in your family, do not make things worse by allowing seeds of disunity germinate and bear fruits in your home. Learn to give honour to your spouse as this is the only way to keep the joy and harmony in your family.
Truly, it is the way you honour your spouse, family member or brethren that people would honour or treat the same. How do you take your spouse before your loved ones? Loved ones often mean well however, they may unintentionally create situations of discord between a couple. It is foolishness to fight with a spouse to the detriment of your relationship just because of your family member. There however, is a balance, it would be unbiblical to refuse to help family members and loved ones as doing so has its own benefits which include the blessings of God, the fact that if you don’t do it early enough, you will do it later, by blessing them, you are helping them to stand too invariably helping yourself as they would be less dependent on you.
Scenarios that make Honour difficult
Scenario 1: An over-demanding family member
Scenario 2: Family members living permanently with a couple especially when the resources are not enough
Scenario 3: Where in-laws impose their wishes on a spouse
Scenario 4: Where loved ones due to their illiteracy, way of life or age exhibit unclean habits
To overcome all these, there must be unity, dialogue and a firm decision to succeed. To handle older loved ones, couples have to be considerate and patient, gently counseling them and guiding them on what to do, seeking medical help for them where needed and honoring them as God has commanded.
It is the way you honour your spouse that others will honour them!
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