God designed a way in which you should relate to your family – your wife and children. Yes, you are the head of our family as created by God. But your headship should be practiced according to the pattern laid down by God, who assigned you to the position.
The Bible says (Ephesians 6: 25 – 27) that a man should love his wife as Christ loved the church. How does Christ demonstrate his love for his church? Firstly, He laid down his life for the church. He gave up his personal glory to die for her. Very rarely would any one of you be asked to lay down your life for your wife. But often, you are asked to sacrifice some of the things that are of personal gratification. If you love your wife like Christ loved the church, then you ought to be willing to make sacrifices for your wife. Some of you need to die to the baseball game, your job, or even some for your friends, for your wife’s sake. That is the example of love Christ set for the church.
Jesus cleansed and washed the church to make her holy. Brothers, you need to clean and cleanse your own wives to make them holy. How did Jesus wash us? By the Word. The first responsibility of any man is to know the Word of God – to make it a part of your own thinking and lifestyle so you can wash your wife when she becomes spotted with the worries of everyday life, with household expenses, children, and in-laws relationship. You are to encourage her with the Word, lift her spirit with the counsel of God. Your responsibility is to always keep an eye out for spots, doubts in your wife’s life (not the physical spots), and wash them and iron them out.
Just one other reminder, even though you are the head of the house, you cannot demand your wife’s submission. Submission means giving up one’s will voluntarily to another. Remember, the Bible tells her to submit to you as unto the Lord. So if you do not give your life for her and wash her and cleanse her with the Word, then do not be surprised if she does not submit. You are the leader; the onus is on you to give direction according to the Word of God.
This simple illustration makes a strong point about a Christian’s finances. We may sometimes stand in the stream of the world’s wealth and watch it flow powerfully away from us. At other times, we may see that same wealth flowing toward us. The difference is one of perspective. Most people show keen interest in learning how to turn around so they can face the flow, allowing it to come their way.
Dear God, no one can compare to your greatness. There is no one, not a single being, in this universe that can try to stand up to you. All the things I have read, seen, and heard of your greatness.
Today, we honor not just our biological fathers but all the father figures in our lives-those who guide, support, and love us unconditionally. As a pastor, I am grateful for the many fathers in our church community who exemplify Christ-like love and leadership.
Happy Father’s Day!
On this Father’s Day, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for the incredible father figure you are to our church community. Your guidance, wisdom, and unwavering faith not only inspire us but also lead us closer to God’s love.
Thank you for your dedication, your compassion, and the way you show us what it means to be a true shepherd. You have touched our lives in ways words cannot fully express, and we are grateful for the kindness and support you offer to us all.
Wishing you a blessed Father’s Day filled with joy and love, surrounded by family and friends. May you continue to be a beacon of light in our lives.
A river of water flows in one direction. I can face either downstream or upstream. If I want water to come to me, I do not have to change the direction of the current. Instead, the turn must occur in me as I face a new way.
We can fall on the rock and be broken. Or the rock will fall on us and grind us to powder. The human mind would like to look at this last verse and say, “It’s simply not fair.” If I stay in that mindset and refuse to fall on the rock, so to speak, then the rock will instead fall on me and grind me to powder. However, I can look at this verse and say, “This is Kingdom truth. It will never be altered. Therefore, I am going to willingly fall on this rock and let myself be broken in a godly way. I will let God change me and remake me. Then I am eligible to receive His blessings
Today, we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who have selflessly served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. As we gather with family and friends, let us reflect on their courage, dedication, and the profound impact they have had on our lives and our nation.
In John 15:13, we are reminded, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Let us hold those who have given their lives in our hearts and prayers, acknowledging the families and communities they left behind.
As we observe this day, may we also be inspired to live lives of gratitude and service, honoring their memory through our actions. Let us seek peace, unity, and understanding in our own lives and communities.
May God bless the memories of those we honor today and grant comfort to those who mourn their absence.
Marriage is an excellent example of unforgiveness in closing a relationship. When a person enters marriage, he or she must leave single life and family. If a man takes his single ways into marriage, he will ruin the marriage. When two people marry, they go their parents and cleave to one another. By taking their parents into a relationship that primarily is for two, and they will end up with their parents and her parents, and try to make a marriage with four people too many.
Spouses who do not forgive their parents eventually find their unforgiveness spoiling their new union. And those whose in-laws are unforgiving will find hardship in relation to their new spouse.
The spirit of unforgiveness is communicated from one person’s spirit to others and closes them off. Holding grudges and letting prejudices spoil intimacy is no way to live. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a wife, husband, child, in-law, friend, neighbor, boss, employee, colleague, father, mother, doctor, or pastor, an unforgiving spirit will close others off and, by doing so, close off part of a person’s life
