Building Trust in Your Relationship (3) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Author: Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Topic: Building Trust in Your Relationship (3)

Dear Reader,

I thank God for the privilege to bring God’s Word your way again today. It is my prayer that as you take time to follow the principles outlined in this teaching, your relationship with God and others shall be sweeter in Jesus’ name! In my first lesson of this teaching, I showed you how you can build trust. Last week, I discussed about a very important subject in our daily living – Relationship between family members and others around us. This subject is as important as our relationship with God, our Maker. In fact the Bible says: If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (1 John 4:20). You will see some people, even among Christians, worshipping in the same church, but having problems in their relationships with one another.

The responsibility of living peacefully is not only on one person but on all family members: husband should ensure it with his wife, parents are to teach their children, and in-laws are to live together in peace and harmony. Scripturally, envy and strife are not only sin, but they also bring evil upon the members of the family (James 3:16).

 The Bible says: Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled (Hebrews 12:14-15). This Scripture also says to follow peace with all men. That means not only believers, but unbelievers as well.

You need the Grace of God to relate with others

What is Grace? Grace is unmerited favour. Something you don’t work for or earn, but you receive. God is the sole custodian, and He says that grace will elude whosoever will not obey His commandment to live at peace with all men. You will not fail of the grace of God. Anyone living in hatred, bitterness, malice and all sorts comes short of the grace of God. This year is our year of From Glory to Glory, if you don’t want a damn in your glory, shun away from everything that constitute sin in your life. Sin is refusing to obey God. It is the grace of God that will make you to shine for all to see this year.

A Christian who is not living at peace with other family members, keeping malice, walking in hatred or anger, and claims to be a prayer giant, no matter the grace of God and the level of it that is released upon such individual in prayer, that prayer life can never be effective. Why? The Bible says that such a person abides in death.

It doesn’t matter who you are and what position you occupy in your church, until you learn the act of living peaceably with other people, the grace of God upon your life will not find fulfilment. Avoid anger, hatred and strife. They are little-little foxes that spoil the vine and frustrate the grace of God upon an individual’s life.

TO LIVE PEACEFULLY WITH OTHERS YOU NEED TO:

1. Forgive Instantly: Learn to make excuses for people. Don’t see every hurt as an attack. See it as the best that individual can do as at that time.
2. Be ready to ask for Forgiveness: Pride is a killer. Never be too big to ask for forgiveness or say sorry. It keeps your mind at peace.
3. Communicate Effectively: A lot of times, erroneous assumptions lead to strife and bitterness against one another in the home. However, effective communication between family members would go a long way in the pursuit of peace.
4. Live by the Word: Let the Word of God be your guide. Whatsoever He tells you to do, do it. Let obedience to God and to His Word be a way of life for you.
5. Pray in the Spirit: Romans 8:13 says that if you live after the flesh, you shall die. But by the Spirit, you can mortify the deeds of the body.

The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep you spirit, soul and body in Jesus’ Precious Name. You shall not miss your true glory this year in Jesus’ Name!

To have a peaceful relationship with your family member and others, you need the grace of God and this grace can only be given when you have identified with God in your relationship with Him.  You want to be born again? Why not say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

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).

Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).