Let God be first! (2) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Author: Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Topic: Let God be first! (2)

Dear Reader,

Welcome to today’s teaching on your usual Column in Jesus’ name! I started this subject last week where I told you that God’s help is all you need. This Week, I want to discuss on God’s requirement for a fulfilled life. What is your essence of living? Why are you on the surface of this earth? The family, as we know fully well, makes the church, the nation and networks the entire world. Therefore, what does God require of you in order to have a fulfilled life?

The Word of God says, And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul (Deuteronomy 10:12). This is what God requires of every member of the family. As a man –the head of the home, on whom the responsibility of ensuring a godly family rests, what is your focus? What is the focus for yourself and members of your family? Do you have the fear of the Lord? Do you teach your children so? As a wife and mother, are you living for things? Are you preoccupied with what to eat and wear? Do you have time to seek out of the Book of the law to know God’s requirement for you, and those God has put in your care? What are you living for, woman? You must get your priorities right this new year, if you are to actually see and enjoy the full-scale blessings that God has promised His children. It is not for the butter-and-bread-seeking Christians, but rather for those who will care to live by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. What are these requirements?

FEAR THE LORD THY GOD

‘Fear’ in this context is not talking of being afraid. Rather, it connotes respect and reverence to God and His Word. Whatever He says, let it be your guiding principle this year and beyond. As a man and the head in the home, if you will walk in the understanding that you have a Head (God), Who watches over you, your doings and your movement, you will hold Him in reverence and respect. Whatever He tells you to do, you will do it without questions or grumbling.

As a wife, even though you have your husband as the head, if you know that ultimately, God is your head, you will hold His commandments in awe. Rather than seeing yourself as being subjected to your husband only, you will see yourself as obeying the commandment of God through your husband, thereby, reverencing God and His Word. This is the fear of the Lord. As you do these, your children will watch and learn from you. Secretly, they will be proud to have a God-fearing woman as their own mother; and they in turn, will learn to obey God and keep His Word.

WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS

You cannot walk in God’s ways, except you respect and reverence Him. When He says, “Turn to the right,” you won’t turn to the left. When He commands you to wait, you won’t get impatient and move.

LOVE GOD

This is the first commandment as stated in Deuteronomy 10:12, and God reiterates this in Mk 12:29-30 that He requires your love. Therefore, you must love God in all your doings which includes your spouse, children and everyone around you.


SERVE HIM

God does not only require you to fear, love and walk with Him, He also wants you to serve Him. How? With your heart, means and time. You can’t genuinely serve somebody you don’t love. When your love for God is in place, you will willingly serve Him with your being.

Friends, now that you have an idea of God’s requirement for your life, are you living for God? The Bible says: Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord (Lamentation 3:40). Living for the right purpose makes for fulfilment, otherwise, the struggle will continue. God only guides those who will obey Him.  He says that He will only turn to you when you turn to Him. If you don’t want to be a wanderer on the earth, let His requirements be your desires. He wants all your struggles and frustrations to come to an end this year; that is why He has made His requirements plain to you. If He is truly your Father, then you will obey Him, and obtain rest for your soul (Malachi 1:6; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10). It doesn’t matter how much fame or possession you may have, the Bible says that you are a foolish man, until the fear of God abides in your heart.

Therefore, you must live by the requirements of the Lord your God. It is not too late. Examine yourself and change your purpose for living. Accept Jesus as your own personal Lord and Saviour, and your Guide and Director; then, seek to do only those things that are pleasing unto Him. In your family life, desire to obey Him always; in your careers and businesses, let God be the Lord of all. In so doing, your full scale blessings shall be established this year. The Word of God is sure. He said: He will do a new thing for you this year; allow Him to do it. May you not miss your full scale blessings this year in Jesus’ Name!

You need to surrender your life to Christ in order to have access to God’s grace to meet His requirement. You surrender by accepting and confessing Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. That is what it means to be born again. If you are ready for it, please 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).