A Prudent Family Life (Part 1) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo
Topic: A Prudent Family Life (Part 1) Dear Reader, Peace and blessings in Jesus name! I welcome you to this exciting moment in God’s presence. All through this month, I will be sharing with you on: A Prudent Family Life. Prudence is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason. It is a virtue, which all Christian families must possess. It also means to exercise good judgment or wisdom in matters of life. You must understand that prudence is not about worldly calculations; but, rather about humility, discipline, and Godly reasoning. The scripture says: For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him (Luke 14:28-29. I want you to know that enjoying a blissful family life is as important to God as it is to you. That is why today, we shall be considering one vital area which is: Prudence in Financial Matters.Also Read: Attaining Intimacy in Marriage (Part 2) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo
To have homes, where financial stress is absent, you must be financially prudent. This is one vital area, neglected by most families, and yet expect to enjoy financial prosperity. Sometimes ago, my husband said, “If you can think enough, what you have is enough.” He also said, “Life is in phases and men are in sizes”. You must understand that your present financial position is not your ultimate. The Scripture says concerning you: But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18). However, the truth is that what you have is enough for now. The problem with many people is that they do not agree with the phase by phase lifting and provisions of God in their lives. As a prudent Christian, you must know your financial level per time and be determined to eat, wear, sleep and live in a house of your size. According to Billy Graham: If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life. ~ The Scripture says in Hebrews 6:14: Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. Also, in Proverbs 27:27, the Bible says: And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens. If these promises are to be fulfiled in your home, you must learn how to make the most of the money God has provided for your family. Let me show you what to do. Planning: Planning is thinking before taking actions. it is a vital requirement for financial sufficiency. As the popular saying goes “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” As a family, it is important that you to have a laid down rule for spending money. So, plan out your family’s weekly and monthly expenditure. God’s Word clearly says that you must first sit down and count the cost if you intend to build a tower (Luke 14:28-29) Observe that he said, “… sitteth down first,” meaning, “sit down and map out a plan.” If you don’t, you will spend money impulsively and suffer financial embarrassment. Accountability: To be accountable means to be able to give account of one’s performance, to accept responsibility. You need to be accountable, first to God, who is your source and then to your husband or wife. Also, it is necessary for the children and other people in the home to emulate you, so they can learn the act of accountability and prudent spending. For instance, list out your income, expenses and review them from time to time to assess whether your financial budget is prudent or it requires adjustments. Make monthly, weekly and daily budgets so as to record your expenses. Personally, I have a little diary I carry around with me to record any money I spend. That way, at the end of the month, I can easily recollect all that I spent during the month. Believe me, accountability pays! The Lord said: His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord (Matthew 25:21). Financial faithfulness qualifies you to receive more money from the Lord and from men too! I always make sure I submit a breakdown of my expenses to my husband, whether he asks for it or not. One thing I learnt from my husband is proper documentation of financial transactions. All his personal and official expenditures are documented. This helps him to know exactly where his money is going and whether he needs to change his spending pattern or not. Remember, what you have is enough. Many financial problems in the home may not require requests to God for more money, but additional wisdom in handling money. To make the most of your financial life, there is need for you to surrender your life to Jesus. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom. Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and 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). With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 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). “Please click HERE to read other inspiring articles by Pastor Faith Oyedepo” Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.
