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*Eulogises his wife, Bishop Peace
Success Nwogu
The Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Bishop Dr. Mike Okonkwo, has admonished husbands and their wives, to maintain harmonious and happy homes.
He urged them to resolve their differences peacefully and avoid resorting to violence to settle scores. He stated that resorting to violence does not solve the problem but could aggravate it.
The bishop spoke at TREM’s international headquarters, Anthony-Oke, Gbagada Expressway, Lagos on Sunday, being the last Sunday in February of the ministry’s one-month family programme, titled, ‘Rock solid, strengthening family foundation.’
Bishop Okonkwo particularly warned husbands against battering their wives, adding that such misadventure could lead to the death of one of the partners and eventually land the perpetrator in jail.
The cleric admonished husbands to avoid being jealous of their wives’ progress and accomplishments, adding that they should support their wives in their fields of their endeavour and be happy with their progress. He stated that the progress of a wife is also the progress of her husband, adding that jealously and acrimony should be eschewed in homes.
He also advised women to respect, submit to and support their husbands, He advised them to avoid things that could annoy their husbands and bring quarrels in the homes.
He admonished them to be resourceful, effectively and efficiently discharge their roles in the home as responsible and responsive partners.
Bishop Okonkwo urged the couples to forgive each other and live harmoniously.
He prayed for homes in Nigeria and the world, at large, to be peaceful and prosperous.
The servant of God lauded his wife, Bishop Peace Okonkwo, for her Sterling qualities and contributions to the upliftment of their home, TREM, the Christaindom and the world at large.
He stated that his wife has provided peaceful and happy home for him, and ng that he enjoys her.
According to him,v her contributions to the growth of TREM, women ministry, and Christaindom, are superlative.
He said he also takes good care of his wife and pleases her in accordance with scriptural dictates and the will of God.
Okonkwo said, “You as a man, you should be happy with your wife. Throw away all these jealousy, insecurity, and problems we create for ourselves. The Bible said, “He who findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour from God.”
“Husband love your wife. How? As Christ loved the church. How does Christ love the church? What did he do? He died for the church. How do you want your wife to submit when you have made her your footmath? Have you died for her?
“The onus is on each party doing his or her bit. Do your part, naturally as the Scriptures tell us in 2 Corinthian 5:15 “the love of Christ constraints. The love you show your wife will make her to willingly submit, to willingly give her money to you, and willingly to do everything.
“I am not badgering you men. The truth is that we men, most times, some of these problems come from us. I am a man also, so you can not say that I am trying to put you down. Some of us are so insecure. Your wife is doing well in the industry, she is excelling, instead of encouraging her to do more out there, you are upset. If there is a little thing, you pick on that thing but the main reason is that you are upset and jealous of her accomplishments.
“It is a blessing for your wife to succeed. It is an honour to you for your wife to do well in the world. That is what it is all about and in doing this, after all, whose name is she carrying?”
He added, “You look for counsel concerning marriage from the village. Rather than this kind of counsel you received today and what you have been hearing since the month started, you go to the village. Are villagers who will be telling you how to marry in the 21st century? There are things that worked for our parents, they can not work for us now.
“My father was a senior civil servant at the Post and Telegraph, (P&T) Ministry of Communication then. Even at that time, my mother was a trader. She had a store where she was selling agbada, George, Gelle, (clothing materials) in Onyigbo market. When my father retired and they went back to Enugu, my mother still had a store in Ogbote till she died. Women are resourceful.
“Give God a stage in your marriage. Forget about what you think, or what somebody told you, which has become a strong bone in your mind.
“I thought you said you are a Christian, you are born again, and that the Bible is your standard? Why are you bringing the village issues into marriage?
“One of the things that excite me is when I see ladies that are doing well in their fields. You are not sitting down.
“You as a man whose wife is doing fine, you should be happy. Throw away jealousy, insecurity, and all these problems we create for ourselves.
“You insist that she must submit but you must do the right thing. The Bible said, “He who finds a wife, finds a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord.”
“In your marriage, you should be working with favour every day. I am working in favor. I am. I am enjoying myself. Even at this age, 75 years, I am enjoying my wife. If she dresses up and wants to step out, I will look at her. She wanted to wear a particular dress, I said, “this is not good enough. Look at this one, look at this colour, it will fit you better.” This life is too short for you to waste it in vain. Your children will go to their various places. Only two of you will remain.
“If you are among those who beat up their wives, kindly stop it. In today’s world, you do not know who is alive and who is dead. It will be one push and the person passes out and you say ‘But I did not mean to kill her.’ Police will arrest you and you will end the rest of your life in jail. And that is not my prayer for you.
“I told you that many times, issues are not completely resolved but they can always be forgiven. Forgiveness is what makes the difference. Issues can not be completely resolved because you are different people. Your wife is holding one edge and you are holding one edge and she is speaking from a different perspective and you are speaking from another perspective. The only way is to forgive yourselves. Do not run into problems. This life is too short for you to waste it in jail.
“I told you that Cain had no plan to kill Abel when he woke up that day. But rather than speak to God when God was telling him what to do, he decided to speak with his brother, and in the process, he got upset and killed his brother.
“The Lord will help our homes. The Lord will strengthen our homes. Every bridge in the homes, by the name of Jesus, is removed.”…. Continue reading
