Esther School of Marriage

Blessed be our God for another opportunity to continue our discussions on the second chapter of the book 'Raising Of Sons' by Ibidun Olude. We know it's going to be an insightful time in His Presence. Hallelujah! A wise man once said that a life without purpose is a tragedy. We have identified that the devil's subtle way of bringing about disorder in the way God has purposed things to be,  is to influence men to place emphasis on unimportant matters and drive focus in the wrong direction. If the devil could successfully distract mankind from that which matters most, his agenda would be fulfilled... Is it then any wonder today why there are many absentee/irresponsible fathers prioritizing their families as secondary while they place focus on less important matters? The dysfunctions seen in men at adulthood were shaped or influenced by either the presence or absence of the men who fathered them because fathers are the definition and demonstration of masculinity. "A...

Blessed be our God for another opportunity to continue our discussion on the second chapter of the book 'Raising Of Sons' by Ibidun Olude. We know it's going to be an insightful time in His Presence. Hallelujah! A wise man once said that a life without purpose is a tragedy. We have identified that the devil's subtle way of bringing about disorder in the way God has purposed things to be,  is to influence men to place emphasis on unimportant matters and drive the focus in the wrong direction. If the devil could successfully distract mankind from that which matters most, his agenda would be fulfilled. Is it then any wonder today why there are many absentee/irresponsible fathers prioritizing their families as secondary while they place focus on less important matters? The dysfunctions seen in men at adulthood were shaped or influenced by either the presence or absence of the men who fathered them because fathers are the definition and demonstration of masculinit...

Before God brought forth the issue of a wife for Adam, one thing He did was to establish PURPOSE and CHARACTER BOUNDARIES for him. The earth though created in Genesis 1, could find no expression because God's man was not yet in place. God made the male man so that the earth will run its cause properly. This is why societies, where men are strong (in godly character and virtue), are always in order and vice versa. Check out societies where men abdicate their responsibilities to government or in the name of religion (allowing children to roam, beg and fend for themselves) they raise impostors and terrorists. A man, therefore, needs to recognize purpose. The way God makes a man have this is to give him a VISION and a mandate in which he finds his WORK. Please note that I didn’t say a “job” but WORK. Your job is what your hands find to do to make money. Your work is what you do to make your living meaningful in God and add value. This is what brings order the earth. Every ...

The 31 st chapter of Proverbs is the writings of a man talking about the instructions, ideals, and morals his mother taught him. King Lemuel’s mom first taught her son from verses 2 – 9 on how to be a good leader and how to become the kind of man that can attract and find the right kind of woman. Headship was not intended (when it was designed) to be used by the man to dominate or rule like a tyrant, it is rather the privileged position of trust and confidence, responsible for looking out for the rest of the body and making the best decision for the health and well being of the body. The Message translation of Proverbs 18 verse 22 defines a good spouse as equal to a good life. Among the several dictionary meanings of the word good is, “that which possesses desirable qualities or that which promote success”. How fascinating it is to see Proverbs 18:22 expounded this way: “he who finds a wife finds wealth & obtain favour of the Lord.” The Message translation of Proverbs...

With respect to our ongoing discussion of the first chapter of the book - Raising of sons by Ibidun Olude, the unwholesome interpretation of Proverbs 31 has been relatively responsible for the untold pain experienced by many ladies.  Undue emphasis has been given to the need for the female expression of God to be found as a Virtuous woman with little mention of the role of the male expression of God. Males ought to take their place in the program of God without females neglecting their role. More attention should be paid to the need for males to (through the guidance of the Holy Spirit) become the kind of man that brings out the best in the woman God has placed in his life. Who a person becomes, what a man is made into is dependent on the person he is following. We are all called to be followers of God (Ephesians 5:1). Becoming the Proverbs 31 hero is dependent on training a man to live by the Spirit. A man of the Spirit lives out a quality of life in consonance with the...

In an attempt to interpret Proverbs 31, many have turned the qualities stated there to standards for women to live up to, in order to be regarded as Virtuous by the society. These standards have become stumbling blocks for a lot of women today. If a woman falls short of the standards of virtue highlighted in the text, is she then virtuous or not? The Word of God written in the Bible is true and makes free. Romans 8:32 highlights that the knowledge of the Truth makes free, hence, any interpretation of the scripture that brings into bondage (causes people to stumble) should be reviewed because it falls short of the standard of the Truth. Would you call a woman constantly striving to attain and maintain the society’s interpretation of the supreme standards of a virtuous woman free? Is such a woman free indeed? Thanks be to God, the giver of wisdom and revelation, as well as knowledge and understanding, who freely gives without sentiment to all those who ask of Him. Thus, as you p...

The book, Raising of Sons by Ibidun Olude , has been widely considered a masterpiece for helping humanity refocus attention on the Creator’s original plan for His Male expression (i.e. the male gender). It puts forth the role  the female expression of God (the feminine gender) has to play in the proper development of the male, as well as the intent of God for the family system. Raising of Sons The book points to a major but often overlooked emphasis in the book of Proverbs, chapter 31. For many people, this area of the scriptures has been widely considered a call to women to rise up to societal expectations of the ideal virtuous woman, the qualities highlighted have been turned into standards of which many women have consistently fallen short for reasons unknown to them, despite trying hard to meet up. But, did you know there lies a clear challenge in the chapter for men? "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies" Proverbs 31: ...