Tag Archives: Children

GENERAL

Building Godly Foundations for the Next-Gen

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It is no secret that the world which we live in is full of perversion, immorality and ungodliness. It was designed by Satan to be hostile to believers. If a Saint must succeed in this world, he must be deep rooted in Christ.



Unfortunately, even in the Church, the love of Christ is waxing cold. It makes me wonder the next generation has what it takes to pioneer the move of God. The absence of foundational teachings on godliness, righteousness and faith further worsens the situation.



“The teachings of the godly ones are like pure silver, bringing words of redemption to others, but the heart of the wicked is corrupt” – Proverbs 10:20.


These times call for preachers to return to the teaching of the foundational doctrine of God’s word. We need to preach the Gospel of Christ and not some sort of motivational gospel that only breeds weak and emotional believers!


The foundation of the bold is laid through accurate knowledge of God’s will concerning how we are to live on earth.


The responsibility for the laying of this foundation does not belong to our preachers. Parents must also take responsibility of laying this foundation in the lives of their children.



We must understand that it is the responsibility of believers to set the foundations of godliness and righteous living upon which their next generation will live.


Recently, the state of California called for the introduction of teachings on the grotesque Aztec god into their school’s curriculum and even frowned at the sales of materials that condemn homosexuality.


If Christian parents do not take responsibility for the godly upbringing of their kids, Satan will do it on their behalf.



How is the foundation of the godly laid


1. The fear of the Lord:

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“The Lord shows favour to those who fear him, to his godly lovers who wait for his tender embrace.” – Psalms 147:11 {The Passion Translation}



What this generation lacks is the fear of God. We no longer fear God. We even do things that even angels wouldn’t dare imagine.

Even in our Churches, we lack reverence of the sacredness of God’s presence. We allow comedians to flood our pulpits and bring defiling jokes on God’s altar.


The children of Eli died because they didn’t have the fear of the Lord. You can’t offer strange fire to God and expect God’s approval; what you will get is death!


We must teach our children as well as ourselves, to remain conscious of the ever abiding presence of God. Only a consciousness of God’s presence and eyes watching us will instil the reverence needed.


2. The Knowledge of His Will:

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The Foundation of the Godly is bent on the knowledge of the will of God.


One of the things that Christ has blessed us with is access to the knowledge of God.


No man can live accurately if he does not know the kingdom. It is the full revelation of Christ and his kingdom that makes us perfect in our walk with Christ.



“The teachings of hypocrites can destroy you, but revelation knowledge will rescue the righteous.” – Proverbs 11:9.


God’s Will must be taught relentlessly!


3. Purity and Virtue:

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The path of the Saint is a pilgrimage of holiness and godly virtues. Christianity is founded upon certain unquestionable virtues. Without the practice of these virtues, the Christian institution will collapse!



There are believers who consider themselves ‘progressive’ and do not believe in Biblical holiness and godly living. They lower their standards and conform to worldly civilizations all in the name of being ‘progressive’. The Church must be purged of these folks before they deceive other true Saints!


Genesis 18:19: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”


God here spoke fondly of Abraham. He was confident that Abraham would train up his children in the path of holiness.

May we learn how to command our children and his household after the way of God!


Ministry, Spirituality

Live Love

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The supreme revelation of God was unveiled to us in 1 John 4:8:
“…. God is love”.


Unfortunately, the word, ‘Love’ is a word which has been wrongly defined, misused and misinterpreted by people.



Love, to the fallen man, is a feeling – a good feeling one has for another. This mediocre definition is a contributing factor to the numerous divorces found in American homes.



But for the Saint, love is not a mere feeling; neither is it an idea. For the Saint, Love is a nature, heart and life of benevolence, charity and kindness to humanity.


Adamic love is conditional. But Agape love – the love we are commanded to show to man – is unconditional.



Are you living this life of Love?


When your heart is lain bare before several eyes, what will be seen? Will it be a heart clothed with divine love, or a heart hardened with hate?


The Love of Christ was what made Him to leave the pleasures of Heaven to partake in man’s humanity, for our liberation.



Romans 5:8: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” {NLT}


God expressed His love for us through the sacrifice of His beloved Son.


By that act, God created a precedent, a standard and an ordinance, to govern Christian living.



It is no secret that this is a tough season for nations around the world.

Even the world’s global power, USA, is experiencing a steady decline in its national economic strength.

Millions around the world are dying daily. Hope is fading away, like the setting of the sun.


Music therapy is no longer working. Motivational speeches are no longer antidepressants. Who shall the world turn to?



Jesus answered this question when He said, ‘We are the light of the world’.
The Church is God’s light meant to illuminate the darkened hearts and hopeless lives of people.



We do this by showing and expressing the Love of Christ to them.



This Love must be lived, not just in the Church, but even outside the Church. It must be felt by our neighbours and friends.



A religious scholar once posed this question to Jesus:



“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”


Jesus answered him, “‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’ {TPT}



“This is the great and supreme commandment. And the second is like it in importance: ‘You must love your friend in the same way you love yourself.’ Contained within these commandments to love you will find all the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 23:36-40 {TPT}


The greatest commandment that Christ gave the church is to love God and to love humanity.


Some believers are full of so much hate that they actually desire the eternal destruction of those who hate them; whereas, God’s Word tells us that He does not want anyone to perish.



“Now, this is the goal: to live in harmony with one another and demonstrate affectionate love, sympathy, and kindness toward other believers. Let humility describe who you are as you dearly love one another.” 1 Peter 3:8.


The core value of the Church is Love. Every other value and principle is built upon it.



The same way Christ expressed the love of The Father to man, is the same way The Church, must express and exemplify Agape love to humanity.






“Beloved children, our love can’t be an abstract theory we only talk about, but a way of life demonstrated through our loving deeds. We know that the truth lives within us because we demonstrate love in action, which will reassure our hearts in his presence.” 1 John 3:17.


Real love is an action. Real Love is overwhelming; it is a tangible phenomenon.


Love is more of a verb than a noun.

Love is seen by actions and not by mere words. Real love will push you to the undeveloped nations of Africa to provide spiritual, emotional and financial edification to humanity.

It will cause you to give to the poor and needy. When there is true love in one, one’s smile becomes a healing balm to the wounded.


Manifest God’s Love today!



Written by Greenhills Emmanuel Amarayahweh

Spirituality

The American Civil War 1: The Satanic War against Families

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Satan is after families and marriages in America!


There is no other way to present the truth than this. He is intent on destroying marriages and family values in America.


He is doing this because of his hatred for the institution created by God. In Genesis 2 and 3, God instituted the first marriage and set the order for how the marriage institution should be.


The Bible specifically states that God made marriage to be between, ‘Man and Woman’.


Genesis 2:24: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”


A man is to cleave to his wife – a woman, and not his boyfriend. The Bible was very clear in its stance on marriage.


But Satan, knowing that the strength of every great country is in its family and communal values, is destroying homes and marriages in America today.



THE HOMOSEXUAL MOVEMENT

Although homosexuality began in the Bible days (Romans 1:26-28), it wasn’t until the 19th and 20th century that the movement was awakened in America.

History shows us that homosexuality wasn’t originally in America’s fundamental rights.


But slowly, the homosexual movement crept into the United States. Men began to lust after men, girls began to lust after girls. This was never natural. It was the introduction of a demonic civilization.


We termed it civilization and freedom movement, unknown to us that this was a freedom promoted by Satan to cause America to turn against God.



The essence of the whole homosexual movement in America was/is to cripple families and family values, to reduce the sacredness and worth of marriage.



How will a mother, a morally upright mother be happy when her daughter falls in love with another girl.


What kind of child does a gay couple want to raise? What values do they want to give to the child? The healthy environment for a child to grow up is the presence of his mother and father; not two male sexual perverts.


But Satan is influencing the hearts of those in political power to support this big evil, so that the American family institution will collapse.


ABORTION

What is the logic in supporting the killing of babies and condemning the murder of adults?


Why is the killing of babies considered women right whilst the killing of adults is considered as a crime?

Are babies less human than adults?


Why is the American government in support of this great evil?


Once again, the Satanic agenda is shown. Scriptures tell us that ‘children are a heritage of God’. Every child is a gift of God.

If they’re gifts from God, then every baby from foetus stage should be valued and well nurtured.

But Satan is against this! Thus, he is taking advantage of people’s negative inclinations and using it to promote this demonic cause called Abortion.


Even irrational animals do not kill their babies, let alone humans. Abortion makes women worse than animals.

If the Church does not fight against this both in prayers and radical evangelism, it will increase fornication sporadically.

Girls will feel comfortable living promiscuously, because of the evil assurance that they can always have an abortion peradventure they get an unwanted pregnancy.


Folks, if you are a parent, you cannot afford to live carelessly this period. You must cling to your family, your kids, your spouse. Satan is after them, especially if you are a believer.



The tension between Kirk Franklin and his son is only a minute representation of the conflict in thousands of American homes presently.


Sons are turning against their parents. Young Girls are learning how to go on dates without their parent’s awareness.


What should believers do in times like this?

1. Attention and Affection

Now is the time to start giving attention to your kids and your spouse. Do not give attention that will make them on edge in your presence.

Let your presence be full of love, peace and understanding. Let your children know that you care. Let your spouse know that you care.

Do not get overly engrossed in your business or daily endeavors that you ignore the welfare of your family.

Make them your priority. Some people, especially men, make the excuse that they can’t express affection.

Well, if you cannot express affection, then do not get a family. If you can’t kiss your wife and tell her you love her, why did you marry her in the first place? Let go of your pride and open your heart to your family.


2. Establish core family values in your Home


The importance of having daily family devotion can never be overemphasised.

No matter how busy your schedule is, as a parent, every morning and/or evening, spend at least twenty minutes counselling your family, especially your kids.

Teach them the counsel of the Lord. We might not be able to eradicate homosexuality from the world, but we can ensure it doesn’t come into our kids.

We might not be able to end immorality in the world, but we can remove it from the lives of our kids.

Therefore, instead of bothering about what’s happening in the world, invest more time in having counselling sessions with your children.


Set practical examples for them. Be who you want your children to be. Let your family be known for godly values. Be a mentor to your children.

If you do not teach them the right things, society will teach them the wrong things. Parents must wake up to their responsibilities.

Watch out for Part 2 of this series.

Health and Lifestyle, MARRIAGE, Ministry

CATCH THEM YOUNG

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Take two plain sheets of paper, a black and a blue marker, and an eraser.



Now look, those two plain sheets of paper represent the heart of a child. When I say heart, I mean the mind and the soul.



The blank sheets are at their highest point of receptivity, waiting for anyone to write on them.


They lack the power to choose the color of the marker and the content of what would be written on them.


Now take the markers and paint one sheet black and the other blue. Once you’re done, try cleaning them off with the eraser with you.



You will notice that the eraser will not be able to wipe them out, rather the color of the eraser turns to either blue or black depending on which paper you try erasing.


The color on the papers becomes permanent and unable to get cleaned off.


The already blue sheet symbolizes a child who has been brought up in God’s way while the black sheet depicts a child that was brought up without God.


Both hearts were once blank but as they grew up, some changes took place which led to generating two entirely different children.



The eraser there represents the people around.


Once the heart has been filled up with either good or bad, it would be difficult for an outsider to change that which has been etched in the heart of such a child.


One of the mistakes many people make as guardians and adults is their failure in giving out quality time to train and build up their children in the way of the Lord.


They have left the spiritual lives of these youngsters unattended, solely focusing on their academic and physical welfare.


The bible says in Proverbs 22 vs 6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.



Today, we see sound children with so much knowledge about the Internet and books, but with little or no understanding about Godly living.


The intellectual and emotional intelligence are all reasonable but if the spiritual aspect is left with a void, their lives would be left lopsided.


As we inculcate into our children academic knowledge, let us also learn to balance it up with the knowledge about God and morality.


These simple tips might help:


– Have a morning and night devotion with them.


– Take time to go on a Bible study with them.


– Compose Godly poems for them.


– Teach your children how to pray and when they are old, they shall not depart from it.



Written by Tolu-Taiwo Victor

GENERAL, Holiness and Grace

DON’T KILL THAT CHILD!

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Genesis 19:14: “Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.”

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes.

 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.

Abortion is now a trend in almost every country regardless of its legal repute. In fact, out of over 200 million pregnancies worldwide that is recorded each year, approximately forty-six million which is about twenty two percent , end in abortion.

Where abortion is legally restricted, botched abortions are a major cause of maternal death.

Young Ladies in particular are at high risk for unintended pregnancy, because they have limited access to enough funds, and are more likely to seek abortion than advanced women.

At another view of reference, most women above 25 years will only seek for abortion for two main reasons. One of which is pregnancy that resulted from illicit affair while the other is melted on the palm of poverty.

A significant percentage of those women who end up in the hospital with complications from unsafe abortion are young.

Young ladies may be afraid to tell their parents or guardians about a pregnancy and may attempt to get an abortion on their own accord. How be it such decisions are always a matter of life and death.

As Christians, we need to ensure that females most especially the teenagers, are well informed about unsafe abortion and the options available to them should they have an unwanted pregnancy.

Most often, the primary cause of pre marital pregnancy, is not in anyway far from self.

One of the primary causes is sexual immorality.

Although, it might have been said of Hagar that she wasn’t the one who made advances towards her master, Abraham, but without doubt her relationship with him ended her as ‘‘the other woman’’ and while she was sent away from the home she nearly disposed her child as a victim to death.

Your entanglement in sexual activities might differ from hers. It might even come in form of fornication or rape, which might eventually lead to pregnancy. And as a result, you want an abortion.

Listen, in this kingdom even when we walk on paths that resulted in falling short of Grace, there is yet a hope for us and that hope is the truth.

John 8: 32 ‘‘And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’’

Thinking abortion is a means of escape or a cover for your flaw is a lie. It will get you held in more shackles. Of a truth, illicit pregnancy is bad but the life of the baby wallowing in your womb matters to God just as the son of Hagar mattered to Him.

Beloved reader, it is only accepting the truth that will set you free. Drop the decision that propels lie. Do not kill that child. That life in your womb matters!

Abortion, simply defined, is murder. You made a mistake in getting involved with someone. Abortion will not eliminate that mistake, it will only compound it.

Hagar wanted to abandon her son to die, because she did not have enough to take care of him.

But God sent an Angel, and a well of water was revealed to her. That well sustained her and her child.

In the midst of the shame and financial troubles involved in unwanted pregnancy, God has a well He has prepared for you and your baby, to sustain the both of you.

All you have to do is Trust Him. Go to Him in remorse for your mistake. Seek for forgiveness. And decide to trust Him for a bright future.

Moses of the Bible days, was born in a time when Jewish male babies were being murdered. As soon as the government discovered you had a male child, they would take him from you, and kill him.

But Jochabed delivered a baby boy, and saw that he was good, so she hid him.

He was born in the time of turmoil, yet, she saw goodness in him.

He was born in the time when they were poor, wretched slaves, yet, she saw goodness in him.

She would have aborted him while he was in the womb, since male babies only caused trouble.

She would have gotten rid of him, herself. But she decided to keep him, and nurture him.

And that little boy grew up to be the Prince of Egypt and eventually the Great Prophet of Israel.

That seed you are carrying which you think is the fruit of your mistake, can also turn out to be the recompense of your mistake.

Don’t abort that baby! This is not all about being liberal or pro-life. This is about choosing what is best for your future and health.

Keep the Baby.

You can win this. At first, it will be hard, but with God on your side, everything will work out for your good.

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