CHRISTIAN PARENTING by PASTOR GODWIN OKAFOR
The other time, I responded to a father’s concern that his kids do not have any interests in the things of God. He had wanted to know how others whose kids seem to have greater interests in the things of God have achieved their successes.
By God’s grace, and as ministerial time permits, I intend to share some spiritual insights which the LORD has enabled me to gather from His word over the years I have been on the pilgrim’s journey and in ministry.
The task of bringing up godly kids is a huge one, and lack of knowledge of God’s mind on this has resulted in all sorts of spiritual mishaps in this venture. So many Christian homes with beautiful Christian couples have made complete shipwreck of parenting.
In this first write up on Parenting Tips, I wish to call the attention of Christian parents that ours is a spiritual walk, and anything we do, including parenting, must be guided by spiritual principles. And since the spiritual knowledge of the Christian comes from the word of God (John 6:63), we must turn often to it, to discover the foundation of raising godly kids.
However, the fundamental question we need to deal with, first and foremost, is: How many Christians are spiritual, or how many Christian parents raise their kids according to God’s mind on the issue? I hope I will not be misunderstood here. Knowledge of the Bible, “the letter” of it, does not suffice. The application of God’s word holds the key in making godly homes, and then raising godly kids in such godly homes. The formula could go like this: godly couples = to godly homes; godly homes = godly kids. And of course, godly kids = godly society, et cetera.
I have seen may Christian homes who started their journey with carnal considerations, thereby violating God’s rules of holiness in starting up godly families. One of these is the placing of emphasis on what a man has accumulated before proposing marriage to a Christian lady, and in fact, his capability to support the carnal needs after the marriage. What of the Christian man who looks for beautiful Christian sisters who work in banks or other such places, have cars, or who must be well educated and have rich parents.
Or the more sinful ones (in our sight), of those who want to ensure that the intending couples are “compatible” (whatever that means), before marriage. What of those who want to make sure that the lady would have children for the family after marriage? I have been told of ladies who would make sure that their future husbands could get them pregnant before they agree to marry them.
Let me ask us, would God’s favour rest in such homes later, when they face the challenge of unruly or ungodly kids? When the foundation of the home is destroyed from the onset, why hope to raise godly children? The “god” the couple served before marriage would certainly seek to dominate the home thereafter. (See Psalm 11:13). What can the righteous do? Repent, do restitution, and ask God for mercy, and ask Him to show you how to remedy the situation. Surely, such children would have encounters with Jehovah, if their parents seek the LORD in repentance.
I will continue from here in my next write up. I appreciate those who are concerned in this issue of Christian Parenting, especially Sister Emem, with that broad smile. Remain blessed all of you.
Voice of God
Forgotten Sacrifices?
Forgotten Sacrifices? Author: Esther Agbi
Heb. 11:4b “God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.”
I was reading about Abel’s sacrifice when this title of my write up came up in my mind. I pondered over it for a little while before I finally accepted to put it down in writing. This is a topic people don’t usually like to talk about because whenever it is brought up, everybody gets jittery, saying there must be a great need in the body of Christ that needs to be addressed in other for them to give what is substantial to God. This is not always the case. I believe it is an opportunity to be blessed by God.
Sacrifice, according to Webster’s dictionary means “An act of offering something special to a deity”. Offering, on the other hand means a “sacrifice ceremonially offered as part of a worship. It sounds interesting to me. For the purpose of this article, I will use both words interchangeably.
Deity here refers to God, the creator of the universe. The offering has to be given willingly for it to be a sacrifice, and special too [2 Cor. 8:12]. I believe so many people gave sacrifices to God in the Bible but a few to my knowledge were outstanding. Abel offered not just a great sacrifice, but an excellent one. The best he could ever offer. It did not end there. God had to talk about Abel’s gift. When Abel was dead, his gifts spoke to God. How amazing! I don’t know if I have ever given a gift or offering to God, that the creator of the vast universe is still deliberating on, or has become an item on the agenda of the meeting of the Godhead. That is yet to be revealed. What about yours?
Abraham was ready to offer his only promised child Isaac, whom he loves to God.
How precious was that sacrifice in the eyes of God? In the real sense, he had already sacrificed Isaac in his mind. He had gone past the stage of contemplating, should I do or should I not do it? How do I know this? Heb.11:19. Abraham believed that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead if he was sacrificed. Abraham did not only believe in God, God believed in Abraham, for HE said in [Gen 22:12b], “Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” God is not asking us to make human sacrifices. Jesus has made the ultimate sacrifice. It is a good thing to believe in God, it is greater when God believes in you. This shows dependability. I am still a “work” in progress. I don’t know about you.
………….. To be continued.
Faith
THE CREATION
By David Agbi
INTRODUCTION
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. That was the first miracle of the bible. Because He made us, we should praise him. He has seen us since we were born and helped us. If God has helped us to survive this earth, we have no reason not to praise God.
OUTLINES:
HOW THE WORLD WAS MADE
FIRST HUMAN BEINGS
HOW THE WORLD WAS MADE
God made the world in 6 days. The first command He said was, “Let there be light” and there was light. Can you believe that! He just said that and it happened. God divided the light from the darkness and called the light “day” and called the darkness “night” [Gen.1:4-5]. Then the second day, he made a firmament which divided the waters from the waters. The third day, He told the waters to gather unto one place and let the dry land appear. He called the dry land earth and the gathered water seas. Next, He told the earth to bring forth grass and trees to bring forth fruit [Gen 1:11-12]. God did all these things from making the stars to making animals and these were all very big events.
FIRST HUMAN BEINGS
On the sixth day, that’s when God created human beings. He said “Let us make man in our own image” [Gen 1:26-27]. God also said that they will rule over the fish of the sea and the fowl of the air and all the animals on the earth. The first human being was made out of dust and called Adam. He was in the Garden of Eden. He saw that Adam was alone so he made him to sleep. God took a rib out of Adam and made a woman. God said she would be called woman, because she was taken out of man [Gen.2:21-24]. God named her Eve. God gave them the Garden of Eden. They could eat from any tree except the one in the middle. They got tempted by a serpent and sinned, so the earth was cursed and people had to work if they needed something.
CONCLUSION
Just because the earth was cursed doesn’t mean that you can’t go to heaven. If you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, become a Christian and repent of your sins, you can go to heaven and be blessed. So give your heart to Jesus and repent of your sins and you will be saved.
Good and Bad Conscience
GOOD AND BAD CONSCIENCE:
BY
DAVID AGBI
Text: Matt. 4:1-11
INTRODUCTION
There are 2 types of conscience in your body. Those are the good and bad conscience. The good conscience listens to God and the bad one listens to the devil. Imagine you are falling off a building. Something is holding you back and that is your good conscience. At the same time something is pushing you forward. That is your bad conscience. It is left there for you, but which one will you choose? It is a tough choice. Let this study give you some tips in Jesus’ name. Amen.
OUTLINES:
WHEN YOU LISTEN TO GOOD CONSCIENCE
WHEN YOU LISTEN TO BAD CONSCIENCE AND CONSEQUENCES
HOW YOU RESIST YOUR BAD CONSCIENCE
WHEN YOU LISTEN TO GOOD CONSCIENCE [Read more…] about Good and Bad Conscience
Living Bread Nuggets 0124/2010
THE LORD WILL BLESS HIS PEOPLE
LIVING BREAD NUGGETS 0124/2010 [Gen 26:12-14, KJV]
The Lord wants to perform quick and miraculous acts of grace, favour and supernatural deliverance in our lives to glorify his name. Isaac stayed in a land plagued by famine called Gerar, as God had instructed him, and in one year his harvest was a hundred fold. Remember we are talking of a season of famine. When others were in lack, God’s mercy was abundant in the life of Isaac because the covenant God had with Abraham was at work in the life of Isaac, Abraham’s son.
Gen 26: 12-14
12Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
13And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:
14For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
Prayer of Faith
Let divine favour be my portion in all things. As your word says, Isaac sowed in the land you told him to stay and he was blessed by you with a hundred fold harvest in the same year breaking natural laws. Grant me a heart of obedience to hearken to your voice. I receive hundred fold returns as I sow and you bless the work of my hands in Jesus Name. Amen.
Bible Nuggets & Prayer of Faith
Bible Nuggets 0101/10 [Prophecies for 2010 by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor]
I welcome everyone to the year 2010 in the mighty Name of Jesus. As you count your blessings of the year 2009 and perhaps for the last decade which is the first decade of this century, I will encourage you to key into the prophetic utterances of the year 2010 from Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, my special father in the Lord, for I have many fathers [1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Corinthians 4:14-16; Philipians:3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6], who baptized me in Ogba River in Benin City Nigeria in 1981, during which I experienced the implosive power of the Holy Ghost for the first time as he raised me out of the water, the anointing which has carried me on since then. My wife Esther also was baptized by Bishop Ayo Oritsejafor in the same program].
2010 – New Season, Double Grace! Ten Prophetic Declarations for the Year 2010 [visit www.ayo-oritsejafor.org]
I see a clear picture of your life in 2010, everything you hear from me tonight, God will back with Double Grace!!!
1. Judges 6:27 – Throughout the year 2010, God will position 10 helpers at different points of the year waiting for you!
2. Ruth 1:4-6 – In 2010, you will experience Jehovah Jireh. The God of Provision will be your God!
3. I Sam. 17 :17-18 – The 10th month of 2010 (October) is a prophetic month, ‘pregnant’ and carrying a ‘seed’ that it will deliver for you!
4. Eccle. 7:19 – In 2010, God will give you Wisdom, that will make you stronger than 10 men put together!
5. Lk. 19:16 – In 2010, your Harvests will be beyond your abilities!
6. Josh. 4:19 – In 2010, God will take you from Zero to a Hero!
7. I Sam. 24:38 – In 2010, people that have been acting like God, even around your life, will be cut short!
8. Jer. 42:7-10 – In 2010, God will establish you and all that pertains to you, on a sure foundation.
9. Neh. 4:11-15 – In 2010, you will fight and win every battle, because you will know at every moment the secret of your enemies!
10. Dan. 1:20 – In 2010, you shall be Ten times better than your equals!
PRAYER OF FAITH
Meditate on the above scriptures and claim all the 10 prophecies by faith in prayer in Jesus Name.