TEENS BK -EXCUSE ME, PARENTS, AS SEMT TO FRED MELIGA

TEENS BK -EXCUSE ME, PARENTS, AS SEMT TO FRED MELIGA 

TEENS BK - A PART

Nu, 14:29 'The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above.

If there was a fight - a free-for-all fight - and judgment is to be passed on to the whole community, how can you exclude children and persons who are 13 to 19 years old? In fact even those up to 19 years, 11 months and 27 days escaped punishments? That was what God did in the book of numbers.

Teens are of all sizes and shapes. Most have to tell you their ages. We dare not laugh when tiny boys or girls enter out Teens Class in the Church. We held our own services upstairs in our own branch. We also dare not laugh when a giant comes in. We ask no questions. 13 to 19 years come in all kinds of sizes. We dare not underrate them in experience for good or evil.

You are considered an adult from age 18 in Nigeria ad in many other nations. 

I’ll never forget the question God ask me when I was about taking them up. “If I hand them over to you, are you sure they will be better off than they are right now in the Church (downstairs)? I had to say ‘yes’, with fear. May God keep helping me.

So we have a goal - make each teen a disciple, a follower of Jesus with the full knowledge of the conditions for discipleship before turning 20.  Ignorant of these conditions made Jesus stop and turn in 

Lk 14:25, 26

25 ¶ Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,

26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

Too many were following Him. Many still follow like that. In fact almost all are following Him like that. Our goal therefore is to tell every teenager the meaning of

1.    Let him deny himself

2.    Take up his cross daily

3.    Follow Me.

I have seen teenagers zoom into adulthood. You see them? They are energetic. They can work without being tired for a long time. The energy can be used to serve God or Satan, self or the world. They must know the meanings of these things.

It is known that those who pass through into adulthood (after twenty years) without surrendering to Christ remain volatile, self-conceited and self-willed till about the age of 40 years. I came to the Lord at about 40 years of age. That time many things had gone wrong. Seeds of sin had been planted, products of rebellion have been ‘manufactured’. Our father Jacob came late into submission. It was not God’s fault; he encountered God earlier in Gen 28. He spent another twenty years after the Bethel encounter doing things his own way. He had said, God is in this place and I did not know it. Within the space of the twenty years spent for self, he had produced Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Dina. He had those others that hated Joseph to the extent of selling him.

          The New Jacob, after Peniel, reaped the harvest of the old Jacob. Reuben slept with his wife, Dina was raped, and Simeon and Levi had over-reacted. All these happened or became known after penile in Gen 32.

What Will Happen to the Teens in our Churches?

          It depends on us. The leaders of the denomination hold the key for God. Who will replace the current crop of leaders? The teens!

 Will the future elders be honest or horrible? Will they be holy men or hopeless men? Will tomorrow’s men, women and Youth leaders be pretenders? The key is in our hand.

          May there be a Joshua and a Caleb in the current crop of leaders? Otherwise there will be no future. Many of our church members are like children born on the way from Egypt. A Joshua will need to circumcise them.

2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time."

 3 So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt.

 5 For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised.

 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the LORD-to whom the LORD swore that He would not show them the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, "a land flowing with milk and honey."

 7 Then Joshua circumcised their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.        

 

We need to roll away the reproach of Egyptians, Gilgal means  rolling thing or wheel. It’s a revival among the younger generation. It is an operation second opportunity. Our denomination,  like many others,  is in need of that right now.

What We Suggest

We should capture this group that is not counted among the people and are not punished in the wrath of God on His people. The earlier we capture them the better because they are the hope of tomorrow.

          They have some experience. They know the custom and the religion.

 

        7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

 8 And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together.

 

They may not know where the sacrifice is coming from. They are the sacrifice. We must grab them now. Form a class for them. Give them a teacher and some workers to offer them to. Then the real Sacrificial Animal (which is Jesus) shall appear. When they see that:

1.    They will always reference the Lord

2.     Will stop eating lambs and begin to prefer bush meat.

 1 ¶ Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." And he answered him, "Here I am."

2 Then he said, "Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death.

3 "Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me.

4 "And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die."It was a basis for true worship.

3.    They will accept their death (which is the sign of denying self and taking up the cross). Isaac struggled for nothing He let controversial wells be taken by the Philistines (Gen. 26:19-22).

He didn’t even ask for a wife. At 40, it was his father that thought he should marry.

He did not go for her himself. Compare him to his own children, Esau and Jacob.

The wife was barren for 20 years before he remembered to pray. He was so totally dependent on God that he told Esau that there was no blessing left for him. Isaac did not ever backslide once. He never was in the world, in the sense of living a sinful lifestyle..

          Let’s produce Isaacs.

Alex Oguh

 

For more information about how to set up Teens Clubs or class, phone:

Mrs. Hannah Odiyo

 

Rev. S. Akegi          08069790004

                                      08050586717

Alex Oguh             08065792749

                                       08055921871

 

 

 

We can hold a seminar for you to equip you better for the task.

Sex Education

          Sex education is a process of teaching and informing your children about sex, love, relationship and the dangers of premarital sex.

          Some parent see no reason why they should educate their teenagers on sex, failure to get them rightly informed gets them deformed as communication flow repairs while communication gap destroys. Some of them believe the wrong information they get outside, when you compound the questioning of fundamental values with the intricacies of biochemical changes and emotional fluctuations, you begin to understand how susceptible teens can be to the influence of their peers.

          (Proverbs 22:6) teach your children right from wrong and when they are grown they will still do right.

          Teens from all walks of life are having sex at younger and younger ages. Nearly one in reports losing his or her virginity before the age of Thirteen (13), what an error, a Fifteen percent (15%) increase since 1997 according to the centre for disease control and prevention.

           Some Sixteen percent (16%) of high school sophomores have Four or more sexual partners what a pity. One in Four sexually active teens will contact a sexually transmitted disease or STD according to the Allan Cuttmacher Institute.

          Despite a solid Twenty percent (20%) decrease in the teen birth rate between 1991 and 1999, Twenty percent (20%) of sexually active girls 15 – 19 get pregnant each year, this lead to abortion.

          Abortion is a deliberate ending of pregnancy. If they were well informed of the risk maybe they may not have indulge themselves into this act as latest news states some abortion are being committed with the use of salt poisoning which may have adverse effect on the girls.

          (Proverbs 19:18) Correct your children before it is too late if you don’t punish them, you are destroying them.

          The voice of the voiceless, defenceless innocent and helplessness unborn babies are crying to God though some will say it’s not yet a living being, but according to a research, the unborn creation begin to have heartbeat between the 18th to 20th day so before abortion there is life and after abortion is death.

          We have also been told that the early initiation into sexual behaviours is taking a toll on teens mental health, the result can be dependency on boyfriends and girlfriends, serious depression around break-ups and cheating, lack of goals etc All of these things at such young ages. Parent be careful on how you send your children especially your teens girl to visit or spend holidays with uncles some of these so called uncles initiate them into early sexual behaviour enemies within can be very dangerous as (Psalms 55:12-14) states it is not an enemy who taunts me then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me then I could hid from him but it is you me equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to hold sweet converse together within the house we walked in fellowship.

          Parents please take note of one of the critical area in the life of teens which is the physical development.

          (1st Cor. 6:20) States, for you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s.

          Puberty marks the stage of physical development when young people experience significant biochemical changes in their bodies. Girls experience puberty between the ages of 10 through 16 for boys, it occurs a little later between the ages of 14 through 18. of course, this varies with each individual.

          The teenager years generally considered to be some of the most challenging years of life. This period represents a relatively short indelible mark on a person’s life. They may create wonderful memories or terrible nightmares. Then experiences may prepare you or success or they may set you on a course toward shipwreck and failure. Perhaps this is why the Bible refers to this period as the difficult days.

          I am convinced these difficult days refer to the passage through puberty when youngsters are developing physically and emotionally.

          The bodies of boys and girls experiencing puberty develop at a faster rate than their emotional or social capacity. For instance, the body develops giddiness. They tend to overreact in many situation because they are experiencing radical biochemical changes in their bodies many teens exhibit a serious lack of self control and a desire to do things their way.

          An important principle to remember during these difficult years is that God is preparing adolescents for adulthood and independency. Teenagers should be encouraged to make decisions for themselves, but they should submit their decisions to their parents or pastors. Because of the ups and downs of teenage emotions, they generally cannot trust themselves. Therefore, God places teenager under authority of parents, pastors and teachers to help guide their decisions.

          Teenager want to compare themselves with others for several reasons first of all, they have a strong desire for acceptance. It seems to me that human beings basically need three things love, acceptance, and a sense of belonging. Love provide a sense of being wanted affecting of worth and significance. Acceptance creates the sense of being needed, a feeling of importance and value. A sense of belonging gives us and identity – a sense that we are part of something larger than ourselves.

          Add to these three strong human desires, the biochemical changes surging through the typical teenager and you come up with an unusually strong desire to be accepted and be popular with other young people. The teen who wants to be accepted on this high – desire level is therefore easily influenced by these peers.

          The word of God clearly teaches that we should learn about evil by discernment, not by experience (Rom. 16:19) simple concerning evil.

          This it even more imperative that the pursuit of romance can be delayed until one is beyond the critical teenage years.

          Parents beware; do not encourage your youngster to enter premature romantic relationships, we need you to help us walk in the right path of life because the richest soil, uncultivated produces the rankest weeds.

          To my fellow teens be self disciplined. Don’t give into the popular notion that you must have a girlfriend or boyfriend. Use conduct instead of condom. Wait for the right time for no one ever dies of sex starvation.

          There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going. Do not deprive anybody his existence, remember our strength is seen in the things we stand for, our weakness is seen in things we fall for. Obey God and set aside the pressures to go out with somebody do not awaken love before time. (Roms. 12:1) I appeal to you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 

          By:

 Sis Glory Ogbadu

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy conclusion

The English advance learner’s dictionary easy” defines as not difficult, not done or obtained with a lot of effort or problems it also defines conclusion as “something that you decide when you have thought about all the information connected with the situation. When they are put together to give a complete definition, the conclusion there will not be in it’s original meaning again, when it becomes easy. Therefore it is defined as deciding something easily because there was no thought about all the information connected with the situation. It can also be defined as concluding something or someone immediately something has happened.

          It cannot be over emphasised that when we conclude our children (teenagers) easily, they will not meet up with the expectations of their parents.

          Easy conclusion can also come in two ways: concluding your child in a negative way or being pessimistic about him and concluding your child in a positively. it simply means that, you trust and understand him, that yes I know what my child can do. But the reverse is concluding your child negatively which is really killing and down-grading the moral of your child. It will make him/her not to put his/her best to whatever he/she is asked to do. This as become a problem for us teenagers, there is saying that says, he who does not share his problems and troubles with others, is like a pregnant woman that will never put to bed. So we have come to you parents to see us through.

          One of the panaceas (solution) of concluding your child in a negative way can be listening to their own part of the story before concluding them. Jn 7:51, Prov. 18:13 can attest to that. If we are always pessimistic about our children, believing that nothing, that no good can come   of them, surely, the future of that child won’t be celebrated. If you are always compelling your child to behave like that of Mr. A’s child, he won’t meet up with your expectations because they are two different persons with different destinies. No wonder our daddy Elder Joseph Meliga pointed out that “everything on earth has it’s own way of doing things”. Benjamin Carson, the one time American best sellers and a renowned American neurosogeon, who was the dullest in is class, who never got a spelling correct nor did he get any arithmetic problem right only need encouraging word from the one time object of scorn and ridicule which eventually traced his way to the pinnacle of neurosurgery. The mother never concluded that his is a dullard but rather she optimistic about her son. She always told him that “you can do better, you are a smart kid, and the reward of her handwork came to pass. If we do not go close to the hearts of our teenagers we won’t know what they are capable of doing. Because, before an action is taken place it must have been conceived in the mind.

          We show endless love and understanding by learning to believe and teach them how to live well in this world. The development needs of children are much more than food and shelter. These are physical needs which of course are very vital for survival.

          However most Nigeria families have failed to take cognizance of the psychological needs of their children which though considered unnecessary but plays a greater role in a development of the child and the nation as there values encompasses all aspect of human endeavour. One of those psychological needs is the ability to love. This ability results from the interactions of mother and children during which the mother shows the child how special and important he/she is. No wonder Dale Carnegie pointed out that “the greatest urge in human nature is the desire to be appreciated. But sometimes the teenagers experience the opposite it which have adverse affect on them. This relation must be established very early in life as it gives the child a complete sense of belonging and safety in his strange environment. What Erickson calls a “sense of trust” if a child cannot trust his earliest environment and the people around him do not show this sense of trust to make him feel safe and secured, he will find it very difficult to form close relationship in life.

          Another example was a teenage friend of mine who used to tell me all the time that any little thing that goes wrong in the house, his father will begin to say that he is a bad child. This makes him sad always whenever he sees his father.

          Another one is a teenage girl whom a class-mate of hers came to return a text book which she borrowed him back in school. After he has gone, the father of the girl said to her that she is keeping boyfriend which is not true. The father hasn’t seen her talking with any boy neither did he asked her daughter who was the by. But yet he concluded her easily which the daughter never found funny.

          Another example was the day John’s father’s wrist watch was missing. The dad flogged him so bitterly, telling him to return the wrist watch. John told him that he never stole anything. All his efforts to convince his Dad that he never did it was to no avail. It was later in the evening he discovered that he kept the wrist watch under his pillow. The dad had concluded him easily. These are some of the things teenagers experience when they are concluded easily which is injustice. If you don’t believe in your child, whose child will you believe in? Believe them, even if the world is condemning them for they do not have anybody to shelter them other than their parents. God who gave you this child want you to trust him and lead him well. If our parent direct us well in this area, I really think and hope that we will do well to the extent of salvaging our generations as we will lay it as a legacy for our descendants to follow.

 Ezekiel Alfa

 Believing in your child

Good day Mummies and Daddies, Bothers and Sister, my fellow teenagers and the panel of judges.

          My Victoria Edino and I am here to speak on the topic, believing in your child.

          Please permit me to receive myself of this thought that has been on my mind for a very long time ago.

          Could it be that some persons were borne into this world to become wicked armed robbers, prostitutions, hired killers and several different types of terrorist today? I thought of it several times and I came to the conclusion that it could never be so although we are borne sinners! But how then did their existence came about? Was it the devil that physically and practically inserted these character in them? No, the devil must not have come in person. He must have come through means or probably some persons as usual. What is the first thing that came on your mind when I said through some persons? The first thing that has been on my mind is the parents. I had said the parents an available means through which the devil input characters into children because right from the womb a person has been with his parents to birth until he is grown and ready to be a husband, wife an out east, a prisoner, a prostitute or probably remain in the house (it depend on the way and basis he was brought up).

          The devil does this input by making paunts not to give attention to their children which give them every means and opportunity to meet with the world. Parents professing negative words on their children which have great effects on their life’s, parents comparing their children to others, which underrate their children’s future and life as a whole, parents not giving their children a standard and solid education which gives them an opportunity to get a more clearer, easier and ridiculous life destroying training from outside and so many other means.

          This has brought me back to my topic: Believing in your child! Do you believe in your child? Look deeply into yourself, what kind of parent are you? Are you negative or positive about your children?

          My main point on this topic is The Power of the Words!

          Jesus taught extensively about the power of words. Mark 11:23 said you shall have what you say. This is an establish law in the realm of the spirit. What you say is what you get either positive or negative.

          Now bringing this home to our lives. The words your speak to your children as parents will either make or mar you children’s life, the progress and development of parents of your children’s dreams and destiny!

          As God’s people, our worlds are headed with power. Ecc. 8:4 says for the king’s word is authoritative. So let the words parents speak to and about their children be words that will shape, build and establish them in prosperity, progress and make their dreams come true.

          Why I am so specific on words is because your words firstly, mostly and particularly and secondly your actions are the basic and the most important means to express your believe in your child dream and life as a whole.

Talking about actions – How do you act towards your child’s dream? Are you wiling and ready to work towards making your child the best he or she was born to be? How? Are you giving your child the best education? Are you aware that the level of intelligence of your child depends on the kind of school you put her into? And have you ever taught that the school environment has influence on your child’s intelligence or better still sense of reasoning?

          Influence of the environment under the topic variations in population in Biology made it very clear that the environment plays an important role in human beings specifically children because an intelligent person which is derived from his parents can or would become absolutely dull if exposed to an unfavourable environment and on the other hand, a person borne and brought up in a good environment even though may be deficient genetically can improve in physical and mental build.

          The bible, books, experience and experiment has proven that environment has a great effect and influence on the lives of children. Look over there, the great future leaders of this community, this society, this nation and this world at large. Gives us the best, put us in good schools with favourable environment, profess positive words on us, work towards making us the best we were borne to be.

          Don’t be tired or putting into us and through us because your input is bound to be and would be nothing compared to our output in Jesus name.

          We pray and desire that you all would like to eat the fruit of your labour in Jeus name. Amen.

         

By:

Victoria Edino

Education, Discipline, Career and Practical Living:

Good day parents including our dear, mom and dads, uncles and aunties. Strip of gentlemen and a banquet of ladies.

          My selected topic which entails, the topic above (Headword) tries to or perhaps tend to bring all the topics consequently discussed together and deliberately summarises them for the sake of counter – confusion and understanding.

          Education as the headword refers to the way our children is brought up, moulded, tamed, disciplined and trained. According to biological theories and principal, a child is who he is due to his interaction with nature – which is his own God-given trait and likelihood which may include: - gentleness, aggressiveness, tongue – rolling, phlegmaticness, complexion, height, sex, mental balancing and intelligence (Explain)

1.       Basically, every parents wants his or her child to succeed  against all odds  and as a result be greater than other children of his plain peer or age – group.

The effort to do this is so far challenged by processes and mind sets. (Explain).

2.       Although, you aim is to nurture healthy children, we are still subjected to severe and physical/mental stress as we develop.

   We are split between two cultures as young adult – our own tradition and the western’s a relic of any colonial past. This may affect your child – rearing practises. Therefore, these practises must have a very important bearing on how the child is preferred for our world of today so that we fit into disturbed cultural milieu – social environment.

     Different styles of child rearing and education can produce different personalities in terms of motivation, aggressiveness, achievement and the integration of the individual into the community socially and culturally. It is important that while we struggle with a child’s juvenile altitude, attitude, stubbornness and visible behaviour diseases as strict and violent as possible. Parents should also try to fix their gage on the other important measures that is always neglected end should not be – a happy child (Explan).

    The psychology hand book on parent – child relationship states that when a child reaches the age of two, he/she is self conscious. This is not the some as the layman use of the term, although there might be connected to the psychologist means that the child is aware that he is now a self and not anex tension of his tension of his mother. This awareness is shame in such behaviours acts as disobedience and the use of the word ‘no’ with emphasis because the child is aware that he does not have to obey parental commands parental commands (moral imperatives) are given throughout these two years. First for the child’s own safety e.g. don’t touch fire and secondly, sp. That he begins to develop some senses of night and wrong. This is not for an adult able to weigh the consequences of his actions, partly because he has developed a concept of idea of time. The young child lacks his concept and is governed by immediate desires which must be fulfilled. Thus, in some situations, he can be excused for not behaving morally i.e making the choice which is ‘good’ for himself and others. In other, situations, he knows what is right and deliberately chooses not to do it. Also, immature adults time us can also behave in this self centred way.

    Prior and as a regards to the above deductions, the use of biblical doctrines is more effectual than personally stipulated law and orders at names which are rather enforced on us.

     Now looking at every topic as discussed by my colleagues came to understand that a vital factor in moulding the character and conduct as well as shaping the future of the child is our altitude. Altitude is contagious. The child must feel wanted and accepted in the family. He most know that he is loved. A guidance from the scriptures: (Colossians 3:21 and 1Cor 13:4, 5). Parents must instil confidence and assurance in their children so they can succeed. A calm, gentle and kind depositions towards the children will promote these same feelings in them. When you show interests in the things which are not sinful that we enjoy, we will imitate your spirit and temperament and instinctively yield ourselves to your influence.

    Parents must have a spirit of companionship, closeness and openness between them and the child while healing all their children with equal affection. A thoughtfully I came up with this.

    If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

    If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.

    If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.

    If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.

If a child is subjected to  comparism, he feels inferior, primitive and demoralized

But

    If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.

    If a child lives with fames, he learns justice.

    If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.

    If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.

          Realistic as well as responsible parents should learn to train a child to be responsible through proper combination of love and discipline. Discipline is no crime, infact is part of love. The bible consistently pictures the disciples of Jesus as the great reinforcer of the teaching – learning process.

Þ Prov 19:18 chasten thy son while there is still hope and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

Prov. 13:24. he that spareth his rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him all times necessary.

= Discipline is not being custodian of stolen properties from schools friend instead it is insterance with such vices, you know what I mean

Þ Bribery to secure admissions. Corrupt parents would definitely pay for their negligence to lead us right. Note that discipline of children will prevent anguish, sorrow and regret in the future but negligence will lead to disgrace.

          Discipline defines the limits of behaviour and makes the child know what is acceptable and what is not. Despite His mission that was distinctly different from that of other member of the family, the lord Jesus Christ still submitted Himself to the authority of Mary and Joseph Þ The bible says: He was subjected unto them (Luke 2:52). However, discipline must be administered privately and not in publ;ic in order not to shame or humiliate us.

“Example they say is better than precept”. The life that both father and mother live before the child goes long way to mould the future for us. Parents who separate belief from practise, who tell a child, “do as I say, and not as  I do” quarrelling in front of us and lie to us are leading us in the path of disaster.

Þ Literally, it is known that whatever is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

          We must not be led to believe that your work is more than us. Do not use certain foods, snacks and drinks. As when we do right and object of punishment when we go wrong as we may develop a bad attitude towards gluttony, swankness in slothid. Parents should guide us in career decisions, guiding us on our progress at school, friends, interest, spiritual growths and most especially our prayer life.

          Successful parents expect us to be “chip off old block” and that we sometimes fail to measure up to such expectation. The self criticism and low-esteem that may result may lead us to adopting habits which often bring heart aches to our parents. In order that your children will not reject your Christian values and lifestyle. Parents should help and allow us to develop our own lives and personalities which can still insure it ultimate adoption of your value system.

          Amidst responsibilities, parents should allocate particulate time for us, this may appear not to be productive in terms of goods and service but in terms of personal relationship upon which value system is built, the benefits are unquantifiable.

          Moreover, the regular participation of the children in the family daily devotion, worship services and Bible studies go a long way to fashion out a glorious future for us. But how do we accept this when our parents make biblical doctrines how and orders for us, come to think of it, it’s just like making a child eat cooked rice without chewing it. Where parents have made mistakes you have failed with regards to training us is by enforcing this on us without we understanding it and thereby critics you as though men are perfect, just and equitable in all times you decided to standards. We also urge you to go humbly before God ask for divine wisdom and guidance on the right methods and strategies to adopt.

James 1:5, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God which      giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him.

          Besides, you must keep open the channels of communication with your children. Things like frustration, provocation, resentment and sarcasm must not be allowed to stop the flow of communication. While there is no communication, it will be impossible to influence the children positively.

          Parents must pray more for each child and criticise less –prayer is one of the greatest factors that will ensure that the children will grow up to adopt biblical values that will make them a real gift to the family, a pillar to the church of Christ and a blessing to humanity. God’s plan in

Psalm 144:3 Þ that our sons may be a plant grown up   in their          youth that daughters may be as cornerstones polished after the simitude of a palace.

          Parenthood is a life – long opportunity and privilege and women are well endured and adequately equipped by God to make the best of it. All through life you should be mindfull of the dangers ahead of the coming life. Thereby, through love and care, you should warm, counsel and strengthen each child to the utmost of out abilities. This is the best way, to meet, resist and overcome the problem ahead, parents please guide, instruct and inspire us to attain happiness and usefulness possible to us.

          The question goes to the heart of these issue, nurturing a child’s body without spiritual development is meaningless. Since every child is made of body soul and spirit, we need an all-round training in order to be complete. Unfortunately, many of our parents often give anything in life to train the child’s body rather than to the spiritual well-being of such a child. Yet it is the spiritual development that puts meaning into life here and hereafter. Carl Jury once said, “The least of things with a meaning is worth more in life than the greatest things without any sense attached to it. (A standing Mango tree is quite so worthless without the succulent and juicy fruit on them). So the earlier the parents laid a solid foundation for the child’s spiritual life, the better it is for that child and the parents. If a child yet unborn can be influenced spiritually through songs, care, moods and altitude of the mother, than much more the infants and chidren as well as teens in their formative years. Therefore, the godly mother most ever stand prepaid as a special teacher and friend in this work of training the children, (mother used above may be frowned upon, but the important of the mother cannot be over emphasised) she must put the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom before the eyes of the children.]

          Þ Read Þ Duet 6:7 – 9)

          Leading the child to Christ the saviour to the new birth experience is very fundamental and indispensable for Spiritual growth, this is a charge by the lord to parents whose Sacred duty is to train up a child in the way he should go (Prov. 22:6).

          It is a divine responsibility that need a divine help. When the seeds of truth is sown early and carefully nurtured in a child, there is great reward. Such parents will be honoured by God and men for raising noble men and women. On the contrary, it is a grievous thing to let a child grow without the knowledge of God.

          The neglect of Spiritual training makes for the raising of children who may have his world’s material possessions and acquire intellectual and social prominence but are void of inner fulfilment and satisfaction. This is particularly so because f the vacuum in such a child’s soul without God  E.g. the tragic end of Michael Jackson the world renown pop king of music who had a Jehovah witness background who never tasted the fresh revitalising effect of salvation.

          It is so true, when the say, the youngest child that loves God and fear God is the greatest in God’s sight than the most talented and learned men who neglect the great salvation. Such a child has anchored his life on the fountain of all wisdom and excellence and will never walk in darkness. As godly parents, you should know that Satan’s desires to sew in the heart of the child so much evil of sin pollution to the intent that both you and your child will reap a harvest of shame and sorrow. For this reason, you must be smarter than the devil to get your into the side of God.

More than that, you need to prepare your child for the spiritual warfare of them because there are inevitable periods of conflicts and challenges in life that the adversary will constantly raise against every mortal. Without strong spiritual development through the strength of the indwelling Christ, none can win.

           A mother that will so lay a spiritual foundation in the child’s training must be one whose own spiritual foundation is solidly built on Christ, the Rock. Her Christian experiences are to be unmistakable. She is a mother given to secret prayers and commitment to God’s word; she is keen in watchfulness and courage, leading on exemplary life. She impieties upon the child’s heart simple piety, relevant to his age, ability and understanding. From infancy, she teaches the child Christian songs, bible studies and verses to learn by heart. She prays with the child regularly.  Psychologist affirm that between ages 4 – 6, a child’s heart and mind are moist surfaces that can attract and then the child does reason concretely so, they can believe the word of God like Timothy, who from youth knew the holy scriptures which made him wise unto salvation.

          However, mothers do sometimes fails to keep watch over the child through the teenage. Once he been led to the lord during childhood no this should not be it invigorates the devil to have an occasion to distract his tender heart from the truth. Once we are born again, teach us to observe daily devotion with the lord in personal prayers time and bible study. Spend time to share our testimonies, listen to answer and clear our doubts. You are then to help us mature I all Christian grace and virtues. Although the impartation of the fruit of the spirit is the work of the Holy Ghost the moment the child is born anew, yet the Christian parent can play a mad or rule in ensuring the virtues of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance and obedience are visibly seen in the child (no time).

          Problems may also exist among teenagers and it must succinctly calls for understanding and care the on part of the parents in order to manage and cure. Firstly, we need to know that thy reasons for behavioural problems are based on a child’s deep needs and feelings. We, it must be identified than the solution would be proffered by the mother or some specialist if need be. Spanking may not always solve those problem  especially with older ones. So, take caution, and if at all span punishment does, another problem might arise.

          Here are some of these behavioural problems

1.    Babyishness – acting below his/her age e.g. crying.

2.    Bedwetting i.e. enuresis

3.    Thumb sucking

4.    Nail biting

5.    Sibling rivalry

6.    Stealing

7.    Temper tantrum/uncontrolled expression of rage and frustration or aggressiveness

8.    Selfishness

9.    Masturbation

Helping to form new habits may generally take time. So, mothers, be available to stay with your children especially on our formative years. Consequences/results that may follow could be irredeemable and colossal. But be of good cheer mothers as we reflect God’s assurance in (Jer. 32:17) Þ power and stretched out arm and is there something too hard for thee! I don’t think so myself. (Joel 2:24-26).

          That is a promise, so there is still hope. If God was able to make up for the years that the locust had devoured the crops of the people of Judah then He is certainly able to do the same for you and your children even though it may seem impossible, God is a specialist in impossible situations, he is the physician who can bring internal healing. He specialises in binding fracture relationships and healing deep wounds and bruises that have existed for years.

          Because of the insight I got from the book of 1 Peter 2:9 – A chosen generation it led me to take to the stand that at our level we have evolved from the old child and therefore a better, sophisticated, tactful and effectual method is needed.

e.g. And if you think………….., look and consider simple organism like rats, mosquitoes

 

          By:

          Fred Meliga