Strengthening Families in Today's Society

On your Bible, we'll meet tonight to Genesis chapter 2. Let me see that. Genesis chapter 2, verse number 15. I'll read up to verse 25. And then I will go to 1 Corinthians chapter 16, and I'll read from verse 13 to 24. Genesis 2, 15 to 25, and then 1 Corinthians 16, 13 to 24. I want to lend a bit of credence to the drama presented by Young Pioneers, and I want to give you my two-pence wisdom on how to make a difference in the perverse and crooked generation. Genesis 2, 15 to 25. Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. That's where our theme is from. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may eat freely, or freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. And the Lord God said, it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him. Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found. a helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept. And he took one of his ribs and closed off the flesh in its place. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, he made into a woman, and he brought her to the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. Therefore, read that with me, therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and they shall become own flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. 1 Corinthians chapter 16 from verse 13 to 24. 1 Corinthians 16, 13 to 24. Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong, let all that you do be done with love. I urge you brethren, you know the household of Stephanas, that is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. Whenever you read in our vision, addicted to God's kingdom, this is where I came from. You also saw me to search and to everyone who works and labors with us. I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore, acknowledge such men. Why is Paul raising this household of Stephanas and mentioning the names of others? These are models of kingdom standards and addiction. An entire household devoted to ministering to the saints. The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you. Greet one another. with a holy kiss and look at the doxology the salutation with my own hand paul's if anyone does not love the lord jesus christ let him be accursed anathema is a greek word let him be accursed oh lord come that's maranatha the lord has come oh lord come the grace of our lord jesus christ be with you and paul now said my love Go on. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. now it's normal to say may the grace of our lord jesus christ the love of god the past said may the grace of our lord jesus my love is saying i've become a standard of that law. I'm a human standard for that law. I've told you several times for the tabernacle of Moses, God gave him a written blueprint, built it according to the pattern which I showed you on the mountaintop. For the temple of Solomon, God wrote on the canvas of the heart of David. He said, according to the writing of God upon the canvas of my heart. this is the blueprint. But for the church of the living God, he said, you have us for a pattern, a heavy responsibility. So what Adam, the first Adam, failed to do, Paul was now showing in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, the standard, the flag bearers, the models of kingdom addiction and kingdom standard. What did he call the household of Stephanas? Let's go back to that story, to that scripture. Give me that scripture. I urge you brethren, you know the household of Stephanas, that is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. How did they meet? First Corinthians chapter 1 verses 15 and 16. 1 Corinthians 1 15 and 16. You are either going to murder the values of God's kingdom or you are going to bring reproach to God and to his kingdom. Let me start from verse 14. I thank God that I baptized none of you except crispers and girls lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, you remembered. I also baptized what? The household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. But he remembered he baptized this household and his influence, his impact in their lives made them the first fruits of Achaia who were totally entire household devoted to the ministry of the saints. Their home had become what? A center of kingdom. activities. I look at our children tonight and I imagine how many plays I've seen in different churches that I've been part of and what happened eventually to those who took part in the plays. Many of them fell by the wayside. I pray the Lord will keep ours. Looking around the world today, the Church of the Living God inclusive, all I can see most of the time is the devastation of family disintegration. The devastation of family disintegration. I want you to listen very carefully to my two penny worth wisdom tonight. Because I'd experienced it personally and I'd seen it in others. And I want to prepare you to protect with all the grace that God will make available to you. All the tools that will be given to you to protect the God in God that committed to your hands. It grieves my heart much more as I see the devastation in close quarters. Where you least expect them to happen. I spent the last two days in agony of those you think will be the model, the standard, getting to the point of she's free to go if she wants to go. She can divorce me and go. I'm equally tired. I've been... Under serious harassment and you think these are the ones that will raise the standard against the enemy. Now, don't judge anyone quickly because Yoruba say, aren't, are it anymore we? And they also say, Interpretation is simple. If you talk about others and you use something to cover your own, somebody is looking at your back as you are looking at somebody else's back. I'm not saying that to judge anyone. I'm saying that it grieves my heart that homes that should be harmonious, homes that should be peaceful, homes that should be center of kingdom activity, where godly children and godly families are raised, has become a center of civil war. I'm not going to ask for a show of hands, but you can line up preachers and let them tell you the truth of how many of their children have tried marijuana, have tried cocaine, have tried so many things. Something is wrong. While men slept, an enemy has been busy showing tears. The devastation that I've seen in the family as a result of disintegration can come through many sources. One. It can come through the persistent unfaithfulness or infidelity of a spouse. It can come because one of them has just become persistently unfaithful. His infidelity eventually will catch up with the family and destroy the fabric of that family. The same devastation. that will produce disintegration can come as a result of the death of the breadwinner. Not because anyone was unfaithful, but suddenly the breadwinner dies and we, I experienced that firsthand. Firsthand. My father's household was every day like Christmas. When he died, I was raised in abject poverty, and I can testify what my mother went through to treat me. I remember sharing with my grandniece who spoke tonight, I said, no family member came to my rescue. I look for at least... I'm related to this. I'm related to that. Somebody will help me. It didn't show up. And my mother's constant statement is, Olejo, olejo, meaning you have no relational. You have nobody. It's you and me and God. Madarao, olejo, madarao, olejo. It became a broken record, played constantly in my head. How do you figure out life as a young man? or a young lady that way. You didn't kill your father. Once the breadwinner dies, I'm coming to visit that tonight. If there are no elders in the city, everything will be upside down. And when the breadwinner in their home dies, it can become totally devastated. It can come through infidelity, it can come through the breadwinner dying, it can also come as a result of financial pressure. A husband living abroad and wife living somewhere else, and children sent to live with uncles and aunties or grandmas and grandpas. How many families have relocated, the wife has a British passport or the husband has an American passport, and one would take off. And when the need arises... sexual needs and other needs emotional needs all right they would look for some help there and they hope that one day they'll be able to bring their own spouse and more often than not that's the beginning of the end of their home it's happening left right and center do you know anyone it has happened to or who much more It can also happen as a result of rejecting God's Word and His messengers. I've given you four ways it can happen to any family. There'll be more. That's why Pastor Kofi is here this week and his beautiful wife. They will tell us how to protect our homes from the devastation that occurs as a result of family disintegration. But you know what's so painful? The church now reaps the harvest of the devastation. Because we now have to harbor and accommodate... Single parents, children that are raised in homes where there are absentee fathers, area boys, registry girls, the mob from drugs subculture, and must find a way of rehabilitating them because Jesus died for them also. And the only institution left here to take care of that is the church. So whether we like it or not... we are repaying a harvest of devastation of family disintegration let me establish this in the word of God so that you know it's not new you know pastor Kofi when I hear people talk about homosexuality today I shake my head they think it's new they think it just happened The first chapter of the book of Romans, Paul dedicated almost several verses to it, is that God gave up their mind, then they do things that are not convenient. And not only that, in Corinthians he said, many of you are homosexuals before now you have repented. It's not a new thing. It's all around us. But let's situate these things, this devastation. As a result of family disintegration, less situated in the Word of God. We all know the consequences of moral tumble that devastated the family of King David. As a result of his infidelity with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, his first son Amnon raped his daughter Tamar. David did not know when he was opening that door that the spirit of rape was coming inside. Are you listening to me? I'm not trying to frighten you. I'm just concerned. I'm alarmed about what is happening left, right, and center. And we just have to rise up and watch. That's what 1 Corinthians 16 says. Watch. Be alert. Be bold. His first son Amnon raped his daughter Tamar. Tamar's brother Absalom murdered his half-brother Amnon. Subsequently, the same son Absalom sent his father packing from the throne and was ready to kill him with the help of his chief counselor by the name of Ahithophel. Both of them hung themselves eventually and Solomon wept, My son, my son Absalom, how are we? David eventually wept, my son, my son Absalom. I wish I died in your stead. Why was he weeping? Remember when Bathsheba's first child died, he fasted seven days, he got up when he heard he had died, he went straight into the temple and praised God. Why? God killed that one. God will take care of him. He knew that Absalom was lost forever. That was the anguish. That was the pain. He's more or less saying, I accept responsibility for what has happened to you. I wish I died instead of you but it was too late. Tell me the truth. Do you think David knew all this will happen as a result of that one night stand? Are you listening to me? If David had only known what the end product of one night stand would be. I'm sure I would not have entertained the thought or the temptation at all. Indeed, an idle man's head is the devil's workshop. Because it was the time that the kings went to battle. He sent orders, he had become big boss now. And then was strolling in his balcony. And the enemy gave him one fimshu, just one. He turned his eyes and saw and said, wait a minute. Who is this? Others who have been feeding themselves on the pornography to knew exactly who she was. They said, that's Bathsheba, Uriah's wife. One of your bodyguards said, Bathsheba, Uriah, the Hittite, in this land. Look what you did to that girl, Danny. With this beautiful girl. At the end of the day, you know the story. But look at the devastation. And look at the disintegration that happened. His house became divided against itself. Tell your neighbor, sin. We take you farther than you want to go. And we cost you much more than you are willing to pay. I can hear you say to your neighbor, sin. We take you farther than you want to go. And we cost you much more than you are willing to pay. Listen to the word of the Lord that God sent to David through prophet Nathan. 2nd Samuel chapter 12. 2nd Samuel chapter 12 beginning from verse 7. 2nd Samuel chapter 12, 7 to 14. Just listen. Then Nathan said to David, You are the man, thus says the Lord God of Israel. I anointed you king over Israel, and I deliver you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more. Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with a sword. You have taken his wife to be your wife, and you have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore the soul shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Etite to be your wife. Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor. And he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this son. Did it happen or not? For you did it secretly. but i will do this thing before all israel and before the sun so david said to nathan i've sinned against the lord and nathan said to david the lord has also put away your sin you shall not die he escaped because he turned to the lord did you see their drama their play tonight don't run away from him run to him he's the only one who can deliver you when this devastation begins in your life now let's read the end of it however because by this day you have given great you to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die. All the prayers of David could not change that. He fasted, he prayed, God already made up his mind. Let me be honest with you. Once God has made up his mind, just comply. Just one night stand. Look at the devastation that followed. Sin is not worth the price we eventually pay for it. It's not worth it. Number two, the devastation of family disintegration can also happen as a result of the death of a family's breadwinner, thereby bringing economic hardship or financial pressure on the family. Hear me loud and clear. all that is in your power to raise your family in a manner that they can sustain or that better still they can improve upon after you had gone. Don't raise your children in such a way that when you die they will have to follow you. My mother said it over and over. I didn't understand it. Then she will ask me a question. Who is going to raise a child that the day I die you have to die? I thought it was child labor. The age of nine. There's no medicine against poverty except hard work. Send me to carry water, send me to carry firewood, but ensure that the money I was earning was being kept for my education. Do you understand me? That's why I cannot, I cannot stand lazy people at all. You know the story of the woman who was not empowered by her husband, but who was empowering the whole world, and the husband died. one of the sons of the prophets and he came to Elisha man of God my husband one of the sons of the prophet is dead the creditors have come to take my son do you understand the question the prophet asked what do you have in the house How are you empowering your spouse that in case you step out they can still maintain the same standard of living? How are you empowering and training your children that in case anything happens to you they do not go from house to house and beg and become a burden on other people? In the name of Jesus. that prayer simply says your children will not become other people's children your wife will not become another person's wife your husband will not become another person's husband because if there is no financial wherewithal anything can happen The love of money is the root of all evils. The lack of it is the root of all bitterness and compromise. My husband is dead. Who do you think the husband was? It's rehashed that he was a Obadiah. The man who kept 50 prophets in caves and was sustaining them there. Die! And all of a sudden, the creditors had come to take his two sons. Anyway, thank God there was a little bottle of oil in the house and she placed no value at all on it. Financial pressure can devastate a family and disintegrate a family. May God Almighty help you that that will not be your portion. Another cause of family devastation, home disintegration, is the rejection of the word of the Lord. and of his messengers. This is very critical because we have been having family life conference after family life conference after family life conference and if you're not putting them to use the world will stand against you tomorrow. God forbid that that will be your portion. This man was rolling on the floor last year jumping and jumping and rolling on the floor demonstrating the truth. You think he came here for acrobatics display? Everything he taught that you will not put to use will stand against you. God will remind you that I told you I sent a servant. We have that in the Bible, Amos. Family devastation, family disintegration. When you reject the word of the Lord, that's what happens to you. Amos chapter 7 verse 10 to 17. Amos 7, 10 to 17. Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel. Saying, Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said, the Robam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive from their own land. Was that Amos'word or the word sent to them so that they could repent? God will first send warning before they are to be blown. It's when the warnings are now heeded. that the blows will follow. Then Amaziah said to Amos, go you seer. We want people who don't see. Go you seer. Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread and there prophesy. We do not want your prophecies around us at all. Your truth is cutting through our heart. But never again prophesy at Bethel, house of God. For it is the king's sanctuary and it is the royal residence. the name was answered and said to him Isaiah I was no prophet now was I a son of a prophet but I was a sheep breeder and a tender of sycamore fruit then the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said to me go prophesy to my people Israel now therefore hear the word of the Lord you say do not prophesy against Israel and do not spout against the house of Isaac you Therefore, thus saith the Lord, your wife shall be a harlot in the city, your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword, your line shall be divided by a sovereign line, you shall die in a defiled land. Family devastation, family disintegration. Why? Because they do not want the word of the Lord. What do you think God honors more? His name or his word? In the days that the Bible was written, we were taught that any time they go to the place where they will write Yahweh, they will wash their hands and write why and run away. They will come back a few days and write A and run away. Because they do not know what will happen as a result of his name. Listen to David, the Shemesh, in 2 Samuel, what is said about God's name. 2 Samuel, chapter 7, verse 25. 2nd Samuel chapter 7 verse 25 now oh Lord God the word which you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house establish it forever and do as you have said do you know God just made a promise to him that he was going to build him a dynasty in spite of his blunders and mistakes he had made because he desired to build God a house and God said I will not let you build me one. There's too much blood in your hand. But your son will build. But I'm going to build you a dynasty. So he began to pray here. Give me that verse again. Let your. Now oh Lord God. The word which was spoken. Concerning your servant and concerning his house. Establish it forever. And do as you have said. Next verse. So let your name. I can't hear you. Let your name be magnified. For how long? Forever. Forever. Saying. The Lord of hosts. is the God of Israel. Let the house of your servant David be established before you. You can take this to the bank and say, oh, God wants his name really magnified forever. But David was saying, it's because of the word he has given. Read the next verse. For you, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant. That's the reason we are magnifying your name, saying I will build you a house. Therefore your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to you. And now, oh Lord God, you are God. And what? Your words are true. And you have promised this goodness to your servant. Now, therefore, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue before you forever. For you, oh Lord God, have spoken it. And with your blessing, let the house of your servant be blessed forever. Can you notice or you go back to your Bible and see, word, said, spoken, things you have said. Is the reason his name is magnified. Why? Because God Almighty himself. God magnifies his word above all his name. God magnifies his word above all his name. Psalm 138 verses 1 and 2. So when you praise the name of the Lord, when you pray in the name of the Lord, when you do everything and his word is spoken to you and you reject it, you're shooting yourself in the foot. I will praise you with my own heart. Before the gods, I will sing praises to you. I will worship toward your holy temple and praise your name for your loving kindness and your truth for you have magnified your word above all your name. I want you to stand to your feet and ask God give me a holy fear for your word. Give me a holy fear for your word. Give me a holy fear for your word that I will be amongst men and women that tremble at the word of the Lord. Help me father in the name of Jesus to tremble at your word. As the word will be coming this week to us, help us, O Lord, to latch onto those words and to begin to magnify your word above your name. Anyone who does not magnify your word cannot use your name. You'll be using it in vain. Help me, O Lord, to fear and to tremble at your word. Let the spirit of the fear of the Lord permeate my entire heart. Help me, O Lord, to trivialize your word, not to explain it away. Help me, O Lord, to latch onto your word. For you have magnified your word above all your names. In Jesus'mighty name. And the people said, Amen. Sit down. What's a mabu? What's a mabu? I'll give you two or three words because we want to close on time. Practicalities of family devastation or disintegration. Number one, when the family breaks down. Everything that is supposed to be built on that sacred foundation crumbles with it. When the family breaks down, everything that is supposed to be built on that sacred foundation crumbles with it. This is why today the church is reaping the harvest, as I said earlier, of family disintegration. Alarming rate of divorce, single parents, absentee fathers, school dropouts, area boys, registry girls, and drugs of culture mob everywhere. If society does not find solution to it, we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder. Go to Oshudi. Go around and see boys who are milling around. Some of them have been to school. Some of them are dropped out of school. They have no jobs. and they are waiting for a disaster that they can latch on to, to demonstrate the rage of the poor. They are somebody's children. They did not drop from the sky. They did not jump out of water. Somebody slept on duty. Somebody failed in his duties. Now the church will have to reach out to such people and become a blessing to them. Number two. When parents fail to provide their children with the tools necessary, when parents fail to provide their children with the tools necessary to resist the culture's unwash, a father told me yesterday, he said, I found hemp smelling in my house. And I was going through, I found it was my youngest son. In the name of Jesus, the Lord would deliver them. I found it was my youngest son, and I tried to pin him down. His older brother would train him to smoke. Hit me! I fell flat. Not kidding. When he gets close to home, you begin to feel the pinch. How do you think a person who has been on drugs realizes that hitting the father with a plank of wood means anything? Meanwhile, the mother was working so hard, returning home at 11 p.m., 1 a.m. Father goes east, mother goes west. the children go south have you heard that everything has gone south you know what it means i raise a standard against the enemy in that family in the mighty name of jesus whatever grief whatever hold is on those children the lord will deliver them in jesus mighty name when parents fail to provide their children with the tools Necessary to receive the culture's unrest, the rising tide of generational perversity tend to wash a generation away like sandcastles at the seashore. They will be swept off their feet and what causes God fury will become their fun. Number three, please indulge me tonight. Indulge me by participating. in this simple survey. I do not intend to embarrass anyone, so if you don't, if you feel it will embarrass you, feel free not to participate. But join me, and let's find out. If you are a mother, but you are not married, lift up your hand, let me see. You are a mother. but you're not married. I'm only seeing one hand here. Okay, be bold. Stand to your feet. You're a mother, but you're not married. You know what it simply means? You had children outside of wedlock, right? Good. Stand up. Don't be embarrassed. Okay, don't be embarrassed though because today's the day of salvation. It's the day of deliverance. God will sit with you in your own family. In the mighty name of Jesus, and he will honor his word in your life. Look, I wish my daughter is here. Is she here or she's busy? It was about 10 p.m. in the night that day. She had a child outside of wedlock and she was going out with somebody else and the Lord told me to go and warn her. It was about 10 p.m. that I took Olumide Pastor Olumide with me and we went to her house. We got there dead in the night, 10, 10 30. There was no light so she lit what I can do, I can't recall. And I said, the Lord asked me to come and warn you. Stop this relationship because God knows how to situate the solitary into family. She said, dad, you don't know what I'm going through. This is the person helping me. I've told you the word of the Lord. And I left. I went home. The following day, the man came to invite him to a party. But because I came the night before, he said, even if I don't fear God and I don't fear this man. I will not come to this party with you, go. I will join you later. The guy did not make it to the place, involved in a crash, died on the road. When you reject the word of the Lord, you bring devastation upon yourself. She feared God, she obeyed God that night. Are you listening to me? When she heard the man die, she ran here shaking, shaking. What do you say the Lord said again? What do you say? I'm not kidding. She's alive. but do you know god truly situated her in family she married a man who has never been married before was never had a child outside and they together they are raising a decent family today my god will remember you i say my god will remember you for good in the name of jesus past blunders will not destroy future destinies keep standing if you are a mother but you are a widow The breadwinner is gone. If you are a mother, you are a widow. Let me see your hand. Stand to your feet. You are a mother. You are married, but today you are a widow. Now, let us assume, please, that sin caused the first set not to be married, may have children as a wedlock. What sin did these other people commit? death turned them into single parents like my mother so when they say single parents they also have become single parents as a result of death i hope you are listening to me in the name of jesus every one of you are just taking this stand the husband of the widow will visit you the father of the fatherless will help you i come to you also Just in case you think, oh well, it's only showcasing women. If you are a father, but you had a son or a daughter outside of marriage, lift up your hand. I know you are here, don't hide. You are a father, stand to your feet. Thank you. You are a father, you had a child, but you are not married. Thank you, stand. Don't be ashamed. I'm not embarrassing anyone. Again, I've told you, you don't have to participate. If you think it will embarrass you, they will now know that I have a child. They don't know I have a child before. I remember when I proposed to Mrs. B, I was trying to propose, I didn't even know if I proposed. Came to my house and saw a photograph of a boy I was carrying. Call me on if I did, Dr. N... It was my friend's son. And then I had my little niece following me everywhere. Shola, who is a barrister now. Shola will follow me everywhere. So she assumed I've had one son somewhere. One daughter somewhere. And that was her answer. If you have a child, a son, a daughter, you are married, but you man have become a widower. Stand to your feet. Anyone like that here also, you are now a widower. Who told you that the husband of the widow would not take care of the widower? Who told you that God does not know your pain, your anguish? He will remember you for good. This conference will cause a turnaround in your life. God will wipe away your tears in the mighty name of Jesus. I have a question for you people standing whether you are a widow, widower or a single mother, a single father who has not been married before. How easy has it been for you to raise your child like a bird with one wing? How is it? Has it been like a bird with one wing? How far did you fly? Have you been flying? This is why God has situated everything involving child rearing, parenting in family. And God Almighty who ordered it from the beginning will order your steps are right. This is the last conference you will attend in your situation. The Lord will perfect all that concern you. In the mighty name of Jesus. And put a big smile in your mouth. In Jesus mighty name. Please be seated. Now, I didn't ask them to get up so as to embarrass them. I asked them to get up so that you know that these things are real. They're real. We're living with it. almost on daily basis and the number is increasing by the day. They will tell you but for the grace of God, it's not been easy. All the fathers and mothers who are married and are living together, raising the family by the grace of God, please lift up your hand. You're a father, you're a mother, you are married. Stand to your feet, you are married. You're married and you raise all your children within your marriage and hey, I have a question for you. Is your family picture perfect? Hello? Is your family picture perfect or you are wishing, hey, I wish I'm single. I wish I'm not in this prison. Whatever it is, God will cause a turnaround. There will be joy in your family. There will be peace in your family. You will experience true harmony in your relationship. In Jesus'mighty name. Please be seated. Please hear me loud and clear. This is how I'm going to close today. Regardless of how... And when you became a mummy or a daddy, are you hearing me? Whether outside of wedlock or within wedlock that has become a padlock, tell your neighbor wedlock is not padlock. Regardless of how you became a daddy or a mummy. Daddy and mommy are not titles to be heard loosely, they're not titles. True daddies and true mommies, not sperm or egg donors, are not common. Are you listening to me? I'm not talking about sperm donors or seed donors or egg donors. True daddies... And true mommies are not common. You hold a crucial place and have significant value in the life of your children and in the future they will experience. You hold the key, whether you are conscious of it or not, to the kind of future your children will live and experience. When you hear your children call you daddy or mommy, daddy, mommy, whether they run towards you when you are returning from work or when you are going to say mommy, daddy, bye-bye, when you hear your children call you daddy or mommy, I want these three things to ring in your head and in your heart. Number one, you are responsible along with your spouse. We are applicable. I have to say we are applicable because there's no spouse. But when they call you mommy or daddy. You are responsible, along with your spouse, we are applicable for the training of your children in righteousness. You're responsible. God is going to hold you accountable. You're responsible for the training of your children in righteousness. Number two, as the children taught us this evening, Proverbs 22, 6, train up a child in the ways you go. When he's old, he will not depart from it. When you hear your children saying daddy or mommy, number two, it means you have to shape their hearts and their character. You have to shape their hearts and their character in a way that will prepare them for the plans God has for their lives. That's a heavy responsibility. You have to shape their hearts and their character in a way that will prepare them for the plans God has for their lives. Train up a child in the way to go. Train him up. Connect him to his destiny. Connect him to why God sent him here. Number three, this is very heavy. The first one is easy. The second one is easy. But this one is very heavy. When you hear your children say daddy or mommy, it means above all that they will learn or they are learning from you how to parent their own children someday. Hello mommy, hello daddy, they are saying we are watching you and you are modeling how we will raise our children in the future. Question is, what kind of parenting are you modeling? Matthew chapter 18, Matthew 18 verse 1 to 6, listen to Jesus. At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Then Jesus called who? A little child to him and set him in the midst of the disciples and said, as surely I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. If there's time this week, I will explain that, but I'm going somewhere else. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Because they are teachable. They come with a clean slate for parents to write on those slates. They don't have prejudices. Do you understand me? They believe you wholeheartedly. Whoever receives one little child, like this one in my name, receives me. causes this way i'm coming whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin you are thinking of fornication or adultery there you are thinking of stealing or lying there yes everything is seen but who falls short of what i expect that child to be who falls short who does not eat the target of destiny whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin to fall short of the glory of god it will be better for him you If a millstone were hung around his neck and he was drowned in the depth of the sea. Heavy responsibility. What kind of parenting are you modeling? Brothers and sisters, this is what the theme of Family Life Conference 2017 is all about. Tending and keeping God's garden. Parenting is not a game of chance. No. Parenting is not a game of chance. Parenting is not something you just wake up and do the way you like. Parenting is deliberate, calculative, collaborative efforts made by parents through God's grace to raise a godly family. Parenting is not a game of chance. It's not, okay, well, we bought you your food and goodbye, go to school. No, parenting is deliberate. Calculative, collaborative efforts of parents who by God's grace raise a godly family. The picture of your life, your family life today may not be picture perfect. But if you put the things you learned this week into practice, what impact you will have. in the next generation will blow your mind. So when we gather together and we are here in the world, remember Amos, remember Matthew, before you hang a millstone in your own neck and drown yourself in the depth of devastation, God knows he will not be physically present everywhere. So he created fathers. I'm modest. Stand to your feet. Choir, can I have you there? I want us to pray as we sing today, Lord give us a Christian home. Give us a Christian home is a request. We are trusting God that in this house God will help us to be responsible parents, to be teachable and responsive children in the name of Jesus that ours could truly be called christian home god give us christian homes let's sing it together is loved and true homes where the masters really is true oh wrong god give us christian home give us grace and hope homes where the father is strong and true homes where the father is strong and strong homes that are free from the plight of Rome homes that guide us with love and sound God give us grace and hope God give us Christian homes God give us Christian homes Homes where the mother is carrying cares Strives to show all that's your way is best Homes where the Lord a rose and raised God give us grace and hope God give us grace God give us us Chris at home was crazy homes where the children are led to know balls we are sure to know Christ in this beautiful love that's more Oh Christian home. God give us Christian home. If that's your request tonight, lift up your voices to the Father. Lord, give us Christian homes. Lord, help us build kingdom families. Homes where the Bible is loved and taught. Homes where the master of the will is sought. Homes crowned with beauty, your love is wrought. Give us Christian homes. give us Christians homes we are the father is true and strong homes that are free from the blight of wrong give us Christians homes homes we are the mother in care request strive to show others your way is best homes we are the Lord our God rules and reigns give us Christian homes Lord give us Christian homes homes we are the children are led to know Christ in his beauty who loves them so. Homes where the altar fire bounce and glow. God give us Christian homes. God give us Christian homes. Thank you Father. You know it does not matter if you did not experience that in your own upbringing. But you can make it happen for others. You can say it stops with me. This devastation stops with me. This devastation stops with me. It's not going to go beyond me, it's not going to affect the next generation. And you begin to give to others what you did not have. What impact you will have and the generation beyond you will blow out your brain. But God give us Christian homes in Jesus mighty name.

That's where our theme is from. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may eat freely, or freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. And the Lord God said, it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.

Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, to every beast of the field.

But for Adam there was not found. a helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept. And he took one of his ribs and closed off the flesh in its place.

And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, he made into a woman, and he brought her to the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. Therefore, read that with me, therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and they shall become own flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

1 Corinthians chapter 16 from verse 13 to 24. 1 Corinthians 16, 13 to 24. Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong, let all that you do be done with love. I urge you brethren, you know the household of Stephanas, that is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. Whenever you read in our vision, addicted to God's kingdom, this is where I came from.

You also saw me to search and to everyone who works and labors with us. I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. For they refreshed my spirit and yours.

Therefore, acknowledge such men. Why is Paul raising this household of Stephanas and mentioning the names of others? These are models of kingdom standards and addiction. An entire household devoted to ministering to the saints.

The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you. Greet one another.

with a holy kiss and look at the doxology the salutation with my own hand paul's if anyone does not love the lord jesus christ let him be accursed anathema is a greek word let him be accursed oh lord come that's maranatha the lord has come oh lord come the grace of our lord jesus christ be with you and paul now said my love Go on. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. now it's normal to say may the grace of our lord jesus christ the love of god the past said may the grace of our lord jesus my love is saying i've become a standard of that law. I'm a human standard for that law.

I've told you several times for the tabernacle of Moses, God gave him a written blueprint, built it according to the pattern which I showed you on the mountaintop. For the temple of Solomon, God wrote on the canvas of the heart of David. He said, according to the writing of God upon the canvas of my heart. this is the blueprint.

But for the church of the living God, he said, you have us for a pattern, a heavy responsibility. So what Adam, the first Adam, failed to do, Paul was now showing in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, the standard, the flag bearers, the models of kingdom addiction and kingdom standard. What did he call the household of Stephanas?

Let's go back to that story, to that scripture. Give me that scripture. I urge you brethren, you know the household of Stephanas, that is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints.

How did they meet? First Corinthians chapter 1 verses 15 and 16. 1 Corinthians 1 15 and 16. You are either going to murder the values of God's kingdom or you are going to bring reproach to God and to his kingdom. Let me start from verse 14. I thank God that I baptized none of you except crispers and girls lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.

Yes, you remembered. I also baptized what? The household of Stephanas.

Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. But he remembered he baptized this household and his influence, his impact in their lives made them the first fruits of Achaia who were totally entire household devoted to the ministry of the saints. Their home had become what?

A center of kingdom. activities. I look at our children tonight and I imagine how many plays I've seen in different churches that I've been part of and what happened eventually to those who took part in the plays.

Many of them fell by the wayside. I pray the Lord will keep ours. Looking around the world today, the Church of the Living God inclusive, all I can see most of the time is the devastation of family disintegration. The devastation of family disintegration. I want you to listen very carefully to my two penny worth wisdom tonight.

Because I'd experienced it personally and I'd seen it in others. And I want to prepare you to protect with all the grace that God will make available to you. All the tools that will be given to you to protect the God in God that committed to your hands. It grieves my heart much more as I see the devastation in close quarters. Where you least expect them to happen.

I spent the last two days in agony of those you think will be the model, the standard, getting to the point of she's free to go if she wants to go. She can divorce me and go. I'm equally tired. I've been... Under serious harassment and you think these are the ones that will raise the standard against the enemy.

Now, don't judge anyone quickly because Yoruba say, aren't, are it anymore we? And they also say, Interpretation is simple. If you talk about others and you use something to cover your own, somebody is looking at your back as you are looking at somebody else's back. I'm not saying that to judge anyone. I'm saying that it grieves my heart that homes that should be harmonious, homes that should be peaceful, homes that should be center of kingdom activity, where godly children and godly families are raised, has become a center of civil war.

I'm not going to ask for a show of hands, but you can line up preachers and let them tell you the truth of how many of their children have tried marijuana, have tried cocaine, have tried so many things. Something is wrong. While men slept, an enemy has been busy showing tears.

The devastation that I've seen in the family as a result of disintegration can come through many sources. One. It can come through the persistent unfaithfulness or infidelity of a spouse.

It can come because one of them has just become persistently unfaithful. His infidelity eventually will catch up with the family and destroy the fabric of that family. The same devastation. that will produce disintegration can come as a result of the death of the breadwinner.

Not because anyone was unfaithful, but suddenly the breadwinner dies and we, I experienced that firsthand. Firsthand. My father's household was every day like Christmas. When he died, I was raised in abject poverty, and I can testify what my mother went through to treat me.

I remember sharing with my grandniece who spoke tonight, I said, no family member came to my rescue. I look for at least... I'm related to this. I'm related to that.

Somebody will help me. It didn't show up. And my mother's constant statement is, Olejo, olejo, meaning you have no relational.

You have nobody. It's you and me and God. Madarao, olejo, madarao, olejo. It became a broken record, played constantly in my head. How do you figure out life as a young man?

or a young lady that way. You didn't kill your father. Once the breadwinner dies, I'm coming to visit that tonight.

If there are no elders in the city, everything will be upside down. And when the breadwinner in their home dies, it can become totally devastated. It can come through infidelity, it can come through the breadwinner dying, it can also come as a result of financial pressure. A husband living abroad and wife living somewhere else, and children sent to live with uncles and aunties or grandmas and grandpas. How many families have relocated, the wife has a British passport or the husband has an American passport, and one would take off.

And when the need arises... sexual needs and other needs emotional needs all right they would look for some help there and they hope that one day they'll be able to bring their own spouse and more often than not that's the beginning of the end of their home it's happening left right and center do you know anyone it has happened to or who much more It can also happen as a result of rejecting God's Word and His messengers. I've given you four ways it can happen to any family. There'll be more.

That's why Pastor Kofi is here this week and his beautiful wife. They will tell us how to protect our homes from the devastation that occurs as a result of family disintegration. But you know what's so painful?

The church now reaps the harvest of the devastation. Because we now have to harbor and accommodate... Single parents, children that are raised in homes where there are absentee fathers, area boys, registry girls, the mob from drugs subculture, and must find a way of rehabilitating them because Jesus died for them also. And the only institution left here to take care of that is the church. So whether we like it or not...

we are repaying a harvest of devastation of family disintegration let me establish this in the word of God so that you know it's not new you know pastor Kofi when I hear people talk about homosexuality today I shake my head they think it's new they think it just happened The first chapter of the book of Romans, Paul dedicated almost several verses to it, is that God gave up their mind, then they do things that are not convenient. And not only that, in Corinthians he said, many of you are homosexuals before now you have repented. It's not a new thing. It's all around us. But let's situate these things, this devastation.

As a result of family disintegration, less situated in the Word of God. We all know the consequences of moral tumble that devastated the family of King David. As a result of his infidelity with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, his first son Amnon raped his daughter Tamar.

David did not know when he was opening that door that the spirit of rape was coming inside. Are you listening to me? I'm not trying to frighten you. I'm just concerned.

I'm alarmed about what is happening left, right, and center. And we just have to rise up and watch. That's what 1 Corinthians 16 says.

Watch. Be alert. Be bold. His first son Amnon raped his daughter Tamar.

Tamar's brother Absalom murdered his half-brother Amnon. Subsequently, the same son Absalom sent his father packing from the throne and was ready to kill him with the help of his chief counselor by the name of Ahithophel. Both of them hung themselves eventually and Solomon wept, My son, my son Absalom, how are we?

David eventually wept, my son, my son Absalom. I wish I died in your stead. Why was he weeping? Remember when Bathsheba's first child died, he fasted seven days, he got up when he heard he had died, he went straight into the temple and praised God. Why?

God killed that one. God will take care of him. He knew that Absalom was lost forever. That was the anguish. That was the pain.

He's more or less saying, I accept responsibility for what has happened to you. I wish I died instead of you but it was too late. Tell me the truth. Do you think David knew all this will happen as a result of that one night stand? Are you listening to me?

If David had only known what the end product of one night stand would be. I'm sure I would not have entertained the thought or the temptation at all. Indeed, an idle man's head is the devil's workshop.

Because it was the time that the kings went to battle. He sent orders, he had become big boss now. And then was strolling in his balcony. And the enemy gave him one fimshu, just one. He turned his eyes and saw and said, wait a minute.

Who is this? Others who have been feeding themselves on the pornography to knew exactly who she was. They said, that's Bathsheba, Uriah's wife. One of your bodyguards said, Bathsheba, Uriah, the Hittite, in this land. Look what you did to that girl, Danny.

With this beautiful girl. At the end of the day, you know the story. But look at the devastation.

And look at the disintegration that happened. His house became divided against itself. Tell your neighbor, sin. We take you farther than you want to go.

And we cost you much more than you are willing to pay. I can hear you say to your neighbor, sin. We take you farther than you want to go. And we cost you much more than you are willing to pay. Listen to the word of the Lord that God sent to David through prophet Nathan.

2nd Samuel chapter 12. 2nd Samuel chapter 12 beginning from verse 7. 2nd Samuel chapter 12, 7 to 14. Just listen. Then Nathan said to David, You are the man, thus says the Lord God of Israel. I anointed you king over Israel, and I deliver you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah.

And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more. Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with a sword.

You have taken his wife to be your wife, and you have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore the soul shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Etite to be your wife. Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor. And he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this son.

Did it happen or not? For you did it secretly. but i will do this thing before all israel and before the sun so david said to nathan i've sinned against the lord and nathan said to david the lord has also put away your sin you shall not die he escaped because he turned to the lord did you see their drama their play tonight don't run away from him run to him he's the only one who can deliver you when this devastation begins in your life now let's read the end of it however because by this day you have given great you to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die. All the prayers of David could not change that. He fasted, he prayed, God already made up his mind.

Let me be honest with you. Once God has made up his mind, just comply. Just one night stand.

Look at the devastation that followed. Sin is not worth the price we eventually pay for it. It's not worth it.

Number two, the devastation of family disintegration can also happen as a result of the death of a family's breadwinner, thereby bringing economic hardship or financial pressure on the family. Hear me loud and clear. all that is in your power to raise your family in a manner that they can sustain or that better still they can improve upon after you had gone. Don't raise your children in such a way that when you die they will have to follow you.

My mother said it over and over. I didn't understand it. Then she will ask me a question. Who is going to raise a child that the day I die you have to die? I thought it was child labor.

The age of nine. There's no medicine against poverty except hard work. Send me to carry water, send me to carry firewood, but ensure that the money I was earning was being kept for my education.

Do you understand me? That's why I cannot, I cannot stand lazy people at all. You know the story of the woman who was not empowered by her husband, but who was empowering the whole world, and the husband died. one of the sons of the prophets and he came to Elisha man of God my husband one of the sons of the prophet is dead the creditors have come to take my son do you understand the question the prophet asked what do you have in the house How are you empowering your spouse that in case you step out they can still maintain the same standard of living? How are you empowering and training your children that in case anything happens to you they do not go from house to house and beg and become a burden on other people?

In the name of Jesus. that prayer simply says your children will not become other people's children your wife will not become another person's wife your husband will not become another person's husband because if there is no financial wherewithal anything can happen The love of money is the root of all evils. The lack of it is the root of all bitterness and compromise.

My husband is dead. Who do you think the husband was? It's rehashed that he was a Obadiah.

The man who kept 50 prophets in caves and was sustaining them there. Die! And all of a sudden, the creditors had come to take his two sons. Anyway, thank God there was a little bottle of oil in the house and she placed no value at all on it. Financial pressure can devastate a family and disintegrate a family.

May God Almighty help you that that will not be your portion. Another cause of family devastation, home disintegration, is the rejection of the word of the Lord. and of his messengers.

This is very critical because we have been having family life conference after family life conference after family life conference and if you're not putting them to use the world will stand against you tomorrow. God forbid that that will be your portion. This man was rolling on the floor last year jumping and jumping and rolling on the floor demonstrating the truth. You think he came here for acrobatics display? Everything he taught that you will not put to use will stand against you.

God will remind you that I told you I sent a servant. We have that in the Bible, Amos. Family devastation, family disintegration.

When you reject the word of the Lord, that's what happens to you. Amos chapter 7 verse 10 to 17. Amos 7, 10 to 17. Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel. Saying, Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said, the Robam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive from their own land.

Was that Amos'word or the word sent to them so that they could repent? God will first send warning before they are to be blown. It's when the warnings are now heeded.

that the blows will follow. Then Amaziah said to Amos, go you seer. We want people who don't see.

Go you seer. Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread and there prophesy.

We do not want your prophecies around us at all. Your truth is cutting through our heart. But never again prophesy at Bethel, house of God. For it is the king's sanctuary and it is the royal residence. the name was answered and said to him Isaiah I was no prophet now was I a son of a prophet but I was a sheep breeder and a tender of sycamore fruit then the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said to me go prophesy to my people Israel now therefore hear the word of the Lord you say do not prophesy against Israel and do not spout against the house of Isaac you Therefore, thus saith the Lord, your wife shall be a harlot in the city, your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword, your line shall be divided by a sovereign line, you shall die in a defiled land.

Family devastation, family disintegration. Why? Because they do not want the word of the Lord. What do you think God honors more?

His name or his word? In the days that the Bible was written, we were taught that any time they go to the place where they will write Yahweh, they will wash their hands and write why and run away. They will come back a few days and write A and run away.

Because they do not know what will happen as a result of his name. Listen to David, the Shemesh, in 2 Samuel, what is said about God's name. 2 Samuel, chapter 7, verse 25. 2nd Samuel chapter 7 verse 25 now oh Lord God the word which you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house establish it forever and do as you have said do you know God just made a promise to him that he was going to build him a dynasty in spite of his blunders and mistakes he had made because he desired to build God a house and God said I will not let you build me one. There's too much blood in your hand.

But your son will build. But I'm going to build you a dynasty. So he began to pray here.

Give me that verse again. Let your. Now oh Lord God.

The word which was spoken. Concerning your servant and concerning his house. Establish it forever.

And do as you have said. Next verse. So let your name. I can't hear you.

Let your name be magnified. For how long? Forever.

Forever. Saying. The Lord of hosts. is the God of Israel.

Let the house of your servant David be established before you. You can take this to the bank and say, oh, God wants his name really magnified forever. But David was saying, it's because of the word he has given. Read the next verse. For you, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant.

That's the reason we are magnifying your name, saying I will build you a house. Therefore your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to you. And now, oh Lord God, you are God.

And what? Your words are true. And you have promised this goodness to your servant. Now, therefore, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue before you forever. For you, oh Lord God, have spoken it.

And with your blessing, let the house of your servant be blessed forever. Can you notice or you go back to your Bible and see, word, said, spoken, things you have said. Is the reason his name is magnified.

Why? Because God Almighty himself. God magnifies his word above all his name.

God magnifies his word above all his name. Psalm 138 verses 1 and 2. So when you praise the name of the Lord, when you pray in the name of the Lord, when you do everything and his word is spoken to you and you reject it, you're shooting yourself in the foot. I will praise you with my own heart.

Before the gods, I will sing praises to you. I will worship toward your holy temple and praise your name for your loving kindness and your truth for you have magnified your word above all your name. I want you to stand to your feet and ask God give me a holy fear for your word. Give me a holy fear for your word. Give me a holy fear for your word that I will be amongst men and women that tremble at the word of the Lord.

Help me father in the name of Jesus to tremble at your word. As the word will be coming this week to us, help us, O Lord, to latch onto those words and to begin to magnify your word above your name. Anyone who does not magnify your word cannot use your name.

You'll be using it in vain. Help me, O Lord, to fear and to tremble at your word. Let the spirit of the fear of the Lord permeate my entire heart. Help me, O Lord, to trivialize your word, not to explain it away.

Help me, O Lord, to latch onto your word. For you have magnified your word above all your names. In Jesus'mighty name.

And the people said, Amen. Sit down. What's a mabu?

What's a mabu? I'll give you two or three words because we want to close on time. Practicalities of family devastation or disintegration.

Number one, when the family breaks down. Everything that is supposed to be built on that sacred foundation crumbles with it. When the family breaks down, everything that is supposed to be built on that sacred foundation crumbles with it. This is why today the church is reaping the harvest, as I said earlier, of family disintegration.

Alarming rate of divorce, single parents, absentee fathers, school dropouts, area boys, registry girls, and drugs of culture mob everywhere. If society does not find solution to it, we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder. Go to Oshudi. Go around and see boys who are milling around.

Some of them have been to school. Some of them are dropped out of school. They have no jobs. and they are waiting for a disaster that they can latch on to, to demonstrate the rage of the poor. They are somebody's children.

They did not drop from the sky. They did not jump out of water. Somebody slept on duty.

Somebody failed in his duties. Now the church will have to reach out to such people and become a blessing to them. Number two. When parents fail to provide their children with the tools necessary, when parents fail to provide their children with the tools necessary to resist the culture's unwash, a father told me yesterday, he said, I found hemp smelling in my house. And I was going through, I found it was my youngest son.

In the name of Jesus, the Lord would deliver them. I found it was my youngest son, and I tried to pin him down. His older brother would train him to smoke. Hit me! I fell flat.

Not kidding. When he gets close to home, you begin to feel the pinch. How do you think a person who has been on drugs realizes that hitting the father with a plank of wood means anything?

Meanwhile, the mother was working so hard, returning home at 11 p.m., 1 a.m. Father goes east, mother goes west. the children go south have you heard that everything has gone south you know what it means i raise a standard against the enemy in that family in the mighty name of jesus whatever grief whatever hold is on those children the lord will deliver them in jesus mighty name when parents fail to provide their children with the tools Necessary to receive the culture's unrest, the rising tide of generational perversity tend to wash a generation away like sandcastles at the seashore.

They will be swept off their feet and what causes God fury will become their fun. Number three, please indulge me tonight. Indulge me by participating. in this simple survey.

I do not intend to embarrass anyone, so if you don't, if you feel it will embarrass you, feel free not to participate. But join me, and let's find out. If you are a mother, but you are not married, lift up your hand, let me see. You are a mother. but you're not married.

I'm only seeing one hand here. Okay, be bold. Stand to your feet. You're a mother, but you're not married. You know what it simply means?

You had children outside of wedlock, right? Good. Stand up. Don't be embarrassed.

Okay, don't be embarrassed though because today's the day of salvation. It's the day of deliverance. God will sit with you in your own family. In the mighty name of Jesus, and he will honor his word in your life.

Look, I wish my daughter is here. Is she here or she's busy? It was about 10 p.m.

in the night that day. She had a child outside of wedlock and she was going out with somebody else and the Lord told me to go and warn her. It was about 10 p.m.

that I took Olumide Pastor Olumide with me and we went to her house. We got there dead in the night, 10, 10 30. There was no light so she lit what I can do, I can't recall. And I said, the Lord asked me to come and warn you.

Stop this relationship because God knows how to situate the solitary into family. She said, dad, you don't know what I'm going through. This is the person helping me. I've told you the word of the Lord. And I left.

I went home. The following day, the man came to invite him to a party. But because I came the night before, he said, even if I don't fear God and I don't fear this man. I will not come to this party with you, go.

I will join you later. The guy did not make it to the place, involved in a crash, died on the road. When you reject the word of the Lord, you bring devastation upon yourself.

She feared God, she obeyed God that night. Are you listening to me? When she heard the man die, she ran here shaking, shaking.

What do you say the Lord said again? What do you say? I'm not kidding.

She's alive. but do you know god truly situated her in family she married a man who has never been married before was never had a child outside and they together they are raising a decent family today my god will remember you i say my god will remember you for good in the name of jesus past blunders will not destroy future destinies keep standing if you are a mother but you are a widow The breadwinner is gone. If you are a mother, you are a widow. Let me see your hand.

Stand to your feet. You are a mother. You are married, but today you are a widow.

Now, let us assume, please, that sin caused the first set not to be married, may have children as a wedlock. What sin did these other people commit? death turned them into single parents like my mother so when they say single parents they also have become single parents as a result of death i hope you are listening to me in the name of jesus every one of you are just taking this stand the husband of the widow will visit you the father of the fatherless will help you i come to you also Just in case you think, oh well, it's only showcasing women.

If you are a father, but you had a son or a daughter outside of marriage, lift up your hand. I know you are here, don't hide. You are a father, stand to your feet.

Thank you. You are a father, you had a child, but you are not married. Thank you, stand.

Don't be ashamed. I'm not embarrassing anyone. Again, I've told you, you don't have to participate. If you think it will embarrass you, they will now know that I have a child. They don't know I have a child before.

I remember when I proposed to Mrs. B, I was trying to propose, I didn't even know if I proposed. Came to my house and saw a photograph of a boy I was carrying. Call me on if I did, Dr. N... It was my friend's son. And then I had my little niece following me everywhere.

Shola, who is a barrister now. Shola will follow me everywhere. So she assumed I've had one son somewhere.

One daughter somewhere. And that was her answer. If you have a child, a son, a daughter, you are married, but you man have become a widower.

Stand to your feet. Anyone like that here also, you are now a widower. Who told you that the husband of the widow would not take care of the widower? Who told you that God does not know your pain, your anguish? He will remember you for good.

This conference will cause a turnaround in your life. God will wipe away your tears in the mighty name of Jesus. I have a question for you people standing whether you are a widow, widower or a single mother, a single father who has not been married before. How easy has it been for you to raise your child like a bird with one wing?

How is it? Has it been like a bird with one wing? How far did you fly?

Have you been flying? This is why God has situated everything involving child rearing, parenting in family. And God Almighty who ordered it from the beginning will order your steps are right. This is the last conference you will attend in your situation. The Lord will perfect all that concern you.

In the mighty name of Jesus. And put a big smile in your mouth. In Jesus mighty name. Please be seated. Now, I didn't ask them to get up so as to embarrass them.

I asked them to get up so that you know that these things are real. They're real. We're living with it.

almost on daily basis and the number is increasing by the day. They will tell you but for the grace of God, it's not been easy. All the fathers and mothers who are married and are living together, raising the family by the grace of God, please lift up your hand. You're a father, you're a mother, you are married.

Stand to your feet, you are married. You're married and you raise all your children within your marriage and hey, I have a question for you. Is your family picture perfect?

Hello? Is your family picture perfect or you are wishing, hey, I wish I'm single. I wish I'm not in this prison. Whatever it is, God will cause a turnaround. There will be joy in your family.

There will be peace in your family. You will experience true harmony in your relationship. In Jesus'mighty name. Please be seated.

Please hear me loud and clear. This is how I'm going to close today. Regardless of how...

And when you became a mummy or a daddy, are you hearing me? Whether outside of wedlock or within wedlock that has become a padlock, tell your neighbor wedlock is not padlock. Regardless of how you became a daddy or a mummy.

Daddy and mommy are not titles to be heard loosely, they're not titles. True daddies and true mommies, not sperm or egg donors, are not common. Are you listening to me? I'm not talking about sperm donors or seed donors or egg donors. True daddies...

And true mommies are not common. You hold a crucial place and have significant value in the life of your children and in the future they will experience. You hold the key, whether you are conscious of it or not, to the kind of future your children will live and experience. When you hear your children call you daddy or mommy, daddy, mommy, whether they run towards you when you are returning from work or when you are going to say mommy, daddy, bye-bye, when you hear your children call you daddy or mommy, I want these three things to ring in your head and in your heart.

Number one, you are responsible along with your spouse. We are applicable. I have to say we are applicable because there's no spouse.

But when they call you mommy or daddy. You are responsible, along with your spouse, we are applicable for the training of your children in righteousness. You're responsible. God is going to hold you accountable.

You're responsible for the training of your children in righteousness. Number two, as the children taught us this evening, Proverbs 22, 6, train up a child in the ways you go. When he's old, he will not depart from it.

When you hear your children saying daddy or mommy, number two, it means you have to shape their hearts and their character. You have to shape their hearts and their character in a way that will prepare them for the plans God has for their lives. That's a heavy responsibility.

You have to shape their hearts and their character in a way that will prepare them for the plans God has for their lives. Train up a child in the way to go. Train him up.

Connect him to his destiny. Connect him to why God sent him here. Number three, this is very heavy. The first one is easy. The second one is easy.

But this one is very heavy. When you hear your children say daddy or mommy, it means above all that they will learn or they are learning from you how to parent their own children someday. Hello mommy, hello daddy, they are saying we are watching you and you are modeling how we will raise our children in the future.

Question is, what kind of parenting are you modeling? Matthew chapter 18, Matthew 18 verse 1 to 6, listen to Jesus. At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

Then Jesus called who? A little child to him and set him in the midst of the disciples and said, as surely I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. If there's time this week, I will explain that, but I'm going somewhere else. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Because they are teachable. They come with a clean slate for parents to write on those slates. They don't have prejudices.

Do you understand me? They believe you wholeheartedly. Whoever receives one little child, like this one in my name, receives me. causes this way i'm coming whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin you are thinking of fornication or adultery there you are thinking of stealing or lying there yes everything is seen but who falls short of what i expect that child to be who falls short who does not eat the target of destiny whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin to fall short of the glory of god it will be better for him you If a millstone were hung around his neck and he was drowned in the depth of the sea.

Heavy responsibility. What kind of parenting are you modeling? Brothers and sisters, this is what the theme of Family Life Conference 2017 is all about.

Tending and keeping God's garden. Parenting is not a game of chance. No. Parenting is not a game of chance.

Parenting is not something you just wake up and do the way you like. Parenting is deliberate, calculative, collaborative efforts made by parents through God's grace to raise a godly family. Parenting is not a game of chance.

It's not, okay, well, we bought you your food and goodbye, go to school. No, parenting is deliberate. Calculative, collaborative efforts of parents who by God's grace raise a godly family. The picture of your life, your family life today may not be picture perfect. But if you put the things you learned this week into practice, what impact you will have.

in the next generation will blow your mind. So when we gather together and we are here in the world, remember Amos, remember Matthew, before you hang a millstone in your own neck and drown yourself in the depth of devastation, God knows he will not be physically present everywhere. So he created fathers. I'm modest. Stand to your feet.

Choir, can I have you there? I want us to pray as we sing today, Lord give us a Christian home. Give us a Christian home is a request. We are trusting God that in this house God will help us to be responsible parents, to be teachable and responsive children in the name of Jesus that ours could truly be called christian home god give us christian homes let's sing it together is loved and true homes where the masters really is true oh wrong god give us christian home give us grace and hope homes where the father is strong and true homes where the father is strong and strong homes that are free from the plight of Rome homes that guide us with love and sound God give us grace and hope God give us Christian homes God give us Christian homes Homes where the mother is carrying cares Strives to show all that's your way is best Homes where the Lord a rose and raised God give us grace and hope God give us grace God give us us Chris at home was crazy homes where the children are led to know balls we are sure to know Christ in this beautiful love that's more Oh Christian home.

God give us Christian home. If that's your request tonight, lift up your voices to the Father. Lord, give us Christian homes. Lord, help us build kingdom families. Homes where the Bible is loved and taught.

Homes where the master of the will is sought. Homes crowned with beauty, your love is wrought. Give us Christian homes.

give us Christians homes we are the father is true and strong homes that are free from the blight of wrong give us Christians homes homes we are the mother in care request strive to show others your way is best homes we are the Lord our God rules and reigns give us Christian homes Lord give us Christian homes homes we are the children are led to know Christ in his beauty who loves them so. Homes where the altar fire bounce and glow. God give us Christian homes.

God give us Christian homes. Thank you Father. You know it does not matter if you did not experience that in your own upbringing.

But you can make it happen for others. You can say it stops with me. This devastation stops with me.

This devastation stops with me. It's not going to go beyond me, it's not going to affect the next generation. And you begin to give to others what you did not have.

What impact you will have and the generation beyond you will blow out your brain. But God give us Christian homes in Jesus mighty name.

Transcript for:Strengthening Families in Today's Society

Transcript for:
Strengthening Families in Today's Society