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| Kemi Oyedepo |
Topic: Push Your Children to God
Many parents are diligent at pushing their children to do well in their academics. It’s easy to find them going out of their way to ensure their children have all the books, hardware and software to excel academically and otherwise. If their children show some promise in areas like sports or music, they will sacrifice a lot and invest heavily in some state of the art kit to enhance their growth in that area. All these are great but there is nothing better than combining them with sound spiritual training.
It is quite disheartening to see a child carrying around a shabby bible – a torn and worn ‘book’ in a version he or she cannot comprehend not to talk less of enjoying its contents. Dear reader, isn’t the bible the most important book for living a successful and victorious Christian life?
When I look through the bookshelves of some homes and I cannot find any book, DVDs or music of spiritual value that can communicate the power of Christ in simple and impacting ways to children, I always wonder how those children can be motivated to read and live the Word of God without decent resources.
Concentrating only on mental and physical development will deprive any child of essential spiritual nourishment. It is like continuously feeding them a diet of carbohydrates alone without the right measure of protein and vitamins.
Please know that a child without God is a future that is not secure. So, sit down and think of creative, engaging ways to help your child grow spiritually. Think about ways to incorporate spiritual activity into their everyday life – playtime, bath time, mealtime, even just spending time with them, etc. I personally never permit a day to go by without having conversations with my children about God’s Word. I even use their playtime to go over their memory verses with them. Even while they are doing other things, I tend to just jump in and say something of spiritual value to them and I have found that doing such things actually helps them remember.
If your children happen to be older; teens perhaps, you can still come up with practical ideas that will catch their attention. Be resourceful! Study them and observe what they enjoy doing, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you creative ideas. Please don’t be careless about it; it is so important to stuff them with God’s Word while you have their fullest attention! Ask your child for ideas too – you might be well surprised at their innovative ideas.
Doing nothing or leaving their spiritual growth to the Sunday school or children’s church teacher, or teens church is highly irresponsible. Take full responsibility. Many parents quote Isaiah 8:18 endlessly, and there is nothing wrong with speaking what you want to see. I agree that our children will indeed be signs and wonders on the earth. However, always remember that no child can get there by accident or by prayer alone. Your push is required! May The Lord give you grace and make your children mighty in Jesus name (Psalm 112:1-2).
To nourish your children spiritually, you must also maintain a spiritually buoyant lifestyle and to be successful at it, grace is required. However, grace from God will only be released on those who have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. He will release abundant help upon you when you confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. That way, you will be saved. If you are ready to be saved, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I can’t help myself. Forgive me of my sins. From today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me. Now, I know I am born again.”
Congratulations! I am so excited for you and look forward to your testimonies. Till I come your way next time, please call or write to share your testimonies with me through kemioyedepo@yahoo.com and contact@faithoyedepo.org, Tel: 08141320204; 07026385437. You can connect with me on my Facebook page, which is called Crisis-Proof Your Family, and my blog – www.crisisproofyourfamilyblog.com!
For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian Bookstores: Raising godly Children & Understanding Motherhood.
Remain ever blessed!
Kemi Oyedepo
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