Relating With Children

8/3/2019 Relating With Children

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RELATING WITH CHILDREN FIRST BIBLE LESSON: LUKE 18:16-17

But Jesus called them unto him and said:"Suffer the children to come unto me, andforbid them not; for of such is the kingdomof God. Verily I say unto you, whosoevershall not receive the kingdom of God, as alittle child shall in no wise enter therein.

SECOND BIBLE LESSON: LUKE 9:47-48

"And Jesus perceiving the thoughts of theirhearts, took a little child and set him byhim, and said unto them, whosoever shallreceive this child in my name, receiveth me;and whosoever shall receive me receiveth himthat sent me; for he that is least among youall, the same shall be great."

GOLDEN TEXT: MATTHEW 19:14-15

But Jesus said: "Suffer the children andforbid them not to come unto me, for of suchis the kingdom of heaven," and He laid hishands on them and departed thence."

Brethren, this is spiritual nourishment

which we are going to acquire this morning.It is nourishment which has existed fromtime immemorial in its prepared form and weare only going to partake of it.

Beloved brethren, God's admonition on the
http://www.wordcenter.org/Children/relating.htmhttp://www.wordcenter.org/Children/relating.htmhttp://www.wordcenter.org/Children/relating.htm


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relationship between adults and children hasbeen made known since time immemorial, I amtherefore not going to tell you somethingnew. Indeed, as our Lord Jesus Christ said,

when the Comforter comes He will not speakof Himself, He will only recall all that hadbeen said and clarify to you what may nothave been understood. So it is going to betoday. Therefore make no mistake today, tocredit Leader Olumba Olumba Obu with thefinal authority on this subject, as wederive all that we do and say here from the

scriptures. You are our witnesses on thisscore. You will no doubt agree with me thatthe whole process can be likened to a schoolwhere children are taught and they are laterput to a test as a means of ascertainingthat they actually understood what theylearnt. We here just revise what we learntfrom the scriptures, as we come to the finaldays that are already here.

MY ADVISE AS WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TOTHESE DAYS IS THAT GOD IN HIS INFINITE MERCYIS GIVING YOU THIS GRACIOUS OPPORTUNITY FORREVISION SO THAT IF YOU NEVER HITHERTOBELIEVED, YOU SHOULD DO SO AND ALSO IF YOUDID NOT REALIZE THAT THE END OF THE WORLD ISIN SIGHT, YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DO SO. GO

AND TELL THE WORLD THAT THE END OF THE WORLDIS DRAWING NEAR.

On this note, I feel it is incumbent on meto remind you of what God said aboutchildren; His relationship and His regard


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for them.

It is on this basis that God looks at thepeople of world as little children. That

statement of Our Lord Jesus Christ that thekingdom of God is like little children isnot clear to the world. You are aware thatthe world is moving forward and notbackwards. What is this progress of theworld? It is the children who are born. Whatyou have not seen, the little children willsee; what you cannot do, the little childrenwill do and where you cannot reach, theywill reach.

It is quite pitiful at this end of time toobserve how you curse your children when youpronounce woe unto them. If you go to aperson's house and see how he treats hischildren, you marvel at it, because hetreats them like beasts. Very many children,

as soon as they hear the voices of theirparents, they would want to vanish becauseof fear. Some of them quake at the sight oftheir parents. Even a person who is notcapable of fighting his equal will alwayswage war against his children at home. Evena fellow who pretends to be quiet herebecomes a talkative at home with hischildren. In deed, most people who claim toknow Jesus appear to be very cruel withtheir children.

Brethren, it is not easy to know how tobring up children. We should think veryseriously about this because our attitude


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towards children leaves much to be desired.Children need to be studied and cared for.They just come into this world in innocenceand do not know what is in the world. They

are like tombstones. If you want to know thenature of children, compare a newly bornchild with a goat, sheep, or calf, it doesnot understand, it looks blank. We do notknow that our trouble is based on the factthat we fail to know how to get on withchildren. You only ask God to give youchildren, but you do not know how to bring

them up in the fear and love and knowledgeof God. If I tell you the task involved incaring for and bringing up children, youwill realize what a great task your parentshad.

Among the whites, one who is a millionaireis satisfied with a lone child because hispreoccupation is how to bring up that child

in a proper way. IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO REARCHILDREN, RATHER WHAT IS DIFFICULT IS HOW TONURTURE THEM IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. Thetrouble of many parents arise from theshabby parental habits and maltreatment oftheir children. Parents do not always haveregards for children. You complain that yourchild is useless and is not worth anything.

Who is responsible for this? It is due toyour useless attitude. You also complainthat your children do not know God, you arethe cause. Name any person whose parents donot know God but they came up to know God,and got related to him, and I will tell you


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many people in the Bible who followed Godfrom the good examples of their parents.WHAT YOU SOW IS WHAT YOU REAP.

To bear children should not be the firstduty on earth, but rather our first dutyshould be to lead a righteous life that isacceptable to God. However in your case youbegin with going to soothsayers,necromancers or you consult oracles andmermaids, you drink concoctions and you alsowear charms in order to get children. Whatwill become of these children when you getthem through such means? You do not want toknow God, you do not love God; you steal,fornicate, curse, abuse and call peoplenames. If you lead this type of life, whatwill become of the children you want tobear? You want money, cars, ships, houses,and many children, but you do not want toknow God and keep His commandments. You do

not want to know anything about goodness,righteousness, nor do you want your childrento know and appreciate the way of God. Whatwill be the fate of the children you craveto bear?

Do you know that all your blessings comefrom your children and the blessing of yourchildren derive from your pattern of life;and so the symbiosis of the life of theparents and the children has much influenceon the shaping of the life of the children.Remember what Our Lord Jesus Christ said,"Suffer the little children and forbid them


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not to come to me, for such is the kingdomof God."

Then He called the children and blessed

them. Little children make up the kingdom ofGod, but you do not recognize them and doyou bless them? Specifically, what aboutyour own children? Do you bless them anddraw them close to you to appreciate yourlife?

I do not mean blessing them with wealth whenyou build houses for them, buy them newclothes and prepare delicious food for them.WHAT I MEAN IS THAT YOU SHOULD BLESS THEMWITH THE WORDS OF GOD. BRING THEM UP IN THEFEAR AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND TEACH THEM THEWAY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, EMPLOYING SIMPLICITY,HUMILITY, PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. THISIS THE GREATEST LEGACY YOU CAN LEAVE FORYOUR CHILDREN.

Those who were here yesterday heard a storyon a similar subject: THE KINGDOM OF GOD.THIS IS TO SHOW YOU THAT BRINGING UP LITTLECHILDREN AND MAKING THEM RESPONSIBLE HUMANBEINGS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO,FOR THE WORLD DEPENDS ON THE CHILDREN AS THEFUTURE GENERATION.

It is true that the environment plays animportant role in the molding of a person.Why evil men are born is the resultanteffect of what the parents have been doing.It is what they sowed for their children.The evils you commit come back on your


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children. If you steal, your children willbe given to roguery. If you fornicate, theywill take to fornication. If you indulge inwitchcraft, concoctions and charms, your

children will indulge in the same practices.When you therefore procreate a child, thatsame blood of roguery or witchcraft willrecur. If I should take you any longer, youwill realize that all that happens stem fromour ignorance in the treatment of children.

BEFORE WE CAN HAVE GOOD CHILDREN WE HAVE TOREFRAIN FROM DOING EVIL COMPLETELY AND BEDETERMINED TO DO GOOD. INSTEAD OF ABUSINGAND CURSING, YOU BLESS; INSTEAD OFPRONOUNCING WOES, WE ENCOURAGE. BY SO DOING,THEY WILL BECOME GOOD CHILDREN. You are truewitnesses to the fact that no person speaksgood words to children, most people have noregard for their children and they consolethemselves by saying: "Provided they live."

What are they living for?

The reason why Our Lord Jesus Christcompared the kingdom of God to littlechildren is that little children are likeblank sheets of paper, an empty pot and itis your duty as a parent to fill the pot andwrite on the blank sheet of paper. All youfill in the pot or write on the paper willshow in the adult life of the children. Youare aware that babies when they are born aremotionless and you have to move them about;they must be molded by parents as to theformation of the parts of the body. Any


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mistake by the parents leaves permanentdeformities in the children.

Whatever comes out of the life of a child is

what was put in. God has made it clear thatwe should treat little children kindly. WESHOULD DESIST FROM CURSING THEM, PRONOUNCING

WOE ON THEM, CALLING THEM FOOLS AND SAYING WHAT THEY DO TO YOU WILL BE DONE TO THEM BY

THEIR CHILDREN. IN SHORT PREDICTING THEIRDOWNFALL. WHEN YOU SPEAK LIKE THIS WHAT DOYOU THINK YOUR CHILDREN WILL BECOME? THEREASON WHY A COW IS MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAN

A HUMAN BEING IS BECAUSE WHEN A COWDELIVERS, IT WILL USE ITS TONGUE TO LICK ANDCLEAN ITS CALF'S BODY.

You have been hearing how parents blesstheir children. Blessing is important.Abraham blessed Isaac and Isaac blessedJacob. If Isaac had blessed Jacob and Esau

at the same time there would not have beenany trouble. But instead of blessing Esau,he told him he had already blessed Jacob andthat there was no blessing left for him. Headded that Esau would be subject to hisbrother Jacob, whereas it would have beensimple to bless the two of them for the sakeof peace. As a result of this, Esau and hisdescendants became subjected to Jacob. Thatis exactly what happens when you curse andabuse your children. When you pronouncecurses on your children they are cursed.

Again Jacob called his twelve children tobestow his blessings on them. He pronounced


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curses on his children, from the first sondown until he got to Joseph whom he blessedlavishly saying: he would be wealthy, andalso an elevated tower, wise, fruitful and

many other good things and that all would besubject to him. Was it impossible for him tobless all the children? Who was the cause ofthe trouble?

What is the cause of trouble in your family?Who is responsible for its lack ofperforming well? It is the curses youpronounce on them. What have your childrendone to you to prompt your ill treatment ofthem? You always remain with them with heavyhearts and long drawn faces whereas they donot know anything. You should lead, andguide, and teach, and mold and be easy withthem. You should always look at them withsmiles instead of being fastidious.

If your child is a thief it is because youhave been a thief. Whatever he has done, helearns from you. WHY DO YOU NOT USEKINDNESS, PATIENCE AND TRUTH TO REAR THEM INTHE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? BY SO DOING YOU WILLREMOVE SEVERAL PRONOUNCED CURSES ON YOURFAMILY. As to the question of eating, mostof your children do not eat from your plateand with your spoon. Which is greater, yourchild or your spoon? You do not allow yourchildren to go near your bed, not to talk ofthem sleeping on it. You would not evenallow them to touch your bed. Is it how Godhas told you to treat your children?


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Instead of thinking of how you will lead alife of good example to the children, you goabout stealing, fornicating, indulging inpreparing concoctions and charms and

consulting oracles before them. What type oflife do want them to live when they grow up?God says: "I WILL VISIT THE INIQUITIES OFTHE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN; UNTO THETHIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION OF THEM THATHATE ME; AND SHOWING MERCY ONTO THOUSANDS OFTHEM THAT LOVE ME AND KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS."

Think of how such a family will be blessed.Is the light of God shinning in such afamily? Now, one person has a hundredchildren, the hundred children bare onethousand children and the thousand bear tenthousand and the multiplicity thuscontinues.

What is the sense of having so many children

without the knowledge and awe of God? Whichfamilies were Sodom and Gomorrah? Who weretheir great ancestors? Nothing happenswithout a cause, which cannot be traced.Sodom and Gomorrah descended from the firstson of Noah. The first son of Noah wascursed by the father. He went away, thedescendants waxed in wealth and knowledgeand they became prominent people whoestablished the two cities of Sodom andGomorrah. Why did Noah curse the first son?Because he saw his father's nakedness andlaughed at it. If Noah had led a good life,he would not have been drunk and would not


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have slept naked and his first son would nothave laughed at his nakedness.

This curse passed unto his children and his

grandchildren. It was however the second sonwho when he discovered his father's nakedbody, covered his nakedness and took him toa place of rest. Later on, when Noahreturned to consciousness, he was told thatthe first son laughed at him while thesecond son covered his nakedness. It wasbecause of this that he cursed his son. Thisis an example of the "woe onto you" youpronounce on your children. Noah cursed hisfirst son, later the curse passed onto hisdescendants who were finally destroyed inSodom and Gomorrah. Of what use was thedestruction to Noah who pronounced thecurse?

FIRST BIBLE LESSON: LUKE 18:16-17

"But Jesus called them unto him and said:"Suffer the children to come unto me, andforbid them not; for of such is the kingdomof God. Verily I say unto you, whosoevershall not receive the kingdom of God, as alittle child shall in no wise enter therein.

PARENTS' NEGLIGENCE OF CHILDREN:

Brethren, have you heard the lesson? Why doyou bear a child and abandon him? Why do youimpregnate a woman and when she bears achild, you run away from the child and thewoman? Why do you bear children but later on


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you drive them away, asking them who wastheir mother? Whose duty is it to care for achild, is it the mother or is it thefather's responsibility? Or is it the joint

responsibility of both mother and father? Doyou know that to reject a child is to rejectthe blessing of God, life and all other goodthings? If you reject him do you know whatthe child will become? You who commitabortion, do you know what that child iscoming to do or who he is - whether he isJohn the Baptist, Jesus or Moses?

When Pharaoh wanted to exterminate allIsraelite male babies in Egypt, the motherof Moses, because of her love and humility,did everything to save the life of Moses. Ifshe had been negligent and the infant Moseshad been killed, who would have deliveredthe children of Israel from Egypt?

After the departure of the three wise men,the angel advised Joseph and Mary to takethe child Jesus, to Egypt because Herod wasseeking to kill him. If the parents did notobey the angel, and the infant Jesus hadbeen killed, who would have redeemed theworld? We therefore have a responsibilityfor all little children.

You are indebted to God, unless you nurturethem and bring them up in the fear andknowledge of God. You have to teach, guide,and love them whether; they are your ownchildren or the children of other parents.If you do this you will receive blessing


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Here is an illustration: There is a hugetree, which needs to be cut down, and youhave an old blunt axe as well as knives,which are no more useful. You are like these

blunt implements. When God sends theselittle children, who are like sharp axes andknives, capable of cutting down a tree, youreject them and mistreat them. How foolishare you? The word of God preached to youenable you to know how to handle littlechildren, how to nurture them when they aregrowing up and at different times. It is

only when you know the Word of God you areable to bring up your Children in the fearand knowledge of God.

You say you want to serve God and that ifyou were to see God that you would doeverything for Him, but, the little childrensent to you are the likeness of God,therefore whatever services you would have

rendered to God, if you had seen Him, renderto these children. If you want to prostrateto God, prostrate to these children. If youwant this world to be good, you have todevelop good attitudes towards the childrenand bring up children with good attitudes.Do not curse them, but always bless them, besimple, tolerant, loving and show merciful

and peaceful attitudes. Use humility to leadthem to the type of life God wants them tolive.

Do you realize that whatever you do to achild, he will grow up with that upbringing?


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If you beat, curse or torture him, he willapply the same attitude and when he becomesa parent, he will behave the same way youbehaved towards him. If we continue with

such attitudes, when do you think the worldwill be reformed? Is it because you regardthem as defenseless and that no person wouldask you questions?

Most of the times, you abuse your childrenbecause you feel they have not sufficientlyprovided for you. What have you doneyourself, upon all the blessing of God foryou? Are you not ashamed of yourself whenyou cannot provide for your children and yourather turn around to ask the children toprovide for you? It is not the children whoshould provide for the parents but thereverse should be the case. Where would thechildren get these things from in order tosupply to the parents. If you serve and

provide, you will receive blessing from God.These are the Children of God, the Christs of God, they therefore need to be cared forproperly. From now on, do everything as ifyou are doing unto God and this goes withblessings.

The father of Abraham did not know that theson he bore will be the father of manynations. Was he himself the Father of manynations? When the mother of Moses deliveredMoses, did she know that Moses would be theperson to deliver the Children of Israelfrom Egypt? When Mary delivered Jesus, did


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she know that Jesus would be the Christ, theMessiah, and the Supreme ruler of theuniverse?

I cannot enumerate all the good things,which have been done by men born of goodparents. Do you realize that any good thingyou do for these children, you do same forGod? We should help the children, we shouldsupply their lack. The attention of theparents should be focused on the nurturingof children, speak good of them, care forthem, provide for them, whether you knowthem or not, whether black or white. It isonly in this way that you can be blessed. Donot order them about, let them be free tospeak and do not hush them up. Do not starvethem and do not be difficult with them. Thewhole world should stop maltreatingchildren.

SECOND BIBLE LESSON: LUKE 9:47-48 "And Jesus perceiving the thoughts of theirhearts, took a little child and set him byhim, and said unto them, whosoever shallreceive this child in my name, receiveth me;and whosoever shall receive me receiveth himthat sent me; for he that is least among youall, the same shall be great."

Have you heard that lesson? You are nowlooking for God in the sky, and Jesus tocome down from the clouds. What about thechildren in your midst? Do you receive themand are you happy with them?


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The whites have gone very far from theblacks in this direction. A black man may gooverseas and stay there for ten to twentyyears but may come back as a black man. This

is because he fails to imbibe the whiteman's attitude towards children. Our LordJesus Christ said that any person whoreceives children receives Him and that anyperson who receives Him receives the personwho sent Him. Have you received them? Areyou happy with them? Have you acceptedChrist? You have always driven away the

children who come to you. Sometimes childrenare very much surprised at the way they arebeaten by the parents. You beat them up andsay that they should die if they want todie.

You complain that your child does notrespect you. Do you respect your child? Whoshould respect the other? Don't you hear

that the three wise men travelled all theway to worship the infant Jesus? Do yourespect and accept children? Our Lord JesusChrist was a child. If you do not acceptthese children as the kingdom of God, youcannot enter into it. Those monstrous eyes,which you show to your children, have youever shown them to your equals? Or do you do

this because you feel that they have not gotany person to protect them? Is it evil for avisitor to come to your house or is it evilfor a brother to call at your house to giveyou solace? Do you know that these childrenare definitely sent to help you; they are


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sent to put right what was wrong and toamend the mistakes you have made? You saythat you have run out of luck. Have you everwished your children good luck?

We should now ponder over these questionsand retrace our steps because the childrenare greater than us. They are the greatprophets and apostles of old who have nowreincarnated. They are greater, they seebetter and they think clearer and they arepurer than we are. If you are not as pure asthey are you have no share in the kingdom ofGod. Now that you call the children names,have they ever followed you to fornicate,steal, smoke and drink? The children do notknow anything, for they are as harmless asdoves. Why do you oppress them and blamethem? Are you not the person who taught themto steal and to fornicate and tell lies? Youtake them to soothsayers, and juju doctors,

you direct your daughter to meet with a man.If she refuses you curse and disown her. Youask her to tell lies. When she refuses, youdrive her away from your house. You teachthe children all the evils they commit; leftfor them alone they would not hurt a fly.

If you were a rogue, you have to forsakestealing and live a life expected of you byGod. The children are sent to you in orderthat you may care for them. You shouldtherefore try to care properly for them. Inthis kingdom, many people claim that if itwere in their youthful days they would have


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done this or that. Now that you are old andweighed down with your sins, what aboutthese little innocent ones? Would you notgive them the chance to perform by nurturing

them well? Let us hear the Golden Text.

GOLDEN TEXT: MATTHEW 19:14-15

But Jesus said: "Suffer the children andforbid them not to come unto me, for of suchis the kingdom of heaven," and He laid hishands on them and departed thence."

Brethren, see what God has revealed to you,to show you that God loves little children.In your house, you do not allow the childrento come; you always drive them away, saying,that you do not want them to soil you. OurLord Jesus Christ advises us not to forsakethe little ones because the kingdom of Godis like them. He blessed them. What lesson

has Our Lord Jesus Christ now taught us? IfOur Lord Jesus Christ went as far asacknowledging and recognizing littlechildren, holding them up and blessing them,then every person should be aware of thesignificance of blessing children. Thatblessing bestowed on little children by OurLord Jesus Christ, has passed on to all thechildren of the world. Till today, Our LordJesus Christ is still the friend of littlechildren. He walks with them, converses withthem, sings with them and blesses them. Letus emulate the example of Our Lord JesusChrist by feeling free to talk to children,eating, with them and singing and conversing


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with them.

Do not worry yourself about having manychildren, yet you are not able to care for

them. Rather be happy with the few that youhave and care for them in the knowledge andfear of God. It is wrong to say you have nochild. What about all the children around?Who owns them? They are the children of God,and if they are God's children, they areyour children. Therefore, you should carefor them. Whoever wants children is foolishand whoever wants many children is equallyfoolish. Any person who cares for children,cares and ministers unto them is great inthe sight of God.

Little children constitute the kingdom ofGod. Both God and Christ are in littlechildren. They work and bless through them.

WHOEVER MINISTERS UNTO LITTLE CHILDREN WILL

BE BLESSED BY GOD. IF THERE IS A PERSON WHOHAS NEVER GONE TO CHURCH BUT STAYS AT HOME

WITH LITTLE CHILDREN, CARES FOR THEM,TEACHES THEM, BLESSES THEM, AND IS THANKFULTO GOD FOR THE CHILDREN; AND IF THERE IS

ANOTHER PERSON WHO IS A BISHOP WHO DRIVES ALUXURIOUS CAR, WHO BETWEEN THESE TWO IS A

MAN OF GOD? The whole world should lovelittle children, care for them, nurturethem, in the fear and love of God, in thisway, you will bring up a generation of goodpeople. It is foolishness for one to say thechildren nowadays are senseless or useless,for it means their parents are first, and


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Christ was born unto him.

There is nothing you can teach littlechildren, but do not look down on them,

rather look at them with mercy, withtolerance, with patience, with respect. Thewhole world should live properly withchildren. We should speak well of them, actwell and think well of them. Let us pray Godto use the children for the original purposefor which he intended to use them.

Brethren, I do not want to take you on along winding course. Those who have ears tohear let them hear. May God bless His HolyWords, Amen.

THANK YOU HOLY FATHER.

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Relating With Children