The NATIONAL PRAYER ALTAR

MARATHON PRAYERS
Monday 22nd - Sunday 28th July 2024

THE GODLY SEED

Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell (Prov. 23: 13 - 14).

In a viral video on social media, a Muslim cleric based in Florida, USA, was boasting to a Muslim congregation that churches were “emptying out” because the younger generation was no longer interested in Christianity. He bragged that Church buildings were becoming empty, and Muslims were purchasing the properties.

 Was that Imam telling a lie? No,, he is not. The younger generation of Christians is generally not interested in the faith. Under such circumstance, who should be held responsible, Satan? Again, no. The fault lies with Christian parents.

Every electronic or mechanical device is sold with an “owner’s manual”. The buyer is warned to read the manual before operating the device, so that it does not malfunction. In like manner, for babies, He also provided an owner’s manual, the Bible. The tragedy of this generation is that many Christian families are bringing up children without recourse to the Owner’s Manual.

Only a few Christian parents realise that by ignoring Biblical standards in bringing up children, they have unwittingly adopted the manual of Satan. In the 10-Point Agenda of Alice Bailey, which we published in a prayer call two weeks ago, the Number 2 point in that Agenda of hell, states: “Reduce parental authority over the children”. This is the exact opposite of Prov. 22: 6, which states: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Due to lack of home training, many children have grown up with the "foolishness" in their hearts not purged. God declared in Prov. 22:15 that “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” That childhood foolishness manifest in adult years as rebellion, lewdness, drug addiction, self-will, and ungodliness. The innocent and beautiful looking junior, who was celebrated at his birth, turned into a wreck eighteen years later. His parents, the God-appointed caregivers, were not diligent to apply the Owner’s Manual in directing the life of the child, so a beautiful God-given gift malfunctioned.

How many Christian parents can confidently affirm, “My daughter is eighteen years old, and she has not lost her virginity.” How many Christian parents can say, “My son is twenty-one years old, and he does not drink and he's not on drugs.

The new generation today is called Gen Z. It is a generation that is sensuous, focused on entertainment, and considers morality outdated. It is a generation for which fornication is normal and “virgin" is a dirty word, according to a group of German teenagers. Today, many Christian homes are reeling under the impact of teenage pregnancy, drug addiction, cultism, and online prostitution referred to as “hookup.” Many girls leave home for the tertiary institution to practice prostitution. This has given rise to a phenomenon referred to as “single at home; married in school.”

 The advent of social media has opened a vista of opportunities for youths without home training to experiment with hedonism and unbridled youthful lust. The consequence is youth exodus from the Church.

I ask, how did the world get into this mess? 

Some informed sources hold the teachings of Dr Benjamin Spock responsible. It is argued that in the sixties, he advocated that parents should be lenient with their children and allow them to express themselves. His books became popular and influenced a generation of parents. Eventually, that thinking got to Nigeria, amongst the elites, who would proudly say, “If you beat your child in Britain, your neighbour will call the Police.” Gradually, bringing up children without the rod of correction became the “civilized” way of parenting. The consequence is starring both the Church and the country in the face.

This prayer call is not advocating “wicked punishment,” in which the slightest fault of the child is met with sticks and rods of anger. Rather, God wants parents to avoid “wicked love” in which a child is left without discipline, and brings the mother to shame. “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” (Prov. 29: 15).

The essential ingredient in bringing up children is T-I-M-E. Parental love is spelled T-I-M-E. Statistics reveal the following disturbing figures about the time an average father spends with his son. Weekly, the average father spends:

•    40 hours at work.
•    50 hours to sleep.
•    7 hours to dress and groom himself.
•    24 ½ minutes talking to his son.

Pray, who is bringing up Junior? Who is imparting values and virtue to Junior? The house maid? The TV, or the school? While the school will impart knowledge, it is the responsibility of parents to instil home training. That is why it is called “home” training.

A child’s personality is formed between the ages of three and five. Subsequently, the child builds on it until it is cast in concrete. It is at that critical age that parents should forge the character of their child and impart to the child Godly values. Prov. 20: 11 says, “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.”

History confirms that many of God’s generals were converted as children. The probability of positive response to the Gospel is as follows:
•    Children 5 – 13 years – 32%
•    Teenagers 14 – 18 years – 4%
•    Adults 19 and above – 6%

It is possible and easy for parents to personally convert and disciple their children at home and the child will not depart from it all the days of their life. God instituted marriage because He is looking for Godly seeds (Malachi 2: 15). Producing Godly seeds must be the focus of every parent. It requires discipline, patience, love, and unity between the couple. Christian couples must ensure that the children entrusted into their hands by God become useful to God in their respective generation. God forbid that our children should turn out like the sons of Eli who “knew not God.”

PRAYER POINTS

1).    1 Sam. 2: 27 – 29 
Like Eli, many Christian parents indulge their children and place them above God’s moral standard. Ask forgiveness on behalf of Christian parents for years of neglect in bringing up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

2).    Prov. 23:13–14 
The first point in 10-Point Agenda of Alice Bailey was a direct attack on the children. It states, “Take God and prayer out of the education system.” Taking God out of schools included taking out Godly discipline. This has become state policy in many countries, including Nigeria. 
Pray that Godly discipline shall be restored into the educational system in Nigeria. Children left without discipline tend to grow wild.

3).    Gen. 18:17–19 
Pray that Christian parents shall realize that producing Godly children is one of the keys to unlocking God’s favour and friendship. Pray that Christian parents shall devote quality time and attention to their children.

4.    2 Tim. 1: 5 
Pray that the generational covenant in Christian homes and families shall not be destroyed due to pressures of modern living.

5.    Isaiah 49: 24 – 25
 Pray that God shall deliver all Christian youths and children whom Satan has taken captive through rebellion, drugs, sexual perversion, cultism, and cybercrime.

6.    Joel 2: 28 
Pray for a fresh outpouring of Holy Spirit upon Nigerian youths and children. Pray for divine transformation in the lives of the youths.

7.    Ps. 85: 6 – 7 
Pray for fresh revival in all tertiary institutions, secondary, and primary schools in Nigeria. Pray that God will reenact the revival in the Universities in the ‘70s.