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Ngozi Nwoke
The co-pastor, Olivet Bible Church, Festac, Lagos, Mrs Ngozi Nlekwuwa, has called on parents to be role models by living an exemplary lives for children to emulate and achieve a better generation.
Nlekwuwa gave the message with the theme; “The Family (Train up a child),” during the online sunday service recently held at the church m, while encouraging parents and guardians to raise their children in a Godly way.
She said: “As a relationship with God, teach your children early to fear God, hear from God, trust God and follow His word.
“Let them see you rely on God completely. Start early to introduce your children to God; expose your child to God early in life.
“Their education:. Psalm 119:9. Get your children’s age-appropriate books; let them read vast and wide. Encourage them to read and write for fun and not just for school work. Family relationships.
“Encourage strong family ties and strong sibling ties. Teach them to keep away from malice, teach them to be close despite differences. Build strong family traditions that will encourage bonding. -Allow the children to understand the realities of life as it is age appropriate, don’t insulate them Ex 23:29.
“Children should know that fear is real but they do not need to allow fear to rule them. Let them know that they are loved at home no matter what happens to them outside. Start praying for their marriage partners early and teach them to pray in that direction too when they are old enough.
“An untrained and uninstructed generation is an endangered generation; they will be careless, carefree, reckless and indifferent. Judges 2:7-10, 21:25.”
Also ministering was the Senior Pastor, Mr Owen Nlekwuwa on the theme; “The Family (Building healthy family relationships).” With bible scriptures from, Gen 18:17-19, Prov 11:29, he noted:
“There are four things that can happen to a relationship.The relationship can die before it takes roots or before it reaches its potential. A relationship can get stunted and stagnated and fail to grow. A relationship will not have deep roots if it is not based on the plan of God for that relationship. A relationship can fail to grow because the people involved refuse to listen to good advice. A relationship can deteriorate.
“A relationship can grow in a healthy fashion and obtain maturity. It doesn’t come by chance, this involved have to be deliberate and committed. The timing of the maturity of a relationship depends on how you’re nurturing it. There has to be a commitment in word and and in deeds.
“Trust based on integrity. Prov 31:11. Trust should be mutual. You have to be transparent. When trust is broken, it can’t be repaired overnight. You earn trust by consistent delivery overtime. Don’t take your partner/people for granted. When you take people for granted, they withdraw from you.
“Fairness Luke 6:31. Courage, healthy relationships, especially marital relationships, demand a lot of courage, Josh 1:7-9. Without the element of courage, any journey will stop.
“Below are helpful practices for healthy relationships. Investments. John 3:16. A relationship should not be parasitic in nature. You have to invest yourself and your time and resources. Selfishness can ruin any relationship, it is parasitic.
On submission. Eph 5:21, “you must not always have the last day on everything. Forgiveness. Eph 4:31-32. Repentance. James 5:16. Accept and admit when you do wrong. Play the book, follow the principles of God. John 13:17.
“While giving us families, God provided a home base, a launch pad where we can go out, get things done and return. Make the best of it. Prov 27:8. Do all in your power to build a healthy relationship, ” he stated.
