Foundation for Family Life (3)

by Pastor Faith Oyedepo, Week 4, April, 2008

Dear Reader,

Some people lay up money, houses, clothes, cars and other possessions as an inheritance for their children. But the greatest inheritance you can leave behind for your children is a good Christian upbringing. This week, as I conclude this teaching, I will be sharing on The greatest Legacy.

Leaving money, clothes or even house for your children are not unscriptural; but they must not become a priority. Material things are not the greatest inheritance you can leave for your children. The greatest inheritance you can leave for your children is Christian upbringing.

The Christian upbringing you give to them today will remain with them for life, and they can impart the same to their children’s children. The Word of God says: A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just (Proverbs 13:22). What inheritance means in this scripture is a sound Christian upbringing for your children. You cannot leave clothes, money, or the like for your children’s children, but you can leave sound, godly training for generations after you.

Even if you don’t leave behind houses or cars, but have brought them up in the fear of the Lord, that training will enable them to acquire all those things, as well as durable riches.

David Livingstone, the great African missionary said, “The word `sacrifice’ is not in my dictionary” Why’ Because all he had was given to him by God. It was not his own therefore but God’s own. He could not claim ownership and therefore found it easy and not a sacrifice to release it back to God.

How do you view the children God has given you’ If Christ is the head of your home the children are, therefore, not yours: they are God’s property. Many years ago, when I was a child, my earthly father when talking about his children would say “the gift that God has given unto us”. He would even say so when praying to God. I did not understand then as a child, but later after I got born again, I understood that children are the gifts of God, not the property of the parents. So, they should be treated as God’s gifts. When Jesus was born, He was taken to the temple and dedicated unto God (Luke 2:21-24).

See your children as gifts so that you can bring them up in the fear and nurture of God. When you dedicate them whole heartedly and allow Christ to be Lord over them, it becomes easy for Him to become their Saviour. See yourself as a caretaker. It is my prayer that none will attempt to take the place of God or Christ in their lives.

Attend a Bible-believing church, where the Word of God is being taught in sincerity and truth and let your children do the same. The Church is a divine unit in the society, set up and instituted by the Almighty God. The home cannot take it’s place. It is unfortunate that some who claim to be Christians don’t identify with any church on a regular basis, some only claim to attend fellowships, not realizing that they have no spiritual covering over their heads, no one to give guidance or direction to them. Such people on Sundays are found sitting at home, yet they claim to be Christians. If you are in that category today, change your view because it is God not man that instituted the Church. Swinging from church to church like a pendulum also deters one from making progress. Encouraging others and then sitting at home amounts to hypocrisy. They will eventually follow your example when you are not there.

Jacob in Genesis 35:2,3 gave his family members an example to follow “..LET US ARISE and go up to Bethel and I will make there an altar unto God…” He said to his household “let us arise”. What an example!

Give your family members an example to follow in terms of spiritual commitment in Church.

Anyone proving difficult can be taken to God in prayers. If you have a problem which is preventing you from going to church, lay it aside, begin to go to church first and before you know it your problem would have dissolved. Hannah in I Samuel 1 & 2 had a problem (barrenness). She refused to allow it weigh her down and always went to worship God in church and there she received her solution. At Church, the solution to many of your problems are there waiting, but if you won’t go you will never receive the solutions.

Children should attend Sunday school so they can be taught at their own level. I always ensure my children go to Sunday school and check their note books when they return. That way, I am sure they understand what they are learning. Make regular attendance a date (Acts 2:46). Let it be a time of excitement (Ps.122:1). Teach your family members simple obedience to the church regulations and practices, like, praise & worship, or giving offerings, saying prayers etc.

The grace to bring up your children in the way of the Lord is available today, if you will surrender your life to Christ. You surrender by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to you today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan, to serve the Living God. From today, I accept You are my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now, I know I am born again.

If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8;

For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Book Stores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian book stores.

? Marriage Covenant

? Making Marriage Work,

? Building a Successful Family

? Success in Marriage (Co-Authored with Bishop David Oyedepo).