THE PICTURE OF A WORLD WITHOUT CHRIST

   From the very beginning of all creation clear difference between light and darkness was presented in (Genesis 1:2-5). "And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from darkness. And God called the light Day, and darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." Let us note that all the works of creation which God carried out in the atmosphere of light (Day) were qualified by the Holy Spirit as "good". On the other hand, the condition that preceded as " without form and void". The NIV of the Bible expressed it as "formless and empty". The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary explains the word " void" as "empty, completely lacking". Altogether hopeless! This must be an unpleasant, ugly and horrible entity. It is not surprising that God in His omniscience and love for humanity immediately reacted by terminating such an unfortunate and ill-omened order and era. Darkness truly is the opposite of light. An atmosphere of darkness portrays people groping, stumbling and falling, having casualties of all sorts, tears, sorrow, regrets and ultimately the tragic end of death. You cannot find help in darkness because there is no illumination and therefore no direction. Rather than creating and building up, what darkness offers is destruction.

   In the light however, you can find direction, turn from danger or pitfall; you can repair, create and save life. Darkness is figuratively and rightly used to represent evil or sinful setting whose champion and mastermind is Satan and his demons. They are responsible for every negative and unpleasant experiences and activities earlier enumerated, leading to death and destruction; darkness robs people of peace and joy. Yes, he came to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10a). This is the hopeless (void and formless) end of sinful humanity. But, thank God for the coming of the light. Jesus is the light of the world, the light that gives life (John 1:4,9; 8:12; 14:6). He ushers His followers to the glorious eternal life (Colossians 1:27). Pictures of a Dark world abound. 

Darkness in Eden!

   God created the first man (Adam) and woman (Eve) and gave them light in form of breath of eternal life, divine heath, garden with abundance of food and all comfort, power and dominion over all creation, and divine fellowship with Him. However, the devil, the thief and architect of all evils robbed mankind of the light by craftily leading them into the darkness of sin. The inevitable consequence was endless suffering that has lingered till today. They were plunged into the dark world characterized by: 

1. Loss of fellowship with God (Genesis 3:8).

2. Loss of God's glory, dominion and power.

3. Loss of peace and joy. (Genesis 3:8-13,16).

4. Curses. (Genesis 3:14-19). 

5. Spiritual death. (Genesis 3:23-24). 

6. Physical death, and

7. Fear and insecurity (Genesis 3:8). 

   Indeed the world of darkness is one of woe and endless suffering. Examine yourself! (2 Corinthians 13:5). Are you living in darkness or in light? Living without Christ means living in darkness.

Kingship and Kingdom in Darkness

   The Bible is filled with records of struggles for assumption of kingship and establishment of kingdoms in darkness. Hence such names as Jeroboam son of Nebat, Ahab and his wife, Jezebel; Manasseh, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod and etcetera have becomKings.  erence points and by-words for evils.

Jeroboam Son of Nebat: 

   (1 Kings 11:26-27; 12:28-34; 13:16). In line with his rejection of God in his heart, he made two golden calves and blasphemously declared, "Here are hour gods O Isreal who brought you up out of Egypt." (1 Kings 12:28). He thus led Isreal into unmatched idolatry.

   Ahab and Jezebel. It was said of Ahab so of Omri: He did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of the Kings before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of  Jeroboam so of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in Samaria. He made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord to anger. His wife, Jezebel connived with him to plot and kill Naboth the Jezreelite and robbed him of his vineyard. Jezebel killed many prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4). She also sought to kill Elijah (1 Kings 19:2). How did they end up? Of course! You know the story. Disaster was  on Ahab and his household.

   Manasseh: As king of Judah he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelite. (2 Kings 2:2). He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, "In Jerusalem I will put my name". He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practices sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. It is a fearful thing to live in a kingdom ruled in darkness.

   Nebuchadnezzar: The wicked and extremely idolatrous king of Babylon who made the golden image to which he sought the then world to bow to in worship. He was tragically reduced to a four-footed beast and made to eat grass under the mighty hand of God. Darkness will always lead to a tragic end.

   Our Contemporary Kings/Rulers: The politicians of today in quests for power and rulership are known for falsehood, deception, violence, opportunism and exploitation. Those who occupy political offices today are opportunists whose styles of governance are characterized by corruption, fraud, terrorism, oppression, callousness and insensitivity. These are the features of a world in darkness.

   The Spreading Darkness of the Last Days: One of the global features of the last days is increasing manifestations of darkness (John 16:1-3; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Matthew 24:12,15). Abominations would abound permeating even the holy place and assuming a stand. Saint Paul also predicted the godlessness of the last days. Their characteristic vices such as love of money and love of self; being boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, brutal, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power shall culminate in the loss of the world peace. This is a clear picture of pitch darkness gradually enveloping the world.

The End of the world of Darkness

   "The wicked shall be cast into hell and all the nations that forget God" (Psalm 9:17). "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). This is the destination of anyone who remains in darkness to the end of his/her life on earth.

The Way Out of Darkness

   Over and over again we should all know that there is no other w-a-y but Jesus Christ the Son of the Living; through Him alone we have access to the Father-God, our Creator. Through Him alone we are sure of safety and escape from darkness. Jesus paid the price of sin once and for all on the cross of Calvary, and cried out, "it is finished" (John 1:4-5; 8:12; Romans 5:17-19; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; John 19:30). By that he brought about the era of darkness to a perpetual end. He is the one who delivers His adherents from the dominion of darkness, being the author if redemption (Colossians 1:13-14). The world of darkness and its characteristic evil manifestations have left humanity in total unrest and doom. The perilous times shall precede the rapture of the Church, and the second coming of Christ. No human government can change the order.

   "Salvation is found in no one else for there is no name under heaven given among men by which we shall be saved" (Acts 4:12). 

   "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends if the earth for I am God, and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:22). 

   Jesus therefore declared, "Come unto me all you who labour and are heavy laden, I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). He only can disperse the darkness of your life.

   Have you not suffered enough dearly beloved! Why not  hasten to run to Jesus the light of the world and have eternal rest to your soul? Don't say you've go far; friend: simply make up your mind to quit the world if darkness, confess and renounce the evil lifestyle of darkness. Invite Jesus unto your heart now by faith and be saved today.

God bless you.

BE IN CHARGE

It was exactly 4:00 a.m., when Susana was forced to wake up, still feeling sleepy because of the previous day's vigil. She sleepily ran her hand over her face to clearly see Junior, her one-year-old child, who had just started coughing quite usually. It was quite abnormal, she thought. All of a sudden, it appeared as if he could no longer breathe normally. His breathe ceased intermittently and his chest rose and fell as he breathed with difficulty. What! She thought, gazing intently at Junior's half-closed eyes. Could he have inherited asthma from his father? No! Never! She violently shook her head as if to shake off that thought immediately.

   In retrospect, she remembered vividly three months into their marriage, her husband, John-Paul, was diagnosed with asthma. It was in the same early hours if that day that he started coughing, breathing with difficulty and a wheezing sound. She couldn't imagine it would be asthma until it was confirmed by a doctor at a nearby hospital. How could I start nursing an asthmatic husband in that early stage of my marital life, she had thought then. Often time, his chest would tighten and he had experienced shortness of breath quite often. Susana had had sleepless night several times as a result of this crises. It would sometimes happen at midnight, and at other times, early in the morning. Since the, he had been on drugs and always went about with an inhaler. This had been a source of sorrow and concern to Susana.

There is nothing more better than having a parents that love their children dearly.

 
   Just then, the cough seized Junior again, returning her back to reality. It was more violent this time, attempting to squeeze the last breath out of him. Susana then started praying and sprinkling the blood of Jesus while she picked Junior up and made her way to the garage and drove off to the hospital. At the hospital's emergency unit, series of tests were run while Susana patiently waited. Then the doctor walked up to her to intimate her about the result of the tests. "Madam," the doctor said. "Yes, doctor," "Your son has been diagnosed with asthma, but he can live his normal life if well managed," he said in a soothing voice. "No," said Susana. "My son can't be asthmatic," she declared authoritatively. And she asked the doctor to discharge him immediately. Her fear had vanished! She was rather angry at the situation. Seeing her disposition, the doctor prepared the necessary documents and promptly discharged them, but made it clear to her that they were being discharged against medical advice. That meant nothing to Susana, provided it wasn't against God's advice. The doctor further explained that that was a dangerous step for her to take. But she wasn't deterred. 

   On getting home, she threw the door open, kept her child in bed and fell on her knees beside the bed. Her mind was made up to hold on to God until her child was healed. Because she was convinced the Lord would heal him. Then she started praying with all vigour and in faith. After a while, she promptly picked up her Bible, opened it and started reading: "But he was wounded for our transgression, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). The last part came alive in her spirit, "...and with his stripes we are healed." "And with his stripes, Junior is healed," she repeatedly declared. And instantly, Junior sneezed and was clam. Seeing that, she had a witness in her spirit that he had been healed. She later took him back to the hospital for a test, and he was confirmed healed.

   Like Susana, every parent needs to consciously take charge of the affairs of their children in both spiritual and physical matters, never assuming that everything happens by chance. Rescue your children before other forces and influence take over their lives.

   Now, having been familiar with the story you just read now; am going to discussed two aspect of the children's life or lifestyle you must take serious note of as a parent or as a younger teen or youth.

1. Understanding the Developmental Stages and Challenges of Children

   Children exhibit different character traits at various stages of their development. Research has shown that preteens tend to be keener to emulate their parents and are more receptive to instructions and guidance. In their adolescent age, however, they naturally want to show resistance. They become less submissive to their parents. They are inclined towards being independent of their parents. They may want to experiment with diverse lifestyles. They are influenced by different factors including the world system, peer group, school, biological transformation, demonic powers and the society at large.

   Though many parents seem almost unaware of it, a battle is raging today to win the allegiance of our children. To assume, therefore, that the devil doesn't fight against children is to shy away from reality. In fact, the devil understands that children are the hope of the future. Thus, he marshals his agents against them right from birth whenever he notices they have potentials to cause havoc in his kingdom. And if he succeeds in taking charge of the lives of children of any age, he has succeeded in capturing a whole generation. Sensitive parents like Moses's mother in the Bible days understand this fact, which was probably why she didn't allow Moses to be destroyed but devised a godly means of ensuring he was alive to fulfill his destiny. Do we still have visionary and godly parents like this in this present age? The Bible records that "when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she his him three months" (Exodus 2:2). Moses mother spends three months praying, preparing and securing her son----Moses destiny before sending him out for manifestation of God's mandate on his life. You need to understand that every child has a destiny to fulfill and as a good parent, it is your responsibility to make sure your children's destiny is not aborted. As parents, you shouldn't always take every occurrence in your children's lives to be natural. Children can be afflicted by evil forces to cut their lives short and prevent them from attaining their ultimate height in life. Be sensitive, like Susana, to understand when evil powers are responsible for certain occurrences in the lives of your children so that you can resist them.

   Children are faced with numerous negative influence from the world's system. Nowadays, the social media is flooded with unsolicited corrupting advertisements, displaying sexually appealing activities, images and pictures on TV shows, magazines and music videos. Sensitive parts of human body are being revealed, and misleading fashion are often displayed in movies, mobile phones, tablets and other similar platforms. Some children have grow aggressive and violent because of such negative influences. Even though some of these movies are stage-managed and unrealistic, children are often deceived to think that such are the realities of life, and would want to emulate such lifestyles. Thus, is the reason some teenagers now desire plastic surgery to charge body image and shape in conformity with an admired celebrity. Besides, many children are being controlled by peer pressure and the desire to fit in in school and the society at large.

   It may also surprise you to know that worry is not an exclusive emotion of adults. Children also worry, and this makes them vulnerable. What they worry about is often associated with their age and developmental stage, which is why you must be well informed about their various stages of development and accompanying peculiar challenges. Children in their preteen (9-12) and  below usually worry about how to cope with friends, their changing bodies, tests, grades, among other areas of their lives. Some are even worried about being teased, excluded and bullied. And now that the world has become a global village that they can easily access news, some preteens can be worried about threatening global events like terrorism, natural disasters, pollution and war.

2. Taking Charge at Every Stage of their Lives.

   Despite the foregoing challenges God has mandated you as a parent to be in charge as His representative. To take charge of your children's lives, you need to consider the following things:

(1.) Be available and sensitive to discover any abnormal trait and wrong notions in your children.

(2.) Ask them questions when necessary.

(3.) Teach and instill life's virtues in them.

(4.) Be an example.

(5.) Show them undivided love and attention.

(6.) Rebuke and restrain them from harmful behaviour and activities.

(7.) Establish  in God's Word.

   

   Remember to always pray for them. Prayer is an indispensable weapon in taking charge in your children's lives. Nothing that has been mentioned above can be effective enough without bending your knees in the place of prayer for your children. Learn the power of prayer and always settle every matter about your children's lives on your knees like Susana did in our opening story. Never leave anything to chance. Take God by His Word, He will answer you and your will turn out well in Jesus' name. Amen!

God bless you.

TAKE DOMINION

   Victoria took a long look at the woman staring back at her from the large mirror in her bedroom and smiled broadly. She was grateful to God for how things had turned out for her at last. In retrospect, she knew that things would have either remained the way they were or taken a very tragic dimension if God hadn't terribly intervened at the time He did. She had been married for eight years without a child. Within those years, she had had five miscarriages. Every time she took in, something inexplicable would happen and the pregnancy would be lost. It became so frequent and she grew so tired of it that in her subconscious, she never really did expect the pregnancy to develop again anytime she took in. When the situation defied solution after visiting various gynecologists in different hospitals across the country, she eventually resigned to fate, believing that barrenness was her cross.

   Even though her husband showed considerable love, care and understanding throughout what was a trying period for them, she never had it easy with her in-laws. They blamed her for her childlessness and even threatened to get a second wife for her husband whom they claimed shouldn't have married her in the first place if he had listened to them. There were days when Victoria would cry through the night after having some painful encounters with her in-laws, especially Bosede, her husband's elder sister, who became a thorn in her flesh.

   But Victoria's story changed for the better one red-letter day. She was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen that Monday evening when she heard the voice of a popular preacher on the transistor radio playing in the living room. She washed her hands clean, walked to the living room, picked up the radio and returned to the kitchen. She placed the radio on a raised wall shelf in the the kitchen so she could listen clearly to all the preacher was saying.

   The preacher was teaching on the subject, "The Authority of the Believer." As he taught, he quoted extensively from the Scriptures but one particular Bible reference sunk deep into Victoria's mind because the preacher kept referring to it and emphasizing that the Lord Jesus Christ has given Christians dominion over all the powers of the enemy as though he wanted to stamp it upon her heart. It was Luke 10:19: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." As Victoria worked in the kitchen, she kept reciting the verse aloud and suddenly, as if a light had been lit in her spirit, she screamed with delight: "I have authority!" As she said this, she jumped up in the kitchen in excitement. Although she had read the verse several times in the past, it never made the kind of impression it made in her that day.

   At night, on that memorable Monday, rather than cry, she prayed like she never done----it was a prayer of faith and authority. She took dominion over her life, career and family. She recommitted her life to God and took her position in Christ. She prayed against every stronghold operating in her life and family. She prayed and prevailed in prayer that night. Everyone who saw Victoria after that night instantly knew that something grand had taken place in her. The gait in her walk, the wide smile constantly on her lips and the peace written all over her face all testified to this. And indeed, something miraculous did happen because a year later, she and her husband had a baby boy whom they christened Daniel.

   The reality of our present human existence on earth is that every human being will either experience dominion or slavery in their lifetime. You either have dominion or be under dominion; you can't stay neutral. But the original intention of God was that man should live in freedom under the leadership of God Himself. Accept God's love into your life today thought His Son Jesus Christ and flee sin and live a life of dominion thought Christ redemptive power.

God bless you.