Discover: things not to do to parents

 100 Things You should never Do
TO Your Parents

generation that blesses its parents has Scriptural dose  and don'ts. Scripture after scripture, I have seen that God takes our relationship with our parents very seriously and we shouldn't take it lightly. Whatever God repeatedly speaks about is serious. Whatever Command God attaches a promissory blessing is serious (Exod. 20:12; Ephesians. 6:1-3). Whatever God frowns at and frequently passes divine judgment on offenders is serious. The issue of ill-treating parents touches God very easily. The lavishing of His blessing upon those that obey and honour their parents justifies His approval. It is my prayer that all youths "show their appreciation" to their parents (Prov. 30:28). I also desire that in less than no time, many pious parents will sincerely say, "I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and wonders.." (Isa. 8:18). Our parents first of all received us as the blessings of the LORD and I pray each youth remains a perpetual blessing to his or her parents.

I have gone to many burials of young people in Nigeria and witnessed great controversy in the struggle to know who killed the young. Many homes have not recovered from such disputes. More than the activities of witches, ll-treating parents terminates the lives of young people. The Bible says,If you Curse your parents, your life will end like a lamp that goes out in the dark" (Prov. 20:20 GNB). Premature death is not the will of God for any youth but it is a reward of showing wickedness to parents. God does not want our lamps to go out in the dark, at the time we are most needed, even in Our youth. It is in Our youth that our lives are the most needed. Even God seeks our attention now (Eccl. 12:1-5). We have all the strength to serve Him now. Our strength is our natural glory (Prov. 20:29). In spite of His need of Our youthfulness, He will end our lives prematurely, if we Curse or pass negative pronouncement on our parents. This is to say, God is against the generation of young people that Curse their parents. It shall not be well with them. They will not live long. T hey will die prematurely. They will not accomplish their dreams and aspirations. They will not come near their divine destiny. They will die unfulfilled, unable to make significant impact in their generation. Do not Curse your parents. Receive grace to bless them in spite of their shortcomings. Show your appreciation to them, if for nothing, for being instrumental to your existence.

Don't do the following to your parents

1. Do Not Cause Them Unrest

It is the will of God that your life brings glory to God, rest and delight to your parents and a great blessing to the church and the Society. The Bible says, "Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul" (Prov. 29:17, 23:2425). "The father of a fool has no joy. You are not a fool. Do not cause your parents unrest. Do not fill their hearts with sorrow and heaviness through foolish and riotous living. Parents bless when their hearts are delightful but very prone to curse when they are sad. It is therefore to your advantage for your parents to be happy. Isaac asked Esau for a tasteful meal that would delight his soul before he would release the covenant blessing, "Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go to the field, and take me some venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die" (Gen. 27:1-3). Isaac was not greedy and gluttonous as some preach. But when you want your father's blessing, bring him that sinless thing he loves and parental anointing will fow with great blessings. If you do what your parents hate, you cause them unrest. If they curse you, your life will know no peace and progress. The Bible says, "There is nothing but sadness and sorrow for parents whose children do foolish things...foolish children bring grief to their fathers and bitter regrets to their mothers..foolish children bring their mothers grief" (Prov. 10:1, 17:20 8 25). What you take away from your parents depends on what you bring in to them. If you bring in joy, rest and delight, you will take away special blessing. But if you bring in sorrow, sadness and regrets, you will take away notorious curse from them. The choice is yours. Now that you know that your parents' pronouncement prevail over your life and destiny, do sinless things that gladden their hearts. Go and bring that "savoury meat" that delights the hearts of your parents and let their souls pour out blessings on you.

2. Sexual intercourse

Do not see and expose your parents' nakedness. Let's consider nakedness from two points of view. The secret parts of your parents' physical body and their human weaknesses. Do not have sexual intercourse with your parents either by Commission or omission. It is a family disgrace and it attracts divine judgment. The Bible says, "Do not disgrace your father by having intercourse with your mother. You must not disgrace your own mother" (Lev. 18:7).

In the Bible time, this disgrace is punishable with death (Lev. 20:14). Do not burst into your

parents' bedroom unruly. Ham, the father of the black world saw the nakedness of his father, Noah. He came out to tell his brothers in a mocking way and that earned him his father's curse. We know that Noah was naked out of drunkenness, but if Ham had seen his nakedness by mistake, he would have been pardoned, if he had concealed it or sought an honourable way to Cover his father's nakedness. Ham chose to jeer at his fathers nakedness, but Shem and Japheth covered his nakedness without sighting it.

The Bible says, "And Noah awake from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, curse be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren (Gen. 9:25). Most parts of Africa were in Ham when his father Cursed him. Africa is under a parental curse and anyone that seeks deliverance needs Christ's pardon, double obedience and honour to his parents and a pious heart that is completely disconnected from the spirit of Ham. The spirit of Ham is the one that stirs one up to laugh at others when in sin, trouble, deformity, sickness, bereavement, madness, abandonment, etc. It is a wicked spirit. It does not give room for mercy, compassion and pity. It is a strong spirit over many Africans unknown to them. It is a spirit that strengthens the curse of slavery upon Africans to our white brothers and sisters, the children of Shem and Japheth. Do not mock your parents. Do not do anything that will make them to be ashamed and feel disgraced in the sight of others.

3. "Tell It Not In Gath..."

Your father or mother is not God. They have their weaknesses. Do not publish their areas of ineffectiveness. They are things about your parents you solely and faithfully pray about them. They are not things you make story lines for the public. David once charged Israelites about the disgraceful fall of king Saul, Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph" (II Sam. 1:20). When you make public your parents' areas of weaknesses, you let their enemies and the enemies of God to rejoice, triumph, mock and blaspheme. This act brings notorious curse upon you. The Bible says, "Curse be he that setteth light by his father or his mother" (Duet. 27:16). Do not turn on the light for every body to see the nakedness of your parents' weaknesses. For instance, if your father perpetually makes statements that are untrue, take his untruthfulness as an issue of your private prayers and not a hot article to be published. Do not bring a curse upon yourself. Watch people who go about making derogatory statements about their parents: they never do well in life and in their profession. They are living against divine orders by exposing their parents' nakedness. God was not in any way comfortable with Noah's drunkenness but He was very angry at Ham's scornfulness at him. God justified the curse Noah placed upon Ham and all the blacks that were in his bowels. Our parents may be Wrong but God does not want us to ill-treat them and make them regretful of being instrumental to our existence. When your mother says, "I wish I wasn't your mother", then a notorious curse has befallen you. If you take it for granted, your life will just end like a joke

4. Do Not Make Fun of Them

God hands you over to the devil and his co-hurts when you make your parents objects of ridicule. Police will surely deal with you for harassing the President's aids. The Bible says, Those who make fun of their father or despise their mother in her old age ought to be eaten by vultures or have their eyes picked out by wild ravens" (Prov. 30:17 GNB). When some terrible and mysterious things happen to some young people, they hardly examine their relationship with their parents. But see how hard the scripture sounds towards those who make fun of their parents and despise them. Many youths are yet to know why they are struggling in life and being assaulted by the devil freely. Do not despise your parents, especially in their old age. Do not make fun of them. Remember, those who are eaten by vultures first died outside the city and abandoned. When God leaves you in the hands of the devil for ill-treating your parents, the devil knows how to quickly arrange for your untimely death in a place where nobody will pick you up before vultures and wild ravens feed on your remains. Like the parents of the forty-two children in Betthel, many parents in our time have buried the battered bodies of their children (11Kings 2:23-25). One would ask, "Why is God so serious about the evil one does to one's parents?" Why are you so angry when Someone does evil to you? Evil done to parents is done to God. Your parents are God's prophets and His delegates over your life. This is why they have power to prophesy good to you without closing their eyes or curse you and God will confirm it. It is best for you to obey and honour your parents according to the Scripture.

When your parents bless you, they draw the hand of God closer to you and that frustrates the activities of the devil over your life. God is saying, "young people who mock and ridicule their parents are not worthy of the peaceful, expected end and a decent burial" (Jeremiah. 29:11, Ps. 37:37). Ill-treating your parents makes you die the death of the wicked. Many wild youths have had the 'wild ravens" remove the eyes of their minds because of their arrogance to their parents. They now lack illumination, direction and balance in life. They are perpetually in poverty of ideas and initiatives that move other pious children forward. The devil prefers to pluck out the eyes of one's mind to the physical eyes. The blindness of the eyes of one's mind is more miserable than that of the physical eyes. Majority of aimless, harassed, Trust rated, insane and miserable youths are those who have n0 regard for their parents. If parents fail to discipline their children, G0d won't fail to punish them for their wickedness. Samson considered his parents' counsel as feeble and inconsequential, but where was God when the wild Philistines plucked out his eyes? I have come to understand that, when your parents are with you in righteousness, God is with you. If you frustrate your parents, God will allow the wild devils to frustrate you. Do not ridicule or despise your parents. Do not make them cry, Be their little source of joy and blessing and God will protect you wherever you go for their sake.

5. Do Not Walk Them Out

Do not walk your parents out and do not walk out on them. The Bible says, "He that wasted his father and chaseth away his mother, isa son that causeth shame, and bring reproach" (Prov.19:26). Whatever you do that brings shame and pains to your parents places a curse of wretchedness on you. It is a permanent Judgment for prodigality. Do not waste your father's energies, time, resources, testimonies, etc. God is displeased when children waste their parents' substance in riotous living. Children's prodigality has killed many parents. If your waywardness causes your father to have high blood pressure and dies, God will keep you far away from His everlasting pleasures. God will deny you of divine rest, if your parents die of the unrest of your recklessness. Again and again, do not waste your father Do not deny them of the joy of the evening of their lives. Do not allow their heads go down with grief. Do not allow their final thoughts and words to be regretful of childbearing. Do not let your parents die on the account of your misdeeds. Any of these will surround you with miseries too hard to break out from. Do not act the Nigerian home video on your parents. Do not walk them out of your house or office. That must be a wicked home movie and God cannot afford to watch it. Your life is a collection of your parents' lives. You are their replenishment. Walking them out of your presence is walking out your own soul from your body and Bible teachers call that death. No matter what you have and the position you occupy in the society, do not allow your head to Swell up against your parents. Do not walk your parents out of your house. I am aware that your parents actions could be unbecoming, but do not hasten your own life. No irritation should at any time cause you to kindly or unkindly walk them out. You could handsomely and quickly meet their needs to let them decide on their own to leave for the village or the family house. Do not place a curse on your head by dragging them out of your house or office against their will. These instructions seem Simple, but do not underrate them. They will prolong your life on earth.

6. Indirect Insult

A similar misdeed of young people is walking out on their parents. However long and irritating what your parents are saying might be, do not walk out on them. It is also a big, indirect insult to do SO. This is what you mean when you walk out on them. "You are foolish and talkative. Your words have no value. They are not Worthy of my attention or listening. Talk on, talking machine, I am going."God is angry at any insult, directly or indirectly thrown at one's parents. Bearing an uncomfortable speech is better than walking out on your parents. Some youths did that and never came back to see their parents' faces again. Woes betide them on the way. You could without anger ask your parents' permission to leave. If they permit you joyfully, go. If they do not, stay to the end, for God's and your destiny's sake. The Bible says, "Listen to your father; without him you would not exist. When your mother is old, show her your appreciation" (Prov. 23:22 GNB).

Do not spit at or before your parents in times of misunderstanding. This is another voiceless insult God hates. It Conveys your disapproval for their person, words and activities. That action says, "You and every thing about you are worthless Be sure God will not agree with you, that the principal actors in the issue of your existence are unworthy of you. Many people today, no matter how much they try; they cannot taste the excellency of heaven because of how miserably they treat their parents in the past. Think of it, you will become a father or a mother one day. What is it you do not want to live and see your children do to you? Do not do it to your own parents.

7. It Is A Lie"

Do not speak arrogantly or harshly to your parents. Do not be rude to them. Do not sound abusive in your interaction. Do not use gutter, scurrilous, opprobrious language on them. Do not call them bad names, no matter their error. If your father steals, you are not the person to call him a thief. He is your father but a thief to outsiders. Do not call him a drunkard or any bad name attached to such evil he does. Outsiders can, but you cannot. Your parents deserve respect, no matter their irresponsibility. Do not deny them what is due to them. Speak to them kindly, respectfully and with the most comforting voice. Do not live in a way that sends a hopeless signal to your parents. Speak to them to let them see hope in you. Assure their hearts of comfort when God must have dealt kindly with you. When your parents know that their joy at the evening of their lives is tied to you, they make you the object of their prayers. And this is good for your progress. I have heard many parents pray, "o God, help my son... help my daughter. They believe God's help for their children is theirs. Speak hope into your parents and let them pray for you. When you do not believe what your parents say is true, do not say, t is a lie", Never say, Daddy, you are telling lies". It is courteous but not the best to say, Daddy, that is not true"or it is not the truth'. This is polite anyway but carries some tiny elements of abuse and dishonour. It is better to say, "Daddy, I do not think this is true" or "Dad, I am finding it difficult to believe this. These statements do not fault your parents as liars but your thinking and believing faculty. If you have an enlightened father he will reply, "you better think it is true', you better believe fast". You do not have the spiritual and social right to call your father a liar but you have the right to disbelieve what you think is untrue. It is your responsibility to convey your disbelief in the

most polite way that won't attract your parents anger. Remember, Harsh and abusive words provoke parental anointing towards cursing but respectful Words stir the anointing towards

blessing. Beware!

8. "Stop Shouting At Me"

In the similar vein, do not tell your parents, "Stop shouting at me. This is abusive for any body that is older than you. However high your parents' rising voice might be, do not say a thing that turns heaven's anger on you. Your parents are not dogs as far as God is concerned. So, they cannot be shouting at you. Their voice Could only rise over issues. From my careful observation of the Scripture, I see that God believes in hundred percent good morals. And in our relationship with our parents, He does not want to see mischievous treatment. Do not even say, "Mum, stop speaking loud in the house". This is an abuse. Your mother is not a radio or loudspeaker. She is your mother; the co-initiator of your existence, a senior partner with God as far as your existence is concerned. Never say she is loud because her voice rises. You could respectfully say, "Mum, your voice is rising on me or "Mum, your voice is projecting in this matter". There is a way you say a thing and your mother will unconsciously say, "God punish you" and there is another mannered way you can say it to merit the motherly, "God bless you". It is my advise to you to do and say things in a way to let your parents always wishing you God's speed in life.

There are many ungodly and uncultured ways we speak to Our parents that boomerang on us. This is why children who are Careless with their tongue towards their parents never last. God wants your speech to be kind and soft towards your parents. Your mother may be distracting. your attention by her speech but do not say, Mummy, you are making noise" or "Mum, stop making noise". Heaven counts this as an insult also. In your ears, your mother cannot be making noise, no matter how disturbing her speech may be. How would you feel when your own child tells you that? Live the golden rule. Whatever you feel is undesirable from your children, do not do it to your parents. Always put yourself in your parents': treatment from the children of your own bowels. It is safer to find another place that is conducive for your reading than speaking abusively to your parents. Do not question your parents over their inherent weaknesses. Do not say, "Mum, can't we have some quiet moments in this house?" This is not wise at all. Rather than assaulting your parents, you could kindly give them reasons you need a calm environment. You could say, "Mum, I have a test in school, first thing tomorrow morning". Your parents are not insane. They are reasonable people. They will surely interpret this to mean some quietness in the house for you. Do not harass your parents for any good reason. If you do not watch your tongue over your parents, God won't watch your parents over your tongue. If they place a curse upon you, for your unguarded utterances, God will justify it and it shall not be well with you and experience the pains of ill-Beware!

9. "My Father's Money

A generation that will see the power and the glory of God must refrain from sexual immorality, all forms of criminality and violence. Do no steal from your parents. It is the commandment of God that, "Thou shalt not steal"(Exodus. 20:15). God hates every form of stealing, especially from parents, the vessels that make one's existence possible. The Bible says, "Anyone who thinks it Isn't wrong to steal from his parents is no better than a common thief" (Prov. 28:24 GNB). Stealing involves taking possession of Someone's thing without one's consent and permission, hiding and denying it when the owner seeks it. Do not carry your parents' things without their consent and permission. Whatever you call it, Bible calls it stealing from your parents and you are not better than thieves who steal from other people. Whether you accept or deny it after all, you have brought upon yourself the Curse of prodigality and criminality. The curse of the LORD is in the house of criminals (Prov. 3:33). Your parents Will not deny you things unnecessarily, so wait for their permission. The Bible captures the notion of most young people that steal from their parents. They think, "...it isn't wrong". Hear it today; it is wrong and worst to steal from your parents. start to think that it is wrong and stop it. Do not say, "It is my father's money. If it was your father's money, why didn't you ask your tather's permission? Why were you behaving like a thief before you succeeded in carrying it? Why were you filled with guilt and Tears after you took it? Why were you devising the most Convincing lie to Cover it up? Why was it that every call from your Father  then gave you a terrible shock? These are the acts and experiences of criminals. It is not the same as when you ask and your father gives you willingly. I want you to know, anytime you steal from your parents, God allows the chief thief, the devil to steal from your destiny. This is why many people live a reduced life all their lifespan. If a common thief is cursed, those who steal from their parents are in a worst condition. Do not steal and do not steal from your parents. Ask.

10. Do Not Rebuke Your Parents

A rebuke is a strong statement, condemning one's actions. However wrong your parents might be, divine order does not permit you to rebuke them. The Bible says, "Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father" (ITim. 5:1GNB). The Scripture shows us how to treat both our fathers and elderly persons. Do not rebuke your parents. Divine order Only permits you to entreat, kindly persuade, appeal and plead with them. The Bible says, "Plead with your mother, plead.. (h0S2:2). It is great wisdom to know what heaven bans and permits you to do for your parents. Be sure, if you rebuke your parents, privately or publicly, sharp or arter-a-while, God will be displeased with you. He will rebuke you and you cannot survive it. Do not rebuke your parents. Rather plead with them to see reasons with you. Persuade them under God with soft words to do a re-think and re-examination until they fall in line with God's will. You could share a scripture with them to help them come to themselves without being abusive or judgmental. All humble and respectful efforts to appeal or entreat your parents are permitted but do not rebuke them. Rebuke could make them to be ashamed and stir up their anointing against you. Similarly, do not warn your parents in any way, by any means, at any time and in any place, as long as you live. Do not correct them in an intimidating way. This can provoke divine and parental anger. If your parents do things that spell danger, humbly seek a respectful opportunity to reason with them. Divine order permits you to reason with them. You can also reason with God but you are not permitted to warn Him. Over an error with your father, you could say, "Dad, I strongly feel that you should re-consider this matter before the LORD. I am not comfortable with what I perceive as the likely consequence of the action you are about to take". Your parents are not fools. They cannot lose all their senses. This is enough from you for them to re-think and decide. Do not warn your parents or dare point your finger at them. This is an abomination before God who your parents represent. However wrong your parents may be, God cannot make the mistake of sending you to go and warn or rebuke them.

Never say, "God is sending me to go and rebuke or warn my parents". This is against divine order. There was never a prophet God sent to rebuke or warn his parents. He can only send one to go and plead or reason with one's father or mother to repent. God does not send people's children to go and warn or rebuke them for Him. Many young and zealous people have done things without knowledge and brought condemnation upon themselves. Again and again, do not rebuke or warn you parents. Their error may hold danger but yours in rebuking them is pregnant with premature death.

11. See Moses And The Heavenly Father

You could reason With your parents until they start to see from your view. Someone said, the word please" is stronger than a kiss. There is power in pleading. In your relationship with your parents, learn to say these four things very often. Learn to say please, thank you, I love you and I am sorry. They are special lubricants that minimize friction in any relationship. I believe, what you want when your father errs is not to show him how righteous and knowledgeable you are but to help him come back to walk in the path of righteousness. Rebuke and warning cannot Work for you but pleading can. God, our Father who is in heaven Was to do a thing Moses considered to be rash. Moses reasoned with God as divine order permits us to do with our earthly parents. Unlike many youths today, Moses never warned God about his Would-do action. He rather reasoned, pleaded and persuaded God. God had proposed to Moses that He would eliminate the entire Israelites and raise a great nation from him. But Moses humbly reminded God of the divine resources He had used in their journey so far, which would be a waste by the terms of His proposal. He also reminded God of how blasphemous His enemies would speak against His Name. He kindly showed God how his new proposal won't be consistent with His covenant with Abraham, His oath with Isaac and His promise to Jacob. He persuaded God to consider His personality since He swore by His Own Self for the fulfillment of the promise. He pleaded with God to consider all these areas of thoughtful observation. Like most pious parents, God re-considered, changed His mind and Conceded to Moses' submission with no sense of being disgraced or intimidated (See Exd. 32:10-14). I do not believe your parents are insane and irresponsible to discard such respectful, thoughtful and reasonable communication. The most serious challenge of the nowadays youths is the lack of humble, convincing and respectful communication, especially with their parents. Learn how to gracefully entreat your parents to see from your holistic point of view. Moses succeeded with God. It was a father-and-son reasoning. Divine order permits it. Moses couldn't have gotten this wonderful result with arrogant warning, rebuke, threat and intimidating corrections. I feel very strongly that, it is our lack of the wisdom and the meekness of God that makes our relationship with our parents the most unpleasant. It is my dream that every young person through this teaching will come to relate with his or her parents in the most loving and respectful way. This is the will of God. By the grace of God, improve your relationship with your parents. Make it work and remain enjoyable. Do not frighten them and make them look stupid. They will hate you. Let your Correction always come in form of holistic suggestion and give them room to reflect. The Holy Spirit could use your submission to bring revival in your family but if you present it with pride, your parents will dispatch your suggestion with "what do you know as to teach us". If Moses, the meekest man of the Bible time could prevail on God, you can prevail with your parents.

12. Do Them No Harm

Your parents are the first prophets over your life. They saw visions of you. They asked God of you. You were an answer to their prayers. They taught you in the way of the LORD. King Lemuel spoke of "the prophecy that his mother taught him (Prov. 31:1). They supported your life until you became an adult.

Their pronouncement worked for you or against you. What else does a prophet do? If you accept your parents as prophets placed Over your head by God, then, do not hurt them. Do not harm them. Do nothing that would ruin them (Ps. 105:15). Do not quarrel with them. Do not fight with them. Do not conspire against them. Do not send anybody to harm them or deny them of their possessions. However angry you get, do not slap your parents. Do not push them down. Do not jack them up. Do not hold and rend your parents' clothes in protest of anything. Any of these ill-treating actions attracts God's anger and divine Judgment.

From all I have seen from the Scripture, I believe God wants us to take our relationship with our parent very seriously. You will be grounded, if you take your parents for granted. I studied parent-and-child relationship with trembling in my spirit. I am surprised how God bounces on young people that hurt their parents either physically or emotionally. The Bible, without sugarcoating the matter says, "Whoever hits his father or his mother is to be put to death" (Exd. 21:15 GNB). Even though the Old Testament kind of enforcement of the law on parental-abuse IS not popular nowadays, God in His exercise of justice has not spared many young people. Play safe in the issue of your parents and receive God's ceaseless blessing.

13. Do not take your father's hostage

 Do not threaten your parents on the account of anything, good or bad. whatever you want your parents to do for you, use the power of effective communication, persuasion and persistence. It is better to keep on pleading until they get wearied up and perform your godly request than using violence on your parents. A threat is a verbal violence and God hates it too. Never say, Dad, I will kill you if., I Will deal with you if you don't., You will see what I will do to you if.., I will kill myself if., I will go prostituting if you don't.., I Will burn your car if.., I will destroy everything in this house if.., etc. This is a very shameful thing to be heard of any young person towards his or her parents. How can you terrorize those that made your existence possible in the first place? This is not supposed to be heard but many youths have adopted violence to get what they want from their parents. po not forget, when you threaten your parents, God shortens the length of your days. Youths who threaten their parents, end up dying before them. I advise you, anything God wouldn't agree with you and permit you to do towards your parents, do not do it.

Similarly, do not take your parents hostage. Whatever you want, keep asking, seeking and knocking. Remember, if your earthly father falls, your heavenly Father won't. David said, "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up' (Ps. 27:10). All the instructions the Holy Spirit is Giving to you as a youth are not in ignorance of some unloving ways many parents handle their young. As a growing person, you are supposed to enjoy the care of your parents: But when they falling, David said, then the LORD" will do something to compensate you. And this is better and greatly rewarding than taking your parents hostage. Do not point or put a gun on their heads and follow them to where they keep that thing you want. This is a great abomination the LORD cannot behold. The curse of the LORD is upon many people now for this reason. What do you think that is done on earth and is hidden in heaven? This is a high level of home violence that God cannot ignore. I heard with a bleeding heart, two young men that locked up their father and refused to release him until he gave them what they wanted. This is very unfortunate. I am afraid how far these two boys can go without repentance, God's and their father's forgiveness and a Compensatory double honour. May God have mercy on our generation. Amen.

14. Do Not Arrest Your Parents

Let every offence of your parents be worth your total forgiveness. Do not arrest your parents with police and others. Your parents Could hand you over to the police but do not drag them to the law enforcement agencies. It is a disgrace to these human gods that made your existence possible. Spiritual laws and orders govern the earth. Things are not as simple as we see them. Do not make the instruments of your existence objects of humiliation and torture. Your reasonable excuse will be unreasonable before the LORD. God will bless you double when you forgive the misdeeds of your parents. D0 not arrest your parents before the court of law. Do not pay anyone to Speak against your parents. If your parents cheat you, and you forgive them and allow them to go as though you were a fool, God will compensate you in a great way. In all the issues that pertain to your parents, be on the LORD's side. He is the only person that can rebuke your parents firmly. Do not blame your parents publicly. You could, in a very private place, tell your mother how ashamed you were, when others, in a public place, faulted her for- Wrongdoing. Expressing your Own feelings privately could throw deep remorse and repentance to her heart rather than blaming her in the sight of others. If any of your things is missing in the house, do not accuse your parents. You could accuse your siblings and house-helps but not your parents. You are permitted to tell your parents where you kept the money and how it is missing. If your parents say they saw it and kept it well for you, thank God. If they say otherwise, leave them alone and ask God for help. Accusing them is disgraceful and unacceptable by God. Another way to bring shame to your parents is keeping bad company. The Bible says, Stupid children can bring their parents to ruin.. A young man who obeys the law is intelligent. One who make friends with good-for-nothing is a disgrace to his father..GNB ...A companion of gluttons disgraces his father...NIV ...young people who seek Out worthless companions bring shame to their parents" (Prov.19:13, 28:7). Many homes are in trouble today because of the bad company their children keep. Choose your friends wisely. Let your friend be someone whose closeness to you draws you nearer to God. Someone who can encourage you in the LORD. Someone like Jonathan who strengthened David's hand in the LORD (1Sam. 23:16). Bad friendship does not only bring disgrace to your parents, it also destroys your own life. The Bible says, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed" (Prov. 13:20). The Bible refers to young People that bring shame and destruction to their parents as stupid'. Do not accept to be one. Do not make and keep "fools, good-for-nothing, gluttons and worthless" people as your friends. The disgrace you bring to your parents returns to you at God's speed and you cannot survive it.

15. Your Parents' Reputation

This is a life-prolonging message. Take it to your heart and live by it. It will add divine sweetness to your life. Do not ignore the blessing of God's instructions. The Scripture warns, "Death is waiting for anyone who wanders away from good sense" (Prov. 21:16 GNB). The LORD has opened my eyes to see the disgraceful end that awaits young people that despise His Word regarding their relationship with their parents. It is my dream that long-life and divine welfare will be your portion. I desire God to spare you from the ignominious end of youths that live in contempt of their parents' authority. May you be one of the glorified youths, who rise daily to call their parents blessed. Are you blessed to have parents with good and outstanding reputation? Is your father's name one of the cherished names that rings sweet bell sin people's ears? Do not destroy your parents' good reputation.

Many young people have raised dust on their parents' good name. The devil has through them stolen their parents' joy and frustrated their ministry. How can you effectively preach a message that is completely in disagreement with your children's way of life? Do not allow the devil to use you to destroy your parents' ministry. Many ministers' callings started sinking when they took God's money in their hands to terminate the pregnancies of their wayward daughters. Most of them wanted to maintain their good names. Responsible parents could leave houses and wealth for their children, but they cherish the good name they have built over the years above all (Prov.22:1). Good name gives you acceptance and enhances what God wants you to do in the land. God cannot be happy with young people that destroy their parents' reputation and callings. If God's plan in a father is big, He could eliminate the hindering children to let the man fulfill his ministry. This is why some pastor's children die mysteriously. They die by divine elimination.

16. Abraham's Children

Frequently, my wife and I had prayed about our children, having in view the ministry that the LORD has given to us. We asked God to give us children that will enhance the fulfillment of the ministry and not the ones that will do otherwise. We told God we prefer childlessness to wayward children that would hinder our message to the young people. Good youths are contributors to the fulfillment of God's promise to their parents. The Bible says this of Abraham's children, "I have singled him out so that he will direct his Sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD and do what is right and just. Then I will do for him (Abraham) all that I have promised" (Gen. 18:19 NLT). This is to mean, if Abraham's children live against divine order, God won't perform all that He promised Abraham. Do not be a distractor to your parents in the pursuit of their ministries. Be a contributor. Do not let them go to the grave unfulfilled. Eli ended his ministry in a miserable way. Hophni and Phinehas were a big minus in the life and ministry of Eli. Instead of living faithfully in the LORD's house to perpetuate God's promise in their father's lineage, they lived in a way that terminated the priestly covenant in their father's family. This is the kind of situation that makes some parents regret the birth o some of their children. It is painful when children come to destroy the blessing, God's promise and covenant that existed before their birth.

Do not let your existence turn around to deny your parents what they were enjoying before you were born. If your Parents ane serving the LORD fervently, you better mind what you do around them. Do not frustrate your pious parents. If the service they are rendering to God is more profitable to Him than your life, you will become a victim of divine elimination. God will simply subtract you from the family, if your addition does not multiply the speed of His work in your parents' hands. I am not surprised when pastor's children whose lives negate the truth of the Gospel die mysteriously, God prefers withdrawing their souls to letting them cage their parents callings. As I said earlier, if you understand the dealings of God, you will be careful in the handling of your parents. It is my prayer that with your faithfulness to God and your dutifulness to your parents, God will bring about all of God's wonderful promises to your family in Jesus' Name. Amen.

17. God Blessed The Rechabites

The Rechabites perpetuated the good virtues, values and testimony of their father through strict adherence to his instructions. Jonadab, the son of Rechab, and the father of the Rechabites was a famous man in his time. He was known for his wisdom, piety and moderation. Among other things, he instructed his sons and their families not to drink alcohol. God wanted to use them as a sign of obedience to speak to the people of Israel, instructed Jeremiah to give them wine to drink. Jeremiah reported, "And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine. But they said, we will drink no wine; for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons forever" (Jer. 35:5-6). God challenged the Israelites with the obedience of the Rechabites to their earthly and insufficient father and Condemned Israelites' disobedience to Him. Even though the entire drama was for a sign, God blessed the Rechabites for being obedient, loyal and committed to their father's charge. The Bible says, And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus said the LORD of host, the God of Israel: Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all that he hath commanded you: Therefore thus saith the LORD of host, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before Me for ever (Jer.35:18-19). As God is in heaven, He knows the young people who Obey and honour their parents. He will bless their parents and their household for their sake. Do not destroy the godly values of your parents. Do not replace the good virtues you imbibe from them with evil ones. Do not spoil the godly testimony your parents have built. Do not disobey or ignore their holy Commandments Over your life. God has not changed. He will bless youths who perform their parents' godly instructions. It is a great honour for God to use you as a good example and challenge others With your own life of obedience to your parents. It is a Success for God to be proud of you in a generation that is full of disobedient and un-thankful youths. Be a true representative of your pious parents.

18. Do Not Attract Insults

I encourage you to live in way that divinity and humanity will pour out blessings and praises on your parents. Do not live in a way that would attract insults and curses to your parents. When it hits them, it will bounce back on you. Remember, God blessed the father of the Rechabites and it was the children that were alive that kept on enjoying the blessing. A curse has the same application. Live ina way that calls fora godly attention to your parents. When David honoured God and his nation by killing Goliath, king Saul asked Abner the commander of the amy, "whose son is this youth?" When Abner had no idea, king sau insisted,inquire thou whose son the stripling is". When finally David was brought to Saul, he asked him directly, Young man, whose son are you?" (I Sam. 17:55-58). Surely, you are traced to whose s our Parents. You can make people want to know your parents good. You can make people love and appreciate your parents. You can bring them to a positive light and significance. You can bring them to great public honour and opportunities. You can connect them to great people by your excellent behaviour and performance. Do not do it the other way round. God knows that parents could be beneficiaries or victims of their children's excellence or misdeed respectively. This is why , the Scriptures exhort them, Discipline your children and you can always be proud of them. They will never give you reasons to be ashamed..(Prov. 29:17 GNB). Wherever you are, be determined never to give your parents reasons to be ashamed. Let your life cause people to bless your parents and pray for them. A Woman was captivated by the excellency of Jesus' teaching and she prayed, "God bless your mother -the Womb from which you came, and the breast that nursed you (Lk.11:27). Isn't this wonderful? God increases His help for the young people who attract blessings, praises and prayers to their parents. Do not give occasion for people to abuse you after your parents. For the assistance Eli enjoyed from the boy Samuel, he regularly prayed and blessed his parents. The Bible says, "And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD.." (I Sam.2:20). Do you think Eli would have done this, if Samuel were a troublesome child? People bless your parents in proportion to how much you have been a blessing to them. May the LORD give you understanding. Amen.

19. Behold Thy Mother"

Do not hate your parents. One of the manifestations of poor vision of our parents is lovelessness. God formed you by uniting parts of your parents. Hating them means nothing yourself. God Wants you to love your parents. Love demands that you care, share and dare for your parents. Jesus Christ showed great love to His widowed mother. He cared Tor her till the end. He handed her over to John the beloved with d Charge, "Behold thy mother" (Jn. 19:27). Before He fully entered the ministry, He used His carpentry skills to provide for the needs of the house. Mary's willingness to be part of her son's ministry could be linked to the good treatment Jesus gave her at home. Many parents hardly believe their children's spirituality and callings because of the inhuman and loveless way they treat them. Like Jesus Christ, my mother is a widow and I know how my domestic care increases her joy and prayers for my ministry. She is a member of the Executive Working Committee of my ministry and she does her best. I believe that, while in ministry, Jesus was constantly sending John to go and minister unto His mother's needs. He had no need explaining things to John on how to care for the Lord's mother. He simply showed him Mary, who He believed was John's mother too.

Let's follow the example of Christ. Let's care for our parents to the best of our abilities. Do not neglect your parents. Let them not want the basic needs of life. Do not let your parents die out of hunger or affordable medication. As God blesses you, do not forget them. Do not deny them affordable pleasure. We live in a hot part of the world. If you can afford an air-conditioner do not hesitate to fix it for them. If you can afford a car,a handset, etc. give it to them. Do not say, they are old; they do not need it" Some of the affordable pleasure could add joy to your parents and stir their anointing in your favour. Do not consider how hard it took you to get your honey. You will have ceaseless Success, if you give them some (Judges 14:9). Do not turn down

your mother's request, if it is godly and can add joy to her and it is in the power of your hand. King Solomon told his mother, Ask on my mother: for I will not say thee nay (I Kings 2:20). You can make yourself a great well of blessings to your parents. Do not do otherwise. 

20.Have A Plan

Do not abandon your parents. Always have a plan for their welfare and God will protect your life. Consider Rahab, who was even a harlot. She negotiated a deliverance deal and she was thoughtful and caring enough to include her parents (Jos. 2:13). Do not hide under any cloak to neglect your parents. Do not use marriage leave-and-cleave Scriptures to mortify your God-given responsibilities towards your parents. If you are careless about your parents' welfare, God will ignore your well-being. As God blesses you, make adequate arrangement for your parents' comfort and security. Do not be unmindful or negligent of your parents until they become victims of people's wickedness. When the environment became increasingly unsafe for David's parents, he made a security arrangement. The Bible says, "And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. And he brought them before king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold" (I Sam. 22:3-4). Isn't this thoughtful and wonderful? How can God ignore such a man who was so mindful of his parents?

Most significant men in the Scripture had a ery affectionate treatment of their parents. It will be good for us to follow the examples of those who carried the approval of God Over their lives in their generations. Have a plan for your parents. Do not parade the city with gorgeous, stunning and dazzling clothes while your parents wander in the village with rags. Do not eat an assortment of dishes in township while your parents miserably eat let's-eat-4-survVival-mealin the village. Do not live in a glorious house in the city and abandon your parents in that old rats' hole. Be sure of this, if you refuse to help your parents according to your income: God Will soon make your income to be in accordance with the help you give to your parents. This is to help you taste the misery you Subjected your parents to. This is how many people fell from grace and couldn't recover until they went to their grave. There Is a curse upon those who enjoy the goodly things of this world and allow their parents to suffer the lack of them. Joseph arranged for the comfort of his father and he enjoyed God's grace and glory all his days.

21. God Repays Our Graciousness

Do not exhibit a graceless attitude towards your parents. Do not be weary of showing the little-little favours that keep them going, especially in their old age. I have discovered of late, that many parents dilemma when they ought not to, for the lack of their children's care. It is spiritually and socially unfair to be un-serious about your parents' il-health but organize a big and flamboyant burial. This is not gracious at ll. Some parents frequently use this saying while alive, "bury me while alive". It is of no gain to the dead spending a fortune to bury them. God will not bless children that wait for their parents to die before they show how much they love them. You will suffer a notorious poverty if your parents die for the lack of what you have. Being gracious to your parents affects your progress in life positively. Most prominent men and women all over the world express their love for their parents with passion, especially their mothers. Do not treat your parents like beggars. Honour them with the blessing of God in your hand. If Joseph were a careless person, his father Jacob would have perished in spite of his great wealth. Joseph was living in prosperity and in the abundance of food while the father and his siblings were about to die of hunger. Joseph made an arrangement to save his father, his father's house and the covenant of God. Why wouldn't God and his father lavishly place great blessings upon him? There are many people in government who are enjoying the best on earth, but their parents are living in penury and destitution. They are unlike Joseph. It shall not be well with them. Their wretched parents will be present in their state-sponsored burial, Iife they fail to repent from the ill treatment of their parents. Apart from settling his father and brethren in Goshen, a place favourable for their herding Occupation, the Bible says, "And Joseph place his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread according to their families" (Gen. 47:11-12). God is a rewarder. He will reward our cordiality to our parents and household. Little wonder, Joseph enjoyed the help of God all his days.

22. Honour Their Presence

Any godly thing that will add joy to your parents is good for your future. Do not let the end-time fever catch up with you. Do not be disobedient and un-thankful to your parents (II Tim. 3:1). Do not deny them of your appreciation. You wer prayer. They were instrumental to your existence. They took care of you until you came of age. Be thankful to them for who and what they have been to you since conception. Time after time, be diligent to give them special regard, recognitions and gestures of love and friendliness. Give them their rose to smell while alive. an answer to their Verbally and substantially tell them how much you appreciate their support for you. Thank them before people and tell the persons they respect to thank them for you. Like Joseph, take them to visit governors, very important people and special places. Bring your friends to come and do them honour. Do not speak with a rising voice to them, especially in the public. However old they may be, do not give them an impression that they are unfit to come to your place or public function. You can make them fit for any Occasion. Remember, you need one Word or action to print a negative impression on your parents' minds but you need series of discussions and actions to erase it. Do not make them feel rejected by you and dejected within. This will make their hearts unwilling to bless you. Make them feel that their presence counts a lot to you. Frequently tell them so, privately and publicly. Give them dignified seats in your Occasions. Do not unseat your parents for anybody. If they see more VIPs in your function and they decide on their own to leave their seats for them, it is their business. Never say, Mum, stand up, let somebody sit down. Your parents are the best 'somebodies' in your life. How would you have known important people if you were not born? Honour the presence of your parents with love and all traditional and respectful gestures. See how king Solomon did it for his mother. The Bible says, Bethsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand" (1Kings 2:19). God blesses those who respect their parents. Do not let your head to swell up against your parents. However high God lifts you, do not treat your parents like your office staff or house help. They worth the best of respect from you (Prov.15:20, 23:22).

Do Not Deceive Them

Telling lies before divine, parental and spiritual authorities has far reaching consequence. This was how Ananias with Sapphira his wife lost their lives (Acts 5:1-10). God hates the deceiving of His delegated authorities. He counts it as unto Himself. Your parents are the first representatives of God in your life. Do not deceive them. Do not tell them lies. Do not promise them what you are not willing to do. Do not give them fake presents. Jacob, by the encouragement and persuasion of his mother told his father a lie and deceived him (Gen. 27:5-23). The God of justice allowed other pe0ple to deceive and cheat him in more painful ways. If you deceive your parents, prepare to be a victim of deceivers all day long. This is the curse upon many people today unknown to them. Whatever they painfully gather, they always have a very way of losing it to dupes. They were once clever and with their parents, Dut, now, they are fools to other

cheap crafty mischievous people.

Do not co-operate With one of your parents to put another in disadvantage. God hates that injustice and wickedness. Be very fair in your dealings with your parents. Remember, only one

of them cOuldn't have made your existence possible. God co- operated With both of them to bring you into the earth and He wants you to do the same. Do not accept to be one's favourite and do not make your father or your mother your own favourite. Deal with them in wisdom and fairness. Favouritism brings trouble to the family. It gives birth to hatred and bitterness. And the Bible says, He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind" (Prov. 11:29). This was to be the portion of Jacob, were it not for God's pardon and transformation.

Do Not Break The Yoke

Pious parents always have a lot of dos and don't. They constitute the parental safe yoke. Every youth should endeavour to bear that yoke. The Bible says, "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth" (Lam. 3:27). Whatever the Bible says is good for you, is really good for you. The yoke restrains you from youthful lust, guards and guides you into your destiny. Do not see the yoke of the dos and don'ts as disturbing your peace and freedom. It is good for you that some of your youthful freedom, if not excesses, are checked. Do not break the yoke of your pious parents. They may be hindering your desires now, but they will enhance your dream tomorrow. Your parents are not messing you up with the yoke, rather, they are molding your personality to fit your destiny. You will discover by and by, that the kind of things your godly parents allow and disallow contribute to the uniqueness of your personality and fitness to your profession. I remember those days when my father set definite time

for everything. Time to return home in the evening. Time to wake up from bed. Time to sleep after school. Time to eat and time to do this and that. It wasn't pleasing and comfortable for us then but today, his yoke has helped my attitude towards doing things at set time. I hate 'African-time' with passion. I am now on my own but I still hate returning home beyond my father's set time in those days. My wife is comfortable with that and that is good for my marriage now. Now, I am not struggling to obey the dos and don'ts again: the parental yoke of discipline has become part of my way of life. Do not slight your parents restraining and constraining instructions. God uses them to order your life into His glorious destiny for you.

A Leering Look

It is therefore my advice that you do not give a deaf ear to your parents' counsel, instructions and commands. Pay attention to their corrections and admit when you are wrong. Do not argue With them. Do not look sour or dogged at them when they send you to do something. If your parents have the challenge of physical disability, do not look at them with disdain and disapproval of their person. Never wish someone else were your father or mother. You can't be wiser than God. Do not make regretful statements in their presence because of their disability. Be the eyes, ears, mouth and legs of your blind, deaf, dump and crippled parents respectively. Be their joy, hope and comfort. Do all to show them the ability in their disability. Therefore, do not harass or intimidate them. Your parents may offend you but avoid a leering, malicious look and a casting of an evil eye at them. Generally, avoid anything that projects a sense of insult towards your parents.

It is possible for your parents to ask you to do a sinful thing. Do not decline their evil suggestion disgracefully. Even though you cannot obey your parents to disobey the Almighty God, do not forget that you owe them some respect. Decline your parents' evil suggestion with salted and hallowed words, referring to the Scripture with firmness and humility. It is not you that rejected their suggestion but it is the Scripture that stopped you from accepting it. f they are angry at your respectful decline and curse you, their curse will be causeless and God won't justify it over you. For "who Is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the LORD commandeth it not? (Lam. 3:37). Only be sure that your decline is graceful enough.

Do Not Wish Them Dead

Do not drag issues with your parents. Be satisfied with their simplest explanation and leave them with God. Learn from the humble disposition of Isaac towards Abraham his father. The Bible says, "And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, my father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, my son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together" (Gen. 22:7-8). Isaac was objective, firm, humble and respectful. He never understood every thing but he simply believed his father and co-operated. If he were like one of the nowadays children with faithless, disrespectful hearts and an opprobrious tongues, he would have argued the unreasonableness of finding a lamb in such a bush until Abraham would be frustrated, lose his faith and disobey God. Take things easy With your parents.

Do not allow the devil to cheat you to the point of wishing your parents ill or dead. It all means you are cursing them in your heart. This is not good for you. AS Simple as this may be, it provokes the anger of God against you. However offending your parents' attitude may be of late, do not wish them ill. However demanding on you their health challenge may be, do not wish them dead. Whatever you desire to inherit from them, do not Wish the major stakeholders of your existence dead. Do not think It. Do not wish or say it. Do not do anything to bring such wicked- Wish to pass. It will surely bounce back on you. It is quite unnatural, impudent and impious to desire the death of those who brought your own lire to the earth. Watch all those who wish their parents mischief, so as to enjoy their wealth and privileges, they always die mysteriously before their parents. The curse of the LORD is upon them. Absalom wished, planned and championed the elimination of his father David but providence provided a hang for his head. King David lived to know Absalom's grave. Do not follow the examples of the vessels of wrath and destruction. Do not ill-wish orill-treat your parents.