Childlessness and Marriage (3) 4 Biblical Examples

[Music: "The Glory of the Lord"] Family Tent Ministry can be no more spiritual than the individuals and families that constitute them. God's design is the building of a home. These are words of solution and instruction in righteousness from Family Tent Ministry. You will be blessed as you listen. [Speaker 1] May, June, July, August, September, and now we are talking of October, the 10th month of the year. Let's just thank the Lord with this song as we start again today. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. With my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness, Thy faithfulness. With my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. Our Father, indeed, we will sing of Your mercies. Our God, we thank You for Your faithfulness. We thank You for Your mercies. We thank You for all who You are. We thank You for all that You are. We thank You for Your love. We thank You, our Father. We say be Thou exalted in the name of Jesus. Almighty God, unto You we gather this morning. We who are here physically, our brethren who are joining us on YouTube, our brethren who are joining us on Telegram, our brethren who are joining us on Mixlr. Lord, our God, we are indeed very, very grateful. We thank You for this great privilege. Lord, our God, as we gather unto You this morning, Lord, we pray that Your Spirit indeed will work within us. Your Spirit will work among us. You will meet us at our various points of needs in the name of Jesus Christ. Those of us who are yet to enter into a relationship, those of us who are in a marital relationship but not yet married, those of us who are now already married, those of us just starting the journey of marriage, and those of us who have spent time in that journey. Lord, we pray, speak to everyone of us. Everywhere we need You, speak to us. Lord, meet with us. Lighten our darkness. Let Your Spirit hover over our darkness and give light in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank You, eternal Father. Blessed be Your holy name, our God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Indeed, we thank God again for this opportunity to gather this second Saturday of the month of October. Like I said in the post that we sent out yesterday, we started a very critical topic in the month of August, which is childlessness and marriage. When there is a challenge of childlessness in a marriage, particularly in a Christian marriage, how exactly can we handle that? What are the possible causes? How do we respond to it? Particularly, we are using four biblical examples. In the month of August, we were able to see very, very clearly that we must not underestimate the challenge of childlessness. It can be indeed a very, very serious challenge. That's what we saw in the month of August, that childlessness as a matter can be a very serious challenge. Childlessness can be experienced by people who are indeed believers. It's not a thing that you think that anybody who is experiencing it is because they don't believe God, it's because they don't have a walk with God. We saw in the example of Abraham. Abraham had been called by God. Abraham had a walk with God. God appeared to Abraham. God spoke with Abraham. Abraham built an altar unto God. He had encounters with God. Yet, that marriage was childless. So we saw that indeed, believers can face the challenge of childlessness. It's not a thing that you think that it's because people have sinned that's why their marriage is childless. It must be because when they were single, they have misused their life, that is why there is no child. Then we also saw something in the month of August, that it is important for everybody to know that the wife and the husband in any marriage that is childless, we should appreciate that they are carrying a very serious burden. So mothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, brothers-in-law, friends, we should be careful what we say. Sometimes people begin to heap blame on one party. The truth is that the people who are having that challenge themselves, the marriage that is experiencing that, for them it's already a burden. And so it becomes very, very important for us not to add to their burden. Then we saw something, that childlessness can be a very, very crucial challenge even in the life of those who fear God, no matter how much they have their walk with God. We saw how Abraham was struggling with it. Abraham could not appreciate all that God had given him. He said, "God, but You have not given me a child." And God would say, "Look, don't worry, I am your shield and your reward." He said, "But I..." and eventually that struggle was so much, like we saw in the month of September, that Abraham made a mistake. He alternated. God already had an agenda for them. The agenda of God is that Sarah is to have one child at her old age, a child that will come by virtue of the power of God. That's the plan of God. But at a point, Abraham and Sarah missed it and they deviated into an alternative. I said for you to know how critical the challenge would be. Then we saw something too in the month of September, that anytime God wants to help anybody that is inside any critical challenge, God normally does two things. Number one, God will give them a word of promise. God will speak to them. "I will do this." God did that to Abraham. God told Abraham, "Eliezer of Damascus will not be your heir. A child that will come out of you will be your heir." Then the second thing that God did was that God said, "Look up. If you can count the stars, count them." He said, "So shall your children be." God will give them a vision. God will speak definitely and God will give a vision. When God wants to pull His children going through any kind of challenge—it could be childlessness, it could be financial, it could be health-wise, critical health situation, it could be anything—I remember going through a very critical health situation at a point, I mean, a very, very critical one, and you were just wondering how do I get out of this. I remember what God did to take me out of it was not the use of drugs—please there's nothing wrong with using drugs, don't think I'm condemning drugs, that's not what I said. I only said that what God used to take me out of it. God can also by drugs get people out of it. Jesus healed in different ways. Some people, He said "speak the word," "don't enter my house." Some people, He went to their house. Some people, He laid hands on them. So there are different manners, different ways to healing. People still use drugs and die. So the people who say "God, as I go to hospital, let me be healed" and use the drug and get well, I believe it's the person's faith. And so please, I'm not ridiculing the use of drugs. But I'm only saying that God gave me a word and then God gave a vision. When God wants to pull you out of something, He will give you a word and He will give you a vision. That word is what we call the word of faith. That vision is the eyes of faith. So faith begins to confess that word within, begins to confess it, seeing it, embracing it, holding it, and eventually that thing will come to pass. God did that for Abraham. God gave him a word. But we also saw something last month, that after God would have given the word, we need to be careful. God gave Abraham a word and a vision, yet Abraham still made a mistake. Why? We saw that at a point Sarah said, "God has made me childless." We said perhaps, maybe because the person who received the word did not—the Bible did not record it so we cannot affirm it. So we are just assuming that maybe Abraham who received that word did not transfer it to Sarah enough, encouraged her, speak to her, pray her through to come to the same thing that "don't worry, God has said." We don't know exactly what happened, but at a point we saw that Sarah told Abraham that "look at this," and Abraham alternated. So we said that even where God give the word, we must learn to stand by what God has said, standing by what God has said. Then we saw something also very, very important, that's where we concluded last month. It is something I'm going to move today, since it's a series. We said that many times, people have always used what Abraham did as a point of reference. They will say, "After all, Abraham has two wives. So even if I marry two, there's nothing. After all, God blessed Ishmael. After all, God still did that." We noted something very critical last month, that we must be careful not to look for alternative to the plan of God. We noted that what Abraham did is what we are still regretting till today. We are still under the affliction of that alternative till today. Number two, we noted that the people who say "Abraham has two wives" is because they are foolish. Why are they foolish? We saw that when God came to Abraham, what did God tell Abraham? He said, "Abraham, walk before me and be blameless." Look, and Abraham was trying to say that "God, let Ishmael live." God said, "Look, I don't have any agenda with Ishmael, but I have a covenant with Isaac that Sarah will give birth to." So we were letting people see that polygamy is not a way out of childlessness. It's not. Because what Abraham did was something that God said, "Walk before me and be blameless." So are we supposed to follow the error of Abraham or the faith of Abraham? And I warned that younger generation should be careful not to follow adults because they are adults. The reason is because even fools grow old. Am I correct? Even fools they also grow old. So that somebody is old does not make the person wise. It doesn't make the person wise. There are many adults that are fools. So you will see them saying that Abraham married two, young people, there's nothing wrong. I say be careful. Aging is a process, wisdom is a choice. If you don't make a choice to be wise, you can still grow old. Aging is just a process. There is no wisdom in aging if you don't choose wisdom. Wisdom is the fear of God. Wisdom is a walk with God. Wisdom come by revelation. Wisdom come by inspiration. Somebody may be growing old and not be wise. I remember when I was much younger, my mom of blessed memory would say "eyin omo yi, e kan n dagba e o da'nu." I didn't know the meaning then until I became a Christian. What she was saying is that look, we are growing old but we are not growing up. You can be growing old but you may not be growing up. So I warned last month that let us be careful. May adults who are fools not be our mentors. We established that last month, that younger generation who are listening to us, you are not yet married, you are looking towards marriage, younger couples, please don't follow this bad example that polygamy is a way out. It was something that God told Abraham that "look, I don't have any covenant with Ishmael, my covenant is with Isaac." God has His own solution if they have waited for God. Then we noted something, whatever God wants to do to change your situation, always remember God has His own timing. It could be childlessness, it could be financial, it could be academics, it could be business, it could be anything. Always remember that God has His own time. When God gives you a word of faith and when God gives you a vision, you must also learn to wait for God. You must learn to wait. It's very important. To everything there is a time. There's everything God wants to do, there's a time. When Bible is talking about timing, it's talking about that thing that God wants to do in your life, there's a time for it. God will bring it to pass. And that was where we closed off last month. So in this topic, childlessness, episode three, which we are moving on into today, four biblical examples. So far we have looked at one biblical example, and that is that of Abraham for the month of August and the month of September. For the month of October, we want to move to the other three families in the Bible. Like I said last month, I said these other three families, we won't treat them in isolation. We won't treat them the way we treated that of Abraham just alone. We will treat them simultaneously. We'll be comparing them. These other three families are Mr. and Mrs. Elkanah, Mr. and Mrs. Zacharias, and Mr. and Mrs. Isaac. These are the other three marriages we want to look at. And we want to see if possibly, depending on how God will help us today, let's see how we march, whether we can finish up this matter of childlessness and the issue of marriage today. If we cannot, then we will round it up in the month of November. Like I said, those of you who are familiar with us, we don't rush topics. We try to look at them critically. We try to learn from each episode we take, see as much as we can learn before we move on. And let me remind you again, please don't forget if you have a question as we are speaking, place your question online, either on the Telegram page or on the WhatsApp page or on the Mixlr page. Put your question there. Once it's 11:30, we will answer them. If there is no question, by 11:30 we will be rounding up. Thirty minutes is to respond to questions if there are questions. And brethren who are here physically, if there are questions, please note them. You can be sending them in before that time. So let's move on to look at these three other families: Mr. and Mrs. Zacharias, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac, Mr. and Mrs. Elkanah. I believe we are familiar with these three families. So let's look at them. The first one, Mr. and Mrs. Zacharias, is in the book of Luke. Let's open to the book of Luke. Luke chapter one, that's where we have Mr. and Mrs. Zacharias. Luke chapter one. The Bible spoke about this family from around verse five. I read. It says: "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God," Please be looking at the qualification. What's the first thing? They were both righteous before God. Number two: "walking in all the commandments of God," Number three: "commandments and ordinances of God... and they were blameless." They were righteous, they were walking in the ordinances and commandment of God, and in these ordinances and command they were blameless. What did the Bible say about them? "But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years." So in this marriage, we are seeing something of childlessness. And for this couple, the childlessness is not something very recent. How is it? It is something that has stayed long with them. It has stayed very, very long. Because the Bible says that they are both advanced in age. Can we see some other translation? Please if you are to read, you use the mic. Some other translation for that verse seven where it says they are both advanced in years. [Speaker 2] Verse seven KJV: "And they had no child, because that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years." [Speaker 1] Well stricken in years. So what does that mean? [Speaker 2] NLT: "They were both very old." [Speaker 1] Very old. You know, when you look at some other translation, they were very old. And you begin to wonder, these two couple, why have they not thought of something to do? Or did they marry at old age? Did they marry at old age? Possibly they married at old age. We will later see that they were not—they didn't marry at old age. How do we know that? Look at what the Bible said in the verse 12 and 13. It says: "And when Zacharias saw him," that was the angel of God, "he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.'" So this couple, have they been praying about the matter? Have they been praying? The prayer, did the prayer come to God? The prayer came to God. So they have been in fervent prayer, praying about it, talking to God about it. But now, how did the Bible describe them? They are very old. They have been praying since when they were young. They have been praying and praying and praying and praying. Did the Bible say God was hearing? But there was no answer, but God was hearing. So what was God saying when they were praying? What was God saying when they were praying? If God was hearing, but to them there was no answer, so what was God saying? Be patient. I tell people God answer can be "be patient," "wait." People always think that answers to prayer is get it now, now, now, now. In fact, somebody said he came across a particular assembly that is named Jehovah Sharp-Sharp. Anyway, I don't know what is behind the founder of the ministry. But you know, it looks—ordinarily when you look at it—it's like God quick-quick, we want a God that is quick. That may not be the mind of the founder, but when it came to me, I was just wondering, "Jehovah Sharp-Sharp?" because as somebody who is rooted in Pidgin English—that's my background, Pidgin English is my first language—"sharp-sharp" means fast. Let the thing come now, now. And I was wondering, sometimes God don't come now, now. But that could be a dimension of a revelation, I don't know. But the point I'm making is that God answer can be "wait." So was God answering them? Was God answering them? So please, what we are seeing in this place is that when we see people going through certain challenges, don't think God is not answering their prayers. It is important for us—these are critical lessons for us as Christians. That you are well employed, and a family have not been employed, and you see them, don't begin to think that they don't pray enough, it is because we prayed. God will be telling them, "Wait. I will do something great." And many times, the people that you may be despising, by the time God answer them, what you think you have, you will begin to pray for—you will begin to envy them and begin to pray that, "God, ah-ah, I'm also Your child now." So the point I'm making is that God answer can be "wait." It could be wait. And then, but look at something about this family. What do you notice about this family? I want us to see something about this family. The Bible mentioned three things about them. It said they were what? They were righteous. Am I correct? Number two, they were walking in all the ordinances and commandment of God. Is that? They were not only walking in it, what's the third thing? They were blameless. So what are we to see? We saw that Father Abraham was blamed. I said we'll be comparing them now. We'll be comparing three families together. Father Abraham was blamed. But there's another family that were also advanced in age and God said they were blameless. What made this family blameless? They were walking in the ordinances of God. And we can see that that ordinances mean remain faithful to your partner. Hallelujah. Brethren, you see we are looking at these things because there are so many teachings today. There are all kinds of teachings today. I remember one case—I don't want to mention which location—I was called to come and mediate in that case. I had actually traveled for a ministration outside my base. And the case I'm called to mediator was also a childless marriage. And the debate in the assembly—in an assembly that you describe as the assembly of God's people—the debate was that since they are Yorubas, "Yoruba o kin fe ako aja," that Yorubas don't marry a male dog, that is, Yorubas don't marry anybody who is barren. If the person is barren, they said that "ki o ba bi si ile a bi si ita," if the child cannot be within the wedlock, it can be outside the wedlock. That is what our culture says. That was what was the dividing thing that I was called to come and mediate into. And when you see the elders saying these things, you know they are people—that's why I said that not everybody who grow old is wise. God must help us. I've seen it over and over again. Age is not wisdom. The first time I encountered that thing was in the book of Job. It's in the Bible. Please let's see—let's just see that so that it won't look as if one is just trying to—I'm not ridiculing old age. After all, I'm not a young man myself. I'm well above 50. So I'm not ridiculing old age. If you look, I'm already growing a lot of white hair here and there. I'm not ridiculing old age. But I'm only saying that age is not wisdom. Let's just see—let's just see the book of Job chapter 32. Maybe I should just make reference to that so that it won't look as if I'm saying something that is not biblical or saying something that is not true. Let's look at the book of Job chapter 32. Let's see what the Bible says in that place. Job 32. I want to read from verse one: "So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. And also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused. So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: 'I am young in years, and you are very old; therefore I was afraid, and dared not declare my opinion to you. I said, "Age should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom." But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Great men [that is, old men] are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice. Therefore I say, "Listen to me, and I will declare my opinion."'" Are you seeing something there? Do you notice that at the end of the day, when God showed up, who were those that God condemned? Who were those that God condemned? God condemned the three elders. Am I correct? Did God condemn Elihu? No. That was the man who came with correct revelation of God. He was the youngest. He did not speak because he felt he was the youngest, that the aged ones should be able to say what is wise. But when he now saw that the three people they could not answer Job, yet they condemned him—they shut him down that look, he must be a sinner—and Job said he's not a sinner. He was angry too with Job because Job was justifying himself. So he spoke the mind of God. Go and check what Elihu said and what God later began to say, you will see similarities. He told Job that look, God cannot give account to you about Himself. You may not hear anything wrong about yourself, but you cannot force God to account of Himself to you. And when God showed up, what did God tell Job? God said, "Look at the lions, can you feed them? Okay, can you hold the wind? Can you send thunder on an errand and he will go and come back and tell you here I am? Can you feed all the birds in the jungle? Okay, look at the earth is on water. Do you know where the foundation is? Can you sustain the earth and hold it without it falling?" Job said no. He said, "So you cannot even handle creation, then you are trying to control creator." So eventually you see that that boy spoke so much wisdom. The point I'm trying to bring out was that I was called into that assembly, and you see elders, Yoruba elders—not scriptural elders, Yoruba elders—that's my own point, that's my own definition. Yoruba elders, and they were saying that point, "gbogbo eyan ko lo lo're ofe lati duro, o ni bi Olorun se pin ore ofe," not everybody has the grace to withstand childlessness, God gives some people the grace, He didn't give some people the grace. And these men were talking and I was wondering, are these elders? The reason why I'm saying this is that we are looking at childlessness and we are looking at an example. The Bible says they were righteous. The Bible says they were in the ordinances of God, they were blameless. The Bible says that these two people, they are now both advanced in years. And the Bible makes us see something, it's not as if they were not praying. Were they praying? Yes. Was God answering? Yes. What was the answer? "Wait." So their life was balanced. The point I'm making is this, brethren, young people, older people, don't think because there is a challenge in your life, your life is not balanced. Don't let people make you believe that. Don't think because there is a problem, it means your life is not a balanced life, your life is not a good life. No. They were having challenge since the early time of their marriage, they were going through that challenge, they were with that challenge until Elizabeth became old and she was already called barren. That was why she went to hide herself when she became pregnant. For you to know that she herself had concluded. Even Zacharias had concluded that a child can no more come again. That's why he said, "Your prayers have been answered." He said, "Which one? Are You still talking about childless—" and the way he answered, Gabriel again got angry. He said, "Ah-ah, it is me that you ridicule like this because the answer did not come when you were expecting it? Because you think there is no more possible, you will not be able to talk until it happen." But the issue is this, brethren, and I want to draw you to this. If a man knows that a child can no more come from a woman, and a woman knows that a child can no more come from a man, and they didn't divorce themselves, they were still continuing with God, they were just ready for when they will die and be buried. Are you seeing believers? Are you seeing? They too they have fathers-in-law, they have mothers-in-law. They could have sought alternative. Polygamy could have been an answer like Father Abraham did. And that's why I took time last month to establish it, that God told Abraham, "Walk before me and be blameless." We are not to follow the error in the Father. The Bible says we don't follow the example where they did it wrong. Bible says that we should look at the faith of Abraham where he had faith, and not the error of Abraham. So compared to Abraham, you see a father here, you see a mother here that were standing. They were righteous. They were people that God was answering their prayer. Yet the challenge of childlessness was there and it was there till old age. Why? God had a plan. Let me tell you, if you are working with God and you are praying to God, it looks as if things are not getting out, it looks as if things are persisting, I want to make you understand, God has a plan. And I pray for you listening to me wherever you are, that plan of God, that plan of God will come forth in the fullness of time in the name of Jesus. That plan will show forth. Don't let people ridicule you, don't let people make you feel that you are nothing, it's because you are this. Don't let people like the three friends of Job that were blaming Job, "It is because you did, you must have done this wrong, you must have done that." And Job was saying, "I didn't do anything wrong, let God come and talk." He too, out of anger, got to the wrong side because of the provocation of his friends. So you see, it's very important. Abraham was blamed, Zacharias was not blamed. And you see something about these two people, that even when it will be no child, they were set to go that way. And the Bible says about these people that as far as God is concerned, these are those that are righteous, these are those that are blameless, these are those that are walking in the ordinances of God. And let me tell you one thing that you may not understand: these are those that God programmed for greater things. Go and mark my word. It is this kind of people that God programmed for greater, greater things. I want to tell you, why is it that it is in these people that a prophecy that have gone ahead in Zechariah chapter 40, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare a way for the Lord." Are you understanding me? It is through these people. God did not see some other person. God did not see any other marriage. It was this marriage. That's why I'm telling you, when you see lives like this, when you see lives like this, they are people of greater outpouring. They are people that God prepare for great, greater things. Bible says what God prepare for those that love Him, eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, it has not entered into the heart of men, what God prepare for those who wait for Him. When people wait for God, what God prepares for them, by the time those things will come, you will say, "Wow," you will say, "Ah," you will say, "Is it possible?" And sometimes you know what people say? They will say, "They are lucky oh." It's not luck. It's not luck. It's not a matter of luck. The things of God they are not matters of luck. There's no lucky person with God. It's not about lucky, it's about mercy. You see these people and look at the people that God now prepared to fulfill a prophecy, the forerunner of Jesus. God was now looking for where a forerunner will come from. Where did God go to? God went to a family. I'm telling you, the same thing with this end-time. There are several people here and there. There will be several men of God here and there. There will be several preachers here and there. There will be several women of God here and there. But God knows who He is looking for. God knows who He is looking for. God knows one and one and one and one to put into His agenda and His program. Bible says look, the foundation of God's kingdom standeth sure, that what? The Lord knows those who are His. "Olorun mo awon to je t'Olorun gangan gangan gangan Olorun mo won o." The Lord, when God see people who have sold out themselves to God, God knows them. Don't think He doesn't know them. He knows them. There may be several people serving God, but God knows those that are His. God knows men who are sold out to Him. May our families be sold out to God. May our marriages be sold out to God. May our life be sold out to God. May our relationship be sold out to God. May we be people that God can do with what eyes have not seen, what ears have not heard, what have not entered into the heart of men, in the name of Jesus. And do you know what I see again in this family? As we try to compare with another family. Look at what the angel told Zacharias. He said, "Zacharias," look at that scripture, verse 13. If you are there before me, please read. Luke chapter 1 verse 12 and 13. If you are there before me, please just read. But please use the mic so that brethren online can hear you. [Speaker 2] "And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, 'Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son...'" [Speaker 1] "Fear not, Zacharias." What is heard? What was heard? "Fear not, Zacharias." What has been heard? What did God hear? Prayer. Which prayer? What is the qualifying word for that prayer? He says, "Your prayer." Am I correct? So do you notice something there? In the face of childlessness, men who are true fathers are intercessors for their wives. When there is a challenge in a marriage, true fathers, true men in the house, they are intercessors. We compare that quickly with Genesis. Please look at Genesis. Mr. and Mrs. Isaac. I said we'll be comparing now. Let's see how far God can help us to travel. Genesis chapter 25. Are you there? Verse 20. I read: "Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. Now..." Please what did you see there? Can you read what you see in your Bible? "Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived." Please, what brought a child into that marriage? There was a man who was an intercessor. In the face of a critical challenge, a man who is not an alternative, a man who is not an intercessor is a godless father. I repeat my word again. In the face of critical challenge, men that we need in the house, the kind of men that we need, are what? Men who are what? Intercessors. Let us look at First Samuel. We are comparing marriages. First Samuel chapter one. I read again from verse one: "Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. And he had..." What do you see there? "...two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb. And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat. Then Elkanah her husband said to her, 'Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?' So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. Then she made a vow and said, 'O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.' And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, 'How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!' But Hannah answered and said, 'No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.' Then Eli answered and said, 'Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.' And she said, 'Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.' So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. And it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, 'Because I have asked him from the Lord.'" Please what do you see in this place? Now we are looking at something very, very important, very, very crucial about Hannah, about Elizabeth, and about Rebekah. We are looking at three husbands. What is it that we found in the husband of Elizabeth? He prayed for Elizabeth. What do we find in the husband of Rebekah? He prayed and God made Rebekah to conceive. What do we find in the husband of Hannah? But what brought a child for Hannah? You know it was not the intercourse between Elkanah and Hannah. The Bible said that this time around when they now had intercourse, God now remembered. Is that not? So in Mr. and Mrs. Elkanah, we find a husband who left his duty post. And that husband who left his duty post quickly did something. What did he do? The husband who left his duty post, what did he do to get children? He alternated. He got somebody else. There was another wife. Because Bible history made us to understand that Hannah was the first wife while Peninnah was the second wife. Now when there was no child, there was a father, there was a husband who was not an intercessor. What I want to make you understand is this: a woman who marries a man who is not an intercessor, that woman actually marries a prayer project. She—the person is not a prayer partner, she's a prayer project. It's very important these are lessons to learn. And for our men, our men, young men, young women listening to me, I want you to understand something. I hope everyone online are still with us. Yeah. Because if I need to repeat some of these vital points, I would want to repeat them. I want to repeat them. If you are listening to me online, please I want to repeat this critical point that I'm making again. I want to repeat them. Because—I repeat myself again because of emphasis, just because of emphasis and because I want this to sink. I want it to sink. In the Bible, when you see God—I think it was in Joseph that I got that understanding. Joseph told Pharaoh because you see this thing repeated itself twice, it means God has determined that it will soon come to pass. So when God wants to emphasize something, you see twice. Did you notice something that we just said? And I want it to sink. There are four marriages we have been looking at: the marriage of Abraham, the marriage of Isaac, the marriage of Elkanah, the marriage of Zacharias. These four marriages went through challenges of childlessness. In Abraham, we saw an error which Zacharias did not fall into. The same error of Abraham was the error of Elkanah. It was the same problem. What I'm trying to make you see is that four families that were God's families, they were going through the same problem. And you see that there were different responses to the problem. That's what I'm trying to make you see. That a marriage fail because of a particular problem—please listen to this—that a marriage fail because of a particular problem is not because that problem was so strong, it's not because that problem was so great, it was because of the nature of their response to the problem. That's why the Bible says if you fail in the day of adversity, what is the problem? It is your strength that is small. So Abraham failed not because childlessness was as challenging as it is, God did not expect him to fail. That's why He said, "Walk before me and be blameless." And you see God wanting us to see how much He commended Zacharias before they came into the matter. He said they were righteous, they were blameless before me. In all my ordinances, they were blameless. A man must not put away his wife. Zacharias was blameless, and the Bible records it that he was blameless. Elkanah, we saw something else, a different response. Okay, we will respond to—thank you. I've told that questions are already coming online. We will respond to that once it is 11:30. Please if there are other questions, let them come. Let them come. There are other questions please let them come so that we can respond to them once it's 11:30. Wherever we get by 11:30 we will stop. If we cannot finish everything in this one talk, by November, please don't come alone. I've always told you don't come alone. Gather couples, gather families, let us learn together. Because there are a lot of teachings and things together people teach. And we are trying to say that some of these things even though they sound so sanctimonious, they are not scriptural. There are scriptural examples to learn from. So we are seeing something, that there could be similar problem. When people fail under a particular challenge, it is not because of the challenge. Four families, two did not fail. Two failed. And let me tell you, from this, I'm just speaking prophetically to you. I want you to know that it is always a 50-50 chance. When there is a challenge, while you are thinking that people will not stand, I'm telling you it's a 50-50 chance. Half a population may fail, God will still find people that will stand for Him. That's what I'm trying to make you see. If you are thinking "hey, it's only me that is being faithful," that was the mistake of our father Elijah. "I alone, I alone, I am left." What did God tell him? Which "you alone"? I still have 7,000 men. It was because it is your own time to be out, others are still incubating. Look, let me tell you, while you may be thinking that majority are leaving God, there are reserves. God have reserves. And at the fullness of time, I prophesy to our generation, the reserves of God, they shall shine forth in the name of Jesus Christ. And I pray for you young man, young woman listening to me, may you be part of that reserve. May you be part of that reserve. May your marriage, may your home, may your life be part of the reserve of God that when men fail and they fall, may you be those that will stand and God will use to correct the generation in the name of Jesus. That's what we are saying. And I want also repeat something, very clear, very, very important. Any person that is going into marriage as a man who is not an intercessor is not fit for marriage, is not a marriage material. As a young man, if you don't deepen your prayer life, if you don't grow a strong prayer life, please don't go into marriage. Marriage is not meant for you. We don't need mediocres in marriage. We need intercessors. Men that are intercessors. Men who are not intercessors are not qualified to marry. I'm saying that because you must understand something. That may be where we may be closing this meeting today, we will be taking the other lessons in November. If you look at the scripture, the Bible says the man is the head of the woman. Am I correct? And please note, the Bible did not say the man is the head of the house. That's Yoruba culture. No man is the head of any house. The man is the head of the woman. Christ is the head of the man. God is the head of Christ. So when you enter into a Christian marriage, who is the head of the house? God is the head of the house. Any house that a man is the head is not a Christian home. The man is the head of the woman. The man is under authority. Any man who is not under authority has made that home not to be a Christian home. The man must be under authority, authority of Christ. Christ under God. That's the organogram of God. As the head of the woman, the man, the Bible says the woman submit to man as unto the Lord. Am I correct? Am I quoting your Bible? As unto the Lord. That the husband is to love the wife as Christ loved the church. And the woman is to submit to the man as the church submit to Christ, isn't it? Okay. Now if you look at the love of Christ for the church, do you notice something about the dimension of that love? Jesus prayed Peter through. If you didn't listen to that of September, please go and listen to that episode, "Jesus and Peter in the Making of Peter." Please go and listen to that of September episode of our marriage forum. It is recorded there. You will see how Jesus interceded for Peter, for Peter to become what God wants him to become. And the Bible says that Jesus ever live to make what for us? Hebrews chapter 7 verse 24, 25. It says He's able to save us to the uttermost because He ever live to make intercession for us. At the right hand of God today, what is Jesus doing? The Bible says, "These things I write unto you that you did not sin, but if you sin, what do you have before the Father? You have an advocate." Who is that advocate? A man who is not an advocate is not like Jesus. If you don't begin to deepen your prayer life, you are not a correct marriage material. To be like Christ as a man, you must be an intercessor. You must be able to pray your wife out of fruitlessness. You must be able to carry her—this is about childlessness, there could be other things about your wife, there could be other things about her, there could be other areas. You're able to carry her, carry her, carry her by intercession. That was why when I was talking about the case of Abraham, I didn't know what exactly happened. Because I know that if you remember that in a point, the Bible said God said, "I know Abraham, that he will command his household after me." In other place again, we saw how Abraham interceded for who? On account of who? Account of Lot. And he began from 50 to 40 to 25. He was interceding with God. God knew that what he was interceding for was so that Lot will not die. Of course, God did not find ten people there, but God knew that what Abraham wanted is for Lot not to die, so God took Lot out of it. So sometimes God knows what we are really praying for even though we may not be able to pray correctly. Abraham could not say "I want only Lot." He didn't pray specifically. He didn't pray correctly. But God knew what he wanted. And that's why I tell people our God is a Father. He understands our struggle. He knew Abraham's struggle. God did not find ten people there. God found only Lot. But what Abraham's intercession was for Lot not to die, so God took Lot out of the place. He still answered that prayer. So the point I'm making however is that you see that Abraham was an intercessor. You get the point I'm making? So Abraham should have been able—and you see Abraham was going with God, God told him, he prayed, God said a child will come, a child will come. That's why I keep wondering whether at a point Abraham got discouraged, is that why when Sarah said something he could not encourage him. I said we don't know what actually happened. The Bible did not record it so we cannot begin to speak categorically. But what we just saw was that Abraham became faithless at that point. Because when God was saying that Sarah will give birth, Abraham said, "Look, let Ishmael live, let's forget this Sarah issue." So he has lost intercession for Sarah. I don't know what actually happened. Bible did not record so we cannot say specifically. But I'm showing you that in these three men, you find what? Intercessors. Look at a man who was not an intercessor. What was he in the marriage? A prayer project instead of a prayer partner. Zacharias, "Your prayers have been heard." At a point Abraham was praying and God spoke to him. Was he not praying? He was praying. God spoke to him, he was a prayer partner. Look at Isaac, he was praying. What do we hear about Elkanah? He has two wives. And for us to know how Samuel came, what did the Bible record? That Hannah prayed. Am I correct, brethren? The Bible wants you to know that don't think this one is by intercession of the husband. It was the wife. When there was no man to stand, God found a woman. And many times, I keep telling people, when you see God move in some particular way sometimes, it is because something was lacking. God needed to fill a gap. It's because something was lacking. If something is not lacking, certain things don't happen. That marriage needed a prayer. That marriage needed intercession. That marriage don't need Peninnah. What that marriage needed was what? An intercessor. Somebody to pray Hannah through. Somebody to stand and stand. Till at the time they now had sex, God remembered Hannah. And when there was no man to stand—may your duty post not be empty as a man in your marriage in the name of Jesus. God had to bring a replacement. Hannah had to enter into that place. She began to pray for the marriage. And do you notice—because that's where I'm closing today so I can go to questions. We'll continue from here next month. Now you notice that it was because God wanted to tell Samuel's story. Do you notice that after that chapter one and three verses of reference to Peninnah, there was nothing again about that family? It is the book of Samuel. It was Samuel that God was interested in talking the story about. It was Samuel that was the focus of God's covenant. It was Samuel that was the focus of that marriage. Did they mention of the names of the children of Peninnah? Did they tell you what they became? Do you see God having anything to do with them? I'm talking about covenant walk, tracing the path of God. Do you see something like that? We don't know what happened, but I'm trying to make you see that God—look at that of Isaac again. You see that God continued with Isaac. At a point there was something about Ishmael, but they continued again. The line of that family was in Samuel. A man did not stand right and a woman occupied the place. And I pray for every marriage today where the man is lacking, may God find a woman who can stand in. Because if both of them did not stand in, if somebody did not stand in that marriage, that marriage could have lost what God intended that marriage for. But there was Hannah. I'm talking about the power of intercession and the role of the man in marriage. Things that we can learn when there are serious challenges. It doesn't mean that a woman should not be able to pray. You see that a woman prayed in that place and you said, "I don't know because my husband could not pray that's why." No, we saw a woman who could stand. May you be strong enough as a woman. If your man is failing, to be able to act—no, even if he becomes a prayer project, I will carry the project. Don't think because there is no prayer partner then you cannot take up the project. Take up the prayer project. But I warn you men, don't be a prayer project for your wife. Be a prayer partner. A prayer partner. And if you have not yet entered as a man and your prayer life is scatter-scatter, please don't rush into marriage because you have some money in your pocket. The matter about marriage goes more than money. What makes a man a man is more than money in his pocket. It is in the world that they think of only money and that's why you find a lot of scatter things. It's beyond money. I'm not saying money is not good, but I'm only saying that there are some more fundamental things, there are some more primary things about marriage. Because marriage itself is something spiritual. Very, very important, let us note this in our life. It was Samuel that was the glory of that family. It was Samuel. And it was Hannah. And if you notice it again, it did not end at Hannah. It did not end at only Samuel. There were now more sons and daughters. Do you see it? There were more sons and daughters. So that's what it should have been. You need to go back, like I said last month. God said it was not good for the man to be alone, I will make him a help meet for him. And what God ordained from the beginning is that a man shall leave father and mother and be joined to HIS wife, not wives. His wife. In the mind of God, in the plan of God, premarital sex should never come. Am I correct? It should be marital sex. Sex should be inside marriage. Premarital sex, extramarital sex, Bible says God will punish it. Am I correct? Which means in the making of God, it's different from the making of animals. That which has sex with more than one is an animal. It must be one. So fornication where you sleep with this, sleep with this, sleep with that, it's animalistic. It's not in the image of God. The one that is in the image of God must have a definite sex partner. Definite one. Because he's the principal. Look at your VC—definite driver, definite parking space, definite secretary, definite, definite. Your VC don't park anywhere. Your governor don't just park anywhere. Your president have his own private jet, private this, private—you see it? One, one, one. Man was the principal creation. So he can't be running around the way goat will be looking for which one to sleep with, dog will be running around—no, no, no, no. It must be private jet, private this, private that. So marriage is honor. Polygamy is a dishonor. You are coming down from a place of honor. That is the honor. That's why when you go to the Western world, they talk about serial monogamy. In African world, we talk about polygamy. Whether serial monogamy or polygamy, it's all foolishness. The Western world said you don't marry two at a time oh, you marry this one, you divorce, take another one—they say "we are monogamous marriage." Is that what God ordained? He said a man should not put away his wife. He said no, "to me it's monogamy." What is monogamy? It's still polygamy. You put away your wife and marry another, commit adultery. So whether you are African or polygamous, non-believers, all of them they are polygamous people. I'm talking about scripture. They want to ridicule us, saying they are polygamous Africa, that's why we say "What are they?" Practical issues about scripture. I'm showing you the mind of God. We take the matter from this point in November. We take it from this point. We will be looking at some things about Elkanah said. That's where we'll pick it from. What Elkanah said, all those things that he said. We want to look at them systematically because the Bible says Elkanah loved Hannah. These are things to look at. But we take those ones from by the month of November. We pick it from there. Let's respond to question quickly. It's already 11:40. I always want us to finish to time so that people that have other things to do will be able to connect with them and do them. Let me open the question here so I can relate to the question. There's a question here. The question here is: "What should be our disposition as disciples to the new realities of surrogacy, assisted fertility, designer babies, multiple parents input babies from three individuals?" I think I've answered from the things that I said. The design of God is clear. There are so many things that there are so many absurdities today. Although we will come to some of these things later—people solution. We are looking at biblical pattern. We still come to modern one, modern solution to issue of childlessness: surrogacy, donation, sperm donation, all of we will come to all of these later. But let me just respond to this question now. Let us go through biblical and we'll now come to modern alternatives today that are available, scriptural approach to them. We'll still come to all of these methods. You know that's my area. We'll still come to all of these methods, we'll look at them practically. That's why there is a long discussion. But the point is, I want us to get something clear. God is a God of generation. Let me just use the Bible to put some understanding clear. Look at Exodus, the book of Exodus chapter 3. When God appears to Moses. Look at what God said, from verse 14: "Then God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you."' Moreover God said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: "The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you." This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.'" You know what I want you to see in that place? Who is God here? God is a God of generation. When God is calling a man, how is He calling him? He's calling him in his generation. God is a God of generation. Now, God that, what that simply means is this: it was God who ordained sex. Sex emanated from God. So sex is God's idea. Sex is something that has its origin in God. And God is the author and the originator of sex. Why? Because God is a God of generation. "Olorun iran-di-iran ni." So it is by sexual intercourse that God ordained "iran-di-iran," generation. "This is my memorial to all generations," God telling you that whatever I teach you, teach your children, your children may teach their children. He said, "I'm to all generation, that is who I am." So God sees generation. But you see, the generation that we're talking about in God—don't forget that man is the only one in the image of God. Animals are not in the image of God. Animals too have their generation. But that generation is not about God's image. What I mean is that every man that is born today carries the image of God. You know what that means? He can never die. He's eternal. Even when he falls to the ground and you say he's dead, what dies is the body. He himself he's still alive. He goes to judgment. He will be in either eternal life or eternal damnation. So once a man is born, he's what? He's an eternal being. He's in the image of God. But animals are not. When they die, they die. They are through. There's nothing like the image of God in them. So there's nothing like afterlife for animals. I'm talking about the image of God in man. Now if you look at sex, sex is what God use to produce man. So sex is not just something biological. Sex is spirit because it produces spirit. So there is something about sex. That's why the Bible says that it is a great mystery about marriage. That's why marriage is very spiritual. We'll come to that later. Now it is in that that we say the life in man is a different thing from the life in animals. "Ishedá eniyan yato si ishedá eranko." In that of animals, sex can be anyhow. Any seed can meet any egg. It can be anyhow. But in man it is not so. In man it is a definite one. A man take HIS wife before he can have sex. And when he has taken his wife, what does God ordain? He doesn't put away his wife. If he put away his wife, what did the Bible make us to understand? We are speaking beyond the kingdom. Go and read Matthew 19. When Jesus said, "A man shall leave father and mother and be joined to his wife, the two shall become one. They are no longer two but one. Whatever God has joined together let no man put asunder." That was the all that Jesus said. When they now said, "But why did Moses allow us?" For Jesus, where does the matter end? "They are no longer two but one." It was through. They asked, "Can a man put away his wife for any reason?" This is just, "Therefore they are no longer two but one. Whatever God has joined together don't let man put asunder." But because they did not come to learn, they came to test Him, they now said, "But Moses allowed us." Then He now said, "That thing that came was because there was a problem with man's heart." So anywhere you see divorce, that heart is not the heart of marriage, it's not the heart of God in marriage. It's a heart that is a heart of stone. It's a heart that is unregenerated. That is the idea. Where the heart is correct, where the heart is right, a woman don't put away her husband, a husband don't put away his wife. That is the thing. Some now come to say that, "But Jesus allowed that except for adultery." I said yes, Jesus said so. Jesus was not saying that if somebody fall into sin, if adultery happen by a believer fall into sin, "what if anyone is overtaken by sin," we should restore the person. "If one fall, the other will lift up." So He's not talking about falling into sin. If a man have his wife and he begin to have sex and he continue to have sex, he fell and he did not repent—you know we are not dealing with a believer. You see some things must be put correctly. You are not dealing with a believer. Now, so the point I'm trying to bring out of all of these things, a very, very important and strong point, is that in the ordination of God, it is a man—a man is programmed to have sex with his wife and continue with his wife till death. But if it happens that one die along the way, the Bible makes us to understand that the other partner is free to enter into another marriage. Now that's what we are made to understand. Now the point about all of this is to make you see the importance about the matter of sex. Sex and the seed. So as if for example, I am married to somebody and we for whatever reason, I have a low sperm count, I could not impregnate the person. Can I say that I can take the sperm of another man, the seed of another man, to impregnate my wife? That's what I'm trying to make you understand. You see, if you don't put these things in their places, that's why you'll be asking some kind of question, some thing will be confusing to you. But we have seen where people have been having sex, a child was not coming, and a woman prayed and the time the husband have sex with her, a child came. So many things that looks like sometimes the solution is to go and get sperm from somebody, the solution is that there was nobody that could stand in the place of intercession. The walk with God was not deep enough. That is where that is—that is a very, very fundamental and vital thing to know about the question that our brother raised. That it is so important and very, very crucial that we understand that certain things that looks like sometimes there is no problem, there is no problem, it is because we are not looking deep down, down, down, down, down to properly understand what things are and how exactly these things, how they stand. But to the other question that our brother is raising, please still note some of these things. We are still coming to modern solutions in marriage. Just the same way we'll also be discussing some of these modern solutions to family planning. Are all of them scriptural? There is a need to plan the family, but are all the methods are they scriptural? How can we relate to them and the scripture? These are some of the practical things so that we don't become conformed to this world, but we understand that we are strangers here. People who feel cozy here can do certain things. But people who understand that no, this is just a marketplace, they are going back home. People like Zacharias, they knew that after all, when they get to the gate of where they are going, they won't ask them, "Child or no child," before they enter. They knew that to their home, whether you have or you don't have will not matter after some time. It becomes meaningless. So matters that will become meaningless when we get home should not become a matter for us. That's where I'm closing my meeting today. Matters, please note what I'm trying to say, certain things are important while we are here, but please be careful. Things that will become immaterial by the time we get home, let us be careful not to make them the material that we must get here. Let us go ahead to close for prayer. Let's pray. Brethren, let us pray. Wherever you are, we are just taking lessons from these families, we are taking them, God is helping us gradually. And we want to be as practical—like I said, please bring all your questions. We want to be as practical as possible. We want us to invite Christian couples, marriages who may be going through different challenges, and biblical solutions to diverse challenges. Let's ask the Lord to help us. Let's pray for those who may be waiting now, that God, like You answered Hannah, like You answered Zacharias, like You answered Rebekah, Lord, please answer them. Lord, please answer them. Let their glory come forth in the name of Jesus. And for those of us, oh God Almighty, who are not in any challenge, we have not entered into a marriage, young men, young women, or fathers who have been listening, oh Lord, everywhere we need to make adjustment to our lives, Lord, please help us to make adjustment. Fathers are intercessors. It doesn't mean mothers are less intercessors. When the father was failing, the mother entered into that duty. But the role of the father is an intercessor, somebody who can pray his family through. Young man, who are you today? Father, who are you today? That thing you are talking about your wife, your own may not be childlessness, maybe she does not have a job yet, maybe things are not fixed yet, maybe she's having some health issues, and you are just thinking "you are not always available for sex again, this health matter," and you begin to look at your secretary in the office. That is not the way to go. You can pray your wife through to healing. You can stand in intercession and say, "God, heal my wife so that our sexual life can be back." Look, I'm trying to make you see that the challenges may not be childlessness, it could be other things. Talk to the Lord. God, give us Christian homes. God, give us Christian homes. God, please give us Christian homes. Our Father, we thank You for today. Our God, we appreciate You. Our Lord, we thank You. Oh Lord, please we beg You, everywhere we need to change, we need to make adjustment, we need to learn, we need to adjust some things. Oh Lord, please help us. We are looking at these things as a way of learning, looking at these things so that our life can be better. We are all running this race. Lord, please help us that we may run it aright, that we may run it correctly, that we may run it without blame in the name of Jesus. Fill us with the knowledge of Your will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that we may walk worthy of You, in every way pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in Your knowledge. Thank You, Baba God. In Jesus' name we pray. Let's share the grace together in fellowship. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forevermore. Amen. This message is coming to you from Family Tent Ministry, a Christian ministry involved in enriching the lives of singles and married through preaching and teaching of God's word, discipleship, family life enrichment, social and community development, and mission heat. Our regular activities are: Discipleship class every Monday, 5 p.m. Adolescents and singles club, every first Saturday of every month at 10 a.m. Marriage forum, second Saturday of every month at 10 a.m. Family life seminar, regular school outreaches, and everyday counseling. For further counseling, you can reach us at our location: Life Camp by the first bridge, Inere community, opposite Very Choice filling station, along Ijero Road, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. You can also reach us through our social media handles: familytent@yahoo.co.uk, familytentministry01@gmail.com, www.familytentministry.org. Our phone numbers are 08033861136, 07033613848. God bless you all.