Unveiling of God no 82

Dedication and What it means to Train up a Child"

February 24, 2019

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

This morning I was going to preach on the Sovereignty of God and understanding the Godhead - "Rank, Rule and Power" But I will leave that for next week as I was asked to dedicate little Eliana Michelle Ramirez, this morning who is the daughter of Angela and Ricardo Ramirez.

Therefore instead of Preaching on sovereignty again we will actually focus the entire sermon this morning on Dedication of our lives as mothers and fathers and what it means "to train up our children in the way they shall go."

But before we go to the word this morning, I will ask for sister Angela and brother Ricardo to come up for a moment to with little Eliana Michelle Ramirez so we can pray over her and dedicate her to the Lord.

The meaning of Eliana in the Hebrew is “My God has answered me” and we can say that her name is exactly what God has done for our sister and brother, He has most certainly answered their prayer in the form of this little child. And having known Angela since she was a child herself, I can say for certainty she has waited her whole life for this day.

Now, Eliana's middle name is Michelle means, “who is like the Lord”.  

I think the names we name our children is very important and is the beginning of raising them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

I was very aware of that when we named my Oldest daughter "Elisabeth" which means "God is my oath" and My daughter "Christina", which means "a follower of Christ" and I liked to think myself that "Christina" being a compound name because it is derived from two words "Christ" and "tina" placed together actually meant "tiny-Christ" when we named her. Then our last daughter "Sara" came from Abraham's wife from the Bible and means princess. So names have meanings and we should be very careful that we do not just choose a name that is popular with the world but one that is right in the eyes of God.

From his sermon Why little Bethlehem 63-1214 P:50 brother Branham said, "The word "Bethlehem," let's break it down. I skipped over a few notes here in order to take up the time. Now, Bethlehem. The word "B-e-t-h" means "house." E-l means "God," in Hebrew. E-l-h-e-m is "Bread." "Bethlehem," "the house of God's Bread." That's what the word means. Words, names, they have meanings. Many people don't believe that, but that's true. If names don't have some meaning, why did Abram's name have to be changed to Abraham? Why did Sarai have to be changed to Sarah? Why did Saul have to be changed to Paul? Why did Simon have to be changed to Peter? See, all these has meanings; everything has meanings.

In fact, what you name your child sets them on their course of life that they will take. Did you know that? The name itself creates an atmosphere around that child. That is what the prophet told us.

Jehovah Jireh part 3 62-0707 P:39 Changed him... Notice, God changed Abraham's name. I better leave off of that. When I come back for a long revival, we'll go into that. He had to change the name from his earthly name to a name given by God. You say, "What is a man's name to us, anything?" Oh, brother, if you only knew why some of these modern names we got. I don't want to call them, 'cause it'll hurt your feeling. But God has names that it means things; it changes the whole course. Oh, you say, "Nonsense."What about--what about Jacob? Before he become a prince before God, he had to have his name changed from Jacob to Israel. Is that right? Sure. Paul, Saul had to have his name changed to Paul. Oh, how many could we call and saying that God changed their name: Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, changing their name. Oh, my. What a blessing to get in some little church with an elected group, and go to teaching that, see the hallelujahs in the heart, when you see what God does.

Now not only does a name mean something but the name you name that child will change the course or their path in life. And I am going to prove that to you this morning by the Scriptures.

From his sermon Modern events made clear by prophecy 65-1206 P:91 That's the reason I say don't ever call your child "Ricky," or "Elvis," or something. "Elvis" means "cat," "Ricky's" a "rat." See? When you say... That's exactly right. So 'less, or something, don't you never call one of your children that. If it is, change it right quick, people. Don't you never... You just... If you believe me to be God's servant, don't tack that name on that poor child. See? No, sir, give him another name besides that. My. I oughtn't to have got off on that, 'cause I'm off of my subject, but I said it and it's all over.

And from his sermon God of this evil age 65-0801M P:83 I got the word evil here; I got Elvis wrote down instead of evil; it's all about the same. The word "Elvis" means "a cat," and the word "Ricky" means "a rat." When you say "little Ricky" you mean "little rat." What you call him, that's what he is. Your kid's named that, change it quickly for the sake of the Gospel. Don't name a kid... You never heard such names as that back in the Bible or in any other age. It's the name for this age. There ever was perverted rats and cats, it's there. All this--million dollar disc jockies and these kids walking out here... Can't even go to school without a thing sticking in their ear and a little old transistor radio in their pocket, just "boom-de-boom." Oh, they come up there at the house, and we made... Them guys trying to paint my house up there, we said, "Get that thing out of here. If you can't work without that, then get off the job. Makes me so nervous I can't even stand around here. We've dedicated this place to God. We don't want that kind of boogie-woogie nonsense of this last days around here." I said, "Shut it up or get off the job."Notice, religious though, oh sure, go right to church and stand in the vestibule listening to boogie-woogie. Ha.

You know that is tough preaching but its the truth. Some of you think I'm tough, but you just heard how he would not even permit the guy to have that playing in his ear in his home.

But before we get into this about names and the importance, Let me continue with Elian's name. It is composed of three Hebrew elements: El, meaning God; Ana, meaning Answered; "And he erected there an altar, and called it "El"- God Elohe-Israel "Eli", the God of the Patriarch Israel" Genesis 33:20.

Brother Branham in speaking of dedication of babies said in his sermon Enticing spirits 55-0724 P:9 Now, the way we try to follow it here at the Tabernacle, it's the only place in the world that I go that I preach doctrine, is here at the Tabernacle, because this is our church. And we preach doctrine here to keep the people lined up. Other men in their churches, they preach whatever they believe. And they're my brothers, and we might differ a little bit, but we're still brothers just the same. And, but here in the Tabernacle we preach what we think is Scriptural doctrine, and in there, we see for the dedication of children, what we call a Dedication. The only time in the Bible that we can find out of where, in the New Testament, that where a little children was ever had anything to do, or Christ had anything to do in it in the ceremony, was "He taken them up in His arms and laid His hands upon them and blessed them and said, "Suffer little children to come to Me. Forbid them not, for such is the Kingdom of God."

We find this in three places in the Scripture: Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14 & Luke 18:16, and in all three he said, "suffer the little children and forbid them not to come unto me, for such is the Kingdom of God".

He said suffer them and let them come to me, in other words, let them alone, they want to come, let them come for such are they in the kingdom of God. Don't get in their way, and in fact encourage them in the things which pertain unto me. That is what he is telling the parents here. Encourage your children, raise them up in the way they shall go and when they get old they will not depart from those ways.

Now, that is not speaking of doctrine, it speaks of a way of life, a God centered Life.

[prayer for Eliana Michelle Ramirez.]

Now, let's open our Bibles this morning to Proverbs 22:6 and we will take for our text the admonition from God to "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Notice this word "way" where he said "Train up a child in the way he should go".

The first thing we see here is that we are commanded to Train up the child. And this word train was translated from the Hebrew word "chanak" which means to narrow, and figuratively it means to initiate, to discipline, to dedicate, and train up.

In other words God leaves their entire well being in your hands, and not their own and not His own. It is up to you what your children will become. It is up to you to initiate them into the way or course of life they will take.

In fact He said, "Train up a child in the way he should go." And this word "way" was translated from the Hebrew word "derek" and it literally means "a road", "Train up a child in the road he should go." And figuratively it means in the "course of life or the mode of action" it will take.

And that we saw happen when Samuel's mother brought him to the priest Eli so that he could be raised up in the admonition of the Lord to become a man of God used by God.

That is what Joseph and Mary did when they brought Jesus to be dedicated back to God. That is what Columba's mother did when she after weaning her child gave him over to the priest Finian who was a very devoted and consecrated Servant of God.

But notice the admonition we are given is to "raise them up, to train them in their actions and in the course of life they will take."

And when parents forget that the main reason for having children is not only to impart life physically but more importantly to impart eternal life, then I am thoroughly convinced as br. Branham said, there is no such a thing as juvenile delinquency, there is only parent delinquency.

From his sermon Way to have fellowship 55-1009 P:40 he taught us, "What brought on juvenile delinquency was parent delinquency, the parent failing to take care of the children. You remember a few years ago, when my boy was born; that has been about, I think he's about nineteen now. I remember the doctor told my wife, said, "Just let that kid squall." Said, "It ain't going to hurt him. And if grandma comes along to pick him up," said, "tell her keep her hands off of him." Said, "He ought to be crib broke at six months old."Now, you know better than that. Sounds like a talking of a witch doctor instead of a real doctor. And then you know what it hatched out? It hatched out a bunch of neurotics and a bunch of gangsters. Listen. God gave you that baby to love. I don't care how bad you spoil it; love it anyhow. That's right. Love it. If you don't love it now, it'll grow up in a cold home and indifferent, and it'll seek love somewhere, or something. It'll make an out-light for somewhere. Mother, take that baby and give it fellowship and love now. Make it a part of you, which it is, and act like it, and hug it, and kiss it, and love it. Don't be too cold with the things of the world. God gave you that as a treasure; raise it right. Amen. Notice, that's what's the matter; we got away from the things of God. You get away from nature, and then you're out of the will of God.

And again he said in his sermon, Sir we would see Jesus 62-0724 P:68 But she might've been a lovely girl. No doubt but what she was a lovely girl, but maybe she had something to cause that. Maybe her mother turned her on the street when she was a kid. You know, we talk so much in America about juvenile delinquency. It ain't juvenile delinquent; it's parent delinquency. Sometimes a girl goes wrong because her mother don't make her do right. That's exactly right, so... Lot of times it's parents' fault, not children, a juvenile delinquency.

Now, remember, we are talking about training them up in "the course of Life", which is the way of life. Train them up in "the course of life", in the mode of actions they are to take. They are not going to learn this on their own, they must be taught.

And if you are filled with the Holy Ghost your way of life and course of action is not like that of the world. All that fussing and calling names, Christians don't do that. Christ didn't come to just push some doctrine, He came to teach us how to live, how to turn our cheek when someone says something that offends you.

Millions of people around the world didn't come to this Message because of the doctrine, they came because they saw Jesus Christ in a man called William Branham. I wonder sometimes if we're just a bunch of religious people who have no tolerance for others who are different than ourselves. We hold to what we believe is right, and then teach the children to hate and avoid others who do not believe just like us. That isn't Christ-like, that's religion.

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way (course of life and the mode of action) he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Influences 64-0215 P:5 I think today, our great problem of what we believe to be juvenile delinquency is a parent delinquent, a home delinquent. Our people got away from the things that they should've stayed with. The church got lukewarm or cold, and the children got out into the world. Now, Hollywood puts out lots of movies, and televisions, and so forth, that's even uncensored, where they curse and use God's Name in vain. And it used to be it was wrong for the children in the holiness churches to go to picture shows. And now, Satan got one jump ahead by bringing it right into the house in the form of television, and then uncensored and so forth. And that's Satan's way of gradually entering in.

Well, what about the computers we place in our children's hands so we don't have to baby set them? What about that? It's the easy way to just given them something to get their attention, and you can fellowship uninterrupted. By doing that don't you know you are bypassing your duty and responsibility to train up your child.

I remember when I was a child, we were permitted to set up with the adults if we kept our mouths shut. The motto in those days was "children are to be seen and not hear." Now, that is kind of the same attitude the Apostle had when they sent the children to Jesus and they tried to step in a not permit that.

Matthew 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 14  But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

Noticed that it was the disciples who got in the way of Jesus laying hands on the children and praying for them, and that is that religious spirit that Jesus worked out of those men for the three years they followed him, and then their entire lifetime where God used persecution to drive that hard spirit far from the, to the point where they learned to love one another.

Again we see in Mark 10:13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16  And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

I will never forget many years ago, I think it was 2006 but I am not certain about the year because I had gone to Peru so many times, but one year around that time, we were holding meetings in a church in Lima, and I sent out invitations for every ministers in Lima that wished to come, could come, as the scripture says, "for whosoever will, let him come", and I was surprised and saddened that only 8 ministers showed up for the morning service. Later that day a minister came to my hotel room and told me that many ministers wanted to come but were told only those who believed the doctrine were allowed to come.

Needless to say I was indignant to find out the very brothers who claimed to believe were hindering the work of the Lord more than helping it. I let them know I was very upset with what they did. But I also found out that just because you may claim to believe the doctrine that there is one God and He had a son doesn't mean you even have it right.

As brother Vayle told me, "They have it but they don't have it." Because if you do not have "the course of Life" that the Son of God had, then you don't have that same relationship between God and His Son. And Jesus said "By their fruits you shall know them", and that meaning the "mode of action" you take will show what you really have as an understanding.

But religion is exclusivity. If you don't rah, rah, rah my pastor, or my prophet, or my teacher, why brother you're out of it, and you find yourself excluded.

So I believe the big test to see whether you are even in the Faith is by the mode of action you take towards all people, believer and make-believer and un-believer.

The apostle Paul said in Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see (or understand) the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

In other words, your actions towards someone could push them over the edge and you will be held accountable for their being defiled. That's the same way with Parent delinquency. Your rude arguing and fussing could push your children over the edge or even your grandchildren. Quit your fussing, you will be held accountable for every idle word you say.

Discernment of Spirit 60-0308 1 And we are here this morning, Father, gathered for no other purpose but to study to know the will of God and what we must do to make Christ real to the people of this generation. Knowing surely that in the day of the judgment we will be brought face to face with this generation. And, being ministers, we will be judges. And the people to which we have spoken to, and their attitude towards the Word that we bring them, will determine their eternal destination. Therefore, Lord, in that day we would be a judge for or against the generation that we preached to.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Matthew 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Luke 18:15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

Now, the next few quotes I am going to read to you do not lay it just on the fault of the parents themselves, but it comes back to the pulpits as well, if they are not preaching holiness.

Expectation 55-1001 P:29 The first preacher that ever gets a child is a mother. There's four, five Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and mother. And a mother should be a Spirit filled woman, who can teach her children, and teach them to pray and to know about God, and so forth. Instead of that, they give them to a babysitter and run all night long. And then go to Sunday school on Sunday morning and call themselves Christians. I better get off of that, hadn't I? 'Cause I just an old sassafras type that believes the truth about these things. That's right. And I'd rather scorch you now than have you be burnt after while, so that's true. So you just remember; it's the truth; it's the Gospel truth.

Ok, so what did he say, If you don't train up your children mothers, which means to teach them how to pray, teach them all about God, then you're not fit to be called mother or Christian. Now, notice even brother Branham said this kind of preaching is kind of burning and scorching, but he also said it must be said.

Also from his sermon Prodigal 50-0827A P:23 he said, "I've went to Christian homes, and open the ice box, and it would be full of beer cans, supposed to be Christian home. Christians don't fool with that stuff. That's right. What do you think you're doing? We've traded the old fashion...?... all around the house. You live a life. That's what's stops your children from using terrible language. If the parent would teach the child and see where they're at, take care of them, it wouldn't be so. That's right.

I know some of you parents came to the Christ later in life and your early life was not pleasing to God and you repented and you moved on with the Lord. But it is your God given duty to teach your children to live a life of Holiness. And do not remove from under the blood anything you placed under it, or you will not be forgiven that sins.

I remember years ago counseling a brother who played in the band as a youngster and had pictures around the house of his sinning days, with long hair and all, and listen, children are not stupid. They see you did it so they think there is no harm in doing it themselves. And if they go down that road you are going to be held accountable.

Listen, that brother had picture around his house of what he looked like when he was into drugs and band music, and when his children got old enough to leave home that is where they went to. And furthermore that is where that dad returned to as well, back to playing in a band.

But the Bible says, Hebrews 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

So don't even give yourself the opportunity to backslide. Kill it. When you left the world burn and destroy that world that you left, until there is no longer any visage of it not only in your physical world but in your memory either.

Oh, you say my kids are adults now, they're responsible for their own actions? Then why when they were a child did you let them stay home from church? That's not training up in the way they should go. That is not what a Christian mother is supposed to do. That is not what a Christian dad is supposed to allow. Repent brothers and sisters. You're setting a bad example and your children will receive the rewards of your own unbelief.

Now, I have pastored this church going into my 38th year this March, which is longer than many of you have been alive. And I want you to listen to this next quote because I have had children grow up in this congregation and they came to me years later as adults and told me the only things they know about God is what they heard me tell them in Church. They said their parents never talked the message at home, and never prayed with them and never taught them anything from the Bible. Now, listen, that's right here in this Message.

So listen to what brother Branham says next from his sermon Leadership follow me 65-1031A P:17 because he is talking to children here. "Now, some children, did you know there's a lot of little children that don't have any religious teaching at home?" (I'd like to be a little bird and fly into the homes of the believers in this message and see which ones are Christ-Centered in their homes and which are not. He continues) "Their father and mother don't believe in God. And their father and mother, drink, smoke, fight, and run out at one another at nights, and things, and don't cook their little boy's and girl's suppers, and things. Aren't you glad you got a real good Christian father and mother? Now, when you have children, don't you want to be the same kind of a father and mother as your father and mother is? See?"

Listen, your children know you better than you think. Ask them some questions and have them right down things about you they would like to change, or what they admire about you and see what their answers will be? Then you'll have a list to verify if your parenting as a Christian is successful or not.

From his sermon Blind Bartimaeus 59-1127 P:10 he said, "I tell you, the thoughts of a good Christian mother, is a treasure to a human heart that's never forgotten. God, give us more mothers that'll take their children, and instead of trying to teach them tap-dancing, and something to ruin and wreck their life, will read the stories of the Bible to them and tell of them of the God of heaven and peace. God knows that we need that above all things now for motherhood."

Now back to parent delinquency. I said before it is also church delinquency, because each church has a kind of social atmosphere it projects and many times I have visited churches where the church is more a social club than a place of Correction. We should come to church for correction from the Word. That is what God's prophet taught us.

There are complete churches I have seen in different places around the world whose children have all fallen away. And yet they claim to believe the Doctrine of Christ. They don't believe the doctrine of Christ because if they did they would live the doctrine of Christ. And their children would believe in them, but they don't. Complete churches with no children believing in it. Sad. Very sad.

Brother Branham told us in his sermon Law or grace 54-1006 P:25 Now, we ought to come to church with the highest of reverence. We ought to enter the church like real saints of God, walk over and take our position, and keep our minds on Christ. We ought to forsake everything of the world, like that. And if you are really born again... (This may cut now just a little bit, but you know this is the house of correction.) If you're really born of the Spirit of God, that's where your heart lays anyhow. That's what... Your thoughts is anchored yonder. See? If you're ever...Jesus said, "He that heareth My Words and believeth on Him that sent Me, has Everlasting Life. He that heareth My Words and believeth..."

Again from his sermon Message to the Laodicean church 58-0609 P:28 he said, "Now, you say, "Brother Branham, you're picking on the women." All right, you men. And any man that'll let his wife smoke cigarettes and wear those kind of clothes, it shows what you're made of. You're to be the ruler of the house. What's happened? You can't make America homes. No wonder we got juvenile delinquency. We got parent delinquency. We got church delinquency. Certainly we have. That's true. Not to hurt you, but to tell you the truth, we got to clean up. Got to have a revival and get all the bugs out of the thing before we... God will ever come in. Stand at the door, you say, "You interfere with my private life." There it is. See? Well then, you have a little... another little door called "Pride." Oh, my. "Don't you tamper with that. Now look, Brother Branham, I think it's so much today." All right. It's your private life. You say, "You got no business busting in on my private life." That's what you're telling Christ. I'm talking from the Word. The Word speaks for Itself. That's right.

Lamb and the dove 57-0325 P:55 What we need... It's not juvenile delinquency; it's parent delinquency. It's because that the parents has neglected. And a whole lot of it is the way the church never preached it. What's the matter, brethren? Get back to the Gospel; preach old-time holiness and get it into the church again. We must have a standard.

Now, you all know that I do that. I preach Holiness along with the doctrine, and that is the reason why most of the people have left this church is not because of tghe doctrine but because I preach holiness and I preach hell and I preach it hot.

They might want to say it's my personality, but listen, personality has nothing to do with the Word of God. I am not responsible for my personality, I was created the way I am for a purpose and that is to present the Holy Fire of God to a people without compromise, and if you are a child of God you will appreciate that, and if you are not a child of God then you will not like me, nor my personality because you have your eyes on the vessel and not the God who is using this vessel.

So I do not apologize one bit for what I have taught you from this pulpit or from the many pulpits around the world where I teach the same. I try my best to present the word of truth not as some fiction, but to present it with such a reality that you know its truth. And God has backed that up what I've taught with signs and wonders, So I know I'm in His will in what I teach.

Again Brother Branham said in his sermon Be not afraid 61-0311 P:31 It's too bad that mothers don't take their children today and tell them Bible stories. Hard to get a pastor that'll do it, let alone a mother. I think there's five Gospels. You only know four of them in the Bible. But it's Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and mother. Mother gets them when they're young. She ought to start them right there before they know anything about Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And mothers would take more time to talk to their children about God and pray for them, we would have less juvenile delinquency. First of all, it's parent delinquency before we have juvenile delinquency. If mothers would take their place in the house, and a Bible, and pray for their children, and lead them to Christ; instead of going out to some stitch and sew party and play cards, and drink, and carry on, and smoke and... Well, I don't want to get started on that. But however... I... It's terrible the way we, it's doing.

And then he said from Jesus at the door 58-0529 P:38 Now, you say, "Brother Branham, you're really beating us women." All right. Here you men are. Any man that'll let his wife smoke cigarettes and wear clothes like that, it shows what he's made out of. He's not much man to him, a man that would do that. God give us old fashion, borned again, sainted, godly homes. Juvenile delinquency will be no more. It isn't juvenile delinquency; it's parent delinquency. They had the old wood shed and the big hickory limb laying over the door. That's discipline in our home. All right. You say, "Now, Brother Branham, We shouldn't hear that kind of stuff." You should hear it. That's right. You don't let God in that private life. You won't let Him in that little cell of yours on the inside. "Now, don't you tell me what I'm to put on, what I'm to wear. Don't you tell me how I'm to act. And if I want to smoke a cigarette, that's up to me."Go ahead. "If you love the world or the things of the world, the love of God is not even in you," the Scripture says. Now, that's the little private door.

Jesus keeps all of his appointments 64-0418E P:59 Maybe been turned out on the street by some parents. You know, a lot of times we think about juvenile delinquency. I think a whole lot of it is parent delinquency. The kids had been taught to pray, and serve God, instead of mama out somewhere at a card party (in her religious card party), and dad out at a golf course somewhere, and sister out with junior, out there on the street, and running around and... Maybe things would've been different if they'd had the old fashion prayer altar, the Bible instead of a deck of cards, and throwed that television out the door a long time ago. It might've been a whole lot different. You all used to be wrong to go to the picture show. The devil put it right over on us; he brought it right in our house.

You know, many of you still have televisions in your homes, and all I can say is shame on you if you do. But Now, I'm going to say this, you think your ok because you don't have a television but you have a computer in your house and you have internet connection. And the devil has gone one up on you and you have that internet connection that is not sensored on your phones everywhere you go. And you let your children watch it and don't even control what they are seeing and feeing on.

But you are just creating a monster in your home, because whether you want to believe it or not, you are not teaching them, the world is their teacher, and you tube is their master. Any movie they want to see is there. Any filth the devil can place into their little minds is there. and the sad thing is that when you are away from home with them, they take it right along with them to the restaurants. You've got to break that cycle for it is addicting their little brains to become dependent upon that device. And whether you believe it or not even the CEO's like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs won't let their children have Face Book and other social media on their computers. They know what it was placed out there for. But the people are so vain today, all these pics and selfies shows they are self centered and nt God centered.

Br. Branham said in his sermon Meanest man in Santa Maria 62-0630E P:61 You know, you're talking so much today about juvenile delinquency. I believe it's parent delinquency. I believe that's where it's at. You talk about the illiteracy of Kentucky. Let one of them girls up there come in, a all-night-long, half drunk, and her lip manicure, or whatever you call it all over her face, and her half--dress twisted around like that, brother, one of them old Kentucky mammies would get her a limb off top one of them trees, and she'll wear what clothes she's got out off of her. She's a long ways from Hollywood, you know. That's right. That's what we need today, is some more of that kind of a mother. That's right. Sure is.

Presuming 62-0610M P:59 Women put on little sexy clothes, and walk out on the street. Say, "Yes, I'm a Christian." They're presuming that's the thing they should do. Now, please, sister. I'm your brother. If your mother was the right kind of a woman, she'd tell you the same, or your daddy, or your husband. And any man will let his wife get out on the street in them shorts and things like that, it shows how much man's in him. Let his wife set there and smoke a cigarette before him, and know that that thing... What's his children going to be? Don't worry about communism whipping us. We've done whipped ourselves. It's our own rotten morals. And where did it start from? Because the Gospel was let down at the pulpit, where it began: sissified preachers, with not enough real baptizing of the Holy Spirit in their soul to stand and tell the Word of God. Don't spank the child for juvenile delinquency; spank the parents. It's parent delinquency. They let them get by with it.

You have a child that sneaks out to fornicate, I'll tell you why they do it. Because they know mama is afraid to beat the living daylights out of her when she gets home.

I had a young 16 year old come to me in 1979 when I taught school and it was around the Christmas time of year, and he said, "Mr Kocourek, can I ask you a question." I said, Yes, Mark you can, and he said, Why don't you man-handle us any more. Why don't you rough us up and get tough on us like you used to do. And I said, "Why do you ask Mark, and he said, Because I don't get that at home."

I almost cried right there. Don't you realize that kids want boundaries and they'll test you to see where those boundaries are. And when you let them go, they will stretch out the boundaries as far as they can and sometimes they will go over the edge or no return. And I blame the parents for such as that because if they had not been lazy and gotten off their backsides and let the children know there those boundaries were and enforced the boundaries, the children would not have gotten off the reservation.

From Hear ye Him 58-0301E P:42 brother Branham said, "If I understand it right, a little while ago it was a sin for you ladies to cut your hair; at least the Bible says it is. But you just ignore that anymore. It was wrong for you to put on a garment that pertained to a man. The Bible says it is. But you just do it anyhow. You let your young girls do it. Then they get insulted by the boys on the street and you want to arrest the boys. You're the one that needs it. We'd never have juvenile delinquency till we have parent delinquency. You used to love to go to prayer meeting and pray till twelve and one and two o'clock, lay on the little, old cottage floor somewhere under the Spirit of God. You used to love to pray all night long. But since you got your television, you like to stay home and watch some old vulgar picture, "Who Seen Lucy" or "Who Loves Lucy," and stay home from prayer meeting. Something happened.

Brothers and sisters, I'm talking serious now. If your love of God is waxing cold, don't blame this pulpit, you don't even come to church during the midweek. Once was we had brothers coming here almost anytime during the week to come and pray, and get into the presence of God, but you can't even get them to come to church for midweek service because it's a tape, and not a live ministry. That just shows you're backslid. we don't come to church to hear a man, we come to hear from God and get our soul right with God.

And we have people who think, its mid week and my children might not get their sleep. Let me tell you something, my children traveled more than 100,000 miles before they were three years old to come to church. We didn't treat them any different than we expected out of ourselves. And they grew up to love and serve God. And people notice those kind of things.

Elijah 55-0301 P:22 We have a little stir in the people and then we settle down like, the devil blowing his breeze across us, and we get an old "True Story" magazine somewhere in the house instead of picking up the Bible. There's a many a Christian in this city tonight that can tell you all about Hollywood, but knows no more about God, and call themselves Christians. It's a shame. Amen. Prayer meeting night comes, you stay home watch their television, instead of going out at the prayer meeting. Isn't that right? Sure it is. Everything, time to read the papers, time to do this, time to have your society gatherings and things, but no time for God. What we need today is a good old fashion Saint Paul revival and the Bible Holy Ghost back in the Church again, signs, wonders, and miracles. Time for everything, but the right thing. That's the reason the world's in the condition today. Haven't got time to take care of the children, let them run the streets. You women, calling yourself real mothers, and don't even know where your kiddies is at half the time. That's not only in the Methodist and Presbyterian; that's in Pentecostal too. That's right. You know that's the truth. Talking about juvenile delinquency, it's a whole lot of parent delinquency. What the parent needs today is to get some of them old beer cans out of that ice box out there, take the cards off the table, and put the Bible right there, and open It up and call the kids around have a prayer meeting. That's what we need today. That's right.

Behold a greater than Solomon is here 62-0721 P:60 You talk about some of the ignorance of Kentucky; talk about that state that I come from, the ignorance of those people down there. I don't know. Sometimes I wonder. Let one of their daughters come in of a morning with her hair all twisted up, and manicure over her face, all night long with some little Ricky with a flattop haircut. I'll tell you, she'll know the next time she goes out; get a barrel slat, or a limb off of a hickory there, and just skin her down. And I tell you, you all talking about juvenile delinquency; there's so many papers talking about it. I think it's parent delinquency, instead...?... the old golden rule hanging with all them ten commandments hanging on it... Take a young'n out there, and shuck him down a little bit, you wouldn't have so much, saying, "Poor little Ricky. You're nice. You didn't mean to do bad, Martha." She needs a good beating, is what she needs. The Bible said, "Spare the rod, you spoil your child," and that's exactly right. You'll never find nothing any better.

Baptism of the holy spirit 58-0928M P:61 And then this young generation running around smoking, drinking, and everything, how do you expect another generation to exist? The reason we got sin, the juvenile delinquency now, the reason we got little girls on the street, and little boys is because their mothers and daddies did what they did in the bygone age. And the reason we still got preachers who'll stand for truth, the reason we still got some old fashion girls is because they had old fashion parents back behind them. That's exactly right. We still got preachers that stands uncompromising with any denomination or the Word is because that we had old fashion preachers in the back stood right on the same grounds. Yes.

Fellowship by redemption 55-0403 P:49 There is where you usually get in some trouble, going to these big parties. The office will throw a big blowout. "You'll go down on Christmas eve," as Billy Graham said in the paper the other day, "and get right good and drunk for your first time. You have to let vent to your soul." You've been penned up so long, so you just have to get out and let your soul go awhile, just have to go out and have a lot of good time, kind of release yourself, on a vacation. Brother, that shows you've never had fellowship with Christ. If a man or woman has ever had a real Divine taste of fellowship with Christ, I'd rather have it than all the vacations and things in the world. Sure. If you want to give me a relax, let me feel Christ. Let me talk to Him a little while, and my burdens roll away. It's all done. No... I'd rather talk to Him than anything I know in the world, have fellowship with Him. So God knowed that Job had tasted. David said, "Taste and see the Lord is good." Just taste after Him once and see if He isn't good. It tastes like honey in the rock. Now, the great fellowship...So Satan comes down. But before he come down, Job said, "Now, my children is out on a party tonight." I wonder if we couldn't have more fathers and mothers like Job, parents. Said, "My kids are out on a party tonight. They've called in some of the worldly neighbors. Now, perhaps, maybe they might sin." Oh, my. If mothers done, and fathers, more of this, they wouldn't have any juvenile delinquency. Kids wouldn't be running the streets like they are. See? Said, "Now, peradventure, if they might sin, I'm going to offer an offering for each one, that if anything does happen, they'll have a bloodshed way to come home by." Oh, my. "I'll offer it for them. So here is for John. I'll offer a sacrifice, God, for John. Now, if he happens to stray off the road down there... The Holy Spirit hasn't come yet to lead him. So if he does stray off the road, Lord, I'll make him a path here." Oh, my. "Mary, she's down there tonight. So, Lord, if she does stray... I've raised her right. But if she does stray, I'll make her a path by this bloodshed way back."God, give us some more of those old mothers at nighttime, praying for their kiddies like that, the backbone of any nation. All right."I'll make them a path." So after awhile, the wrath of the Devil come down and killed them every one, went out and killed all of his sheep and all of his cattle, and everything he had. Even his own health failed. And he broke out with boils, and set on a ash heap, with a crock, scraping the boils. Everything he had was gone. Oh, my. Here it is. Look. What if he'd only had intellectual faith then? His reasonings would've said, when Bilzar and all of them come down, and begin to say, "Now, looky here, Job, I want you to reason this thing out now. Now, looky here. It shows that you're wrong. Your whole theology's made wrong, Job, because that you see God has turned His back on you. You've joined the wrong church. You see, Job, look, everything's gone wrong." But Job, if that's all he would've had, if that's all he could've thought of, his own mind would've told him, reasoned it out, and said, "I believe they're right. I believe they're right."But (Amen.) Job had fellowship. Said, "No, I haven't. For I'm basing my faith upon this one thing, that I have talked to Him. I've come His provided way. I've come by the way of the shed blood, and that's what He requires. And I've talked to Him, and my soul lives in Him." There you are, fellowship, nothing like it.

Now, see that is the sample to live, and that is the course of life to share with your children, that is the mode of action to show them how it is done. And you know what? If you've done that, when they get old that will never depart from them. That is what the Bible teaches us.

Oh, I've seen parents that were good church goers. and they could get together and talk to others about the doctrine and all, but where were their children? Why did the children leave church? What was it they saw at home that they saw as hypocrisy? If they saw a real genuine Christ centered life that lived for others and loved the loveless, do you think they would be seeking out love from strangers in the night? No way.

Don't tell me the people you know whose children left the church and went into the world that everything was right with the parents. that is not what the prophet is teaching us in all these quotes I've read here. If this Word and the Christian life is a reality to you, your children will know it and want it also. But it isn't and I could prove it in a minute.

Let me set with your sons or your daughters and ask them questions why they left and I guarantee it is because they did not see the life in you. They might have seen religion, but they did not see a living reality of the presence of the living God.

From his sermon One of the meanest men in town 61-0429B P:24 But here He was over in the corner. When I think of it sometimes it just makes my heart feel funny. I think, "Jesus, setting in the corner with dirty feet." As the Frenchman calls Him, "Jesu," Jesu with dirty feet. Sounds sacrilegious, but that's the way He was. That's the way that they'd left Him. That's the way they let Him set--with dirty feet. An honored Guest, supposed to be, and they were so busy with their doings, till Jesus set with dirty feet. I wonder if we're not so interested today in seeing that our group grows bigger than the other, that we don't leave Him set the same way. But Jesus, with dirty feet, unwelcome...There was a little woman in that city, who made her living at a very bad way. She was a woman of the red light, the prostitution. You understand. And perhaps she was a little late that morning getting on the street. And she counted her little Roman denarii that she was saving, maybe to buy her a better dress someday. And the way she made her money was ill-famed. She had a bad name among the people, yet let's think she was just a young woman that had been turned out on the street, not because she was delinquent maybe, but because she had delinquent parents. They didn't try to take care of her. That's the reason many of them are on the street today. Not juvenile; it's parent delinquent.

So where is Christ in our home. Do we have a family altar, do we take the time to read from Gods word and pray with our children, or are we watching You-Tube?

As we close our eyes, and go to prayer, I want you to reflect upon your own home just now, and ask yourself, "Lord, what is the condition of my home? Where is the altar in my house? Are my children being taught your Word, and have they been taught to earnestly pray". And then ask yourself, Do they even know how to pray or is their prayer just a small chit chat and a good night. Or do they pray without ceasing, and do they tarry in prayer because they've actually broken through the riven veil and you've begun to speak back to their little hearts. Oh, God, my little Ella, five years old grand-daughter who has said to me so often now "Grandpa, I'm not feeling so good", and I say why and she says, "Because I pray and I want to hear God's voice and I'm not hearing Him". Father she wants to know how to hear from you, and she goes to you in prayer on her own, and she longs to hear from you Father. O Lord, Grant to her little heart a divine interposition, and I ask that you Father to speak to her in dreams and visions, as you promised in your Bible to us Lord, in Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:"

Grant it Lord, that she might "know Thee in the power of your resurrection," for I ask this in the name of your obedient first born son who taught us how to pray, in the name of Jesus Christ we ask it , amen.