". . . whoso shall offend one of these little ones . . . it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:6
Introduction
God has lent us our children, Psalms 127:3 "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.", to bring up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Children are impressionable, teachable, and defenseless. A society of abandoned morals loses its heart for children. Hosea 4:11 puts it, "Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart." We live in a society of broken and battered children; victims of heartless parents, government, educators, and churches. The Lord again said through Hosea 4:6, "Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."
Many parents reading this message have already washed their hands of child abuse because they have never beaten their children, but please read on, for child abuse comes in many forms.
1. Physical Abuse
The adult who beats on a defenseless child is the lowest form on earth. God has a soft heart for children, so watch it. A parent should never hit a child in the head, chest, back, or stomach areas because of the damage it can do to internal organs or the brain. There is a spot on all of us that is protected by a lot of tissue and conveniently contains many nerve endings that can be stimulated by a belt or paddle. No one has ever suffered an internal injury by being spanked on the glutemus maximum (rear end, that is)! A parent should never spank in anger or beyond the punishment that is due. However, the Lord says that the parents who do not chastise their children hates them (check out Proverbs 13:24 - "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."), but always let your anger subside before administering punishment. Even Dr. Spock has renounced his ungodly mode of education of children without chastisement, saying it was a failure. Parent's fear of stifling their child's creativity is nonsense. My Dad disciplined me quite soundly and I learned to fear him, my teachers, government, and God. I did not grow up crying, "Rights, Rights" or "Gimme, Gimme", but have recognized my responsibilities towards my country, my wife and now my children. We need to get back to the old fashioned way to save our country.
Abortion is the most hideous form of physical abuse. Human children are sucked out of the wombs of their mothers by vacuum cleaners 29x as powerful as a household vacuum. Others are dismembered in the womb while living, then put together on the operating table to make sure no "pieces" are missing. Then there is the saline solution injection which burns the skin off the baby and kills him. They then go to the incinerator, garbage dump, or into cosmetics. We were told in 1973 that abortion-on-demand would reduce child abuse. Instead it has climbed by nearly 400% since then.
Space does not allow to write about pornography in relationship to child abuse. The FBI reported this year that 50,000 children are snatched annually. 6000 are found dead. The rest are not found at all. Efforts to fight pornography are stifled by the "Freedom of Speech" crowd. Meanwhile our children suffer and parents live in constant fear. Fight pornography! Don't buy it or support stores that sell it.
2. Mental Abuse
Emotional scars are harder to heal than physical ones. The Bible admonishes, "Fathers provoke not your children .... lest they be discouraged" in Colossians 3:21. Statements like, "Can't you do anything right?", "Are you stupid or something?", "What's wrong with you anyway?", "You'll never amount to anything.", etc., should never be heard by a child from the lips of a parent. Don't discourage, ENCOURAGE! A discouraged child will give in to peer pressure just to prove they are somebody.
TV and rock music are also forms of mental abuse. These mediums are not for entertainment but for education. They indoctrinate children with perversion, promiscuity, rebellion, violence, suicide, and Satan worship. We become what we think, and we think what we put in our mind, and so do children. Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he . . ."
If the TV, movies, or music that your children listen to does not back up what you are trying to teach, it becomes a curse rather than a blessing. Put your foot down!
Humanism is horrible mental abuse. Readin', `ritin', and arithmetic are out. Values clarification, situation ethics, sex education (perversion) are in. Instead of education, some are bent on manipulation.
3. Spiritual Abuse
The worst of all. "I'm not going to force my child to go to church like I was." Did you turn out so bad? Did it really hurt you so much that you forbid your child from going? "Well I'm going to let my child decide." The Bible says, "A child left to himself brings his mother shame." Do your children decide on Monday morning whether they will go to school or not? Which is more important, School or Church? Generations survived before schools were thought of. Schools started in the churches of America.
God gave parents the responsibility of training children, not the state or the schools. God has not changed and expects the same today. Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Study Deuteronomy 6:6-7, also.
Education must be founded on the BOOK! I Corinthians 3:19 says "The wisdom of this world is foolishness to God." Who wants to teach their child foolishness?
Set the example. Get into church. Take your children, don't send them. Acts 20:28 says that God purchased the church with His blood. Something must be important to shed blood for! However, 60% of American children are unchurched on a weekly basis. We have got our priorities messed up. Woe to those who send their children to play football, soccer, hockey, baseball, etc., on a Sunday, and don't send them to church. You'll not spit on the blood of Christ and get away with it.
The cruelest thing you'll ever do to your child is never give them the opportunity to trust Christ as their Savior. The prophet John the Baptist was praised by the Lord for turning the hearts of the fathers back to their children.
Mom and Dad, I plead with you, don't serve the god of money or pleasure. Sacrifice your life for your children or they'll break your heart. Do right. Give up the overtime, hobbies, clubs, and drinking and go home. Love your children as your prized possession. Get into the Bible. A reading schedule is available by writing us. Trust Christ and be sure that your children are saved.
Conclusion
If you have been guilty of any form of child abuse, repent! God loves you. He ALONE can forgive sins. Turn to Him now and ask for forgiveness. Accept Jesus Christ into your life as your Saviour.
