X-men, ninja turtles, ninja warriors, power rangers, Teletubbies, Veggietales, Harry Potter, tattoos, body piercing, unsupervised unfiltered internet access, filthy rap and rock music, the latest in clothing (the stupid baggy huge pants) dying their hair, satanic programmed computer games, video games, myspace, facebook, etc. Do these things sound familiar? Does your child have or wear these things? Do you as a Christian parent allow your child to have and wear these things in their life?

I'm criticizing and judging these things, but as only we Christians can—by the Scriptures. God's word must be the rule and authority for every area of our lives and our children's lives. I'm not writing this to go into great detail about the "things" we allow our children to do and have. It seems there's a book around every corner about how to raise our children. No, this message is not about that—it's about how we are contributing to the destruction of our children.

Please, let me say first that no one should call his or her children "kid" or "kids" a kid is a young goat. This is not an appropriate title to give or call our children they are our children not young goats! It's no longer a "devaluing or demoralizing" it has become the destruction of our children to their mind, body, and soul! I am absolutely convinced that the enemy of Christianity has been on a mission—a mission to dumb down and turn away our children from the truth and of patriotism.

Remember, when dealing with your children, when saying no to their requests for worldly goods, when correcting them, your teaching them the things of God and of value. Let's see God's opinion on how important children are to Him and to us. Let's start at the beginning.

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:28)

The Hebrew word fruitful means to bring forth, make, or increase. He then says to multiply meaning to increase, enlarge, or more in number. God's plan is that Christians have children and have them in large numbers. He wants us to have children, but with that comes responsibility, correct?

He also says.

"Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward." (Psalm 127:3)

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

"And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them." (Mark 9:36)

Understand God loves children. He gives them to us, and desires that we care for them. So what is the first important thing we must do?

"…Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:13,14)

We are to introduce our children to Jesus early on, and "…and forbid them not." The second responsibility is train up our children.

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

The word train means to initiate, discipline, or train up. We are to train up a child in the way—their manner of life. This way is the Christian life and truth. We must bring our children up in the Christian faith, and the teaching of Jesus Christ and the Bible. This is vitally important because our children are our heritage in which we pass along the Christian faith. God says we should do this.

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deuteronomy 6:7)

Notice, first that this is a command thou shalt teach them diligently. The verse covers all times of our life—and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house that is at meal times or talking. And when thou walkest by the way this is when traveling, or going in and out. And when thou liest down this is when relaxing at evening or before bedtime. And when thou risest up this is when rising in the morning.

We should be always teaching our children the Scriptures. However, today it's easier for parents to sit their children down in from of videos and television. Am I telling Christian parents to throw out the T.V.? You could because we have little time left until Jesus returns; pray He does not find you or your children in front of a T.V. when He comes. We will have to give an account for the way we raised our children. You may be saying, "Brother where is that in the Scriptures?"

"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12)

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:13)

Friends, you will answer for how you're raising your children. Do you not know they are such a precious and priceless gift? But some treat their dogs, clothes, and cars better! This should not be. Do you ship our children off to some obscure corner of a church building for "Sunday school" (which I detest) to learn what the instructor or curriculum tells them to learn? We give them baby talk Bible lessons, and then wonder later in life why they didn't know God's word. What is wrong with having them in the study with us? Who said we should segregate them? They are to hear God's word in order to have faith.

"So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

They will be built up in the faith if we teach it to them. We must tell them, but the problem many parents have is they can't teach their children because they don't know the Scriptures themselves! How much time do you invest in talking to your children about baseball, football, basketball, taking them to movies, amusement parks, video game rooms, etc.? How much time do you invest in teaching them the Scriptures?

We don't have a choice as Christians we have to be about training our children in the faith we must do it! We must not and cannot let the enemy take control of our children. Let's remember the spiritual warfare we are in.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]." (Ephesians 6:12)

Prepare for battle and arm yourself with the word of God, and give it to your children. God says in Ephesians 6:4.

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

The word admonition means to put or lay in the mind. We are to be putting the Lord in the minds of our children not the other worldly ungodly trash. If you were to ask a child of a Christian home what is on his or her mind, most likely it will not be the Lord.

You may be thinking brother you're getting a little legalistic aren't you? What's so wrong with baseball cards, toys, computer games, play money, tattoos, etc.? Ok, ask yourself, are these things interfering with my child's Christian life? Are these things giving my child a poor Christian witness? Are these things drawing my child away from God instead of to Him? And are these things of the world? Every time you let a child have what he wants in the world you give a little of him to satan.

Remember what the Holy Spirit said through brother John.

"Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15)

God wants you holy and your children holy as well. Don't let your children be into the world. One must remember the deceptions of the world are very strong. For example, look at so-called Christian music and how it's turned into a secular business with no regard to God and the Bible at all.

Let's see how God would have us correct the problems we have been discussing.

Step 1

Don't call your children "kids" they are your children not young goats.

Step 2

Give your children to God and don't with hold them from Him.

"…and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head." (1 Samuel 1:11)

"But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, [I will not go up] until the child be weaned, and [then] I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever." (1 Samuel 1:22)

Hannah gave up all that she had in her life--her only child. That's the picture of the unselfish sacrifice we need to do with our children to commit them to the Lord and let them appear before Him forever.

Our children are God's anyway we read in Exodus 31:1,2.

"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, [both] of man and of beast: it [is] mine."

The Hebrew word sanctify (qadash) means to be clean, sanctify, or dedicate. Present your child to God, and determine in your heart that you will do all you can to teach your children about Jesus Christ and the Bible.

Step 3

Make sure your child knows Jesus Christ as their saviour very early. This is important at any stage they may be in. see Matthew 19:14.

Step 4

Remove and do not allow your children to be exposed to the things of the world, and the covetousness that so easily binds them. Say no to those things that you know to be unbiblical and ungodly. Pray for wisdom and be obedient to the Scriptures.

"[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

"Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15)

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:19-24)

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3)

"Children, obey [your] parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." (Colossians 3:20)

Step 4

Finally, step four let's let Jesus tell us.

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)

Do these things and ask Jesus to help you, and you will see results in your children and in their lives.

Now to Him alone who does great things be glory, power, and honor in the body of Christ this day.

Amen?

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