Tag: Children

How to Overcome Porn Addiction and Its Link to the $99 Billion Sex Trafficking Industry

Published on by Editor1 Comment

Human trafficking earns global profits of roughly $150 billion a year for traffickers, $99 billion of which comes from commercial sexual exploitation ~ human rights first.org

With the explosion of smartphones, tablets, computers, and the Internet, it’s no wonder porn addictions are on the rise – even amongst Christians. The number of online porn viewers continues to soar day-by-day, minute-by-minute, and second-by-second with no definitive end in sight. Approximately 28,000 people view online porn every second, a new porn video is released every 39 minutes, and approximately 42% of porn-watchers visit one or more of the 4 million active online porn sites each day.

A porn addiction takes control of your life, leaving you feeling helpless and hopeless. This addiction presents differently in each individual, however, one thing that remains the same is the inability to stop or resist the urge to view porn. Those who watch pornography become dehumanized; they no longer see their partners and other people as human beings but as sexual toys that exist for their own satisfaction.

As churches grapple with abuse of power revelations, should pornography be on the radar?

The big question was asked at a church convention, as to whether there’s a connection between porn use and abuse, the answer was a resounding yes, because “when you engage in and become addicted to pornography, you lose the sense of responsibility to protect the value and dignity of every person. Abuse of power is the same – using your power in ways that fail to protect the dignity of other people. If you lose that sensitivity of who we are as image bearers of God, then you are more inclined to abuse power in ways that are in line with that.” It was cited the distinction between a predator – someone who actively manipulates others for their own sexual gratification – and a wanderer – someone who doesn’t protect boundaries. “Pornography is being a wanderer at the very least,” she said. “You’re not protecting the boundaries of yourself or of others. So that’s also an abuse of power, and a violation of trust.” Even Ted Bundy, the serial killer, admitted this about porn, that it’s like an addiction, and after a while the ‘high’ wears off and you crave more depraved material to meet that same level of ‘high’ demand, and soon you no longer want to be just a voyeur but act out what you see… and we all know the rest!

“When you start watching pornography, you start to generate an addiction… not only are their families and marriages destroyed, but these people become hooked on more perverse things, such as child pornography. After becoming addicted to child pornography, they become customers. There is tremendous demand and the industry keeps growing… We have to be careful about what we see. We are all the target audience. We have to be vigilant, because we are fragile and vulnerable beings. Temptations are everywhere, even if they are small. However, he who is unfaithful in small things is also unfaithful in big things.” ~ Child trafficking activist

One of the major issues discussed at the convention as how should we deal with sexual abuse inside the church? Motions were made for zero tolerance toward any act of sexual abuse and toward any church that tries to cover-up such abuse. However, the discussion failed to acknowledge factors within our churches that help to cultivate sexual abusers. That’s like wanting to rid our nation of drug addicts while ignoring the existence of drug dealers. If we’re serious about dealing with sexual abuse inside the church, then we also need to seriously address two issues within our church walls—pornography and promiscuity.

Pornography

Pornography is one of the most prominent breeders of sexual abuse. It not only promotes such abuse but is the key funding arm for sex trafficking, which is skyrocketing. That’s because the porn industry’s annual revenue is more than the NFL, NBA and MLB combined. Sadly, many active church attenders are helping to fund this industry.

More than half of pastors say that porn addiction is the most damaging issue in their congregation (57%). And the majority of pastors say porn has adversely impacted the Church (69%). So, why is pornography not included in the conversation about sexual abuse? In my opinion, it’s because dealing with sexual perversion also means dealing with promiscuity.

Scripture demands zero tolerance toward those who practice sexual sin in general—not just those who participate in its most perverted forms. Be sure that any sin thriving in our culture also exists within our churches. We cannot pervert what God intended without experiencing unintended consequences. To be clear, I am not equating those who are promiscuous with sexual abusers. My point is that the church has tolerated promiscuity for a very long time. And in doing so, we’ve seen the growth of sexual perversion. Sin is never static or controlled; it only grows in intensity and in its ability to cause destruction.

Denominational Resolution or Biblical Resolve?

Denominational resolutions pale in comparison to biblical resolve and obedience. Without a doubt, churches need to hold those who sexually abuse others accountable to the law. Victims of abuse should be shown compassion, given comfort, and receive counselling in order to overcome the harm done to them.

But if that’s all we do, then we’re stopping short. Churches who really desire to stand against sexual abuse must preach and practice the full counsel of God. I truly believe that as the standard for biblical purity is promoted and practiced, sexual abuse and perversion will become less prevalent in the Church.

What is sexual sin?

We all have something about ourselves that we don’t like, that we want to change, or that we’re embarrassed about. That’s just part of life. But there are sins that threaten to swallow us, that seek to absorb us, and that change the person we were meant to be. Those sins often lead to guilt and shame. Most often, the sins we feel the most shame and conflict about are sexual sins.

Sexual sins are pervasive. And though we live in a world that likes to teach that we can do anything we want with our bodies, our faith teaches that God’s plan is something very different than that way of life.

When God created the first man and woman, He created them in His image. He created them to complement each other, to have a natural intimacy, to enjoy monogamy, and to love each other unconditionally. This intimacy is born of mutual love, mutual respect, the giving of self, and so much more. This is the kind of relationship that God wants for us. Why? Because we learn about God’s love for us when we act in that love toward a spouse.

When sin entered the world, people began to believe it was their right to do whatever they wanted, especially with their bodies in regard to sexuality. Today, they mock the concept that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Pleasure has become a deity of its own. And people hold fast to the notion “as long as I’m not hurting anyone, it’s fine.” This “me” outlook overshadows all understanding that sexual sins often damage a person’s own self-esteem, their partners, their families, and even their faith.

Then along came a multi-billion-dollar industry to capitalize on these sexual desires.

The Statistics

Christians are not immune to the allure of pornography. A 2014 pornography survey done by Proven Men, a group that helps men overcome porn addiction, found that “the number of Christian men viewing pornography nearly mirrors the national average”:

  • 97% have viewed pornography
  • 64% view porn at least once a month
  • 37% look at porn several times a week

 Further, according to Covenant Eyes (a company that describes itself as “the pioneer of Internet and Screen Accountability™ software, empowering members to maintain their online integrity”):

  • 1 in 5 youth pastors and 1 in 7 senior pastors use porn on a regular basis and are currently struggling. That’s more than 50,000 U.S. church leaders.
  • 43% of senior pastors and youth pastors say they have struggled with pornography in the past.
  • 64% of Christian men and 15% of Christian women say they watch porn at least once a month.
  • Only 7% of pastors report their church has a ministry program for those struggling with porn.

However, according to the Barna research group, which conducted a survey in 2015, “Practicing Christians are more than three times less likely to use porn than other teens and adults (13% compared to 42%).”

Regardless of the exact numbers, it’s obvious that porn has an allure that many people—including Christians—struggle to say no to.

Promiscuity

Promiscuity and fornication aren’t words we hear much anymore. The free love movement of sixty years ago has come full circle. Because sex outside of marriage is now the norm, many churches no longer call it sin. God’s Word, however, is not ambiguous on the subject. The Bible associate’s sexual relations outside of God’s plan with being “unrighteous.” The apostle Paul wrote that “fornicators, adulterers, and homosexuals” (among others) “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–10).

Paul doubles down in Ephesians 5:3-5. “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Devastating Effects of Porn

Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense.

While many porn websites generate excitement for porn, we know the truth. Porn hurts people. It treats people like objects for pleasure. It gives the person who watches it a skewed vision of the true nature of sexuality. It leads to unhealthy desires, unhealthy attitudes about a sexual partner, and even the inability of men to become aroused in real-life situations.

Furthermore, porn hurts our relationship with God. In a 2017 study entitled “Seeing Is (Not) Believing: How Viewing Pornography Shapes the Religious Lives of Young Americans,” researchers found:

The more a person becomes drawn into the world of porn, the larger the wedge is inserted between them and God. And those who know that porn viewing is wrong begin to feel shame. Their disgust with themselves leads them to think that God has stopped loving them because of this sin. This self-loathing can then lead to increased porn usage, as they try to replace the intimacy and love of God and others with fabricated lust.

Can a Christian Overcome Porn Addiction?

First, pray. Talk to God and ask for His help in overcoming the desire to watch porn. Have an honest conversation with Him about your struggles. The temptation will likely come and go, so prayer must be your constant companion, seek forgiveness in confession.

In addition to prayer, there are some practical things you can do to help curb the temptation to watch porn. These include installing internet filters on your devices to block the porn sites or having an accountability partner to help you stay away from certain sites. But the most important thing you can do involves changing your mindset.

An example prayer for porn addiction and verses:

But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord. (Psalm 141:8)

I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. (Job 31:1)

My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare. (Psalm 25:15)

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. (Psalm 119:37)

Heavenly Father,

I have been living a fantasy. I hardly feel the prick of conscience anymore. I have become numb and dumbed down in my humanity. I repent of this addiction to pornography. It alienates me from those I love and it alienates me from You, my God. It’s a lie, a trick of the devil. I receive the power of your blood that not only forgives me but cleanses me.

Please do forgive me. Please cleanse me. Drive out my sin. And help me to walk in the light, to experience the blessing of my sexuality under the safeguard of your heavenly standard.

Give me encouragement and accountability. Set me free from my chains. I receive Your Holy Spirit’s power to control my base impulses and to become the human being you have made me to be, ruling over myself and this world with you.

In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.

How Can Christians Conquer a Porn Addiction?

Porn addiction can be conquered with persistence, effort, time, dedication, faith, help, and God, of course. Still, the path to “salvation” will not be easy or quick. Understand that while other addictions (i.e., gambling, alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, etc.) are triggered by external stimuli, porn addiction is triggered by stimuli within the body, more specifically, within the mind (the parts of the brain responsible for memory, motivation, learning, and emotional responses).

Still, being dependent on porn can cause some Christians to experience a deep level of shame and embarrassment, causing them to feel as though God has “abandoned” or “shunned” them because of their behaviour. Because of this “faulty” assumption, some Christians “turn away” from God, other Christians, and the church altogether.

If you are suffering from porn addiction, fret no more, because there are steps you can take to get on the path to recovery.

These steps include the following:

Be Honest with Yourself

If you are Christian suffering from porn addiction, the first thing you’ll need to do to “free” yourself from it is, to be honest with yourself. Thus, the first step in “beating” porn addiction is to admit you are not exempt from sexual temptation. You can’t move forward if you can’t or won’t acknowledge that you have a problem with porn. More specifically, you can’t fully accept help and guidance from God and others until you admit that you’re suffering from porn addiction.

More specifically, you’ll need to acknowledge and accept that we live in a sex-crazed world where sexual temptation via sexual images on television shows, movies, magazines, advertisements, commercials, books, and web content infiltrates almost every area of our everyday lives. We can’t escape it; however, we can take responsibility in what we allow into our psyche, what we choose to watch, the music we listen too, social media sites we visit, we are to guard our eyes and ears as much as it is possible for us to do. Let’s begin with this fact: sexual attraction is not lust. God made us to be attracted to the opposite sex. It is not a sin to notice a beautiful woman or attractive man. It is only sin if we take that attraction to the next step. The sin is not the first look, but the second.

Jesus was clear: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).

Any desire for sexual relationship outside of marriage is wrong. Premarital or extramarital sexual relationship is wrong. Looking lustfully at another person, whether in person or on the Internet or television or magazine, is wrong. Lustful activity in a dating relationship is wrong.

Why? James, the half-brother of Jesus, knew the answer: “after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:15). Lust makes an eternal soul, a child of God, into a thing, a means to our end. It demeans us. It grieves the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, and uses the temple of God for immorality. And it never stops with the second look. It didn’t for David, a “man after God’s own heart.” It won’t with us, either.

Tell Someone

You can’t heal from a porn addiction if you keep it shrouded in secrecy. Thus, it is important to tell someone you trust about it. Addiction prospers in the darkness, so to banish or kill it, it must be brought to light. In other words, hiding the addiction only causes it to grow stronger. It strengthens its hold over you until it steals your livelihood.

Conversely, sharing your porn addiction with a trusted confidant can provide you with the porn addiction support you need to overcome it. Understand that this person doesn’t have to be a friend, family member, pastor, or someone from the Christian community. The only requirement is that you trust this person to tell you the truth, offer support, and respect your wishes.

If talking about your behaviour mortifies you – gather your courage, lean on your faith, and do it anyway. You’re not going to “kick this habit” alone, so you’ll need the support. If you could heal from your addiction alone, you probably would have conquered it a long time ago. However, you are still suffering from it, so it is time to tell someone what you’re experiencing.

Furthermore, telling someone about porn-watching, makes you accountable for your actions. In other words, once you tell someone, you can no longer pretend it doesn’t exist. And, because, it is no longer a secret, you are likely to take action to remedy it.

Turn to God

The Bible instructs “believers” to turn to God in times of sorrow and distress. So, the only way to truly combat a porn addiction, as a Christian, is to give the addiction over to God. If you turn to God, he will carry you through any trials (i.e., porn addiction) you experience.

As mentioned above, both Christians and non-Christians experience sexual temptation (desire and lust) and everyone, regardless of religious affiliation, is vulnerable to porn addiction. However, having faith, believing in God, and confessing your sins, along with reading the Bible and praying can help you heal from this dependency. But, understand that God’s ability to help you overcome this “fixation” lies in the depth of your faith.

Change Your Routine

One way to defeat a porn addiction is to change your routine and develop new habits. For instance, if your “porn habit” typically begins once your spouse and children have gone to bed, opt for a hot shower or warm bath, read, meditate, listen to calming music, or simply sleep instead of jumping on your computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet. Make a vow to stay off of the Internet during this time.

And, if you are single or live alone and typically turn to porn, while eating dinner, use this time for non-Internet activities, such as calling a friend, turning on a funny sitcom or family movie, or listening to music. Remember, the goal is to avoid porn, which means staying off the Internet as much as possible.

Adopt Healthier Coping Mechanisms

If you are using porn to deal with upsetting, confusing, or negative events and/or emotions, you’ll need to learn healthier coping mechanisms to beat your addiction. For instance, if meeting people makes you feel uncomfortable, but you still want to feel a connection with someone, instead of turning to porn, focus on increasing your self-confidence by going out with friends, signing up for a class, developing a new hobby, joining a club or sports team, etc. The goal is to adopt healthier coping mechanisms, so you don’t feel the need to turn to porn when you’re bored, frustrated, depressed, lonely, anxious, or angry.

Stay Busy

To distract yourself from porn, you’ll need to stay busy. Frequent porn use is a habit often triggered by boredom. In other words, some Christians turn to porn because they simply don’t have anything else to do. Research suggests that in this COVID age of social distancing and lockdowns, porn use to skyrocket amongst all populations. Porn has become entertainment for some Christians – a habit that “can” eventually turn into an addiction.

Staying busy not only prevents boredom and occupies your time, but it can also help “squash” your “porn habit.” So, the next time you get the urge to watch online porn, take a jog around the neighbourhood, immerse yourself in a juicy book, volunteer at your local animal shelter, sign-up for an interesting class, develop a new hobby, join a club, head to the gym, or hang out with friends and family.

Use a Public Computer

If privacy is a condition of your porn use only use the Internet in public venues (i.e., library, school, coffee shop, or work) or when others are around. Move your computer or laptop to a common area like your living room or kitchen – places that people tend to frequent. And, refrain from surfing the internet in private (i.e., car, bedroom, bathroom, basement, etc.) The goal is to deter you from clicking on porn sites for fear of judgment and ridicule from others.

Attend Christian Counselling or Join a Support Group

A porn addiction thrives in secrecy and isolation, so the best way to crush it is to bring it out into the open where others can see it. Seeking help from a Christian counsellor and/or joining a porn addiction support group are two ways you can receive the porn addiction help and support you need to overcome your addiction. Sharing your concerns with a Christian counsellor and/or members of a support group can also help remove the shame and stigma often associated with porn use.

Furthermore, counselling and support groups can also reveal the root of your addiction (its origin), so can subdue your urges for porn. One of the best things about counselling and support groups is there is no judgment – only solutions. Counsellors and group members not only teach you how to effectively cope with your urges, but also how to prevent relapses and rely on God and the Bible for comfort, strength, and reassurance.

There Is Hope and Forgiveness in God

In 1 Corinthians, we read: “No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10.13).

And Proverbs tells us: “Those who conceal their sins do not prosper, but those who confess and forsake them obtain mercy” (Prov. 28.13).

There is no disputing God’s love. It’s a love we cannot even fathom. Because of this immense love, He will forgive us if we seek forgiveness.

The first step to living a life without a reliance on porn is to admit how destructive it has become. Whether you are married or single, you must acknowledge that it hurts you and all of your relationships—with your partner, with your children, with God, and even with your friends.

Just as it keeps you from true intimacy with your spouse, it keeps you from an intimacy with God.

But you can overcome the reliance on pornography and have a truly beautiful and amazing intimate relationship with God. How? You must work toward strengthening that relationship over time through prayer and through your actions.

Final Thoughts

Pornography hurts. It hurts individuals. It hurts relationships. It hurts families. And it hurts our relationship with God. Christians are not immune to the temptations of the world. In fact, some might say we are even more prone to temptation, as the devil seeks out those who are close to God in an attempt to ruin the relationship.

Christ taught us that “a thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy” but that He “came so that [we] might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10.10).

In Christ, we can have the intimacy we desire. We can have the love we need. We can have goodness and joy we crave.

He is beckoning. Let us resolve to go to Him and sin no more.

—————————–

*** Article by Dr Langham at Stop Together + Jim Denison at Denison Forum + Angela Rietsma Bick at Christian Courier + Bucky Kennedy Ministries + Susan Ciancio at Human Life International + Juan Carlos Vasconez at omnes / Prayer by Mark and Jill Herringshaw / Photo by Anirudh Bhatnagar at Pexels

How to Keep Children Safe Online: A Practical Guide to The Threats

Published on by Editor

With the growth of social media platforms, online games and instant messaging apps, children are able to talk to anyone – friends or strangers – from around the world within minutes. This can benefit many by making them feel less isolated but for some, it can leave them vulnerable to grooming.

Foreword by Victor Marx at All Things Possible, “I recently got to share some insights into protecting children on Freedom Talk with Kelly John Walker for an eight-part series of powerful sessions for fathers. Below is an excerpt from the Fathering in a World Gone Mad seminar, where I share some of the biggest threats to your children and how to keep them safe: Parents, those of you who don’t know me… my nickname is I’m the Pedophile Hunter. And we do work overseas in different parts of the globe. But here in the U.S., we actually started a task force. So I’m telling you, from practical, real life experience — from helping get women and children from ISIS to messing up cartel action, to stuff in other parts of the country I can’t even mention. But I would say this: Don’t look for the white van to open up and grab your kid. The biggest problems you’re going to encounter is the phone and the computer. That’s the two biggest — phone and computer. The next will be someone you know. It’ll be a relative, a neighbor, a kid’s friend, boyfriend or girlfriend. It’s very easy to think of extremes. Those do happen. What you have to be aware of is your child being groomed by somebody online. And I’m talking even gaming. I just got info from the FBI saying there are groups targeting children to get them to provide nudes and videos of them. It’s happening widespread. Last year, there were 33 million transfers of child sexual abuse material in the U.S. Out of 33 million known tips of this stuff, only about 300 got prosecuted. The police are not the answer. 911 is not the answer for your children. It’s you. If your kid wants to be on a cell phone or a computer, let them sit at the table. There’s no shame in that. Not their back to you. If there’s something they’re trying to hide or are uncomfortable with, they shouldn’t be on it. When they say, “That’s my own privacy,” you just go, “Yeah, not these days, not in our home.” I’m not going to check anything unless I get a ping about a word or something that comes up or an image. But folks, please, it’s the phone, it’s a computer. It’s someone you know that will try to compromise your child by grooming them, getting them feel to comfortable. And then, of course, as always, it’s the outside predators. Find out more about this seminar and how to access it at bit.ly/fathering-series.”

Protect your child

Online grooming can be a difficult issue to tackle with children but there are practical tips and tools you can use to help them recognise when they are at risk and take action.

The meaning of grooming

Grooming usually refers to child sexual abuse. However, groomers also target children for purposes such as radicalisation, drug trafficking (county lines) and financial gain.

How perpetrators groom children

Groomers first befriend a child. Online, this could be someone they have never met. A groomer might pretend they’re the same age as your child; because there is a screen between them, your child can’t know who the other person is for sure.

Alternatively, a groomer may tell the truth about who they are, which some young people may see as a benefit. For example, a child without an older role model might feel a connection to an older person who treats them well.

Once a groomer gains a child’s trust, they can manipulate them to do what they want. Children and young people may have trouble saying no to someone who has built a relationship with them, making it easy for online grooming to happen.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ONLINE GROOMING

Signs of sexual abuse and online grooming

If someone targets your child online for sexual purposes, the victim may not recognise it as abuse. The groomer might have made them feel special or could be an older child. Unfortunately, a child abused in this way may not seek help right away, so it’s important to look out for the signs of sexual abuse to take action.

Signs could include:

It is important to look out for other changes that might be signs of other types of online grooming as well. These might include:

How do I protect my child from being groomed?

A short video from CEOP about online grooming and how children can become targets and what parents can do to prevent this. Grooming can be a tricky subject to talk about with your children, the tips below video will help.

From our research, we know that online ‘stranger danger’ is a concern, particularly for younger children. The key thing to remember is that equipping children with the right advice to make smarter choices online can minimize the risks of exposure to online grooming.

The best way to deal with grooming is to prevent it from happening by making sure your child is well-informed, uses privacy settings on social media sites and knows that they can talk to you if they feel unsafe or worried. Teach your children how to stay safe online:

Keep personal information private

Private details which could identify them in the real world – name, age, gender, phone number, home address, school name, and photographs – should only ever be shared with people they know.

Privacy settings

Spend time together looking at the privacy settings that can benefit their online safety. It’s always best to assume that default settings are public and should be changed accordingly. We’ve got some advice on using privacy settings on the most popular social apps.

Reviewing apps, site, apps and games they use

You will probably use social networks yourself, but you might want to know about new ones that your child is using or wants to use. Use them yourself and set up your own account so you can experience what your child might see. There are also many child-friendly social networks they could use while they get ready for the likes of Snapchat and Instagram.

It’s also important to explore the types of activities they do online. Live streaming, YouTube shorts, video games and social media sites all have different forms of communication. Have conversations about their digital use to stay in the know.

Know who their friends are

Talk to them about being cautious about what they share with people online. Remind them that even though people they’ve met online might feel like friends they may not be who they say they are.

Stay safe online and in real life

Never arrange to meet someone they only know online without a parent present.

Encourage children to talk to someone

If something makes your child worried or uncomfortable online their best course of action is always to talk to an adult they trust. You can also direct them to organisations such as Childline.

Blocking software

There is a range of new apps and software that block, filter and monitor online behavior. You’ll need to decide as a family whether this is the right approach for you, taking into consideration your child’s age and maturity, and their need for privacy.

Negotiating the gaming world

In some games like Minecraft or Roblox people deliberately try to intimidate other players. In multi-player games where gamers talk to one another – you might find abusive language, harassment and there have been instances of grooming. It’s vital therefore that your child knows how to report abuse and talks to you if something is causing them concern.

Discuss online grooming with your child


Be approachable

Let them know you are there to help them if they get into trouble online – and if they are concerned about something they can come to you.

Openly discuss online relationships and friendships

Find out what sites they go to, where they met their online friends, how they communicate, and what information they share. Make sure they know that having thousands of online ‘friends’ isn’t always safe.

Talk to teens about groomers online

Teenagers may be very protective of their online network and feel you are interfering with their private lives. However, one of the best ways to support child protection is to make them aware of online harms.

Explain online impersonation

Explain how easy it is to pretend to be someone else online, and why an adult may wish to approach them.

Teach younger children how to stay safe online

Talk about grooming as you would stranger danger – a stranger is anyone you don’t know, whether in real life or online. Tell them they shouldn’t talk privately or give personal information to anyone they don’t know. Discuss with them what ‘personal information’ is.

Grooming can happen between older children and younger children as well. Learn more about child-on-child abuse to keep yourself and your child informed. For more information about online grooming and protection check out their website Internet Matters

—————

** Foreword by Victor Marx at All Things Possible ministry who has shared his incredible story of overcoming childhood abuse, addiction, and trauma to become a humanitarian, author, and speaker. Learn how he found God, discipline, and success through military life and faith in God here with his amazing testimony that has helped bring healing to so many people / Article by Internet Matters website Internet Matters / Photo by pexels

More:

5 Ways Your Kids Are Under Spiritual Attack

6 Reasons Why Sexual Predators Target Churches

Human Trafficking / Child Abuse

The Abortion Debate

A Clear Gospel Message

Trusting God to Heal the Scars of Sexual Abuse

Self Worth and Self Esteem

Who I Am in Christ

Forgiving Others

Prayer For Forgiving Others

Deal Radically with Impure Thoughts

5 Ways Your Kids Are Under Spiritual Attack and How To Take Action

Published on by Editor

There’s a reason why so many of us begin praying for our children while they’re still in the womb: We understand that we’re in a war.

God’s Word describes it this way in Ephesians 6:12: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

And while we’re all targets for the enemy’s schemes, Satan is smart enough to recognize that attacks on our kids are especially powerful. 

He understands that if he can grab their hearts and establish false teachings in their mind from the earliest age, all he has to do is sit back and watch the dominos fall. 

Yes, it’s a terrifying thought to know that our children have an enemy that actively plots to hurt them. 

But here’s the great news: The Bible promises that nothing, nothing can thwart God’s good plans for our children. No plan from the enemy can snatch our kids out of God’s awesome covering. And speaking of that enemy, we read in Revelation 20 that he has already lost the war. Amen!

As Christians, our job now is to fight! And as Christian parents, these great battles for our kids’ hearts are fought in prayer as we use God’s Truth to claim victory, break down half-truths and ask for divine guidance (2 Corinthian 10:3-5).

However, as a parent, it’s incredibly easy to be overwhelmed by this task! We know that we’re supposed to be praying for our kids, but what specific areas are our kids most susceptible to satanic attack?

Truly, there’s no one answer to that question! Every child is unique. 

Yet, I believe there are 5 general areas where our enemy tends to attack this generation of kids. Let’s take a look at each of them and discover how we can best pray against the enemy’s evil schemes.

Area #1: Self-Worth

We want our children’s inner thoughts and self-worth to reflect the thoughts that God has about them. 

Instead of being filled with puffed up pride or mere “self-love,” we desire that they believe the truth: That they are beautifully handmade by a Creator who loves them so much that He gave His son’s life to have a relationship with them. 

We want them to understand how much God values them, and that nothing or no one can change who they are in Christ.

How Satan Attacks: 

He teaches them that life is all about them and their pleasure. 

He tells them that they need to ignore that voice of conviction that tells them things are right or wrong. 

At the same time, he is quick to condemn them for their mistakes and to “rub their noses in it” and tell them they aren’t worthy.

How We Can Pray: 

Dear Jesus, help our kids know that we are all born as sinners and separated from God because of our wicked hearts. However, at an early age, help our children grasp the life-transforming concept that they don’t have to live as a sinner under that condemnation. 

Teach our children that they have the opportunity to accept a new, beautiful identity that is called “good,” not because of what they have done or what they look like, but because they are secure in who YOU say they are: treasured, delightful, known and protected. Let them not place their self-worth in accomplishments they may or may not achieve, but let them discover these deeper truths about who You believe they are and build every decision they make on that sure foundation. 

Area #2: Body Image

We want our kids to have a deep reverence for the intricate way their unique body is formed, and because of this respect, we want our kids to grow up honoring their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. 

We want our kids to treat their bodies with respect by honoring the boundaries God suggests, such as sexual exchange only between a man and a woman within the confines of a marital relationship.

While we want our kids to take care of their bodies through healthy food choices and regular exercise, we also want them to understand that they are not defined by their physical appearance.

How Satan Attacks:

The enemy is hard at work in this area today! First, he tells our kids that they’re not uniquely made, but that they’re simply a result of a random combination of genes that’s taken millions of years to create. 

Then he convinces our kids that they are mere animals with physical desires that should be fulfilled at any cost. He wants them to believe that physical pleasure (such as sexuality outside of marriage) is normal and right and that anyone who tells them differently is being judgmental. 

In terms of health, he uses television and the media to oh-so-subtly promote certain body shapes as ideal over others. Tweens and teens are especially weak in this area since their bodies are rapidly changing on the outside and they are asking pivotal questions about self-identity on the inside. He convinces them that every measure must be taken to achieve these ideal body images, including those that lead to eating disorders and drug abuse.

How We Can Pray:

Dear Jesus, we weep with you over the number of our kids who are buying into the lie that sexual pleasure is something to experiment with. We pray that our kids would treasure their sexuality as a true gift from You, and that they would honor that gift by saving it as a precious treasure to give their future spouse. We ask that you would help them to be strong in the face of their own desires and that they would choose purity in the face of temptation. 

Lord we also ask that you’d protect our kids from the idea that they must do anything and everything (including abusing their bodies through eating disorders, drug abuse, or other harmful behaviors) in order to attaining a “preferred” shape or figure. We pray you’d protect our kids from that kind of destructive thinking, and that if they’re tempted to take these kind of drastic measures, that you’d send someone in their lives to stop them. Help them to remember over and over that their identity is not in how they look on the outside but what you see as their potential and worth on the inside.

We pray that our children would treasure their health as a gift from God and that they would have a passion to eat nutritious food and to stay active in order to do their part to take care of this treasure.

Area #3: Influences

We want our kids to be surrounded by those who can influence them toward God’s great purpose for their lives; and we also want our kids to grow to become those people who influence others in powerful ways for the greater good.

How Satan Attacks:

Satan’s easiest way to attack here would be, of course, to simply surround our kids with bad influences. But he’s a little trickier than that.

While he still does try to place negative influences in our children’s lives, he knows that we are good parents who do our best to protect our kids from the bad influences. 

So he often attempts the opposite: He does everything in his power to (subtly) keep the good influences out. 

He keeps our kids away from God’s word. He keeps our children’s parents (that’s us!) too busy and distracted to influence our kids the way that we need to. He strengthens our children’s natural tendency to laziness and complacency. 

Using books, television, news reports and social media, he slowly simmers our kids in the false thinking that truth is relative and not absolute. Through this process, he affirms the falsehood that an individual’s godly influence is irrelevant and can even be considered offensive and judgmental against others’ beliefs. 

Slowly, he convinces them that they can’t make a difference and that they really don’t have the power the change things anyway, so why even try? 

How We Can Pray:

First, oh Lord, forgive us for the times when we have misplaced our priorities so that we haven’t been available to model a strong relationship with You in front of our kids. Help us to understand the power of our influence in our children’s lives and to reorder our schedule so that we can be available to both directly and indirectly offer the godly influence that our kids desperately need. 

Second, while we do pray that our kids would be protected from negative influences, we also pray that you would surround them with friendships and mentor-type relationships that portray what it means to have an authentic relationship with Christ. In turn, we pray that you would raise our kids up to be the influencers of the next generation. We pray that you would allow godliness and righteousness to dwell in their hearts so richly that these evidences of your truth spill out of them and to every person they encounter.

Through it all, we pray that they would not be prone to laziness or complacency, but that they would believe that even a single candle burning in the dark makes a difference and would boldly stand up for truth, even when it’s unpopular.

Area #4: Passions

We want our kids to live purposefully and passionately, always seeking God’s direction. We want them to grow up with a willingness to persevere, a deep understanding of the cost (and joys) of commitment, and to be unwilling to settle for complacency and comfort. 

How Satan Attacks: 

He distracts and confuses them. He encourages them to use emotion to guide their decision-making instead of seeking to align their passions with what God is already doing. 

In addition, he doesn’t want our kids to understand or appreciate their unique personality and talents that God has divinely given them. 

Instead, he encourages them toward laziness. He convinces them to be content with seeking self-pleasure and the easy way out. Through mindless pursuits, he keeps them numb to the better life of magnificent beauty that comes from following God’s wild and wonderful best path. 

How We Can Pray:

God, help us to know how to guide our kids in their passions by blessing us with the divine wisdom to know when to joyfully open up the gates toward new freedoms and desires, and when to curtail our children’s passions because they’re not able to accept the responsibilities yet in full. Help us model to our kids what it means to live passionately for You by boldly following the dreams you’ve placed in our heart, never settling for complacency.  

Help us to direct our kids with both cautiousness and courage, not allowing our own fears about “what if…?” get in the way of how You want to use them in the world. We pray that our children would continuously seek your ways and your wisdom, regardless of what life brings. We pray that they would understand their importance in the world and that you’d make clear to them at a very early age how they can use their God-given talents to play a role in Your passion to show both truth and love to the nations.

Area #5: Money, Possessions and Work

We want our children to have a healthy relationship with money, understanding that possessions are not equated to a person’s worth nor do they bring ultimate happiness. We want them to understand that the things of this world can bring us enjoyment, but that lasting joy is found only in God.

How Satan Attacks:

Like Eve in the Garden, the enemy teases and tempts our kids with good looking “fruit” (worldly possessions) that he promises will solve their problems and bring fulfillment. 

He convinces them that they need to do everything they can to get ahead (including compromising their values, if need be) because having lots of money and possessions is the ultimate goal. 

Through a spirit of ingratitude, he keeps them insecure, empty and preoccupied with thoughts of what they do not have so that they’re always looking for more. 

How We Can Pray:

Heavenly Father, help us to model a healthy example of how to handle possessions and money. Help us to work hard, but to not wear ourselves out in order to get rich so that our children can witness a positive, godly view of hard work and the pursuit of success. 

We pray that our kids would persevere in whatever vocation you give them and that they would work with cheerful hearts as if they were serving you directly. 

We pray that our kids would see at an early age that money and possessions are a gift from You and thus must be always held with an open hand so that You can use those gifts to bless others. 

We ask that our kids would find their value in their true identity as a child of You, not in the possessions they do or do not have. We pray for contentment and gratefulness in whatever situation they’re given—rich or poor. We pray they would have a steadfast commitment to work hard with the talents you’ve given them so that they could support themselves, their families and use their money as a way to bless others in need. 

Ultimately, we pray that they would discover that the greatest “wealth” they could possess would be in relationships, especially in a relationship with You.

Brothers and sisters, let’s commit anew today to begin regularly fighting against the enemy’s schemes by powerfully praying for our kids in these areas!

————————-

*** By Alicia Michelle, author, speaker and blogger at YourVibrantFamily.com, is passionate about helping women discover their beautifully imperfect journey through parenting, marriage, homeschooling, faith and homemaking. She’s also happily married homeschool mom of four curious and amazing kids that keep her on her toes! / Repost from Crosswalk.com

Popular Articles

A Clear Gospel Message

Human Trafficking / Child Abuse

Trusting God to Heal the Scars of Sexual Abuse

Child Safety Online

The Abortion Debate

6 Reasons Why Sexual Predators Target Churches

Self Worth and Self Esteem

Forgiving Others

Prayer For Forgiving Others

The Abortion Debate

Deal Radically with Impure Thoughts

Invisible Barriers to Healing

The True Gift

True or False Conversion

Once Saved Always Saved?

The Judge – Upholding what is right comes at a cost

What is a True Christian or Believer

Prayer Speaking to God

Forgiving Others as God has Forgiving you

Living Right Today

The Abortion Debate

Published on by Editor

What Does The Bible Say About Abortion?

In light of the United States Supreme Court’s decision on June 24, 2022, to overturn federal abortion legislation, it is critical we subjectively discern from a Biblical perspective how a Christian should respond to the abortion debate.

The landmark decision of Roe vs. Wade (410 U.S. 113) by the U.S. Supreme Court on January 22, 1973, ruled that the U.S. Constitution protects a pregnant woman’s right to have an abortion without government restriction, if she so chooses.

Therefore, abortion has been legal in the United States for the past 49 years, resulting in the death of an estimated 63,459,781 babies since the court decision passed, which likely does not capture all undocumented abortions performed as well.

Keep in mind, the topic of abortion is incredibly divisive in political and religious communities because it magnifies whose life we are ultimately protecting under judicial law: Mother (pro-choice) or Baby (pro-life).

“Abortion is the most serious ethical issue that the United States has ever faced.”

— R.C. Sproul

Pro-choice proponents, which refer to themselves as pro-reproductive rights, believe a woman has the right to choose for herself what she does to her body, which includes whether she wants to have children at all and when. They believe timing of the pregnancy is of little to no consequence, because a woman should have the right to terminate her abortion at any time as the law allows.

Conversely, pro-life supporters within the religious, scientific, and medical fields, such as the American College of Pediatricians, believe life begins at conception-fertilization. Therefore, one can conclude that aborting a single-celled embryo is equivalent to ending the life of a human being and should be disallowed.

However, where the debate becomes difficult to discern hinges on the extremes. What if the mother’s life is at risk if she carries the baby full term? What if doctors predict the baby will be born with disabilities or handicaps? What if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest?

All are valid questions and difficult to discern, which is why we must reconcile what God’s Word says regarding the abortion debate if we profess ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.

TRUTH:

Christianity’s response to the abortion debate is simple. For if we identify as “born-again” (John 3:3), we are held accountable by the absolute truth of God’s Word to trust and obey what it teaches entirely. Therefore, whatever the Bible teaches regarding the sanctity of human life SHOULD BE what every Christian adopts as their personal doctrine of ethics and morality.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

The challenge is pro-choice proponents do not adhere to the same foundation of truth, therefore using the Bible to defend a position which refuses a woman’s right to access and choose an abortion is considered, in their opinion, an infringement on basic human rights.

Again, extreme instances (rape, incest, at-risk pregnancy, etc.) are typically used to challenge and refute the Biblical argument that unequivocally, abortion is murder and should not be allowed. Their argument is that the pregnancy was either nonvolitional due to a crime committed or has the potential to catastrophically impact the mother or baby’s life, hence abortion is a reasonable and justifiable alternative.

What is sad is the pro-choice camp has successfully used religious imposition and extreme arguments to gain support for their abortion agenda from the faith community, hence why so many self-proclaimed Christians (and even church denominations) waffle on the issue under the following premises.

  • “I personally would not have an abortion, but I cannot impose my religious beliefs on someone else.”
  • “I personally would not have an abortion, but I believe it is okay under extreme circumstances.”

Unfortunately, many Christians fail to comprehend that if abortion is allowed under ANY circumstance, what the Bible says in correlation to the issue is irrelevant, therefore calling into question EVERYTHING the Bible teaches universally. In other words, if you can refute one point of Scripture you can refute it all, which is why Jesus repeatedly emphasized the validity of Scripture as the absolute truth of God.

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17–18).

Jesus did not provide opportunity for doubting Scripture’s inerrancy. Therefore, we cannot hold to what the Bible says about abortion yet have an escape clause attached to it, even in extreme circumstances.

CONSEQUENCES:

What we cannot miss from the Biblical position is that abortion is equated to murder, which no born-again Christian should endorse. For God is the sole creator of mankind and each life is precious to Him because He foreknew us before He created us.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).

Consequently, to understand the Bible’s position more clearly, we must first consider the grave consequences attributed to committing murder from God’s perspective.

“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).

“Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death” (Leviticus 24:17).

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6).

Simply stated, God does not want mankind to make foolish choices which require equivalent retribution (i.e. eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth). Therefore, the wise decision for us to live by would be to avoid committing murder in any form or fashion (abortion included).

However, the greater issue at hand is how abortion allows consequences of action to be minimized. Case in point, pregnancy is the result of unprotected sex. Therefore, to avoid getting pregnant, choose abstinence since the decision to have sex in most cases is a personal choice and not the result of rape or incest.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5).

Unfortunately, abortion has literally been used as a means to an end to avoid consequences because it allows a couple to enjoy the pleasures of sex with no strings attached. It provides an escape opportunity to avoid accountability (extreme cases excluded), which only exacerbates the problem further rather than forcing people to take personal responsibility instead.

“It isn’t sex by itself that makes abortion. It is sex plus covetousness: desiring things that God does not will for us to have because we are not willing to find our satisfaction in him. Illicit sex and unencumbered freedom without children: for these we covet, and abortion is the result.”

— John Piper

The same justification holds true from pro-choice advocates under the justification that perhaps a woman is unable to rear the child properly. In other words, it would do more harm than good to birth a child into an unfavorable environment, therefore avoid it altogether.

What we must understand about the pro-choice position is their argument is all about ACCESS. In other words, don’t infringe upon a woman’s freedom or “basic human right” to ACCESS an abortion. Because according to them, if Roe vs. Wade is overturned, ACCESS to birth control, sex education, and reproductive health care suddenly disappear as well.

Unfortunately, that argument is nothing more than a scare tactic to make people believe ALL their freedoms and access to general health care will be stripped away if abortion is specifically banned. However, preventing a pregnancy through birth control methods is completely different than ending a pregnancy via abortion. Therefore, they should not be a package deal in the abortion debate.

EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES:

Where the rubber meets the road for most Christians who struggle with banning ALL abortions is due to extreme circumstances. How can a woman or young girl be forced to carry a pregnancy full term if it was the result of rape or incest, or if the pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk?

Keep in mind, extreme circumstances account for a small % of abortions in the United States. For example, rape, incest, and life endangerment to the mother accounted for only 0.36% of all accounted abortions in the state of Florida during 2020 (out of a total of 74,868), yet these are the predominate reasons pro-choice advocates use to justify abortions.

Regardless of how small a percentage they are, though, extreme circumstances are an extremely difficult position to address and undoubtedly, a hyper-sensitive issue as well. However, Psalm 139:13-16 provides a clear answer regarding God’s sovereignty concerning the sanctity of life.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:13–16).

What Psalm 139:13-16 affirms is that nothing we experience, good or bad, happens by accident without God knowing. More importantly, it affirms that God foreknew the choices we would make in our lives and the trials we’d face regarding pregnancy, whether the result of sins committed against us or potential life-threatening circumstances. However, Scripture’s response to both situations is clear.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12–13).

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20).

In other words, God encourages us to trust Him completely, come what may. For we may not be able to see the future nor understand the reasons our lives come to various crossroads, but God knows what lies beyond the horizon if we’d simply trust His omniscient sovereignty amidst our trials, worry, and confusion.

“In their book, ‘Victims and Victors,’ David Reardon and associates draw on the accounts of 192 women who experienced pregnancy as the result of rape or incest. It turns out that when victims of violence speak for themselves, their opinion of abortion is nearly unanimous and the exact opposite of what most would predict: Nearly all the women interviewed said they regretted aborting their babies conceived via rape or incest. Of those giving an opinion, more than 90 percent said they would discourage other victims of sexual violence from having abortions. Not one who gave birth to a child expressed regret.”

— Randy Alcorn

Undoubtedly, no Christian wishes harm to come on another person. Therefore, we pray all people would come to salvation through Jesus Christ according to His Word so that all their choices are God-honoring.

Granted, it doesn’t make the abortion debate any easier to reconcile nor appease pro-choice advocates in any way, but knowing what Scripture says about abortion does provide adequate rationale from a Biblical perspective regarding why pro-life supporters believe the way we do.

BOTTOM-LINE:

If we’re honest with ourselves, in most situations, the crux of the abortion debate hinges upon whose interest we’re looking out for most.

As Christians, we are called to consider others more worthy than ourselves. Therefore, we must reconcile WHO we feel is more important in the abortion debate: The mother who has a choice or the innocent child who does not.

“There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16–19).

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17).

Therefore, abortion is truly a debate about self-interest vs. self-sacrifice, and pro-life supporters feel compelled to speak on behalf of the unborn and protect their lives since they cannot defend themselves.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3–5).

It does not alleviate the difficulty of disallowing abortion under extreme circumstances, but it places the reality of the situation in plain sight if we consider, as John Piper explains, what happens during an abortion procedure.

“If we were made to watch a doctor pull off the little baby’s legs and arms one by one and place them on the table like a dentist removing cotton from your mouth – if all Americans were made to see what it really is, the pro-life goal of abortion being unthinkable (not just illegal) would be much nearer.”

— John Piper

Abortion is not an easy issue to address, especially for those who’ve had an abortion or are considering one in the future. However, Scripture affirms we can rest confidently in the assurance that God will make all things new to those who repent of their sins and reconcile their hearts to Him.

For He alone can heal the brokenhearted (Psalm 147:3), create beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3), and restore the years we have wasted away (Joel 2:25). Yes, He can even provide a way of escape in extreme circumstances so abortion is never an option we would ever consider or allow in the future.

We simply need to put our complete trust in His sovereignty forevermore because He knows what it is best for us and will never forsake us, no matter how far we’ve fallen away from His grace and mercy.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment” (Psalm 51:1–4).

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:10–12).

GET INFORMED:

Please be informed and educated about abortion procedures and gain a better understanding of what they entail, visit: PRO LIFE CONNECT. This resource provides accurate, evidence based information designed to educate and inform people about the medical, emotional, and social aspects of abortion. Understanding the facts is a critical step in making informed decisions and engaging thoughtfully in the abortion debate.

BIBLE VERSES ADVOCATING FOR THE PRE-BORN

Psalm 139:13-16 “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Human beings are created in the image of God in their moral, spiritual, and intellectual nature.”

Job 33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

Psalm 119:73 “Your hands made me and formed me.”

Job 10 :11-12 “You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and steadfast love.”

Matthew 1:20 “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’”

Psalm 100:3. “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”

Isaiah 44:24 “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: ‘I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.’”

Isaiah 64:8 “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Psalm 127:3-5 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!”

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in your mother’s body I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart to serve me. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”

Luke 1:15 “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”

Luke 1:41, 44 “When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. [And she exclaimed], ‘when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.’”

Isaiah 49:1, 5 “The Lord called me from the womb… formed me from the womb to be his servant.”

Galatians 1:15 “But God set me apart from the time I was born. He showed me his grace by appointing me.”

Isaiah 45:9-11 “How terrible it will be for anyone who argues with his Maker! He is like a broken piece of pottery lying on the ground. Does clay say to a potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does a pot say, ‘You don’t have any skill’? How terrible it will be for anyone who says to his father, ‘Why did you give me life?’ How terrible for anyone who says to his mother, ‘Why have you brought me into the world?’ The Lord is the Holy One of Israel. He made them. He says to them, ‘Are you asking me about what will happen to my children? Are you telling me what I should do with what my hands have made?’”

Exodus 4:11 “The Lord said to him, ‘Who makes a man able to talk? Who makes him unable to hear or speak? Who makes him able to see? Who makes him blind? It is I, the Lord.’”

1 Corinthians 1:27 “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”

Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.”

Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.’”

Exodus 23:7 “Do not kill the innocent and righteous.”

Proverbs 31:8 “Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves. Speak up for the rights of all those who are poor.”

Proverbs 24: 11- 12 “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?”

Psalm 41:1 “Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him.”

Psalm 10:12-15 “Lord, rise up! God, show your power! Don’t forget those who are helpless. Why do sinful people attack you with their words? Why do they say to themselves, ‘He won’t hold us accountable’? God, you see trouble and sadness. You take note of it. You do something about it. So those who are attacked place themselves in your care. You help children whose fathers have died. Take away the power of bad and sinful people. Hold them accountable for the evil things they do. Uncover all the evil they have done.”

Isaiah 58: 6-10 “Set free those who are held by chains without any reason. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves. Set free those who are crushed. Break every evil chain. Share your food with hungry people. Provide homeless people with a place to stay. Give naked people clothes to wear. Provide for the needs of your own family. Then the light of my blessing will shine on you like the rising sun. I will heal you quickly. I will march out ahead of you. And my glory will follow behind you and guard you. That is because I always do what is right. You will call out to me for help. And I will answer you. You will cry out. And I will say, ‘Here I am.’ Get rid of the chains you use to hold others down. Stop pointing your finger at others as if they had done something wrong. Stop saying harmful things about them. Work hard to feed hungry people. Satisfy the needs of those who are crushed. Then my blessing will light up your darkness. And the night of your suffering will become as bright as the noonday sun.”

Matthew 25: 34-40 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

Luke 4: 18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.”

—————

***By Daniel Ploof at Journey Into The Wilderness and the Advocacy team at Focus On The Family / Photo by lifenews.com

Topics of Interest:

Planned Parenthood Origins

Support for Crisis Pregnancies in USA & UK

6 Reasons Why Sexual Predators Target Churches

Published on by Editor

The Bible warns us about wolves that wear sheep’s clothing, those who pretend to be followers of Christ but have ulterior motives and seek to deceive and harm others. Jesus Himself spoke of this in Matthew 7:15, saying, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

It is terrible but true—sexual predators target churches. In the mind of a predator, a church offers a compelling target and, too often, an easy target. I recently worked my way through On Guard by Deepak Reju and learned that there are at least six reasons why sexual predators specifically target churches.

“…Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

1. Christians Can Be Naïve About Sexual Predators

Some sexual offenders state it outright—they go after churches because Christians tend to be naïve. Anna Salter says, “If children can be silenced and the average person is easy to fool, many offenders report that religious people are even easier to fool than most people.” Reju says, “Christian are, generally speaking, trusting folks.

Child abusers recognize this fact and want to take full advantage of it.” He quotes a former prosecutor who lays it out: “For a variety of reasons, we naively tend to automatically lower our guard when we are amongst professing Christians. This same naïveté is why offenders flock to the faith community; no other environment provides them such quick and easy access to children without fear of raising concerns.”

2. Christians Can Be Ignorant of the Problem

Christians are not only naïve, but also ignorant—ignorant of the problem of abuse and the extent of the problem within faith communities. Many Christians consider it unlikely or impossible that abuse could happen within their church, so they fail to take adequate measures, they ignore warnings and they disregard reports.

Reju says, “Many Christians don’t know how to distinguish likability and trustworthiness. They confuse the two categories, assuming that if someone is courteous and nice, they must also be trustworthy. Moreover, some Christians behave as though the problem doesn’t exist, and some look with suspicion on reports of abuse. They believe children are lying and are more prone to take an adult’s word. Sexual predators know that these dynamics operate in churches, and they know they can get away with a lot on account of it.”

3. Many Churches Offer Sexual Predators Access to Children

Perhaps most simply of all, churches offer access—and often very easy access—to children. Reju says this well: “Because churches are always looking for help with children’s ministry and often are facing shortages of volunteers, sexual offenders know that churches are desperate. In children’s ministry, volunteers are often late. Some cancel at the last minute when they had promised to volunteer.

Others don’t even bother showing up for their service. So, when a courteous, kind, reliable man walks in and offers to help, who’s going to turn him down? No other organization provides such quick and easy access to children. Sexual predators know this, so they show up at churches, eager to make themselves known and ready to serve.”

4. Many So Called Christians Abuse Authority

Sometimes authority is put in the hands of evil individuals who then abuse that authority by taking advantage of others. Christians are rightly taught to submit to authority, but not always warned that there are situations in which authority can and must be defied. “Child abusers will use positions of spiritual authority to gain access to children and abuse them.

Ask yourself: If a pastor or priest walks into a room, what’s your normal disposition? Most of us have a degree of caution around strangers until we’ve gotten to know them and built a trusting relationship. But pastors and priests are often afforded trust just because of their position as clergy.” This, of course, has been proven again and again by sickening news headlines.

5. Churches Can Be Manipulated by Sexual Predators

Church offers religious roles or language that abusers can manipulate to accomplish their ugly purposes. Child abusers often use church-based roles in order to provide rationale and cover for their abuse. An offender may take on a role like Sunday school teacher, nursery worker, youth minister, camp supervisor or pastor in order to gain the position he or she needs to access children. He may “also use religious language to confuse a child’s understanding of God, sin or faith. An offender might tell a child that he is loving the child when in fact he is abusing him.

The child might have a sense that he is sinning in some way, especially if he hears from his parents or the church that sex outside of marriage is sin. But when a Sunday school teacher or pastor or priest tells him something like, ‘God told me to do this, so you must obey me,’ or ‘This is not sin, but love,’ the child will not only be confused but will be inclined not to second-guess a religious authority figure.” Religious roles and language can provide all the cover an abuser needs.

6. Many Churches Offer Cheap Grace

Sometimes abusers are caught, but even then they may get away with their crimes. Abusers count on receiving cheap grace—grace that comes far too freely and with far too little cost. “Abusers are not dumb. They know that if they cry, offer words of contrition and promise never to do it again, they are very likely not to have to face significant consequences.

Pastors and churches are very forgiving. They are quick to apply the gospel—and very, very slow to apply the consequences that come from the law.” An offender will weep and admit that he was wrong and promise never to do anything like it again, and the church may respond by determining they will let it go this once. But when they do that, they simply allow the offender to go right back to his behavior, and allow the child to remain a victim.

In the face of all of this, it is no wonder that the Bible calls us to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). But while all of these dangers are true, and while abusers are deliberate in targeting churches, this does not mean that we are left defenseless. For that reason the bulk of Deepak Reju’s book is dedicated to creating and enforcing policies that will protect the innocent—innocent children who participate in church activities, and innocent adults who care for them. Please, will you have someone in your church read the book and see how you can better prevent abuse in your church fellowship.

—————-

** Article by Tim Challies at Church Leaders – challies.com + Daily Effective Prayer / Book by Deepak Reju called “On Guard: Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse at Church” / Photo by Adrien Olichon at Pexels

Popular Articles

A Clear Gospel Message

The Abortion Debate

Human Trafficking / Child Abuse

The True Gift

True or False Conversion

Once Saved Always Saved?

The Judge – Upholding what is right comes at a cost

What is a True Christian or Believer

Prayer Speaking to God

Forgiving Others as God has Forgiving you

Prayer for forgiving others

Living Right Today