PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN IN A DANGEROUS WORLD

EVIL COMPANIONSHIPS

30% of teens are offered drugs in high school and middle school. (Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base) 32.2% teens try their first drink before the age of 13. (Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base) 25% of teens have been involved in at least one episode of binge drinking. (The Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

The Kaiser Foundation states that nearly 50% of adolescents between the ages of feel pressured into having sex in relationships. Teens are infected by 4 million new STDs every year.

According to the U.S. National Center for Education Statistics… involving representative samples of U.S. high school students, found that 5.9% of students carried a weapon (e.g. gun, knife, etc.) on school property during the 30 days antedating the survey… 7.8% of high school students reported having been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property at least once…

12.4% of students had been in a physical fight on school property at least once… 7 percent (10 percent in urban schools) of teachers in 2003 were subject to threats of injury by students. Five percent of teachers in urban schools were physically attacked, with smaller percentages in suburban and rural schools.

HOMESCHOOLING : A Guarantee Of “Success”? “In the last five years I have heard countless reports of highly sheltered homeschool children who grew up and abandoned their parents' values. Some of these children were never allowed out of their parents' sight… yet they still managed to develop an appetite for the world's pleasures… Conversely, I've known some Christian young people who went to public school… Their parents broke the all the ‘rules of sheltering,’ yet these kids grew up close to their families and resilient in their walks with Christ.”

POWER OF ASSOCIATIONS Proverbs 13:20 ESV Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. 1 Corinthians 5:6 ESV Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 1 Corinthians 15:33 CEV Don't fool yourselves. Bad friends will destroy you.

POWER, DANGER OF THE MEDIA

According To A Study From University Of Michigan Health System (August 2010) An average American child will see 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders on TV by age 18. Most violent acts go unpunished on TV and are often accompanied by humor. The consequences of human suffering and loss are rarely depicted…

According To A Study From University Of Michigan Health System (August 2010) The presence of alcohol on TV runs the gamut from drinking or talking about drinking on prime-time shows, to beer ads, to logos displayed at sporting events. Many studies have shown that alcoholic drinks are the most common beverage portrayed on TV, and that they are almost never shown in a negative light…

According To A Study From University Of Michigan Health System (August 2010) The number of sex scenes on TV has nearly doubled since 1998, with 70% of the top 20 most-watched shows by teens including sexual content. Fifteen percent of scenes with sexual intercourse depict characters that have just met having sex. Of the shows with sexual content, an average of five scenes per hour involves sex.

“Web Pornography's Effect On Children” A Study Published By American Psychological Association (Nov. 2007) “Each year about 40 percent of teens and preteens visit sexually explicit sites either deliberately or accidentally… 42 percent of Internet users ages 10 to 17 had been exposed to online porn in the last year… In one study surveying 471 Dutch teens ages 13 to 18, the researchers found that the more often young people sought out online porn, the more likely they were to have a "recreational" attitude toward sex--specifically, to view sex as a purely physical function like eating or drinking.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, (10) nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. – OUR children will NOT “know”, if been trained by this world’s standards!

DANGER OF DEFIANCE

O.D.D. Behavior (According To American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry) “In children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)… Symptoms may include: Excessive arguing with adults Often questioning rules Deliberate attempts to annoy or upset people Blaming others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior Often being touchy or easily annoyed by others Mean and hateful talking when upset Spiteful attitude and revenge seeking”

Their Solutions… “Take a time-out or break if you are about to make the conflict with your child worse, not better. This is good modeling for your child. Support your child if he decides to take a time- out to prevent overreacting. Pick your battles. Since the child with ODD has trouble avoiding power struggles, prioritize the things you want your child to do. If you give your child a time-out in his room for misbehavior, don’t add time for arguing. Say ‘your time will start when you go to your room.’”

Divine Wisdom… Love & Teach Your Children. [Titus 2:4] Show Your Children A Godly Example. [Proverbs 20:7] Our Children Should Never Be Confused About Who Is In Charge. [Pr. 22:6] When Children Disobey, Make Their Choice Unpleasant With Fair But Firm Correction. [Pr. 22:15] Be Consistent And Persistent. “Pick Your Battles”, But Win Every Time. [Pr. 19:18]

DANGER OF SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE

“THE UNKNOWN GOD” One survey revealed 82% of the respondents thought, “God helps those who help themselves,” is in the Bible. 12% believed Joan of Arc was the wife of Noah. Among graduating high school seniors 50% thought Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife. A large number of one group polled indicated the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham. Fewer than half of adults polled could name the four gospels and 60% could not name five of the Ten Commandments.

Ephesians 6:4 ESV Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. CEV Teach them and instruct them about the Lord. NLT Bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. BIBLE “CLASSES”, DISCUSSIONS, READINGS, STORIES, SONGS

Danger Of FALSE TEACHERS….. See Ephesians 4:11-15 Tactics of FALSE TEACHERS prey upon YOUNG. `Need to “inoculate” our children against the reoccurring innovations. There are movements among us now! Teach your children! (Must know OURSELVES!)

Children Need Direction, Protection… There Is A Role For Many… But The Job Is Ours!

WHAT JOB IS MORE IMPORTANT?