​The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Rules the World
by William Ross Wallace (1819-1881)
 
“Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace.
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
oh, no matter where the place;
would that never storms assailed it,
rainbows ever gently curled,
for the hand that rocks the cradle
is the hand that rules the world.
 
Infancy's the tender fountain,
power may with beauty flow,
mothers first to guide the streamlets,
from them souls unresting grow --
grow on for the good or evil,
sunshine streamed or evil hurled,
for the hand that rocks the cradle
is the hand that rules the world.
 
Woman, how divine your mission,
here upon our natal sod;
keep – oh, keep the young heart open
always to the breath of God!
all true trophies of the ages
are from mother-love impearled,
for the hand that rocks the cradle
is the hand that rules the world.
 
Blessings on the hand of women!
fathers, sons and daughters cry,
and the sacred song is mingled
with the worship in the sky --
mingles where no tempest darkens,
rainbows evermore are hurled;
for the hand that rocks the cradle
is the hand that rules the world.”
 
Mothers give life, love, comfort, counsel, guidance, teaching and encouragement. They turn a house into a home and nurture families. Families are the basic building block of society and mothers have the most important responsibility in daily love and counsel raising children in the love and fear of the Lord. My mother taught me to read before I began to go to school. She taught me to love books, to love knowledge and to love animals.

"Honour your father and mother' which is the first commandment with a promise." Ephesians 6:2
 
Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
mission@frontline.org.za
www.FrontlineMissionSA.org
​
See:
Magnificent Mothers with a Mission (for the PowerPoint, click here, for the audio click here).
 
Find Victorious Christians Who Changed the World and Victorious Christian Women Facebook pages. Please like and share their postings and presentations.

Women have an honoured place in the Bible - Sarah, Rebekah, Miriam, Deborah, Ruth, Hannah, Esther, Elizabeth, Mary, Dorcus and Lydia.
Women were:
Last at the Cross
First at the Tomb
First to proclaim the Resurrection
First converts in Europe.

1. Jochebed, the mother of Moses, refused to comply with Pharaoh's edict. She defied the baby killing culture of Egypt and devised a bold plan to save her baby's life - right under the household of Pharaoh himself. The Exodus of Israel from bondage in Egypt and the Law of Moses - the Ten Commandments - continue to be the foundation of Western Civilisation.
2. Ruth forsook the pagan culture of Moab and travelled to Israel to find a Kinsman Redeemer. She became the great grandmother of King David - whose descendants continue to rule. "Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God."
3. Hannah, though jeered at for being childless, and misjudged by Eli as being drunk when praying, determined to seek a child from the Lord - in order to consecrate him back to the Lord - and she gave birth to Samuel, who at an early age learned to say: "Speak, Lord, Your servant listens." Samuel grew to be one of the greatest of Israel's prophets and the one who anointed David as the next king of Israel. (Andrew Murray's Africa Institute in Wellington sent out hundreds of missionaries under the slogan: Africa for Christ. Their building is named: Samuel - Received from the Lord, Given back to the Lord.) Hannah kept her word and gave Samuel back to the Lord for His service - and the Lord blessed her with more children.
4. Elizabeth, childless, sought the Lord and had the privilege of raising John the Baptist - whom Jesus described as "the greatest man born to women." It was John who prepared the way for the Lord, fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah: "The voice of the one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight'." "He must increase. I must decrease". "I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire!"
5. Mary, the most blessed of all mothers who humbly submitted to God's will: "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to Your Word." . What an honour Mary had of being the earthly mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. As Mary instructed: "Whatever He tells you to do, do it!"
6. Eunice, (and grandmother, Lois) who brought up Timothy in the sincere Faith ( and ), raised a dedicated Christian who became the Apostle Paul's right hand man and indispensable co-labourer in the Mission of winning Europe to Christ.
7. Susanna Wesley, who gave birth to nineteen children - including John and Charles Wesley. They credited her prayerful instruction and godly example as shaping the whole direction of their lives dedicated to holiness and Revival. The Great Evangelical Awaking that they were part of transformed England and ensured that the Revolution that wrecked France would not destroy Britain.
8. Elizabeth Whitefield, a widowedinn keeper, said to her son George: "I expect more from you than from all the others." George Whitefield grew up to become one of the most effective Evangelists in history. Revival blessings accompanied his open air proclamation of the Gospel throughout the British Isles and North America.
9. Ann Judson, the mother of modern missions, gave her life winning the people of Burma to Christ.
10. Ann Moffat,the devout mother of Robert Moffat, beseeched him, as he headed off to the world, to become a sailor, to promise her that he would begin each day with God and that he would end each day with God. She then kissed his forehead. Robert testified, that "It was that promise and that kiss that made me a Missionary." Robert went on to be the first to translate the whole Bible into an African language. Robert also had the privilege of inspiring David Livingstone to come as a Missionary to Africa with his stirring speech of "the smoke of a thousand villages where the Gospel of Christ has not yet been heard."Moffat and Livingstone opened up Africa for the Gospel of Christ. What an impact Mrs. Moffat had on the history of Africa through her faithful discipleship of her son. Robert later testified that it was his mother, Ann, who had filled his mind and heart with the exciting exploits of Moravian missionaries and other Gospel pioneers across the seas.
11. Amelia Taylor prayed above the chemist shop her husband ran: "Dear God, if you should give us a son, grant that he may work for You as a missionary to China." Their home schooled son, Hudson Taylor, who was reading by age 4, grew up to do just that, launching the China Inland Mission, which mobilised over a thousand missionaries to China in his lifetime. CIM became the first truly interdenominational Faith Mission and the largest Mission organisation of the Greatest Century of Missions.
12. Mary Slessor's mother, (also Mary) dedicated her two sons to missions to Nigeria, but they both died before they were old enough. So Mary Slessor went as a Missionary to Calabar, in Nigeria, in their place. She was called Eko Kpukpro Owa (Mother of all the people) for her tireless work in adopting abandoned children, fighting the slave trade and ending the killing of twins. Mary Slessor of Calabar transformed Nigeria through the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Courageous and fearless, she confronted witchdoctors and saved lives.

The Highest Privilege
There can be no greater privilege than raising the next generation. There can be no more strategic priority than giving life and raising precious Covenant children to love, honour, obey, worship and serve our Great God and Saviour.
Multi-generational Blessings
Do you have a vision of what God can do in, with and through you and your children? Do not settle for less than God's best. Make the fulfilment of the Great Commission your supreme ambition. Make disciples and teach obedience to all things that the Lord has commanded. Pray that the Lord of the Harvest would use your children to advance His Kingdom. The safest place in the world is in the centre of God's Will. Intercede for your children, even before they are born, like Amelia Taylor did. Bring up your children in the sincere Faith, like Eunice raised Timothy. Consecrate your children to the Lord's service, like Hannah gave Samuel back to the Lord, who had so graciously provided him.
Strategic Priorities
"Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren."
This is God's instruction to you as a parent:
"To train up a child in the way he should go" . To diligently teach your children in your house, and as you travel, from the first thing in the morning to the last thing at night (). To care for, provide for, nurture and love children in the Lord is a most rewarding and vital calling. Mothers have a great privilege and great responsibilities. Families are the basic building blocks of society. As goes the home, so goes the church and the nation.
The Birkenhead Drill
Hence the women and children first cry of the Birkenhead and Titanic - by chivalrous men who respected mothers.
Solid Foundations for Life
From their earliest years, children need to be taught to fear God, to love His Law, to read His Word, to love and honour and worship our Lord Jesus Christ and to desire the triumph of His Kingdom on earth.
Honour Your Mother
Parenthood is so fundamentally important that God's Word comes to all of us to honour our mothers:"Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you."
"Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father and keep My Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God."
The Curse of Egalitarianism
"Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt."
Egalitarianism is a curse. Failure to respect our parents is a terrible sin. (Many often have greater respect for secular Humanist Hollywood stars and actors than for their own parents).
"The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out and the young eagles will eat it."
Restoring Respect
'"Honour your father and mother' which is the first commandment with a promise."
"Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly…"
We need a revival of respect for the elderly and we need to value and prize mothers for the precious jewels that they are. We need to rise up and become a blessing to our mothers who sacrificed and served us so diligently.
What does God want you to do to show honour, respect and appreciation for your mother and grandmothers? Let us be careful to be doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 1:22).

Dr. Peter Hammond

Everything has Consequences
My answer is that these are the inevitable consequences of the spirit of our age:
Antinomianism, the rejection of God's moral Law, inevitably leads to lawlessness, where every man does what is right in his own eyes. 
Egalitarianism, the rejection of authority and lack of respect for elders, produces a self-centred and selfish society.
Evolutionism and its denial of the Creator, and therefore of accountability to Almighty God on Judgement Day, erodes the very foundations of Christian civilisation.

All Ideas Have Consequences
Foundationall truths have been ignored and vital pillars of Christian civilization have been eroded. What we are seeing today are the inevitable out-workings of false doctrines being introduced, tolerated, accepted, and in many cases, even celebrated.

Full Salvation
One of the great problems of our age is the separating of Salvation from the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is the Lord Jesus Christ alone who can save us. We cannot accept Jesus as Saviour without submitting to Him as Lord. Those who preach a cheap grace and an easy believism, betray an inadequate understanding of the problem of sin, the nature of God, Christ's Mission on earth and our purpose and calling as Christians.

Freedom from Bondage
It would not have been sufficient for Moses to have proclaimed to the Hebrews, who were slaves, that they should accept that in Yahweh they had perfect freedom, whilst leaving them in bondage and under the whip of slavery in Egypt! Anything less than deliverance from Egypt and freedom from the bondage of slavery, would have been inadequate. God's eternal purposes required the people of Israel to survive the Passover, leave Egypt, cross through the Red Sea and be established as a free people in the Promised Land.

Sin is Serious
Sin is serious. We are all far too tolerant of sin. Yet, sin is more defiling than dirt, more dangerous than an unexploded bomb. Even more life threatening than a deadly disease and more insidious than a virus. "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. 'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways', says the Lord. 'For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts'." Isaiah 55:6-9

Catastrophic Consequences of Compromise and Cowardice
Compromise and cowardice have catastrophic consequences. We can recognise the out-workings of the classic tactics of "corrupt and conquer" and "confuse, divide and conquer." All too many have been deceived, distracted, divided and disarmed. There are those who are openly advocating the destruction of Christian civilisation. Yet, in the face of these disastrous developments, the response of all too many Christian leaders has been compromise and cowardice!

The Ascension Deal with Authority
Ascension Day points us to the solution to all these problems. Ascension Day deals with Authority. "Christ has gone into Heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him." 1 Peter 3:22

The Nature of God
The trouble is that today, most Christians just want to stop with Christmas. Christmas celebrates the greatest Gift of all - the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Incarnation of Christ, when God took on human form and was born in Bethlehem, is very important, but many would prefer to think of Christ as the Babe in a manger, rather than as the Risen, Ascended, Sovereign Lord reigning on High. Yet the classic Christmas verse declares: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the Government will be upon His shoulder. "And His Name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His Government and peace there will be no end." Isaiah 9:6-7

Trying to Evade Reality
Many like the idea of "a Child is born", but they would like to stop there and edit out "the Government will be upon His shoulder… Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His Government and peace there will be no end. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." That is too intimidating. Too threatening. Too intrusive. It has implications for every area of life. We like a God of love and mercy who answers our prayers, and provides all our needs. However, we are not too comfortable with a Holy God who sees everything, even the thoughts of our hearts, and who is the Eternal Judge we must give an account to.

The Government
We live in a society where God's Government is de-capitalised and man's civil government is capitalised! Many people who will put a small "g" for Gospel, will put a capital "G" for their civil government. When we refer to "the Government." we should only be referring to God, who is the One who determines whether we live, and when we die. He is the One who governs the universe and determines the seasons. God alone is all-knowing, everywhere present and all powerful. 

Delegated and Limited
All human authority is limited, it is delegated by God and is answerable to Almighty God. We will all have to bow before Christ and give an account of our lives, and of every word ever spoken, on that last, dreadful Day of Judgement. Each one of us have an appointment. "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the Judgement." Hebrews 9:27

Christ Has Died
The second most important holiday in the Christian calendar is Good Friday - when we solemnly remember the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ, His great sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary. He suffered, bled and died for our sins. He endured the punishment we deserve - so that we could enjoy the reward that only He deserves. This should inspire us afresh to repentance, thanksgiving, and consecration. In view of God's mercies, we should "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God…" Romans 12:1

Who Do You Worship?
However, many Christians stop there. They worship Jesus as the suffering Saviour. Roman Catholics have crucifixes depicting Christ suffering on the Cross. Protestants have tended to reject crucifixes. To us Christ is no longer suffering on the Cross. We have a simple, plain, rugged Cross, because Christ is no longer on the Cross. He is the Risen, Ascended, victorious, King of kings and Lord of lords, reigning on High.

Christ Is Risen!
The third great Christian holiday event is Resurrection Sunday. This is a joyous celebration of the victory of Christ over death, hell and the grave. Christ Jesus is Risen from the dead! He is alive forevermore! Death is defeated. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Our Lord and Saviour has been "Declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the Resurrection from the dead." Romans 1:4

Chose Life!
All the founders of religions are dead. You can visit the graves of Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius, Marx and Lenin. But in Jerusalem there is an empty tomb. "He is not here; He is Risen!"Luke 24:6. "…raised for our justification." Romans 4:25

The Missing Pillars of the Faith
It is absolutely vital that we include Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday also into our Christian calendar. This is what is all too often missing. 40 Days after Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate the Ascension of Christ into Heaven. He is alive forevermore and He is exalted and enthroned at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. He is above every other name and authority in Heaven and on earth. Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We have an Advocate in Heaven. He hears our prayers. He will crush all His enemies. He will come again. Therefore we must go and make disciples of all nations.

Rejecting the Authority of Christ
It is most significant that some governments have seen fit to abolish the long-established Ascension Day as a public holiday. Ascension Day deals with authority. "All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…"Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus Christ is Lord
The Ascension proclaims the Lordship of Christ in all areas of life. Jesus has all authority. Jesus Christ is Lord over the world of business, sports, entertainment and government. Jesus Christ is Lord over the schools, shops, cinemas, factories, hospitals, law courts and parliament. There is no area of life that is outside of His authority. Every doctor, teacher, policeman, businessman, parliamentarian, factory worker, farmer, mother, father, magistrate and supreme court judge will have to individually stand before Almighty God on the Day of Judgment and give an account of our lives.

Vindication and Victory
The Ascension celebrates the vindication and victory of Christ. No doubt the high priest, Caiaphas, King Herod and the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, thought that they were very important and powerful people. Yet these religious and political leaders are only remembered today because they arrogantly dismissed, and unjustly condemned, Christ Jesus. They did not recognise that they were condemning to death the Creator, the Giver of life, the Eternal Judge, before Whom each one of them must stand. "You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive…" Psalm 68:18

The Eternal Judge
The emperor Augustus, who issued the decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world, requiring everyone to return to their town of birth, could not have realised at that time that the Baby born to third class subjects in faraway Judea would one day Judge him. "The Lord said to My Lord, 'Sit at My right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool'." Psalm 110:1.

Is Jesus Your Salvation or Your Judge?
The Ascension proclaims the ultimate victory of Christ. Those that refused to bow to Christ as Savior and Lord today, in the day of Grace, when forgiveness is freely available, will one day be forced to bow to Christ as the Eternal Judge - when the day of Grace will be ended, when they will be condemned to hell forever. "He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies. He shall execute the heads of many countries." Psalm 110:5-6

When Will You Bow to Christ?
The question is not: Will you bow to Christ? But When will you bow to Christ? Will you bow to Christ as Saviour and Lord today, or will you only bow to Christ as your Judge on the Day of Judgment?

Every Knee Will Bow
"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at that Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11

Every Tongue Will Confess
There is no authority above that of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every knee will bow before Him. Compared to Christ the kings and presidents of this world are as nothing. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father. This includes king Herod, Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate. This includes Caesar Augustus and Nero. This includes Muhammad, Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. 

What Does Muhammad Believe?
On several occasions while witnessing to Muslims, I have heard a Muslim declare: 
"I believe as Muhammad believes!" 
At this I normally reply: 
"Then you must become a Christian."
"But Muhammad did not believe in Jesus." they will reply. 
"No, he did not then. But he does believe now!" I reply.

We Have an Advocate
The Ascension is a great comfort to believers who suffer persecution. "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16

We have an Advocate in Heaven. He hears our prayers. He ever lives to make intercession for us. He will come again. He will crush all His enemies. Therefore we should not fear governments, popes or councils. We must not bow before idols, nor may we compromise the essential principles of our Faith.

A Vision of Victory
Though Christ is physically absent from the earth, yet, through His Holy Spirit, He is spiritually present. He is all-knowing, everywhere-present and all-powerful. "For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet."1 Corinthians 15:25

The Ascension is a wonderful reminder and assurance to us that: "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."Habakkuk 2:14

The Ascension proclaims Christ's glorious triumph and His future return on the Day of Judgement. Therefore, we as Christians should return to observing Ascension Day as a Holy Day to our Faith and applying its implications into every area of life. 

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

Committed Discipleship
Ascension Day calls us to committed discipleship and consistent obedience. We need to take up our cross, forsake the world and follow Christ. Israel could not fulfil its calling by remaining in bondage in Egypt. Neither can we effectively serve God today, if we remain conformed to this world, in bondage to its sins and idolatries. Attempting to accept the benefits of Jesus as Saviour, while denying His authority as Lord over all areas of our lives, is futile. That is why we need to go beyond celebrating Christmas, worshipping the Babe in the manger. We need to go beyond accepting the Atonement for our sins and recognise that Jesus Christ is Risen, Ascended, reigning on High, King of kings and Lord of lords. He will come again to Judge the living and the dead.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Do you fear God?
Have you surrendered to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?
Are you studying His Word and seeking to faithfully apply Biblical principles to all areas of life?
Let us go back to the Bible for Reformation and Revival.
Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father!

Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Email: mission@frontline.org.za

See also:
The Ascension and Authority of Christ
The Greatness of the Great Commission
​(To view the video, click here. To listen to the audio, click here.)
The Fire of Pentecost

​In 2006 Cyrus rose to prominence after being cast in the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana, in which she portrayed the starring character Miley Stewart, who leads a double life as pop star Hannah Montana. As per usual in the movies, she has the perfect body and hooks a ‘cool’ boyfriend in the end.
In 2010, pictures of girls, some as young as eight, dressed in red and black lingerie performing a racy dance routine to Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies” at a dance contest went viral on the internet, parents around the world were shocked. Yet what was just as shocking, was that the parents of the girls involved approved!
Other examples are just as alarming. A Sketchers’ “naughty and nice” advert featured pop star Christina Aguilera dressed as a schoolgirl in pigtails, with her shirt unbuttoned, licking a lollipop. Bratz and Barbie dolls come dressed in sexualized clothing such as miniskirts, fishnet stockings, and feather boas. G-string panties sized for 7 to 10-year-olds, are printed with slogans such as “wink, wink”. T-shirts for girls display slogans such as “hot chick” and “boyfriend material”.
The Message in the Media
Girls get this message repeatedly: What matters is how ‘hot’ or ‘sexy’ they look. It plays on TV and across the Internet. You hear it in song lyrics and music videos. You see it in movies, electronic games, and clothing stores. It’s a powerful message.
Most of us are concerned about the intrusion of pornography into every facet of society, yet we should be just as concerned about the portrayal of girls and women as flirtatious sex objects which fuels the pornography and prostitution industries.
Girls at Risk
Research conducted by an American Psychological Association Task Force links sexualisation with three of the most common mental health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression.
Frequent exposure to media images that sexualize girls affects how girls conceptualise femininity and sexuality. Girls who more frequently consume mainstream media tend to accept sexual stereotypes that depict women as sexual objects. They also place sexual attractiveness at the centre of their personal value.
Why have parents uncritically accepted these sexually immoral messages marketed at their children?
Are we perhaps like the proverbial frog in the slowly heating pot, that we haven’t noticed just how sexually immoral our society has become? Have we failed to study and obey God’s Word?
God’s Word
What does God’s Word say? A woman is first and foremost valuable because she is made in His image. “Unfading beauty” comes from a “gentle and quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:4). “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).
Vision Forum sums up the vision of bringing back Biblical girlhood beautifully, “In a world that frowns on femininity, that minimizes motherhood, and that belittles the beauty of being a true woman of God, we should dare to believe that the Biblical vision for girlhood is a glorious vision. It is a vision for purity and contentment, for faith and fortitude, for enthusiasm and industry, for heritage and home, and for joy and friendship. It is a vision so bright and so wonderful that it must be boldly proclaimed.”
What You Can Do
Teach your daughter that her value comes from who she is in Christ, rather than from how she looks. 
Help her to understand that the images of women in the media are usually unrealistic.
Don’t buy your children clothes that have sexual connotations or slogans. If you don't like a TV show, CD, video, pair of jeans, or doll, say why. A conversation with your child will be more effective than simply saying, “No, you can’t buy it, or watch it.”
Support campaigns, companies, and products that promote positive images of girls.
Complain to manufacturers, advertisers, television and movie producers, and retail stores when products sexualise girls.
Bring Back Biblical Girlhood
Parents must teach boys to value girls as friends and sisters in Christ, rather than as sexual objects.
Remember, your children will copy the way you dress and what you watch. What kind of an example are you setting for your children?
Women need real protection and respect. Let’s bring back Biblical girlhood. Please join Africa Christian Action in praying and working for true justice, righteousness and truth in Africa.
“Who will rise up for Me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for Me against evildoers?” Psalm 94:16
HOW ADVERTISERS TARGET TEENS
The constant stream of hyper-sexualized imagery and content that boys and girls are subjected to daily desensitizes their God-given conscience, encourages selfishness and lust, and reshapes their sexual desires and actions in immoral, risky and even violent ways.
Maggie Hamilton, in an article “Groomed to Consume Porn: How Sexualized Marketing Targets Children” (published in the book: Big Porn Inc: Exposing the Harms of the Global Pornography Industry, edited by Melinda Tankard Reist and Abigail Bray, 2011), summarizes how advertisers target teens:

• The methods corporations use are the very same techniques used by sexual predators to hone in on unsuspecting kids, as they meticulously groom them for their own ends.
• Like the sexual predator, corporations market their products to young people by pretending to be their friend.
• They offer gifts and incentives.
• They flatter them and talk in their own language.
• They assure kids that they ‘understand’ them.
• They deliberately use sexualised content because they know how irresistible sexual material can be.
• They work to separate a child victim from his/her parents, leaving them isolated and vulnerable.
• Media critic, Professor Mark Crispin Miller puts it this way: “The official advertising worldview is that your parents are creeps, teachers are nerds and idiots, authority figures are laughable, nobody can really understand kids except the corporate sponsor.”

Sexualized content is so prevalent among manufacturers of teen products, that most of us scarcely give it a thought. What would have been inconceivable a decade ago, has very quickly become an integral part of teenagers’ lives. When a child grows up in a toxic sexual atmosphere, accessing porn seems a natural progression.
"Do not be afraid of them... Remember the Lord, Who is great and awesome, and fight for your… daughters, your wives and your homes." Nehemiah 4:14
The above article is adapted from an Appendix in Porndemic: How the Pornography Plague Affects You and What You Can Do About It by Taryn Hodgson. 
This is a winnable war. What is the Biblical antidote to the porndemic? And what can you do to protect yourself and your family? How can we take back the culture from the pimps and pornographers? Africa Christian Action’s new book Porndemic will equip you, with the help of God, to begin to transform your community.
Now Available
This 256-page book (with 22 info-graphics and 23 pro-family action pictures) is available for R85. Contact 021 -689 4481 or info@christianaction.org.za to order.
 Available to Speak at Schools and Churches
Taryn is available to speak at schools and churches on the above article: How the Media is Sexualising Your Children, Protect Your Family From Porn or Fight the New Drug.

Taryn Hodgson

Africa Christian Action 
PO Box 23632 Claremont 7735
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689 4481 
E-mail: info@christianaction.org.za
Web: http://www.christianaction.org.za/
Join us on Facebook and Twitter

Opposition in Kenya
The new Kenyan Marriage Bill has been strongly criticised by the Kenyan Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and Christian leaders. Female lawmakers walked out of the proceedings in protest. The new law does not require that the man gets his wife's approval before taking another's wife. Legislators removed a measure to attempt a spousal veto.
Cowardly Regression
The archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Eliud Wabukala, commented: "I have to say that the proposal to recognise in the law the right of men to have as many wives as they like, was cowardly and will be a backward step for Kenya, if it becomes law. The effect of redefining marriage, whether by numbers of partners, or their sexes, is to cheapen rights so that they become a demand, that we tolerate individual preferences that are destructive of our moral fabric."
Destructive Blow at the Family
Archbishop Wabukala also opposes same-sex "marriage." To use the law of the land "to legislate for an activity which is against the natural order and consistently described as sinful in Scripture, is a very serious step which strikes at the heart of family life. It is a repudiation of God and His Word, which should make us tremble and cry out for His mercy."
Demeaning to Women
Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki, from the National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK), commented: "The tone of that Bill, if it becomes law, would be demeaning to women, since it does not respect the principle of equality of spouses in the institution of marriage."
Political Bullying
He also condemned the continual pressure by Western governments to redefine marriage by allowing for homosexual unions. "This is a very serious step which strikes at the heart of family life."
Double Standards
However, in Kenya, polyamorous "marriages" of one women to many men are still illegal. So too are homosexual "marriages."
The Family is the Basic Building Block of Society
Bishop David of Oginde read a statement produced by many Kenyan church leaders: "Let us give sober and informed decisions to family issues and not attempt to weaken it. The state is as solid as its families and so all laws should be made to strengthen, not weaken the family."
Pragmatic Arguments
Some of the justifications given for polygamy include: that because of war and other factors, men tend to die more frequently and earlier than women, and there are more women than men. Therefore, for the provision of these women, men should be able to take more wives.
Exclusive Love
However, Christianity has always rejected polygamy because it inhibits, and in fact exterminates, exclusive, devoted love. Christians have always maintained that love between a man and a woman must be exclusive. Otherwise marriage is degraded, in essence, to mere physical lust. No woman who loves her husband, and wishes to be loved in return, can tolerate "another wife".
Protecting Women and Children
Polygamy erodes the concept of a Biblical family. Christianity has always maintained that monogamy alone gives the woman the recognition, status and value that she needs. Monogamy provides the environment for raising children in a stable and loving home.
Twisting Scripture
Some maintain, on the basis of Isaiah 54, that God himself is a polygamist because he is married to every individual on earth! "Therefore, technically, logically, God is a polygamist!" declared one caller to a radio talk show I was interviewed on.
If you turn to the passage in question, it becomes clear that it is blasphemous to suggest that God would violate His own Laws and be a polygamist. The passage in Isaiah 54 is speaking to "The barren… the desolate… for you will forget the shame of your youth and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His Name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth." Isaiah 54 1-5
Plainly this passage is speaking symbolically of God providing for the widowed and the unmarried. However, this passage is not speaking about a literal marriage with individuals, but a symbolic marriage in the sense of provision and protection to those whom He has redeemed of His Creation.
Biblical Support for Monogamy
Jesus answered and said to them: "Have you not read that He who made them in the beginning, made them male and female, and He said: 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.' So then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate." Matthew 19:4-6
Adam and Eve
Here the Lord refers back to God's creation ordinance. God created Adam and provided for him a single wife, Eve. He did not provide multiple wives, nor do we have any evidence that Adam ever had another wife. This original marriage relationship powerfully portrays God's intent for marriage relationships.
Noah
Noah is called "a preacher of righteousness" 2 Peter 2:5. Noah had only one wife; his three sons only had one wife each. They alone were spared during the great destruction of the Flood.
Job
God called Job "My servant". Job was considered the greatest man amongst all the people of the East and he had only one wife.
Isaac
Isaac, the child of the promise, only had one wife, Rebekah.
Mary and Joseph
The Lord's earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, are another prime example of a monogamous marriage. The Scripture is clear; "…let each man have his own wife and let each woman have her own husband." 1 Corinthians 7:2
Deacons
It is also a standard for church leadership: "Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well." 1 Timothy 3:12
What about Polygamy in the Bible?
The objection is made: what about the examples of polygamy in the Old Testament? David and Solomon had many wives.
The Bible records many things that it does not recommend. "Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." 1 Corinthians 10:6
Polygamy originated in the lives of the murderers Cain and Lamech. Later Esau, who despised his birth right, caused much grief to his parents by marrying two pagan wives (Genesis 26:34).
The Disastrous Consequences of Polygamy
God forbad the kings of Israel to be polygamists (Deuteronomy 17:17). The Scriptures record the tremendous upheaval and chaos caused when they disobeyed God.
The deadly rivalry between David's sons from his different wives led Israel into civil war. Solomon's hundreds of wives led Solomon and Israel into idolatry, destruction and captivity. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, was humiliated by her husband, Elkanah's, other wife Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:1-7).
Abraham and Sarah had been monogamous for many years when Sarah convinced him to take Hagar in order to bear an offspring. This caused tremendous strife, the consequences of which, are still causing wars between the descendants of Ismael and Isaac, to this day.
Jacob only wanted Rachel, but was tricked into marrying her older sister, Leah, by the deception of his father-in-law. Later he took slave girls at the sisters' urgings, due to their rivalry to produce more offspring. Jacob was hardly a good example in this, nor was he at any spiritual high point at those times.
Similarly when David married Abigail and Ahinoam (1 Samuel 25:42-43), these adulterous tendencies led to David’s tragic downfall, with violent consequences for all of Israel.
From the very beginning God created one woman for one man, for life (Genesis 1:27-2:25).
Can Women Have More than One Husband?
If we are to use pragmatic arguments, in China and India there are many more men than women due to sex selection abortions. Should women have the right to have more than one husband?
Essential for Civilization
Monogamy is an essential feature of civilisation. It is impossible for any man to love more than one woman at a time. Surely this is what 'falling in love' and 'getting married' is meant to be about: exclusive love?
Mutual Partnership
Christianity maintains that marriage is a mutual partnership, therefore we reject polygamy. The promotion of monogamy, one man and one woman for life, and marital faithfulness, grants women respect, dignity and protection. Women need greater respect, dignity, honour and protection, and we dare not go back to the paganism of polygamy.
"Therefore know that the Lord Your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His Commandments." Deuteronomy 7:9

Dr. Peter Hammond
​
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email: mission@frontline.org.za
​
See also:
Reforming the Families - Reforming the Nations

​The Bible records cases where permissive parenting enabled bullies to rise up, such as Eli’s sons, Jacob’s sons, and King David’s son, Absalom. King David’s great love for his son, Absalom, led him to overlook the many failings and weaknesses of Absalom, dealing graciously with him, even after his crime of murdering his half-brother. Meanwhile, Absalom’s hatred for his father stirred up such dissension that it resulted in intense conflict and even dragged Israel into civil war. Many thousands died in the ensuing conflict (2 Samuel 18:7 – 8).
Almost as hurtful as the cruelty of bullies, is the sense of betrayal, which many feel when those that they thought were friends remain silent and inactive on the sidelines. Like the priest and the levite who walked by on the other side of the road, while the man remained bleeding on the ground, all too many friends and fellow students choose to keep their distance, or stand silent and inactive on the sidelines (Luke 10:30 – 33).
This is the very opposite of loving our neighbour as ourself and doing unto others as you would have them do to you (Luke 6:31).
There are always bullies and I had my share of taunts, teasing, being kicked, tripped, poked with injection needles while at school assembly, and being beaten black and blue by gangs at school. Now that I have children of my own, I have to help them handle the inevitable bullies they face as well. What has always concerned me is the unwillingness of many parents and teachers to recognise, or deal with, their children or students who are vicious bullies.
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare…” Proverbs 29:25
“Do not be afraid of any man…” Deuteronomy 1:17
“But the cowardly…shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”Revelation 21:8
Educationists are reporting that violence amongst school children is increasing. Many teachers are complaining about the violent character and destructive habits of so many of the children they are assigned to work with. As one put it: “They come saturated with the popular culture, foul mouthed language, resentful attitudes toward anyone in authority and arrogant disdain for learning. Their parents give them no support…”
As Norman Cona, the headmaster of Thembalethu High School in George said: “Not a day goes by when a fight doesn’t break out. Children no longer respect their parents, teachers, one another or even animals.”
Dr. Harriet Klopper, a criminologist in Pretoria, has concluded that the media is playing a key role: “It is estimated that children see more than 8,000 murders and 100,000 violent acts on T.V. before they reach high school.” Up to 80% of computer games aimed at youngsters between the ages of 8 and 14 realistically portray blood, beheadings, mutilation and death in graphic colour, with all of the associated sound effects. “And heroes who die in these games come to life again, which teach children that violence has no consequences.”
Do you approve of adultery and fornication? Would you enjoy watching criminals beat their victims senseless? Could you regard graphic violence or brutal murders entertaining? Would you want your children to learn from immoral or occultic teachers?
Of course not! We would be indignant at any such suggestion.
Yet, how often don’t we spend time unthinkingly watching such evils on T.V? And how often do our children sit in front of the T.V and watch such vile and violent programmes? Have you noticed how many of the children’s cartoons depict graphic violence, immorality and occultism?
Which of us would allow a stranger to come into our home and rearrange the furniture? Yet, daily we allow strangers on the television, or through magazines and music, to reorganise our thoughts. Strangers have become the greatest influence on the mental and emotional development of our children – through T.V. And superficial, sensational and immoral material predominates in the modern entertainment industry. It is producing an increasingly selfish, superficial, mindless and immoral society.
All of this is most valid and needs to be faced up to and dealt with, along with the violent videos, computer games and angry, rebellious, aggressive rap, rock, and hip hop “music.” One also needs to look at the role of the state schools themselves.
“A tree is known by its fruit” (Matt. 12:33). By the time the average child completes high school, they will have spent 15,000 hours in school, watched between 15,000 to 30,000 hours of television and listened to over 10,000 hours of music.
The influence of parents and churches in the upbringing of most children today is declining at an alarming rate. The disintegration of many families, absentee parents and a general absence of discipline have created a vacuum. Violent and immoral films and videos, throbbing pulsating noise masquerading as “music” and pornographic magazines, websites and SMS sites are filling the void in the aimless and meaningless lives of all too many young people.
“Since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind…” Romans 1:28
What we see influences what we think and what we think influences what we become and what we do. Ideas have consequences. Actions flow from thought patterns. What form of education is molding your child’s thought patterns? What entertainment and news media is filling their minds?
“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15 – 16
The selfishness and short sightedness of modern society is seen in litter strewn, graffiti vandalised communities. The filth, pollution and destruction of the environment in which our children play and grow up is also reflected in the self mutilation and body piercing of a growing number of confused young people. Pierced noses and eye brows, tongue studs and belly rings, along with acid rock and rap should be a wake up call to any parent. But, incredibly, all too many parents seem oblivious to the sullen, self destructive, rebellious attitudes that go along with this kind of body mutilating, mind rotting and soul destroying sub- culture.
“Another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what He had done…they followed and worshipped various gods…they provoked the Lord to anger.” Judges 2:10 – 12
In the face of these threats to our young people, how have the schools responded? Have they taken the opportunity to shape minds, morals and characters to love their neighbour as themselves, doing unto others as they would want to be done unto? Are our schools teaching respect for God, respect for parents, respect for people and property?
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Psalm 111:10
Or have our schools been pouring fuel on the fire by teaching that man is a product of evolutionary chance? By replacing Bible education with sex education, removing prayer and tolerating pornography? Teaching that violence is an acceptable solution to the problem of an “unwanted pregnancy” by killing the preborn baby through abortion? By promoting situation ethics, values clarification, alternative lifestyles, self-actualization and sexual experimentation? Effectively - to use and abuse others for our own convenience?
“The fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God’. They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.” Psalm 14:1
In a sense, the violence confronting us in our schools today are an inevitable result of rejecting the truth of Creation, absolute standards of right and wrong, the Ten Commandments, the teachings and golden rule of Christ, and the meaning, purpose and ethical foundations that comes from Christian education.
Evolution, with its “from goo to the zoo to you”, “from mud to monkeys to man”, “a whole of time and a whole lot of nothing made everything” science fiction fairy tale with its “survival of the fittest” breeds bullies.
Educationalists today are saying “At school kids should be taught exactly what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, how to treat others with respect and how to insist on their rights without infringing on the rights of others. All schools should have psychologists to help…kids who have become involved in crime or violence often need intensive, long term therapy…emotional intelligence tests…” They are deluding themselves if they think that this can possibly work. It is secular Humanist education with its “you come from nothing, you are going nowhere, life is meaningless. There are no moral absolutes”, philosophy, cannot possibly even understand the problem of bullying, let alone deal with it effectively.
“See to it that no one takesyou captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8
Historically, only Christianity with its teaching on the inherent sinfulness of man can diagnose the problem, and prescribe the solution.
“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”Deuteronomy 6:7 – 9
We as parents are responsible before God to disciple our children. From the time we wake up to the time we go to sleep the Word of God is to govern our conversation and our actions. At home, or on the road, we are to talk about God’s Word. We are to teach our children to memorise Scripture, especially the Ten Commandments. Everything we do with our hands, or think with our minds, is to be ruled by the Word of God. And our goal is to ensure that: “Your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all His decrees and commands.” Deuteronomy 6:10
Are you doing everything possible to ensure your child, or children, are learning to love and obey God?
Are you discipling your children, or grandchildren, by instruction and by example?
Do you regularly pray for your children?
Do you regularly pray with your children?
Are you regularly reading the Scriptures to your children?
Are you training your children in Bible memorisation?
Are you bringing your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4)?
Nearly 500 years ago, the great German Reformer, Martin Luther, warned: “I am much afraid that schools will prove to be wide gates to hell unless they diligently labour to explain the Holy Scriptures, engraving them on the hearts of the youth. I advise no-one to place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not constantly occupied with the Word of God must become corrupt.”
“Know therefore, that the Lord your God is God: He is the faithful God, keeping His Covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His Commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9
Dr. Peter Hammond is the author of Biblical Principles for Africa and The Discipleship Handbook.

​Modern families are in disarray. Even Christian households are increasingly chaotic; rushing to and fro from extra curricular activities that mom scarcely has time to focus on the important things. And this is if the mother does not go off to work in the morning to help with the needed / desired finances. Perhaps what constitutes a family, and its greater  purpose in the Christian community, needs to be considered again and perhaps families would benefit by understanding their individual roles within the family. God intends for each member in the family to play an important  role in family life, the ultimate goal of which is the transformation of the individual, the home, and the society for the glory of God.
 
For the mother / wife, it bears remembering that faithfulness to her  calling is the first essential element to success. Her husband must have full confidence in her at all times. She is able to set the tone of the entire household. If the mother’s disposition is cheerful, the children will be  so as well. If she views work as a burden, her children will too. Children thrive in an atmosphere of gladness. It is easy for busy moms to wish for the time to accomplish things they deem more noble than nappies, cooking, dishes, settling disputes and running a taxi service. But a wife’s first work and indeed her main orientation should be her home and the wellbeing  of all therein. Even volunteering for service such as teaching Sunday school, volunteer work or Ladies Bible studies should only be ventured into with caution, and should never replace the duties in the home. It is easy to  get swallowed up with responsibilities outside of the home and to loose sight  of the beauty in family life.
 
Husbands are to love their wives, just as Christ loves the church. It is a solemn thing for any man to take on the responsibilities of a wife and family and his sacrifices should be wholehearted. Often worries at the workplace or selfish habits take over and the children bear the brunt of this neglect and preoccupation. Fathers are to train their children in all ways and to set an example in faith and conduct. Fathers should be jealous of their families and their best interests. The sacrifices required of a husband / father are laid out clearly in Scripture and anything that does not produce lasting fruit within the family should be rejected.
 
Brothers and sisters need to be trained at an early age to love and respect one another. This starts with respect for private property. The socialist idea that all toys are to be shared by all siblings is not reasonable and causes strife and bitterness at a young age.  Life does not have all  things in common, so why should we force that on children?  Brothers and sisters that are taught from a young age to co-exist in harmony, where friendships can thrive, end up cultivating strong homes. In our busy lives it is easy  to come and go day after day, year after year, but never forming close friendships with our brothers and sisters.  Conversation amongst our children should be mutually beneficial and selfless. We need to train our children to treat members of their own families with the deepest of affection. Friends may come and go, but families are for life.  In an age where peer pressure is a harsh reality, our families need to be a safe haven for our children. Not just because mother and father make it so, but also because the lasting friendships formed amongst siblings are precious.
 
Brothers should protect their sisters and should be available to offer advice or counsel when needed. The ability to confide in a sister or  brother is a rare thing in families these days, when relationships outside of the home are too often valued above the ones in the home. We live in a culture that is convinced that social skills can only be taught in the schools or  in the youth groups at church, and yet, it is in the safety of our home that social skills should be taught, practiced and perfected.
 
It is easy within the busy-ness of a family to frequently feel like you  need some ’you time’. The idea fostered here is that your deepest longings can only be fulfilled by pursuing outside interests. But our family should be our utmost focus, especially while the children are in the home.  All things come in seasons, and the awesome task of raising a family is  all-important, but over in a few short years. We do well to invest in this joyous task  with a cheerful disposition, knowing full well that God our Father will provide the grace and strength we need.
 
The family unit is the basic building block in any society. The turmoil  and godlessness we see all around us can be traced back to dysfunctional  family units. If we are to reclaim our nation for Christ, surely this task needs  to begin within the family unit. Strong, God fearing families that are taught to unselfishly serve one another and their community will be the firm foundation of a nation that fears God.
 
What will the results then be, that are gathered up at the end of our  life? Will we have raised sons and daughters eager to serve God in the workplace, the home, in society or in the mission field?  Or will we have contributed to the problems in our nation? We can add to the chaos, or we can help to restore. May God give us the grace and diligence daily to reclaim our families for Himself.
 
by Lenora Hammond
 
Recommended further reading:
Home Making, by J.R. Miller
The Shaping of a Christian Family, by Elisabeth Elliot
The Fruit of Her Hands, by Nancy Wilson

In Randburg, a group of teenagers tortured a mouse with burning cigarettes, doused it with a flammable aerosol spray and set it alight.  Giggling hysterically, they filmed the death throws of the mouse on a cell phone camera.  Now they face criminal charges and up to 4 months imprisonment, or a fine of R20,000 if convicted.  The SPCA reports that incidents of children treating animals with alarming cruelty are on the increase. 

In Kwa-Zulu Natal, two teenage girls, aged 13 and 16, were arrested in Cato Manor on charges of assault. They had attacked a grade 10 pupil with a school belt, slapped and kicked her and allegedly tried to kill her.  The victim later attempted suicide by slashing her wrists.  

In Rustenburg, a 17 year old boy ended up in ICU with a fractured skull after being beaten up in the school toilets. 

Last year, Chadah Rowley, a 15 year old pupil at Bosmansdam High School in Bothasig died after a fight in which he was savagely beaten.  Days before his death he had told his mother: “I am scared mom, you don’t know how bad it is at school.”  Members of a gang had told him that they were going to kill him.  

According to a study published by the Free State University, more than 32% of learners said that another pupil had hit them in the past.  Most people said they were targeted by bullies in buses or taxis on the way to school, or in toilets and showers at school.  Others were bullied by teachers.  According to the study, 50% of teachers admitted to physically bullying their students.  6% of teachers confessed that they were guilty of acts of “sexual bullying” at least once a month.  Only 5% of teachers and 16% of pupils interviewed at secondary schools believed that bullying was “not a problem”.  
Professor Kobus Maree, an educational psychologist at the University of Pretoria concludes that violence among school children is definitely increasing. 
Extensive studies on bullying in England, Canada, the United States, Japan, Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands and Norway have concluded that at least 15% of students in schools are involved in bullying, and about 9% of students are victims of bullying. 
These reports define bullying as: “repeated and systematic harassment and attacks on others.  Bullying can be perpetrated by individuals or groups… and can include: physical violence and attacks, verbal taunts, name calling and put downs, threats and intimidation, extortion or stealing money and possessions, and exclusion from the peer group.” 
The studies show that while boys are more likely to be the perpetrators of direct physical attacks, girls are more likely to use: “indirect, subtle, social means to harass other girls…social exclusion, manipulation of friendship relationships, spreading rumours, etc.” 
Are you raising a victim?
Dr. Olweus (in “Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do” Oxford, 1993) describes the typical victim as “children who become repeated victims of aggression and bullying  tend to be quiet and shy in temperament, and tend not to retaliate or make any assertive responses to the initial aggression, which is then repeated by the bully.  Children who become victims typically lack friends and social support at school, and they are often not confident in their physical abilities and strength…are very unhappy children who suffer from fear, anxiety and low self esteem as a result of the bullying…some victims of bullying are so distressed that they commit, or attempt to commit, suicide.”  
Dr. Olweus also reported that “most students who are bullied either do not report the bullying to adults or they wait a very long time before doing so.  The reasons include feelings of shame, fear of retaliation for reporting, and fear that the adults cannot, or will not, protect the victim in the settings where the bullying usually takes place: the playground, the hallway of the school, or on the way to and from school.” 
Are you raising a bully?
Studies have also confirmed that “bullies tend to become aggressive adults who stand a much higher chance than average of obtaining multiple criminal convictions.” 
Are you raising a bystander?
Another important, but often over looked aspect of bullying, are those bystanders who are neither the perpetrators nor the victims, but who “follow a bully’s lead and help to harass or victimize a particular child in their class or school…the bullying may cause anxiety or fear in bystanders.  The learning environment is poisoned by bullying…” 
“Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness.  Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong…” Exodus 23:1 – 2
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
1.Look for signs such as: fear of going to school, lack of friends, missing belongings, torn clothing and increasing fearfulness and anxiety. 
2.Ask your child directly if he or she has been a victim of bullying.
3.Work with the school to ensure that they are providing good supervision for the children, particularly in the playground, and providing effective consequences to bullies.
4.If the bullying is happening on the way to and from school, arrange for your child to get to school by alternative transport or with older, supportive children who can protect them.
5.Help develop your child’s social and defensive skills.
6.Work with the Parents Teachers Association to ensure that the school implements a comprehensive anti-bullying programme and restores discipline at all levels.
7.This must include restoring the ethical and spiritual foundations to education, bringing back Bible Education and prayer, Bible reading and Hymn singing at school assemblies.
8.Supporting and developing the Scripture Union or Students Christian Fellowship group at the schools and bringing in Christian guest speakers to deal with the spiritual and moral character development of students.
9.Recognise the danger of violent video games and aggressive, angry rock, hip hop and rap “music” in providing fuel for the fire of aggressive bullying behaviour.
10.If you become aware of incidents of bullying behaviour intervene immediately. 
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

by Dr. Peter Hammond