PLEASE carefully consider what you will read here. I am sure some will be offended by what they read here, and many will reject it, if they take time to finish reading this Bible Study. Sometimes, the truth really is brutal. Getting mad and offended will not change the truth. My Pastor brought out some good points at church the other night, about the children. It was very disturbing to my soul, and I had to go dig in the Scriptures to see if this was so, and what I found is truly disturbing, and should draw us all to pray for the children whose parents are unsaved.

I've heard it preached these Scriptures in Genesis supposedly prove that fallen angels mated with women, and had giants for sons. I don't believe that. In the Greek, the word "giants' used in verse 4 means "bullies, tyrants." They were giant in reputation and power, and warriors who would fight with brutality. The Scripture also says the earth was filled with violence in those days. The sons of God, were as Adam, His creation. That would indicate there were power hungry men even then, running over whomever got in the way of their controlling grip. What else does a bully and tyrant do but run over the weaker and rule with an iron hand? They had children who became mighty men of renown, or who grew up strong, and became powerful, if you read it in the original language. Just as today, people are hungry, greedily clutching for possessions, position and power and are never satisfied.

Gen 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.

Gen 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Gen 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

Gen 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

Gen 6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

Men everywhere had forgotten God. How it must have pained His loving heart to see His creation degenerate so badly so quickly. If you read on down to chapter 7, you will see God invite the only righteous man on earth at the time in to His protecting presence, in to the ark He directed Noah to build, and into which the Lord drew the animals, and made the provision to feed all within for a long period of time. An invitation was given out to one and all. Peter tells us in his epistles (2 Pet 2:5) that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He warned people what was coming but because they had never seen rain at that time they scoffed and mocked and did not listen. Because of their rebellion, their children perished in the flood, as well. After Noah and his family were on board, God left that door open for seven days. He designed the ark. He told Noah how big to make the door. He knew it had to be big enough to accommodate the large animals that would pass through it. But it must also be big enough that only God could close it. During those seven days anyone who would have repented and listened to the warnings Noah gave all those years, could have been saved. They could have brought their children, but they didn't. They scoffed. They refused to listen or believe and because of their unbelief their children drowned in the flood with them.

Gen 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Gen 7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

Gen 7:22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.

If you read these scriptures carefully, keeping in mind current events, it is some chilling scriptures. Adam was the first man and he died according to the time line of man as read in the Bible, in 3168 BC. He lived 930 years. But, 126 years after Adam's death, Noah was born. This was 1056 years after Adam was created. In just 1056 years the earth's population had degenerated so severely, God was sick and sorry he'd made them and vowed to flood the earth, cleansing it from the wickedness that flourished continually on the planet. God directed Noah on how to build the ark, and waited patiently for 120 years until Noah finished it.

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly;

Nowhere does it say Noah's sons were righteous, but they and their wives were spared because their father, Noah, found grace in the sight of the Lord. Only eight souls were saved, in the whole world. Because of one man's righteousness. How many children perished in the flood because their parents were wicked?

Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Gen 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Gen 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Gen 7:5 And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.

Scripture says Noah was a just and perfect man, a preacher of righteousness, who walked with God. He found grace in the eyes of God. He had faith in God and his word, what little he had. Noah must have totally depended on God, for there were no Christian fellowship meetings, no church services, or pastors to call and complain to, no Bible to read, but he walked with God. Amazing. And he stood fast in a world full of sinners who mocked and ridiculed him, he was steadfast and unmoved. And his family was saved from destruction.

The next example Scripture gives is also found in Genesis, concerning Abraham who was 58 years old when Noah died, according to the time line dates given in scripture. And since Abraham was a descendant of Noah, it is possible they met. We don't know they did, but they could have. Regardless, Abraham had a nephew named Lot, who although scripture says he was a righteous man, made very bad choices, and his family suffered greatly because of them. Because Lot decided to move to Sodom, when judgment fell on the city, he had children, daughters and sons in law who perished, because they laughed in his face when this poor, compromised Christian got a word from the Lord that judgment was going to fall and it was time to separate himself from the world. He had no credibility with his family. His two virgin daughters had been so influenced by the corrupt society they had grown up around, they thought nothing of committing incest with their father. They had no desire or thought on having a relationship with God. They had no faith or love for righteousness because they'd grown up in a wicked city around wicked people, and their mother, God rest her poor soul, perished because she couldn't resist looking back, probably devastated to hear the judgment falling, knowing she had left stubborn children behind, and possibly grandchildren. How it must have hurt her heart. No wonder she looked back. But how dangerous to look back when we've been warned there is nothing to go back to. Nothing but certain death and hell if we walk away from God. We would be fools to do so, even though there may be loved ones in our family who don't want to walk with God.

Gen 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

Gen 19:16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

2Pe 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

2Pe 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds);

2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

It destroyed them all. Including the children, once again, who had the misfortune of being born to unrighteous parents. And in this case, because the righteous parent compromised, some of his children also perished with the wicked, having become defiled by the corruption around them. And possibly grandchildren, as well. When Jesus comes, he warned the disciples in Matthew 24:19 there would be woe to them who would be nursing infants in those days of the tribulation. That tells us there will be children born after the rapture. There will be children on earth after the rapture. Babies young enough to still need their mother's milk.

And what about the terrible famine that rose up in Israel-foretold by the Lord in His mercy in Deuteronomy and the people of God ended up eating their own children because they were starving? Israel was forewarned by Moses of the dangers of disobedience and abandonment of God. They were warned their children would go into captivity. They were warned about a fierce nation (Babylon) that would come and destroy their cities and take everything they had, and besiege them in the gates and famine would be so great they would begin to kill and eat their own babies. They would turn on one another in their desperation and eat their own young. (Deu 28:41-55) But in spite of the severe warning, they forgot it in the business of going about their daily lives. Over time, it was forgotten because they did exactly what it was prophesied they would do. God said if you find yourself in the latter days, in great tribulation, and these things are come upon you, if you will turn back to me, I will be merciful, I will not forsake you, if you will come back and obey my commands, and bring your children, I will turn your captivity and have compassion on you. (Deu 30:1-3, Deu 30:6, Deu 4:28-31).

Deu 32:29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!

See, God was not happy or pleased that Israel refused to listen. He even warned them what would happen when they decided down the road they wanted a king “just like everybody else in the world had” (Deut. 17:15-20)

(Fulfilled during Ahab's son, Jehoram's reign) When the famine hit Samaria, and they were besieged by the Assyrians, they were boiling their own babies and eating them, because they were starving so badly. Because of their rebellion, they had opened the door to the enemy to come against them, and because of their sin they could not stand against their enemy. They were shut up, cornered, defenseless behind the walls of Samaria, because they rejected God. When we reject the Word of the Lord and do not take heed to what He says, we leave ourselves and our children vulnerable to destruction. His Word is a protective hedge around those who heed. (2 Kin 6:25-30)

For our sakes, upon whom the ends of the earth come, it's written so we can see how children suffer because of the sins of their parents. Sin has a payday and so often, when it is time to pay up, innocents are caught in the crossfire. In Num. 31:17, the baby boys of Midian were to be killed by order of Moses, because these were the people whom Balaam had used to seduce Israel. They were trained to sin and hate righteousness from birth. Many were offered up in their infancy as burnt offerings to idol gods. And how do you think God feels about all this?

Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

Isa 1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

Isa 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Jer 2:4 Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

Jer 2:5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

Can't you just imagine the pain in God's heart as He looks down on His people, remember when they once loved Him and served Him and worshiped Him and He asks them, what bad thing have you found in me, what have I ever done to cause you to walk away from me? He's talking to His own children here, not the world that doesn't know Him.

Jer 2:9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.

Jer 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

Jer 2:29 Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.

Jer 2:30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

Jer 2:32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

Jer 3:1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.

Jer 3:7 And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

Jer 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

The Lord is desperately pleading with these people, the Creator, the Almighty, the Holy One, that inhabits eternity, is pleading with these people to return to him so he won't have to judge their sin, so he can pardon. He can not stop being holy and just because his children forsake him and sin. He's not some angry, vengeful God who relishes the idea of smacking us down with judgment for our sins. He gets no pleasure in the death and destruction of the wicked.

In 1 Kings 20:3, during Ahab's reign, Benhadad the Sryian King comes and besieges Israel, and threatens Ahab, he's going to take his children, his wives, his money, everything he has that he wants. And Ahab, interested in saving his own skin, says okay. Sure, you can have them. And made bolder by Ahab's concessions, the Syrian sends word he's going to march right into Ahab's house and take all his possessions he wants, as well. And this covetous man THEN consults the elders of Israel who wisely tell him not to let this happen. And out of sheer mercy God delivers Israel out of their hands. I say sheer mercy because this is right after Jezebel takes out a contract on Elijah's head, and is seeking vengeance for the death of her prophets. After a 3 year famine and drought. This is right before Jezebel has Naboth killed so Ahab can have his vineyard. Why would God show such mercy and give help to such a people? What kind of love is that? Amazing. Going to great lengths to show them he would pardon if they'd only return.

Deu 5:29 O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!

Isa 48:16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

Isa 48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Isa 48:18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

Wow. What a God we serve. Surely we need his help and teaching to serve Him properly, He is so worthy of our very best, and our very best is never going to be good enough outside the blood and righteousness of Christ. But oh how we should try. We were ordained to good works, that we should walk in them. That we should remember what we say and do reflects good or badly on God. What a God. After people have mistreated and misrepresented Him so, yet He still reaches out and pleads with them. Can you hear Him pleading?

Eze 16:2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,

Eze 16:3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite.

Eze 16:4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

Eze 16:5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

Eze 16:6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.

Eze 16:7 I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare.

Eze 16:8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I swore unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.

Eze 16:9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

This is what we were like when He found us in our sins, and had mercy on us, and washed us and cleansed us. He showed such great mercy to Israel, rescuing them from their own foolishness time and time again. He always left them a way of escape-and that way was through the Door, back into His waiting arms. That is heartbreaking. God has been injured time and time and time again by people. And this is just the old testament. I haven't gotten no where near the New Testament or Is. 53 what they did to Jesus, God's Son.

What does God say about the children? He says we are to teach them about Him. We are to teach them the Word of God, and teach them to fear and honor and respect Him. We are to teach them how to worship Him, and why they should love and serve Him. We are to teach by example, not by word only. Then, they can have a long and safe life, as they honor the Father. I know it's different for those who live in greatly persecuted countries and it saddens my heart, and I know it does God. I know when they get to heaven, having endured such great tribulation on earth in these poor, persecuted countries, they deserve a much better reward and position in heaven than I.

Deu 12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee forever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.

Deu 32:46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.

Deu 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, forever.

(See Job. 39:12, Ps. 102:28)

And what about 1 Sam 22:19? Because David lied, a whole village of priests and their families was slain. Including their children, and infants, by a wicked man. David's first child with Bathsheba died because of their sin. (2 Sam 12:18) Children were slain for mocking Elisha, calling him bald head, in 2 Kings, 2:23-24. They obviously weren't taught to fear and respect the Lord and his people.

And there is so much more that you can go into. Ezekiel 9:6 when judgment is falling on everybody, young and old, man and woman, child and babe, and only those who had the mark, placed on them by the angel of God who sighed over the iniquity of the people, were spared. And God said begin at My sanctuary, with the elders who know better.

But when you start talking New Testament, Jesus said the Father would give His children who asked Him the Holy Spirit. In Luk 13:34, He laments over Jerusalem, how He would love to gather them to safety but they wouldn't. (Is. 30:15, says the same thing basically, but they would not even though in returning there is rest and safety and peace in the Lord). God's children have the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:39) And this is one scripture that really concerns me: in 1 Cor.

1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

(emphasis mine)

Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

And what about Daniel? When he was sent to the lion's den, the men responsible were later sent, along with their families and their children. When you come against the Lord's anointed, someone who is serving in HIS will, it's dangerous to you and to your whole family. God could turn you over to the adversary of your soul, and let him devour your family, your children, through the destructive things people do to themselves these days. They could wind up on drugs, murdered, or killed in auto accidents. These children were given to the lions, because of the sins of their fathers.

Dan 6:24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

And what about Achan's sin? In Joshua 7, we are told his family perished, too, because of his sin. There are promises for the children, though, too.

Psa 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

Psa 127:3 Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Isa 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Jer 32:39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:

Jer 32:40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

Jer 32:41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.

Hallelujah! God wants to do us and our children good. But we have to be obedient and seek His strength and wisdom and direction on how to raise Godly children in such an ungodly society. We can dig into His Word and find the promises He made regarding our children and pray them to pass in their lives. We can hold on to them for our children, because they are insurance policies that have already been paid for. We just need to make the claim. This is for our children. He wants us to believe HIM. He wants us to entrust them to HIM. We must, for their sake, as well as our own.

Lam 2:19 Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.

Lam 3:33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

Lam 4:4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

Because of rebellious people that would not listen to God, their children suffered greatly. The Bible says children are a blessing, it also says the Blessing of the Lord maketh rich and HE addeth no sorrow with it. But sin in one's life will always bring sorrow.

Lam 5:13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.

Contrast that with what Jesus did for the little Canaanite woman whose daughter was grievously vexed. He might have said it wasn't meat to give the children's bread to the dogs, but her faith he drew out of her and put on display for the disciples to see how short they fell. And he healed her daughter. She got her petition. Jesus said the children, of such is the kingdom of God. He said it was better a millstone hanged about your neck if you cause one of his little ones to stumble. (Mat 19:14, 18:3, 19:44, Luk 2 3:28,)  And Proverbs carries hope for our children:

Pro 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

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

Pro 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Pro 23:13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Pro 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Mar 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

And last but not least, one of my most hoped in verses:

ACTS 16:31

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thine house.”  Finally, though this is a horrific thing to consider, I have seen for myself all through the Scriptures, a pleading, merciful God who wants to wash and cleanse and protect us and our children from this kind of destruction. He will teach our children and put His fear in their hearts and give them a new heart to serve Him if we will just submit ourselves and our children into His loving hands. He is not a brutal God, no, that Satan is the brutal one. So after all this: knowing that scripture clearly states during the terrible time of the tribulation, there will be children on earth suffering. Dying, most likely. Or damned by the parents' actions? I do not know. Examples in scripture indicate that is the case. It's a terrible thing to look at a beautiful innocent child, and hear the scripture echo in your mind 'else were your children unclean” and you remember the scripture says nothing unclean will enter that city in heaven. How can you reconcile such truth to children? I don't know. What if they haven't reached the age of accountability and are just small? But have sinful parents? How many children will grow up and end up in hell because their parents didn't care enough to take them to church or buy them a Bible and tell them God loved them and they needed Him in their lives? Many teenagers who are full of rebellion will perish after the Lord comes because their parents did not teach them about God and take them to church and raise them the right way. People are so selfish. They are too busy for their kids. Too busy to spend time getting to know them. They pawn them off on babysitters, or leave them with older siblings and go do their thing. You hear in the paper all the time little ones being taken into custody after mom and dad were arrested for making methamphetamine in their home. What happens to these poor little children who are so vulnerable, and need truth and love so badly? These are agonizing questions I don't know the answer to. I do know you can pray the blood over their lives and pray for their parents' salvation. I know if God would spare a city he destined for destruction for a compromiser like Lot, surely he will spare children his people intercede for. In light of what the Word says, can we not as His people, and should we not, pray for God to cover all the little children who have been born to sinful parents with the blood, and ask Him for mercy, and deliverance for the innocent ones? How can we not do this? Consider you know in your heart every day somewhere in this world, children are being trained to hate, to kill, by the Muslim extremists. Children are being brutalized by drug addicted parents. Many are molested and raped from the time they are old enough to walk, by sin sick adults. Some are sold as prostitutes and victimized and used and abused all their lives. Some are born in poverty and stricken with disease because mom or dad had aids, and they live short, harsh and painful lives. Many are neglected and tormented by the cruel tongues of uncaring parents. This is not how GOD wants it. But this is how people devour their own children when they rebel against God and truth. Remember in Samaria they were boiling their children and eating them because there was a famine. Today, the children are suffering just as greatly, all over this world. Wars have left many orphans. Courts are allowing homosexual couples to adopt now, and how can a child possibly have any sense of normalcy and stability in such conditions? I pray the Lord will give me more compassion and concern in my heart for the weakest among us. Did He not say lift up the feeble hands, strengthen the weak? I know I can't support the whole world full of needy children, but I can pray and ask God teach me how to pray for such a monumental need. I would have to honestly admit I don't know how to pray against such terrifying conditions for the youngest and most innocent among us. Today, children are treated like playthings, sexual entertainment, for many who indulge in that sort of thing. Many are abused and murdered by brutal parents. I find myself wondering how much longer God will hold back His wrath on such a brutal society as we have become? Today, people will sue you and protest loudly to spare the life of a convicted killer from a "brutal" legal execution for his crimes. They will march and protest and raise money to protect wildlife, and land from developers. But what about the innocent babies who never get an opportunity to draw their first breath outside their mothers' wombs? Even worse, what about those who are partially born only to be killed in the heinous procedure known as partial birth abortion? With all the forms of birth control available, and if you are poor, can be had for free at the local health department, where is our excuse before a holy God? Just as Abel's blood cried to God from the ground, does not the cry of these aborted, and abused children sound like a deafening roar in the ears of a God who must surely be remembering what He said to Noah, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." Time is about up. The Lord is getting ready to come. Bad things are coming, upon a nation that has bathed herself with the blood of the innocents and made excuses for the wicked. We stand guilty if we do not inform ourselves of who is running for office and go vote against them. If we allow them in, without resisting it, does that not make us in agreement by default? Sure, politics is a distasteful thing, a dirty thing, by and large, but what is really at stake? We need God's mercy on this nation. Our sons and daughters and brothers are fighting in foreign lands for our freedoms, and many are getting killed every day. How many of us spend any time praying and asking God to watch over them and be merciful to them and give them victory over this hateful enemy who teaches their own babies murder and hate? God help us to wake up and get on our knees. God help us be able to look past ourselves and see what is going on around us before He comes.