He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God." (Josh 4:24)
"It is the duty of parents to tell their children betimes of the words and works of God, that they may be trained up in the way they should go. In all the instruction parents give their children, they should teach them to fear God. Serious godliness is the best learning. Are we not called, as much as the Israelites, to praise the loving-kindness of our God? Shall we not raise a pillar to our God, who has brought us through dangers and distresses in so wonderful a way? (Matthew Henry)"
So, what happens when children aren't taught to fear God? What happens when godliness is not something that they grown up seeing and imitating? What happens when all they see and hear are lies and deluded lifestyles? They become what we have present in this country today. They become liars, murderers, thieves, drug addicts, drunks, angry, selfish, sociopathic and are socially incapable of exhibiting anything that resembles what God had planned for them. I know that right now, your thoughts are running to young people. Take a look around you and you will see these effects that have manifested themselves into those closing in on the final years of their lives. You will see grown men who still rant and rave like two year olds insisting that they are right, that their plight is someone else's fault. You will see women never satisfied with what they have, always searching for the next "Mr. Right". You will see them continue into their 50's and 60's blaming others for their situations, their failures and their lifestyles continue from one day to the next excluding God from any of it. And they have the audacity to ask "why me"!!!
I've said before that we all believe we have a right to be happy - but not before God's right to be happy. God's hand on our shoulder will lead and direct us towards His path for us. If we keep pushing His hand away (like the two year old - "I can do it myself") we will obviously end up lost and miserable. Awakening the spirit within is not enough - we need to nurture it! It is a great adventure! Its where we find out what God calls us to do, when He wants from us, what His many blessings on us can encompass. Studying God's word gives us the tools we need to live a life that is pleasing. We cannot avoid the temptations of the enemy and the nightmares we "born again" parents face with regard to our children (and often our spouses) and their lack of faith and respect (and fear) when it comes to our Heavenly Father can be overwhelming. Only through prayer and petition can the power of the Holy Spirit enlighten those loved ones to take up their cross, saddle up their horses and blaze the trail God has laid before them! Only through God's amazing grace is any of this possible - and it is possible - if you continue to pray and set the example (even if they still refer to you as the crazy psycho who used to live in their house). Don't let the enemy convince you that you are all that they say you are - know who you are - know who God has helped you to become - know that HIS power and love for you is greater than ANY other! Shake it off, say goodbye to it and move forward - He has the most amazing plan laid out for you! It includes, but many not necessarily be limited to...HEAVEN!!!
