When Parents Don’t Raise Their Children To Know The Lord

Many wrong and disturbing things can start to take place in the lives of individuals when God is not taught or an example of in the home. This is especially true when the parents are ignorant of God’s ways or don’t care and therefore, lead the kids to do that is wicked in god’s sight instead of that which is good. Things like smoking, drinking, looking at pornography, watching the wrong kinds of TV shows and movies, listening to the wrong music, fighting, arguing, cussing, divorce, sleeping around, partying, homosexuality tendencies, and other wicked and vial things are often in homes like this. Therefore, this is all the children know because of their upbringing, and when people of faith approach them it is often with ridicule. This is very sad, but unfortunately it is the life we live in today. Now, the same can be said in the times of the Bible, most importantly the days of Ahaziah. He was made king after his father Jehoram died. Unfortunately, his upbringing was not good, for his father died from a plague that God put upon him and his family. It is said that Jehoram ¹“caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.” (2 Chronicles 21:11) Even his mother, Athaliah, was not a good example to him. It is said that “his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.” (2 Chronicles 22:3) ²“Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction. He walked also after their counsel.” (2 Chronicles 22:4,5) There was no looking to God, but instead, he looked unto men for the counsel he needed. And because of this, he failed as a king and later died.

As we’ve read in scripture, Jehoram was not a good king, for he did wickedly in the sight of God, just like his parents did. He did not have a good upbringing and it showed the way he lived. Because his parents raised him up to do wickedly, so he did the same. Therefore, God sent Jehu to execute judgment upon the house of Ahab and his family. They were then killed, along with Ahaziah. However, this evil did not stop, for his mother, Athaliah, took over as the ruler of the land. She even ²“destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah” (2 Chronicles 22:10) in her fury. This could have all been stopped if the parents would have known the Lord Jesus, and raised their children up to know Him. As it is said, ³“train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) Do you understand this to be true? I hope you do, for if you did, then as a parent you would be raising your children up to know the Lord. Even your conduct would portray the love of God as best as possible when you are in and out of the home. And if you are not married yet, can you say that your parents knew the Lord and raised you up this way? If not, what was it that got you on the right path? Surely, if you are reading this message, then God is now working in your life. You may not be perfect, but striving to follow Jesus. If this is you, then praise the Lord. Just remember that as Christians, we need to make our home a place of prayer and worship to the Almighty God. Our children should know our love and devotion to God, of which nothing will ever replace our love for Him. Therefore, we seek the Lord first and teach our children to do the same.

Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I pray that more parents will start raising their children up to know You. Can’t they see the legacy they are leaving for their kids, when they don’t walk in Your ways? So often are people left without even knowing what is right and what is wrong, because Your counsel was left out of the equation. And so we have criminals on the streets, people who abuse their spouse, kids looking at pornography and into drugs. Even homosexual tendencies are brought in, thinking it is ok. Lord, these wicked and vial things are turning people’s hearts to do things that are very hurtful. Even the most abominable things in this world, being homosexuality, abortion, and pornography have no legal ramifications, making them seem right. So we have a generation who are raising their children up this way and even the news media swaying them to think in the same direction. This is so ridiculous, God, and needs to stop. I just wish that people of faith would rise up and start being a light unto the lost. May every person that believes in Your Name stand for righteousness and every good thing that You command. May our minds not be given over to the wicked ways of thinking, as we continue in prayer often and reading the Bible daily. Lord, we want to raise our children up right to know You. We wish millions of others in this world would also do the same. And if children were not raised up to know God, they can still become that bright light to their own kids, that they may do what You command and not the world. Lord, I know there are many people now that are standing up for Your cause and I am so grateful to have them in our family. What a great God You are. Your children are so amazing. I just pray that our lights never go dim, but that we keep seeking Your hand till the very end of our lives. I love You, God. Amen.

Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.

2 Chronicles 21

¹2 Chronicles 21 (KJV)
1 Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
2 And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
3 And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn.
4 Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.
5 Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord.
7 Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.
8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
9 Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.
10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.
11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.
12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself:
14 Behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:
15 And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.
16 Moreover the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:
17 And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
18 And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
19 And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

2 Chronicles 22

²2 Chronicles 22 (KJV)
1 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.
2 Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.
4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction.
5 He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramothgilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.
6 And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.
7 And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.
8 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.
9 And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.
10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.
11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.
12 And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

Proverbs 22

³Proverbs 22 (KJV)
1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.
15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.