Category Archives: Parenting

Arrogance, Children, Courage / Fear, Discerning / Judging, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Greed, Hypocrisy, Parenting, Purposeful / Intentional, Selfishness, Study the Word, Tongue / Gossip / Slander

Navigating Perilous Times (2 Timothy 3)

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the challenges of the times we live in, uncertain about how to navigate through the complexities of life?

In 2 Timothy 3, the apostle Paul offers timeless wisdom for facing adversity and standing firm in faith amidst perilous circumstances.

Reconnect: In the preceding chapters of 2 Timothy, Paul writes to his beloved disciple Timothy, imparting crucial instructions for ministry and exhorting him to remain steadfast in the face of opposition. As we delve into chapter 3, we find Paul addressing the prevailing challenges of the last days, offering guidance that remains relevant for believers today.

(Summarized and continued after scripture)

2 Timothy 3

“Difficult Times Will Come”

     1But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. 9But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.

      10Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Summary Key Points:

  • Recognizing the Signs of the Times: Paul begins by describing the characteristics of people in the last days, warning that perilous times will come. He highlights traits such as selfishness, pride, and a lack of self-control, indicating the moral decay and spiritual deception that will abound in the end times.
  • Remaining Grounded in God’s Word: Amidst the prevailing darkness, Paul emphasizes the importance of Scripture as a source of truth and guidance. He reminds Timothy that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, equipping believers for every good work.
  • Standing Firm in the Faith: Despite the challenges and opposition, Paul encourages Timothy to continue in the things he has learned and firmly believe. He underscores the necessity of holding fast to sound doctrine, remaining faithful to the teachings passed down from the apostles, and rejecting false teachings and deceptive ideologies.
  • Persevering in the Face of Adversity: Paul himself serves as an example of endurance and perseverance in the midst of trials. He recounts his own experiences of persecution and suffering for the sake of the gospel, encouraging Timothy to endure hardship and follow his example of unwavering faithfulness to Christ.

Call to Action:

Let us heed Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 3 by:

  • Studying God’s Word Diligently: Like Timothy, let us immerse ourselves in Scripture, allowing it to shape our beliefs, values, and actions. Let us commit to regular study and meditation on God’s Word, seeking wisdom and guidance for navigating the challenges of our times.
  • Discerning the Times: In a world marked by moral relativism and spiritual deception, let us remain vigilant and discerning, recognizing the signs of the times and standing firm in the truth of God’s Word. Let us be wary of false teachings and deceptive philosophies, holding fast to the unchanging truth of Scripture.
  • Remaining Steadfast in Faith: Despite the pressures and trials we may face, let us remain steadfast in our faith, trusting in the promises of God and relying on His strength to sustain us. Let us persevere in following Christ faithfully, knowing that He is with us always, even to the end of the age.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, grant us wisdom and discernment to navigate the challenges of the times we live in. Strengthen our faith and fortify our hearts with the truth of Your Word, that we may stand firm amidst the shifting sands of this world. Help us to remain steadfast, unwavering in our commitment to You, and empowered by Your Spirit to live lives that honor and glorify Your name. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Father / Yahweh, Parenting, Traditions / Holidays

Yahweh Is A Good Father: Let Us Honor Him

As we celebrate Father’s Day, it is good to also focus on our Creator and Father in addition to celebrating good earthy fathers. Take time to prayerfully and thoughtfully reflect on who He is and what He has already done for You.

Respect and honor who God is. Take a few moments and be still before God. Contemplate the character of God:

  • The Great I Am
  • Creator of All
  • All Knowing (omniscient)
  • All Powerful (omnipotent)
  • Present In All Places at All Times (omnipresent)
  • Unchanging (immutable)
  • Eternal (without beginning or end)
  • Incapable of Making a Mistake (flawless)
  • Infinite (without limit or boundaries)
  • Holy (worthy of devotion as one perfect in goodness)
  • Just (behaving according to what is morally right and fair)
  • The Beginning and the End (Alpha and Omega)

In Ephesians  1:18-19 Paul prays “…that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”

Reflect on the greatness of God’s power toward you as God the Father. He is Father, Provider, Shelter, and Protector.

Honor and glorify His name. God’s name is to be separated from the world. To do this, we must separate from the world and focus on God. Focus on the Biblical names for God.

Focus on God’s character, praise Him and be thankful. His character should be reflected in our character.

  • Compassionate
  • Gracious
  • Humble
  • Pure (in body and mind)
  • Merciful
  • Giving (in time and resources)
  • Slow to anger / Patient
  • Filled with love
  • Truthful
  • Forgiving
  • Kind
  • Faithful
  • Wise
  • Servant’s heart
  • Disciplined (self-control)
  • Joyful
  • Holy (set apart from sin; set apart for God’s purpose)
  • Just (e.g. justice)

Consider picking one or more of God’s characteristics, starting with the one you understand the least, and study its meaning including study of application in scriptures. This activity will renew your mind in that area and, in turn, transform your character to be more like God and our Lord Jesus Christ. After completing this, consider doing for the other character traits over time, perhaps one a week.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for being such a wonderful Father. Thank You for caring for me even when I may not understand why I experience certain things that may be difficult. You are worthy of praise. You are the model for the father I should strive to be. Please help me (and/or pray for fathers in your life here) to become more like You. Amen. 

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Father / Yahweh, Parenting, Traditions / Holidays

Guided by YHWH: Embodying the Qualities of a Good Father

Good fathers should pursue after Christ and be spiritual leaders in their family. They should put YHWH first, their wife next and then the children in their priority list and then actually live their lives according to that standard. YHWH has said much about what it means to be a good father. It need not be a mystery.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

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

Psalm 103:13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

Psalm 127:3-5 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Luke 11:11-12 “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? “Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?

Joshua 24:14-15 “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Perhaps some scripture does not explicitly call out “fathers”, but as in Joshua 24:14-15… he demonstrates the role of a good father as a strong leader for his family committed to serving YHWH even if others refuse to do so. Psalm 127:3-5 shows a good father feels blessed to have received the gift of children.

There are many more such scriptures. I encourage you to do an internet search for “Bible scriptures about good fathers” and invest time to dive deeper. In fact, YHWH gives us the metaphor to think of Him like a Father and He is perfect. Thus we can learn a lot about being a good father from studying how He relates to His people.

Good fathers are not perfect… there is only one perfect Father. On behalf of all those fathers out there who are trying to lead, protect and provide for their families, we appreciate your grace and forgiveness when we get it wrong, and we welcome your prayers and encouragement on our behalf so we may become better and better at what YHWH has called us to be… fathers.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for the righteous fathers that are trying to lead their families in Your ways. Please help and encourage fathers to lead and love their families actively. Help fathers reflect Your character traits and be a light to others that do not know You and  godly example to their children. Amen.

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Parenting

Let the Children Come

During His ministry in this world, Jesus was very busy. It was at times difficult for Him to find quiet time or rest because He has such a heart to teach and heal people who seek Him. Jesus consistently put others’ needs ahead of His own… as demonstrated in Matthew 19:13-14.

13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” 15 And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

Jesus has a special place in His heart for children. In particular, He rejoices when we help children to understand His word and to be surrounded and raised with Jesus as a central part of their lives. Please do not overlook children and the example you set as you interact with them and lead your daily life. They need our example as Christian adults to set them on the right course… a path leading to a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ.

Please check out our website Kids Zone section for a collection of material we have found helpful to share Jesus with young children in a way they really enjoy. These are just examples. You will get the idea and be able to look for more material like this for your family. We have divided into several sections:

Together we can raise godly children for the next generation!

Children, Father / Yahweh, Parenting

Honor Your Father and Mother and Things Will Go Well for You

People generally accept that children should obey their parents as an expectation of a healthy family dynamic. There are easy-to-recognize reasons for this such as children not being able to take care of themselves in even basic ways. They do not recognize hazards like running in the street, etc.

The Bible supports this instruction for children but also adds more depth to it and direction for us fathers as well in Ephesians 6:1-4.

6 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”[b]

4 Fathers,[c] do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

These instructions are repeated again in Colossians 3.

20 Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.

It is critical for us to bring our children up in the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. To challenge them without aggravating them to the point of being discouraged and feeling inadequate. This scripture is a good reminder for us that we need to pay attention to the cues from our children on how they react to our instruction. Each child is different and needs a different style of parenting. We need to adjust our parenting approach to fit each child, not force each child to adjust to our parenting approach.

Give thanks to God that He provides such a great example to us of what it means to be a father and show that kind of love to us so we can in turn show it to our children.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Divorce, Marriage, Parenting

Advice for a Follower of Christ Who Is Married to an Unbeliever

I appreciate how Paul clearly identifies when it is his opinion or recommendation rather than instruction directly from the Lord. He provides some specific suggestions for how a believer should handle themselves if they are married to an unbeliever. First, let us be clear that a believer should not marry an unbeliever. That is not what Paul is commenting on.

2 Corinthians 6:14-15

    14Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

However, if in marriage, one spouse converts and submits to Christ as Lord, and the other does not, they can find themselves in this situation.

1 Corinthians 7:12-15

      12But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. 14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. 15Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. 16For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

Do not take this out of context to conclude that you should encourage your unbelieving spouse to leave. You should not. You should work at your marriage as unto God. You should try to keep your marriage together. That is the primary goal Paul speaks to first. Consider also 1 Peter 3:1-2.

1 Pet 3:1-2

   1In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.

I think this largely applies to husbands who have wives who are disobedient to the word as well, in that the husbands should demonstrate the godly role of the husband as defined by God.  A key is that you still live for God and put Him first. I think that is the point Paul is making. If your unbelieving spouse insists on leaving because you follow and obey Yeshua, then you can not stop following just so they will stay.

The spouse who has submitted to Jesus as Lord is to live to a different standard than the non-believer. Marriage is to be holy before God. It is to be set apart and done His way. While it is Paul, and not God speaking in this passage, he certainly has a lot of credibility in how to live in a way that is pleasing to God. If you find yourself as a believer married to a non-believer, consider Paul’s words carefully and pray that the Father would help you have the wisdom, courage, and patience to endure the situation. Pray the Holy Spirit will fill you and guide you for it is difficult for any believer to face… so don’t face it alone.

Take some time and ask God to help you in this situation if it applies to you. If it applies to someone you know, please take time to pray for them. If it does not apply to you, you can also give thanks to God that you and your spouse are both pursuing Christ and ask Him to draw you even closer.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Discerning / Judging, Parenting, Purposeful / Intentional, Wise

Make Learning About God Fun!

The world continuously bombards our children with messages that are not consistent with a Christian world view – whether online websites, apps, videos or music. However, there are some very creative Christians that have put their talents to work honoring God by creating wonderful material that is consistent with what we hear from Jesus. You and your kids can honor God and have fun doing it!

What your children are exposed to does matter. Don’t settle for programming and entertainment that mocks or ignores our Lord. Instead seek out material which trains up our children in the way they should go. Please take some time to explore the resource links we have included here and share with those you think may benefit from it. There is some great stuff to get you started. If you are like me, once you know this kind of stuff is out there, you will go look for it on your own and find much more than what I have listed here.

Check out the Kid Zone section in Resources on our website, www.HearingFromJesus.org. Click the specific links below to dive right into the Kid Zone.

Kid Zone

Proverbs 22:6

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

Do you have recommendations that honor God? Please share your input through our Contact Us page.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Parenting, Traditions / Holidays

Let Us Celebrate, Honor, and Love Mothers

We should celebrate, honor, and love mothers all year round. Honoring mothers should be more than a once a year “Thank you, Mom. Here is a gift I bought.” Let’s reflect on some of what the Bible says about the role of wives and mothers.

Deuteronomy 5:16

16‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you.

Not everyone who gives birth is a good and selfless mother, but many mothers sacrifice daily to take care of their household. They work hard. They are compassionate and loving. Good mothers are seldom idle.

Proverbs 31:13-31

13She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.

14She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.

15She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.

16She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.

18She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.

19She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.

20She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.

21She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.

24She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.

25Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.

26She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.

28Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:

29“Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”

30Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

31Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

Good mothers help to teach and guide their children in righteousness.

Proverbs 6:20-22

20My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;

21Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.

22When you walk about, they will guide you;
When you sleep, they will watch over you;
And when you awake, they will talk to you.

Children should live in righteousness and bring joy and gladness to their mother. This is a greater gift than can be put in a box with a bow to be given one day a year.

Proverbs 23:22-25

22Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.

25Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

Good mothers exemplify Biblical love, especially for their families. Their children should demonstrate this kind of love to them (daily) as well.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

4Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Remember to celebrate, honor, and love mothers all year round. There is no gift that can be purchased once a year that will bring more joy to them than loving and honoring them year round in a biblical manner. As children, let us seek to live in righteousness and lovingkindness, which will bring joy to good mothers and to YHWH.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for raising up compassionate and loving mothers among your people to care for their children and their families. Please encourage those who are overwhelmed or struggling. Please lift up godly examples for others to follow. Help us to show our love, appreciation and respect for them. Amen.

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Parenting

God Cares How We Raise Our Children!

God has a lot to say about parenting. Whoever has ears, let them hear…

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates. [Psalm 127:3-5]

Train up a child in the way he should go,  And when he is old he will not depart from it. [Proverbs 22:6]

The rod and rebuke give wisdom,  But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. [Proverbs 29:15]

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. [Ephesians 6:4]

 

Children are truly a blessing. It is important though for us to train them up properly. We must always remember that they are smart and will learn first from what we do and remember that far longer than they remember what we say!

Don’t just go through the motions and do what your parents did when you were a kid or what others around you or the world do. Seek and understand what God wants us to do. You can set a strong foundation that they can build upon.

Challenge yourself to put God as the focus of celebrations and holidays, and especially our day to day. What media (e.g. movies, books, games, apps ,etc.) do you allow? Do they honor God? or do you rationalize that they are probably not as bad as other stuff that is out there? We should raise our expectations to follow God’s standard, not just try to be less bad than those around us!

And always remember that the best way to show love is not to buy something but rather to spend quality time with them doing something they enjoy.

Focused Ministry

  • Focus on the Family is a ministry with specific focus around marriage and family. There are many resources available including material focused on parenting.

Books and Other Resources

  •  While They Were Sleeping  is a prayer guide that guides moms (and dads) through prayer for their children focused around 12 important character traits we all want our children to have.

Check out our website resource page for Parenting to follow as we add more resources that help us honor God as we raise our children.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead and guide Your people as parents raising children. Help us to raise godly seed. Help us to set the example of being set apart from society. Help us to set and lead to Your standards and not simply be “less bad” than others around us, because that standard is constantly changing and moving further and further from You. Prepare our children to be bold and courageous in living for You and embracing Your ways. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Consequences of Sin, Idols / False Gods, Parenting, Repenting from Sin, Traditions / Holidays, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil

Will You Lead Your Children in Righteousness or Be a Stumbling Block?

The actions of parents can have significant impact on the path which their children follow. Parents who live in sin and rebellion, apart from Yahweh, set that example for their children. Even if the parents later repent, and humble themselves before Yahweh, there is still opportunity for their children to stay on the wrong path.  Parents have potential to be a big help or a stumbling block for their children in their walk with the Yahweh.

2 Chronicles 33:21-25

Amon Becomes King in Judah

      21Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22He did evil in the sight of the LORD as Manasseh his father had done, and Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and he served them. 23Moreover, he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done, but Amon multiplied guilt. 24Finally his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. 25But the people of the land killed all the conspirators against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

I am sure Manasseh would not have wanted this path for Amon. Manasseh humbled himself and repented before the LORD. However, Manasseh had previously created idols and led the people to wrongful worship of false gods and even after he repented, the people still worshipped at the high places, against Yah’s instruction. Manasseh’s actions, even though he later repented, established potential to impact not only his people, but his own children.

Let us humbly remember the same for our own lives. We have impact on those around us. In particular, we have impact on those who are closest to us. Keep this in mind when considering your relationship with Yahweh. If there are things that you should repent of, do so early and take on the hard work of change and repentance so your children may not have to or so they have a better chance of success doing so! Do not be a stumbling block for your own children in their pursuit of Yahweh.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me see and repent from anything in my life which calls for repentance. Help parents of Your people have wisdom, discernment and courage in leading their children. Help us to worship You in the way You ask and to turn from the ways of men. Amen.