Hebrews 12: 16-17
Godly parents are a blessing. Children raised in a Christian home have an opportunity to know, love and serve Jesus from their childhood. They have the possibility to grow into old age never living a life of willful disobedience. They do not have to experience on a personal level the destructiveness of a life of wicked rebelliousness. I had that opportunity, but I did not take advantage of it. The world we live in makes it very hard to protect our children from the filth around them. Pornography, alcohol, drugs, peer pressure at school and many other sources of bad influence bombard our children from every side. At a very early age, I encountered some of the wickedness of the world. This was through no fault of my godly mother. I found sin to be enticing, but because of my respect for my mother, I decided to wait until I was 21 to explore what the world had to offer. One of things I tried was alcohol. I am an alcoholic and for several years, alcohol had a destructive effect upon my life. When I returned to the lord, He set me free from drink. God never remove the desire to drink, but he gave me the strength to resist. I was away from the lord for several years, and I regret those years greatly. Like Esau, I had not properly valued the godly blessing that was my inheritance. Esau sold his inheritance for a single meal; I sold mine for a few years of worldly pleasure. It was pleasure that did not satisfy, and did not last. I reconciled with my heavenly father, and like Esau’s father, God forgave me. However, no matter how true and great my remorse, God could not give me back the years I had wasted.

Children raised as Christians are blessed. The church has a responsibility to teach the value of a Christian heritage. When a Christian recognizes their relationship with Christ is priceless, they will not trade it for anything.