How does the fear of God affect the lives of our children? Jason Dohm shares how he and his wife could tell right away when each of their children became regenerate. They noticed a definite change, a change that was connected to the fear of God. When their children became regenerate, many of their children had a pattern of deception – but when they became born again, they became much more trustworthy. He explains how he would attribute that change to them as knowing that God was in the room, realizing that everything they did was known, and how he and his wife didn’t have to be present with them because they knew God was present. They were beginning to fear the Lord even more. Their hearts were changing. What a merciful and good God we serve! Ezekiel 11:19 (NKJV) – “Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh.”

We could tell right away when each of our children became regenerate. A definite change in disposition, particularly in the area of deception. I do think this has a relationship to the fear of the Lord. When our children became regenerate, most of them had a certain pattern of sneakiness and deception to one degree or another. And then when they became born again, we noticed that they were much more trustworthy when we weren't in the room.

I would attribute that to them knowing and really embracing that God was in the room, that everything that we do is known. So we didn't have to be present anymore because they knew that God was present. And they were beginning to learn to fear the Lord. And their hearts were changing. This wasn't the type of fear like you would fear the Gestapo who might break in at any minute.

This was a type of fear, fearing the displeasure of an object of affection. I think that's definitely a part of it too. There is a real trembling and terror because of who God is and what He's capable of. The other part of this is that we now have a father that we love. I love my dad.

And I also feared my dad. And it didn't make me love him less. I actually feared him in many ways because I did love him. And he wasn't angry often, but if I ever got careless and began to treat him like a peer, He would make the fear rise, not in a violent way at all, but just in showing me a disposition that he was my father. You