Father's Day 2018

ILLUST - James Dobson, Sr (Jim)

Traveling evangelist, very good at it, very busy, wife asked him to come home to deal with their son - he did, got him through high school and on to college, evangelism gigs dried up. The result, James Dobson, Jr. (Focus on Family, Family Research Council)

PRAYER - Men of faith, stand up, men of faith, bow the knee, pray with me

Top Three Challenges to Fathers (mirroring Biblical Roles:

3) Teach Children

“Teach” does not equal “play”; but “play” should involve “teaching”

Great spiritual lessons in fishing, hunting, sports, racing

POINT: Character is not built in these, but rather the character already there is demonstrated in them (especially sports)

Character: kids see it in what we do, how we do them, how passionately we pursue them, and what we do not passionately pursue

Example: If you pray for children to know and love God’s Word

must teach them to do it

must be in it yourself to be able to teach it

dads need to model it

Same goes for any hobby, skill, pastime, etc.

2) Faithful to Wife

A continual theme in Scripture

easy to relate to, marriage theme

- look at the contrast between wisdom and folly

- calls the unfaithful “adulteresses”

- “drink from own cistern”

marital faithfulness is a huge priority ()

says how we treat our wife directly affects God hearing our prayers

What does this have to do with being a father, and God’s challenge to fathers? More later

1) Faithful to God

Passionately love God

Willing to lead the fight (the coming war)

Willing to lead the church

(not miss it, not skip it, not let ladies get it all done)

Wed. prayer meeting - eight or nine there, all ladies, where are the men? Don’t need it??

We must be willing to BE LED

To humble self (does not mean to be timid)

Micah 6:8 NASB95

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

THEN…we can lead, and teach, and serve

Imagine how strong the church and family would be if men stepped up and took on being leaders, the role God has given them

Men are just not surrendered to God, just not.

Do our wives feel spiritually “alone?” - not good

Pray: “Father, show me the way to lead them

Here is what children see as important, may not say it, but they do:

Willing to teach them, spiritually?

Willing to set aside self, and love your wife?

Willing to “die to self” and passionately love God

Teaching children means being their role model, spiritually

Faithful to wife means being leader in the home (not ruler, not head, but leader)

Faithful to God means being leader in the church

What do your kids see most in your life?

POINT: Don’t leave kids chasing “stuff” to fill in the gaps you leave, where you fall short

We are imperfect, we WILL leave gaps

Teach them to rely on God to fill those gaps, don’t leave them to figure this out on their own

My father left gaps; thankfully God has mercifully filled them

Dads, show up. Not just at ball games, gymnastics competitions, fishing derbies, and dance recitals. (All these are great, don’t get me wrong)

If not willing to do these, then can’t be surprised when they grow up and either walk away from church/faith or follow false teaching!

POINT: Guys, our wives, our kids need to see us:

Lean on Christ when we can’t stand on our own

Lean on Christ and His strength

Rely on Christ for His love

Humbly submit and surrender to the Lord

Can’t give away what you don’t have, regarding your relationship with Christ

Who is the primary love of your life? What kind of father do you want to be? (Godly, or lover of self)

- Go and make disciples

Yeah, for believers, for the church

But really, even this starts at home. Let’s make disciples there!

Greatest influence is the safety of the home

(debate on driving at age 16 or 18, good to be at home to learn)

Don’t let kids get their spiritual training after they leave home, the result could be disastrous!

DON’T OUTSOURCE!

Dads, join me, let’s get this done.

Let’s be the Godly fathers He intends us to be!

Ecclesiastes 12:13 NASB95

The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.