Fatherly Love

Sermon Jun 2020 - Are Earthly Fathers in Danger these days? Fathers' Day Weekend. (A Brief History of Father's Day) During 1908 in West Virginia, a church sponsored the first USA event in honor of fathers. This message was in memory of the 362 men who died in an explosion at the Coal mine in West Virginia, but this was a one-time commemoration for men and not an annual holiday. During 1909, a woman near Seattle WA (Sandra Dodd), was one of six children who were raised by a widowed father. Sandra tried to establish an equivalent to Mother's Day for "Male parent Day". She went to local churches, the YMCA and government officials to get support. Sandra was successful. A year later, WA State celebrated the first Father's Day on June 19, 1910. These days a father can be defined in many different ways. I love this verse. Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. What is the biblical instruction to an earthly father? An earthly father has to raise his children in the ways of the Lord, to discipline them and to encourage them, to comfort and instruct them. Let's look at the qualities of a Good Father - - He has to be affectionate - He can be trusted - He offers secured protection - He is a source of encouragement - He has the patience to listen - He provides the necessities of life - He respects the mother of the children - He spends time with the children as a companion - He has fun playing with them - He is a teacher - He is a servant, he offers help - He radiates love to the whole family This sounds exactly what God our Father is to us as His children. (For unto us a child is born) Jesus recognized God as His Father and He always obeyed and pleased His Father. Warning to earthly fathers? Eph. 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. I'm grateful that my parents raised our 10 broth/sistrs this way. The parable of the prodigal son could also be called the Parable of the Prodigal Father. This parable that Jesus told us is an illustration of the extravagant love of God as a Father. We read, that the younger brother asked for his inheritance. "So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons". (Luk 15:12) The younger brother left for a far country. The Scripture says, God the Father loves us without us having to earn it. The young son repented & finally returned home. Luke 15:11-32 "But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him" That's a father that radiates love to the whole family Because Jesus who is God in the flesh told us this beautiful story. We need to learn and appreciate it. Matt 19:14 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." But why is the situation in today's homes so dark? Because the many Temptations that the earthly fathers face today: The world can be a dangerous place for our earthly fathers these days. The stress and the risk of losing the household income or a home, plus the fact that there are many temptations that lurks around every corner, the desire for material things, the lust of the eyes, the chasing after wealth - and we as fathers cannot escape these physical onslaughts on our own strength. We need help. There are many circumstances that Satan uses to create instability. Satan causes instability on the path of all people. This instability threatens the fathers and knock them off balance and send them plummeting into this world. Paul writes: Those that stand, take heed, lest they fall. Here in modern days, there seems to be a new idea of fatherhood in this "current culture"-a vision that is defined more by a father's absence rather than by his engagement or involvement in the home. Fathers have been caught up in the condition of day-to-day living. Tired from the long hours at work, they have little resistance to several temptations to release stress. We've heard a lot about fathers who gambled away every penny with no food for the children or cheated on the spouse - stress upon stress that they have to grapple with. Satan is active to influence the minds of so many humans. Satan is well aware of the fact that WHEN he can create division in the house he can expand the circle wider and wider. Jesus said: A house that is divided cannot stand. Statistics for Canada: The most recent Census (2016) reflects : Single-parent families have been increasing in numbers. single-parent families accounted for 20% of families with children under 16, single mothers accounts for 81% of these single-parent families - (no father in the house). Stats Canada shows there are nearly 2 million single-parent families in Canada. Now, if 81% are single-mothers (if one child) then that means that there are about 1,400,000 children growing up without a father. (yes 1,400,000 children) AND - Single parent h/holds are growing very fast in Canada. When young couples get married, they look forward to raising a wonderful and loving family. But many times as the children grow up, things go wrong and the parents think they failed and some parents feel so guilty about it, and many of them split up. I want to stress this: studies have shown that when fathers are affectionate and supportive, it greatly affects a child's cognitive and social development. It also instills an overall sense of well-being, self-confidence and moral standards in a child. Let's go to Proverbs: Prov 6:20-22 My child, keep your father's command, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart; tie them around your neck. (note: both father, mother and child are responsible ) Do you think the world would have been a better place if parents followed this instruction? You bet. Does it sound as if Satan is extremely active in today's life? Yes, it's a "dangerous place for fathers to be in" The trials and temptations that fathers face these days are very subtle. It's like a slippery, muddy riverbank. One wrong step and you slip into the water, because riverbanks can be slick and dangerous. A riverbank invites us to go closer and closer to explore the unknown, to enjoy the cool fresh flowing water even if it's just for a short while. "Come-on-in, the cool water shouts, it's exciting, have some good fun. Step in, nobody will know". Many fathers were lured into this muddy riverbank in today's culture and a lot of this was passed on to our children. Watch the news, you'll notice the behavior and changes in the minds and hearts of many of the youth today. How true it is these days - Jesus warned us: A house that is divided cannot stand. Is the father important in a child's life? Children want to make their fathers proud, and the fathers that are involved with their children promotes inner growth and strength. This greatly affects a child's cognitive and social development. It also instills an overall sense of well-being and self-confidence. Jesus pointed out: "it's a narrow and rocky Road to the Will of God" and few find it. Satan knows that if he can break up a household, then he can break up a community - country. Anyone can father a child, but being a dad takes a lifetime. Q: Do you think the world today is on the right path? 2 Timothy 3:1-5 There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. My parents believed that children should be "obedient and spanking was as frequent as rainy days in Vancouver. Is there any hope for parents or future parents who have failed or will fail? Yes there is. First we have to admit that we are human and are subject to human failure. Let's look at what can be done to avoid the fall away from a godly character? Our loving God spelled it out to Moses 1000's of years ago The Lord said to Moses: Deut 31:12-13 Bring all the people together- the men, the women, the little children, and the foreigners living in your cities. They will hear the teachings, and they will learn to respect the LORD your God. If their descendants don't know the teachings, they will hear them, and they will learn to respect the LORD your God. (ERV) . . . . . Do you think we've done this? Why this instruction from God our Father? The result will be . . . The Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard again in generations to come. His voice shall be heard in the power of His Word again. How different would the world be? Here is an example: A father who is a believer is like "tap" (or a faucet) When the tap (parent) is not connected to the water supply, (reservoir) it's of no use to have a tap. It'is what is behind the tap that makes the water to flow. The water comes from a reservoir. Let's say this tap (father) was made out of 24 carat gold, but not connected to a water supply, it's useless then. It's what is behind the tap that provides the water- the reservoir. The magic is not in the tap (father). If the reservoir is disconnected from the tap, then the tap will not work. It's the reservoir that's connected that makes the water to flow thru the tap. THIS TAP (FAUCET) IS NECESSARY TO LET THE WATER COME OUT. I don't want to minimize the importance of a tap. God needs these taps or (faucets who are God fearing parents). God has always worked through human vessels (these taps) In fact, most of the time, God uses the most unlikely tap to work through. That includes you and me. We have to be connected to the reservoir (Jesus) who makes the tap to flow. If many fathers will say, "Get thee behind me Satan, I want to measure up to what God tells me in His Word, then our families would change, our churches would change and our future generations would change. That's the answer. 2 Samuel 7:18-19 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said: "Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? Fathers, our children needs us, our wife's needs us, our family needs us and our society needs us. Our children defines our family in the future, our family defines our society and our society defines the future of our Nation. My prayer on this Father's Day (for 2020) is that we as believers pursue the teachings in the Word of God & to follow Jesus, to be operating faucets made out of 24 carats of gold that's connected to the reservoir and to pass this on to our children and our grandchildren. I realize that not all of us had a wonderful relationship with our fathers, because it's a Dangerous Place for earthly fathers to be in. Psalm 68:5 God is the Father of the fatherless, and a protector of the widows. Let us take courage: God is our Father and He calls us His precious children and our Father-God wants us to follow His Son Jesus "To be connected to the reservoir from where our "Living-water" flows from" HAPPY FATHER'S DAY. Amen - - Let's pray 1