A Few Good Men

Introduction

7 But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:

10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

To do the work that God has called us to do, one man cannot do it alone. We need men. What better day to talk about men that on Father’s Day. David was a great King. The greatest King Israel ever had. But the one thing that David had was he surrounded himself with good men.s Not just good fighters, but good men who embarassed his vision. If you have a vision and that vision is given by God, then those who follow have a connection to God even when they are not aware of it. David had a few good men.

At a time such as this, the world needs a few good men. Our churches need a few good men. Our communities need a few good men and our homes need a few good men. Why are men needed? Because men are all in when they love something. If you want to know where a man’s passion lies, look at what he spends his money on and more than that look at what e talks about. If you hang around me long enough, you will know something about my wife, my children, the Lord and cars. In 1966, Percy Sledge had it right when he wrote the song when a man loves a woman. Would we give up all our comforts for the Lord? Spend my last dime? Sleep in the rain? Can’t keep his mind on nothing else, trade the world for the good thin he has found. That song can be sung about anything a man loves. Practice it on your way home. Statistics show that....

What we need now is a few good men.

64.3 million: Estimated number of fathers across the nation

63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.

90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes.

85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes.

80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes.

71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.

Father Factor in Education – Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.

Children with Fathers who are involved are 40% less likely to repeat a grade in school.Children with Fathers who are involved are 70% less likely to drop out of school.Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to get A’s in school.Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.

75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes.

Father Factor in Drug and Alcohol Abuse – Researchers at Columbia University found that children living in two-parent household with a poor relationship with their father are 68% more likely to smoke, drink, or use drugs compared to all teens in two-parent households. Teens in single mother households are at a 30% higher risk than those in two-parent households.

70% of youths in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average.  (U.S. Dept. of Justice, Sept. 1988)85% of all youths in prison come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average.  (Fulton Co. Georgia, Texas Dept. of Correction)

Father Factor in Incarceration – Even after controlling for income, youths in father-absent households still had significantly higher odds of incarceration than those in mother-father families. Youths who never had a father in the household experienced the highest odds. A 2002 Department of Justice survey of 7,000 inmates revealed that 39% of jail inmates lived in mother-only households. Approximately forty-six percent of jail inmates in 2002 had a previously incarcerated family member. One-fifth experienced a father in prison or jail.

Father Factor in Crime – A study of 109 juvenile offenders indicated that family structure significantly predicts delinquency. Adolescents, particularly boys, in single-parent families were at higher risk of status, property and person delinquencies. Moreover, students attending schools with a high proportion of children of single parents are also at risk. A study of 13,986 women in prison showed that more than half grew up without their father. Forty-two percent grew up in a single-mother household and sixteen percent lived with neither parent

43% of US children live without their father [US Department of Census]

90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes. [US D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census]80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes. [Criminal Justice & Behaviour, Vol 14, pp. 403-26, 1978]

71% of pregnant teenagers lack a father. [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services press release, Friday, March 26, 1999]63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. [US D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census]

85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes. [Center for Disease Control]

90% of adolescent repeat arsonists live with only their mother. [Wray Herbert, “Dousing the Kindlers,” Psychology Today, January, 1985, p. 28]

71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. [National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools]

75% of adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes. [Rainbows f for all God’s Children]70% of juveniles in state operated institutions have no father. [US Department of Justice, Special Report, Sept. 1988]85% of youths in prisons grew up in a fatherless home. [Fulton County Georgia jail populations, Texas Department of Corrections, 1992]Fatherless boys and girls are: twice as likely to drop out of high school; twice as likely to end up in jail; four times more likely to need help for emotional or behavioral problems. [US D.H.H.S. news release, March 26, 1999]

God needs our best. So there are some things we can do to become the best fathers we can be.e on e of the few good men.

Some of you may have noticed that my bio began with my children. On today I am reminded of what it means to be a father and to be the best father I can be. To become the best fathers we can be, we must become men of God. We’ve heard the phrase be all you can be. To be all you can be you must answer the call. We cnnot be identified as men of God only on Sunday because of the suit we ware and the Bible we carry. We have to be identified everyday as men of God.Clark Kent was never recognized as Superman until he put on the suit. He was still Superman without it, but to take on the role as Superman he had to put on the suit. What does this mean to you? You have got to put on the whole armor of God. When you put on the whole armor, you are recognized as a man of God. When you put on the whole armor of God, you need to keep it on.

Ephesians 6:11-18 King James Version (KJV)

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Why do you need armor to be a father? Let me remind you that anytime you profess to be a follower of God, the enemy will test you. God doesn’t expect you to fight the enemy without protection and you cannot protect you family if you are not covered. Your armor is your covering that allows you to stand boldly before your enemy and declare that I serve a God who can do all things. and just as he has used....., He can use me.

Becoming the best father you can be, does not rest solely on showing up for Christmas or birthdays with the best gift. Being the best father you can be, rest on the ability of you being all you can be. To be all you can be means being what God has created you to be. When we became fathers, we leave the hospital with the mother the child a blanket and a few diapers. That’s all you have. They don’t assign you a mentor or a counselor. They don’t give you the manual of fatherhood. Your child, a blanket and a few diapers, that’s it. When I talk to men, I like to ask them what is their definition of a man. I don’t throw in any adjectives to add confusion because the true definition of a man stands alone. For some men it’s difficult to give an answer because they have never been told. They have been given a title with no description of what the title consists of.. When a father leaves the home to go somewhere, they tell their son you’re the man of the house. They say that because that is how they have been doing the job, as a baby. We have a lot of baby men running around here. We need a few good men who know they’re created in the image of God and not a reflection of what the world has created. When I ask that question, I get answers like: a provider, present in the lives of their children, strong, tough, hard worker. These are only surface definitions. These superlatives only give you what is seen on the outside of what society has given as the definition of a man. There’s more. There’s more to being a man than what you look like on the outside. There are some things that must exist in the inside.

We argue that we were not given the playbook of becoming a man, but I argue against that. Look at Genesis 2 . You see it’s in our DNA to be what God has created us to be. In his own image. Then God gave you the playbook called the Bible. The Bible contains the information needed to get the most out of what you have. The definition of a good man should not rely on the antithesis of the description of a bad man. Meaning our young black men should not have to see the bad man and then flip it in their minds to figure out what a good man is.

The Bible is our playbook. Jesus has set the example for us. He’s waiting for a few good men to change the atmosphere here in Gastonia, NC. Change the atmosphere here at Mount Calvery Baptist church. Where ever you go, God wants you to use Him to change the atmosphere.

To be the best father you can be, you need to show courage. Courage is mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. When God sends you out, He sends you out telling you,"Be strong and of a good courage”. But you can’t do it alone. David and his men are mentioned in 1 Samuel 30-31, Psalms 4, 18, 58 and 61. There are numerous stories of David and his courage. He needed courage to make it as a shepard. He needed courage when he was thrown into the pit. He needed courage to fight Goliath, He needed courage to be a king. Today we as men need courage too. As many of our youn people walk the streets in protest, they need to see men of courage. As the economy flexes like a rubberband and jobs are hard to find, our young people need to see men of courage. As the leader of our nation uses language that separates America according to race and money, our young people need to see men of courage. Not just any kind of courage. They need to see the courage of knowing that God has set us on a path of greatness and we are not on that path alone because he has gone ahead of us to make the crooked places straight, the low places level and the rough places smooth. We can show courage because with Go, we are not alone.

David had hundreds of men, but three were in his inner circle....... These three possessed something that the others did not have, something else that David needed.

Lastly, to be the best father you can be, you must be there. You must be there. Not your money, not your influence not your assistant not your momma. There is no not substitute you have at your disposal that can take your place and fill the void totally. Some ares may be fulfilled, but nothing can take the place of a father. My mother did a great job raising five kids on her own, but as good as she was, there were some things missing. That’s why God’s promise means so much when He says, “I’ll be with you.” We use the phrase no child left behind, but children are being left everyday. It is difficult for me to stand before you and tell you and explain that God is your father when you have no idea what a father is or when your experience of having a father has lingering memories of pain and abuse. You have to be present. If you have every other weekend, use that weekend to be the best you can be. Set an example that will last a lifetime. You gift to your child should be your presence not a present. Because the memories of your presence will outlast any toy or any trinket. I can remember the times I’ve spent with my father more that the gifts he has given me. That’s why I began today with the relationship with you and God. Spending time with God will touch every part of your life. Your relationship with you child is the same. Spending time with them will touch every part of their lives. You must be there. God gives the best explanation when He tells us He’ll be with us not He’ll send someone. When you show up show up as daddy. Abvh. Abvh is the Hebrew word for father. Abba is a more intimate word like daddy. Show up as daddy not the banker not the police officer not the owner of a business but daddy. The best title you’ll ever earn.

If you want to be a good father, I came by to tell you that God is looking for a few good men. Get in the presence of God. Surround yourself with men of God and make sure you are seen by those that need you the most. Be the man that God has created you to be and you will be all that you can be. Put on the whole armor of God, show courage and be present. If you do these few things God will add to them an in adding,He’ll give you more wisdom, more power, more peace,......

For every statistic I mentioned earlier, there is a statistic on the other side of that number. 43% of US children live without their father. Tha means that 57% of US children with their father. If 99% are doing it wrong, today we celebrate the 1% that are doing it right. We celebrate the ones who are struggeling and may not get it right everyday or every week, but we celebrate the times you got it right an pray for the times you were wrong.

A few good men were found on the seashore of Galilee. A few good men were found in the army of David. A few good men were found....And I believe, that right here on the blacktop of Mount Calvary Baptist, we have a few good men. Men who are willing to fo;;ow God and do the work he has called us to do. A few good men who are committed to their families and the work of the church. A few good men who are setting the example of what a Godly man is supposed to be. A few good men who are willing to fight the good fight. A few good men who are willing to stand in the mist of the fight with courage and sing:

I am on the battlefield for my Lord, I’m on the battlefield for my Lord. And I promised him that I Would serve him ’til I die I’m on the battlefield for my Lord.

Yes I promised him that I Would serve him ’til I die I’m on the battlefield for my Lord.