Long Term Investments
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· 7 viewsFathers have such a great responsablity raising kids today. The guidence and investment from Fathers is need more than ever as we try and navigate this new world. There must be a long term investment if we want to see the greatest returns.
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Introduction: Defining the Pain
According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, 1 out of 4 children have no father in the home in America. (2017 Census)
We some up our entire community outreach with two words: Relational Reconciliation.
Relational Reconciliation is applying the power of the gospel to the families in our community to bring about generational change.
As parents we have the responsiblity to examine our lives to see if we have applied the gospel in such a way that our children will see God in us.
They must see a difference from the way of the world if we are going to stir their course back to God.
Staying married and together is not easy, but it’s worth it.
Raising your children in the ways of the Lord is not easy, but it’s worth it.
Your children are worth the struggles.
I hear people say, with all the pain in the world I don’t know if I want to bring a child into it.
But I say the world is what we make it. If we don’t like it let’s change it.
Change takes prayer.
Change takes courage.
Change takes determination.
Change takes the power of God working through us.
As we have seen in the book of Ecclesiastes, this life is all vanity. We have a short time to make a major impact on our world and then that moment is gone. We must learn our to make the greatest impact on our world in a very short amount of time.
To do this we must strive for the long term investment and not just quick returns.
Scripture: Defining the Passage
1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
This is a sailing merchants proverb. Bread refers to trading goods that you would ship to a foreign land. This was a long term investment because it might take many years for you to see the profit of it.
The Preacher is quoting an old Arabic proverb almost word for word:
‘Do good, cast thy bread into the water; it shall one day repay thee.’
Winter, J. (2005). Opening up Ecclesiastes (p. 138). Leominster: Day One Publications.
Raising kids is much the same way. Children are one the greatest assets we have. Raising good godly kids is a Long Term Investment.
A Good Name
A Good Name
1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
Honesty
Honesty
Your Character will be the measuring rod for your kids.
Others will begin to judge your kids by your character.
Integrity
Integrity
The same all the time.
A man of your word.
Action step:
Action step:
Be a living example of honesty and integrity before your children.
The way of the Lord
The way of the Lord
The Way is Jesus
The Way is Jesus
Jesus is the way the truth and the life.
The way of a child is set by the parents.
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
The Way of the World
The Way of the World
The way of the world is set by Satan.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Many parents never prepare their children for Spiritual warfare.
Satan is a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour.
Action Steps:
Action Steps:
Point and Shoot.
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. 5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
Take personal responsibility to train your children. Create moments to train your children. Don’t let someone else do this for you.
Fear of the Lord
Fear of the Lord
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Establishing God as the Sovereign Creator.
Establishing God as the Sovereign Creator.
The world is training your children to dismiss God.
Your reverence for God will be the start of their wisdom.
The most logical argument for the creation of the world is intelligent design.
1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.
Establish a life of dependence on the Lord.
Establish a life of dependence on the Lord.
Live by faith and let your kids see it.
Let your relationship with God be known and visible.
Action step:
Action step:
Pray with your kids and purposefully ask God for help in times of need.
Pray puts you in subjection to a hight authority and answered prayers show God at work.
God’s heart of generosity.
God’s heart of generosity.
God is graciously generous.
God is graciously generous.
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
God’s people are graciously generous as well.
God’s people are graciously generous as well.
Action Steps:
Action Steps:
Teach them to give in honor of the Lord.
Teach them to sacrifice for the good of others.