To Lead, To Love and To Serve.
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Father’s Day
Father’s Day
Welcome. Thanks for joining me online.
Today - Father’s Day. : We show our appreciation and encouragement to fathers.
Last month - mothers.
More than ever today, the world needs not just men but fathers.
90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes
85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes
75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes
71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.
We need not just men who can stand on their own but can lead, mentor, encourage, guide those who are younger.
Ruth E. Renkel: "Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance."
Direct them on the right path in life, the path to God, path to success in life.
You and I have one chance at life. We go around once! We have to ensure we are doing this right.
There are principles for success in life
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
We must always be aware of the law of sowing and reaping.
We need the fathers to teach and model the correct principles.
There is a move in the world to minimize the masculinity of the man, “Get in touch with your feminine side” and now even more, a thinking that men are toxic.
For us to raise a generation of great fathers, we need great men. Men who understand who they are.
God created male and female. We are equal but we are not the same.
There are those who will erroneously try to tell us otherwise when the obvious is staring us in the face.
We are different:
Genetically
Biochemically
Physically
Emotionally
We are different in our interests, hobbies and in our social roles.
Men do not be afraid of your God-given masculinity.
I am not talking about the pursuit of power, control, ego, and dominance.
Instead as we will see today, we are called to lead, love and to serve.
What does God’s Word say about the role of a father?
I also want to show us how our Heavenly Father demonstrates these roles for us.
1. Provide
1. Provide
Our Heavenly Father is a Provider.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
JC- Give us this day
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
In Gen, we are informed of God’s creation of the universe, the earth, animal and plant life, then God made man.
He doesn’t create man to have an eternal vacation but to be productive.
Jesus said: My Father is working until now, and I am working.
Ill- neigbor building a table. Pride, joy, sense of accomplishment.
Men have this innate desire to be useful, productive, creative. It builds self-esteem. I can contribute positively to society.
Adam’s job was to work the garden and keep it.
Work is good. Regardless of the nature.
Work is integral to man’s self-esteem.
If as a boy, young man, grown man you are struggling with self-esteem - find a job.
When a man is unable to find a job, it is very difficult.
2 Thess. 3.6
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
The father’s job is to be the provider.
Today we recognize that women are also working - it does make it more difficult for them.
I can see no basis for a man not working and his wife taking care of him.
Men and fathers: Take pride in the job you are doing.
As long as it it is a legitimate occupation - not peddling drugs, human trafficking.
Do something that contributes to society, the well-being of others.
Not just for the dollar - but to impact lives.
When you are working with a customer - connect with them, let it not be about business only.
2. Teach and Train
2. Teach and Train
Moses was in the wilderness for 40 years, Jesus was there 40 days, Joseph
6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
NET: This proverb pictures a child who is dedicated by parents to the LORD and morally trained to follow him.
It encourages parents to “train” their children in the way (i.e., the right moral orientation) by pointing to the kinds of conduct that please or displease the Lord, and to the normal outcome of each kind of conduct (on the matter of consequences).
When God chose Abraham, it wasn’t only Abraham He was thinking about
God was looking way into the future generations.
19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”
Are we raising our children in the ways of the Lord?
Teaching them to walk in righteousness and justice.
Moses:
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
We are to teach and train our children in the ways of God and the word of God.
It is not the job of the pastor or SS/Children’s Church minister.
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
3. Discipline
3. Discipline
There is a diagnosis we have for kids with behavioural disoder, ODD - Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
According to DSM 5, the child is:
Angry and irritable mood:
Often and easily loses tempers
Argumentative and defiant behavior:
Often argues with adults or people in authority
Often actively defies or refuses to comply with adults' requests or rules
Often deliberately annoys or upsets people
Often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior
Vindictiveness:
Is often spiteful or vindictive
What is responsible?
This is linked to poor or inadequate parenting
a lack of supervision, inconsistent or harsh discipline, or abuse or neglect.
Heb. 12.4
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
We can chose to say God is cruel or harsh with us.
Discipline and chastisement are not words we like to hear or even experience.
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
we must endure it
God is treating us as sons.
If you have a father that doesn’t discipline you, he doesnn’t really love you.
For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
When young men undergo military training - they are different. The rigor and discipline helps them.
If I have two candidates for a job before me, I’ll be more inclined to give preference to the one with military training.
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
God discipline us for our good
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Do not be afraid to discipline your child. The method will depend upon the age of the child and the specific situation.
We have to pay attention from the very early years.
4. Protect
4. Protect
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
A shade by day, a defence by night - a shelter in the time of storm.
Our heavenly Father teaches us protection.
Children whose fathers are in the home grow up more secure and safer.
As a child, you can recall the time when your father wasn’t there - vulnerable, insecure.
A father’s active involvement in his children’s lives teaches confidence and security
Physical Protection
Physical Protection
This will depend upon where you live.
Physically safe.
Who are they spending time with?
Adequate shelter
Health? - Vaccinated?
Spiritual Protection
Spiritual Protection
The father should protect spiritually.
You and I are the priest and prophets in our homes.
4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
Our job is to pray daily for our family, bring them before God. Look out for their spiritual well being.
Financial Protection
Financial Protection
If tragedy strikes your family and you are out of the picture, what will happen to your family.
Dave Ramsey: Term life insurance. Disability insurance.
Cyber protection
Cyber protection
Internet filters
monitoring screen time, games, movies
Covenant Eyes.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The greatest task we have on earth as men is to be a father.
If you have been faithful to this task and doing your diligent duty, great.
But I know that there are areas we can improve.
There are some ideas, thoughts that went through your mind - put them into action.
Let’s be fathers to all the children in our lives.