Sunday Afternoon 6/19/2022 Pastor Steve House - It's Not Easy Being a Godly Father (Part 2)

So first of all regarding the, the Glencoe pro project I just wanted to let you know that we have been approved for a loan and that is from Awana Credit Union and other reason that I say that is cuz I think it would be good for us to let them know how much we appreciate. They really they really have bent over backwards for us. And I told him, I'm going to tell our church and I, because a lot of a lot of financial institutions right now or not giving a construction loan, send it. A lot of people are anticipating a recession and of course that could actually work into our favor, I think, but none the less they granted us say. Well they approved us for a loan. We were looking at the all the conditions of it and it really seems very very reasonable. And so I'm going to have a With the Deacon soda cans really quickly after the service this morning. Let's just get together and we'll talk about that. We'll discuss it, but I'm really excited because it was almost the Midnight Hour for us to be able to get started. But I think we're going to be able to get started the end of this summer and, and be done by the time that the lease is up on this building here. And so that's just an exciting exciting thing, but we need to remain faithful. And so let's just keep continuing to pray. This is not time to quit praying. This is time to pray more earnestly, more diligently cuz I was looking at the payment on that thing and we've made that payment before. But now it's ours and so we just we just need while obviously, we need got through all of this. And so, just, just be praying. We still need to raise some more money, obviously, but that's going to come. And as long as we continue going forward. Just going to continue to To provide is going to continue to produce and and this is just an exciting exciting time for us because that there's light at the end of the tunnel. And that building is just around the corner. It's scary. You know, when she called me, she called me at home, to let me know. And so when I was answering the phone, I was in the backyard and she said, yes, she said the credit we had a board meeting. We had a committee meeting and they have decided that they want to Grant. You guys your construction loan and I didn't say anything, and she goes. Are you there? I said, I said, yes, I am. She goes, are you scared or excited? I says, I'm both right now. I'm scared and I'm excited. It's it's both. So anyways, I wanted to share that with you. I know some of you have probably heard but just what an exciting exciting thing for us and I and I'm I'm also excited that it's a Local Credit Union, a credit union that that cares about its Community. I really believe. God is going to bless that credit union us as a result of this. And so we seen that happen before, but let me just tell you really quickly how I got into contact with this Credit Union cuz this is a, this was of God. Also, my wife and I got a, we got a postcard from that credit union and she asked me, have you tried them yet? And I says no, you know, I was really discouraged because I kept hearing, we're not doing the construction loans right now, but I was going to give them a call the next day, they called me. The reason they called me is because our contractor, who we decided to go with who also has been a godsend Banks there. And while he was there, he talked to one of the higher-ups and said, hey, do you do construction loans for churches? And the lady says, yeah, we would do something like that. So he gave them all of our information in and what we needed and she called me and said, I heard you're looking for a loan. So that's how that all worked out, that's all how that all turned out. And so praise the Lord for that. You know, the Lord literally does drop things. Sit in your lap, but you just got to be faithful. You got to keep praying and pursuing. And anyways, we're at we're still looking at other things, but praise the lord, we knew had what we now have an at Avenue, so just continue to pray for God's leadership in that. All right, we're going to take our Bibles and we're going to turn to the Book of Luke. If you will, The Book of Luke and I'm going to finish off the message that I started this morning. So Luke chapter 1, The Book of Luke chapter 1 And now you can stand in reference to God's word. If you're able to if not obviously you can just follow along with us but Luke chapter 1, Luke chapter 1 and we're going to be going to reading and verse number 17. Once Again, Luke chapter 1 beginning and verse number 17 The Bible says he shall go before him talking about John, the Baptist going before Christ in the spirit and power of Elias or Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready, a people prepared for the Lord. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, we ask again and that your hand would be upon the service this afternoon. Lord God, we rejoice and you for leading Us in, for guiding us for directing us and pray that you continue to do. So we also rejoice in the news of what you provided in this Glencoe project, Lord knowing that we still need to be diligent in our giving and our promises and Lord. Also And just being faithful to you being a witness in the testimony. We thank you now in Jesus name, amen. Okay, you can go and be seated if ever. There was a time that the hearts of the fathers need to be turned to the children. We are living in that day and we are living in that age. And as I said this morning, a good biblical. Dad is actually rare. Hard-to-find persimmon hard. They're even hard to find in the Bible but none the less God has given us some examples. Some great examples. And this morning I said that there are four men that we wanted to look at and their primary characteristics that I believe we can all apply in our own Christian lives. But particularly dad's as they dad the first, we looked at this morning, was the perspective of Noah and I think Noah is a great illustration for us in that. He had a perspective that allows Name the tune out the rest of the world. The Bible tells us there in the Book of Genesis that every imagination of man was wicked and but Noah and only Noah found Grace in God's eyes, will not just know about his entire family, his entire household and we looked at his perspective and what a perspective, he had to have to be able to tune out the rest of the world and truly, his kids could come home and say, but Dad, nobody's doing it like that anymore, and they weren't even exaggerating. It was the absolute truth. No one did it that way anymore, but no wasted faithful to God. And Noah, heard God, because Noah had a Biblical perspective. The second father that we looked at this morning. Was Joe and the fact that Joe practiced, what he preached. So we can say the practice of Jobe the perspective of Noah, the practice of Joe and Joe vindy did practice what he preached. And we see that Joe was active in his service. He was active in his prayer life, his kids would obviously see it. And we know that even when the chips were down, he said the lord giveth and the lord taketh away blessed, be the blessed be the Lord. And he went on to say that joke did not charge God, foolish late, even when the chips were down his his family would see that his kids would see that as he attributed, Every Blessing, he had to God. And I think Dad's, when things, when things happen in our lives, when things go well and God provides, we need to give God the glory and when does doing it, and make sure that our kids understand that we have Because God has blessed us and we need to I think exaggerate that look at what God has done for us and always have got it in the in the Forefront and understanding and then of course there's going to be things. We don't understand, but we just have to teach your kids trust in the Lord, we have to trust in him. God hasn't let us down. He won't let us down. He tries us, he tests us and we live in an imperfect world where bad things happen, but they don't happen because of our God. So the perspective of know, for the practice of job. Now, I want us to turn to Genesis chapter 22. And look at our third dad, this afternoon Genesis chapter 22, the Book of Genesis And chapter 22.

Genesis chapter 22. Here's a dead. You're very familiar with you. Probably knew we were going to hit on this one. Genesis chapter 22 verse number. What the Bible says, it came to pass. After these things that God did tempt Abraham and God said unto him Abraham and he said, behold here I am. And he said, take now thy son, I'd only son Isaac come down, love us and get the into the land of Moriah offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell thee of. Abraham love, God, above all else. And so, not only should we have the perspective of Noah the practice of Joe, but the priorities of Abraham, the priorities of Abraham Abraham love, God, above all else. And when you read Genesis chapter 22 and you find out that Abraham's obedience to God, displayed to all those around, including his own son, that Abraham kept God first and foremost in his life. And by the way, this would benefit his entire family. The great statement of his priority is made. When God tested Abraham, it was just as much proof for God. Is it was a test for Abraham in a sense. God was saying, Abraham, prove me and God says that throughout his word. Prove me, try me, test me, that's always up for the test. Make God first in your life and see if it doesn't make your life better. We always think. Well if I do that then if I have to give up my Sundays to go to church that's not going to make my life. Any better. I would absolutely will make your life better keep God first and foremost. See if putting me first, won't benefit you your family and all those around you is what God is saying to Abraham. So Abraham did not much care. What anyone else thought when God gave him this command Abraham. Did not consult with anyone. Abraham did not ask anyone's opinion. The Bible tells us in in Genesis chapter 22 verse number 3. After receiving this what seems to be an unreasonable request from God. God always has a reason for asking us to do something. He always has a reason for calling us to do something. And so after receiving this, what seems to be an unreasonable request. The Bible tells us in verse number 3, Abraham rose up early in the morning in the Bible, tells us that he's saddled his ass. He took two of us young men with him and Isaac his son and he clave the wood to them of the burnt offering and Rose up and went up the hill to the place of which God had told him, he didn't put it off, he didn't dilly-dally, he didn't have him and ha he didn't argue with God and see what God? That's just not fair. I believe you're just asking too much of me like a lot of Us 2. Now, the Bible says Abraham had learned through serving God. Just being obedient to God, is the very best thing for him. And for his family, Abraham didn't know how it was going to turn out. He didn't know what God was going to do. He just knew, God always keeps his promises, and I can't see how this is going to turn out Abraham had. It had, it had an idea of how it might turn out because Abraham knew that his son. Isaac was the promised One Promise, too many children and ended in a nation that would, that would be brought about through him and through his seed. So Abraham knew that, you know, something that's going to do something, I just don't know what the book of Hebrews reveals to us what Abraham thought Abraham's thought that he would go up, he would go through this. What God told him to do but that God would miraculously raise Isaac from the dead now that's face, but that's not what God had intended. Abraham didn't much care. What anyone else. Thought notice, he doesn't go to his psychologist and say, you know, a God's word says, I need to do this. What do you think? God did not go. Abraham did not go to his financial advisor and say you know God wants me to give a tenth of a by first fruits. He wants me to give a tithe. What do you think? Can I afford to do this? Abraham did not go to anyone else. He didn't even ask his wife. You noticed that we know what his wife would have said you are not going up there. So Abraham rose up early in the morning and he didn't ask Isaac, son. This is what God wants us to do with our family. What do you think? I get so amazed I guess you'd say at parents that live their lives for their children to the point that they'll get out of church or they'll miss church simply because well the kids didn't want to go or we allow them to make their own decisions or we we just had other things to do. Abraham, didn't even ask his son and this is impressive because Isaac was actually a young adult when this happened. People imagine Isaac is this little toddler and he didn't have a say in the matter though, he did have a say in the matter and when it came time for Abraham to tie his son up, so he could be this offering or the sacrifice, his son could have easily overpowered him, but he didn't. That says a lot about Abraham and his walk with God. That his son would follow in his footsteps and follow what he said after hearing God's word and knowing God's will, Abraham did not have to think about it, ask others about it, consider it, he simply did it? Dad's need to be willing to take a lot of criticism. When it comes to keeping God first. Imagine the criticism that Abraham. Would have received had people got word of what was going on, Abraham, are you crazy? Are you nuts? Can I say this Dad, if you are going to raise your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, don't expect people to encourage you to keep going in that direction. Don't expect your teeth are teachers at school, to encourage you to keep going in that direction. Don't expect your neighbors to encourage you to keep going in that direction. Don't expect your kids friends to say, man your dad's the greatest he's the best. I wish my dad and hog-tie me and make me go to church on Sundays. I mean that that would just be the greatest. Don't expect to win any father of the year. Contests. no, I'm not saying be mean and be belligerent, just because No, you need to be a dad of conviction, but it needs to be balanced with being a dad of compassion. But there's going to be times where your kids don't much like you. Because of what you're making them do. There's going to be times when you're not the popular dad, you're the criticized dad. But you can't let that keep you from doing what you know, God wants you to do. Matthew 6:33. So, seek, ye first, the kingdom of God. And his righteousness. Make sure you have his approval first, and foremost, and all these things shall be added unto you take. Therefore, no, thought for the morrow for the morrow, shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. You know that old saying, you spoil your kids, you're going to have to raise your grandkids, but if you raise your kids, you can spoil those grandkids. And then I want to tell you, it is worth it because your kids may be hated you, but your grandkids are going to love you and your kids are going to wonder where is my dad, but none the less.

It's worth it. The perspective of Noah, the practice of Jobe the priority of Abraham but there's another father, we've been in the Old Testament. I want us to move into the New Testament. Matthew chapter 1 The Book of Matthew in chapter 1,

We know that's the God's not going to choose. Just a good man. To raise his son. God's going to choose a good father. To raise his son.

And as we looked at the perspective of knowing what perspective, he had, we look at the practice of Joe P practiced. What he preached will look at the priority of Abraham. No one could say when Abraham was a dad to Isaac, that he cared about what everyone else said, God was his priority. But in Matthew, The Book of Matthew, I want us to look at the patient's, the patience of Joseph. The Bible tells us in Matthew chapter 1 and their inverse number 18 that the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise when asked his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost, by the way. Worse number 18 is just one of the many verses that confirms Mary was not a mirror made. Mary was a virgin. The Bible says that they hadn't come together. That means in a physical sense, yet, she was found with child. And I know that you've thought about this my what would you do? Joseph knows that's not his, that's not his baby but look at the patience of this man. In verse number 19th. Joseph, her husband, being a just man not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away. Privately Joseph did not go off on a gossip Fest against his espoused wife, who is now pregnant. You know, that would have ruined everything. Had he done that? No, instead, he was patient. I want you to understand that. First of all, Joseph's life plans were thrown completely out of kilter by God's Will. And when this came to pass and when this happened before, Joseph knew what happened Joseph? First of all, prayerfully responded, he prayerfully responded, he didn't react. Keep prayerfully responded. Now, I'm not going to ask for hands. Mine would have to go up. How many times guys? And I could probably add ladies to this, how many times have you react and then afterwards wished that you never would have acted that way. I can tell you, I have many times when it came to my own kids. I reacted Thankfully Joseph was a patient, man. A just man, when he heard the well, not only heard. The Bible says that she was found with child. He didn't just react, he prayerfully responded. I'm sure he was hurt. We know he was hurt because he was thinking about putting her away. That means divorce divorcing or remember that an engagement was just as binding as a marriage and you had to get out of it by a bill of divorce. Even though they hadn't come together, it hadn't been. What you and I would be you and I would call a consummated, but none the less they were bound together. It was a binding thing, a binding contract, and he was minded to put her away privately. He's thinking about divorcing, her and moving on with his life. But he, he prayerfully considered when Joseph betrothed approached him because she was found with. Child, scripture says, being a just man. He was minded to put her away privately even more impressive was the fact that before making an Ultimate decision, he he he prayed about it. He thought about it, he was meditating on it, he was in his bed at night and it was all he could think about what am I going to do? How am I going to do this? This tells me. Joseph was a just man. He was a patient man. He was a compassionate man. He was a loving, man. He was a wise man. Bible says, while he thought on these things inverse number 20, but while he thought on these things, he hasn't reacted yet. He's waiting to prayerfully respond. Joseph acted the part of a wise man, because he was a wise man. Proverbs 29 verse number 11 says a fool uttereth all his mind. But a wise man, keep it in till afterwards. Joseph knew what he wanted to say. But he thought I better not say that. I could throw rocks that'll break things that I'll never be able to repair. That's what words do.

So, while the fool uttereth all his mind, you don't have to know you haven't, you don't have to wonder what the fools think, and he's going to tell you right off. He reacts to every situation. But the wise man. You got to wonder? And what are you thinking?

Does, it's even bother you. A lot of times it does. He's just prayerfully responding meditating. I'm not exactly sure what to do at this point. So I'm not going to do anything in the Bible says he went home and he prayed on these things wisely before acting or speaking. Hastily, he went home and thought he meditated keep prayed. This takes Patients, First Peter chapter 1, verse number 5, says beside this giving all diligence add to your faith virtue to Virtue knowledge to knowledge, Temperance to Temperance, patients to patients, godliness, and to Godliness, brotherly, kindness and brotherly. Kindness charity. Patience and your kids and your family and your wife shouldn't have to walk on eggshells. Wondering, how's he going to react? Is he going to blow up, just going to blow a gasket

Joseph was patient. He went home and because he went home and because he thought about it and because he prayed about it and he didn't react and he didn't go out and Destroy Mary's reputation. He was able to fulfill God's will in his life. He went home and God was able to talk to him. But as I said, Joseph life plans were thrown completely out of kilter by God's will but Joseph being a just man being a patient man. He would not only. Go through this but also he didn't conveniently protect his family. Just have had no idea how much his life would be inconvenienced. Can I say that when you become a dad, you have no idea how much your life is going to be inconvenience, when you become a mom, you think? You know, but you have no idea how much your life is going to be inconvenienced. You have no idea how much sleep you're going to lose. You have no idea how many humiliated you're going to be at times. Because kids have a tendency to humiliate us, you have no idea how many of your things are going to be damaged because, well, kids have a tendency to be wrecking balls.

You have no idea. How much are going to have to go out of your way to raise them to provide for them to protect them Ojo. Seph. Ended up going to Bethlehem just before. Jesus was born, not a trip, he was planning on making, but when he ended up having to make his wife, had to give birth in a Manger because the Bible says, there was no room for them in the end. Not not the plan, but I'll tell you what, you better become flexible when you have kids, because you're going to have plans. And those plans at times are going to get wrecked.

Joseph had no idea. And in the Bible tells us that in Matthew chapter 2, verse number 13 when they were getting ready to go back home to Nazareth, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, seeing a rise, and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt. The Bible says that Joseph had to change his plans once again and I'm sure that when the wise men came and they brought them gold and frankincense and myrrh and Joseph had all these ideas, man, I can buy that shop. I've been wanting to buy my my carpenter shop man. I've been want nothing for a long time. And, and end these wise men of come, they provided the finances. And now, I'm finally going to have my shop. I'm going to have my first class carpenter shop. I'm going to have the best one and all of Nazareth. And it goes to sleep that night. He's ecstatic. Now we can go home. And God says, you're going to have to make a detour. And that gold and frankincense and myrrh. That was going to buy that shop of yours. It's going to have to be used to protect your child. But Joseph, did it? He uprooted his family. He moved to Egypt. Not what he wanted to do. But it was God's will. He stayed in Egypt until Herod had died and it was safe to come back and God said, okay, you can go back to Nazareth and then they were able to go back to Nazareth. Joseph learned real quick. When you're a father you must be more open to the will of God and More in tune to the word of God than ever before. Because Satan will do everything possible to become a distraction or to cause a distraction The perspective of know up the practice of Jobe, the priority of Abraham, the patience of Joseph. You know, every one of these attributes can be summed up into one word sacrifice course. We have the greatest example of sacrificing Our Savior who left his home in heaven, so he could not only minister to mankind but given his life so mankind could be saved. And so when God ask Abraham to offer his son when God tested Jobe When God told you told Noah for the next hundred twenty years, I want you to build an ark. When God told Joseph go ahead and take Mary raise my son. Oh, and by the way, I'm going to need you to move to Egypt for a while and sell your shop. So you can keep my son safe, you know, when you consider that God gave his life so we could have life. None of these things are unreasonable. So, make him your priority. Have patience. Practice. What You Preach. So long as this is what you're preaching. And may God your number one priority, it will benefit your family greater than anything that this world has to offer. Let's have every head bowed and every eye closed. Every head is bowed. Every eye is closed.