MESSAGES
The Apostle Paul said, "And He himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelist, some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry..." (Ephesians 4:11-12). Just as God has called some to be apostle, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers, He has also called some to be mom, and some to be dad for the equipping of the children for the life that lies before them.
The family unit was created and ordained by God Himself. He created the original Adams family. I'm not talking about Gomez, Morticia, Pugsley, and Wednesday. He saw the necessity of the family made up of mom and dad and children. God knew that it was the family that would make a nation strong and keep it alive.
I want to take some time to speak to the dads in this message. Being a father is not an easy task. It's a very difficult job, but as a dad we're to, "Train up our child in the way he should go, and when he is old he shall not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). The New Living Translation says, "Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are old, they will remain upon it." In other words, children need to be taught and trained.
Adlai Stevenson once said, "It has been said that parenthood is a career imposed on you one fine morning without any inquiry as to your fitness for it. That is why there are so many fathers who have children, but so few children who have fathers." Many couples are not yet prepared for marrying, much less parenting. People seem to spend more time learning to drive a car in order to keep it on the road, than they do learning to drive their children in order to keep them on the right road.
Jesus speaks of the greatest father of all in John's gospel when He says, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God" (8:42). He says "If God were your Father...?" In other words, to teach that God is the Father of everyone is a contradiction to the teachings of Jesus Christ. God is not the Father of everyone, or of every religion.
Just as nature is determined by birth, and birth is determined by paternity, so we were born physically, and have a physical nature just like our parents. In the same way, we must be born spiritually in order to have the nature of God. God comes to be our Father, and we come to be His son as we are born again (John 3:3). We then share Gods nature, and His nature is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. That's why Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). When we look at Jesus, we see the Father. We can say, "Like father like son." Do our children speak that of us? Do they say, I am my father's son?
Jesus is saying in John 8:42 that our love towards Him, and our desire to be like Him is the evidence that God is our Father. Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30), so as we become more like Christ we become more like our Heavenly Father.
As we become God's children we are to love Him to the point of wanting to be like Him. We show our love toward Him in many ways. First, by trusting Him and believing that Father knows best for me. Second, by joyfully receiving His Words into our hearts. Third, by delighting in His company and desiring to remain in His presence. Fourth, by taking pleasure in telling others about Him. Fifth, by suffering willingly for Him, and being willing to stand up for Him when people speak against Him. Sixth, by longing to be like Him. Seventh, by desiring to please Him, and always having the attitude of Jesus when He said, "Not My will, but Your will be done." In other words, Father, here I am. What can I do for You?
Just as these things are evidences that God is our Heavenly Father, so they should be evidences in our children that we are their earthly father. I pray that our children can trust us, are willing to listen to us and receive our words, delight in our company, speak about us to others in a positive way, are willing to stand up for us, long to be like us and follow in out spiritual footsteps, and desire to please us in all they do.
A little girl was showing her playmate her new home. As they entered one room, she exclaimed, "This is my daddy's den. Does your daddy have a den?" Her playmate answered, "No, my daddy just growls all over the house." God doesn't growl at His children. He speaks to them in love, and so are we to speak to our children in love.
The Apostle Paul said, "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Training a child is more than just teaching. Teaching tells our child how to do something, but training shows them how to do it and then makes sure they do it.
This command is addressed to us dads not because discipline is our exclusive role, but because it's our established responsibility. We're not to palm this responsibility off on mom. This doesn't mean mom can simply say, "You just wait till your father gets home!" It does mean that both mom and dad are accountable before God. Nonetheless, if our children are not disciplined we're ultimately responsible because we are the head of the home.
Dads, we're to be the spiritual leaders of the home whether we like it or not. Being a parent is not easy. Today there is more competition with parenting than ever before, and a part of that competition is the media. The message of the media encourages our children to grow up before their time.
Television is not just entertaining our children, it has become their primary source of information about life. It seems as if a 30 second tv ad can quench our thirst, satisfy our cravings, cure our aches and pains, fulfill our dissatisfactions, and resolve our boredom. One would think that 1 hour of Sally, Ricky, Jerry, or Ophra will put our broken life back together again, when in fact, all it does is reveal mans stupidity. When we follow the ways of man, and listen to such people as these we become members of the "Stupid Club." Forrest Gump summed it up pretty well when he said, "Stupid is as stupid does!"
The best way to protect our children from the wrong message is to see that they are exposed to the right message. The competition is tough, but we can do it! The Bible says, "We can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:4). But we need to be like Job who interceded daily on behalf of his children (Job 1:4) and there-by setting a godly example for them to follow.
It's been said, "People impact people more than words impact people." The life we live will always leave an impression on others, be it good or bad. What things stand out in your mind, as a child, that your dad did for you? What impact did his life have on you? What words or actions impacted you? I'm sure their are bad things we can all remember, but I want us to follow the words of Paul when he said, "Whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report . . . meditate on these things" (Philippians 4:8).
Perhaps you remember going fishing together, and dad showing you how to bait your hook. Or maybe dad coming to your football game and cheering you on, even when you dropped the ball or missed a block. Perhaps he read to you and took time to help you with your homework; letting you help him work in the garage; comforting you when you hurt yourself and not telling you to, "Stop whining! Be a man! Take the pain!" Maybe you remember the way he loved and treated your mom.
What about us as a father? How are we impacting our children? Our children are looking for heroes, but often times they look in the wrong direction. They look to sports figures, musicians, actors, thinking that's who they want to be like; that's who they want to emulate. Our children are looking for heroes, but what they need are role models.
As parents, we should want our children to have someone who is more available, and who models reality instead of unreality. What better person for our child to be like than his or her mom or dad. I'm reminded of the young 15 year old boy who said of his dad, "I like to talk to my dad about my problems, but when I need him, he's not there. He's like a shadow." In order to be the role model for our children, we must always be there for our children. We're not to be a shadow dad.
Fathers, you and I are that role model to our children whether we want to be or not. We model life to our children daily. We are the model that our children see, know and touch. Just as John declared to others that which he had heard with his own ears, saw with his own eyes, and touched with his own hands, so our children will declare to others about us. What are our children hearing and seeing in us as fathers? Are they allowed to get near enough to us to touch us? If our children are going to grow up to be godly children they must see godly parents.
Let me give you ways that we become role model for our children:
First: by setting a godly example for our children. We can only be a godly example as we always put God first. Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and everything else will be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).
The story goes of a son was following his dad through the garden one day. As he did, he carefully stepped exactly where his dad stepped. His dad noticed and asked, "What are you doing son?" The child responded, "Dad, if you don't get mud on your feet, I won't get mud on me!"
If our children are getting their feet muddy, perhaps it's because we aren't walking where and how we should be. Let me ask us all, are we prejudiced? How do we handle conflicts? Do we strive for reconciliation when we have ought with someone? Are we committed to God in word and action? Are we a man of integrity? Do we keep our word? Do we openly express affection? Are we loving? Do our children see us loving their moms? Are we a servant? Do we help our wife and child even when we feel as if we have something more important to do? I believe the answers to these questions will help us determine our godliness.
Second: by preparing our children. The Bible says, "By faith Noah . . . prepared an ark to the saving of his household" (Hebrews 11:7). This means we need to prepare a place of safety and salvation for our children; a place where they enjoy coming home to.
Third: by speaking lovingly to our children. The Bible says, "Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13).
Fourth: by listening to our children. Many parents believe that children are to, "be seen and not heard." Only a fool would think such a thing. The Bible says, "Be quick to listen and slow to speak . . ." (James 1:19).
Fifth: by doing things with our children. If we don't allow them to be a part of our lives now, we won't be a part of their lives later.
Sixth: by being genuine and transparent to our children. We need to realize that we're not perfect. If we blow it, admit it! Seek forgiveness from our child, and then keep going. It's been said, "If parents waited until they were perfect before having children, the birth rate would drop to zero immediately."
Children don't need perfect models, they need real models. Let them see us dealing with life at our best, and our worst. And when they see us at our worst, be sure to let them see us respond to our failures in humility, integrity, and love. It's this type of behavior that will communicate hope to our children. They will see us as being real, and it'll free them to be real also.
The story goes of a young child who became very frightened by a thunderous lightning storm. He called out in the dark to his dad, "Daddy, I'm scared!" His dad said, "Son, God loves you and He'll take care of you." The boy responded, "I know God loves me, but right now I want somebody who has skin on." Our role as a father is to be, and to demonstrate God—with skin on.
If our children looked at us as a Christian, what kind of Christian would they see? One who gives God life service, or lip service. We need to always be setting the godly example for our children to follow. The time we spend with them today is going to be the time they spend with us when they are teens and adults.
Dads, we need to spend time with our children. We must spend time with our children. We're to train them. We're to discipline them. We're to pray for them. But, above all we're to love them. Then, in a godly way people will say, "Like father, like son."
God bless you,
Pastor Steve |
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| SHIELD OF FAITH |
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