FatherŐs
Day 2008
Video:
FatherŐs Day Memories – Happy FatherŐs Day!!!
A
few reasons why itŐs good to be a manÉ
-phone
conversations are over in 30 seconds flat
-a 5 day
holiday requires only one suitcase
-when you click through channels, donŐt have to stop at
every shot of someone crying
-car mechanics tell you the truth
-gray hair and wrinkles only add character
-if another guy shows up at a party wearing same outfit,
likely to become lifelong friends
Something I just found this weekÉ
-anyone know which day of the year the most phone
calls are made? MotherŐs Day
-what
day do you think comes second? Christmas
-FatherŐs
day comes third, but not even close to the first two days
-but FatherŐs day comes first in
one department ???(day most collect calls are made)
-IŐm planning ahead (when old in
old age home – calling my children collect all the time)
All over the world in many churches this mornings,
fatherŐs are squirmingÉ
-pastors are telling them all things they should do
right, that theyŐve been doing wrong
-this morning I donŐt want to do that, on motherŐs
day we honor mothers
-today I want to honor fathers who are
trying/learning/being FatherŐs God calls them to be
So, let me get right into itÉ
FatherŐs, today we honor you for working hard to
provide for your families
1Tim. 5:8 ŇBut those who wonŐt
care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied
the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.Ó
God has wired men with the need,
want & the desire to provide.
-we feel good when we do it, and we feel bad when we
donŐt, or canŐtÉ
-and
the way it comes most naturally is the need to provide for otherŐs needs
-whether
the others be your spouse, your children or even other people in your life
-there
is a joy even a good sense of pride from doing something that results inÉ
-being
able to provide, meet the needs, or give something to another person
Aside – we live in a time
where this responsibility doesnŐt apply only to menÉ
-some of you are single women raising a family and
doing a good job at it
-it
would be offensive for me to say that youŐve got less to offer your kids
-in Bible Timothy was raised by his mother/grandmother &
Paul praised them for good job
-and
I praise you for the job that you do with your children, I know itŐs not easy
-but
itŐs esp. not easy is because God intended children to be raised in a family
-where
a father & mother fulfill complementary roles in nurturing & raising
their kids
This is the aspect of Fatherhood
that most fathers throughout history have gotten
-although we live in a time where more fatherŐs are
choosing to ignore this responsibility
-still,
I think, at least here today, most of us FatherŐs get this
-we
want to work hard to provide for our families and even other people in our
lives
-the danger in the
past is that as FatherŐs we see this as our main/only role
-still, today we
honor all Fathers who work hard to provide for their families
Fathers todayÉ
We honor you for investing time into your families.
-two key relationships here – 1st,
your rel. w/your wife / 2nd, your rel. w/your children
(Read Ephesians 5:25 – ŇAnd you husbands must love your wives with the
same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her.Ó)
Key to us being good fathers is us being good
husbandsÉ
-Vania and I often say to couples we counselÉ
-the
best thing you can give to your children is a good marriage
-and
a good marriage doesnŐt just happen, it takes hard word
-how
hard? The same kind of love that Jesus showed the church
As husbands God created your
wives with needs youŐre supposed to meetÉ
-she
has a need for security – to know youŐll be there, that youŐll love her
for better/worst
-É
affirmation – she needs to know sheŐs beautiful to you / U appreciate
what she does
-Étrust
– needs to know no matter what, you wonŐt bail, that UŐll remain
committed to her
-Érespect
– who she is, what she does, her likes and dislikes,
-Éplay
– your wife has fun things she enjoys doing – donŐt have to like/do
them butÉ.
-Éto
be sought and won over and over – just like you first sought her
-you
have to figure out how your wife feels loved / love her that way
-three
helpful words, communication, compromise, forgiveness
A healthy relationship with your wife
is the greatest gift you can give your childrenÉ
But your children have other needs as wellÉ
-the need for security: to be held close / know that youŐll love them no matter what
-Éaffirmation: focus
on success not just failure
-Ébelonging: you are a key part of our life / Discipline:
kids are looking for limits
-Éguidance:
donŐt just tell, model / just do as I say,
not as I do doesnŐt work!
-Érespect: they are
people, not just your possessions, they wonŐt think like you
-Éplay: they need play time with you /
-ÉIndependence: let/help
them grow up (your job is to prepare them to face this life)
-Émodels/examples:
-how to love others (opposite sex
– physically & emotionally)
-how to serve others
-work ethic
-how to deal with those
habits that arenŐt so good for your life
-you are a visual aid for
what a responsible adult looks like and does
-Életting
go – freedom to let them choose their own way
-Éforgiveness
– as Christ forgives (prodigal father)
So, fatherŐs today we honor you for
your role as providers
-for
the time you invest into your familyŐs life and lastly
For your role as spiritual intercessors, guides,
models (read 1Thess. 2:11-12)
1Thess 2:11-12 Ňand you know we
treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We pleaded with you,
encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would
consider worthy..
Men, itŐs great that we work hard
to provide for our families
ItŐs even better if we add to
that an investment in our marriages/kids lives
But best of all is when we add to
that a Godly influence in their lives
-as a father/man, you are GodŐs visual aid to your
children and the children in your life
-it
is our role to interceed for your children (pray for them!!!)
-to
encourage them in the ways of Christ
-and
to urge them to live their lives in a way God would consider worthy
And like IŐve said all year so
farÉ
-the
best way you can do this is not just or only through your wordsÉ
-but
most importantly through the way you live your lives / example you set
-because
thatŐs what they are really paying attention & responding to
-what
you do, not what you say is what your kids will imitate (and they will)
So, hereŐs the pointÉ.
-today we honor all of you fathers and men who are/desire
is to be this kind of man/father
But if youŐre feeling like,
thatŐs not me, at least not yetÉ
-remember, this is a journey
-IŐm
trying to be this kind of a father and five kids later, I still feel like I
fall short
-but
the good news is this is the kind of father God wants to make us
-and
heŐll give us the strength to become just that, but we need to be involved in
process
-so,
what needs to happen in your life today/this week to help you be that kind of
man
some thoughtsÉ
Maybe you need to surrender your
life to Jesus if you never have beforeÉ
-you
canŐt be an provider of spiritual needs if youŐre not surrendered to following
Jesus
-if
you try to provide for spiritual needs without following Jesus, all youŐll
provide is religion
Maybe you need to recommit to
loving your wife as Jesus loved the churchÉ
-sacrificially,
mercifully, unconditionally
-your
kids are looking to you as the example for how a man loves God and loves others
-your
boys are specifically looking for an example of how to love a woman
Maybe you need to ask
forgiveness, of God/wife/children/
Maybe you need to forgive
yourself
DonŐt miss this, even if you feel
like youŐve messed up in past - never too late to start
-itŐs
never too late to recommit to being the kind of man/father God created you to
be
-even
if your children are grown up – maybe thereŐs a conversation that needs
to happen
-maybe
thereŐs other children in GodŐs family God wants to use you to influence
PRAY