LESSON FROM A FAITHFUL FATHER

Father's Day Message

Genesis 18:19-For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

A. Why did God choose Abraham?

    1. Abraham's Value-"For I know him..."
    2. Abraham's Voice-"He will command his children and his household after him..."
    3. Abraham's Victory-"They shall keep the way of the LORD..."
    4. Abraham's Virtue-"To do justice and judgment..."
    5. Abraham's Vision-"That the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."

B. Why has God chosen you to be a father?

    1. Your Value-John 10:27-29-My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life;
        and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than
        all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. Does God know you?

    2. Your Voice-Ephesian 6:4-And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and
        admonition of the Lord. Bringing the mind and will under the authority of God and His Word. If all you do is bring them
        under your authority you will lose them when they get old enough to get out from under your authority. Deuteronomy 6:5-7
        And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,
        and when thou walkest by the way,  and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

    3. Your Victory-John 14:15, John 14:21, John 15:20-We are in a spiritual battle. Fighting the battle is praying and keeping the
        commands of Christ.

    4. Your Virtue-1 Thessalonians 2:10-13-Ye are witnesses, and God also , how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved
        ourselves among you that believe: As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father
        doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. For this cause also
        thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the
        word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. Paul's Father's Day
        Message. Be an example to your children.

    5. Your Vision-Proverbs 29:18-Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
        Perish-to expose
        Where there is no vision, the people are exposed or uncovered. A Christian  Father with no vision for his family is Satan's
        greatest weapon against the church and God's kingdom. Fathers with no vision expose their families to the destructive
        influences of the world, the flesh and the Devil. Satan blinds the eyes of Christian fathers to:
        1. Their Relationship with their Heavenly Father
        2. Their Responsibility to Command their Children
        3. The Reality of the Spiritual Battle and How to Fight it
        4. The Requirement to Teach their Children by Example
        5. The Reason for a Vision for their Families

       What keeps a father from overcoming this attack? A Failure to Focus leads to a Fear of Failure which produces a
        Dysfunctional Faith .

        1. Failure to Focus-Men do not naturally focus their attention on the Lord. It's not that men do not have a focus,
            but rather their focus is not on the Lord. Men do not understand the influence they have on their families. They
            fail to realize that the tendency is for their family to focus on whatever they are focused on. If a father's focus is
            sports, then his family will be focused on sports. If its entertainment, then his family will be focused on entertainment.
            If its the Lord and spiritual things then his family will be focused on the Lord and spiritual things.

              -Its not me
              -Its not me with God's help
              -Its Jesus and Him alone

         Overcome  Failure to Focus by Determining to Delight in the Lord and His Word
         How?--Memorize God's Word
                  -Meditate in God's Word

        2. Fear of Failure-Men do not want to fail. Most men would rather not try something than try and fail. This fear keeps
            them from doing mighty things for God. If we try to do something for God and fail then we feel guilty for failing. If
            we don't do anything then we can blame God because He didn't call us, or empower us, or bless us with a submissive
            wife or obedient children.

              -Fear of Failure causes 3 responses

                1-Give up, don't do anything
                2-Work harder, try to do it myself
                3-Trust Jesus to do it through me

        Overcome Fear of Failure by Demonstrating obedience to the Lord and His Word
         How?--Build Godly Character Qualities into your life
                  -Build the Commands of Christ into your life

        3. Dysfunctional Faith-Men do not naturally have faith. We are plagued with little faith and are content to remain in
            that condition. Even the Disciples, who walked with Jesus, had little faith. He knows our faith is dysfunctional.

           -Little Faith-Focus on us  -Used 5 times in the Gospels
           -Faith- Focus on Situation  -Used 9 times in the Gospels
           -Great Faith-Focus on Jesus  -Used 1time in the Gospels

        Overcome Dysfunctional Faith by Diligently seeking the Lord and His Word
         How?--Resist the World
                  -Receive the Word

1. Does God know you? Trust Jesus for Salvation.

2. Are you bringing the mind and will of your children under the authority of God and His Word?
    Deut. 6:5-7-Teach the Word of God to your family.

3. Are you keeping the commands of Christ and teaching your children to keep the commands of Christ? Teach the
    commands of Christ. Fight the battle in prayer for your family. A father's responsibility is to pray for his family to protect them.
    Fight on my knees. The battle ground is my mind. If I don't do battle with the enemy he will attack and influence my family.
    I can't keep him from attacking but I can defend them. Prayer and God's Word are our offensive weapons.

4. Are you being what you want your children to be? Teach by example in your home. Don't focus on showing them how
    much you love them. Be more concerned with showing them how much God loves them. Respond to them with the fruits of
    the Spirit. This is how to demonstrate Genuine Love, by building Christ character into their lives.

5. Do you have a vision of what God wants to do with you and your family? Trust God for a vision. Read Deuteronomy
    6 and catch the vision for raising up a Godly generation mighty in Spirit and strong in the Lord.

   Two men brought their families out of Haran-Abram and Lot-Both Abram and Lot had a vision-Abram's vision
    was to follow God-Lot's vision was personal gain-God blessed Abram-Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom-Abram
    passed on a Godly heritage-Lot lost his family.