The God-Father

(Click on the pic to listen to it)

One time a little boy was asked to define Father’s Day and he said, It’s just like Mother’s Day, only you don’t spend as much on the present.THE IDEA FOR CREATING A DAY for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Having been raised by her father, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Her father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Roses are the Father’s Day flowers: red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died.

One random trivia fact: The greatest number of long distance phone calls are made on Mother’s Day; the largest number of collect calls are made on Father’s Day!

In the spirit of family feud, here are the top five things a dad says:

5. I’m busy right now.

4. Just wait until I get home.

3. When I was your age ……

2. Just wait until I get home

1. Go ask your mother.

Dad’s say a lot of crazy things. The dad we are looking at today has probably said the most profound words a dad could say. Listen to Joshua (24)….

“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua took over for Moses after he died. God tells Joshua these infamous words for every believer before he took over  in 1:6, “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” He led Israel to a lot of victories. One notable one is battle of Jericho. At age 110 he summoned leaders of Israel to Shechem for a farewell address. He charged them to obey the Lord who had fought for them and given them an inheritance. He warned them of the danger of worshiping other idols, saying, Choose you this day whom you will serve.

As we have learned over the past couple of blog entries, we have looked at what it means to ACT LIKE MEN, we have learned that dad’s have an incredible influence over their child. One could argue, the dad determines whether or not their children will follow Christ. God has given men incredible authority to determine the direction of their family and influence the generation to come. God just needs men to ACT LIKE MEN.

My dad, fortunately, gave me a beautiful example of what it meant to serve his church and community. He did them both. He did them well. Some how he convinced me that church was important for family life. Some how he convinced me that serving others was important. Some how he convinced me to give myself to something bigger that took courage to do.  Some how he convinced me that following Jesus and serving in the church was the best option in life. Although my Valiant car which had a slide six engine and went 0-60 in 5 minutes, I have to be honest men, dads, and grandpas,  the example of serving the church and the community was the greatest gift he gave me. Nothing else compares.

It is said that a boy loves his mother but will follow his father.

There is a story about a pastor whose young son had become very ill. After the boy had undergone an exhaustive series of tests, the father was told the shocking news that his son had a terminal illness. The youngster had accepted Christ as his Savior, so the minister knew that death would usher him into Glory; but he wondered how to inform one in the bloom of youth that he soon would die. After earnestly seeking the direction of the Holy Spirit, he went with a heavy heart through the hospital ward to the boy’s bedside.

First he read a passage of Scripture and had a time of prayer with his boy. Then he gently told him that the doctors could promise him only a few more days to live. “Are you afraid to meet Jesus, my boy?” asked his devout father. Blinking away a few tears, the little fellow said bravely, “No, not if He’s like you, Dad!”

Dad’s, grandpa’s, men – You set the example. You determine the direction of your family. God has given you the power and authority combined with humility and a gentle spirit to influence those who are watching you. As a reminder from the last blog entry, we are not called to be perfect dads, perfect grandpa’s, or perfect role models. We are called to put away our childish behaviors, our childish attitudes, our childish reasoning. It’s time to grow up and put away those childish things.

Those of you who didn’t have great dads or your dad was absent or he was there physically but wasn’t there emotionally or spiritually – I encourage you to break that cycle. I encourage you to talk to your kids about Christ. I encourage you to admit where you have failed. I encourage you to sit around your dinner table and share stories, and laugh together. I encourage you to take the initiative in the life of your child because they will love their mother but they will follow you.

We can learn a couple of things from Joshua that will help us ACT LIKE MEN.

1. He was the spiritual leader in his home.

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A young man I mentor, who has six kids, was challenged by his wife to step up and be the spiritual leader in his home. This man was pretty childish, self-centered, and got his own way. This man was not a believer in Christ. He accepted his wife’s challenge and started going to church with her. This young man stepped up by first committing to follow Christ, then became a living example of what means to be a Christ follower. His young boys are following his example.

Men don’t do this naturally. We are good at showing up at their soccer games, baseball, football games, and other events our kids are involved in. This is an important role a dad plays. They also need to know why you don’t or do choose to serve God. If you are a Christ follower – you need to tell them why you follow Christ. If you are not a Christ follower, you need to tell them why you don’t follow Christ. Vs. 15 says:

15 But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”

Men, we all serve somebody. I gave you the statistics a couple of blog entries ago on the impact we have on our kids – they will follow your lead.

What I hear Joshua saying is, YOU CHOOSE! Don’t pretend to be the spiritual leader in your home. Be it! Don’t pretend to be a Christ follower – be it! Don’t pretend to know Jesus – know Him! Make the commitment to be the spiritual leader in your home. Make the commitment to be a Christ – follower. Make the commitment to know Jesus! Lead the way. This is the greatest gift you can give to your family. Make the conscious choice. A choice requires a decision. A decision requires certain actions to follow. 

If you choose to be the spiritual leader in your home,

a. Stay close to God

This is done by being constantly aware of the presence of God. Scripture is important. Prayer is important. Worshiping together is important. Praying with your spouse and kids are important. These are ways we stay close to God.

b. Pass on to your children and spouse a love for God

This is the greatest thing you can do for your spouse and children. In Joshua chapter 3, verse 11, Joshua urges Israel to make love of God their special aim. There is a story about a little boy who was frightened by lightning and thunder, he called out one dark night, “Daddy, come. I’m scared.” “Son,” the father said, “God loves you and he’ ll take care of you.” “I know God loves me,” the boy replied. “But right now I want somebody who has skin on.” Our children want to see God’s love. How they first experience what the love of God is like is through their dad.

Our spouses, too, want to be loved.

Eph. 5: 25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.

How do our spouses know if they are loved or not? Are you willing to sacrifice for her?
Are you willing to let childish attitude, spirit, and reasoning die? Are you willing to take the initiative in spiritual matters?  Your spouse understands what sacrifice looks like. If you answer yes to all those questions …  your spouse will see that you love them.

2. The second thing we can learn from Joshua is that he had a vision for his life and family. He says, “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” This vision determines what decisions are made  This vision determines what direction you lead your family. If you don’t have a vision for your family Proverbs 28:19 says,

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

In other words, If you (dad) do not have a vision, especially in spiritual matters, then you run from this doctrine to the next. You will run from this belief to the next. Your kids will love your mother but they will follow their father. It does matter what you believe in. It does matter who you believe in. All of us have a spiritual side to us and your kids and your spouse will follow your lead.

Joshua lets his family know, “hey this is the direction we are going …. We will serve the Lord!” Now … does this mean we shove religion down the throats of our wife and kids?  Do we force our kids to follow Jesus? Do we NOT listen to our spouse, our helpmate, in spiritual matters? I think we know the answer to that question. NO. What it means, out of their love and respect for you, is that they will follow your lead. That is scary!

Men, dad’s, grandpa’s – We got this!

• Lead spiritually in your homes.
• Stay in close contact with God.
• Pass on to your spouse and your children a love for God
• Have a vision for your family when it comes to spiritual matters.

Men, which God will  your family serve? Men, are you willing to take the spiritual leadership in your home? Men, what kind of example do you want to leave?

You got this!