Being A G.o.d.l.y. Father Series

AN ARTICLE IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SEVERAL YEARS AGO PROVIDED A DEEP PICTURE OF GOD’S FATHERLY LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN. AFTER A FOREST FIRE IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, FOREST RANGERS BEGAN THEIR TREK UP A MOUNTAIN TO ASSESS THE INFERNO’S DAMAGE.

ONE RANGER FOUND A BIRD LITERALLY COOKED SOLID IN ASHES YET PERCHED GRACEFULLY ON THE GROUND AT THE BASE OF A TREE.

SOMEWHAT SICKENED BY THE EERIE SIGHT, HE KNOCKED OVER THE BIRD WITH A STICK. WHEN HE GENTLY STRUCK IT, THREE TINY CHICKS SCURRIED FROM UNDER THEIR DEAD MOTHER’S WINGS.

THE LOVING MOTHER, AWARE OF THE IMPENDING DISASTER, HAD CARRIED HER BABIES TO THE BASE OF THE TREE AND HAD GATHERED THEM UNDER HER WINGS, INSTINCTIVELY KNOWING THAT THE TOXIC SMOKE WOULD RISE.

SHE COULD HAVE FLOWN TO SAFETY BUT REFUSED TO ABANDON HER BABIES. WHEN THE BLAZE HAD ARRIVED AND THE HEAT HAD SCORCHED HER SMALL BODY, THE MOTHER HAD REMAINED STEADFAST. BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN WILLING TO DIE, THOSE UNDER THE COVER OF HER WINGS WOULD LIVE.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE LOVE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. PSALM 91:4, "HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS FEATHERS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE."

LET ALL FATHERS BE ENCOURAGED THIS FATHER’S DAY, TO ENSURE THEIR OWN CHILDREN ARE NESTLED SAFELY UNDER THEIR WINGS OF LOVE, PROTECTION AND GUIDANCE.

WE NEED, NOW MORE THAN EVER, FOR FATHER’S WHO ARE WILLING TO PUT FORTH SUCH AN EFFORT. IT IS TIME FOR THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD TO RECLAIM THEIR FATHERS.

WE NEED OUR FATHER’S BACK! WE HAVE ALLOWED THE PEWS OF OUR CHURCHES TO GO ON BEING "HALF-FILLED" WITH "HALF-FAMILIES" FOR FAR TOO LONG.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT THE CHURCH IS SEEING FEWER FAMILIES COMING TOGETHER AS A COMPLETE FAMILY TO BOTH SUNDAY SCHOOL AND WORSHIP ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE NEED TO MAINTAIN ACCOUNTABILITY. WE’RE LETTING TOO MANY FATHER’S GET AWAY WITH STAYING HOME ON SUNDAYS. TOO MUCH PRESSURE IS BEING PUT ON OUR MOTHER’S TO ENSURE THAT THE KIDS ARE UP, DRESSED, FED, AND TAKEN TO CHURCH.

IT IS HEART-BREAKING TO THINK WHAT A "SILENT " MESSAGE THIS SENDS TO THE CHILDREN AS THEY GO OFF TO CHURCH EACH WEEK WHILE DAD STAYS HOME. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE TO HAVE BOTH PARENTS WITH THEM IN CHURCH.

I AM NOT ACCUSING ANYONE OF BEING A BAD FATHER. WHAT I’M SAYING IS THAT WE NEED TO SEE MORE GOOD FATHERS BECOME GREAT FATHERS BY ASSUMING THEIR RIGHTFUL ROLES OF BEING THE RELIGIOUS LEADER OF THEIR HOME.

THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT HE IS TO NURTURE HIS CHILDREN BY GIVING THEM INSTRUCTION, PROTECTION, PROVISIONS, COMPANIONSHIP, ASSISTANCE, LOVE, DISCIPLINE, AND EXAMPLE.

PROVERBS 22:6, "TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PATH, AND WHEN THEY ARE OLDER, THEY WILL REMAIN UPON IT."

THIS MEANS, WE NEED MEN WHO WILL BE "G-O-D-L-Y" FATHERS. A FATHER WHO: G=GUIDES THEM IN GOD’S WAYS, O=ORPHANS THEIR SELFISH DESIRES, D=DELIGHTS IN THEIR CHILDREN, L=LOVES THEM UNCONDITIONALLY, AND Y=YEARNS FOR THEIR SALVATION.

G: GUIDES THEM IN GOD’S WAYS. ALL CHILDREN WILL GAIN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER FROM THEIR EARTHLY FATHER.

THIS IS WHY IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR MEN TO BE A GODLY EXAMPLE TO THEIR CHILDREN. KIDS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEIR FATHERS LOVE GOD WITH THEIR WHOLE HEART, THAT THEY KNOW GOD’S WORD, AND THAT THEY ARE ANXIOUS TO SHARE IT WITH THEM.

DEUTERONOMY 6:5-8, "AND YOU MUST LOVE THE LORD YOU GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ALL YOUR SOUL, AND ALL YOUR STRENGTH. AND YOU MUST COMMIT YOURSELVES WHOLE-HEARTEDLY TO THESE COMMANDS I AM GIVING YOU TODAY.

REPEAT THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN TO YOUR CHILDREN. TALK ABOUT THEM WHEN YOU ARE AT HOME AND WHEN YOU ARE AWAY ON A JOURNEY, WHEN YOU ARE LYING DOWN AND WHEN YOU ARE GETTING UP AGAIN."

THIS MEANS, FATHERS, DON’T SEND YOUR KIDS TO CHURCH, TAKE THEM WITH YOU! FATHERS, ON TOP OF ENSURING THEIR HOMEWORK IS DONE, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE READ THEIR BIBLE AND HAVE SAID THEIR PRAYERS.

DON’T NEGLECT YOUR ROLE AS THE SPIRITUAL TEACHER OF YOUR FAMILY! "G" MEANS A GODLY FATHER GUIDES HIS FAMILY ACCORDING TO GOD’S WAY.

"O" MEANS THAT A GODLY MAN WILL ORPHAN HIS SELFISH DESIRES. PHILIPPIANS 3:13, "…I AM FOCUSING ALL MY ENERGIES ON THIS ONE THING: FORGETTING THE PAST AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT LIES AHEAD…."

1 CORINTHIANS 13:11, "WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I SPOKE AND THOUGHT AND REASONED AS A CHILD DOES. BUT WHEN I GREW UP, I PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS."

FATHERS ORPHAN THEIR SELFISH DESIRES BY LETTING GO OF THE PAST AND CLAIMING THE PRESENT. I THINK WE HAVE TOO MANY FATHERS WHO ARE STILL MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY TRYING TO LIVE OUT THEIR OWN CHILDHOOD AT THEIR FAMILIES EXPENSE.

THE WORLD MAY CALL IT A "MID-LIFE CRISIS" BUT GOD SAYS IT’S PURE SELFISHNESS! MEN, DON’T NEGLECT YOUR WIFE BY SPENDING MORE TIME WITH YOUR BUDDIES THAN YOU DO WITH HER. STOP TRYING TO BE "ONE OF THE BOYS!"