Fathers With A Mission

Fathers With A Mission

Introduction:

A Checklist for Dads

The Top Ten Ways to Intimidate Your Daughter’s Date When He Comes to Pick Her Up:

10. Sprinkle some dust on your daughter before she leaves. Explain, “It makes fingerprinting easier.”

9. Challenge him at arm wrestling.

8. Introduce him to your good friend Tony Soprano.

7. Answer the door wearing a police swat team uniform.

6. Casually show him your collection of five shrunken heads, then yell up to your daughter, “Number six is here!”

5. Come to the door bare-chested. Do a lot of flexing.

4. Introduce him to the family by calling each family member to the living room using a whistle, then making them stand at attention and salute.

3. Have the funeral home director over to measure the young man.

2. Answer the door in a straight-jacket.

1. As they leave, speak into a walkie-talkie: “Subject is wearing khakis and a blue polo shirt, driving a green Ford.”

Here’s a more serious Top Ten list. A survey of elementary children was conducted a few years ago which indicated the ten most appreciated qualities for Dads:

1. He takes time for me.

2. He listens to me.

3. He plays with me.

4. He invites me to go places with him.

5. He lets me help him.

6. He treats my mother well.

7. He lets me say what I think.

8. He’s nice to my friends.

9. He only punishes me when I deserve it.

10. He isn’t afraid to admit when he’s wrong.

As parents our primary mission is to pass Biblical truths on to our children.

I Timothy 5:8 -- “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

As parents our mission is to pass on Biblical truths to our children and loved ones. To “provide” for our family means to provide love, financial security, and development an atmosphere of hope, faith and optimism.

We all struggle with obstacles to spending time in God’s Word—time constraints, misplaced priorities, and perhaps even some doubts about the relevancy of God’s Word to our lives.

The George Barna Research Group States that --

84% of Americans identify themselves as Christians

95% say they believe in God

And 68% of born again adults believe that the Bible teaches that “God helps those who help themselves”

53% that the Holy Spirit does not exist

47% that Satan does not exist

30% that Jesus Christ died but never had a physical resurrection

Since the creation of Adam, Men were ordained by God to be spiritual leaders in society and in the home. Fathers have God’s calling and mission to pass on Biblical truths to their children. Before you can pass something on you must first possess it. You first need God’s Word in your life.

I. Have God’s Word in Your Life.

I Thessalonians 2:11-12 – “A Father deals with his children, encouraging them…to live lives worthy of God.”

There are many obstacles to knowing God’s Word and making it apart of your life.

It’s hard to imagine that there are any obstacles to the use of God’s Word in the Western world. Christian bookstores not only offer Bibles at reasonable prices, but also many different translations and specialized editions. Statistics reveal that the average household in the United States has three Bibles.

However, studies show that many church going people aren’t reading the Bible on a consistent basis.

Here are some obstacles to reading God’s Word:

1. Spiritual warfare. Satan, the god of this world, will do all he can to keep you away from the Word of God. As I mentioned last Sunday, the Word of God is quick and powerful and defeats the temptations of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-12 Paul declares, “A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.” (NLT)

2. Not a High Priority. God teaches that parents are to make teaching the truths of God a high priority in the home, but parents are so busy with their own agendas and life that they neglect the number one calling. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 clearly teaches that parents are commissioned by God to pass on Biblical truth to the next generation.

3. Lack of Time Management. Lacking time management to the point where we believe the enemy’s lie—“You don’t have the time!”

Among Bible readers, the average total time per week of Bible reading is 52 minutes, or 7.4 minutes per day.