Having The Children Of Your Dreams

Having The Children Of Your Dreams

A Fathers’ Day Lesson

Pastor Don Hawks

(Based on a sermon by Joel Smith on Sermon Central.com--How to Have the Children of Your Dreams)

June 16, 2002

Bethany Church

THE STORY IS TOLD OF A FATHER OF 5 WHO CAME HOME WITH A TOY, HE SUMMONED HIS CHILDREN AND ASKED WHICH ONE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE PRESENT. "WHO IS THE MOST OBEDIENT, NEVER TALKS BACK TO MOM AND DOES EVERY THING HE OR SHE IS TOLD TO DO?" HE INQUIRED. THERE WAS SILENCE, AND THEN A CHORUS OF VOICES: "YOU PLAY WITH IT DADDY!"

How many of you here today are fathers?

Have you ever had times like this?

(From a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip);

CALVIN (Calling father at work): Hi Dad, it’s me Calvin. How’s Work Going? Uh-huh. Pretty out isn’t it? Yup. Are you bringing me any presents home tonight?..No? Well I just thought I’d ask. Listen, I suppose you’re wondering why I called. (Last frame shows Calvin standing on a ladder with plumbing tools in hand--House flooded)

Point your kids in the right direction - when they’re old they won’t be lost. Proverbs 22:6 (The Message)

Then Isaac said, "Come here and kiss me, my son."

So Jacob went over and kissed him. And when Isaac caught the smell of his clothes … he blessed his son. He said, "The smell of my son is the good smell of the open fields that the LORD has blessed. May God always give you plenty of dew for healthy crops and good harvests of grain and wine. May many nations become your servants. May you be the master of your brothers. May all your mother’s sons bow low before you. All who curse you are cursed, and all who bless you are blessed." Genesis 27:26-29 (NLT)

To have the child or children of my dreams:

1. I Will Give Meaningful TOUCH

(Discussion of appropriate vs. inappropriate touch, the power of touch in children’s lives)

The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them. Mark 10:13-16 (TMNT)

A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you want to, you can make me well again," he said.

Moved with pity, Jesus touched him. "I want to," he said. "Be healed!" Instantly the leprosy disappeared - the man was healed. Mark 1:40-42 (NLT)

2. I Will Share Spoken WORDS

Those who talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life. Proverbs 18:21 (NLT)

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor [children included] now, don’t say, "Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you." Proverbs 3:27-28 (NLT)

· Expressing high value

Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John… Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it." Matthew 16:17, 18 (NLT)

· Picturing a special future

May God always give you plenty of dew for healthy crops and good harvests of grain and wine. Genesis 27:28 (NLT)

3. I Will Make An Active COMMITMENT

· Commit them to God

· Commit your life to their best interest

A) Recognize the uniqueness of each child

B) Apply appropriate discipline and praise

C) Give yourself to your children

CALVIN AND HOBBES--The Rest of the Story--The Next Day at Home

(father sitting at desk doing paper work--Calvin walks in with clipboard and pen in hand)

CALVIN: Dad, your polls took a big dive this week. Your "Overall Dad Performance Rating" was really low. See? Right about yesterday your popularity went down the tubes.

DAD (shouting at Calvin , rising from his chair): Calvin you didn’t get dessert yesterday because you flooded the house!!!!

CALVIN (walking away): I’d suggest a new line of work Dad.

You’ve not been the perfect parent; neither have I. But here is where we can start again today:

God is the perfect parent who has conveyed to us all the ingredients of His blessing in just one verse of scripture.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

A loving Father reaches down to touch us, speak to us, tell us how valuable we are, & help us see the glorious future that we have in Him. Our heavenly father is the God of second chance. He forgives you and loves you unconditionally. Now go and do likewise with your children