LIKE IT OR NOT “YOU DA MAN”
Ps 127:3-5
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Ps 127:3-128:1
3 Don’t you see that children are GOD’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? 4 Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. 5 Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.
Some men prepare for fatherhood like they do a career. Some take child rearing classes, they read up on what it means to be a good dad, disciplining, and future planning for the child. They want to be the perfect father.
Then the child comes into the world and the father is faced with things that he didn’t learn in Fatherhood 101. All those poopy diapers and throwups, fevers and coughs and endless crying spells. I mean, where is Dr Spock when you need him?
And then there are the men who like to make babies but want nothing to do with them after they arrive. Know any of them? My philosophy is, you play you pay.
There is nothing wrong with classroom exercises and we should educate ourselves in child rearing, but if you want counseling in child raising you need go to the Bible.
It could not be counted, the numbered men, who have been on their face before God in total fear of bringing a child into this world.
Reasons for the fear;
I’m not ready for it.
I don’t know how to raise one.
We can’t afford it.
I’m still in school
I’m too busy.
Don’t want to be tied down.
We are too young.
All those statements are moot but its too late when the evidence is presented.
Fatherhood, as you can see, offers great and wonderful challenges.
If you accept the challenge, you take on rolls and wear different hats, as the children grow through different stages of life.
You become;
Sanitary engineer. (diapers)
A shoulder to lean on.
A sound board.
A counselor.
A doctor.
A sports trainer. (baseball, football, soccer, swimming inst. Etc.)
A teacher.
But one responsibility that I have yet to mention is more important that any and all of the others, and that is that God has chosen you dads to bring your children to Jesus Christ.
That child’s understanding of God, that child’s trust and faith in God, that child level of service to God, and that child’s eternal destination can be determined by how you display your love for God.
I recently read a touching story about a humble, consecrated 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 dear child. 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!"
You have read;
Matt 5:13-14
13 Ye are the salt of the earth:... 14 Ye are the light of the world.
But we are neither if we are not first salt and light to our children.
1 Tim 5:8
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Provide what? Godly influences through word and action. Allowing God to live through you. Displaying the fruits of the Spirit befoer your children.
We are a greater influence than we probably will ever realize. We must be very careful what we say and do because one wrong piece of information or action could possibly send our children down the wrong road and without the grace of God they may never return.
We must walk in the Spirit. We must be Christlike.
We are a great influence.
Everything we say and do, our responses to life’s problems, those that oppose us, sickness, financial troubles. Our attitudes toward the church, worship, and the lost.
As they witness our response to all these things, it should affirm to their hearts that my daddy is serving a living God.
You may say that my children are grown and have their own families. We are still held responsible to live a godly life whether our children are at home or away.
Children emulate their parents.
Little boys like to do what their fathers do.
Little girls like to do what their mothers do.
Dad throws a rock into the water, son throws a rock into the water.
Dad chews on a straw, son chews on a straw.
When ask why they do certain things the way do, they reply "That’s the way my dad did it".
If this is the case, then what an awesome responsibility we have.
Deut 6:4-8
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
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.
Your influence is greater than anyone else in your family.
Your influence determines the direction your family is going.
Every boy wants to be like daddy (girls like mom).
Parents can not do anything wrong in their eyes.
What do we want those under our influence to be? Naturally, we want them to be Godly.
Prov 22:6
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
We as parents must keep our lives clean and unspotted from this world because the seeds we sow will sprout up in our children.
Be very careful, because what we allow in moderation, our children will do in access.
It’s true your children won’t be held accountable for your sins, but your sins, and more, they will probably do if you don’t raise them for God.
Let me tell you what you mold into their lives:
Outwardly: Your dress practices, your verbiage, the places you go, your habits (tobacco, alcohol, sexual impurity, etc.) They watch what you watch, do what you do.
The type of morals you display will burn the same impressions into their character.
Inwardly: pride, anger, hate, prejudices, apathy, indifference, the lack of spiritual hunger.
Do your children witness your prayer life and the study of God’s word?
Like father, like son, and the same applies to you mothers with your daughters.
Too many times the path you trod is the same path that they will be walking, whether to heaven or tragically to hell.
Does it make a difference in how you raise them?
Look at the children of parents who found Christ late in life. How do they live?
If you practice sin or play church in front of your children. That sin influence will be devastating in the lives of your children.
Look at Lot, Akin, Hamman, Aaron, Eli, and Judas. (The inconsistencies) So why did the children die? Daddy did it.
If you have grown children, you may ask what can I do about it now? Isn’t it a little late?
No, you start now. I believe your changed life can still be a powerful influence on them to lead them to Jesus.
Through your transformation, they can know that God has the power to transform their lives also.
I believe the world today is a very strong influence on our children. The educational and even the religious systems are a great influence on them, and most of these influences lead the far away from God.
That’s why God requires us to raise them in the fear and admonition of God.
If we could have stood at the foot of the cross and witnessed Christ’s death and could have asked Him why He would go through so much suffering for us?
I believe He would say, "It‘s what my father would do."
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
If your children grow up, lives their lives for Christ and go to heaven, the one big reason will be, because their dad did.
The eternal destination of your children just may very well be because of your influence, dad.
Lets pray.
