"F A T H E R S: The Compass of the Family"
Eph 6:4
- Honor our fathers today
- Fathers are responsible for setting the pattern for their children to grow in
- Fathers are to be the compass of the family
- What is purpose of a compass? It is an instrument that guides us in the right direction
- A compass helps us to find our way when we get lost
- Many families today seem so lost and one of the main reasons is because there is no Father, no compass, no direction setting device, in the home.
- What direction then should we be setting as Fathers? What type of compass should Fathers be?
- The WORD F A T H E R S contains what we should be
- Turn to Eph 6:4 / Pray
(TRANS): In the home today, we need more Fathers that are the compass of showing they are…
1. FUN TO BE WITH
- "Do not provoke your children to wrath…"
- Some kids can’t wait for Dad to leave…always grumpy, angry
- Being a good father requires patience with children and have fun
- You play a big factor in how your children perceive God (Expound)
- We need more Fathers that enjoy their children and in return…children enjoy their father
- Rachel drawing in my office…"I love my Dad because he wrestles with me"
- Dads, if you don’t take the time to enjoy them while they’re young, you’ll grow old to regret it.
(TRANS) Not only should fathers be fun to be with but they also, they need to be the compass in showing they’re are…
2. AFFECTIONATE
- Rom 12:10, "Be kindly affectionate towards one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another."
- In our text "Bring Up" literally means to nourish tenderly
- Our children should be objects of our tender, affectionate care
- If we Fathers need anything more in the lives of our children it is to show them sincere, heartfelt affection
- Young boys and homosexuals / Young girls sexually impure at 14 yrs
- Fathers can show affection in every part of life for their children
- Your children need a Daddy they can sit in their lap, hug their neck, kiss their lips…be affectionate with
- Nothing wrong with being a man…but Jesus wept…Jesus showed affection
- He is one the strongest men I know
- We need Fathers that are not afraid to be AFFECTIONATE with their children, this will cause them to be able to be affectionate with their children
(TRANS) Thirdly, we need fathers who set the course for life and will take the time to…
3. TRAIN THEIR CHILDREN
- Fathers are to be the spiritual leaders in the home
- They have the responsibility to train their children in spiritual matters
- Prov. 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go; And when he is old he will not depart from it.
- Child training brings three things that Fathers must include as the compass:
1. Dedication: of Father’s to raise the child up dedicated to God
(Psa 127:3)
2. Instruction: Father’s are to try and cause them to learn every essential
in pleasing God (Prov 1:8)
3. Discipline: Fathers are to lovingly and firmly train the child through discipline (verse 4 says, "admonition")
Prov 13:24 " spares rod hates…loves disciplines"
Prov 29:17 "Correct your child and he will give you rest; Yes
he will bring delight to your soul.
- Our younger adults have no direction in their lives because the direction of discipline has never been used in their lives.
- Many fathers have no rest nor delight in their adult children
- Fathers need to be involved in training up their children in the right way
(TRANS) Fathers are to be fun to be with, affectionate, and training up their children but they also must put on the character of…
4. HUMILITY
- Fathers must allow their children to see they blow it…then admit it
- Being able to tell your children "I blew it, please forgive me"
- One thing that Satan uses more than any other to bring men down is PRIDE
- Prov 16:18, "Pride goes before the fall…"
- Prov 29:23, "A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor."
- God draws close the humble but is far from the prideful
- The road to greatness is through humbleville
- We need more Fathers who will model humility in their own lives and it will be caught by their children and portrayed in their lives
(TRANS) Fathers need to model humility in their lives and they also need to have on the compass the trait of being an…
5. ENCOURAGER
- Fathers need to be an encourager to their children
- A father’s words can speak life or death in their children’s lives
- Self fulfilling prophecies….NEGATIVE ALL THE TIME
- Our words are like swords that pierce the very souls of our children and they can be scarred for life.
- Fathers need to help our children grow in an environment of encouragement instead of failure
(TRANS) Good Fathers should also be ones who…
6. REMEMBER
- When we say to our children, "may be tomorrow" they just heard Daddy make a promise to do it tomorrow
- In my life this is an area that I need to be better at
- Our children do not forget…and when we do and they bring up to us…we get mad at them for remind us that we forgot.
- Fathers need to remember to be at the special functions
- Fathers need to remember the special planned days
- Fathers need to remember to say "yes" more often instead of "no" or "not now"
- Men, when it comes to our children, we are natural procrastinators
- God doesn’t forget His promises to us (rainbow)
- We Fathers need to make a strong effort to remember and do, and be with, and be at, and keep our word to our children
(TRANS) Lastly, fathers need to show on their compass that they are willing to…
7. SACRIFICE FOR THEIR CHILDREN
- It is sad that many fathers have all the wonderful toys of life and their children have nothing
- Godly fathers are willing to sacrifice and to be a sacrifice for their children
- Look at II Cor 12:14-15
- This means all areas of life (hobbies, sports, time, money, etc.)
- Times I don’t feel like playing a game, dancing, coaching, playing catch, etc…
- But one day, they will be grown, and I will weep because I can’t do those things with them
- It ought not be MOM who takes them everywhere or does everything with them…
- We need more Fathers who are willing to sacrifice for their children
CONCLUSION
- We honor our fathers and grandfathers today
- Our fathers are special and are vitally needed in the home
- They are to be the compass, the direction giver, for the home
- Godly fathers are to be
F - Fun to be with
A - Affectionate
T - Training their Children
H - Humble
E - Encourager
R - Remember
S- Sacrificial
