Choosing to lead
Introduction-
This morning as I bring a Fathers Day message, I know it comes with mixed feelings for some.
Maybe your not a father and you would like to become one
Maybe your adult kids do not keep in touch and today is tough.
Life with all its struggles finds your marriage at a critical point, and you are praying for some answers.
The Scripture this morning I hope is an encouragement for you. It is choosing to lead.
Many people say they are leaders but really they are followers of their own selfish ambitions.
By choosing to lead, I mean that you have planted your feet in God’s Word and are determined yourself to follow His ways. In the course of following Him, you determine that you are going to bring as many people as you can with you.
There is a man in the Old Testament that impresses me. If there was one man who could get behind this pulpit, I think it would be Joshua.
A man of courage- taking over for Moses and leading the people of Israel into the promised
Land.
A man of conviction- When all others faith wavered because of doubt, he stood tall.
Joshua 24: is our text this morning. It is Joshua’s final message. It is the Sixth book of the Old Testament.
Joshua draws the people of Israel together and makes them commit to how they will live their lives. (2) Joshua said to all the people- “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says”
Your forefathers served other gods.
I took your father Abraham and gave him the promised land.
I promised Abraham that he would have many descendants.
I used Moses and Aaron to get you to this very point of decision.
“So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build, and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.”
Here is the text this morning: Joshua 24:14-15 (read from Bible)
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
The critical key to this country’s future and the future of the family is choosing to lead.
Weather you are a dad here this morning or a mom who has been forced to play both roles, leaders must chose to lead!
Listen men,
Your wives need you to be Godly men.
Your children need you to be Godly men.
Your business needs you to be Godly men. (They may not even realize it yet)
Your church needs you to be Godly men.
This community is looking for Godly men to lead them!
Illustration-
Fatherhood has changed a lot over the years.
A man was asked who was in charge at his home. Well, my wife bosses the kids, my children boss the dog and cat, and I can say anything I want to the geraniums.”
Proverbs 20:6- “But a faithful man- who can find?”
There is a lot of catchy phrases to get men’s attention.
The most important thing a father can do for his children is love their mother.
A father is a guy who has a snapshot in his wallet where his money use to be.
Bill Cosby- Fatherhood is pretending that the present you love the most is soap-on- a-rope.
As the spiritual leader in my family (I make no apology for it)
And I do not pawn it off as a part-time job.
I treat my home as a castle.
It is a place of protection for my family.
The whole world may be falling apart,
Hell may be breaking loose, but inside my home, there should be peace, comfort, love, and service for my God.
My job as keeper of that gate is to keep the enemy from getting over the wall and hurting emotionally and spiritually my family.
I choose to lead! “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”
This is how we can apply these principals of God’s word to our lives and families today.
I. It is a choice (Plain and simple)
(15) “And if it seemed evil unto you to serve the Lord, chose you this day whom you will serve.”
The leader determines no matter what, I chose to follow the Lord.
If none are following you, you are not a leader.
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
If you have done that, then it is on them. You keep following the Lord. It goes from your choice to their choice.
Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys.” (Repeat)
“Don’t make a baby if you cannot be a father.” National Urban League
(Anyone can father a baby, but not everyone can be a Dad)
A father writes in his journal, after fishing all day with his son. “Wasted the whole day fishing and did not catch anything.” The son writes in his journal. Went fishing with my dad, greatest day ever.
You have to acknowledge the power of your influence.
Survey Says!
Dads- roughhousing with their kids is good for them! Dah! That it teaches them life skills. UMM!
That the average dad spends 38 seconds a day talking to his children. (That is right…38 seconds)
I. it is a choice!
II. Avoid pitfalls
(14) Now fear the Lord, and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.”
One of the pitfalls is not fearing the Lord. Because everything is going well, does not mean everything is going well.!
The gods we hang unto may be work, pleasures, entertainment, listening to other people pulling you away from your priorities.
Illustration-
Definition of barbecuing. (Sermoncentral)
It is the only type of cooking a “real man” will do. When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events is put into motion.
The women goes to the store.
The women fixes the salad, vegetables, and desert.
The women prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with all necessary cooking utensils, and takes it to the man, who is lounging beside the grill.
The women goes inside to set the table and check the vegetables.
The women comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning.
The man takes the meat off the grill and hands it to the women.
The women prepares the plates and brings them to the table.
After eating, the women clears the table and does the dishes.
Everyone praises the man and thanks him for cooking.
The man asks the women how she enjoyed “her night off” and upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there is just no pleasing some women.
Stinking thinking is a pitfall!
Another pitfall is thinking that you have to get the rest of your life in order first.
Being a father won’t wait till your promotion of your dreams comes true.
Your finances get better.
Till your children are a little older.
It does not happen by itself.
Cats in the cradle song-is a reminder of a dad that put other things first , to find that he raised a son that is doing the same thing to him.
III. Arrange priorities and assume responsibilities in your life
Last thing,
When we give up our responsibility, it will always come back to hurt us.
A.B. Simpson calls it “wickedness of weakness”. It is when we refuse to fulfill our place as leader in our home.
It is not popular- it is salmon running up stream.
Neglectful dads, easy divorces, rebellious kids, and people who refuse to grow up.
It is useless to encourage our kids to do what we are not willing to do.
Which brings me to this last point-
we have to arrange our priorities in our life first.
We have to put God first!
We need to take responsibility in our lives.
Joshua was not a secret saint! He let his family, friends, Nation, know where he stood.
I know there is some here today that would say that I messed up with my kids. I did not raise them correctly and I was not always a good role model.
You have to start somewhere- start today!
Ask God to forgive you, consecrate yourself back to Him.
Go back to your kids and ask forgiveness for your mistakes and move forward.
I was a young man raising young kids, and I did not always do it right. Allow God to help you repair strained relationships.
To the world you may be one person, but to one person you might just be the world.!
