AN ARTICLE IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SEVERAL YEARS AGO PROVIDED A DEEP PICTURE OF GOD’S FATHERLY LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN. AFTER A FOREST FIRE IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, FOREST RANGERS BEGAN THEIR TREK UP A MOUNTAIN TO ASSESS THE INFERNO’S DAMAGE.
ONE RANGER FOUND A BIRD LITERALLY COOKED SOLID IN ASHES YET PERCHED GRACEFULLY ON THE GROUND AT THE BASE OF A TREE.
SOMEWHAT SICKENED BY THE EERIE SIGHT, HE KNOCKED OVER THE BIRD WITH A STICK. WHEN HE GENTLY STRUCK IT, THREE TINY CHICKS SCURRIED FROM UNDER THEIR DEAD MOTHER’S WINGS.
THE LOVING MOTHER, AWARE OF THE IMPENDING DISASTER, HAD CARRIED HER BABIES TO THE BASE OF THE TREE AND HAD GATHERED THEM UNDER HER WINGS, INSTINCTIVELY KNOWING THAT THE TOXIC SMOKE WOULD RISE.
SHE COULD HAVE FLOWN TO SAFETY BUT REFUSED TO ABANDON HER BABIES. WHEN THE BLAZE HAD ARRIVED AND THE HEAT HAD SCORCHED HER SMALL BODY, THE MOTHER HAD REMAINED STEADFAST. BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN WILLING TO DIE, THOSE UNDER THE COVER OF HER WINGS WOULD LIVE.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE LOVE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. PSALM 91:4, "HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS FEATHERS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE."
LET ALL FATHERS BE ENCOURAGED THIS FATHER’S DAY, TO ENSURE THEIR OWN CHILDREN ARE NESTLED SAFELY UNDER THEIR WINGS OF LOVE, PROTECTION AND GUIDANCE.
WE NEED, NOW MORE THAN EVER, FOR FATHER’S WHO ARE WILLING TO PUT FORTH SUCH AN EFFORT. IT IS TIME FOR THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD TO RECLAIM THEIR FATHERS.
WE NEED OUR FATHER’S BACK! WE HAVE ALLOWED THE PEWS OF OUR CHURCHES TO GO ON BEING "HALF-FILLED" WITH "HALF-FAMILIES" FOR FAR TOO LONG.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT THE CHURCH IS SEEING FEWER FAMILIES COMING TOGETHER AS A COMPLETE FAMILY TO BOTH SUNDAY SCHOOL AND WORSHIP ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE NEED TO MAINTAIN ACCOUNTABILITY. WE’RE LETTING TOO MANY FATHER’S GET AWAY WITH STAYING HOME ON SUNDAYS. TOO MUCH PRESSURE IS BEING PUT ON OUR MOTHER’S TO ENSURE THAT THE KIDS ARE UP, DRESSED, FED, AND TAKEN TO CHURCH.
IT IS HEART-BREAKING TO THINK WHAT A "SILENT " MESSAGE THIS SENDS TO THE CHILDREN AS THEY GO OFF TO CHURCH EACH WEEK WHILE DAD STAYS HOME. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE TO HAVE BOTH PARENTS WITH THEM IN CHURCH.
I AM NOT ACCUSING ANYONE OF BEING A BAD FATHER. WHAT I’M SAYING IS THAT WE NEED TO SEE MORE GOOD FATHERS BECOME GREAT FATHERS BY ASSUMING THEIR RIGHTFUL ROLES OF BEING THE RELIGIOUS LEADER OF THEIR HOME.
THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT HE IS TO NURTURE HIS CHILDREN BY GIVING THEM INSTRUCTION, PROTECTION, PROVISIONS, COMPANIONSHIP, ASSISTANCE, LOVE, DISCIPLINE, AND EXAMPLE.
PROVERBS 22:6, "TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PATH, AND WHEN THEY ARE OLDER, THEY WILL REMAIN UPON IT."
THIS MEANS, WE NEED MEN WHO WILL BE "G-O-D-L-Y" FATHERS. A FATHER WHO: G=GUIDES THEM IN GOD’S WAYS, O=ORPHANS THEIR SELFISH DESIRES, D=DELIGHTS IN THEIR CHILDREN, L=LOVES THEM UNCONDITIONALLY, AND Y=YEARNS FOR THEIR SALVATION.
G: GUIDES THEM IN GOD’S WAYS. ALL CHILDREN WILL GAIN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER FROM THEIR EARTHLY FATHER.
THIS IS WHY IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR MEN TO BE A GODLY EXAMPLE TO THEIR CHILDREN. KIDS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEIR FATHERS LOVE GOD WITH THEIR WHOLE HEART, THAT THEY KNOW GOD’S WORD, AND THAT THEY ARE ANXIOUS TO SHARE IT WITH THEM.
DEUTERONOMY 6:5-8, "AND YOU MUST LOVE THE LORD YOU GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ALL YOUR SOUL, AND ALL YOUR STRENGTH. AND YOU MUST COMMIT YOURSELVES WHOLE-HEARTEDLY TO THESE COMMANDS I AM GIVING YOU TODAY.
REPEAT THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN TO YOUR CHILDREN. TALK ABOUT THEM WHEN YOU ARE AT HOME AND WHEN YOU ARE AWAY ON A JOURNEY, WHEN YOU ARE LYING DOWN AND WHEN YOU ARE GETTING UP AGAIN."
THIS MEANS, FATHERS, DON’T SEND YOUR KIDS TO CHURCH, TAKE THEM WITH YOU! FATHERS, ON TOP OF ENSURING THEIR HOMEWORK IS DONE, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE READ THEIR BIBLE AND HAVE SAID THEIR PRAYERS.
DON’T NEGLECT YOUR ROLE AS THE SPIRITUAL TEACHER OF YOUR FAMILY! "G" MEANS A GODLY FATHER GUIDES HIS FAMILY ACCORDING TO GOD’S WAY.
"O" MEANS THAT A GODLY MAN WILL ORPHAN HIS SELFISH DESIRES. PHILIPPIANS 3:13, "…I AM FOCUSING ALL MY ENERGIES ON THIS ONE THING: FORGETTING THE PAST AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT LIES AHEAD…."
1 CORINTHIANS 13:11, "WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I SPOKE AND THOUGHT AND REASONED AS A CHILD DOES. BUT WHEN I GREW UP, I PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS."
FATHERS ORPHAN THEIR SELFISH DESIRES BY LETTING GO OF THE PAST AND CLAIMING THE PRESENT. I THINK WE HAVE TOO MANY FATHERS WHO ARE STILL MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY TRYING TO LIVE OUT THEIR OWN CHILDHOOD AT THEIR FAMILIES EXPENSE.
THE WORLD MAY CALL IT A "MID-LIFE CRISIS" BUT GOD SAYS IT’S PURE SELFISHNESS! MEN, DON’T NEGLECT YOUR WIFE BY SPENDING MORE TIME WITH YOUR BUDDIES THAN YOU DO WITH HER. STOP TRYING TO BE "ONE OF THE BOYS!"
FATHERS STOP PUSHING YOUR KIDS TO MAKE UP FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU FEEL YOU WERE ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY DEPRIVED OF IN YOUR CHILDHOOD.
WE NEED TO STOP PUSHING OUR KIDS TO FULFILL OUR DREAMS. LET THEM DREAM THEIR OWN DREAMS! IT IS NOT WORTH DAMAGING OUR CHILDREN EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY FOR THE SAKE OF OUR OWN EGOS.
STOP TRYING TO "CORRECT" YOUR PAST THROUGH YOUR FAMILY. BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE AND CELEBRATE THE BEAUTIFUL WIFE AND WONDERFUL KIDS THAT YOU HAVE.
WHETHER THE KIDS ARE GROWN AND GONE OR STILL LIVING UNDER YOUR ROOF, DADS NEED TO RE-EXAMINE THE LEVEL OF INTIMACY THEY HAVE WITH THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN.
DADS, MAKE A COMMITMENT THAT YOU’LL NEVER ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE PULLED AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILIES BY THE LURE OF MONEY, SPORTS, HOBBIES OR ANY OTHER DISTRACTION. "O" MEANS A GODLY FATHER WILL ORPHAN HIS SELFISH DESIRES.
"D" MEANS THAT A GODLY MAN WILL DELIGHT IN HIS CHILDREN. PROVERBS 23:24, "THE FATHER OF GODLY CHILDREN HAS CAUSE FOR JOY…."
MEN, DON’T MISS SEEING YOUR KIDS GROW UP. EVEN IF THEY’RE ALREADY GROWN STAY IN TOUCH BECAUSE THEY STILL NEED YOU AND THEIR CHILDREN NEED THEIR GRANDPA!
THE LATEST "CRAZE" IN AMERICA IS "REALITY TV." WE SEEM TO BE CAPTIVATED BY THE VOYEURISTIC SHOWS LIKE "SURVIVOR," "BOOTCAMP," "BIG BROTHER," AND "TEMPTATION ISLAND." WE NEED FATHERS WHO WILL TURN OFF THE TV AND BECOME CAPTIVATED WITH WATCHING THE REALITY OF THEIR FAMILY!
HUSBANDS WHO DATE THEIR WIVES ON A WEEKLY BASIS. FATHERS WHO TAKE TIME TO READ AND PLAY GAMES WITH THEIR KIDS. FATHERS WHO ENSURE TEETH ARE BRUSHED AND PRAYERS ARE SAID. FATHERS WHO CALL OR WRITE LETTERS TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THEIR GROWN CHILDREN. "D" MEANS A GODLY FATHER DELIGHTS IN HIS CHILDREN.
"L" MEANS THAT A GODLY MAN WILL LOVE HIS FAMILY UNCONDITIONALLY. WE LOVE NO MATTER WHAT! DON’T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK BUT REJOICE THAT WE HAVE MILK AND CHILDREN WHO ARE ABLE TO SPILL IT!
LOVE THEM AS GOD LOVES YOU! 1 JOHN 3:1, "SEE HOW VERY MUCH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES US, FOR HE ALLOWS US TO BE CALLED HIS CHILDREN…!"
THIS ALSO MEANS THAT FATHERS LOVE AND RESPECT THEIR FAMILIES AS GOD LOVES THEM! 1 JOHN 4:19, "WE LOVE EACH OTHER AS A RESULT OF [GOD] LOVING US FIRST."
WE NEED FATHERS WHO WILL LOVE THEIR WAY THROUGH EVERY SITUATION WITH THEIR FAMILIES, GOOD OR BAD. AS EPHESIANS SAYS, "DON’T MAKE YOUR CHILDREN OR YOUR FAMILY ANGRY BY THE WAY YOU TREAT THEM."
IN OTHER WORDS, DON’T MAKE UNREASONABLE DEMANDS UPON YOUR FAMILY. DON’T LORD OVER THEM WITH PETTY RULES. YOU’RE NOT RUNNING THE ARMY AND YOUR HOME IS NOT THE BARRACKS. YOU’RE NOT A WARDEN SO DON’T TREAT YOUR FAMILY LIKE PRISONERS! LOVE THEM! "L" MEANS A GODLY FATHER LOVES HIS FAMILY UNCONDITIONALLY.
AND FINALLY…"Y" MEANS THAT A GODLY MAN WILL YEARN FOR HIS FAMILIES SALVATION. IT SHOULD DRIVE US TO OUR KNEES EVERY DAY IF OUR SPOUSE OR ANY OF OUR KIDS ARE NOT BORN AGAIN.
WE CANNOT REST ASSURED SIMPLY BECAUSE OUR KIDS HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED OR BECAUSE OUR SPOUSE HAS BEEN A LIFE-LONG MEMBER OF THE CHURCH. THE BEST WAY TO FIND OUT IS TO ASK! DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR FAMILY IS SAVED?
EPHESIANS 2:8-9, "BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH." JOHN 14:6, "JESUS SAID…’I AM THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE; NO ONE COME TO THE FATHER BUT THROUGH ME."
BAPTISM WON’T SAVE THEM. MEMBERSHIP IN A CHURCH WON’T SAVE THEM. WE CAN’T SAVE THEM. BUT OUR PRAYERS, OUR GODLY LIFESTYLE, AND PERSISTENCE THAT THEY STUDY THEIR BIBLE, PRAY AND ATTEND CHURCH WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON HELPING EVERYONE IN OUR FAMILY TO WANT JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR. "Y" MEANS THAT A GODLY MAN WILL YEARN FOR HIS FAMILIES SALVATION.
"G.O.D.L.Y." FATHERS ARE ONES THAT: G=GUIDES HIS FAMILY IN GOD’S WAYS, O= ORPHANS HIS SELFISH DESIRES, D=DELIGHTS IN HIS CHILDREN, L=LOVES THEM UNCONDITIONALLY, AND Y=YEARNS FOR THEIR SALVATION.
I HOPE YOU WILL RISE TO THE OCCASION SO THAT YOUR FAMILY CAN PROCLAIM THEIR OWN VERSION OF PSALM 91:4, "MY HUSBAND AND OUR FATHER COVERS US WITH HIS FEATHERS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS WE FIND REFUGE. HIS FAITHFUL PROMISES ARE OUR ARMOR AND PROTECTION."
STRENGTHEN YOUR FAMILY TODAY BY BECOMING A GODLY FATHER!
