Thanks to my, Dad-In-Law for the seeds of this message, Rev. Doulgas E. Harding, I.
I wish all of you DADS a Happy Father’s Day this morning!!!
I know that many may be facing a number of feelings or emotions at this timefor various reasons...
-Love...hate...sadness...disappointment...hope...thrill...joy...apathy...and delight...
-I know that we may be all facing this day with different feelings, because we all have had different experiences throughout life, both good and bad.
There may be people here today with no dad?
There may be those with a dad...but not a good one?
Maybe, dad, you would have to admit that you are not a good dad...or you may think so.
And perhaps, there are those who are in a step-dad situation and don’t know exactly what to do?
I don’t want to say that I have all the answers today, because I don’t...but I do know that the Word does have an answer to all our problems!!! AMEN!?
And that is where we will be going to today for a Word for each of us, in each of our individual situations.
Today, I want to bring a word of encouragement to dad, in every and any situation.
A word that can give some direction, guidance and hope to you...your home...and your family...
-It is also a word for each of us too...
-A word for where our priorities should be, and our attentions be given to.
Stand & Read - Genesis 26:23-25
"Then he went up from there to Beersheba. And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, ’I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, for the sake of My servant Abraham.’ [25] So he built an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac?s servants dug a well."
"Focused Fatherhood"
Prayer...
INTRODUCTION:
Maybe this is a new tid-bit of information for most of us?but did you know that the OFFICIAL FLOWER of Father?s Day is the Dandelion???
Which begs the question?Why the dandelion???
Could it be that because the more the dandelion is trampled on?the more it grows, and does not die??? Able to take a great amounts of abuse?and yet, it springs up and thrives in the midst of adversity???
-And so it is with us dads?
We are enduring, thriving, and perseverant?or so we should be!
It is true?I do believe today that dads are ?trampled on? and given a bad rap?
-To the kids?he has become ?the old man??
-To the comedian?he is the brunt of a joke?
-To the secular world?and sadly, even in the Church sometimes?he has been removed from his rightful place as ?Head of the House?.
And yes, many times, it is our own fault that we are given these stereotypes.
But we want to see that change today!
Rather than us just living at our present level?we, as men of God, are called to raise that standard?and not just remain to be what everyone says we are.
God, and His Word, are supposed to be what shapes who we are and what we become?not this society?!
Now listen?I could give us a great, long and exhaustive list of names and things that have been said of dads, husbands, and men?
-Dead-beats?abusers?consumed with our habits?the list could go on?
And it does seems as though men have gotten a bad rap?and often, for good reason?they have brought it upon themselves.
However?my friends?if there has ever been a time, season or era that there has ever been a great need for GREAT men?IT IS NOW!!!
I believe that there is a dire need for men to rise up within the home?the job?the community?and the Church?and be what God has called us to be!!!
-Leaders?examples?pursuers of God?
-Priests?prayers?teachers and trainers of our children and others around us?
-Lovers?compassionate companions?and caring husbands?
Today?June 16, 2002?God is calling out for some men?husbands, and fathers to be MEN OF GOD?
-And if men of God?then men who are FOCUSED in their FATHERHOOD!
Being the Father that God has called you to be.
Maybe you have no children, or those child-rearing days are over?God has called you to also set an example for those who do not have a Father.
-There are those who still need a Father-Figure in their lives?caring, leading and shaping their lives as well?
-Maybe, you can be an example and help to those who are still raising children?
One of those things that God has ordained and given us responsibility for is FATHERING.
-And Fathering includes leading?
-Specifically leading in Worshiping the Lord?Teaching and Training up a child in the way they should go?and setting an example of Godliness and Holiness?
It is no doubt to me that the enemy had well known what he was doing when he began his attack on the men of God?
-Tell me, what the weakest ministry of most churches is?MENS ministry?
-Tell me, who is usually missing in the home?the dad?
-Tell me, who is often the most difficult for children to communicate with?the dad?
-Tell me, what is the man to woman ration of workers in the Church?it may vary, but 1 man to 3 women is a fair estimate?
Make no mistake about it?the devil knew exactly what he was doing when he attacked the men?
He usurped the God-Given order of how a family, home, and society was ordered by God?and in effect has corrupted the way that we live our lives now!
-Now, don?t misunderstand me ladies?we love you! And God does and will use you too?and often will even more when there is no man to be found to be used by Him?
-You will remember Deborah in the Bible, who was used by the Lord, when there were no men to take leadership?see a Missionette Coordinator! J
So?I am calling out to men this morning to step back up to the plate and reclaim what God has placed on you from the foundations of the world?
-Be all that God has called you to be!!! J
Better yet?God is calling out to you this morning. Calling out with a challenge to you to take on the role of leadership once again in your home and in your Church!!!
He is calling out to us Gentlemen today?begging us to have and maintain a FOCUSED FATHERHOOD!
Yes?it may be easier said than done?
But we get our direction from the Word of God?
And, specifically today?from a particular point in the life of Isaac found in Genesis 26:23-25?
We see today from our text that Isaac did some specific things?
-He built an altar?
-He pitched a tent?
-He dug a well?
All these are in relation to three areas of his life?
-A father?s relationship with God?
-A father?s relationship with his family?
-A father?s relationship with his job?
A PRIORITY LIST of a Father, Husband, and Man?if you will?
And this list is one that does set proper order for us as well?
-God?Family?and Job!
Any deviation from this order can prove to be disastrous to our family and home!
POINT ONE: HE BUILT AN ALTAR
You will notice that the first thing that Isaac did when he settled in Beersheba, was that he had established for himself, and his family, an ALTAR!
You will also note?that Isaac followed the example of his father, Abraham?
-Who also ALWAYS started out with an altar when he settled down somewhere?
And, so now?Isaac follows the example of his father?
What came to the fore-front of Isaac?s mind was building an altar to God?even before he built his home, or dug a well for water?
-This was demonstrative of the fact that God was the priority of his life?
-He was showing his family that the ?Living Water? was more important that the physical water, which would come from the dug well.
How many men today can say that their relationship with God takes priority over the homes, and over their jobs???
Better yet?how many of our children can identify that to be true in our lives???
There is no doubt that Isaac had learned this good habit from his dad, Abraham.
And this is something that I want to emphasis to you today?he was following the example set for him!
There is no doubt that our children will most likely model themselves after us?and will model our actions as they have seen them in the childhood years.
-And the best insurance against an ungodly culture is to have a Godly parent!
-And I believe that the reality of Isaac?s life of putting God first had become that because it was so real to his father?
And this is also true?
Dad?your child?s view of God as ?Heavenly Father? will often be based upon their view of you as and ?Earthly Father?.
ILLUSTRATION:
It has been said??A child is not likely to find a Father in God, unless he finds something of God in his father.?
ILLUSTRATION:
Recently, a pastor asked a preschool class in his Sunday School to draw a picture of God. He intended to use the pictures for an illustration in his Sermon?
Nearing the end of the class the kids were excited to show the pastor their pictures that they had drawn.
They had come up with things like rainbows?and men with big hands?
Finally, the pastor?s daughter showed him her picture, and it was a man with a suit and tie on?then she said, ?I don?t know what God looks like, so I just drew my daddy instead.?
WOW!!! What a responsibility we have as dads!!!
Is it any wonder that it is soooo important that the altar is the FIRST PRIORITY of our lives, and home???
-It needs to be if we are to have any hope for our children and their children?
And what needs to be for us?
It is vitally important for us dads to have such an impact upon our children?as Abraham had upon his son, Isaac.
And it is possible that Isaac could have turned out differently if Abraham had only made God a priority once in a while?
-If Abraham would have only occasionally built that altar first?
-I do believe that it was Abraham?s faithfulness to God, and in building the altar that made a difference in Isaac?s life.
And for us dads?a sporadic life is no life to demonstrate to our children!
They need a consistent, solid and secure example set before them.
Now, we may make mistakes, but the point is?do we get up and still strive for the best?
We must press in to serve the best we can?and set the best example for our children that we can?
-Sporadic faithfulness on our parts will prove to be NO blessing to our children because it will produce no consistency in our children.
-So, we need to set an example of faithfulness to God in our lives for our children as well.
-Faithfulness in?
Reading the Word?Prayer?Giving and Tithing?Church Attendance...Loving our wives?Loving our kids?etc., etc.
They need to see it demonstrated in us?
Don?t wait for your kids to wander from God?and then wonder why they just don?t love the Lord anymore?
-This is not a blanket statement, but?were you consistent in your relationship with God? In your Church attendance???
I have seen it many times?
-The battle for our children?s souls are won in these areas of our lives, and the consistency of them?not through keen political governing, or legislation?
We know that the world does not judge us according to our words, but they do by our actions?and so do our children.
And as for Isaac, who had a personal altar of the Lord?
It is not enough to have an altar at the church?but there is a need for a PERSONAL one?speaking to having a PERSONAL relationship with God?and a daily one.
So Dads?build an altar to God in the home.
Regain the leadership there and lead the family towards the Lord in devotions and prayer?and they will follow.
Set and example now?and it may set a pace for your grand-children, and their children to follow?
POINT TWO: HE PITCHED HIS TENT
The next thing that Isaac did after he established the altar for his family?is that he settled his home.
After Isaac put God first, he now tends to the needs of his family.
You see, the tent here represents more than just a house?
-Because a house it not necessarily a home?
Just as altars are not always a place of prayer, unless you pray at them?
-Homes take careful consideration, thought and time to establish?
Abraham was called to be the Father of Many Nations?but in order to do that, it required of him, that he would begin by being the Father of his own family?and a good father at that?
-In order to build a strong foundation?for the generations to come.
-And this is where Isaac began and learned from?
Isaac understood that his relationship with God would impact his relationship with his family?
And here is our job today?
If we intend to make a difference in our world?it begins with making a difference in our homes. Then, it can have a lasting effect through the generations.
And we dads are called to teach our own households?that is our God-Given jobs?
Hear what Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Tim. 3:4-5
?He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity [5] (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)??
This is a message to all of us today?
A message that tells us a simple truth?that next to your relationship with God?the family is your highest priority!
-After all?if you cannot manage your household, how can you expect to take care of the Body of Christ, and nurture them???
-Thus?there is great need for us to build a strong foundation at home.
This is our greatest job in our lives?to teach and train up a child in the way he should go, so that when he grows old, he will not depart from it.
ILLUSTRATION:
There was a family in the San Francisco Bay area that grew up with that kind of commitment. The son?s name was David Kraft?his father was a pastor in the South Bay area. David Kraft grew up with a father who constantly remembered God?s faithfulness in the pst so that David would trust in God as well.
David did grow to love the Lord, and felt a call into ministry and went to seminary. He was a strapping young man, athletic and strong. But at the age of 32, he was struck with cancer. It wracked his body, and over a period of time he went from 200 lbs. To 80 lbs.
When he was about to pass from this life he asked for his father to come and see him in his hospital room. Lying there, he looked up and said to his father, ?Do you remember how you used to hold me in your arms, and keep me close to your chest?? His father nodded yes?David asked, ?Could you do that one more time for me?? Of course his father did it, and he held him closely.
While they were in that embrace, with tears streaming down his face, David said to his father, ?Thank you for building the kind of character into my life that can enable me to face even a moment like this.?
Now, THAT is a solid foundation!!!
May it be said of us, the same as was said by David to his father, that we have established this type of character within our children?it was the faith in God that made the difference!!!
My dear friends?Dads?establish your tent?
Take care of business at home, and tend to the family!
Manage the household, and lay a great foundation for the generations who come after you!!!
POINT THREE: HE DUG A WELL:
The last thing that Isaac did after he built an altar to the Lord, and he pitched his tent?was that he dug a well?
We often think that many of the Bible characters are such people, that they never do normal things?
Well, for Isaac, his job or occupation was that of a well digger?he dug in the dirt!!!
This was necessary for the livelihood of any person, any town, and any crop or livestock.
-Water was a necessity!
-But not more necessary than the Lord or the Family?
And this should give us some rich insight and perspective to how we should conduct our lives!
It is clear that God blessed Isaac?s work?
Evident, that God did bless him because his priorities were right with God?
-But even with God?s blessings?Isaac?s work, was still?work!
-Not everything came easy to Isaac, in fact, the blessings that did come often came with great adversity, turmoil and troubles?even losses!
And yet, God was able to bless him because of His priorities, and because they were right!
-He built the Altar to God?
-He established his home for God?
-And he then worked?
Maybe you feel as though you have to devote extra time to your job to be blessed, and you have to let these other priorities slip in order to be ?blessed? more in the job?
-Remember?Isaac was blessed because he placed God first?then the family?then the job?
-You cannot side-step the ways of the Lord and find blessing with a different formula?
God desire the same of you as He did from Isaac?the right priorities?
And it is from those proper priorities that we can expect the blessing of God?and in no other way!
Work is necessary?but it is not meant to dominate our lives?
You will remember that God had even established for Adam to work?BEFORE he sinned?
Genesis 2:15
?Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.?
-God has designed it for man to work?and to benefit and be fruitful in it?
However, work is like anything else?
The 1st of the 10 Commandments says that there shall be NO OTHER GOD?S before Me.
-And anything can take that position?
-Anything can take the place of God, if it becomes more important to us?
Your job?your hobbies?your kids?ANYTHING!
And this is why we must establish those altars first?and let no other thing take God?s place!
-If something does creep into God?s position, please be quick to put things back in order?
-And don?t be deceived to think that it is okay to let things slide?it is not!
GOD MUST BE FIRST!
Now, with these priorities in order?
And with this pattern being followed?
-Isaac, and you and I, can find that the stage is set for the Lord to bless us, and to help us to make a real impact on the world that we live in.
IN CONCLUSION:
Dad?s?Men?
Do you have your priorities in order today?
Do your priorities match the ones that were mentioned here this morning???
-Let me encourage you again to?
Build your altar to the Lord first?establish your relationship with God!
Pitch your tent?establish your home/family for the Lord!
Dig your wells?establish your job and do it well, but within the right priority?not overcoming the other ones.
Work towards these goals today men?
Make this a wish-list if you will so that you can set things straight in your life?
While we like to quote all the other Scriptures that tell the wives to submit?and the children to obey us?
-We cannot ignore that the Lord has a message for us to?
-In fact, one that I find to be more heavily laid upon us as men?husbands?dads?and leaders of the home.
-And I believe that if we want these others things to be true for us?then it begins in us doing what we should be doing ourselves?
Set the priorities in place!
ALTAR CALL:
Dads?for forgiveness, and to set these priorities?
Dad?s come forward for prayer?
Give out the dad?s gifts?
Wives and Children come?
-Admonish and encourage them?
Pray for the families?
