The Daddy Declaration
EOLS: God has ordained fathers as the head of the house to love, protect and discipline their families.
All beauty is God’s beauty, and all truth is His truth. Sometimes in the secular world we can see and hear things that touch us. A song that always causes me a moment of reflection, and often some tears as I sing along badly is from Dan Fogelberg, The Leader of the Band
The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through
My instrument
And his song is in my soul --
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I’m just a living legacy
To the leader of the band.
Indeed we are a “living legacy” to the man who we called father. More so than ever in my life, I realize that I am becoming my father. I look like him, I talk like him, I act and react like him.
For me, I do see my life a poor attempt to imitate the wonderful Godly man named Bobby Jones who raised me. He was my best friend and I praise God that Dad is in Heaven now, and I know that I will see him again!
Fathers, both great and terrible and everything in between are perhaps the most impacting factor in a child’s life. The role of the father has profound impact not just the outward aspects of a child’s life- a father is possibly the greatest determining factor in a child’s spiritual development.
A quote that I carry in my head came from the great preacher A.W. Tozer in his book The Knowledge of God:
“What comes into our minds when we think of God is the most important thing about us.”
How very true, and how very revealing this quote is. This Father’s Day, I’d like to begin with a quote of my own, which I believe well follows:
What comes into our minds when we think of our own Father is indicative of what we naturally think about God.
I find it interesting that a people called the Jews when they had been scattered among the nations and their motherland dominated by Rome, their spiritual condition was closely connected to the condition of their homes. Malachi prophesied four-hundred years before Christ of the coming of John the Baptist, and Luke quotes the prophecy as the Angel tells Zechariah of his son’s work:
He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ’to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
(Luke 1:17)
The Greek Scholar A.T. Robertson said of this verse:
Hearts of fathers (kardias paterōn). Paternal love had died out. This is one of the first results of conversion, the revival of love in the home.
John the Baptist would come in the spirit of Elijah and God would bring a revival to hearts. One of the greatest indicators would be-paternal love would be be restored to the nation-through the home! It would literally be preparation for the coming Kingdom of God.
Only a few years later Jesus himself came on the heels of John the Baptist. God in the flesh, the Savior of the World and the Great I AM would come as a man and he would come to a nation which had heard the truth preached widespread for the first time in four-hundred years. He would begin preaching a radically new view of God.
He called Him “Our Father, who art in Heaven.” He spoke of the Jehovah God as His Loving Father, and of his intimate relationship with Him.
And you know the story. He showed us what love is, He bridged the gap between us and our loving Heavenly Father. No longer did we have to cringe in fear, but in Christ we can come boldly to the throne of Grace! Clothed in the Grace and Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ we can enter that same loving relationship with our Heavenly Father.
I love what Paul says of this wonderful relationship with our Heavenly Father:
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
(Romans 8:14-17)
And isn’t it interesting that God in His wisdom, prepared the hearts of people to receive Him in Christ Jesus, by first speaking to the hearts of fathers towards their children?
Today we approach Father’s Day 06 in a land where conditions are much like they were when John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord. Fatherly affection and relationship are at an all time low. We look around us and we see more broken homes than ever. We see more absentee fathers and single mothers than ever.
And today when I speak to you concerning Fathers, it will inevitably cause great joy, and potentially cause pain for some. Many here were blessed with wonderful earthly fathers who stood tall as men of God and raised their families in the love and admonition of the Lord. Others were raised by a vicious man, or perhaps a man who totally ignored them
Today the Word of God is here to heal you, to instruct you, to lift you up and stir your faith. It is profitable for everyone here today! If you enjoyed that wonderful earthly relationship with your father, enjoy that today and thank God for it. Understand how God blessed you with one of the greatest gifts of life; on that prepares your heart towards God himself.
For others who have been ignored or abused by a father, today is the day when you can receive your freedom. The Lord God has wept with you as your heart broke. The Lord God himself is your Heavenly Father if you will only turn your life fully to Him. Listen to His Word today and if you have forgiven your earthly father and moved on, thank God and receive His Word-pray that God would use you to speak to someone else.
And if you have not forgiven the man that hurt you, today is a new beginning where God can move in your life and cleanse you of that bitterness. Today you could begin praying for that man and for an opportunity to build that bridge if he lives. The Heavenly Father reaches to you today.
And most of all, for those of us who are in process-who day by day are raising kids and still have time to do it right…listen to the Word of the Lord! I am calling the hearts of the fathers to their families today!
As we look to the Word of God over the next few moments, I’d like to share several principles that I believe God would speak to us today concerning the relationship of the Fathers in the home, I call it “The Daddy Declaration.”
Notice with me today in the scriptures. Ephesians paints a beautiful word-picture of a man of God leading His family as:
I. A Loving Head
For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church
Every question about marriage relationships can be answered when we look to the Body and Bride of Christ.
But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
(1Corinthians 11:3-10)
His Head Is Honored and those in his care are blessed-he is a man under authority and in authority. He is commissioned from on high by a loving Savior and that love must flow through him to those he heads.
His Head is dishonored when he refuses his place in the home
Fathers, it’s time to take your place and honor your head-The Lord Jesus Christ. Love your wives as He loved the Church-it’s the best gift you can give your family.
II. A Spiritual Priest
His Altar is Active-he continuously sacrifices for his family.
Job 1:5
(5) So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed [1] God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.
Where is your family altar, father?
Have you kids heard you pray or is that what Mama does?
Have you taken those kids to church and made the house of God a lifestyle?
Have your kids seen you share your faith?
Have your kids “caught” you praying and studying the Word of God?
Well, it was a typical scenario of young boys debating whose father was the best. This discussion highlighted who their fathers knew. The first boy started the debate by claiming his father knew the mayor. He was soon topped by the second boy who said, "That’s nothing. My dad knows the governor." The stakes were getting pretty high, and the eavesdropping father wondered what his young son would say about him. The little boy shot back, "So what! My dad knows God!"
(from illustrations database at www.bible.org)
In the past in many cultures family has been celebrated and revered much more so than in America today. I was reminded just this week of how God’s people were taught by Him to display their family banners as Israel moved through the desert.
And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: "Everyone of the children of Israel shall camp by his own standard, beside the emblems of his father’s house; they shall camp some distance from the tabernacle of meeting.
(Numbers 2:1-2)
The ancient Hebrew Dad was required by God to display “family pride” if you will. I picture a Dad who plants the family flag and will defend it, as he defends his family against all detractors and attackers. He holds the standard high, and his wife and children feel safe and secure behind his banner!
It reminds me of the “old time” dad whose shotgun was his pride-he even had his pictures taken with it! He was saying to the world-this is my wife and young’uns and you come through me to get to them!
I am also reminded of the Warrior-Father who defends his family against spiritual attack-the Dad who prays and does spiritual battle by prophesying over the heads of his kids and calling His wife beautiful, blessed and great.
III. A Selfless Lover
So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies;
His Bride is Adorned-the love flows continuously and seamlessly through continuous fellowship. He is the Head and She is His Bride.
Her needs are met selflessly-he gives himself for her. He provides her loving covering, and the love flows back and forth between them intimately.
Men if you have a day off, and could do anything you wanted, where would you be and what would you do?
When you get some unexpected money, a bonus etc, who comes first?
When it comes to issues of intimacy, who comes first?
IV. A Respected Leader
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
He applies discipline in love and in just the right measure. Dan Fogelberg in the song we referenced called it his Pappa’s “ thundering velvet hand.”
The Respected Leader Father has the ability to consistently enforce rules, without wavering, administering punishment in love. Whether it is corporal or other punishment, the Godly Dad applies it consistently, patiently, without wavering…and often with a tear in his own eye.
He has the the ability to say “I’m sorry, I messed up my son/daughter” whenever he needs to. For his children to hear the gentle giant say “I was wrong” will serve them all their days and teach them humility.
The respect and “fear” that mirrors our reverence and holy fear of God will be instilled in the hearts of the blessed children who are being raised by the Godly Father.
V. A Consistent and Able Teacher
"bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."
His children are blessed verbally. They hear their dad speak prophecy and blessings over them continuously. He teaches them how to make a living and how to live.
“You can do it young man of God! Beautiful handmaiden of the Lord-you make Daddy proud! You can do ALL things through Jesus Christ!”
They see their Dad speak blessings over their mom.
They hear a Dad who is intent upon teaching them the things of the Lord.
SPEAK THE WORD OVER YOUR CHILDREN!
Some Closing Thoughts:
• They grow up so fast-stop putting off what you should do today-get rid of whatever you must in your life and get busy spending time with your children. “Quality-Time” is a cop out. Quality is time, period.
Robert Schuller, pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, once said that he chose to fail so he could succeed. He said, "I chose to fail at golf, because I wanted to succeed as a father." Though he loved golf immensely, he knew that he could never devote adequate time to his job, his hobby, and his family . . . so he gave up his hobby. (www.bible.org illustrations database)
Brian’s Story
I was just twelve when my Boy Scout troop planned a father-son campout. I was thrilled and could hardly wait to rush home and give my father all the information. I wanted so much to show him all I’d learned in scouting, and I was so proud when he said he’d go with me.
The Friday of the campout finally came, and I had all my gear out on the porch, ready to stuff it in his car the moment he arrived. We were to meet at the local school at 5 p.m. car pool to the campground.
But Dad didn’t get home from work until 7 p.m. as frantic, but he explained how things had gone wrong at work and told me not to worry. We could still get up first thing in the morning and join the others. After all, we had a map. I was disappointed, of course, but decided to just make the best of it.
First thing in the morning, I was up and had everything in his car while it was still getting light, all ready for us to catch up with my friends and their fathers at the campground. He had said we’d leave around 7 a.m., and I was ready a half hour before that. But he never came out of his room until 9 a.m.
When he saw me standing out front with the camping gear, he finally explained that he had a bad back and couldn’t sleep on the ground. He hoped I’d understand and that I’d be a “big boy” about it … but could I please get my things out of his car, because he had several commitments he had to keep.
Just about the hardest thing I’ve ever done was to go to the car and take out my sleeping bag, cooking stove, pup tent, and supplies. And then, while I was putting my stuff away in the storage shed and he thought I couldn’t see, I watched my father carry his golf clubs out and throw them in his trunk and drive away to keep his “commitment.”
That’s when I realized my dad never meant to go with me to the campout. I didn’t matter to him, but his golfing buddies did.
Men’s Ministry Leadership Seminar, p. 18
• Prophesy over Your Children
• Let your Children see how much you love their mother-it’s the greatest thing you can do for them
Build Me a Son
Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge. Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clean, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.”
General Douglas MacArthur
