Stepping Up

STEPPING UP

FATHER’S DAY 2013

Proverbs 14:11-16

The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief. The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good man rewarded for his. A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps. A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.

Job 34:21 "His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step.

Men, our families, our co-workers, our neighbors are looking for us to step up and be the men of God that God wants us to be. They are looking for examples to follow. They are looking for role models to pattern their lives after. They need us to step up to the plate and be the godly leaders that we were intended to be.

Four areas that we as Fathers need to step up and lead our families in are:

I) Upright.

-upright = straight, upright, correct, right, level, pleasing, correct, straightforward, just,

fitting, proper, righteous.

-the reason that God will bless the home of the upright is because the first place and

the most important place that we need to live upright before God is at home.

-our wife and our children are looking to us as their primary example of Godly

leadership so that they can follow us and pattern their lives after us.

-flourish = to bud, to sprout, to shoot, to bloom, to blossom.

II) Prudent.

-prudent = wise or judicious in practical affairs; careful in providing for the future.

-it is important for us to know what we believe in so that we can be intentional about

what we teach our children.

-we as fathers must spend time developing our inner self so that we have something of

quality to pass on to our wife and children.

-we do not have the luxury of only living for today, we are building a legacy for our

future generations. Youth Skit = Lead Me

III) Wise.

-the word “wise” is mentioned 62 times in the book of Proverbs:

-Proverbs 1:5 let the wise listen and add to their learning.

-Proverbs 3:35 The wise inherit honor.

-Proverbs 8:33 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.

-Proverbs 9:8 rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

-Proverbs 9:9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still;

-Proverbs 10:8 The wise in heart accept commands.

-Proverbs 10:14 Wise men store up knowledge,

-Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his

tongue is wise.

-Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is

wise.

-Proverbs 12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise

brings healing.

-wisdom is not a bunch of cool sayings that our families can write in their diaries, it is

a godly lifestyle, under control, that we live before them daily.

IV) Focused. Job 34:21

-God watches our every step and monitors how we live, we should do the same.

-we should be focused on our marriage so that it remains strong and nothing or no one

can enter into it that should not be there.

-we should remain focused on our walk with God so that we do not drift away from

Him and allow anything or anyone, even our family, to come between us and God.

-we should remain focused on our children so that we can monitor every aspect of

their lives so that remain on the right path. (friends, school, facebook, internet, etc…)

-we should remain focused on our finances so that we remain faithful in giving to God

and providing for our family.

Men; Fathers; it is time that we step up and lead our family, our co-workers, our neighbors, our friends and most importantly ourselves closer to Christ.

Who will make a commitment with me today to STEP UP and be a Courageous Man of God?