(Below are notes that I spoke from on Father’s Day in 2011. As Christmas is approaching, the best gift a father/husband can give to his family is to love God above all, then love his wife as Christ loved the church – sacrificial love, and love his children as God loves them).
FATHERS! – LOVE AS GOD LOVES!
FATHER: A man who gives continuous care to a child.
- Our HEAVENLY FATHER is the best example of ‘fathering’. For God so loved the world that HE GAVE! HE was willing to put on a robe of flesh and sacrifice HIS life for our salvation because HE loved us! Fathers are to love with that same sacrificial love.
- Fathers, you are the first ‘god with skin on’ that your children will know. How they perceive God, their heavenly Father, will be defined by your example in the home. Fathers need to be loving, caring, kind, easily entreated. Children flocked to Jesus when He was here on earth because they could feel His loving gentleness and acceptance.
- Fathers, you are the ‘priest or pastor’ of your home. Children learn by your example. Children will learn honesty, caring, and kindness by watching how you love and care for them and their mother. Discipline in love, not in anger.You are to teach your children godly principles when you wake up in the morning, when you walk along the way, when you sit down and when you go to bed – Deut. 6th chapter – use life’s experiences. “What’s the godly thing to do?”
- As a Father, the greatest gift you can give to your children is to love their Mother with an unselfish love. Live with your wife according to knowledge (1 Pet.3:7) – her knowledge – tap into her needs, desires and dreams. As you help her to become the woman of God she desires to be, your children’s lives will be blessed in learning how to have a God-centered marriage and your desires will be fulfilled.
- We need fathers who will say to their children from a sincere heart as Paul said to the church, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1) Spend time with each child. Have dates with your daughters and join in your son’s favorite activity.
- If you spend time planting godly seeds into your children’s hearts, when they get old – no matter how far they may stray from home or God – the godly truths you planted into their hearts will never leave them. (Prov. 22:6 – Train up a child).
- Your children have souls that will live eternally. How you father your children will have one of the greatest impacts on the their desire & decision to choose to love and serve God.
I’m thankful for my godly father’s example that created a desire in me to want my own personal relationship with God. I believe parents, both mother and father, will give an account to God how we influenced our children when we stand before Him.
I want God to say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”
May God bless every father as you serve your Heavenly Father!!
© Carol Clemans – June 2011
www.carolclemans.org