06.18.2023 Father’s Day
Give dads practical things they can do right now to build stronger relationship with kids
In the future when they talk about you and express that they were grateful for a man like you what will they mean? What will you have been or done to cause them to remember you with gratitude and honor?
Fathers do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
Top 5 things you can do now!
Ephesians 6:4, “Bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”
- Live Your Faith
- Lead them in church. Don’t bring them to church but let them see you involved in worship, volunteering to serve in the church, hearing you pray for the pastor and church.
Everybody Love Raymond-Frank tells Ray he should be in church but when Ray goes he discovers that his dad is an usher that basically remains out of the service the entire time talking with the other men.
- Serve-let them see you serving at church, praying with other men, sharing the Gospel with people,
- Honor others-even if the little league ump makes a legit bad call be wise in how you handle it. You may each your child more in that moment than weeks of church lessons
- Let your first reaction to trouble be to trust God and pray. I learned so many lessons like this growing up that prepared me to spend half my life founding and leading this church.
- Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry
- Forgive from the heart
- Do the right thing even if it costs you. If someone give you back too much money let them see you bring it back. If they should take something from the store without you knowing it to discover it later take it back. Yes, this is radical living in our day but what do you want to raise?
They may not understand but the power of that example will stand and their respect for you grow.
1 Timothy 6:11-12, “But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”
- Be the man God made you to be
- Provider-Most men are at their best when they are doing a job they feel has purpose and meaning AND provides
- Protector-Watch the influences of culture, school, friends and don’t hesitate to create some protective boundaries for them.
- Friend but always a father
- Humble and quick to give others credit as well as
- Teach them life skills
- Teach them the value of hard work, being diligent, and handling failure.
- Learn and grow as a father especially if yours wasn’t around or did a poor job.
Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church.”
- Love their mother deeply
- Honor her on special days as a way of demonstrating how important she is to the family
- Explain her to the kids when they fail to understand her
- Use gracious words. In disagreements never use demeaning language, make threats, or say inappropriate things about her to them
All of this creates an example for them in their future. It also builds in them kids need and that is a sense of security and stability.
Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them.”
- Rid yourself of the things that exasperate them
- Teasing mercilessly
- Setting rules you don’t honor
- Being untrustworthy. Saying you will do thing with and for them and then time after time failing to. Children appreciate when their fathers are consistent and reliable – someone they can always count on
- Using vulgar language
- Mismanaging money. Not enough todo the things the family needs of buying love with stuff.
- Unrealistic expectations
- Constant criticism
- Comparison
- Failing to admit mistakes
- Overreacting to their mistakes
Top 5 things you can do now!
- Live Your Faith
- Be the man God made you to be
- Love their mother deeply
- Rid yourself of the things that exasperate them
- Spend quality time together
whether it was playing, going on trips, or simply talking. This quality time often creates lasting memories and a strong bond.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7, “And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that 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 on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”
- Spend quality time together
- Let them talk and ask questions and process information with you
- Have fun and do adventuresome things
- Just take them with you