Father’s Day
COTR/ss061602
Becoming A Father
When God wanted people to know Him in His goodness, His kindness, His forgiveness and His love, He portrayed Himself as a Father.
He could have likened Himself to anything, but chose only one thing.
God has a special grace for fathers and the duties He burdens them with.
He understands the pressures, the responsibilities, the joys and concerns that come along with being a father.
Fathers have rank, audience and authority with God as scripture bears witness.
Today lets look at ‘What It Takes To Become A Father’
Note: Scriptures are in ‘New King James Version’ Today
In Deuteronomy 9:27 Moses recounts his prayer for Israel in their time of rebellion against God:
Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look on the stubbornness of this people or on their wickedness or their sin.
We see this same thought line and prayer still in effect centuries later in 2 Kings 13:23 when Syria oppressed Israel in the days of King Jehoahaz:
But the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence.
Why was God so gracious to these people? Why did He treat them special? It was because of the relationship He had with their fathers.
Fathers do make a difference!
Deuteronomy 1:8 ‘See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers - to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - to give to them and their descendants after them.’
Deuteronomy 9:5 “It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart, that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
I. Our Spiritual Fathers
* Abraham -- The Father of Many Nations & The Father of Faith
* Isaac -- The Father of Israel
* Jacob -- The Father Of All The Israelites
The lives of these three men tell the story of fatherhood - From Beginning To Becoming.
Their lives test, unveil and reveal eternal principles through which God involves Himself with and intervenes in the affairs of mankind.
Abraham began a nation
Isaac continued the vision
Jacob became that nation
There is a three step principle of life: It is eternal and non- negotiable.
Me, you, each person you will ever read about or personally encounter will be controlled by this universal law of life.
It is imperative that we watch what we begin to do … each disappointing deed, every wicked sin and all evil practice has its beginning … the very first time. If continued … it will grow and dominate.
Simply put:
The Law Is:
We all eventually become what we begin and continue to be.
Key Scripture:
* Genesis 26:13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous.
> Begin
> Continue
> Become
(KJV - Went Forward; Grew; & Became Very Great)
These 3 steps of life are sure and can not be avoided
What we begin and continue, we will become.
Becoming A Father Is No Different:
Gentlemen -- You will become the father you begin and continue to be … no more - no less!
Being a father is not always easy.
* The prodigal son’s father experienced many days of disappointment
* Joseph’s father endured the loss of his favored son for several years
* God sent His only Son as a ransom for those who hated and despised Him.
However, today’s world is in great need of fathers … fathers like our Heavenly Father
In order for us to be what God needs us to be, some of us must change and be changed,
We can change what we are and become what we ought to be … It begins by beginning
We can never change our tomorrows unless we can change ourselves today
We can only change and begin something new on a day that is called today
Tomorrow never comes
Men,
Begin to be the father that God intended your children to have
Continue being that father even in the tough times & ultimately
Become the father God needs you to be
Fathers …
What are you doing?
What are you becoming?
What are you needing to begin in order to become what you want to be?
Why not begin right now
Allow me to share with you where to start and what to do:
The first step is:
* Take an objective inventory of yourself
The second step is:
* Make a decision to begin changing
The third step is:
* Take positive action
How?
Declare your decision
Confess your past wrongs
Make amends
Apologize
Tell others you were wrong & you are sorry
Make Restitution
Whenever possible make it up
Build some protection against backsliding
A change of habits
A change of environment
A change of friends
A change of entertainment
A change in the way you act & react toward life
The last step is:
* Continue what you have begun
In spite of the hardships
In the face of disappointments
In light of your own failures and limitations
In the knowledge that
* You will become what you begin and continue to be.
It all begins with a beginning
It all begins with you … and …
It all begins now … right now … right here in the altar …
let’s begin by being an example of beginning.
