Living By The Book

Jun 16, 2024

FATHERLESS HOMES REPRESENT 25% OF FAMILIES IN AMERICA

63% OF YOUTH SUICIDES ARE FROM FATHERLESS HOMES

90% OF RUNAWAY CHILDREN ARE FROM FATHERLESS HOMES

85% OF CHILDREN BEHAVIOR ISSUES ARE FROM FATHERLESS HOMES

71% OF ALL HIGHSCHOOL DROPOUTS ARE FROM FATHERLESS HOMES

75% OF TEENS IN TREATMENT CENTERS ARE FROM FATHERLESS HOMES

85% OF YOUTH IN PRISON ARE FROM FATHERLESS HOMES

1. GODLY DADS DEVOTE THEIR FAMILIES TO THE LORD

JOSHUA 24:14-15

14 “SO FEAR THE LORD AND SERVE HIM WHOLEHEARTEDLY. PUT AWAY FOREVER THE IDOLS YOUR ANCESTORS WORSHIPED WHEN THEY LIVED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES RIVER AND IN EGYPT. SERVE THE LORD ALONE.15 BUT IF YOU REFUSE TO SERVE THE LORD, THEN CHOOSE TODAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE. WOULD YOU PREFER THE GODS YOUR ANCESTORS SERVED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES? OR WILL IT BE THE GODS OF THE AMORITES IN WHOSE LAND YOU NOW LIVE? BUT AS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”

DEUTERONOMY 6:4-7

4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.7 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.

2. GODLY DADS DISCIPLINE THE ONES THEY LOVE

HEBREWS 12:6-11

because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!

10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17

16 ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING,REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, 17 SO THAT THE SERVANT OF GOD[A] MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.

PROVERBS 22:15

FOLLY IS BOUND UP IN THE HEART OF A CHILD,

BUT THE ROD OF DISCIPLINE WILL DRIVE IT FAR AWAY.

3. GODLY DADS DEMONSTRATE HOW TO FOLLOW CHRIST

1 CORINTHIANS 4:15-16

15 FOR EVEN IF YOU HAD TEN THOUSAND OTHERS TO TEACH YOU ABOUT CHRIST, YOU HAVE ONLY ONE SPIRITUAL FATHER. FOR I BECAME YOUR FATHER IN CHRIST JESUS WHEN I PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS TO YOU.16 SO I URGE YOU TO IMITATE ME.

4. GODLY DADS DELIGHT IN THEIR CHILDREN

1 JOHN 3:1

SEE HOW VERY MUCH OUR FATHER LOVES US, FOR HE CALLS US HIS CHILDREN, AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE! BUT THE PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO THIS WORLD DON’T RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW HIM.