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MINISTRY MATTERS

MINISTRY MATTERS. Fatherhood. Father’s Day. Gen. 1:27 – God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Gen. 1:28 – God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply , and replenish the earth, and subdue it…

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MINISTRY MATTERS

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  1. MINISTRY MATTERS Fatherhood

  2. Father’s Day • Gen. 1:27 – God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. • Gen. 1:28 – God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it… • Fatherhood is ordained by God because it is in his very image. • A national holiday to celebrate something God created to be received with thanksgiving!

  3. Fatherhood • Many things matter as much to ministry, but none matter much more. • Siring a child takes only a bit of passion; being a real father takes a life of planning, sacrificing, discipline, and intentionality. • Most men can be “fathers”; it takes somebody special to be a “dad.” • Happy Father’s day, dads and those who have wonderful happy memories of dads. • Hang in there, to those with not so good memories.

  4. My Own Thoughts on Fatherhood: Four Things I’ve Learned • I see God differently. • I’ve learned about the depth of my own capacity for love • I’ve become much more aware of my own sin and weakness. • I identify with God more, walk with God more closely, and understand the honor it is to be called “Father” or “Dad”

  5. 1. I See God Differently • Rom. 8:15 – For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

  6. I respect God more. • I appreciate God so much more. • I love God much more. • I understand God more. • I relate to God better; I’m closer to him. • All of the “father” passages make much more sense to me. • I love what God loves much more.

  7. 2. I’ve learned about the depth of my own capacity for love • John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. • 1 John 3:1 – How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! • Rom. 5:8 – God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

  8. Trying to understand anything about God, let alone his love, simply blows my mind. And I see it in me with my kids. • Ultimately, the love of God, as with so many other things about God, must be known experientially rather than intellectually – “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge…” (Eph. 3:17-19). I now understand this in my own heart.

  9. Your children have their own special places in the heart of a loving parent, and boy is it real and deep. • Being a dad has helped me love God and others so much more. • Being a dad has dropped me to my knees faster, cut me to the heart quicker, and reduced me to tears faster than anything else ever has. • It has also helped me love and appreciate my wife infinitely more.

  10. 3. I’ve become much more aware of my own sin and weakness. • Ex. 20:5-6 – I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

  11. Has made me search my heart more than anything as I believe character is more “caught” than taught. • Has made me much more aware of the generational and “inherited” sin in my own family of origin. • Having children, as well as counseling all these years, has reminded me daily of the possible consequences of my sins, weaknesses, and failures. • Has made me want to deal with my “stuff.”

  12. 4. I identify with God more, walk with God more closely, and understand the honor it is to be called “Father” or “Dad” • Eph. 5:1-2 – Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

  13. I think I “get it” a lot more what God our Father is trying to “get at” with us: It’s about Him but he makes it all about us and since it’s all about him whatever he makes it all about is what it is all about so because he’s in charge, it IS all about us. • I respect God infinitely but I don’t “fear” him because I know he is the LAST thing I would ever need to fear—fear me, fear others, fear Satan, but NEVER EVER fear my Father, because I now understand how he FEELS about me. He loves ME more than I do!

  14. I understand much more the “spirit of sonship” that I have been given. I see what the Holy Spirit (God) is doing in me for me and for all his children. He is drawing me to Him. • It blows my mind to think that my own “fatherhood” is in the image of God’s “fatherhood.” And that he wants to use mine to manifest his. And that he will be my father—all our father—forever and not just in this present age.

  15. Conclusion • Advice to Dads • Don’t miss it. • Take it seriously—it’s all from God himself! • Give your best effort in raising your kids—and remember that what you do for mom you do for the kids! • Do it with and for God; do it within the best Christian community you can find for them. • Share your kids with others; share your “dad” role with other kids. • Be fun and funny as well as tougher than nails.

  16. Advice to Kids • Remember that your dad is your first step to God. • Give your best to your dad and you’ll get the best of your dad. • Respect your dad; respect your mom too as disrespecting her is disrespecting him. • Don’t miss it; most of you will not have him for a good part of your life. • “Dad” is tough role—he needs your support. • Treat your dad today the way you’ll want to be treated as a dad or mom one day.

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