With Father’s Day just around the corner…

By: American Decency Staff

 

With Father’s Day just around the corner, our minds should be drawn to the fact that, as fathers, we are to point our children, wife, and those in our sphere of influence to our Holy Father God. We have the responsibility to train our children to walk in holiness and to praise God in all things. It’s my sincere desire that God would be able to say of me as He did of Abraham:  “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” (Genesis 18:19)

Anyone that knows me will tell you I’m no Abraham; but my goal is to raise my children in the fear and admonition of the LORD. I want them to walk in the way of holiness no matter how much the world opposes them.  I want to see them love the Lord their God with EVERYTHING that they are because HE IS GOD. If their outward life of holiness doesn’t flow from an inward heart of purity, it will mean nothing. My thoughts align with the apostle John, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John 1:4)

But… That doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Taking them to church is important; but it’s not enough. I NEED to be with my children; they NEED me to instruct them with my voice and my life. As Deuteronomy 6 instructs me, I must instruct them to know and obey the commands of God. I am to teach them everywhere we are and in every way, that the Lord is One God and that His ways are for our benefit. We do what is right because it is right and HE IS GOD!

Fellow dads, the world desires to steal our children’s heart, soul, and mind. Our God-given responsibility is to show our children that there’s a real difference between the fool’s gold that our society tempts them with and the true gold of holiness, the treasure that is not only found in Jesus, but is Jesus Himself. 

As men whom God has blessed with children, we must consciously give them back to Him. We must guard diligently the things they watch, listen to, and read. Pay close attention to who their friends are and the influences that surround them. It’s God’s grace that saves; but we too have a responsibility to raise them in the fear and love of our Lord! Pray for them, pray with them, do your heavenly duty by nurturing them in the blessings of God’s word, and a lifestyle of, thanksgiving, love, and respect. We are duty bound to teach them to honor their father and mother, to train them to be submissive to authority, particularly the authority of God and His Word. This is not just your boy or your girl; this is a soul that is headed for an eternal destination. Oh how we must look at them and train them with eternity in view! With all the allurements that desire to steal our children’s virtue, we have no choice but to be earthly sentries over their eternal souls.

It’s not only a blessing to guard the things our children hear, see, say, and do, but it’s an even greater privilege to teach them the whole counsel of God, to bring them to the Lord, and to instruct them in the ways of wisdom and holiness.  Family altar times are perhaps the most important times of the day for our families. If possible, let us open and close our days with them in prayer and a word from the Scriptures. Let us take every opportunity to share with them how our circumstances should be viewed in light of God’s Word and that our responses should also fall in line with His instruction.  Show them how the Bible speaks to the current events of our day.

This being the case, it’s ever so important that we ourselves walk in holiness; we must never be in the frame of mind that says, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Our personal prayer time and study in the Word is vital if we are to lead our family and instruct them in the way of righteousness. Oh how we must guard our own heart and mind, always keeping our focus single, and that single focus being on Jesus.  We can’t give away what we don’t have and our actions speak louder than our words. So keep in mind, like Elijah, we are always standing before the God of Israel who lives. (I Kings 17:1) We must keep our minds stayed on Him, our feet resolutely in His way, and our mouths continually caring for and instructing our family in holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Dr. Joel Beeke, president of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminaryand author of the book Parenting by God’s Promises, would encourage you to “Teach our children as prophets, pray for them as priests, and guide them as kings.” To hear Dr. Beeke speak about his book and address some parenting issues, click here.

You won’t want to miss out on our July conference in Grand Rapids—From the Bottom Up—as Dr. Beeke will be sharing with us there as well.  For registration information – click here.

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