HOW TO BE A DAD

 Cornerstone Community Church

 

      Today I want to share how to be A Great Dad!  I have had the privilege of being the father of four children and now nine grandchildren.  I have made many mistakes but hopefully I have learned from my mistakes.  An expert is someone that does not give up and learns from their mistakes. 

    A recent Newsweek poll showed that 49% of fathers do a better job of parenting than their dads did.  Most of the dads polled (54%) say they equal parenting responsibilities with their wives and some 24% say they felt they did more than their spouse, 51% of the mothers claimed otherwise. 

     HB London wrote: Nowadays you’ll find almost everything in a home except the family.

In this article I am going to list the seven promises outlined in the Promise Keeper manual as the starting and exclamation point for being the great husband, father and man that God intended.

A Father must be committed to honor Jesus Christ through worship, prayer and obedience to God’s word through the power of the Holy Spirit. A father is committed to pursue vital relationships with a few other men, understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises. A father is committed to practice, spiritual, moral, ethical and sexual purity. A Father is committed to build strong marriages and families through love, protection and biblical values. 

      A Father is committed to support the mission of his church by praying for his pastor and actively giving his time and resources. A father is committed to reach beyond racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity. A Father is committed to influence his world being obedient to the great commandment of Mark 12:30-31 and the great commission of Matt 28:19-20.

     The Bible has five further thoughts about what a father should be. A Father is a servant: Matthew 20:28 - Service is an act and a lifestyle.  A Father is an example – God of goodness, give me yourself, for you are sufficient for me.  A father is consistent:  Heb 13:8 – Lord help me to show my children your ways.  A Father is responsible:  1 Tim 4:16 – The ability to accept responsibility is the true measure of a man.  A Father has character:  2 Chron 16:9 – Someone asked J.P. Morgan what the best collateral for a loan and he replied, “character.”

     Did you know that 85% of a child’s self-esteem comes from what their father thinks and views them.  That stats on this view are so powerful and consistent.  My challenge is to dads to become the father that God intended you to be.  We need you.  Your family needs you and society in general needs you.  As a father and grandfather, I have the privilege to spend time with my family.  I love each one and the amazing thing is they love me in spite of all the blunders I made.  We can learn from each other and together we can be better dads and the father God intended us