SUNDAY June 16, 2019
Father’s Day
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them
up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4
A father must not provoke his children; he must lovingly nurture, discipline and teach them. Ephesians 6:4 is a stern warning to fathers against using such an iron-handed discipline that can break a child’s spirit. If a father oppresses his children with unreasonable demands, hits them on the head, or uses words to demean them, especially in front of others, he has harmed the child. He is guilty of tearing them down, instead of building them up in the Lord.
A father needs to love and care for his children; they are a gift––a heritage from God:
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate(Psalm 127:3-5).
The Lord has given Christian parents the responsibility to bring up their children in God’s ways. He has commanded it (Deuteronomy 6:4-8). As a father, when you are walking or sitting, standing or lying down, talk to your children about the Lord. Teach your children to memorize the Scriptures, and tell them Bible stories about the greatness of God.
Fathers, as the spiritual heads of the home, have an important role in the spiritual welfare of your children. God has loaned them to you for 18 years, to train them in the ways of the Lord. Children need to be taught godly principles, so when the pressures of life come, they will seek God. Your children will have a blessed and peaceful life as they put into practice what you have taught them––to open up the Word of God for counsel. As a father, have you taken the responsibility of being the spiritual leader of your home seriously?
The righteous man walks in his integrity;
His children are blessed after him.
~Proverbs 20:7~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!