It’s Free Friday! Today is the day you let go of the things in your life that keep you down or hold you back from all God has for you. To celebrate Father’s Day, I’m giving away two books: “Being a Dad Who Leads” by John MacArthur and “The Worth of a Man” by Dave Dravecky. Keep reading to find out how to enter.
I’m by no means the perfect father. The truth is that no one is. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t aspire to be great fathers. The Bible is full of men who were flawed, but showed us how to be great fathers. Here are five lessons in fatherhood from the Bible:
1. Sacrifice What You Want
When I think of sacrifice, I think of Abraham. He was promised numerous descendants, but was asked to sacrifice his only son. As a father, you are going to have to sacrifice the things you want for the sake of your children. You will have to sacrifice your “me” time, your TV time, places you want to go and things you want to do for your child. I haven’t perfected this, but I’m learning time and effort spent on your kids pays higher dividends than anything else.
2. Bless Your Children
In the Bible, it was common to give blessings to their children. Isaac blessed Jacob to show us the importance of speaking blessing over your kids. Jesus blessed the children who were brought to Him. There is power in your words. Use them to speak into your child the things you want God to do in them. Let them hear what you are saying. The words will sink in and become a part of who they are. It’s never too late to bless them. Isaac did it on his deathbed. Your child, no matter how old, needs to hear the blessings you are giving them.
3. Teach Them Wisdom
Solomon was our prime example here. What good is being wise and learning so many lessons in life if you keep them to yourself. Your child will make their own decisions in life ultimately, but don’t let them make those decisions without knowing what wisdom says. They may not recognize your wisdom early in life, but as they get older, they will see you were offering wisdom. When they’re old, they’ll come asking for your advice. Give them the wisdom they need to make better decisions in life.
4. Pray For Them
Jarius in the New Testament fell at Jesus’ feet and pled with Him to heal his daughter. He knew that Jesus had the power to heal her. He still has the power today to heal your child, protect your child, save your child and to keep them safe. It’s your responsibility to spend time at Jesus’ feet for your child. If you don’t do it, chances are that no one else will. Believe that He hears your prayers and will answer them even in the face of negative news. God isn’t bound by what the doctors, teachers or anyone else says. Your prayers are what makes the difference.
5. Praise Them
Every child needs to be praised by their dad. They need to hear you say that you are proud of them. Twice in Scripture God spoke out for others to hear, “This is my son in whom I am well pleased.” One version puts it, “Who brings me great joy.” Your children should know they are not a bother to you. They need to know they bring you joy and that you are proud of them. Don’t hold back the praise they so desperately need. You are the one who holds the key. Unlock their greatness with your words.
If you would like to win one of the two books I’m giving away this weekend, go to the Devotions By Chris Facebook page here and write on the timeline, “Enter me in your Father’s Day book giveaway.” You can also enter by tweeting, “@DevotionsByMe enter me in your Father’s Day book giveaway.” I will randomly pick two people tomorrow (June 14, 2014) who has done this. If enjoy reading these daily devotionals, please invite your friends to like my page so they can receive encouragement from God’s Word too
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 