FATHER, WHERE ARE YOU? I.
MEMORISE: All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. Genesis 49:28
READ: Genesis 18:19
19 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.
MESSAGE
Today is the day we celebrate fathers, I therefore say to all fathers reading this: congratulations. To every man who is married and trusting God to become a father soon, in 9 months’ time, you and your wife would have been blessed with your own biological child, in Jesus’ name.
A father is a custodian of the destiny of his child. While mothers spend a lot of time with the children, raising them in the way of the Lord, there is this power that God has placed in the father to decide where the child will end up. The protection and final destination of a child is in the decisions and words of the father. The child bears the name of the father and whatever curses are in the lineage of the father will continue in the children if the man does not cancel them.
Sarah, Abraham’s wife was barren for many years before God finally gave her Isaac. Isaac’s wife Rebecca was also barren for several years before God finally gave her Jacob and Esau. The wife whom Jacob loved – Racheal was also barren for several years before God finally gave her Joseph. Thank God that Jacob wrestled with God and his name was changed to Israel. Dear brother, you cannot afford to pass generational curses to your children, rather you should be passing blessings to them.
Children, especially sons, tend to grow up to be just like their father, hence that popular saying “Like father, like son”. King David was a great king, but he did not discipline his children. In 1 Kings 1:6, we see how David raised his children.
And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why has thou done so?
When his children were grown and he started to see how they were misbehaving, he realized that he had left his children untrained and he regretted it. That is why when Solomon was born, he trained the boy. Solomon said in Proverbs 4:4 that his father trained him. It is God’s expectation that fathers must command their children to serve Him (Genesis 18:19. Are you committed to leading your children in the right direction?
Remember that your sons will carry your name forever and how your daughters behave in their matrimonial homes will be linked back to you. Invest yourself in them more than in your business or career.
ACTION POINT
Lay your hands on your children if they are close to you or call them on the phone if they are far away and bless them from your heart.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 49- 51
HYMN 10: JESUS MY LORD MY GOD MY ALL
1 Jesus, my Lord, my God, my all,
hear me, blest Savior, when I call;
hear me, and from thy dwelling place
pour down the riches of thy grace.
Refrain:
Jesus, my Lord, I thee adore;
O make me love thee more and more.
2 Jesus, too late I thee have sought;
how can I love thee as I ought?
And how extol thy matchless fame,
the glorious beauty of thy name?
3 Jesus, what didst thou find in me
that thou hast dealt so lovingly?
How great the joy that thou hast brought,
so far exceeding hope or thought!
4 Jesus, of thee shall be my song;
to thee my heart and soul belong;
all that I have or am is thine,
and thou, blest Savior, thou art mine.
