Losing my Father is one of the most difficult things I have gone through. As I am standing up here today, I realize how blessed I was to have him as my dad. I'm not here to bury my dad; I'm here to honor him. There are no words to express his influence in my life. It is through his example that I learned to be the husband and the man that I am today. Over the past week people have been asking me if I’m up for this or if I can handle this. I always respond, “I feel my dad has been preparing me for this moment my whole life!“
I’m going to be real with you and I hope you will forgive me for this but my words are more for me then anyone else. It’s to remind me of the instruction my dad gave me. I wont stand here and lie and say my dad was perfect, he wasn't. He had his flaws but if you look at him you will find many qualities many men today lack.
Dad was hardworking, strong and loving. He loved his family and was deeply devoted to my mom and his family. However, he was no Saint by any means or stretch of the imagination. My dad was one of those hard working fathers that always got his way. His words were the law in our house. I used to fear him but I never thought he was already teaching me one of the most valuable lessons in life, standing up for what you believe in. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. As I grew older, I slowly understood why he treated us like that. He didn't have much in the form of material things but that didn't matter. I learned that the most important thing that he had was us, his family. Though he may never have said it out loud I know that he was really proud of what we have become. We are who we are now because we had a father like him.
I remember Thinking to myself, “Why does Dad work so hard”? I didn’t realize it then, but that was one of the biggest lessons I learned from my Dad - the value of hard work. He woke up everyday, put on his shoes, and went to work to provide for our family. I could count on one
hand how times my dad was sick. Even if he didn’t feel good, he would get up and go to work – of course after a little “babying” from my mother.
So While I was growing up, my dad gave me three keys to live by, so that I can have a successful life. He truly believed you must…
1. Always put GOD first
2. Always treat people the way you want to be treated
3. Always give GOD your best
1. Always put GOD first
Matthew 6:19-24
What are we seeking, the things of the earth or the things of heaven? Where is our heart? Focused on earth or focused on heaven? The concern of Christ in this passage is money, possessions, and material things. Here are things on earth that men desire. Christ calls these earthly riches and treasures. Earthly riches would be such things as clothes, cars, jewelry, toys, houses, buildings, furnishings, pleasure, fame, power, profession, property, and money—anything that dominates a person’s life and holds it fast to this earth.
Christ says three things about earthly riches that are of criti
cal importance to both the believer
and the unbeliever.
a. Do not lay up for yourselves earthly riches (material possessions). My dad taught me not to focus my life on earthly things, not to set my eyes and mind and energy and effort on such passing treasures. It is easier to want earthly things more than heavenly things for four reasons.
1) They are seen and can be handled.
2) They are sought by most people, and other people influence us. A person is either worldly minded or heavenly minded (Romans 8:5-7).
3) They are to varying degrees necessary for life.
4) They are present, ever before us, and can be possessed right now.
b. Earthly riches are corruptible. Something terrible happens to everything on earth. Everything ages, dies, deteriorates, and decays. Things are on the earth only for a brief time, and then they are no more. Everything has the seed of corruption within it.
c. Earthly riches are insecure. The things on earth are insecure for three reasons.
- They can be stolen or eaten up.
- They do not last; they waste away.
- A person cannot take a single thing with him when he passes from this world.
· a blameless life
· becoming a true child of God
· the forgiveness of sins
· wisdom
· understanding the will of God (purpose, meaning, and significance in life)
· an enormous inheritance that is eternal
· a constant Comforter and Helper, the Holy Spirit of God Himself
· life that is abundant and overflowing (John 10:10).
2. Always treat people the way you want to be treated Matthew 7:12
a. It is more than not doing wrong (lying, stealing, cheating).
b. It is more than just doing good (helping, caring, giving).
c. It is looking, searching, and seeking for ways to do the good that you want others to do to you. It is seeking ways to treat others just as you want them to treat you.
The golden rule teaches the whole law. The whole law is contained in the words: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:39-40).
My dad used to tell me, “if you want people to respect you, you need to respect people. Every human being would like to have all others treat them perfectly: to love and care for them to the ultimate degree and to express that love and care, so we should all love and care for others while still on earth. He is to give earth a taste of heaven before all things end. When you treat people like this, that's how you win them to Christ.
What type of love to you show your family
? Your Christian family or your regular family?
Col 3:19 teaches us that husbands are to love their wives. The same type of love that Christ has for his church. It’s called agape love in Greek. That means its unconditional love that means there is nothing you can do or say to change how I feel. It’s a....
- Selfless and unselfish love
- A giving and sacrificial love and
- it’s the love my dad had for my mom
When we think about sacrifice most of us only think about tithes and offerings. But the truth is, everything you do is a sacrifice to GOD.
My dad had a hustlers mentality and one of the things he used to do to make money on the side was paint signs. He made up these cards that said “Johnson and Sons Sign service,” and he would take my brother and I along with him while he worked. We never really understood why we were even there. We were always bored out of our minds. Later I began to understand, my dad was teaching us to pay attention to detail. One time talked to me while he was painting and he told me “you’re a Johnson, and you represent the Johnson family. Have pride in who you are and your name. When you do something put your all into it.” We are Christians and we represent the Christian family, you represent GOD.
Everyone knows the story of Cain and Abel. What was the difference between their two offerings? Abel Believed GOD and he approached GOD just as he was told to. Cain did not believe GOD, so he did not follow God's word. He tried to sacrifice material things
and earthly gifts when that’s not what GOD asked for. This is the power of faith, and the more time you spend in GOD’s presence the deeper your faith in him will be!
Dad showed strength and love right up until his last days with us. I hope that one day, when I die, my children can look
back, tell funny stories about me, and talk about how I loved them and their mother. Then, like my fa
ther, I will have led a complete life.
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