by chris benjamin
When I think about the unconditional love that God has shown to the world it truly is above my comprehension. I know in my heart that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to the world to save us. Do we truly understand the true love that He has given us by that sacrifice? How is it that we deserve that kind of unconditional love? We are sinners. There is no denying that. It is because He is truly our Father and maker. He cares for us like we should care for our children. I believe that to be true without a doubt. He is our maker and that can never be taken from us. We know that we are His children forever by His grace. We know that He loves us unconditionally. So what do we do as fathers ourselves with that knowledge? What is our response to these truths? I tell you the truth, we are to love Him back unconditionally. Without question in our hearts. Love Him back. That is the most important action we can do as fathers is to love God first. One way to show our love and worship for God is to love our families the way He loves all His children. He is the model of love that we need to firmly implant into our families. The father is the head of the house just as God is the head of all. The father is the protector and provider of the family just as God is for everyone of us. Take the role of being a father very seriously. Direct your family to live worthy and righteous lives in the eyes of our Maker. Be strong and never be corrupted by the world. Never let anything come in between you and your family. The father must be the rock of the family just as God is our rock and refuge in times of our distress. The father must burden all the stress of the family and be a place that his family can seek refuge. Do not worry about how you will do it. For you have the power of God to help you. It is in the Holy Spirit that you will receive your strength and courage from our Father. Turn to Him in prayer and let your burdens be known to Him. He will cast them away and refresh your body, mind, and soul. Take the role of father as the most important job you have while on earth. God has blessed you with the opportunity to take care of His children. They are a gift, a blessing from our Father. Take care of them and feed them with all your might. Direct everything you have to ensuring they will be provided for, protected, and prevented from harm. Take hold of your calling to be the rock of the family! Never give up or be discouraged by the affairs of the world! They are all temporary problems that will come in and go out like the ocean tide. Be firmly planted and unmovable in His faith because His promise of everlasting life is eternal.
Your responsibility is to the Lord God Almighty first. He has given you the wonderful blessing of fatherhood. He has entrusted you with His children to safeguard. How are we as fathers going to lead our families to the Lord in His path? Listen to what Jesus said to Peter. "Take care of my sheep". "Feed my sheep." John 21:16 Provide for your families, fathers. Do not let complacency, or laziness, or worldly corruption take you away from your duty. Work diligently everyday to give your family what they need to not only survive but to thrive. Work wherever you have to pay for their food and shelter. Do not let stubborn pride keep you from taken a job because you think you are over qualified. If it is all that is available take it and be grateful because you are providing for your family. Take on long hours if that is what it takes to give your family their basic needs. Do not be afraid to ask for the strength to accomplish your duty. Our God will bless you with all you need to excel when you are doing His work.
Do not let your mind wander to what your neighbor has and envy their belongings. Keep you eyes focused on what the needs of your family are. Contain your thoughts always to the Lord and what His will is for you and provide for His children. There is no doubt in my mind that through our God we can accomplish anything as fathers. Be ever vigilant to remain on His path of righteousness. The everlasting salvation of you and your family depends on the correct spiritual guiding of your family. When you are providing for your family, it is not only the physical food that you need to provide. Feed them on God's word as well. This is the nourishment for their souls that is the most important aspect for the everlasting lives. The spiritual climate of your family is a direct reflection of what kind of spiritual life you lead. Do not be afraid to say the prayers at night or before you sit down to eat. Make it a permanent part of your family time together. Your children will learn from you, whether for right or wrong. So make sure for their sake it is the right you are teaching them. Your are leaving a lasting imprint on them that will carry on for generations. Remember, you are not only instructing your children, but your grandchildren and great grandchildren as well. You have the power to write your spiritual legacy in the hearts of your children for many future generations. Do not let this awesome opportunity to love your families unconditionally pass you by. You are the spiritual leader of the house. Put time and energy into making it a wonderful and exciting experience for all of your family. It is your responsibility ultimately. When the Lord comes to call us fathers, and He will, we will be judged on how we led our families. It is the charge He has given us so do not fall asleep while He is away. We do not know the exact time when He will come. So be prepared to make a righteous offering to Him by the way you have loved and cared for your family in His name and for His glory.
Protect them from anything that may corrupt them or cause them to fall out of God's grace. The way of the world is sin. Let us be honest with ourselves fathers. It has gotten progressively more acceptable to be ungodly than holy. Stand up and take notice of your surroundings! No longer take the way of the world as what you want for your family. It is the father's responsibility to protect his family from the sin of the world. Stand up and fight for what is right in the eyes of the Lord because He will ask you why you did not. Be a good Sheppard of His children. Lead them to safety and away from the wickedness of the world.
If you have had problems in the past with sin, let it be known to God. Ask him for His forgiveness and guidance. Repent and forget your sinful past in the regard that it no longer has any control over your thoughts and actions. Truly, He will restore you and give you the strength and courage to pursue a just life in His eyes. You must come to Him to know what the right path is for you and your family. Steer your families in the direction of holiness. He will give you the Holy Spirit as your guide. Never waiver in your commitment to honor the Lord with the spiritual act of worship by living a just life. Your family will follow you! They need to have you at the head of the house. You must be their protection from the sin of the world. Remember that the Lord is with you and will guide you always. You must come to Him earnestly everyday in every situation with His glory and will in mind first. It is an awesome responsibility being a father but one that has a great reward. The most important blessing the Lord has given us is our everlasting souls. You can never lose sight of the fact that you are guiding the spiritual destiny of your family. With all that you have or will every have turn to the Lord for everything. Love and acknowledge the Lord and thank Him for His many wonderful blessings. Ask for His guidance and direction in all that you do. He will make your paths straight. Take control of the physical and spiritual reins of your family through Him. You are the one who has been called to do so. So do it with all your might. Never give in or give up! It is your calling! Take hold of it and succeed for His glory.
Prevent your family from harm. There is no longer a you as an individual anymore when you are a family. Your family should always come before you, no exceptions. Your priorities are to the Lord first, and then to your family. What you know of as yourself has to be forgotten and a new purpose is now set before you. Remember where you came from and how you got here, but you have started a new life in your family. They are first before you in everything you do, remember that. When there is a shortage of food you do not eat until your family has eaten first. You will lay your life down for everyone of them if need be. Show the unconditional love for your family that God has shown for all His children by the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ for our sins. That kind of love is what we should hope to attain as our calling as fathers. Love it! Embrace that you are a father! It is a wonderful blessing from God to be afforded the opportunity to guide your family in this life. The love you give will be returned to you not only from your family, but from our God as well. Nurture your family in all the best love that our Father has shown us. Raise them up in a happy, healthy, loving, Christian family environment that always praises our Lord's holy name. Truly, it is because of Him that we have all that we have. Never lose sight of that. Turn all God's blessings to us back to praise to Him.
Truly, without regard for anything of yourself you must put away all selfishness. There is no longer a me as a father, but is now we. We are all going to church. We are all going to the store. We are all going to pray before we eat. We will all get through the trials of life together. Truly, your family will be as strong as you are in God. You must find the time to turn to Him and seek His will, His forgiveness, and His strength. It is the father's most awesome responsibility and joy to provide, protect, and prevent from harm all of your family. Stay focused in all that you do and do it through, with, and in our Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. That is where we fathers will succeed for our families. Remember you are in a spiritual fight for your families. Do not ever surrender even an inch of your families lives to the evil of the world! Always lead from the front and ensure that your family can keep up with you. Leave no one behind to the corruption of this world in sin. Solidify your bond with your family in the Holy Spirit and it will never be broken. Look to the day when the Lord comes to call on us fathers with happy hearts, because we know we have been good Shepherd's to His children.
Chris is the author of the inspirational book "Spiritual Basic Training" Learn more at www.spiritualbasictraining.com to complete missions for a Spirit-filled life.
God Bless
Comments