A few good Men (Father’s day) – (RFCC June 2016 – Pastor Mark Uren)
Proverbs – 1 My son hear the instruction of your Father, My Son, if sinners entice you, Proverbs 2 – My Son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you…Proverbs 3 – My son, do not forget my law , My son do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Proverbs 4 – Hear, my children, the instructions of a Father, Proverbs 5 – My son, pay attention to my wisdom, Therefore hear me now me now my children, My Son, if you become surety for your friend, Proverbs 7 – My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands within you, Proverbs 10 – a wise son makes a father glad, Proverbs 13 – a wise son heeds his father’s instruction, Proverbs 22 – train up a child in the way he should go
Proverbs is a call to sons, us as men and fathers to walk in wisdom, to be correctly conditioned, to make good choice, to provide and build an inheritance or generational blessing, to live the future for a future result, and to heed some warnings which will stand us in good stead in our lives
Proverbs is a call to follow our Heavenly Father – to walk in His ways
We must remember that before we become fathers, we are sons – but even when we have become husbands and fathers , we are still first man, and still first a son / or a child.
As fathers and sons we should listen to wisdom, receive counsel, live wisely, lead with integrity – Gods word in Proverbs teaches us accordingly.
In Proverbs and scriptures God gives us a very clear model of advice and guidance of how we should live.
Choosing wisely requires us to walk in obedience, to be spirit led, to build character, to cultivate good habits and to promote a healthy community kingdom culture.
Modern man – has become very much alienated from his created image and purpose. Our natural inclination has become to seek self as source of power and rely on our own understanding – a natural tendency to rebel.
Modern man has undermined the creation which God created – man was created to be in harmony with his environment – the creation which God gave to man to manage
There has been reversal of roles – man has become a being prideful, self ambitious and independent of God – it is the modern economy of performance and success.
Legality of mankind has changed- we have become world constitution driven which is contrary to the normalities of Gods, His kingdom purpose, mindset and plans.
Man has become a woman and one no longer has a complete understanding of which gender is which, as all forms of hybrid have become formalised and acceptable.
Modern living is a destroyer of parenthood because we are encouraged to live for self, to achieve more, that divorce is ok, that fathers don’t needs sons, and that mothers are no longer the nourishers of family – brokenness has become the norms of our society.
The story of Rehoboam who decided to listen to bad counsel, and thereby literally destroyed and lost the kingdom that David and Solomon had built. Rehoboam chose to listen to young foolish counsellors, instead of staying with his Father’s counsel
1 Kings 12:8 But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
We forget that man is created in the image and likeness of God.
We were given and still are required to complete a specific purpose in this life and that we are a component of eternity – we have an eternal outcome. We are to learn and live – express the likeness of our father ‘Our father who art in heaven, Thy will be done’.
Natural expression of earthy father who is the one who should teach us in the ways of the Kingdom of God – and supernatural eternal expression of our Heavenly father and His kingdom which is where we are going to live eternally.
God is the eternal father and the eternal model – the kingdom is the eternal even here and now expression of God – Isaiah says – ‘Everlasting Father’, Father of the Fatherless’.
The role of sons and fathers is to establish the generational blessing and inheritance.
Fathers should ‘live for the future’ and position your seed ‘eternally ‘for God’s glory – and then there shall be a perpetual harvest and goodness in your house and family always.
A son that has become a father becomes the head of his household – he is the gate and entry point to the family – he must become the prophet priest king of his family
God is a Giving father – He takes delight in blessings His sons – He gave Himself to re-establish ‘son-ship and fatherhood ‘relationship –reconciliation of man and God
James 1 – The Father of Lights – ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures’.
A call for Sons and Fathers to walk in righteous living – wisdom, prayer, uprightness…..the prayers of a righteous man avails much
James 5 – the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Are you praying for your family?
James 1:5 – if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally? Are you asking God to lead, you, guide you, strengthen you?
Psalm 1 – Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
This is the choice of the Godly (sons and fathers), a productive choice which is righteous, complete in abundance and a perpetual inheritance
Be encouraged by Jesus as our model
Luke 11:10 – “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Matt 11 – All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Hearing the father – Jesus only did what he saw his Father do – good fathers will be good role models to their sons.
John 5:19 – Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
John 17:24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Unity and harmony since before creation – the original plan.
Mathew 28 – Go into all the world and make disciples…we should be making disciples of our family, creating a future state of being, a righteous kingdom existence
Leaving a legacy is the footprint of your existence, a generational inheritance. As Fathers you have the power thru your choice and lifestyle to leave evidence of blessing in this earth.
ISAIAH 6:8 – Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
God is calling back His children – Good Men, fathers and sons to be true
Prophets, priests, kings, righteous fathers, apostolic leaders, honourable husbands, obedient sons
Be the Salt and light – Mathew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Uncompromising servants who are willing to live, walk and operate in o r manifest (the gospel of the Kingdom) – on earth as it is in heaven
- A Gideon’s army – a Daniel clan, a purposed heart
- A Joshua generation who will decree and declare that me and my house shall serve the Lord
- Willing men – as Abraham approached God and said would you not destroy the city for a few good/ righteous men
- Genesis 18 – Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?
- Genesis 18:28 – suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
As a father and as a son, If you want God’s best – become a man that inclines himself to the Fathers heart, as a son
The prodigal son – blood speaks louder – ownership is in the origin – back to our source, or homecoming where all provision is complete
Your birthright comes from your source – your originality is in God
1 Corinthians 2:9 – But as it is written: “EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”
Spirit of Elijah – Luke 1:17 – He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”