Fathers Who Show Love

PRAY OVER THIS

“For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:12

 

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Love your children and delight in them. Words can hurt your children more than an open hand and a slap in the face. Learn to listen to them and express love to them. Here are three ways to express love.

Be gentle. Why is it that some children just adore and almost worship their dads while others hate their dads? What is the difference between dads? There’s one characteristic common in dads whose children love and follow them; those dads are gentle. And this starts when their children are young.

Be transparent. Let your children know of your fears, your joys, your disappointments, your failures, and your goals. They already know you’re not perfect; so you don’t have to pretend with them.

Be available. Take it as a priority that you’re going to be available to your child.

CONSIDER THIS

Where might you need to be gentle, transparent, or available with your child or someone else close to you?

Who are some fathers you know who display these qualities?

DO THIS

Encourage a father you know who displays these godly characteristics.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

When you’re gone, what do you want your children to say?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which He hath commanded thee. And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord swore unto thy fathers. Deuteronomy 6:17-18

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I used to run track. In a relay race, you must skillfully hand a baton off to the next runner on your team. For a moment you’re running by yourself, then someone comes up behind you, tries to match your speed, you’re running together, then you place that baton in his hand, and you trail off and watch him run. 

Fathers, our journey with our kids is much like that. We need to run alongside. We need to safely hand off the baton.

One day, my kids are going to be standing at my casket. I don’t think they care about how many people heard me preach or how large the church’s budget was. I don’t think they even care about how many books I’ve written. When that time comes, I want them to say, “Daddy loved God and he loved us.” Dads, we are leaving a legacy.

ACTION POINT:

If you are a father, don’t lose those few precious years when you’re running side by side with your child.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

If you could do it over again...

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. Matthew 2:1-2

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Once a year we celebrate fathers. Maybe you are one. Let me give you a challenge. One father said, 

“If I had it to do all over again, I’d love my wife more in front of my children. I’d laugh with my children more. I’d listen more, even to the youngest child. I’d be more honest about my own weaknesses and stop pretending perfection. I would pray differently for my children. I would be more encouraging and bestow more praise. And finally, if I had it to do all over again, I would use every ordinary thing that happened in every ordinary day to point them to God.”

Praise God for the impact of godly fathers in our lives!

ACTION POINT:

If there’s going to be music in marriage, the dad has to be the leader of the band. Celebrate the dad in your life today!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How to make amends with your teen...

BIBLE MEDITATION:

But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. James 5:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In June we take time to focus on fathers, and I’ve discovered in talking with teenagers that many of them harbor bitterness and resentment. Much of that resentment is directed toward their fathers over the serious matter of broken promises.

If you’re a dad who wants to restore your relationship with your teenager, one of the best things you can do is to remember those broken promises. Then go and say to them with a remorseful spirit, “I’ve asked God to forgive me, and I want you to forgive me.” Then ask this question, “Have I ever made a promise to you that I’ve failed to keep? If so, I want you to tell me because I want to repent. I want you to believe that your dad is a faithful man.”

ACTION POINT:

Are you a man of your word? If not, start fresh today and make a commitment that you will stand behind your word. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

A Challenge For Fathers

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders.” Proverbs 31:23

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Once a year, we celebrate fathers. Maybe you are one. Let me give you a challenge. One father said, “If I had it to do all over again. I’d love my wife more in front of my children. I’d laugh with my children more. I’d listen more, even to the youngest child. I’d be more honest about my own weaknesses and stop pretending perfection. I would pray differently for my children. I would be more encouraging and bestow more praise. And finally, if I had it to do all over again, I would use every ordinary thing that happened in every ordinary day to point them to God.”

ACTION POINT:

Praise God for the impact of godly fathers in our lives!

Celebrate the dad in your life today!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

A Challenge For Fathers

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders.” Proverbs 31:23

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Once a year we celebrate fathers. Maybe you are one. Let me give you a challenge. One father said,

If I had it to do all over again, I’d love my wife more in front of my children. I’d laugh with my children more. I’d listen more, even to the youngest child. I’d be more honest about my own weaknesses and stop pretending perfection. I would pray differently for my children. I would be more encouraging and bestow more praise. And finally, if I had it to do all over again, I would use every ordinary thing that happened in every ordinary day to point them to God.”

Praise God for the impact of godly fathers in our lives!

ACTION POINT:

If there’s going to be music in marriage, the dad has to be the leader of the band. Celebrate the dad in your life today!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Faithful in Your Words

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” James 5:12  

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In June we take time to focus on fathers, and I’ve discovered in talking with teenagers that many of them harbor bitterness and resentment. Much of that resentment is directed toward their fathers over the serious matter of broken promises. 

If you’re a dad who wants to restore your relationship with your teenager, one of the best things you can do is to remember those broken promises. Then go and say to them with a remorseful spirit, “I’ve asked God to forgive me, and I want you to forgive me.” Then ask this question, “Have I ever made a promise to you that I’ve failed to keep? If so, I want you to tell me because I want to repent. I want you to believe that your dad is a faithful man.”

ACTION POINT:

Are you a man of your word? If not, start fresh today and make a commitment that you will stand behind your word. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

A Blessing for Fathers on Father’s Day

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, and thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Jerusalem.” Psalm 128

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I am convinced that America’s families will not be changed until the dads in America are changed. The key is the father. God has given us a survival manual, and it begins with the father. He is to be a God-fearing, hard-working, worshipping man of God. He is to be bold, but he must also truly fear God. 

What is the fear of God? Not a cringing dread of God, but love on its knees. And I am convinced that the man who fears God the most loves God the best.

Dads, your children need to see the fear of God in your life. I’ve made an observation of fathers. Do you know what makes a good dad? He is a man who is both strong and tender at the same time. Strong, but not afraid to hug, to kiss, to love, to speak softly and gently to the children. 

ACTION POINT:

These children of yours are like olive plants round about your table. Dads, if you will do this, if you will put the emphasis upon your family, we are going to see good in this nation again.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers