"Behold children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward."
"Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them..." Psalm 127:3and 5

These verses usually find their way in most Father's Day messages and they warm any father's heart. With the joy comes a tremendous responsibility! In our children's world today the need for godly fathers is so great. The need for fathers (mothers , too) who are grounded and rooted in Christ Jesus is essential. Not only teaching by word, but even more so the teaching by example. Seeing parents live out the words they are teaching establishes that consistency that all children need.

Children are under such ungodly influences all around them today that there must be that haven in home and family of the truth, love and assurance that God is faithful and trustworthy. Fathers and mothers you are not alone in training your children, you have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide.

Scripture tells us in Proverbs 22:6,
"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."

I have suggested in the past that concerning this training much time be spent in Proverbs. The chapters 1:8 through 9:12 seems to be directed to teaching the youth, but it is also teaching fathers (mothers, too) in what should be taught. This is a wonder portion of Scripture for all to spend time in as we need to be reminded of our need for God's wisdom moment by moment.

Scripture tells us that we are:
To teach God's commandment of the Law to the children:
"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up." Deuteronomy 6:7

To provide for them:
The Apostle Paul's tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:14, "...For the children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children."

To nurture them:
"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonitions of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4

To control and this with love not harshly (Jesus is our example in John 13):
The Apostle Paul in giving to Timothy the qualifications for bishops, he
says:
"He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity." 1 Timothy 3:4 Again, for deacons in respect to his household, Paul says, "Let deacons be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households." Vs 12

To love them:
Paul writing to Titus while he is in Crete, tells him 'so set in order the things that are lacking', "That they (the older women) admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children." Titus 2:4 (My parenthesis) In this day with so many divorces and with mothers (fathers, too) opting out of their responsibilities, this is a timely admonition. Encouragement and support from the church family can be just the help needed for emotionally and physically taxed parents.

At this time it is so important for God's family to continually pray for His covering on our children. Though we can not be with them every moment we can certainly continually keep them in prayer! Also, we can each be available to teach them by word and example the ways of the Lord. Above all else, we can let them know that we love them and are there for them!

Father, bless all our fathers this day with Your wisdom, Your strength and Your counsel all in Christ Jesus and made known by Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for each of them. Amen

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