Responsible Fatherhood Ephesians 6:4

Introductory Thoughts Fatherhood is such an important role to fill Will shape a child’s concept of God Will determine the choices our children make Fathers have been honored by God when He gave them the position of leadership in the home Men, as leaders in the home, we have great potential to influence this generation and those generations that will follow

Introductory Thoughts When men behave Badly…Society suffers When men behave Godly… Society is strengthened Men… Your wives, children, church, business and community need you to be Godly Look with me today at the Bible and see what God expects from fathers

A Father Must… First Be a Good Husband Ephesians 5:25-33 By loving sacrificially – Verse 25 By loving unconditionally – Verse 28 By continuous courtship – Verse 29 By giving honor and respect – Verse 33

A Father Must… Be the Head of His Home Ephesians 5:23 Being the head is not so much about power, but about responsibility Fathers must take the lead in physical and spiritual matters There is nothing more important than the spiritual matters Live it – Teach it and Be involved

A Father Must be Patient Ephesians 6:4 – Colossians 3:21 A Father must provide for his home 1 Timothy 5:8 A Father must be a “Full Time Dad”… Not a “Part Time Dad” Harry Chapin Song – The Cat’s in the Cradle A Father Must… Some Additional Thoughts

Noah – Genesis 6:5-10 Lived different from the people around him Abraham – Genesis 16:18 Instructed his family in the ways of the Lord Job – Job 1:1-5 Prayed for his family, that their hearts would stay pure Joshua – Joshua 24:15-16 Chose the Lord to be Lord of his home Some Biblical Fathers

May God help our fathers to be what He desires for them to be Hebrews 11:4 say that Abel, though being dead, speaks to us today The same can be said of fathers who have gone on, their legacy speaks If you are deficient today, resolve now to be a better father Closing Admonitions