OVOTC Service
June 18, 2017
“If Not for the Father’s?”
Matthew 7:11“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Lucille Ball, shortly before her death, did a remarkable TV interview with Merv Griffin. He asked her a very serious and pointed question: “Lucille, you’ve lived a long time on this earth and you are a wise person. What’s happened to our country? What’s wrong with our children? Why are our families falling apart? What’s missing?” Lucille Ball answered without hesitation: “Papa’s missing. Things are falling apart because Papa’s gone. If Papa were here he would fix it.”
There is no role in our modern society that suffers greater neglect as far as God is concerned than that of the father. God has given men the incredible privilege of imitating Him as Father; He has placed upon the shoulders of fathers an incredible responsibility.
I truly believe the condition of our society today is due to the neglect of men in their role as fathers. “Men are unable to be fathers unless they are lead by the Father.” Too many churches are over populated with women and more so, women fulfilling a single parent role. My message today is not on how fathers are not being fathers but more so how our Heavenly Father provides fathers with all they need to be fathers.
1. If not for the Father’s Love: There would be nothing to distinguish us as His children. As earthly fathers we would be unable to love freely without looking at whether people deserve it, and without expecting anything back. I John 3:1
2. If not for the Father’s Joy:Unfortunately, with many men their joy rests in the good or bad things that happen in the course of the day. The Father leads us to have joy in what brings Him joy. Ecclesiastes 2:26, III John 1:4
3. If not for the Father’s Peace: The Heavenly Father’s peace gives men a sense to rest in knowing that God controls the events of the day. Isaiah 45:7
4. If not for the Father’s Patience: Our Heavenly Father is longsuffering or patient towards us, He continues to love us and extend His grace so we can have eternal life with Him. As earthly fathers, only by God’s grace can we remain steadfast in hopes, dreams, and goals for our children and family. II Peter 3:9
5. If not for the Father’s Kindness. Our Heavenly Father’s kindness is abundant; it never fails or runs out. As earthly fathers, God changes our hearts to show kindness. Nehemiah 9:17
6. If not for the Father’s Goodness.Goodness reflects the character of God. He provides earthly fathers with moral goodness to rise up from their living for Him. Psalm 31:19
7. If not for the Father’s Faithfulness. Our Heavenly Father holds true to all He does and says. An earthly father’s faithfulness is seen in his example; by his devotion to others and to Christ. Deuteronomy 7:9
8. If not for the Father’s Gentleness. Our Heavenly Father’s gentleness is meek but not weak. An earthly father’s gentleness should consider others first, forgives others and corrects with kindness. Psalm 18:35
9.If not for the Father’s Restraint (Self-control). Our Heavenly Father’s restraint is like His mercy, He extends it to us daily. An earthly should resist fleshly desires and chooses instead to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 48:9