December 23, 2014
""Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed."" (Psalm 112:1-2)
It is your first church. Of all the things a man should care about, his children and grandchildren's spiritual health should be at the top of the list.
Many men mistakenly feel that it is solely their wife's responsibility to train the children towards God. Surely she carries her own calling. But, as in all things, the husband should be the leader in this task.
So how can I, as a husband and father, raise a godly seed?
I MUST FEAR THE LORD
The Proverbs writer repeatedly proclaims that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To fear means reverence and awe, but it always simply means, “fear!”
I should have a healthy respect for the God who made me and before whom I will one day stand. A wonder. This fear makes me think deeply about how I live my life, what I give myself to, what I worship, how I steward the resources of time and talents and money that He has given me.
I MUST GREATLY DELIGHT IN HIS COMMANDMENTS
Most men would think that ""fear"" and ""greatly delight"" are mutually exclusive terms. But healthy Christianity shouts otherwise. A man who fears God is not slavish, but filled with wonder at the God He knows and loves. He respects what this One has said and the precious commandments that He has given to guide and direct his life.
Therefore, God's instructions are not a burden, but a delight. He studies them daily and he obeys (by the power of the indwelling Spirit) the commandments faithfully. He believes in God and His will to the point of great delight.
THE PROMISE
...is astounding when seen in its fullness. This man's ""descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.""
Why is this so?
First, because it is God's promise. This needs no explanation. God has graciously promised that a man who follows Him with his whole heart will have a spiritual inheritance among those who follow.
But secondly, it practically follows that what a man loves, his children will love. Discipleship is more caught than taught. This will be tested at times and every child will make his own choices, but godly spiritual leaders in the home will experience the fruit of their labor over time. Their children will be hard-pressed to stray long from their father's godliness.
And, the blessing of this godly life will be felt for generations.
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