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 Father’s Day
. The lesson on June 17, 2007 takes a break from the Timothy Series and gives a
lesson on Father’s Day. Billy Graham once was quoted as saying “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.”
And yet fatherhood today is being assailed, maligned, and marginalized. Perhaps this started in America 45 years ago when we allowed prayer to be removed from our schools. The de
-masculinization of men was one of the reasons listed in the fall of the Roman Empire. The feminization of the male has been destructive in our society today. In the media, whether it be
in the movies, television, and radio, most men are portrayed as boars. We’ve changed the definition of a macho man to be one that’s a brawler instead of one that loves his wife, love his
family, does his job, does it well, in honor to God in all that he does. The lesson covers an editorial by Kathleen Parker of the Washington Post Writers Group entitled “Happy Father’s Day, jerk”. This editiorial says “
... Men and fathers have been on the receiving end of a male-bashing trend for the past 20 years or so, and they've had
enough. ... On television, men are depicted as boors or buffoons, while in the broader culture, they're deadbeats or wife beaters. In a 1999 study of how fathers were presented in 102 prime-time shows, the National Fatherhood Initiative found
only four in which a father was portrayed as present and involved in his children's lives.” There are statistics that show
the impact on society to the fatherless homes. 63% of the youths that commit suicide come from fatherless homes. 70%
of juveniles that are in state institutions come from a fatherless home. 71% of pregnant teenagers are from a fatherless
home. 71% of all high school dropouts come from a fatherless home. There are plenty of other statistics that show there
is no doubt, the father is very important in raising youth properly. There is a warfare against Fathers today. Male bashing
is very popular but it is not new. In Ephesians 6:4, we learn of instructions given by God to fathers “And, ye fathers,
provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” The first part is “don’t
provoke” and the second is to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”. Men were created to be leaders
and in the headship placed over the woman but under Christ. When he becomes a father and follows what God wants him to do in raising a family he can trust in what God says 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.” The lesson covered the story of Jarius, who was a father of a sick daughter who sought out Jesus so the he might heal her. In Mark 5:22-23 it says “And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the
synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter
lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.” This
story show the great love that a father has for his daughter. Jesus followed him to his home and raised his daughter from the dead.   Click here to listen now.
 Father’s Day. We live in a homogenized society today. The land of the free and the home of the
brave has been turned into the land of whoever and the home of “stay as long as you want”. America is in a sad state of affairs today as the Christian foundation has eroded in our families and
therefore our Nation. There is no declaration of what’s right and absolute. There is an attack on the
family in this homogenized society when what we have nationally and spiritually has been diluted to exclude God. The first thing God established was the family unit because that is the foundation of
our growth and learning about God to propagate what He means in our lives. There was an article written by Nicholas von Hoffman entitled the “Mush God”. It said “Here is the key God of western
civilization today. The mush god has no theology to speak of—being a cream-of-wheat divinity. The
mush god has no particular credo, no tenets of faith, nothing that would make it difficult for the believer and unbeliever
alike to lower one’s head when the temporary chairman tells the Reverend Rabbi Father Mufti or so and so to lead us in
an innocuous, harmless prayer. For this god of public occasions is not a jealous god. You can invoke him to start a
hooker’s convention and he she or it won’t be offended. "Protector of the buddy system—the mush god is the lord of the
secular ritual. The mush god is a serviceable god whose laws are not chiseled on tablets of stone but written on
sand—open to amendment, qualification and erasure. This is the god who will compromise with you, make allowances, declare all wars holy and all peaces hallowed." This exemplifies the homogenized problem we have today. There is no
boldness for God. The problem begins at home and it begins with the father. Children need to live from the rules
established in the home from their father and mother. The attack is on the family unit. The Christian home should mirror
what God had sent home to the family and it has to begin with the father. As stated in Proverbs 4:1 (KJV) “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.” We learned from Job 28:28 (KJV) what the
definition of understanding is “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” The lesson on June 18, 2006 reminds us that there are no perfect parents so there are no perfect
children. However, God has called you to have the responsibility of teaching your children to live Godly (Deuteronomy 6:1-2). Click here to listen now.
 Here is a lesson from 06-17-2001 that celebrates Father’s Day in America. When God ordained the
family, He created several relationships that help teach us how much God the Father loves us. The earthly father relationship is a role that teaches about God. The wave of emotion that comes over a
new father upon his firstborn child is incredible. The joy and love that is felt when caring for a child that grows right in front ofyour eyes into a person is a picture of the love our heavenly Father has
for us as we grow and mature in fellowship with Him. God the Father loves us beyond what we can comprehend... but the scripture shows us many ways how God has provided for us... as the
love of a father cares for his children. 
Listen here now to the lesson of the week. Be sure and download the handout as well. 
 The lesson on 06-16-2002 celebrates Father’s Day in America. For this message, the scripture
reading covered Luke 15:11-13. Living a power filled life from a Christian perspective recognizes that true power is not worldly. Worldly success is vain and never satisfies.
Consider the man who has six million dollars to the man that has six children. The millionare wants more yet the man with six kids is satisfied! But seriously, riches, strength, and glory are
things we should not pursue. Jeremiah 9:23,24 (KJV) tells us “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man
glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:
for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” We need to focus on getting to know God who is
our Heavenly Father so as children of God, we put our faith in a relationship that lasts for eternity. Father’s Day sets aside
one day to honor our earthly father’s to let them know how they have blessed our lives. How much more then should we
set each and every day aside to honor our Heavenly Father, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Let’s take the attitude of Joshua who said in Joshua 24:15b (KJV) “but as for me and my house, we will serve the
LORD.” Click here to listen to the lesson on 06-16-2002.
 Father’s Day.
A non-traditional Father’s Day message is in store for those who listen to the lesson on June 15, 2003. Traditional lessons would focus on the horizontal relationship fathers have or the
duties they should be doing. God has given everyone the desire to succeed but work is not to become the idol of your life. It will never give you the true meaning of life. You can go through all
the experiences in life and it will never give you any meaning. Solomon tells us that the things and experiences in life that people pursue is all vanity. If we measure success by the things we do vs
who we are then we are filled with vanity. Human nature is never satisfied no matter how much
you have. Materialism will never do it. If you’ve spent your health to get your wealth, you’ll end up
spending your wealth to get your health back. Materialsm is really not about money and wealth, but a condition of the heart
. Poverty risks the body but prosperity risks the soul. No matter what you do, it should be done in the eyes of the Lord.
Success is borne out of a personal relationship with Christ. This is what really matters. The old nature is what we wrestle with and God will chasten those whom He loves. As
Proverbs 3:11-12 (KJV) says “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For
whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” As children of God, we need to
be responsive to the correction of God. The lesson on Father’s Day is a lsseon that’s good for everyone to hear.  Click here to listen now.
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Father’s Day
