Winning Ways -- Hillcrest Baptist Church

Honor Your Father
by Tom Goodman
June 17, 2009

Churches that fail to honor fathers -- and to make honorable fathers -- contribute to society's decay.

That's what Roland Warren said in a recent article called, "Our Fathers Who Are on Earth." It's a good reminder as we approach Father's Day this Sunday.

Warren is the president of the National Fatherhood Initiative (www.fatherhood.org), an organization that works to increase the number of children who grow up with involved, responsible, and committed fathers.

In the article, he recalled an experience his wife shared with him. She was having lunch with a non-Christian friend a few years ago and began grace over the meal with the phrase "Dear heavenly Father." When she finished, her friend said that she could never pray those words since her father was such an [expletive].

Warren wrote:

There is a concerted attack on the institution of fatherhood by Satan himself. The Devil's work is to influence dads to be disconnected, distant, or even abusive, so that children start life believing that this is how all fathers are -- even a heavenly Father. And why attack the father? Because the greatest, most powerful truth that any person who does not know Christ needs to hear in order to be saved is this: God is a good Father whose desire and plan is to bring back his lost children to himself. Satan knows that good fathers can pave the way for the gospel and, conversely, bad or absent fathers pave the way to separation from God.

Malachi 4:6 tells us that one sign of spiritual renewal is when the hearts of the fathers will turn to their children, and the hearts of the children will turn to their fathers. On the other hand, if that doesn't happen, God said, "I will strike the land with a curse."

So, honor your father -- with what you do this Sunday and every week. By doing so, you'll be making your small contribution toward spiritual renewal in your community.

While I'm serving in Africa, I've asked Dr. John Moldovan to bring the Word this week. He is a professor at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. I've asked him to focus on fathers in this week's message, but he will return the following Sunday, June 28, to share his dramatic testimony. John was jailed for preaching the gospel and then exiled from his home country of Romania. Join your church family at 10am!

--Tom

Weblog: Check out my blog, "Get Anchored." Some things to look for...

Song of the Week, posted every Sunday.
Links to Your World, interesting and informative links, posted every Tuesday.

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Honor Your Father by Tom Goodman June 17, 2009 Churches that fail to honor fathers -- and to make honorable fathers -- contribute to society's decay. That's what Roland Warren said in a recent article called, "Our Fathers Who Are on Earth." It's a good reminder as we approach Father's Day this Sunday. Warren is the president of the National Fatherhood Initiative (www.fatherhood.org), an organization that works to increase the number of children who grow up with involved, responsible, and committed fathers. In the article, he recalled an experience his wife shared with him. She was having lunch with a non-Christian friend a few years ago and began grace over the meal with the phrase "Dear heavenly Father." When she finished, her friend said that she could never pray those words since her father was such an [expletive]. Warren wrote: There is a concerted attack on the institution of fatherhood by Satan himself. The Devil's work is to influence dads to be disconnected, distant, or even abusive, so that children start life believing that this is how all fathers are -- even a heavenly Father. And why attack the father? Because the greatest, most powerful truth that any person who does not know Christ needs to hear in order to be saved is this: God is a good Father whose desire and plan is to bring back his lost children to himself. Satan knows that good fathers can pave the way for the gospel and, conversely, bad or absent fathers pave the way to separation from God. Malachi 4:6 tells us that one sign of spiritual renewal is when the hearts of the fathers will turn to their children, and the hearts of the children will turn to their fathers. On the other hand, if that doesn't happen, God said, "I will strike the land with a curse." So, honor your father -- with what you do this Sunday and every week. By doing so, you'll be making your small contribution toward spiritual renewal in your community. While I'm serving in Africa, I've asked Dr. John Moldovan to bring the Word this week. He is a professor at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. I've asked him to focus on fathers in this week's message, but he will return the following Sunday, June 28, to share his dramatic testimony. John was jailed for preaching the gospel and then exiled from his home country of Romania. Join your church family at 10am! --Tom Weblog: Check out my blog, "Get Anchored." Some things to look for... Song of the Week, posted every Sunday. Links to Your World, interesting and informative links, posted every Tuesday. Do you know friends who would appreciate Winning Ways? Just forward this e-mail to them! Have you subscribed to Winning Ways? You can subscribe by clicking here and following the instructions. Your e-mail address will not be sold or given away to anyone, and you can automatically change your subscription or drop it by following the easy steps provided with each e-mail. FRESH NEWS AT HILLCREST UPDATED WEEKLY: www.hillcrestaustin.org LISTEN TO RECENT SERMONS: Click here. MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Click here. If you do not have access to the web, please send a note to newsmaster@hbcaustin.org to tell us of any changes you would like to make.