1 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,320 Alrighty, well Happy Father's Day. 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,600 Can I have a dad stand up for your dad 3 00:00:08,179 --> 00:00:18,420 Stepdad, Grandpa. 4 00:00:18,420 --> 00:00:21,540 I've kind of been just h hold up, stand up, hold up 5 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:23,920 Stand for a minute unless it's too tough. 6 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:29,440 Uh I've been a little weepy all morning about this dad thing. 7 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,840 So uh just let me pray for you guys. 8 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:32,880 Lord, thank you. 9 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:34,240 Thank you for this uh 10 00:00:37,820 --> 00:00:39,500 Privilege. 11 00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:47,500 Privilege to be a father of sons and daughters, Lord, and uh grandsons and granddaughters, Lord 12 00:00:47,300 --> 00:00:52,739 I pray that you'd help all of us, Lord, in this room that have those who look to us. 13 00:00:52,739 --> 00:00:55,860 Lord, they look to us for a lot of things. 14 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,120 And uh and all of us fall short. 15 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,640 And so, Lord, would you just help us to do what we can? 16 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:08,280 Would you strengthen us, Lord, just as I read in your word where it says to strengthen those hands that hang down 17 00:01:08,740 --> 00:01:13,940 And I pray that you would strengthen us as men, as fathers, Lord, realizing that it's 18 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,000 It's what we leave behind. 19 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:25,040 It's that legacy that we leave that has a lasting impact, Lord, on the lives of others and the lives of those who look to us, Lord. 20 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,440 So help us, we pray in Jesus' name. 21 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:28,720 Amen. 22 00:01:28,500 --> 00:01:30,020 All right, you may be seated. 23 00:01:30,020 --> 00:01:32,580 Thank you. 24 00:01:32,580 --> 00:01:38,100 And I'm just going to share a few thoughts on on Father's Day. 25 00:01:39,060 --> 00:01:48,340 Coming off of Luke chapter 15 and the the story of the prodigal son and the love of that father, I noticed a few things 26 00:01:48,939 --> 00:02:00,860 Some things you have to read into it, but I would I'm I'm pretty sure he would be uh he wouldn't have been praying for those those two boys of his and and uh he didn't seem to pick a fight with them 27 00:02:02,980 --> 00:02:07,940 He kind of let the young one go his way, cringing along the way. 28 00:02:08,020 --> 00:02:08,820 You ever done that? 29 00:02:08,820 --> 00:02:10,100 Watching your kids do stuff. 30 00:02:10,100 --> 00:02:12,260 Oh no, don't do that. 31 00:02:14,860 --> 00:02:17,420 But he was there. 32 00:02:17,420 --> 00:02:19,180 He was there. 33 00:02:19,180 --> 00:02:24,700 And uh I personally know what it's like when a father's not there 34 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:31,160 And how vulnerable you feel and how unsafe. 35 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:37,080 I remember feeling so unsafe when it was just me and my three siblings and my mom. 36 00:02:37,640 --> 00:02:47,160 And uh but when there was a dad around, and she uh she had four marriages, when there was a dad around it it it it seemed different, it seemed better 37 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:55,320 And um even though they were all uh men of colorful character, could I just say 38 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:06,440 But there's a few couple quotes I wanted to share with you on uh about fathers from from some people that 39 00:03:06,620 --> 00:03:08,300 probably we can all identify with. 40 00:03:08,300 --> 00:03:09,900 The first one was from Mark Twain. 41 00:03:09,900 --> 00:03:18,700 He said this when I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant, I couldn't hardly stand to have the old man around 42 00:03:19,180 --> 00:03:25,020 But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years 43 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:34,240 Boy, some of you young people may not quite get that, but man, there's a lot of truth to that. 44 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:40,640 Billy Graham said, a good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed 45 00:03:40,660 --> 00:03:48,100 And yet one of the most valuable assets in our society. 46 00:03:48,100 --> 00:03:51,620 A gal from Canada, Canadian writer. 47 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:55,000 author named Margaret Atwood said said this. 48 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,240 I I I this one really got me. 49 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:01,160 It says all fathers are invisible in daytime. 50 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:05,960 Daytime is ruled by mothers and fathers come out at night. 51 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:10,760 Darkness brings home fathers with their real unspeakable power. 52 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,200 There is more to fathers than meets the eye. 53 00:04:14,220 --> 00:04:21,900 And that's what I was talking about, that vulnerability, but when there was a when dad was around, it was it wasn't there 54 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:31,520 You felt safe because fathers are to be protectors of wives and children. 55 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:31,840 So 56 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,800 Just a couple things about fathers, things that a father should do. 57 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,600 First of all, fathers should love. 58 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:41,160 Right? 59 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,080 Fathers should love. 60 00:04:44,060 --> 00:04:50,940 I remember seeing my grandpa and him having such a hard time expressing love to us kids 61 00:04:52,840 --> 00:04:58,599 And I remember after I became a Christian, I thought, I gotta tell my grandpa that I love him. 62 00:04:58,599 --> 00:05:05,000 Because he had this this kind of bravado and this air about him, like, you don't go there, boy. 63 00:05:04,820 --> 00:05:07,380 You don't do that stuff. 64 00:05:07,380 --> 00:05:10,340 So one day I was walking out and I said, hey grandpa, I love you. 65 00:05:10,340 --> 00:05:11,060 And he goes 66 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,720 YouTube. 67 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:20,240 It was really hard. 68 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,840 It was hard for him to say that. 69 00:05:25,639 --> 00:05:29,479 But that love should be unconditional. 70 00:05:29,479 --> 00:05:31,639 Unconditional. 71 00:05:31,639 --> 00:05:34,680 Like this father that we see in Luke 72 00:05:36,460 --> 00:05:48,300 Chapter 15 as he allowed his younger son to uh to go wild and yet received him with unconditional love when he came home. 73 00:05:48,039 --> 00:05:50,840 And he was had a repentant heart. 74 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:55,800 Oh God, oh Father, I've sinned against you and I've sinned against heaven. 75 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:57,800 I'm willing to be your servant. 76 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,919 Or how he reasoned with his older son. 77 00:06:01,100 --> 00:06:03,980 And said, shouldn't we do what's right? 78 00:06:03,980 --> 00:06:06,380 Well, everything I got yours, dude. 79 00:06:06,380 --> 00:06:09,500 You got it made in the shade. 80 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:18,880 It reminds me of Isaiah chapter 1, verse 18, where the Lord says, the Lord says, come, come and let us reason together. 81 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:26,600 Though your sins are as are as scarlet, they shall be as snow. 82 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:31,080 And they are though they are crimson, they'll they'll be like wool. 83 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:33,560 You'll be forgiven. 84 00:06:33,759 --> 00:06:36,560 Have you reasoned with your father in heaven? 85 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:38,800 Have you talked to him? 86 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,680 Sought his forgiveness? 87 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:46,480 So a father should love because God loves us. 88 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:55,920 Psalms 103, verse 13, powerful verse says, as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear him. 89 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:02,680 It's pity, it's it's it's it means compassion, it means uh uh a a heartfelt 90 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:09,240 Affection for a son or a daughter. 91 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,120 Notice, but it's predicated upon your fear of him. 92 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,120 Do you fear God today? 93 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:16,680 Do you have a fear of him? 94 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:21,720 We had an incredible conversation, a little prayer meeting we have on Fridays. 95 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:25,400 We had an incredible conversation about 96 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:28,960 You know, the wickedness of man. 97 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:34,720 And I think I I talk about my own so much that some people think, well, the gets all this guy 98 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,360 That's all this guy talks about. 99 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:45,720 But I'm so aware of it because I fear it, but the f because I fear it, it's a fear of the Lord. 100 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:49,160 That's why I fear my shortcomings and my failures. 101 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:55,560 I fear it because I know that it would come between me and my God. 102 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,440 The Bible says that sin separates you from him. 103 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,720 And I know how quickly and easily I can do that. 104 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:07,160 And it is a very, very real fear in my life. 105 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:11,760 But it's a good fear because it's a fear of the Lord. 106 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,120 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 107 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,400 The fear of the Lord is clean, the scripture says. 108 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,800 And I love him. 109 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,240 That's why I fear him 110 00:08:26,740 --> 00:08:27,780 I love John. 111 00:08:27,780 --> 00:08:29,780 1 John chapter 3, verse 1. 112 00:08:30,260 --> 00:08:32,740 When I first got saved, we would sing this song. 113 00:08:33,620 --> 00:08:35,539 It was in, you know, they put music to it. 114 00:08:35,539 --> 00:08:40,180 It says, Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us. 115 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:44,560 that we should be called children of God. 116 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:48,639 Therefore the world does not know us because it did not know him. 117 00:08:49,700 --> 00:08:53,460 That God would love us so much, He would let us be His kids? 118 00:08:53,460 --> 00:08:55,620 Do you deserve to be His kid? 119 00:08:55,620 --> 00:08:56,420 I don't 120 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:05,880 And yet he saw fit to show me that unconditional love where where I couldn't come to him 121 00:09:09,100 --> 00:09:12,060 Fathers are a child's first hero. 122 00:09:12,060 --> 00:09:13,420 Don't you know? 123 00:09:13,420 --> 00:09:17,020 Dads are a kid's first hero. 124 00:09:17,980 --> 00:09:28,860 And uh even even if if there's not a love a lot of love come from that dad, he's that child's hero nonetheless. 125 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:33,200 I remember thinking of my dad as a hero. 126 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:37,840 And and he had faults. 127 00:09:37,660 --> 00:09:40,860 And then my mom's second husband, he was kind of a hero. 128 00:09:40,860 --> 00:09:42,540 He had faults. 129 00:09:42,540 --> 00:09:45,820 He was a jailbird. 130 00:09:45,820 --> 00:09:48,620 And then and then her third husband 131 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,120 He had a lot of faults too. 132 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,560 But I I looked up to I had a certain amount of respect for him. 133 00:09:55,560 --> 00:09:58,600 He was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. 134 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,600 Was shot down a couple times. 135 00:10:04,460 --> 00:10:07,500 And then her last husband. 136 00:10:08,140 --> 00:10:14,060 The way he loved my mother was very inspiring. 137 00:10:15,580 --> 00:10:17,980 He's a hero in that sense to me. 138 00:10:17,980 --> 00:10:23,020 Now the guy had all kinds of other flaws and failures. 139 00:10:23,020 --> 00:10:24,540 But don't I as well 140 00:10:28,060 --> 00:10:33,899 I remember saying, oh yeah, my dad could whip your dad any day. 141 00:10:40,220 --> 00:10:41,579 You know, it doesn't. 142 00:10:42,540 --> 00:10:47,339 There's something about that parent being that child's parent 143 00:10:48,180 --> 00:10:50,100 It's like they can't get away from it. 144 00:10:50,100 --> 00:10:55,220 Why is it that adopted kids so often want to go find where they came from? 145 00:10:55,220 --> 00:11:00,580 They want to find they want to connect with that person who they would have called dad. 146 00:11:05,380 --> 00:11:06,740 Children glory in this. 147 00:11:06,740 --> 00:11:08,260 The scripture says so 148 00:11:08,980 --> 00:11:14,580 Proverbs chapter 17 verse 6 it said children's children are the crown of old men. 149 00:11:14,580 --> 00:11:15,540 I'm an old man now. 150 00:11:15,540 --> 00:11:17,220 I say amen to that, right? 151 00:11:17,460 --> 00:11:23,780 Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their father. 152 00:11:23,839 --> 00:11:25,199 That's where that comes from. 153 00:11:25,199 --> 00:11:27,360 My dad can whip your dad. 154 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:29,120 That's their glory. 155 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,720 A child's glory is their father. 156 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:34,880 How glorious are you? 157 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:45,319 That's another fear of mine, is letting my kids down. 158 00:11:45,319 --> 00:11:46,279 And I have 159 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:51,920 So thirdly, a father should confess. 160 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:56,399 Fathers should confess when they sin to their children. 161 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:00,839 Why? 162 00:12:00,839 --> 00:12:04,920 Because my kids have seen me sin. 163 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:07,959 They've seen me be dishonest. 164 00:12:08,340 --> 00:12:12,580 They've seen me be unjustly angry. 165 00:12:13,780 --> 00:12:17,780 They've seen me do things that I shouldn't do. 166 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:26,440 And I need to confess that to them. 167 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,560 Kids are pretty pretty forgiving. 168 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:36,120 I think it kind of takes him back sometimes when you say, I'm so sorry, please forgive me. 169 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,560 Oh, oh perfect dad ain't so perfect, is he? 170 00:12:43,019 --> 00:12:44,699 No, but it lets them see. 171 00:12:44,699 --> 00:12:47,579 Listen, you can fail. 172 00:12:47,579 --> 00:12:50,540 You can confess and be be clean. 173 00:12:50,540 --> 00:12:52,139 That's what the scripture says, right? 174 00:12:52,139 --> 00:12:53,259 First John 1 9. 175 00:12:53,259 --> 00:12:53,980 Everybody knows that. 176 00:12:53,980 --> 00:12:56,060 Most Christians know that scripture. 177 00:12:56,040 --> 00:13:02,040 If we confess our sin, he's faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 178 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:06,120 And so it is with each other when we sin against each other 179 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:15,120 I think I shared with my my mother-in-law asked my wife, her daughter, to forgive her. 180 00:13:15,560 --> 00:13:19,080 I mean I I was instantly a water hazard. 181 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:20,920 I was just weeping. 182 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:23,240 It was so powerful. 183 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:25,480 Just mean that simple? 184 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:27,480 It's that simple. 185 00:13:27,620 --> 00:13:32,899 It's not easy because we got a whole lot of pride to get over to say I was wrong. 186 00:13:32,899 --> 00:13:36,100 I was, you know, most of us are like the fawns. 187 00:13:36,100 --> 00:13:37,860 I was wrong. 188 00:13:40,959 --> 00:13:42,959 Who remembers the fawns? 189 00:13:42,959 --> 00:13:44,000 Okay. 190 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:47,440 Good, I'm not alone. 191 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,000 He had a hard time with that. 192 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:59,040 And the reason we should confess is because our kids have hypocrite detectors built in. 193 00:13:59,040 --> 00:13:59,920 Right? 194 00:14:01,980 --> 00:14:06,300 They know. 195 00:14:06,300 --> 00:14:15,580 Proverbs 28-13 tells us, he who covers his sin will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. 196 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:19,640 What's true with the Lord is true with others too. 197 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:21,560 Not always. 198 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:22,840 Not always. 199 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,800 Sometimes they're, nah, I don't think I'll do that. 200 00:14:34,380 --> 00:14:40,380 Fourthly, fathers should share God's word and discipline or teach their children. 201 00:14:40,380 --> 00:14:42,540 Share God's word. 202 00:14:46,100 --> 00:14:53,060 Hebrews chapter 12, we we've been going through this, and uh, and I'll just read it to you. 203 00:14:52,759 --> 00:15:01,000 But we've been going through the book of Hebrews on our Wednesday night studies and verse 6 of Hebrews. 204 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:02,279 Well, it starts in verse 5. 205 00:15:02,279 --> 00:15:06,600 It says, My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord. 206 00:15:06,060 --> 00:15:13,820 Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him, for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. 207 00:15:13,820 --> 00:15:16,380 If you endure chastening, God deals with you 208 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:17,680 you as with sons. 209 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:21,360 For what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 210 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:23,840 But if you are without chastening or 211 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:29,840 of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not not sons at all. 212 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:34,560 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us and we paid them respect. 213 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,080 Shall we not much more 214 00:15:36,779 --> 00:15:41,899 Readily be in subjection to our to the Father of Spirits and live? 215 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,880 that we may be partakers of his holiness. 216 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:55,520 Now no chastening seems to be joyful at the present, but painful nevertheless. 217 00:15:55,520 --> 00:16:00,720 Afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it 218 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:13,519 Mostly my my biological dad and my the my mom's second husband, my stepdad, that's who did most of the the chastening of Scotty Brown 219 00:16:14,020 --> 00:16:20,020 I got more weapons than my siblings by far. 220 00:16:20,020 --> 00:16:20,660 Uh 221 00:16:22,279 --> 00:16:25,800 And with all kinds of different utensils. 222 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:27,080 And I got it coming. 223 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,720 I had it coming every time. 224 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,279 And none of it was pleasant. 225 00:16:32,420 --> 00:16:38,100 But I did understand there are consequences to the decisions you make. 226 00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:42,180 And sometimes the decisions you make are going to be very painful. 227 00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:48,740 And so too the Lord does that with us, does he not? 228 00:16:48,740 --> 00:16:51,460 I'm starting to sound like Steve Tuck. 229 00:16:51,460 --> 00:16:52,660 Does he not? 230 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:54,500 That's one of his catch. 231 00:16:54,500 --> 00:16:57,140 You know, preachers all have catchwords, right? 232 00:17:02,079 --> 00:17:10,240 Ephesians 6 encourages as fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 233 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:19,000 When your kids and your grandkids know that you love God, it impacts them greatly. 234 00:17:19,019 --> 00:17:21,419 I remember my dad telling me. 235 00:17:21,419 --> 00:17:23,100 Because his dad was pretty hard. 236 00:17:23,100 --> 00:17:25,019 And my dad could have been pretty hard. 237 00:17:26,139 --> 00:17:31,820 He was vacant in my life from the time I was seven to the time I was about 23, 24 238 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:38,600 So in those years, if he would have been my dad, there would be no Scotty Brown because he would have killed me. 239 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:40,040 He would have killed me. 240 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:56,039 But he told me, he said, you know, if my dad, his dad, my grandpa Orville, if my dad would have took me at seven, eight years old and set me on his lap and said, son 241 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,200 I love Jesus with all of my heart. 242 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:00,640 And I love you. 243 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,360 In fact, I'd give my life for you. 244 00:18:03,360 --> 00:18:04,960 He said that would have changed me. 245 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:11,040 He said, as I look back, he says, there's a lot of things I probably wouldn't have done if my dad would have done that. 246 00:18:11,659 --> 00:18:13,580 And I've taken his advice. 247 00:18:13,580 --> 00:18:15,179 That's what I've told all my grandkids. 248 00:18:15,179 --> 00:18:17,419 Listen, Papa loves you. 249 00:18:17,419 --> 00:18:19,500 And I love Jesus. 250 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,200 I just want you to love Jesus. 251 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:28,040 And so I ask him, when Papa dies, you promise me you'll still love Jesus. 252 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,600 Oh yeah, I will, Papa. 253 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:36,120 They might be lying, but does Papa Heart Papa's heart's good, you know, to know 254 00:18:39,179 --> 00:18:41,260 has a huge impact. 255 00:18:41,260 --> 00:18:47,179 The scripture tells us in the Old Testament, it says, Deuteronomy 4. 256 00:18:47,179 --> 00:18:50,220 9, it says, only take heed to yourself. 257 00:18:50,060 --> 00:19:01,660 And diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life, and teach them to your children and your grandchildren. 258 00:19:02,500 --> 00:19:13,860 These these miracles that the children of Israel had seen as Moses led them out of Egypt and into the wilderness, and over and over again they were 259 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:17,080 Awed by the miracles that God did. 260 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,159 He fed them from heaven. 261 00:19:19,159 --> 00:19:21,799 He brought water out of a rock. 262 00:19:21,799 --> 00:19:24,120 Their clothes never wore out. 263 00:19:24,419 --> 00:19:27,140 Man, I wish I could have a pair of Wranglers that don't wear out. 264 00:19:27,140 --> 00:19:30,100 They're getting shorter and shorter all the time. 265 00:19:32,140 --> 00:19:42,860 Deuteronomy 11 19, you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. 266 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,520 Letting them know about the word of God. 267 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:52,680 Now, there is the old saying that I think bears a lot of truth. 268 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:57,400 It's it's it's more caught than taught. 269 00:19:57,419 --> 00:19:59,820 More caught than taught. 270 00:19:59,820 --> 00:20:04,860 So you can preach all you want, but if you don't do it, right, they're not going to catch it 271 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,560 They should catch you reading the word. 272 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:11,160 Your kids and your grandkids. 273 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:13,000 Hey, what are you doing? 274 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,560 Well, I'm reading God's word. 275 00:20:16,300 --> 00:20:19,980 Oh, the amount of conversations that that sparks. 276 00:20:20,220 --> 00:20:22,220 They should catch you praying. 277 00:20:22,220 --> 00:20:25,180 I remember the times that our kids caught me and Connie praying. 278 00:20:25,180 --> 00:20:26,220 You guys praying? 279 00:20:26,220 --> 00:20:27,500 Well, yeah. 280 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:34,200 Better get caught prayin' than other things. 281 00:20:38,020 --> 00:20:40,420 I've caught my dad reading the Bible and praying. 282 00:20:40,420 --> 00:20:42,980 I've caught my grandpa Brown reading the Bible and praying. 283 00:20:43,220 --> 00:20:45,780 I caught my grandma Jones reading the Bible. 284 00:20:46,660 --> 00:20:46,820 I 285 00:20:46,820 --> 00:20:50,900 I caught my my mom in her last days reading God's Word 286 00:20:51,220 --> 00:20:52,980 I caught them doing that. 287 00:20:52,980 --> 00:20:54,580 You don't think that impacts me? 288 00:20:54,580 --> 00:20:57,620 And I was an adult when I seen all this stuff. 289 00:20:57,620 --> 00:21:01,620 I saw some of it as a child too, but it impacted me 290 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:03,720 I need this. 291 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:05,160 They needed it. 292 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:07,160 They're all gone. 293 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:08,440 Where are they? 294 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:10,840 I believe most of them are with the Lord. 295 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:12,520 Do I know that emphatically? 296 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:14,120 No, I don't 297 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:20,320 But I was just talking to a a friend earlier, and and but that's what I hope in. 298 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:22,320 That's where I put my hope 299 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:24,160 But they're with the Lord. 300 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:25,600 And that's where I want to be. 301 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:30,480 And I know I got a greater chance of being there if I heed his word. 302 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:40,440 They should catch him ministering to people, being merciful. 303 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,360 Years ago we would take the little ones to the rest homes. 304 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:55,640 And they was learning really quick of how to reach out and touch somebody who didn't look quite right. 305 00:21:55,340 --> 00:21:58,620 And didn't smell quite right. 306 00:21:58,620 --> 00:22:03,419 But they shared God's word with them and they would pray with them. 307 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:09,679 And at a very young age, they were catching something that was very powerful. 308 00:22:09,679 --> 00:22:11,120 As they would minister. 309 00:22:11,360 --> 00:22:18,159 I seen first and second graders lead 80 and 90 year olds to Jesus before they died. 310 00:22:25,500 --> 00:22:26,460 My dad 311 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:34,039 He uh he goes to the homeless shelters or homeless shelters in California, they're homeless cities, right? 312 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,480 He goes to the homeless cities and he ministers to these people 313 00:22:37,740 --> 00:22:41,100 And many of them, I think, are are demonized. 314 00:22:41,500 --> 00:22:45,420 They've fried their brains on drugs. 315 00:22:45,420 --> 00:22:47,820 And uh and he just prays with them. 316 00:22:47,820 --> 00:22:49,900 They give them food and they pray with them. 317 00:22:54,180 --> 00:22:57,780 If they don't see it, they won't do it. 318 00:22:57,780 --> 00:22:59,620 You want your kids to worship? 319 00:22:59,620 --> 00:23:01,220 Then worship. 320 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:04,040 You want your kids to read God's word? 321 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,120 Then read God's word. 322 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,960 You want your kids to pray? 323 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:11,720 It's a no-brainer. 324 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:13,640 But it's so true. 325 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:20,880 Because it is true. 326 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:23,440 Your children become you. 327 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,000 Oh no, please, no, Lord. 328 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,640 I don't want them to be like me. 329 00:23:32,820 --> 00:23:35,780 Dads should have their children's attention. 330 00:23:35,780 --> 00:23:38,260 You should be able to get your kids attention. 331 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:52,800 I love what it says about the Lord getting Israel's attention in Isaiah chapter 5. 332 00:23:52,300 --> 00:24:01,980 Verse 26 it says, and he will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, and will whistle to them from the ends of the earth. 333 00:24:01,980 --> 00:24:05,980 Surely they shall come with speed swiftly. 334 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:08,200 I used to whistle for my kids. 335 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:17,240 We lived right about a hundred yards from this really good-sized canyon that was on the on the uh east side of our house 336 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,680 And so I'd walk down to the canyon and I I never knew where they were. 337 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:21,880 There was a little creek down there. 338 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,680 It wasn't deep enough for them to get in no trouble or anything. 339 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,560 There wasn't no big deep holes in it or anything. 340 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:29,800 They could wade in it and what have you 341 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:40,280 There was an occasional cougar down there which was a bit concerning, but they are honorary enough I don't think they would have tasted too good 342 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:45,880 But I would I would go to the edge of the canyon and I would whistle for my kids. 343 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:50,919 And to this day if I whistle, it doesn't matter where they're at, they're in their thirties and forties now. 344 00:24:50,919 --> 00:24:53,960 If I whistle that they turn their head, right 345 00:24:54,720 --> 00:25:04,160 I I had I had trained that I'd kind of gotten their attention because a top couple times I went and whistled and they didn't respond and they got a whooping 346 00:25:05,540 --> 00:25:17,140 Because dad when he's scared and he can't find his kids pretty soon and if they're ignoring him then he's upset and the rod came out. 347 00:25:21,780 --> 00:25:24,340 But we should have their attention. 348 00:25:24,980 --> 00:25:32,500 We should be uh noble enough to have our children's attention, that they should respect us. 349 00:25:34,360 --> 00:25:39,000 And so those are some simple things that fathers can do. 350 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,000 Anybody can do it. 351 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:41,320 That 352 00:25:42,740 --> 00:25:47,700 You can be that father that has your children's attention. 353 00:25:47,700 --> 00:25:51,700 You can be that father that loves unconditionally. 354 00:25:53,220 --> 00:26:00,260 You should be that father that's willing to confess when he makes mistakes and to teach 355 00:26:01,340 --> 00:26:03,899 To teach them God's ways. 356 00:26:03,899 --> 00:26:05,980 I'm going to close with a few scriptures. 357 00:26:05,980 --> 00:26:07,899 I'm just going to read them to you. 358 00:26:07,899 --> 00:26:14,860 And they're just encouraging because it's what God has for all of us who put our hope and faith in Him. 359 00:26:15,340 --> 00:26:21,820 And and he's that loving Father that has given us this gift of his son for salvation. 360 00:26:21,820 --> 00:26:29,419 Jude 20 and 21 says, But you beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. 361 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,480 Keep yourselves in the love of God. 362 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:34,360 And I think that's a huge challenge nowadays. 363 00:26:34,360 --> 00:26:36,760 Jesus warned about the times that we live in. 364 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,800 He says the love of many is going to grow cold because 365 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:41,480 Iniquity abounds. 366 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:42,440 And we see it. 367 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:43,880 I see it in the church. 368 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:48,440 I see people getting bitter in their hearts with what's going on in the world. 369 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:55,920 Having this disdain for people groups or or certain religions or whatever. 370 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:58,320 I don't think the Lord would have us do that. 371 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:00,160 I think He we should 372 00:27:00,679 --> 00:27:04,840 Keep yourselves in the love of God. 373 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:09,880 And you have to ask Him to fill your cup because you and I don't have that kind of love. 374 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:13,760 Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 375 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,000 That we would love mercy. 376 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,360 When you love mercy, then you're merciful. 377 00:27:19,360 --> 00:27:22,400 When you don't, you're unmerciful. 378 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:26,760 And God isn't unmerciful, He's mercy. 379 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:29,080 He shows mercy to the humble 380 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,720 It goes on down in verses 24 and 25 in the book of Jude. 381 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:39,040 It says, now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling. 382 00:27:38,900 --> 00:27:43,860 To present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. 383 00:27:43,860 --> 00:27:51,140 To God, our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory in majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. 384 00:27:51,140 --> 00:27:52,100 Amen. 385 00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:00,080 Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is in your midst. 386 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,400 The mighty one will save. 387 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,720 He will rejoice over you with gladness. 388 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:05,360 He will 389 00:28:05,820 --> 00:28:07,820 Quiet you with his love. 390 00:28:07,820 --> 00:28:11,980 He will rejoice over you with singing. 391 00:28:11,980 --> 00:28:13,900 I was rejoicing a little bit ago. 392 00:28:13,900 --> 00:28:16,140 I got a text from my oldest daughter. 393 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:25,120 Wishing me a happy Father's Day. 394 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:29,360 And I text back, I said, Listen, you're gonna make my eyes leak, girl. 395 00:28:30,820 --> 00:28:32,899 She was my first child. 396 00:28:33,779 --> 00:28:36,980 I met her when she was about three years old. 397 00:28:36,980 --> 00:28:40,659 I was not her bio-dad, but I'm the only dad she's ever had. 398 00:28:43,799 --> 00:28:47,399 She even let me come to her house and have dinner the other night. 399 00:28:52,660 --> 00:28:55,060 And I remember praying, I was scared. 400 00:28:55,060 --> 00:28:57,940 I was 25 years old. 401 00:28:57,940 --> 00:28:59,780 Jesus had gotten a hold of my heart. 402 00:28:59,780 --> 00:29:00,900 It was a good thing. 403 00:29:00,900 --> 00:29:05,860 Because I'm telling you, if Jesus hadn't got a hold of my heart, that little girl wouldn't have been safe. 404 00:29:08,220 --> 00:29:11,340 She wouldn't have been safe with me. 405 00:29:11,340 --> 00:29:18,140 Because I wasn't a changed man before Jesus 406 00:29:20,460 --> 00:29:26,140 And as somebody who had had all kinds of dad experiences, I wanted it to be the best for her 407 00:29:28,559 --> 00:29:35,600 And then a year or so later her little siss sister was born, and then her little brother, and then another little brother, and 408 00:29:35,660 --> 00:29:39,340 And all of a sudden I have I have all these kids and I'm scared to death. 409 00:29:39,340 --> 00:29:43,740 I'm thinking, Lord, if I'm the only thing these kids have, they're in such big trouble. 410 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:54,800 And yet, God, in his mercy and his grace, as I continued to seek him 411 00:29:55,620 --> 00:29:57,780 He let me be their dad. 412 00:29:57,780 --> 00:29:58,900 Was I perfect? 413 00:29:58,900 --> 00:30:00,260 Well, just ask them. 414 00:30:00,260 --> 00:30:01,700 They'll tell you. 415 00:30:01,700 --> 00:30:03,460 Absolutely not. 416 00:30:03,460 --> 00:30:08,100 They seen dad do a lot of crazy, stupid things. 417 00:30:08,460 --> 00:30:15,020 And uh and I think it's actually dissuaded them from doing some of those same stupid crazy things. 418 00:30:15,020 --> 00:30:19,340 But being a dad is the greatest experience I've ever had in my life 419 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:29,120 Because I never understood how much our Heavenly Father loved me until I had children. 420 00:30:29,500 --> 00:30:38,460 And it's just like, wow, how can you love something so little, so much, that you would give your life for? 421 00:30:38,519 --> 00:30:43,559 And the Lord goes, bingo, buddy, now you got it. 422 00:30:43,559 --> 00:30:45,559 Now you got it. 423 00:30:50,740 --> 00:30:54,180 Psalm 91 verses 14 and 15, I'll close with this. 424 00:30:54,180 --> 00:30:59,380 Because he has set his love upon me, therefore I will deliver him. 425 00:30:59,380 --> 00:31:03,220 I will set him on high because he has known my name. 426 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:05,920 He shall call upon me and I will answer him. 427 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:11,680 I will be with him in trouble, and I will deliver him and honor him. 428 00:31:12,460 --> 00:31:15,340 I don't know about you, but I want that for my father. 429 00:31:15,980 --> 00:31:25,660 And all I have to do is day after day, hour after hour, month after month, year after year, humble myself before him. 430 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:32,680 And he will deliver me and he will honor me. 431 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:34,520 And he will honor you as well. 432 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,200 Shall we pray? 433 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:38,040 Father, thank you. 434 00:31:38,740 --> 00:31:45,220 Thank you for you being a father to us 435 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:57,440 Lord, that we can run to you with all of our cares and all of our concern, knowing that you'll run to us when we come to you in humility. 436 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:03,600 Father, I pray that today you would encourage us. 437 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:06,160 Lord, where where we have fallen short 438 00:32:06,060 --> 00:32:08,540 Lord, let us know that it's forgiven. 439 00:32:08,540 --> 00:32:09,820 It's washed away. 440 00:32:09,820 --> 00:32:14,300 Those sins have become, instead of crimson, they're as white as snow. 441 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:26,200 And Lord, for those who are going to get baptized, Lord, I pray that you would encourage them, fill them with your spirit, Lord. 442 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:35,280 As they come down and come into the water and proclaim a devotion to you and an identification with you and your death, burial, and resurrection. 443 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:37,360 Lord bless your people. 444 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:46,400 Lord, also you'd bless the food that we're going to partake of afterwards, Lord, that we would, Lord, we'd just feast and share. 445 00:32:46,660 --> 00:32:53,059 That incredible love that you've given us with one another. 446 00:32:53,059 --> 00:32:56,980 Lord, in these last days, I pray that you would fan the flame. 447 00:32:57,120 --> 00:33:04,480 in our hearts by your Holy Spirit, knowing that there's nothing impossible with you. 448 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:05,600 Nothing. 449 00:33:06,180 --> 00:33:16,500 Whether it's a deliverance, Lord, or whether it's a future job change or a call to ministry, Lord, there's nothing. 450 00:33:16,419 --> 00:33:18,820 Impossible with our God. 451 00:33:18,820 --> 00:33:21,460 We praise you and worship you. 452 00:33:21,460 --> 00:33:23,620 In Jesus' holy name. 453 00:33:23,620 --> 00:33:24,260 Amen. 454 00:33:24,260 --> 00:33:25,940 Let's all stand and worship 455 00:33:25,940 --> 00:33:30,899 During this worship song, I'm going to have everybody just stay put unless you're getting baptized. 456 00:33:30,899 --> 00:33:34,100 Then go get changed and then come meet by the pool 457 00:33:35,059 --> 00:33:37,460 And I'll uh share a few words with you. 458 00:33:37,460 --> 00:33:39,700 But let's worship the Lord together, shall we? 459 00:33:39,700 --> 00:33:42,659 Let's worship our Father in spirit and in truth. 460 00:33:48,779 --> 00:33:50,860 A line thing, sure