Reflections Today

BE A FATHER

Being a father is a privilege that is a heritage reflected in the children, passed down from generation to generation. The love of a father determines the character and personality of the male child and helps the girl define who will be her husband, for that reason the impact that a father exerts over his children is profound.  It is the image with which the child builds his relationship with God and with others. The acts of a father speak much more loudly than his words of advice or counseling.

The concept of male parental authority was absolutely destroyed by scholars of human rights beginning in the early 60’s under the precepts of ‘child abuse’ and ‘women’s rights’ when it was then the largest and most rapidly declining institution, because the loss of male parental authority changed the roles of family, which simultaneously caused the decline of male authority in the Church, educational institutions and government.

“Destroy the family and you destroy society” Vladimir Lenin.

In 1946, just as the baby boom began, Dr. Benjamin Spock, an anti-American activist, wrote “Baby and Child Care”, a book that sold 50 million copies and became the trusted child care manual for an entire generation, resulting in the decay and moral decline of our society.

^” There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. ¹² There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. ¹³ There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. ¹⁴ There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.” (Proverbs 30:11-14Proverbs 30:11-14
English: World English Bible - WEB
11 There is a generation that curses their father, And doesn’t bless their mother. ¹² There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, Yet are not washed from their filthiness. ¹³ There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up. ¹⁴ There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And their jaws like knives, To devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.

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Today, these consequences are clearly visible:

• Parents and grandparents are abandoned in nursing homes or are living homeless in the streets.
• Parents having no ‘legal right’ to exercise authority over their children.
• Women who indiscriminately practice abortion.
• Divorces, infidelities, domestic violence and neglect.
• Children at the mercy of nannies and baby sitters who abuse them when they are babies and as they grow they are ‘taught’ by television, the internet and by ‘friends’ that exposes them to drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, pornography, sexually transmitted diseases, homosexuality and suicide (third form of death in children under 24 years of age).
• Dropping out and manipulation of the academic system, following the denial of God and creation, which has been replaced by the skilful, seemingly innocuous human inventions of ‘evolutionism’, the ’superiority of extraterrestrial beings’, ‘new age’ eastern religions and idolatries.  All for money, pleasure and fame.
• Governments facing the anarchy of a people who are unable to respect and obey their moral obligations as citizens, but demand their “rights” with violence.

Any man can make a baby, but only a real man is capable of parenting. Children are not an ‘accident’ of mother nature, but rather God’s creation with a purpose.  Children do not belong to the parents but are children of God.  When the parents are blessed with children they have the responsibility to bring them up with a solid moral foundation in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and have the manual to guide them, the Bible.  “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6Proverbs 22:6
English: World English Bible - WEB
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

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Jesus said: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.” (John 15:10John 15:10
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10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.

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It is essential that parents base their relationship in God, so they can instill in their children self-esteem, a sense of belonging, identity, responsibility and values while making good use of quality time and an effective relationship.  “And, ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4Ephesians 6:4
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4 You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

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As a result of good parenting, children have the responsibility to have the best moral values , preparing them  before they encounter and yield to sinful temptation, risking life or the principles of integrity.  They must also forgive, forget and correct all errors committed by their parents. Adult children must assume full responsibility for their elderly parents, providing care, affection and companionship.

“Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise ; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2,3Ephesians 6:2,3
English: World English Bible - WEB
2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise: ³ “that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.”

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It is necessary that the male individual, first and foremost, project an exemplary male (masculine) role model; son, brother, student, friend, worker, boyfriend and husband and then to consider the privilege of being a father.

Godly fatherhood, according to scripture, must be in the context of the family unit:

“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” (Proverbs 13:24Proverbs 13:24
English: World English Bible - WEB
24 One who spares the rod hates his son, But one who loves him is careful to discipline him.

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“…what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” (Hebrews 12:7Hebrews 12:7
English: World English Bible - WEB
7 It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?

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^{18 “}Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” (Colossians 3:18-21Colossians 3:18-21
English: World English Bible - WEB
18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.

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^{22 “}Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. ²⁴ Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. ²⁹ For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: ³⁰ For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. ³¹ For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. ³² This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Ephesians 5:22-33Ephesians 5:22-33
English: World English Bible - WEB
22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; ²⁶ that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; ³⁰ because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. ³¹ “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. ³³ Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

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^“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; ² While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. ³ Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; ⁴ But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. ⁵ For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: ⁶ Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. ⁷ Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” (1 Peter 3:1-71 Peter 3:1-7
English: World English Bible - WEB
3 ¹ In like manner, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word; ² seeing your pure behavior in fear. ³ Let your beauty be not just the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on fine clothing; ⁴ but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious. ⁵ For this is how the holy women before, who hoped in God, also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands: ⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are, if you do well, and are not put in fear by any terror. ⁷ You husbands, in like manner, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.

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^{9 “}In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; ¹⁰ But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” (1 Timothy 2:9-101 Timothy 2:9-10
English: World English Bible - WEB
9 In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety; not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing; ¹⁰ but with good works.

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“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” (Ezekiel 2:30Ezekiel 2:30
English: World English Bible - WEB
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