Happy Father’s Day! 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12

“40 Of The Most Important Things To Know About Men” No man fails on purpose. No man wakes up in the morning thinking, “Well, I guess I’ll see what I can do to irritate my wife, neglect my kids, and work too much.” But they still do. No man fails on purpose. No man wakes up in the morning thinking, “Well, I guess I’ll see what I can do to irritate my wife, neglect my kids, and work too much.” But they still do. Despite this, most men are living by their own ideas. Their lives are not turning out like they planned. Despite this, most men are living by their own ideas. Their lives are not turning out like they planned. Many men are getting exactly what they want, only to find out it doesn’t satisfy them. Many men are getting exactly what they want, only to find out it doesn’t satisfy them. Men are tired. We have created a culture which requires more energy than we have to give. The price of this hurried pace is peace. Men are tired. We have created a culture which requires more energy than we have to give. The price of this hurried pace is peace.

The problem is not that men are failing to achieve their goals. They are. The problem is this…they’re the wrong goals. The problem is not that men are failing to achieve their goals. They are. The problem is this…they’re the wrong goals. Failure means to succeed in a way that doesn’t really matter. Failure means to succeed in a way that doesn’t really matter. No amount of success at work can adequately compensate for failure at home. No amount of success at work can adequately compensate for failure at home.

“For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

The Effective Father (Dad….with an attitude!) He works hard and with a purpose. He works hard and with a purpose. He has a worship that is genuine. He has a worship that is genuine. He has words that are effective. He has words that are effective. He has a worthy goal. He has a worthy goal.

He Works Hard With A Purpose “For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.”

Tough Times Demand Hard Work Your wife, children, work, church, and community are all calling out to you. Your wife, children, work, church, and community are all calling out to you. During this time you are learning great lessons: During this time you are learning great lessons: Selfishness Selfishness Sacrifice Sacrifice Shepherding Shepherding As you are working hard with others, God is doing a great work in you!

Some Things That May Help Out Pray on the way home from work to prepare yourself for another work. Pray on the way home from work to prepare yourself for another work. Join up with faithful, hard working fathers. Join up with faithful, hard working fathers. Remind yourself that you have been given a unit to lead. Remind yourself that you have been given a unit to lead. “…and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband.”Ephesians 5:33b “…and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband.”Ephesians 5:33b

Worship That Is Genuine “You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers…” Prepare to be imitated! Prepare to be imitated! Take your place as a father. Take your place as a father.

Words That Are Effective “…just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children…” Our kids will pay the most attention to that which is closest to them. Our kids will pay the most attention to that which is closest to them. Find your kid doing something right and let them know about it. Find your kid doing something right and let them know about it.

He Has A Worthy Goal “…so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

“Of course, we do not use the word cool to describe true greatness. It is a small word. That’s the point. It’s cheap. And it’s what millions of young people live for. Who confronts them with urgency and tears? Who pleads with them not to waste their lives? Who takes them by the collar, so to speak, and loves them enough to show them a life so radical and so real and so costly and Christ-saturated that they feel the emptiness and triviality of their CD collection and their pointless conversations about passing celebrities? Who will waken what lies latent in their souls, untapped…a longing not to waste their lives?” ~John Piper “Don’t Waste Your Life” “Don’t Waste Your Life” DAD!

Some Questions For Dads Do you have a goal for your son or daughter? Do you have a goal for your son or daughter? What are you working so hard for? What are you working so hard for? Teaching our kids how to make a living is a good goal. Teaching our kids how to make a living is a good goal. Teaching our kids how to make a life worth living is a worthy goal. Teaching our kids how to make a life worth living is a worthy goal. What kind of man do I want my son to become? What kind of woman do I want my daughter to become? What kind of man do I want my son to become? What kind of woman do I want my daughter to become?

“Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on the earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.” Psalms 112:1-2