Proverbs 23:22 (ESV) “Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” Proverbs 23:24 (ESV) “The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.”

Father - To become the father of a child Noun: = A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea Fathering - “To act or serve as a father to a child.” Verb: = expresses an action, an occurrence or a state of being

not Homosexual Gen. 2:18 “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Gen. 2:21-24 Took a rib from Adam Made a woman – female Gen. 1:27-28 Male and female Multiply - replenish

not Homosexual Lev. 18:22 “ Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Genesis 18:20 “And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;” Grievous translated in NKJV “Grave”

not Adulterous Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” One man for one woman for life is God’s plan One Exception - Matt. 19:9

not Adulterous Children need a father  Responsible  Bonds  Guide them Unmarried fathers would have great difficulty in doing these things.

not a Shirker Will provide for his children $235,000

not a Shirker 1 Timothy 5:8 “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” A slothful man does not want to work - Prov. 24: wants to sleep and make excuses Prov. 20:4 “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.”

not a Hypocrite “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,” 1 Tim. 1:5 NKJV Hypocrite = Does not intend to be what he pretends to be A hypocritical father will not raise faithful children.

not Negligent Teaching and training children is a big job. Eph. 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

not Negligent Discipline Prov. 22:15 “Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Prov. 13:24 “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”

not Negligent Nurture Training, instruction, correction Admonition Exhortation, urging, warning The goal of discipline = self control or self discipline

not Negligent One Neat Dad 1.He takes time for me. 2.He listens to me. 3.He plays with me. 4.He invites me to go places with him. 5.He lets me help him.

We have children for a few years, but we will impact them for the rest of their life. We can’t do anything about our ancestors but we have everything to do with our descendants.

Psalms 127:3-5 “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”

 Heterosexual  Monogamous  Worker  Example  Nurturing III John 4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

Sermon by Arthur Pigman Evans Church of Christ 515 Gibbs Road Evans, Ga Sunday Morning June 17, 2012