1. Father and IFather and I Jasmine (Zemin) Guan Crespo M.Div. Jasmine (Zemin) Guan Crespo M.Div.

2. Father’s Day is really all about: honoring committed fathers

3. I. Godly man loves God A. Man loyal to God Psalm 128 : 1~2 “ Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessing and prosperity will be yours.”

4. I. Godly man loves God A. Man loyal to God Psalm 128 “ Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessing and prosperity will be yours.” fear the LORD = Profound reverence forward God

6. I. Godly father loves God B. Man living for God Psalms 128 “ Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessing and prosperity will be yours.” who walk in his ways = to behave

7. I. Godly father loves God C. Spiritual leader of the home According to the survey, when the Father takes the first step toward Christ and becomes a man of God.. that 70% of the time the entire family will come to Jesus and be saved. But if only the Mother is a believer.. the percentage drops to 15%.

8. II. His wife will be blessed A. He loves his wife (V3a) "Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house." That's talking about the marital relationship. What a beautiful relationship marriage is.

9. Wives are called “fruitful vines”. Grapevines are Jewish symbols of prosperity, of abundant life. The vine is a weak and tender plant, and needs to be supported and cherished, but it is a very valuable plant. A vine has to have the support of that wall. Guess who that wall is? a man who can be as strong as the wall of a house and yet be supportive and tender so that wife can be a fruitful vine.

10. II. His wife will be blessed B. Faithful to marriage U.S. News and World Report states these facts: 1 in 4 children born have no father to welcome them at birth. Only 40% of children grow up in 2 parent families. A million children each year go through divorce, 9 out of 10 will stay with their mothers. And when the average dad is present in the household, he only gives about 3 minutes of his time a day to his children.

11. 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

12. According to a recent poll conducted by George Barna, Every year 1 million babies are born to unwed mothers with no male figure present. By the age of 13, 60% of those children, raised without a father, are more likely to commit crimes, use drugs and be illiterate. According to the recently released US CENSUS BUREAU.. in the last ten years... children born into homes with unmarried parents have risen 77%. Homes led by single Moms have grown 25%. And homes led by single Fathers have grown 62%.

13. III. His children will be blessed "Your sons will be like olive shoots around your table." In the holy land, a person who owned olive plants and olive trees owned something of great value. Olive plants and olive trees can provide fruit and income for twenty to thirty generations.

14. III. His children will be blessed A. Father’s values impact our lives No matter whether your father is good or not, we need to understand our father is still influencing our lives today- probably more than we realize. “what a father gives to his daughter affects her expectations toward the men in her life. Similarly, what a father withholds from his daughter can also affect her expectations toward other men -“Always Daddy’s Girl” by Norman Wright It’s good for you to spend a few minutes reflecting on how your father’s values have impacted your lives.

15. III. His children will be blessed B. Forgive if you still carry the scars You might even still carry the scars of his rejection. If that's true, one of the most important steps for you to take in life is that of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not acceptance but delivering the situation into God’s hand. As Christians, we have a two-fold ministries. First, we must minister to ourselves by inviting the healing presence of Jesus Christ into those unsettled areas of our own lives. Second, we must convey the hope of His presence and healing to others who may be struggling with the pain of the past.

16. From: First Baptist Church of Cliffside Park