We welcome all fathers to our services today, June 20. This is a day to celebrate and recognize fathers. Many children today are growing up without getting to know their fathers. If you are a father who has a good relationship with his child(ren), then both you and they should be greatly blessed. I want to challenge all fathers with the following challenge to help us be even better fathers throughout the coming year.



James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

If we are wise and act wisely others will recognize it in our behavior. This lesson is for us personally. We must be careful to not be critical of others. We must examine ourselves. Are these qualities found in you?

·       Meekness – the ability of God’s people to negotiate among others without causing friction.

·       Pure – chaste, clean

·       Peaceable – making for peace and safety

·       Gentle – to be soft in manners

·       Easy to be intreated – others can approach you even with undesired information without worry.

·       Full of mercy – full of compassion and love; willingness of forgive and reconcile

·       Full of good fruits – showing benevolence toward others

Fathers, you provide safety and security to your home. When you are at home you can help it to be a peaceful place. And it can be if these fruits of righteousness are in you. I personally have had to work on these a lot and many times fail. Sometimes, family members approach my wife with undesired information before me. Then she breaks it to me. She is more easily intreated. But that should not be. We men need to have this quality about us also. One area we fail in often is that of not really listening to others. If we will listen in a gentle, peaceful manner without becoming argumentative we will see God work.

Fathers, the only person we can change is ourselves. We can encourage others, but we cannot change them. God can. Please do not use the shortcomings of others as an excuse for yourself to not demonstrate these attributes of wisdom towards them. When we face adversity or offense, that is the perfect time for us to respond in a godly manner.

We must recognize our need of wisdom. Too often we take too much pride in our own abilities. We have a do-it-yourself attitude. We must realize that we are dependent upon the grace of God working in us each day. Acquiring these fruits is not just a matter of deciding, though that is involved. These qualities come from God. We must be walking with God in obedience to His Word. God is the source. We must ask Him, then He works in our lives from the inside out.

Colossians 3:16a Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom…