Father's Day

God has some things He wants to put in us, and He uses people to do it.

  

Psalm 145:4  (ESV)

4 One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.

1. My dad taught me the valve to excellence.  

He taught stewardship and tithing.  God owns everything, and I am His manager.  

Matthew 6:19-21  (ESV)

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

Our job is to make the biggest difference for God that we can.

  

2.  My father-in-law, Billy Hornsby, taught attitude.  

Life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% on how we respond.

  

2 Corinthians 6:10 (ESV)

10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

3. Roy Stockstill taught me humility. 

A  person on their face before God can ever fall from that position.  

Matthew 5:5  (ESV)

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 11:29  (ESV)

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

4.  Larry Stockstill taught me the importance of prayer.  

Prayer should be our 1st response and not our last resort.  

Matthew 17:19-20 (ESV)

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.

5. John Maxwell taught me the value to people.  

He said to put a 10 on everyone.  See everyone not as they are, but as they could be.  Believe the best about everyone.  

Matthew 7:12 (ESV)

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

John 8:10-11  (ESV)

10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]

1 Corinthians 4:14-16 (ESV)

14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless[a] guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Malachi 4:6  (ESV)

6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

If you're disappointed by your past.  

1.  Allow God to heal the Father wound.  

Psalm 68:5-6  (ESV)

5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
6 God settles the solitary in a home;
    he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,

    but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

2.  Be a father.  Pour your life into someone else.  

Reap what you sow.  Leadership is influence.  

Galatians 6:7  (ESV)

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

3. Relate to God as Father.  

Romans 8:15-16 (ESV)

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

God has great things for us.

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

Video

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/fathers-day

Discussion Guide

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/files/groups/guides/6-18-2017.pdf