Happy Father's Day - A Celebration of Fatherhood

Happy Fathers Day! Fathers are often criticized and maligned, and rarely celebrated. It's interesting that as important as fathers are society focuses more on pointing out the bad fathers rather than celebrating the great fathers. It's time to tip the balance because fathers are so important in society.

Let's start from the beginning. Fathers are meant to be the foundation of the family and to develop the potential and gifts of his children. Every male man was created with a seed of fatherhood in him. Irrespective of whether he has physical children every man has the potential to exhibit traits of fatherhood.

Consider that the male man was created first; before the female. God gave the male an assignment to tend and to keep - Gen 2:15. As a father the male is called to instruct his children - Pro 1:8-9 - with love and without provoking them - Eph 6:4. Fathers are called to raise up their children in the ways of God - Pro 22:6.

God has already given us the blueprint for fatherhood. Love is one of the roots of great fatherhood - Psa 103:13. God loved us so much that He gave what was most precious and valuable to Him so that you and could be redeemed from the enemy - John 3:16. It is love that drives a father to discipline his children - Pro 13:24.

Today many of the issues in society e.g. crime, lack of honor, degeneration of moral values, etc., are as a result of poor or absent fatherhood. There is a lot of absent or inadequate fatherhood. Even when fathers are present they are not fulfilling their roles consistent with God's Word. It is time for fathers to rise up and take their rightful roles in the families.

As you celebrate Fathers Day today make a decision to align yourself with God's purpose for fathers. If you are not a father commit the fathers around you into the hands of God; that they will succeed in their roles as fathers. Once again, Happy Father's Day!

Honor leads to favor

The favor of God will be needed in order for you to enjoy the fullness of God's plans. It is the favor of God that will cause you to receive things that you did not qualify for in the natural.

One of the keys to walking in the favor of God is honoring your parents - Eph 6:1-3. God instructed HIs people in Deut 5:16 that they must honor their fathers and mothers in order for them to love long lives. He went on to say that as they honored their parents things will go well for them in the promised land. The phrase "that it may be well with you" refers to the favor of God i.e. the favor of God causes things to go well for you.

You honor your parents by listening to and obeying their instructions which are aligned with God's word and instructions. Another way to honor your parents is to honor them with money. Sow into their lives. Buy them gifts. Pay for things that are important to them. You also honor your parents by treating them with respect, holding them in high regard, and speaking well about them to others.

As a child of God you must resist the temptation to follow the world's leaning towards a lack of honor and respect. In society you can see that the common culture is not high on respect and honor. However it is clear from scriptures that honor and respect are important to God. Honor is part of the Kingdom culture. Friend make a commitment to stand for what is right and honor your parents.

You are favored

Have you ever wondered why you were born in the year you arrived in this world? Have you ever wondered why you live in such a time as this? Have you ever been curious what it would have been like if you lived in another time and era? These are all questions that many of us have asked previously. The truth is that you were born when you were born and you are living in this era because there is a gift inside of you that is needed in this season. You are a solution provider for your generation.

The gifts that God has given you when properly expressed in the right context and situations will cause men to seek you out and favor you - Pro 18:16. You must be committed to developing your gifts throughout your life. This is what qualifies you to deploy your gifts.

Friend, discover, develop and deploy your gifts. As you do so you will be favored by others and those in higher positions will seek you out. It is your season to be favored.

The favor of God makes a difference

Favor is firstly divine. Favor is a concept of God. It is a system that God intends every believer to operate in. God's desire is that every believer will operate by His divine favor.

The favor of God is what sets every believer apart from the world. The favor of God causes you to enjoy benefits that you did not qualify for. The favor of God multiplies the impact and effects of your labor. The favor God makes a way for you where people have said there is no way. The favor of God causes natural policies to be suspended on your behalf.

According to Pro 16:7 the favor of God will even cause those who have set themselves against you to be be at peace with you. You may be asking: How? Why?. Divine favor causes men to be drawn unto you and to treat your favorably - Pro 3:4.

Friend factor in the divine favor of God as your go about your day to day life. As you do this watch as God pours out such favor over you in all of your endeavors..

You must have the right attitude for divine favor

The Psalmist declares in Psa 5:12 that God will surround the righteous with favor like a shield. You see it is God's desire that you live by favor and not just by your labor. Favor is a supernatural advantage. Favor is defined as preferential treatment, something done out of goodwill, excessive kindness, and something that is freely granted.

Friend favor does not exclude you from labor. Rather God has granted favor to every believer as a supernatural advantage. He expects you to function wherever He has placed you with a consciousness of His favor. It is the favor of God that causes the efforts of a believer to be magnified. It is the favor of God that causes you to be noticed from a crowd.

However in order for you to maximize the favor of God over your life you must have the right attitude. When Jesus was on the cross, there were 2 thieves - 1 on either side of Him. One thief had the right attitude and the other did not. Jesus favored the thief to his right and granted this thief access to Paradise because of his attitude.

Your attitude qualifies you for favor. You have to have the right attitude in every situation so that you can walk in the fullness of the favor of God.

You are supernaturally equipped for your assignment

Rain is synonymous with fertilization, fructification and ripening. These are all stages that a seed goes through on the way to full maturity. Friend you are seed sent forth to your generation. You were sent here on an assignment. In order for your seed that seed to come to full maturity there is a need for the rain of God.

The Bible mentions the former rain and the latter rain - Joel 2:23. In Bible time, the former rain described the rain that fell in the Fall. This rain served to fructify the seed i.e. to make the seed fruitful and productive. The latter rain served to ripen the grain or the fruit.

That seed inside of you has been watered. However it will take the latter rain of God upon you for you to mature and become all that God has called you to be. Ask the Lord for rain - Zec 10:1. This rain refers to the rain of His Spirit. God wants the influence of HIs Holy Spirit upon your life to rise to the point that you are empowered to fulfill your destiny.

You are not alone. By the power and influence of the Holy Spirit you will be supernaturally equipped for your assignment.

Nothing can stop you, you are an overcomer

When you accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior and became a child of God, you entered into a covenant with God. A covenant is an agreement between 2 parties that cannot be broken except by death. One of the benefits of this covenant is your partnership with the Holy Spirit. This partnership makes you unbeatable.

Rom 8:13 illustrates the strength of this partnership. According to this scripture no one can successfully stand against you if God is for you. Listen friends you must settle it in your heart that God is always on your side. This is evidenced by the fact that the Holy Spirit lives on your inside.

Jesus said that there will be trials and tribulations. However you have what it takes to overcome in every situation because the Greater One is on your inside - 1 Jn 4:4. Be cheerful and courageous in the face of challenges because you know that you have the supernatural advantage - 1 Jn 4:4.