Help for Fractured Fathers

CURRENT RADIO SERIES High Definition Living   CURRENT TV SERIES All In: The Family   “And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!’” —2 Samuel 18:33 David was described in the Bible as a man after God’s own heart.  He was a success in many ways. From being a rural shepherd to being a champion and then a king. All of us love to think about his great triumphs and his great victories. David was also a man who failed greatly. Though he succeeded in many areas I think we would have to admit that David was a colossal failure as a father. Tragically this story is being repeated again and again today. I know many fractured fathers who are failing in the most important assignment in life and that is being a dad to their children. Men who are successful in their careers, men who are prestigious in their communities and leaders in their churches, and yet failures at home. May I remind all of us who are Dads that our greatest responsibility is not at the office? Our greatest responsibility is in our home. To know our children, to love our children, to serve our children, and to lead our children and our families.  Your assignment is to lead your children to Christ, to teach them of the faith. Teaching your child is your responsibility. Take that responsibility seriously to present God to your children.   YOU CAN GROW IN YOUR FAITH, AND YOU CAN GROW IN YOUR COMMITMENT AS A PARENT. The Path to Power Monday, April 29, 2019 by Dr. Paul Chappell “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” Philippians 3:9–11 Paul met Jesus when he was on the way to Damascus to persecute Christians there. Paul was fully aware that Jesus had been crucified, and that day he became fully aware that Jesus was alive again. Paul never lost sight of the truth of the resurrection. He recognized what having the power over death meant—that there was literally nothing that could stand against it. Paul devoted his life to telling others about the risen Lord, working in the power of the resurrection. But in writing to the church at Philippi, the place where he had been beaten and cast into prison before the earthquake loosed his chains, Paul described the path to that power. And it is not an easy road. We cannot know resurrection power without first knowing the pain of suffering and death to self. Lester Roloff said, “Nobody ever got resurrected who wasn’t dead first.” The reason many Christians do not have God’s power is that they are not willing to do what it takes to get it. The power of God has not changed or lessened with the passage of years. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11). The question is not whether there is power available to meet our needs, but whether we are willing to lay aside whatever is necessary to have it. Today's Growth Principle:  God’s resurrection power is available to every Christian who is willing to pay the price.