Regarding Godly Fathers, Martin Luther said, “Keep an apple beside the rod to give the child when he does well.” Discipline must be exercised with watchful care and constant training with much prayer. Chastening, discipline, and counsel by the Word of God, giving both reproof and encouragement, is at the core of “admonition.”
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ………… But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (NIV)
He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.(NIV)
Luke 15:20
So he got up and went to his father. ‘But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.’” – Luke 15:20, NIV
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. (NIV)
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. (NLT)
1Timothy 3:2 – 5
Therefore an overseer (Father) must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?
There are many outstanding Scriptures that reference Fathers in one way or the other. The ones above are some that I have found valuable and helpful over the years.
On this Father’s Day, we should not only our honor earthly Father’s, but our Heavenly Father as well.
