INTRODUCTION: I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of the news media placing the blame on everything that is wrong in American society on the institution of fatherhood. Every pervert, nut, crazy, and crackpot is supposidly that way because they were beaten, abused and excessively disciplined by a sick, cruel, overly religious zealot of a father. If you look at television, newspapers, and movies all fathers are unloving, cold, distant louts who do not care about his children or wife, and care only about their carnal pleasures.

Brethren, I am convinced that this represents the small minority of fathers. While there are few "ideal" fathers, most are trying to do what is right toward their children and wife. Most work hard to bring home a living and care about what happens at home. Most seek to discipline out of love and not with a perverted sense of cruelty. To these father we should tip our hats in tribute. To them, this lesson is meant as a challenge to reach for greater heights.

BODY

I. GODLY FATHERS - REMEMBER THAT YOU SHOULD BE THE RIGHT  EXAMPLE BEFORE YOUR CHILDREN.

A. We need fathers who will understand and follow the Bible commands to be careful about their influence.

1. Matthew 5:13-16

2. 1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

B. Our examples as fathers speak louder than words.

1. Do we tell our children that the church is the most important thing in the world and act like it is a just a sideline for us?

2. Do we tell our children not to drink, smoke, take drugs and partake of them ourselves?

3. Are we preaching one thing and living another?

4. Does this go beyond having faults and enter the realm of hypocrisy.

A. Many have abandoned their God-ordained role as head of the home.

1. Some have not taken this role because they don't want the responsibilities, thus forcing it on the wife.

2. Some have given it to the children, making them "little dictators."

3. Some, wishing to exercise this authority have faced rebellion from both mother and children.

B. What does the Bible say concerning the father's role?

1. The father is to lead the family in church attendance, Bible study, devotional time, prayer and other spiritual activities. Spiritual activities are not "women's work."

2. Ephesians 6:4 "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

3. Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

4. We should be like Abraham.

a. Genesis 18:19 - "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."

A. Some fathers pride themselves in the "tough guy" image.

1. This is the kind that takes delight in beating up the kids and/or wife just to show them who's the boss.

2. This the type of "man" who like to go out with the "boys" and drink and chase women, but will leave the wife and children to fend for themselves.

3. This is the man who can never bring himself to tell his wife and kids "I love." He thinks it is for weaklings.

B. But this is the image of the godly father.

1. God's man will practice love in the home.

a. 1 Corinthians 13:13 - "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."

2. The godly man will rejoice in his children.

a. Psalms 127:3-5 "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

3. Godly men will understand that it is not sissy to shed the tear.

a. John 11:35

4. Godly men will understand that there is no virtue in unbridled passion and lust.

a. He will understand that there is a difference between meekness and weakness.

b. Matthew 11:28-30

IV. GODLY FATHERS - REMAIN MORALLY PURE IN A GARBAGE CAN SOCIETY.

A. The godly father understand that he sets the pace in the type of language used in the home.

1. He seeks to practice pure speech.

2. Ephesians 4:29 - "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

3. Colossians 4:6 - "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

B. He avoids anything that would polllute the home.

1. Alcoholic beverages

2. Sexually oriented books, magazines, or tapes.

3. Questionable television programs.

4. "We cannot feed at the garbage trough of the world six days a week and think that we can honestly sing 'Purer in heart O God, help me to be' and have God miraculously remove six days of garbage.