Three Fathers, Three Blessings
Posted on 19. Jun, 2010 by Tommy Newberry in The War on Success, Values, Virtue
So that we could better grasp His love for us and the cherished connection He desires to have with us, God established the father-child relationship theme beginning in Genesis and running throughout the Bible. When we understand this powerful spiritual metaphor, we understand the truth of God and the biblical worldview that naturally follows.
The Bible teaches that God is all-loving, all-powerful, all-knowing, merciful, just, and unchanging. God knows everything about us and loves us anyway. It is an awesome thought to contemplate. Our heavenly Father cares for us, cheers for us, and wants the best for us. The apostle Paul presents a beautiful description of God and the things of God as lovely, pure, true, gracious, just, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).
This Father’s Day, I want you to consider the influence and blessing of our three fathers, beginning naturally with our heavenly Father. There are many ways we can imitate our heavenly father. We imitate God when we tell the truth, when we act in love, when we show grace, when we are faithful to our spouses, when we are wise stewards of our resources, when we are industrious, when we demonstrate faith, and so on. When we copy God’s ways, we reflect His character in our lives.
We imitate God when we are productive human beings, when we employ our natural gifts, and when we encourage others, especially our children, to do likewise. When God created you and me, He planted within us the instinct and drive to work, invent, produce, create, and own, because in doing so, we imitate Him, assign credit to Him, and further His creation. Paul said, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1).
Next, consider the blessing of our nation’s Founding Fathers who were, of course, inspired by our heavenly Father. They understood the character of God and the nature of man. At great risk and with even greater faith, the Founders established the essential fundamentals of a highly successful nation. As a result of following their principles, rooted in biblical truth, America became the most prosperous and generous nation in all of human history. As we have drifted from the Founder’s game plan, we have, no doubt, left many unclaimed blessings on the table.
Our Founding Fathers believed that God made us with free will, with the insatiable appetite for freedom and with a distinct purpose to fulfill. Therefore, their goal was to create a government that was most in harmony with God’s creation, most in line with rewarding and enhancing the positive aspects of human nature that lead to productive behavior, true stewardship, and the highly sought after praise of, “Well Done My Good and Faithful Servant.”
There’s a reason why immigrants have streamed into America for over two hundred years: it’s the greatest land of opportunity ever created. No matter where you come from, this is where you have a legitimate shot at designing your life and making your dreams come true. In America, your life can become an example for others to follow or a warning for others to heed. And this brings us to our earthly father and the annual tradition of Father’s Day.
Through their words, actions and investment in us, our dads teach us about life, bolster our reservoir of wisdom and shape the legacy they will leave behind with the life we lead. Unlike our heavenly Father, none of our dads is the perfect example for us to follow. But, that’s what God is for, right? However, the older I have become the wiser my dad certainly appears to be. Getting back to the basic in my own life essentially means getting back to the advice my dad always gives me. If we are fortunate, our dads are mentors, role models and coaches all rolled into one. Fully engaged fathers can help their kids dream, risk, serve, grow, bounce back from adversity and reach their full potential. By believing in us, our dads can help us to see ourselves as big as God created us to be…and this can make all the difference in the world.
This Father’s Day, we might all do well to remember and learn from our three fathers.
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4 Responses to “Three Fathers, Three Blessings”
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The War on Success
Eric
28. Jun, 2010
Driving down the interstate and seeing this billboard gave me great concern. This country is becoming more divided everyday. I noticed when I came to the website that I was redirected from the original website. In the name of patriotism people are slamming the Obama administration. I did not vote for him and do not like him but i dislike the complete lack of respect for the office that some show. Can you imagine people that did not like Ronald Reagan billboard such as yours going up during his Presidency. I applaud you for making a complete joke out of our country. The independent voters do not like such antics and will show their support by backing the candidates that condemn your website and actions.
Jon
05. Jul, 2010
Freedom is only free as long as someone stands up and points out that someone is taking it away. Eric would like to tell you that the drive by media did not attack Ronald Reagan when he was President (not true.) He would like us to think that the first amendment doesn’t protect us because it is a billboard and not some talking head on the news that has been bought and paid for by ultra liberal groups that want to fix us. Eric would like us to believe he is the spokesperson for independent voters … as for the joke Eric it is the two party systems that has choked our government. But Eric knows this! As for the office of President of these United States, I don’t think any speech is protected with the exception of threats against the person. I think he is fair game like anyone who is elected to office. We should point out his short falls and make sure he knows we know them. I am sure the last President knew for he was reminded over and over again by the talking heads… remember Eric? As an independent voter you read about how the government is slowly locking down all free speech there is… be afraid… very farad for soon even your voice will be lost.
It is a government for the government by the government and without the people we are standing up against. Today is the 5 of July the first day of independence from a king who was a tyrant… and we as citizens of these united states today will not let a new tyrant take over this country… as our forefathers signed a document yesterday in 1776 we today support free speech and to that end we all should pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence.
Patriotladywithgun
11. Jul, 2010
Mr. Eric:
Where is the RESPECT for OUR country when the present president BOWS to anyone and EVERYONE who HATES the USA!
Why should I respect a man who refuses EVEN TO PROVE HE IS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN??
Buck Ofama is out to ruin the United States with every breath he takes! November, 2010 cannot come SOON ENOUGH. Congress has to be cleaned out from top to bottom. Vote them OUT – the democrats don’t have enough sense to understand that IF you READ the CONSTITUTION as WRITTEN in 1776 you cannot vote for any democrats, who, of course, SWEAR to uphold the Constitution..but have NEVER READ it!
Ofama has to go! And every liberal, democrat OR Republican needs to be voted out of every office in every state, county AND city. They are a cancer that must be CUT out!
Pentagon Clubber
26. Jul, 2010
Roy Barnes should add these moronic billboards to his list of things the rest of the country laughs at Georgia for.