Fathers You're Important - Pastor Kenneth Woolf

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New Life COTR
Sunday June 15, 2008 (Father’s Day)

“FATHERS YOU’RE IMPORTANT

INTRODUCTION: For several weeks now we’ve been in this series titled “Dressed For Battle.”
1. Recognize You’re in the Battle
2. Recognize who is in the Battle with You
3. Put on your Armor
Ephesians 6:10 (AMP)- “Be empowered through your union with God…”
In being prepared for battle we should be strengthened through our relationship with God. You and I can walk with God. And as we do we walk in His strength which empowers us to overcome the enemy.
One person from the Bible that walked with God was Noah.
Genesis 6:9- “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.”
Genesis 6:9- (AMP)- “Noah was a just and righteous man, blameless in his evil generation; Noah walked [in habitual fellowship] with God.”
Because Noah walked with God he was prepared for the coming storm and flood.
1. To walk with God you must, walk with God.
2. God has made the way for you to walk with Him, Jesus Christ.
3. Accept the invitation.
Noah had a continuing walk with God.
1. Hear God’s Voice.
2. Obey God’s Voice.
3. Faith in God
TRANSITION: There’s something about Noah that’s important for us to remember. NOAH WAS A FATHER!
Genesis 6:10- (AMP)- “And Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”
Noah was a man that walked with God. He was also a Husband and a Father!
As a Father Noah was important to God. TWO REASONS

I. NOAH WAS A PROVIDER
Dads, you know you’re important to God because He’s called you to be the provider for your family!
God has gifted you to be the provider. You’re important to God and your family!
Genesis 6:13-18- Turn and Read
Wait a minute God, if you can cause it to rain so much and so long that it’s going to destroy all mankind can’t you build the boat that we can ride in?
But that’s not the way it was!
Genesis 6:14- “So make yourself an ark of cypress wood….”
Noah, build an ark and provide a place of safety for your family!
Father’s, you’re important to God and your family because God has called you to be a PROVIDER!
And something you might have to do to provide a place of safety for your family is WORK!
DID YOU KNOW WORK IS A GOD IDEA?
Genesis 2:15- “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
Now this was before sin ever entered the world.
“Paradise itself was not a place of exemption from work. None of us were sent into the world to be idle. He that made us has given us something to do.”
Work- to work, serve, labor, to worship, minister, work in ministry
Work and worship are directly connected.
Earthly Father’s, one of the purest forms of worship to your Heavenly Father is to work and provide for your family.
1Timothy 5:8- “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Proverbs 12:11- “He who works his land will have abundant food,…”
OR, HE WHO WORKS WILL PROVIDE!
TRANSITION: Noah provided for his family! Father’s your important to God and your family. You’re the Provider!
As a Father Noah was important to God because he was a provider, next reason

II. NOAH WAS A PROTECTOR
Noah built the ark and provided for his family and then he brought them inside the ark to protect them from the storm.
Dad’s, you’re important to God because He’s called you to protect your family.
Dad’s, you need to stand in your home and say no to the enemy!
YOUR ATTITUDE NEEDS TO BE THAT OF JOSHUA!
Joshua 24:15- “…..But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah is rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem so the city and its inhabitants will be protected.
At this point in scripture the people working with Nehemiah are being threatened by an enemy.
Nehemiah 4:10-18
The men provided and protected!
TRANSITION: Listen Father’s your important, because God has called you to provide and protect.
Now let me close with the most important thing you can do.

III. WALK IN GOD’S PRESENCE
It’s because Noah walked with God that he could provide and protect.
Fathers, our attitudes should be the same as Moses.
Exodus 33:14,15- “The Lord relied, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. Then Moses said to Him, If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”
Dad, the most important thing you can do is walk in God’s Presence.
When you walk in God’s presence you can provide and protect no matter what enemy you face.
Deuteronomy 20:1- “When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.”
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
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