Men, You are the Pastor. Father and Teacher.

 You are it. 

What is "Abba Father?" Jesus said this in one of His prayers.

"And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”" Mark 14:36

We read this in Romans 8

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”" Romans 8:15

So what does "Abba Father" mean? Daddy. Yup. The Creator of all there is was, or ever will be, wants you to call Him and see Him, as your Daddy. Remember, God's plan for an earthly family is simple.

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." Ephesians 5:25-33

Continuing in Ephesians 6:1-4

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

God wants to be your "Abba Father." However, He wants you to be the "Abba Father." of your children.

"But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." 1 Corinthians 11:3

God's plan for the family is pretty clear. One man, one woman, come together as one flesh, with children being born into the family. Father and mother raise the children, and when they are old if needed? The children take care of the father and mother.

It was never God's plan to come up with daycare or nursing homes. You, man, are the head of the family. YOU, man, are the Pastor of your house. YOU, man, are the Husband and guide, father and teacher. You are it.

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

We are going to talk more about anger next time. In reference to this topic, do you really want your children to hate you? To think you do not care? To fear you with an unhealthy fear? Of course not. Do you know what happens when they do? They leave as soon as they can. A lot of the time they go off and have a harder life than they needed to. They become poor fathers as well.

So how do you raise Godly children? With God. I know. Seems pretty simplistic. Read that again.

"but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

How do you do this? With the Word of God.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness," 2 Timothy 3:16

The Word tells us plainly, that we need to teach our children the Word of God. We need to teach them the Ten Commandments as an example.

"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:7

In reference to the ways of God.

"Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.." Psalm 34:11

Psalm 132:12

"If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”"

God calls for the Father to correct his children when needed. Yes, that includes corporal punishment. Proverbs 22:15

"Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him."

What if you do not? Proverbs 23:13

"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die."

No matter how "good" you think your child is, they still need you. They need a strong Godly "Abba Father." They do not have the ability to live the way they should because you need to teach them the ways they should go.

"The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." Proverbs 29:15

You see, true education should always be from the home. Fathers, you are raising your children. They will go out into the world and learn things about the world. They must have a strong foundation so that they are not lead astray. They will not be lead into sins. I assure you this, they are learning, experiencing, experimenting, growing, and seeking the ways they should go. Either YOU can teach them, or they will learn from the world. Which do you prefer? Which do you think is best?
This is not saying that it is OK to beat your child. It is not saying that it is OK for husbands to abuse their wives. God IS love. God wants us to love our families the way God loves us. Remember 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

We are to love our families. Serve God through our families as the Pastor of the home. Husband and guide for your wife. Father and teacher for your children. You do realize that your children learn far more from watching what you do than anything of what you say? If the Parent is foul-mouthed, the Child will most likely be. An alcoholic or drug abuser, same. An abusive person, physically or mentally? Good chance that they will be also. It's called the cycle.

Oh, you can tell your kids, "Don't smoke, drink," or whatever, but if they grow up watching you do it, they most likely will as well. If you tell your child it is not OK to strike a woman, yet, they see you hit mommy? They will "understand" that it is OK. If you constantly say "I love you" yet, you beat them daily, they will grow up "understanding" that love sometimes hurts, but that's OK.

The same applies to good. If your child sees you loving their mother, doing little things for her daily, which you may not even think about, bring her coffee, holding the door, ETC, this they will do as well. I remember a very intelligent piece of advice I received a long time ago, from a very wise man. He said, "When you are dating someone, go to dinner at their house. Watch how the mother treats the father, for this is how the daughter will treat you." It works the other way as well. Over the years, I have found this to be very true.

Health? If they see you living a healthy lifestyle, chances are, they will as well. If you do not smoke, drink, swear, do drugs, and you then tell them these things are bad, they will listen. They will come to understand that they are.

The same goes for those who claim to be Children of God. If you tell them God loves them and wants to save them, and that He will completely change their lives for the better, what do they SEE? Are they listening to you, or watching you? Of course, even if they are listening, they are also watching. Do they see you reading the Bible? Are you holding Bible studies in your home? Are you praying together? Do not know where to start? Start with "grace" at food times. Pray an evening prayer. Pray a morning prayer before all go off into the world.

Someone is going to raise your children. Do you want it to be you? The world? Who is it that you want to teach your children what is best for them? How are they going to go out into the world without the armor of Christ? You are it. You are the Abba Father to your children. Be a Godly Daddy.

Now if I was not talking directly to you. Now is the time to correct that. Now is the time. Today is the day. I have your adoption papers right here {Holding up the Bible} Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!