Church Message -- Yorktown Crier

Fathers, What Do You Want to Pass On to Your Children?
By Pastor Stuppy

Father’s Day is usually a day that we focus our attention on dad. We give him cards and gifts and lots of attention. It is a day we express our appreciation to our fathers for all the love, sacrifices and many other things they have given us. We receive a great deal from our fathers.
Fathers need to recognize this. They have been placed in a position by God that enables them to pass on many things to their children.I am not just talking about the house, furniture and mutual funds that one leaves them in their will. There are things far more important.
If you were able to choose just one thing that you could pass on to your children, what would it be?Would it be your money; your good name; the skills of our profession? There are obviously lots of things we could pass on that would be a great blessing to them. But what is that important?
I think you already know that answer to that question. If you could pass on only one thing, it would have to be faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. That is the greatest blessing we could pass on to a child.
But the truth of the matter is that we cannot create faith or give faith to anyone. Faith is the work of the Holy Spirit who works in our heart through the Word of God. Our part is to bring them into contact with that Word. Let them see our faith put in action in our daily life.
Parents sometimes question the importance of teaching their children when they’re six months old to fold their hands in prayer. Can you imagine what it would be like if they never learned to pray? Parents often wait patiently to hear with joy their child’s first word. It is usually mamma or dada. Wouldn’t it be great if their first word after that was ‘Jesus’?
Fathers, if you want your children to know Jesus and spend eternity in heaven, you need to be teaching them about Jesus now. They need to go to church and Sunday School. You need to teach it to them at home. Family prayer, devotions,and conversations with Christian thoughts all help to leave an impression on your child. What shows and movies you watch, how you talk, how you treat your spouse, are all part of it.
To grow up without Jesus is the most terrible form of child abuse that can be done. To see a child brought up to know and love Jesus is one of the greatest blessings.
Listen to what Paul says to Timothy, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you have learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (ITim3:15)
Fathers, think of the wonderful opportunity God has given you. He has not only let you share in the blessings of salvation but has given you the responsibility and opportunity to pass that gift on to your children.
Let Jesus be Lord to you! Let Him be your Master, your Savior, your Prince of Peace. Let him be the Ruler of your heart and life. Your children will watch and learn from you. They will truly bless you, not only on Father’s Day, but for all eternity.