SCRIPTURE
Ephesians 6:4 NIV
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
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MAIN IDEA
To be a great father, be like your Heavenly Father.
Be Present
Be Working
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GOING DEEPER
Questions from this weeks message.
1. What insight, principle or observation from this week’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye opening or troubling? Please explain.
2. What is your best dad memory? Do you have any painful Dad memories? What does this say about the power and importance of Fathers?
3. When you hear that God is Heavenly Father is that easy or difficult to accept? Why?
4. Alvin mentioned that to be like our Heavenly Father would mean to be present and be working. Why are these two concepts so important in parenting? As a child when was your father present and working with you? How was that meaningful?
5. How has God, your Heavenly Father, been present and working in your life?
6. Read Ephesians 6:4. Have your parents ever left you exasperated? What would have been helpful to keep you from getting there? How might rules combined with relationship help?
7. Alvin mentioned that as parents we mimic God when we are present and working. If you are a parent how are you currently doing in these, where could you improve and what do you plan to do about it?
8. If our most important role as parents is to train our kids in the ways of God, what are you currently doing, what might you add? Kids often do as we do more than they do as we say, how are you intentionally modeling the Christian life and where could you grow in this?
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SUMMARY POINTS
To be a great father, be like your Heavenly Father.
Be Present
For all your failures as a dad, all your short comings, all the ways you think you fall short, and in the ways you do fall short, if you show up, if you are present in your children’s life, many of those failures and short-comings will be forgotten. Just like us with God, our kids just want to know, that you are there and that you will be with them. The reason presence is so important is because, Presence shows care
Quality does not make up for or replaces Quantity
**Be Working
**to be involved is more than just rules. Its rules with a relationship. And the relationship is what helps to encourage the children, because the rules are tied to loving relationship. The discipline is tied to a loving relationship. When you are a father who is working in and with and involved in your kids life. It helps to keep from exasperating them. Encourage rather than exasperate
**The most important part of training your kids in the Lord is:
You, God, and your Faith.**
To be a great father, be like your Heavenly Father. Be Present Be Working
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CALL TO ACTION
Be Present and Be Working
