God’s desire was always that earthly Fathers would resemble their heavenly father; guiding, teaching and instructing children in His ways out of love and compassion for his sons and daughters. When we look at the need for men to understand how to be godly fathers and to be active and involved in their children’s lives, we see it evident in our society from the statistics below. It is also worth mentioning that society’s departure from biblical truth has resulted in catastrophic damage to the home.

Canadian Children’s Rights Council puts forth the following statistics on children with out a father or father-like figure active in their lives.

Father-deprived children are:

• 72% of all teenage murderers.
• 60% of rapists.
• 70% of kids incarcerated.
• Twice as likely to quit school.
• 11 times more likely to be violent.
• 3 of 4 teen suicides, are children without fathers.
• 80% of the adolescents in psychiatric hospitals.
• 90% of runaways

Furthermore, the US Congress found that nearly 24,000,000 children in the United States, or 34 percent of all such children, live apart from their biological father.

Godly Fathers Seek Wisdom from God

The book of Proverbs is a word for the wise. It tells us in Proverbs 2:6 that “the Lord gives wisdom.” Any godly Father will know that he is not to parent on his own but to seek consistent counsel from the Lord through His word, the power of the Holy Spirit, and prayer. The result is a “graceful garland and pendants” or a godly inheritance left behind for future generations.

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

Proverbs 1:8-10

A Godly Father Knows God’s Word and Teach it to their Children

Both Fathers and Mothers as parents are called to know and teach their children God’s Word and His ways. It is of the utmost importance, there is nothing more valuable to our children and their learning than knowing God’s Word, as it is the source of all wisdom, the foundation of faith and the way unto Salvation (Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ, Romans 10:17)

So, it is crucial that we as parents teach our children God’s word from a very early age… Praying over them, reading to them from the pages of God’s Word, singing hymns and songs of God’s love and grace and telling them stories of all that God has done throughout history… They need to hear about their Creator early and often.

Solomon as a father to his son… “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction.” Father is used 26 times in proverbs. There is a great need for Fathers to instruct and teach their sons and daughters, it honors God, it is an act of obedience to The Lord.

A Godly Father Prepares and Prays for When Sin Tempts

In this world, it is not “if” but “when” sinners will entice our children. This is why we must be proactive to prepare ourselves and our children for it and to pray that we will all to stand strong. Proverbs 22:33 says, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.”

The word of God tells us that “sin is crouching at the door.” (Genesis 4:7 NIV) We see several examples in scripture where others are leading God’s people astray:

• Proverbs 16:29: A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good.

• Genesis 11:4:Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

• Numbers 31:16:Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.

• 1 Peter 5:8: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

This is why we must abide in the vine. Jesus says we can do nothing apart from Him (John 15). Especially when it comes to resisting sin! You can’t do it alone! The flesh is weak!

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told the disciples to watch and pray lest they fall into temptation… “The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). The disciples kept falling asleep, their flesh was literally too weak to stay awake and pray.We must pray.

Let me ask you this: Is having the strength to obey, to worship, to resist sin and sinners, to do what is right and true, are these things according to God’s will? Of course! Jesus will answer the prayer for spiritual strength to overcome the flesh. When you feel the weakness of the flesh about to overpower you, PRAY!

Godly Father’s Leave A Priceless Inheritance

Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its harshness. Nothing in this world could be a more treasured inheritance to leave our children than God’s Word – instructing and teaching them as we go about life together. 1 Peter 3:4 says, “But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”

Fathers, you want to leave your children an inheritance? Know and Teach them God’s Word. Adorn them with the wisdom of the Lord. Make sure they hear it and actively pursue it, and do all you can to be sure they don’t forsake or discard it. Finally, pray with and for them without ceasing.

10 Characteristics of a Godly Father

1. Knows God. Seeks to abide in Christ, read and know the scriptures.
   • Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

2. Loves, respects and honors his wife. An example to his sons and daughters.
   • Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (sacrificial, selfless, devoted love.)
   • Ephesians 5:28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

3. Accepts and knows his responsibility/duty for his children’s spiritual training.
   • Deuteronomy 6:2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.
   • Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

4.  Aware of his influence on his children. (Children are always watching.)
   • Titus 2:6-8 NLT In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

5. Models a life of selfless service. (Encourages and finds ways to include his children.)
   • Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

6. Consistent. (His character is known by his children, and he has self-control.)
   • I Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

7. Disciplines his children appropriately. (With emotions in-check, Under Control)
   • Proverbs 13:24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.

8.  Is Not controlled by outside influences. (Alcohol, pornography, idols, addictions)
   • Ephesians 5:18  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

9.  A man under authority. (Under God First, and institutions God has appointed – Work, Church, Government)
   • Hebrews 13:17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

10.  He is a Leader. (He goes first, he leads by example and with a heart to serve.)
    • Proverbs 17:6 6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

God’s design was always that the family would drive faith. He meant for the godly father to submit to the Lord, lead, love and instruct his wife and children, and that mothers/wives would submit to their husbands as he submits to the Lord, and would nurture and teach her children.

And this would be done together, in a partnership. A man and woman coming together as one flesh and raising their children in the ways of the Lord. This is how God always intended it to be from the beginning, His design is flawless!

Guest Blogger Bio.

Joshua McKaye is a Pastor At Fellowship Pickering (Pickering ON, Canada.) Married to his beautiful bride, Jessica McKaye, and father to their son, Waylon James. He is actively seeking to bring glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ through gospel proclamation and making disciples for God’s Kingdom by “Connecting our Community to Christ and one another”.