ApprehendingTruth.net

“Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18)  Whether it be an individual, a local church, a nation or a family, this eternal absolute is universally applicable without respect of person or institution.  When one considers the inescapable reality of this principle he must not overlook God’s provision and avenue of grace; the most basic and formative being the family, and more specifically the father.  I would even go so far as to propose that the single greatest outside influence upon each of these entities is a father, either in actuality or by default.  This is a great and terrible reality which all fathers must soberly and courageously embrace.  

Now, we must never excuse any child or adult for their wretched choice to be unthankful and rebellious against God’s righteous demands.  Ultimately, each individual will be responsible for his own actions having no one to blame but himself.  Nevertheless, we fathers must redeem every measure availed to us lest we become an unnecessary cause of offense to our children and fail to practically model and communicate vision to their hearts.  If we as men fail to be godly fathers our families will perish.  As a consequence, our churches will be neutralized and our nation will be cursed.

What are we to do?  We must arise and return to the old paths of the rugged Patriarchal visionaries who, as Abraham of old, commanded their homes and gave themselves to the work of their God given ministry;  The ministry of Fatherhood.

Manhood is glorious and Biblical and perhaps the greatest expression of it is fatherhood.  The true purpose of fathers is to sire and disciple potential vessels for the King.  This requires vision.  The father must therefore play the man as a principled, servant- leader possessing and imparting vision to his offspring.  This requires a willingness to examine and take every thought and culturally normative tradition regarding fatherhood captive to the obedience of Christ.  Then one must be willing pledge his head to heaven as he merely seeks to be obedient to the heavenly pattern.  

Fatherhood presupposes two things; Masculinity and offspring.  First let us consider masculinity.  Tragically most men today are effeminate, passive and visionless.  They are enslaved by a perpetual childishness, preferring temporal ease and “Big boy toys” over their God ordained spiritual duties.  This generation seeks to make men feel shame for being masculine in a Biblical sense and most have fallen prey to this spirit of Jezebel.  The demonic philosophy of feminism has leavened the churches and homes of our nation and the abdication of male authority has shamefully given place to women in the military, board-room and even the pulpit.  In fact the ruin and destruction of the human race at large can be traced back to Adam’s failure to exercise loving oversight regarding his wife and then relinquishing his leadership role as the head of the first family.  

Perhaps the most significant of ancient landmarks which have been rejected by this feminized generation is the Biblical doctrine of ‘Patriarchy.’  The word Patriarch refers to a father and ruler of a family.  According to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, a Patriarch is one who ‘governs by paternal right.’   A patriarch is a man in the true sense of the word; A bold, servant-leader who is unashamed and unafraid to Biblically govern and lead his family for the glory of God.  He is preeminently a man of the Word and the altar, a man of deep conviction, a visionary-leader who sees and embraces his glorious responsibility to govern and lead his family.  He has received the burden of the Lord and longs for a worthy testimony of Godly order and purity through his family.  And like Nehemiah of old he rises to practical action that the testimony may be restored.

Although it appears obvious it must be restated that Fatherhood presupposes offspring.  Not only have the men of this generation become emasculated, but they have rejected the true riches of children and unspeakable joys of family life for a mess of worldly pottage.  As a father of six children, seven and under I consider myself one of the wealthiest men on planet earth.  It has been said that this generation applies daily for the curse of debt but rejects the blessing and God given inheritance of children.  Many would rather material possessions and the cursed quietness of a home void of children than to give themselves to the blessed sacrifice of child training and discipleship.

The rejection of children is a manifestation of selfishness and a lack of vision.  Most parents today are more concerned about the temporal cost and sacrifice of raising children rather than the value a child is to God.  The Bible plainly states one of the primary purposes of marriage in the book of Malachi.

The purpose of marriage is not personal fulfillment but the advancement of the Kingdom of God.  And this is to be realized through fathers and mothers surrendering to God’s purpose and methods.  The Bible proclaims that all of heaven rejoices when a sinner repents of his sin and is born again.  What is the occasion of celebration?  You may say that is obvious, someone has escaped hell and will be going to heaven to be with Jesus for all of eternity.  Praise God!  But let us consider this truth from God’s perspective.  The regeneration of an individual is above all else another opportunity for Jesus to be manifest in the earth.  That is why the Godly father is greedy and jealous for children.  He does not consider the personal and present sacrifice of having children but rather sees them as potential vessels of honor for the Master.  Let us remember that John the Baptist, God’s sovereignty ordained vessel prepared to introduce the world to the Messiah came forth out of a Godly couples burden for children.  We have been commissioned by God to be fruitful and exercise spiritual dominion in the earth and the basic God ordained vehicle for this blessed enterprise is the family.  But this vision must be born in the heart of a father who is willing to surrender to God’s ways.    

   
Due to a lack of vision and love, many today are sending their children to be taught by the humanistic, God-hating Philistines of public education.  For convenience sake multitudes are passing their children through the fires of anti-Christ, worldly philosophies and peer pressures which they are not yet ready to with stand.  Others are opting for the seemingly sanctified and safer environment of ‘Christian’ schools.  However, if we look to the Word of God as our standard of all life and practice, the education of children is the responsibility of parents and the practical fulfillment of the greatest commandment. (Deut 6:4-7)  In my opinion, home education is a non-optional and foundational principle of discipleship and anything other will have crippling and spiritually destructive repercussions.  I am daily filling my six spiritual water pots with the water of God’s Word in hope that the Lord Jesus will one day pass by and turn that water into the wine of quickened and personal reality which will advance His glorious Kingdom.  

A survey of the word of God will reveal that every general command regarding the discipleship, training and education of children is directed to fathers.  Listen to this glorious and vision inspiring description of God’s commission to fathers.

No man has spent his brief time upon earth wiser than the father who has given himself to bring God glory through the diligent and purposeful discipleship of his family.  The local church is the ultimate expression of Christ in any community, however the church will be no more spiritual than the families which comprise it and the families will be for the most part the product of fathers.  The reason that God demands order in a leader’s family is because a man’s family is a reflection of his spirituality and vision. (1 Tim 3:4-5)   Through this spiritual safety net God is protecting His church from unspiritual and hypocritical men.  What we are in secret and in heart is the measure of our Christianity and influence and this is manifested primarily in our families.  This is a great and terrible Kingdom principle.  We must never allow family to become an idol or an end in itself, but we must see it as a means of bringing God glory.  May we lay aside all hypocrisy and every unnecessary weight and give ourselves afresh to the eternal task of rearing up Godly young men and women…Because it is our life.

I believe that a unified, orderly and vision inspired family is a terrible weapon in the hand of God.  It is a glorious vehicle through which we can demonstrate the virtues of the Kingdom God to our generation.  As men we ought to have a burden to see our homes sanctified as a place of discipleship and ministry to our family, the church and the world.  Our homes should be filled with the fragrance and presence of Christ.  When others come to our homes they should be able to behold the order of heaven upon earth.  By the music, the images on our walls, the aroma of a home cooked meal, the pure countenances of children gathered around the dinner table, and the loving relationship of a man and his wife the world will have a living portrait of the Kingdom of God.  Hear this wonderful promise of God…

 

It is my prayer that God would inspire and revive in each father a vision of what it means to be a Biblical man and father.  And that we would respond in a worthy manner not frustrating His abundant and all sufficient grace.  May God restore in us the ministry of fatherhood that we would indeed represent Him rightly and enjoy days of heaven upon earth.


~ Charlie Kennon