Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
Give of Yourself
Pastor Scott
Friday, July 30, 2004
Listen to this teaching | Related Teaching | Bible Teaching | 
Print
"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
(Luke 12:32)
Everything we do, we do out of love and not obligation. Your kids know if you are just fulfilling the fatherhood role or whether you love them. It is your Father's good pleasure to give you His kingdom, to make available to your children what He has blessed you with. Now there is a balance. We could give them everything so they don't develop character, but don't think that providing things for your children robs them of character. In your own family, you can provide the same thing to two different children, and one will develop character and the other one won't. Character development is a personal decision.
God has spoiled us. He has chosen us. He sought us; we didn't seek Him. He pours out His blessings upon us, praise God. We are all spoiled people, because we have a Father who dotes on us. He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. He has opened the windows of heaven and poured out blessings that we cannot contain. His presence is with us. We are a blessed people.
Fathers, are you working just for yourselves, or are you delighting in being able to give to your children? You may say, "I'm not giving anything to my children, bless God. They are going to earn it themselves like I did so they will appreciate it!" They may appreciate it, but they won't appreciate you! They will be the same hard-headed, prideful person that you are. It is a very humbling thing to receive just because somebody loves you. It is a very humbling thing to be loved absolutely, freely and without any performance just because it is the Father's pleasure to give you His wealth.
We are not talking material things. The kingdom of God is not meat or drink; it's righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom. 14:17). What do you have to give your kids? If you have some material stuff, bless them. Bless them with the wisdom you have. Bless them with your example of contentment. Bless them with your presence because a child's glory is their father. Make yourself available. Be consistent. Be a giver. Give of yourself. In men it is such a tendency to take, acquire, and amass to ourselves. Be ready to be inclusive and give. Name the business, "God and Sons." Aren't you glad that we are the sons of God? "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that [you] should be called the sons of God...and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (I John 3:1,2). What manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom, to include you.
Father, we thank You for Your love and for Your presence in our lives. We stand in awe of Your love, totally humbled. Being humbled is a given in the presence of a holy God; but, Father, our natural children will also stand in awe as we love as we have been loved. Let them catch a glimpse of You in us. That is our heart's desire, Father. Help us to go beyond ourselves through death, that You might be our all in all. As fathers, the greatest gift we could give our children is a glimpse of their heavenly Father. Grant it, and we will worship You, Father, declaring Your greatness and say, "My Father is greater than all." That is our testimony today, in Jesus' name. Amen.