A Father’s Impact on Future Generations building the foundations of Godly generations
Fathers play an essential role in teaching their children how to respond to life. A Godly man will seek to build a firm foundation for his children’s lives and faith. His investment of time, instruction, love, and discipline shapes the next generation and equips his children to share the concepts of Biblical living with future generations.
A man who seeks after God and honors His ways has much to look forward to. “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in” (Isaiah 58:10–12).
Make Wise Commitments and Establish Godly Priorities
Living in a manner that will impact the next generation for good requires intentionality and dedication. Let the following commitments guide your decisions and priorities:
- Take on the role of spiritual leadership in your home by being an example of the spiritual disciplines and maturity that you desire to see in your wife and children.
- Assume the primary responsibility for teaching your children Biblical principles, Godly character, Scriptural convictions, wise standards, and practical skills.
- Fight against sin. Memorize and meditate on the truths of Romans 6 and 8. Identify with Christ’s victory and resurrection power whenever you are tempted to sin.
- Learn to recognize the basic needs of your wife. Strengthen your marriage by your attitudes, words, and actions.
- Maintain communication with your children. Make sure that every son and daughter has adequate training and counsel for the decisions they make.
- Rearrange your priorities in order to meet the needs of your wife and children.
- Maintain good communication with your parents and parents-in-law. Provide opportunities for them to spend time with your family and reinforce good values.
- Apply God-honoring principles of finance so that you and your family can experience financial freedom.
Build Your Life on Biblical Principles
The unchanging, non-optional principles expressed in God’s Word offer a guide for life. By building your life, relationships, family, and vocation on God’s truth, you will experience true success.
Accept God’s Design
When you gratefully accept the way God made your unchangeable physical and family features and decide to regard any “defects” as daily reminders that you belong to God, you embrace the principle of God’s design in your life.
Submit to Proper Authorities
When you willingly submit to the final authority of God’s Word and to the protection and direction of those whom God has placed in authority over you, you embrace the principle of authority in your life.
Take Responsibility
When you accept personal responsibility for all of your words, thoughts, actions, attitudes, and motives and ask for forgiveness of those whom you have wronged, you embrace the principle of responsibility in your life.
Understand Ownership
When you entrust your rights and expectations to God and recognize His ownership over all things, you embrace the principle of ownership in your life.
Endure Suffering With Forgiveness
When you realize how great a debt of sin God has forgiven you and recognize His call to endure suffering, you will be able to fully forgive those who wrong you, come to love them by making investments in their lives, and embrace the principle of suffering in your life.
Gain Moral Freedom
When you partake of Christ’s victory over sin and engraft Romans 6 and 8 into your mind, will, and emotions so that you can bank on its truths whenever you are tempted to sin, you embrace the principle of moral freedom in your life.
Experience True Success
When you dedicate your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, meditate on God’s Word, and ask God to show you how you can advance His kingdom by spreading the Gospel and strengthening believers, you embrace the principle of God’s success for your life.
Take your calling as a father seriously. In your attitudes, words, and actions, you can help your children understand the nature of God and learn the truths of the Scriptures. These commitments and guiding principles will help you build the foundation for a Godly generation.
“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works” (Psalm 145:3–5).” (iblp)