My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Children, Secure The Future

Solomon once again calls for his children to pay attention to what he is about to say, “Attend to my words, incline your ear to what I’m about to say.” Not only pay attention but also to hold on to these words of wisdom. “Don’t take your eyes away from them, keep them in the very center of your heart.” He tells them. These word, words that were passed to me from my father and passed to him from my grandfather Jesse, these wisdom chain words, “are life and they are health even to your physical body.”
Then here is the last word of wisdom this father gives to his children in this section of Proverbs. He says, “Keep your heart with vigilance, like a guard standing outside the door of a treasury. It is a living treasure, for out of you heart, flows the springs of life.

Then Solomon moves from the heart to the mouth, “Put away crooked, deceptive talking, put it far away” Then the eyes, “Always look directly ahead” Then the feet, “Think about the path you walk so you will always be sure where you are going. Don’t turn out of that safe, secure path, turn away from evil.”

Dad’s Duty: Point and Protect

Here is the last Father’s day advice for fathers from this father. Time to go home and let you family pamper you, or if you’re not a father, time to go home and pamper your dad. So here it is, Dad’s, granddad’s, and uncles Point the way that children should go, because this is the only way you can hope to protect them from a vile, evil, wicked agenda that is working nonstop to take them down another path.

There are many verses in the NT that we could remind you of that speak of guarding our words, our heart and our feet, you know them as well as I do. I just want to share this one from Paul.

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul isn’t talking to Fathers but to followers of Christ, but his words apply to Christian fathers and their children. Tell them to “Forget the things that are behind and stretch out your arms to the things God has for you going forward.”

Fathers, tell them as C.S Lewis once said, “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

Tell them, Keep looking forward toward eternity. That is where all of us will be one day and only what you believe and do today will determine that kind of eternity you will experience. So, as Paul continues…
“Press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Fathers, tell you children to keep their eyes on the prize for they are called by God to run a race. They are not here to be popular with the world but to fulfil their purpose in Christ.

My Dad On the Day I was Saved

I’ve already told you that my Dad had his problems being a proper Dad, doing all the things we’ve talked about today. But let me share with you one time that My Dad, Sammy Don Minefee, fulfilled his fatherly role in the most important way.

I was 7 years old on the day I accepted Jesus as my Savior and it was one of the few time that my Dad attended church with us. My Grandfather, Van George was preaching and as the invitation was given we all stood and there was my Dad on the end of the pew and as I felt the call of the Holy Spirit tug on my heart, I looked up at Dad who knew I was under conviction and he looked into my eyes and gave a small nod of his head. Just the way me Dad was and with that nod he said, “Go ahead Kris, the Lord is calling you for eternity. Start walking that path.” Now that was a lot more words than my dad ever really said about things, but that nod of the head was enough. I stepped out and I pressed toward the mark of the high call of God in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

Fathers, Grandfathers, I hope you will purpose in your life, to do all God instructs us in his word to do as we forge the links of wisdom, adding them to the chain that was passed to us from our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Teach them what true wisdom is and warn them of the terrible destructive power of sin.

But if you don’t fully fulfill those tasks then make sure you fulfill this one, Point them down the path that will lead them to Calvary, point them to Jesus Christ who died for them, point them toward eternity. Tell them to Proverbs 4:23 Keep their heart carefully by giving it to Jesus. For, as Solomon