How a Dad Can Bless His Home
Genesis 48:8-20
20 Feb, 2011
PM
Pastor Craig
Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Prov 20:7). The just man walketh in
his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
A.
A Man
is to be a Blesser in his home.
1.
Everyone should be a
blessing, a helper in the home, but there is a special place that a Dad has.
2.
He is supposed to be
someone who does special things for the people in his life. Someone who is the
strength and the stability of the home
a.
Someone who doesn’t
just give flowers
b.
Or holds the door
c.
Or treats everyone
to dinner sometimes
d.
But someone who just
IS a blessing
e.
And actually puts a
blessing upon his family
f.
A man’s blessing is
something that almost does not exist today
B.
What
does it mean to bless?
1.
Pass on spiritual
treasures, the promises of God, your faith and confidence in God to your
children (Gen 17:7)
2.
If you are a child
of God, you have a priceless treasure to pass on to your children – your faith
in Christ! Your experiences walking with Jesus!
3.
Pass on the word of
God – its stories and wonder – from your heart to their heart
4.
Pass on the promises
of God
5.
Pass on the love of
God to your children
6.
That is what it
means to bless them, and help them enjoy God
C.
People
need a blessing, desperately:
1.
Jabez (1Chron 4:10)
2.
Jacob (Gen 32:26-29)
3.
So do you, and so
does your family! Haven’t you ever been there and done that?
4.
To have a blessing
from God, and a blessing from your family
D.
But,
MEN themselves need to be a blessing – and it is not easy!
1.
We were not trained
to be a blessing, or a contributor – we are selfish, self-serving creatures.
2.
We are usually too
busy to be a blessing
3.
And when we do try
and do something nice, we fail:
a.
We give money
instead of our time.
b.
We give cards
instead of our attention.
c.
We give token
efforts instead of giving ourselves
4.
God the Father shows
us fathers how and why to become Blessers, and not Wreckers
a.
How to encourage
instead of pull down
b.
How to inspire
instead of impede
c.
How to enable
instead of ruin
5.
This Bible shows us
clearly how to help our families
6.
It is not the job of
the pastor, or priests, but of DADs!
7.
Let’s learn how to
bless our homes
E.
There
are some examples of fathers, husbands, being a blessing to their families
1.
Isaac blessed his
son Jacob and encouraged him (Heb 11:20; Gen 27:4-40)
2.
Jacob blessed his
son Joseph and his grandsons (Heb 11:21; Gen 48:9-20)
3.
David blessed his
whole household – it was a regular thing with him (1Chron 16:43)
4.
Solomon blessed his
son Rehoboam, by writing the entire book of Proverbs to him!
5.
Unfortunately, not
every father in the Bible blessed his children – many forgot to, or neglected
to, were too busy to
6.
Don’t join with that
crowd. Don’t neglect to bless your children
II.
Background
A.
Jacob
knew about the value of being blessed
1.
First by his father
2.
He also knew the
value of being blessed by God!
B.
Of all
people, Jacob was a wrecker, who became a great blesser in his home
1.
Jacob had been a
messer, a life wrecker
2.
But through the
grace of God, he had been changed
3.
But that didn’t mean
his life didn’t have troubles still
C.
20 years earlier,
one of his sons, his favourite son Joseph was ripped away from his life, and
sold into slavery in
D.
And now, here was
Joseph standing before his father, not only alive and well, but the prince of
E.
And Joseph has a
wife, and two sons
F.
It was then that
Jacob, whose own life had been transformed by God’s grace, decided it was time
to bless his children, and even his grandchildren!
III.
Message
A.
See the
Blessing (48:8,9)
1.
a.
The son whom he
thought had been killed was standing there!
b.
AND his
grandchildren that he didn’t know he had
c.
Joseph saw his two
children as blessings – yes he was almost blind, but he could see the blessings
better now!!!
d.
No mention of all
the pain and heartache of the past 20 years!!!
e.
What a way to look
at the past! Through the eyes of blessing!
2.
God blesses us,
doesn’t He ? Daily loading us down with blessing (Ps 68:19)
a.
Have you counted
your blessings lately?
1)
Has God’s well gone
dry?
2)
Has His riches in
glory gone broke?
3)
Maybe we were
counting and noticing only the material things, and now we are being forced to
notice the SPIRITUAL blessings!
b.
Our families ARE
God’s blessing to us – not curses
c.
Our health is a
blessing
d.
Our salvation from
hell is a great blessing!
e.
Our church family is
a blessing!
f.
Our jobs, our minds,
our cars, our tools that we use – all are blessings
g.
Every good thing in
your life is a blessing from God (James 1:17)
h.
Every tough time and
struggle was a blessing as well, whether you want to admit it or not
3.
Before you ever will
be a blessing gentlemen, you need to see just how much God has blessed you, and
just start praising God, and thanking God, and enjoying the blessings that he
has so bountifully given you!
B.
Touch your
children (Gen 48:10,13)
1.
Jacob grabbed those
two boys
a.
And kissed them
b.
And embraced them
c.
He then laid his
hands on both of them
2.
He was doing it for
a reason – with purpose
3.
You cannot bless
without a touch!
4.
People need to be
touched (Mk 8:22)
5.
Children need to be
held, and touched, and blessed (Mk 10:13) – not just by their mothers but by
their fathers!
6.
Jesus touched every
thing and every one He could (Mt 8:3; 8:15; 9:29; 17:7; 20:34) – even a coffin
(Lk 7:14)
7.
It is such a
blessing for someone to come up beside us and touch us!
a.
Let’s hold hands a
whole lot more
b.
Let’s tickle a lot
more
c.
Let’s hug our
families all the more
8.
We live in a time
when people touch all the wrong things (2Cor 6:17; 1Cor 7:1,2)
9.
Let’s show our
children how to touch and hold each other in a blessed way
10.
Bless your children
by touching them, and holding onto them!
C.
Pray for
your children (Gen 48:15-19; Ps 95:6)
1.
Probably THE most
neglected part of a father’s blessing is praying
a.
Pray with your wife
b.
Pray with your
children
c.
Pray as a family
2.
Not set, or prepared
prayers – but real words, from the heart
3.
Pray about
everything – show them how to pray for everyone you know
4.
Pray for their
future, and for their future mates
5.
Pray for their
willingness to follow Christ and do his will!
6.
Even if it is just
the two of you, pray in the company of angels
7.
Grab each other’s
hand, and kneel, and come before the Lord God
a.
Thank God for His
work in your life - “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the
God which fed me all my life long unto this day”
b.
Thank God for saving
you and delivering you from so much sin and trouble - “The Angel which redeemed
me from all evil, bless the lads”
c.
Ask God to bless
them - “let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
8.
Ask God to teach you
how to pray for your children
a.
Jacob knew what he
was doing (48:17-19)
b.
You need to know how
to pray for your children
9.
Then, believe God is
going to do wondrous things with your children and grandchildren
10.
Oh that we all
believed God still answered prayer!
D.
Put God’s
Name on Your Children (Gen 48:16; Num 6:27)
1.
“and let my name be
named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac”
2.
Teach them His name
– not everyone knows His name (Ex 6:3)
3.
Show them the power
of that name (Dt 28:10)
a.
In answered prayer
b.
In salvation – your
own testimony
4.
Show them the
protection of that name (Pr 18:10)
a.
Always trusting only
Jesus
b.
Living in obedience
to God’s word – there is safety in doing things God’s way
E.
Believe God
will honour your Blessing (Gen 48:20)
1.
That people will
look up to your children
2.
And will want to
follow in their footsteps
3.
And will be
surprised at how God does differently than we expect
IV.
Final
Thoughts
A.
Men need to be a
blessing
1.
Godly Men bless
their children (Pr 20:7)
2.
Godly Men bless
their wives (Pr 31:28; 1Pet 3:7)
3.
When we refuse to
work with Christ, and bless our families, it makes us actually scatterers (Mt
12:30), and are partly responsible for the ruin of our homes!
B.
Start today.
1.
Bless your children
and wife before it is too late!
2.
Write them notes,
and hug them close, and get rid of any bitterness against anyone in your home (
C.
Humble yourself and
be the blesser, the benefactor, the giver of good things in your home
1.
If you are having a
hard time being a blessing, start by letting your heavenly Father Bless You,
change you, help you!
2.
It takes a changed
man, a humbled man to become a blesser
3.
Arrogant men don’t
bless
D.
Bless when it is
hard to do so (1Cor 4:11,12)
E.
Above all things,
like Jacob in his later years, let’s bless our homes!
Craig Ledbetter | Pastor |