AUTHORITATIVE FATHERING
1 Timothy 3:4 PHILLIPS
He must have proper authority in his own household and be able to control and command the respect of his children.
1 Timothy 3:4 AMPLIFIED VERSION
He must rule his own household well, keeping his children under control, with true dignity, commanding their respect in every way, and keeping them respectful.
1 Timothy 3:4 ERV
He must be a good leader of his own family. This means that his children obey him with full respect.
Ephesians 6:1 NLT
Children obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.
We are living in a day and age when many parents are actually afraid of their own children. Afraid of being disliked, afraid of being unpopular. They are afraid to command them, afraid to tell them what is right and what is wrong, what is moral and what is immoral. Afraid to confront their children, and direct them to do what is right. This can be clearly seen by the current chaos of gender confusion, with parents actually enabling and catering to children and teen’s insane extremes when they allow their child to undergo surgeries that damage them for life or affirm their twisted desires, because their child will not accept their God-given sexual identity.
Parents, but especially fathers, we must accept the authority God has given us to lead our families, and use that authority for their good. We must not shrink back or be afraid to tell our children what is right and wrong. We must teach them to respect us and to obey us. If we do not use our authority for their good, our children will fall for almost anything. They will go their own foolish, rebellious way, or find others whom they allow to influence and lead them, even if it means embracing seriously insane ideas, that lead them to mutilate their own bodies, or defy their own God-given sex. It can get just that bad.
Dads, we must step up our game. Our children desperately need us to lead them, guide them, direct them, command them, protect them and train them in the way they should go. This won’t happen by accident. We must begin when they are very young, teaching them who is in charge, and insisting they obey their mother and father.
I am certain most of you reading this would never have imagined the current cultural chaos in America unfolding right before our eyes. We’ve seen young people burning buildings, looting, stealing, intentionally hurting, and at times killing other people in the Antifa/BLM riots across the country. We have witnessed trans insanity corrupting and crippling so many young people across the nation. The question is why? How could it have possibly come to this? The answer is staring us right in the face. The complete breakdown of parental authority. A total lack of strong, respected, authoritative fathers in the home, who command their children’s respect, children who have been trained at an early age by their fathers and mothers to obey their parents, to know right from wrong, and to live honorable, upright lives. As a result, we have anarchy, and it is spreading across the nation.
You might think to yourself, but Pastor Mark it’s the school’s fault. Look how they are undermining our authority and corrupting our kids! Do you know my answer to that? Who put them there? Who enrolled your children in these places? You see it all comes back to parental authority and leadership. No one forced us to put our children in these morally or spiritually bankrupt places! There are other options. No one forced us to give them smartphones that give them access to destructive and corrupting influences like youtube, tiktok and other destructive forces that twist and pervert a child’s values and moral compass.
Either we command and control our children, or the flesh, the devil and the culture will, and they will exact a terrible price from our kids!
I assure you none of my children were confused about their gender. None of my children were confused about who was in charge in our home.
Some may be thinking to themselves, “Wow, Pastor Mark is being too strong about this, or he must have been cruel and mean to his kids. They must have been afraid of him all the time.” I can assure you of this, my children knew I loved them with all my heart. They knew I enjoyed them, that I wanted their best. I lead them strongly, but with love, encouragement, kindness, wisdom, always with their best interest in mind. But I led them. I directed them. I commanded them. I had their respect. All of them over the years have conveyed to me they knew this, that they greatly appreciated it and valued it highly. They did not grow up hating me, despising me, or resenting my leadership in their lives.
May God give each of you the grace, and courage today, to lead your children with the authority entrusted to you by God! Be strong, Be courageous, for the Lord your God is with you!
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling