A Father's Faith

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham a little later in the program will tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's book man of God. But first, here's the message of father's face. You are a dead your highest and noblest ambition and your most holy ambition should be to lead your family well, caring, compassionate, loving father, you are the core of your family for is straight, especially in times of crisis. There is a position in the pediatric doctor and counselor by the name of Dr. Meg Meeker. She's written a really good book on becoming a hero. Dad I like that because every child is looking for a hero dad that should be you, but Dr. Meeker, a mother herself writes this, there is a misconception that mothers are the center of a child's world. Mothers are vitally important. I'm the mother of four children myself, but too often we have the idea that fathers are optional, but the fact is that the human family was meant to have mothers and fathers working together and when they work together as they were designed to their children's lives are enriched emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, and I can say as a pediatrician, even physically.

Children from intact families have a much better chance to be healthy and happy children. Dad's God made you he gave you the DNA, especially if you are a believer in Christ born again that God has given you the ability not just to father children, but the father a child to be a real dad to your kids, your kids are looking to you and expecting you to be a hero in their lives. According to Meg Meeker you are the one that God especially adapted and equipped as a man to to handle crisis to meet challenges to provide for and protect and again as a believer to pray for your children when you do when you're there when you are present. No one expects a perfect father. There's only one perfect father and he is in heaven. But you can be a praying father and you can beam up resident father, a father who is present in the lives of your children because Meg Meeker goes on to quote some statistics that identify the effectiveness of the dad in a family's life is written that children with stable involved fathers have much higher levels of self-control, competence and sociability when dad is involved, they are less likely to engage in risky behavior as adolescent are far less likely to have behavioral or psychological problem are far less likely to be delinquent. They do better on cognitive test and get better grades. These are children, they are more likely to become young adults with higher levels of economic and educational achievement, career success, occupational competency and psychological well-being. Studies suggest that fathers who are involved in nurturing and playful with their infants have children with higher IQs as well as better linguistic and cognitive capacities and was true on the physical and psychological level is certainly true on a spiritual level, because dad's you know I love Jesus, dad to have a true walk with God, who have faith are able to live that faith and give that fatal way to their children.

That's what our story is about here in John chapter 4 John four beginning at verse 46 so he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water line and at Capernaum there was an official nobleman unofficial son was ill and when this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and ask him to come down and heal his son for he was at the point of death. So Jesus said to him, unless you see signs and wonders, you will not delete the official said to him, sir, come down before my child balance.

So Jesus said to him, go, your son will live. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way and I see was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son is recovering so we asked him the hour when he began to get better and they said to him yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him and watch this dome. Is this the father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, your son will live. And he himself believed, and all his household.

A father's fate. Father's faith began in a simple way, a simple faith. Who is this man is described as an official he was a government official our nobleman.

Most likely he lived in Tiberias which was the headquarters of the Roman government in the Galilee region where Herod was the key. So in one sense you. You surmise that he most likely Olaf Tiberias and sailed across the sea of Galilee several miles to Capernaum, which is known as the town of Jesus.

When you go there to this very day. There's a sign reading you as the town of Jesus of Nazareth. So Jesus had made Capernaum his headquarters so this man knew that Jesus must be in Capernaum so he gets to Capernaum when he discovers that Jesus is there that he had gone to Cana which was 20 or 25 miles away, so he either runs walks our lives to Cana of Galilee, Josh Garrett to Jesus why he was a desperate dad who had a dying son. He had a problem that he couldn't solve you know we dad's we we like to think that we could fix most everything in the lives of our children. We we can fix that. But in this case. This dad even though he had wealth and power, nobility and royalty. He could access his son was dying.

We will know how old the sun was for some reason always thought of this nobleman and his son being the son being a little older but but when I really got into this passage I discover when he appeals to Jesus for his son, especially when Jesus spoke to him about his faith, he said, Lord, please come. My son is dying and he uses the word which means my precious little one my precious child is dying.

The boy had contracted a thief.

We couldn't pay. There wasn't enough medicine there was enough money son was in a fever comatose, perhaps online support dying but you heard about Jesus that Jesus performed miracles and heal the sick.

So I thought I got a try and eat. He was despairing he was desperate and he goes across the water to see McCann parliament finds out he's not there so he hustles over the Cana of Galilee get 2025 miles just to get near to Jesus because his boy was near death, his precious one was in our children desperately need Jesus. Every child is born dying were all mortal young people you think you got a long time to live. I hope you do, you may not. Sickness and death and disease. The devil attacks are our kids.

He's on the prowl.

We desperately need to be interceding in intervening on behalf of our children. So take some hero dad's to do that metaphase to do that our children are in desperate need. I give you one reason one big reason dad all of us to get to Jesus as fast as you can. That's because of your children. Your children need Jesus our children as young as they may be ultimately dying and they cannot die without Christ just can't. We can't let the devil have our children someone said we are only as happy as are least happy child or children can break our hearts especially when a child is a prodigal child away from God and away from the family and some of you are facing that today.

What can you do need to get yourself you that you mom to Jesus as fast as possible. Need to find your way and relentlessly pursue Christ. That's what this man did his fate was initially small, know much about Jesus. He does know we need a miracle for his son. He was more interested in a miracle in the healing of his son that anything that's why Jesus called him on that you may look at that verse when when he so desperate anything getting to Jesus and Jesus said seems out of place. Verse 48 unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe, you maybe put off the Jesus was putting off this man at this point, here's a desperate man he just praying for his son and Jesus is saying, you're just looking for a sign and a wonder Jesus wanted to show him what real faith was about.

It was more than the miracle Jesus already had a lot of people following them just because of the miracles for the signs and the wonders in the excitement's always been that way. Jesus is always had more fans than followers of Jesus is not looking for fans is he's looking for followers. In fact, there's a scripture in John chapter 2 the Jesus did not commit to those fans as people who are just following him for the show or for the miracles but truly were not trusting him as Messiah and Lord is. So Jesus wanted more out of this man and Jesus dad once more out of you more than just being a fan of Jesus to be a follower to commit your life you're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in his message father's face faster this month with a special gift for our listeners to give a gift to PowerPoint your book man of God. What can you tell us about this powerful resource to live a real passion to see men now and follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and as their Savior. And if I were just speaking of men right now. I would say the greatest thing you can do with your life is only follow the Lord Jesus Christ said that it doesn't take much of a man to be a Christian but I tell you this. It takes all the man that there is of you. In other words you are to give yourself completely and totally to Christ, so you guys your tomorrow your good your good husband your good family guy your good worker but goodness doesn't get us to have that doesn't make us a man of God. God's man. Jesus says that I want to encourage you to walk with God like never before. That's the reason I've written this book man of God I really want to have this book because it talks about how we as men can truly be man of God. And if that sounds overwhelming.

I promise you, it is possible for you. You can be the man. The person that God wants you to be as you walk with him and the power of the Holy Spirit.

So I've written man of God so that we could live life with purpose and passion in life and make a difference in the world today and get Dr. Graham's book man of God is our thank you for your call 1-800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627 or text the word PowerPoint to 59789. Now it's Québec.

Today's message father's face man was wealthy had power you have access to royalty, yet he comes to this poor Galilean carpenter by the name of Jesus who is the Messiah and he finds there a simple faith at the feet of Jesus brings his problem.

He brings his son to the Lord.

He is in effect. Verse 47 pleading praying, bagging for his child's life are you doing that. Are you praying for your children, you pleading for the lives of the soul, the future of your family.

This dad was more and more parenthood is spiritual warfare we have to tools and spirituals to weapons in spiritual warfare.

The word of God which is the sword of the Spirit and prayer in this spiritual battle. Keep praying like this man. He wouldn't stop. He just kept coming to Jesus and he kept on interceding. Keep on asking. Keep on seeking keep on knocking, pray, and don't quit. Pray for your children. Is that whether gone the other out of the house is too late now.

It is pray for them, pray over them, praying with them. So here's a man who simply came to Jesus as a fledgling faith, but it's a good start so his faith letters from simple to submissive, because if you're going to have a strong and dynamic fate for your family. If you're going to have the faith of father needs for your family that he needs to move from a simple, maybe even superficial faith to a submissive sum rendered faith faith. What is a good time just to talk about what they did is because there's a lot of confusion about faith, faith, and what they think they just believe no faith in God, faith in Christ. 11 Hebrews 11 six says that without faith it is impossible to please God, no matter what else you may do no matter what else you may have accomplished in your life without faith it is impossible to please God, faith, and ultimately your faith will grow when your faith is truly in him and so often are faith not only begins with our children. I know, is a young dad, Deb and I had our first child, Jason.

I was just 22 years of age I had no clue as to what to do. I remember holding him in my arms and praying God, show me what to do, show me how to be a good dad best dad this boy could ever have. I said Lord I don't care what kind of preacher I may be what kind of church I may serve the Lord. I want my children. I want this child our children to know that I love you and that was a surrender that I made that day and our children will drive us to Jesus.

No kidding.

They'll drive you to your knees like crazy right they'll drive you to Jesus and because we don't know what to do but a crisis will also drive us to Jesus. Right whatever the crisis may be, in this case the crisis was a dying son. It may be a lost opportunity lost job, your career is exploded may be a divorcing in that your home, your marriage, it could be a sickness in it. You may be dying yourself but a crisis drives us to Jesus. And that's what happened to this man and faith grows the flower of faith grows in the seed, and in the soil of darkness. Many times, so we had faith.

He had faith that Jesus could heal his son.

But when Jesus said to him, Jesus said to him, go your son lives.

The man believed the Scripture says in verse 50 go. Your son will live. This man came in a position of authority. He's in effect, commanding Jesus he saying come to my house. My son is dying, Jesus. Jesus said no go, you go, your son is alive son will be well. He said, Jesus said, go, and that man had a decision to make. What I do not try to do it my way or God's way and he chose to submit his way in his will to the will of God. He said I surrender all, you know what faith is. Faith is believing and trusting in God inside of the circumstances and he spied of the consequences. Simply put, faith is taking Jesus at his word, trusting God's word. Romans chapter 10 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God here the word of God, believe the word of God and activate the word of God in your life. He began to do what Jesus told the duties he started home.

Now interestingly enough, this is one of the coolest parts of the story. He's on his way home and the service come out to meeting and they say your son is getting better. Your sons getting well and he bought the check say what time was winded. The boy just are getting better and they said it was at the seventh hour. At that point he knew that Jesus healed his son same time, but it was 24 hours later. Think about that seventh hour yesterday. He checks his sundial and says that's 24 hours. It happened this time yesterday not already told you that by euros and probably five or six hour walk back to his home or shorter than that by horse and yet I don't know about you but if I'm in New York I'm somewhere else and in my son's home sick and somebody says he's well I'm getting as fast as I can to see if it's true right, you probably would not this guy. I don't know what he was doing for 24 hours. Baby was hanging out with the disciples getting discipled. Maybe he was spending time with Jesus are going about some business while he was in the area, but he hung out there in Cana of Galilee, and went home the next day. Amazing. He trusted and submitted his child to Jesus. He gave it over to Jesus and that's what God has called us to do to trust him like that dad's. This is on you and me. The church is there to be our partners in ministry whether his children's ministry, student ministry, pressed a wet Academy sports ministry.

We got a lot of things going on for kids and families and and S all good to keep doing it, but dad listen to me there's no substitute for you is no substitute for this dad went to Jesus in behalf of his dying son.

His son is alive because this dad intervened and interceded and wouldn't stop and he humbled himself and submitted himself and depended upon the Lord, he believed the word of God. Verse 50. He believed the word of God and he acted on it in obedience. The Bible speaks of the obedience of faith without works is dead so well I I'm really not a believer I can't believe I got intellectual problems know you don't you just don't Jesus spoke about an evil heart of unbelief. The problem with unbelief is not your head is your heart you got a moral problem not a mental problem, every man, every woman has been given the capacity to believe God to trust in Jesus. Don't tell me you can't believe there's plenty of evidence you got enough evidence to save the world right now, the case for Christ is clear, yes you can believe you must be willing to believe, and humble yourself and lay aside your pride in your arrogance and your intellectualism and like this dad desperate for his son follow Jesus and believe she's it was a superficial small faith to begin, then became a strong and growing faith as he believed and submitted his life to the Lord and then became a saving faith for his entire family will close it this way.

This is a great way to close this story. Verse 53. The father knew that was the hour when Jesus and said to him, your son will live.

And he himself believe that I thought he already believe he believed the word he believed for the miracle but now he believes in Christ himself see that he believed is now personal. He believed not only that, but now his entire household believes in Jesus, the household of faith because one man hard so bring himself to bring their listening to PowerPoint think tank ran in today's message father St. today's culture has so distorted the concept of masculinity that some even rejected toxic better world doesn't need less manly men. We need more men of God, men who love Jesus make a living. Husbands and fathers and lead as servants we'd like to help you uncover what God says about true masculinity by sending you Dr. Graham's man of God yielding difficult insight into how you with amending your life can live with purpose and passion in Christ first and living radically for him man of God is our thanks for your gift to help proclaim God's word to PowerPoint to request your copy when you call today: 800-7954 627-1800 795-4627 can also text PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie Pastor what is your PowerPoint for today like today runs 100 miles a minute is not five and for the moment we wake up in the moment. We finally put our heads on the pillow. There are so many things. Thousands of things baby that are vying for your attention, but is in the midst of all the stress and all the hustle and the hurry of life that we need to seek God's peace and God's grace and the promise of God's word and wisdom. And that's why want you to spend time with the Lord every day growing in your faith developing as a disciple and follower of Jesus and the word of God in your life will help you develop spiritual muscle and strengthen you as you live the Christian life. This is the reason I want to really encourage you to get my daily email devotion PowerPoint today we take God's word specific point of it and a promise of God's word and we deliver it with an application every single day. So many write to me or let me know how much the daily devotional means to them and so I believe it will be something that would add blessing and strength to your life help you manage the problems and the stresses and the stresses of life PowerPoint today will help you get the most the best out of your life as you walk with Christ every day. So here's all you need to do to get the daily devotion PowerPoint today.

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