WE HAVEN'T MENTIONED IT YET TODAY, BUT THIS IS FATHER'S DAY. AND I WANT TO BEFORE WE LOOK TO THE WORD OF GOD, WISH EVERY FATHER, A HAPPY FATHER'S DAY. I BELIEVE A FATHER IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURES OF THE HOME. BECAUSE A HOME CAN BE MADE OR BROKEN BY A FATHER. AND I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TODAY TO REALLY BUILD ON THIS, BUT I WANT TO SAY SOME THINGS THAT I BELIEVE WILL HELP SOME FATHERS TODAY. IT JUST MIGHT BE THAT WHAT YOU DO, IS GOING TO MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE OUTCOME OF YOUR HOME AND YOUR FAMILY. TODAY, I WANT INVEST A LITTLE TIME IN HELPING SOME FATHERS. BECAUSE I BELIEVE GOD WANTS TO HELP YOU TO BE THE FATHER THAT YOU WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE. HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED HOW THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO AS A FATHER SOMETIMES? I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, IF YOU GO OUT ABOUT BUY A DISHWASHER, OR A WASHING MACHINE, OR A STOVE OR A LAWNMOWER, A CHAINSAW, OR SOME OTHER TOOL, YOU'LL GET A MANUAL WITH THAT TO TELL YOU HOW TO OPERATE IT AND HOW TO WORK THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. BUT WHEN YOU BECOME A FATHER, NOBODY PASSES YOU A MANUAL, NOBODY TELLS YOU HOW TO OPERATE THIS NEW POSITION THAT YOU HAVE COME INTO. NOW THE SAME IS TRUE AS BEING A HUSBAND. AND IT'S JUST AS GREAT A CHALLENGE TO BE A HUSBAND AS IT IS TO BE A FATHER. THERE'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY TODAY THAT IS BEING PUT ON MEN. AND THE BIBLE HELPS US TO KNOW THAT IF WE MEN, WILL TURN TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL HELP US TO BE THE HUSBANDS AND THE FATHERS THAT WE NEED TO BE. I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND TURN WITH ME TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS TODAY. NOW I SAID A MOMENT AGO, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO SOME NOTES THAT I'VE MADE SO I CAN TRY TO GET IT ALL IN. BUT IN PSALM 128, I DO WANT TO STOP LONG ENOUGH TO TAKE THE TIME TO READ 6 VERSES OF SCRIPTURE. AND THEN LET THESE VERSES OF SCRIPTURE SPEAK TO YOU AFTER WE HAVE CONCLUDED TODAY'S SERVICE. IN PSALM 128, VERSE 1, IT SAYS THIS, "BLESSED IS EVERYONE WHO FEARS THE LORD, WHO WALKS IN HIS WAYS. WHEN YOU EAT THE LABOR OF YOUR HANDS, YOU SHALL BE HAPPY AND IT SHALL BE WELL WITH YOU. YOUR WIFE SHALL BE LIKE A FRUITFUL VINE IN THE VERY HEART OF YOUR HOUSE. YOUR CHILDREN LIKE OLIVE PLANTS ALL AROUND YOUR TABLE. BEHOLD, THUS SHALL THE MAN BE BLESSED WHO FEARS THE LORD. THE LORD BLESS YOU OUT OF ZION AND MAY YOU SEE THE GOOD OF JERUSALEM ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. YES, MAY YOU SEE YOUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN, PEACE BE UPON ISRAEL." NOW AT FIRST GLANCE YOU MAY BE SAYING, "WELL, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY HAVE TO DO WITH FATHERS AND FATHERS DAY?" WELL, LET ME READ TO YOU AND EXCERPT OUT OF "THE LIVING PSALMS." AND SEE IF THIS DOESN'T MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT CLEARER TO YOU AND THEN YOU'LL KNOW WHY I CHOSE THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE. IN THE "LIVING PSALMS", WHICH IS THE SAME AS I JUST READ TO YOU, ONLY IN A LITTLE MORE MODERN DAY LANGUAGE, IT SAYS THIS, "BLESSINGS ON ALL WHO REVERENCE AND TRUST IN THE LORD, ON ALL WHO OBEY HIM. THEIR REWARD SHALL BE PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS. YOUR WIFE SHALL BE CONTENTED IN YOUR HOME. AND LOOK AT ALL THOSE CHILDREN. THERE THEY SIT AROUND THE DINNER TABLE AS VIGOROUS AND HEALTHY AS YOUNG OLIVE TRESS. THAT IS GOD'S REWARD TO THOSE WHO REVERENCE AND TRUST HIM. MAY THE LORD CONTINUALLY BLESS YOU WITH HEAVEN'S BLESSINGS, AS WELL AS WITH HUMAN JOYS. MAY YOU LIVE TO ENJOY YOUR GRANDCHILDREN AND MAY GOD BLESS ISRAEL." ISRAEL, REPRESENTING GOD'S PEOPLE. AS ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN, WE ARE BLESSED. AS ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN, WE HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES OF HEAVEN, THAT CAN BE PROVIDED TO US, TO HELP US, WITH EVERY CHALLENGE IN LIFE. AND MEN, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE. IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE LIVING IN A WORLD THAT IS NOT VERY FAVORABLE TODAY, TO TODAY'S FAMILY AND TODAY'S HOME LIFE. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT, FIRST OF ALL, IT JUST CONSUMES US TO TRY TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR FAMILY. I COULD STAND HERE AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT BEING CONSUMED BY MATERIAL THINGS. BUT IN THIS ECONOMY THAT WE'RE LIVING IN, IT TAKES ABOUT EVERYTHING WE CAN DO JUST TO KEEP A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS, FOOD ON THE TABLE, CLOTHES ON OUR BACK AND OUR LIVES TOGETHER IN A VERY SIMPLE FASHION. OH, I KNOW THERE WERE DAYS WHEN WE HAD GREAT MATERIAL GAIN AND WE USED A LOT OF OUR LABOR TO TO SUPPLY SOME OF THOSE MATERIAL RESOURCES AND TO ENJOY SOME OF THOSE THINGS IN LIFE. BUT FOR SO MANY TODAY, THOSE THINGS HAVE NOW BEEN STRIPPED AWAY. WE DON'T LIVE IN THE EXCESS, WE LIVE IN THE BARE MINIMUM, JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE. AND THAT'S A CHALLENGE ENOUGH. BUT IN THE MIDST OF ALL THAT, A GREATER CHALLENGE HAS COME TO REMAIN A HUSBAND AND A FATHER, WHO CAN BE WHAT HE SHOULD BE TO HIS FAMILY. IT'S MORE THAN JUST BEING THE "BREAD WINNER", IF I CAN USE AN OLD TIME TERM. WE ALWAYS LOOKED TO THE MEN AS BEING THE BREAD WINNER OF THE HOME. AND IF HE HAD TO WORK 17, 18, 19 HOURS A DAY TO DO THAT, WE COULD LIVE WITH IT BECAUSE HE WAS PROVIDING. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE EMOTIONAL NEEDS. THERE ARE NEEDS THAT THAT WIFE HAS, SHE NEEDS THE HUSBAND TO BE MORE THAN JUST THE BREAD WINNER. HE NEEDS TO SUPPLY THE RESOURCE TO HIS WIFE'S EMOTIONAL NEEDS. SHE NEEDS A HUSBAND SHE CAN TALK TO . SHE NEEDS A HUSBAND THAT SHE CAN CONFIDE IN. SHE NEEDS A HUSBAND THAT CAN LOVE HER, REASSURE HER. PUT HIS ARMS AROUND HER AND LET THE WARMTH OF HIS AFFECTION REASSURE HER THAT IN ALL OF THE TROUBLES AND TRIALS OF LIFE, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT. THOSE CHILDREN NEED A DAD WHO KNOWS HOW TO LOVE THEM. NOW I KNOW THAT THERE WERE TIMES IN MEN'S HISTORY THAT MEN HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME TO SHOW LOVE AND AFFECTION. BUT THAT'S PART OF OUR CHALLENGE TODAY. THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE 3 DAUGHTERS THAT GOD BLESSED ME WITH, IS FOR THEM TO EVER ASK, "I WONDER IF DAD LOVES ME?" I WANT THEM TO KNOW THROUGH MY WORDS AND THROUGH MY ACTIONS THAT NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO, NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO IN LIFE, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM, THAT THEY CAN ALWAYS KNOW THIS, THAT DAD LOVES THEM. I COUNT IT A GREAT BLESSING TO HAVE THE FATHER THAT GOD HAS BLESSED ME WITH. I LOVE HIM DEARLY AND GOD GAVE ME A GOOD DAD. I'VE NEVER QUESTIONED ONE TIME WHETHER OR NOT HE LOVED ME. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THE MINISTRY CONSUMED HIS ATTENTION. BUT HE ALWAYS MADE CERTAIN THAT MY BROTHER AND I KNEW THAT HE CARED FOR US. HE WAS A GOOD HUSBAND TO MY MOTHER. AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THOSE THINGS AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT EXAMPLE THAT I SAW. IN THIS SHORT TIME THAT I'VE HAD TODAY, I HOPE THAT I HAVE WOKE SOMETHING UP WITHIN SOME MEN'S LIVES. LET US TRY TO BE BETTER THAN WE'VE BEEN. LET US TRY TO DO MORE THAN WE HAVE DONE. THAT WE COULD TAKE ON THIS RESPONSIBILITY THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US. TO BE THE HUSBAND AND THE FATHER. I REALLY BELIEVE TODAY THAT WHAT YOU DO RIGHT NOW, COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, NOT ONLY IN YOUR HOME, BUT IN MANY OF THE HOMES THAT ARE AROUND YOU. IN FACT, I BELIEVE THIS HAS A VERY FAR REACHING AFFECT. THAT IF WE WILL BE THE MEN THAT GOD HAS DESIRED US TO BE, IF WE'LL LIVE ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL FOR OUR LIVES, THAT WE COULD LITERALLY CHANGE THIS WORLD THAT WE'RE LIVING IN TODAY. BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO I GOD'S WAY. AND MEN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE THE MAN, THAT GOD EXPECTED US TO BE. WE HAVE GREAT CHALLENGE BEFORE US TODAY. BUT I BELIEVE MEN, AS I'M SPEAKING JUST TO YOU TODAY, I BELIEVE MEN, THAT IF WE'LL RISE UP TO OBEY THE WILL OF GOD, THAT WE CAN MEET THOSE CHALLENGES AND WE CAN CHANGE THIS WORLD TO BECOME A FAR BETTER PLACE THAN IT ALREADY IS. LET ME QUICKLY PRAY FOR YOU. HEAVENLY FATHER, I ASK YOU RIGHT NOW TO REACH OUT TO EVERY MAN THAT HAS HEARD THIS MESSAGE. LORD, I HOPE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED THROUGH IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN BRIEF. AND I HOPE LORD THAT THEY ARE REACHING OUT TO YOU RIGHT NOW. CHANGE THEIR LIVES, USE THEM LORD TO BLESS THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR HOUSEHOLDS. IN JESUS' NAME I ASK IT, AMEN.