PASSIONATE IN HONOURING FATHERS

Malachi 1:6-8, “6A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. 8And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.”

ANCHOR VERSE: Malachi 1:6

A father is a male parent, male in relation to his child or children. The Lord commands us to honour our fathers Exodus 20:12, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Deuteronomy 5:16, “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Ephesians 6:1-3, “1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise😉 3That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” Be eager, excited and enthusiastic about honouring fathers. Do not be reluctant or wait to be forced to do it. There are biological fathers, father figures and spiritual fathers. All of them deserve to be honoured. To honour is to show high respect and greatly esteem.

PRACTICAL WAYS OF SHOWING HONOUR ARE THE FOLLOWING

1. Appreciation. Fathers do a lot for their children be biological, adopted or spiritual fathers. Their labour and contribution may not be immediately obvious but it needs to be appreciated.
2. Obedience Ephesians 6:1, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Hebrew 13:17, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Disobedience to parents is a sign of debased mind (low character) Romans 1:28-30, “28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,”
3. Do not talk back at them or embarrass them.
4. Show them love and care; ask after their wellbeing.
5. Give them gifts regularly and on special occasions Mark 7:11-13, “11But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” Galatians 6:6, “ Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” 1 Corinthians 9:11, “If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?”

DANGERS OF DISHONOURING FATHERS

Dishonouring fathers have grave consequences. God our heavenly Father is the greatest of all and deserves our greatest honour. There is a curse on those who dishonour God Malachi 1:1-14 emphasis on verse 14. Malachi 2:2, “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” Anyone who does not honour their father may be in danger of death Leviticus  20:9, “For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.” Matthew 15:4, “For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” Note that the Hebrew word translated curse in the passages can also mean to bring to contempt, accursed or despise. Proverbs 20:20, “Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.” Dishonouring our fathers can lead to a life of fruitless labours and confusion as if walking in darkness. The life of those who dishonour their fathers are open to various attacks Proverbs 30:11-14, “11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 14There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. “ Proverbs 30:17, “The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.”

What if the fathers have not measured up to expectations or have been out rightly wicked? Seek godly counsel and forgive.

VICTORY TIP

The hearts of fathers bless the children who honour them.

PRAYER:

Dear Heavenly Father please help me to honour you and all father figures in my life as you commanded. Let me enjoy the benefits you promised those who honour their fathers in the mighty name of Jesus