Living Grace Foursquare

I. GOD’S DESIGN For Fathers and Family

Genesis 2:18. [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him. AMP

Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. ESV

Ephesians 5: 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

Protector – sets boundaries and provides safety.
Provider – meets physical and emotional needs.
Priest – leads spiritually and models faith.
Pattern – his presence shapes identity and character

Like a compass, a father’s guidance helps children navigate life.

II. Fatherhood Under Fire in Culture

The impact on children in father-absent homes:
1. Emotional impact: Identity crisis, depression, anxiety.
a. More than twice as likely to suffer from obesity and behavioral problems.

2. Educational impact: Higher dropout rates, poor performance.
a. 2 times more likely to drop out of school.

3. Behavioral impact: Increased crime, substance abuse, and teen pregnancy.
a. 7 times more likely to become pregnant as a teen.

4. Economic impact: Higher rates of poverty and dependence.
a. 4 times more likely to live in poverty.

“When fathers are absent, children are left to fill in the blanks—with pain, confusion, or culture’s lies.”

III. THE RESULTS: BROKEN HOMES, BROKEN SOCIETY

📖 Judges 2:10 – “...and another generation arose after them who did not know (recognize, understand) the Lord, or even the work which He had done for Israel”. AMP

IV. God’s Heart for Fathers and Families

1. God has a high regard for Dads!

a. Earthly fathers are the model of our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
i. “God loves fathers. He is one.” Dr. James Lamb

b. 1 out of every 140 words Jesus was speaking abt His Father. His central message and purpose was to restore us to a relationship with our Heavenly Father

Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ESV

1. God’s heart toward us is tender, not distant. Like a good father, He doesn’t just correct—He comforts.

2. When we fail, He is not waiting to punish us but to pick us up with mercy.

3. Let this verse reframe how you see God: not as a cold judge, but as a caring Father who understands your pain and stands with you through it.

How does a father show compassion to his children?

1. Tender, Not Rough

a. Proverbs 22:6. Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it. AMP

b. [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent]

2. The Present of his Presence.

Correction is not rejection—it's a sign of love.

1. A father’s job is more than providing—it’s about shaping the soul.

2. Paul paints a picture of spiritual fatherhood:

Example
Encouragement
Challenge.

Whether you're a dad or a mentor, your presence can help someone walk worthy of God's calling.

Who are you encouraging today?
You don’t need to have your own children to be a father-figure