Focus on the Fundamentals – Day 2

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a guys’ night event at our church with my son and lots of men. Pastor Tyler shared some interesting dad stats which you can find on the internet and the importance that we step up and stand up and be the dads God created us to be! To be the dads who do more because we have a vision that goes beyond ourselves! To be the dads who do more because we keep the finish in focus! To be the dads who do more because we choose to receive and live to the level of God’s provision that Jesus provided: GRACE and GIFTS! It pointed me to the importance of fundamentals needed to be the dads God created, planned, and purposed for us to be! It got me so excited to see what today’s devotional is going to speak into our lives!

Scripture from Today’s Devotional:

‘There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.’

Job 1:1-5

‘Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. ‘

Job 42:1-5

God’s Word is a love letter from God! God’s Word is the instruction manual for life! God’s Word points us to the need for a savior and that Jesus is the answer!

Let’s be the dads who look and practice to live our lives blameless like Job! Let’s be the dads who are aware of our kids’ activities and pray and intercede for them! Let’s be the dads who lift up our wives and kids before God daily, asking for His hand of provision, protection, comfort, and compassion to be over and upon them! Let’s be the dads who trust God so much because we know that He can do anything, with man it may be impossible but with God all things are possible! Let’s be the dads who trust God rather than leaning on our own understanding because we know God sees the full picture and we are unable to know about some things because they are too wonderful for us! Let’s be the dads who go from knowing about God to having a relationship and knowing God!

Today’s devotional has been provided to us by Discerning Dad!

Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me: (check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)

For more information, please visit: https://discerning-dad.com/

Takeaways from Today’s Devotional:

“Repetition leads to preparation.”

“We want to be ready for the “big game” or the “battle”, so how do athletes and those in the military prepare? They focus on the fundamentals…over and over again.“

• Let’s be the dads who aren’t trying to do it or go it alone but seek the will of God and the prompting and guiding of the Holy Spirit!
• Let’s be the dads who are listening closely for that still quiet voice to direct our path, our steps, and our actions!
• Let’s be the dads who want to be all that we were created to be that we are willing to be still and find a quiet space to be able to hear from God!
• Today’s devotional speaks to the difference between Spirit lead and human behavior when it says:
  • “The Holy Spirit is a subtle coach, unlike those in sports or a commanding officer in the military. We have leaders and pastors in the church, but no one makes us do the fundamentals of the faith. It would almost be easier if someone was looking over your shoulder telling you what to do, and even though God sees all, He gives us free will.“
• Let’s be the dads who want the deeper things of God!
• Let’s be the dads who invest in the Christian fundaments that will help us be all that God purposed, planned, and created for us to be!
• Let’s be the dads who choose of our own free will to dig deeper, to seek God with all of our hearts, mind, soul, and strength because we know that we will find Him!
• Let’s be the dads who choose of our own free will to dig deeper, to ask God with all of our hearts, mind, soul, and strength because we know that He will answer!
• Let’s be the dads who choose of our own free will to dig deeper, to knock God with all of our hearts, mind, soul, and strength because we know that He will open it!
• Let’s be the dads who put the fundamentals of the faith into practice!
• Today’s devotional speaks to it this way:
  • “We want the deeper things of God, yet we often neglect the Christian fundamentals. We need personal motivation to do the things we know are good for us. If we truly see the value in these things, we will commit to putting them into practice.“
• Let’s be the dads who have the discipline to do what God created, purposed, and planned for us to do for our good and His glory, not out of obligation but rather out of love and obedience!
• Let’s be the dads who from the overflowing joy in our hearts choose to do what God created, purposed, and planned for us to do for our good and His glory, not out of obligation but rather out of love and obedience!
• Let’s be dads who capture the reality of that Job practiced daily!
• Let’s be the dads who realize for us to be able to have faith like Job means we need to be putting the time and effort into focusing on the fundamentals daily!
• Today’s devotional speaks to it this way:
  • “We all want to have a faith like Job that endures even under intense trials. There is a key in Job’s life pointed out in Job 1:5 that shows how Job would sacrifice early in the morning and pray for his kids: “Thus Job did regularly (KJV).” Before the storm came, Job was faithful, and because of his faithfulness, we see him declare at the end of Job, “My eyes had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5 NIV). Job survived the storm.“
• Let’s be the dads who are practicing daily so that we will be ready and prepared when the storms of life come!
• Let’s be the dads who when the storm comes lean in and press in more to our relationship and friendship with God, even when we don’t get it, don’t understand it, and yet we know God is trustworthy and so can submit and obey God!
• Let’s be the dads who realize that the devil doesn’t want us to grow, thrive, and do God’s will and so we need to lean into God more and trust Him even in the midst of the troubles, the trials, and the storms of life!
• Today’s devotional speaks to this as follows:
  • “Many times, the storm, and the trials we face, will take us deeper in our walk with Christ… if we allow it to happen. Job had the option—become bitter or better. Job never had his questions answered, and yet he still submitted to God in the end.“
  • “Job was also a target of the enemy. Don’t be surprised when the enemy begins to target you. As loud and as vile as Satan and his horde of demon may seem, God is always in control, just as He was with Job.“
  • “Satan wants to take out those who are actually affecting his kingdom. If you are on the sidelines, he may not care that much about you. But don’t be in a lukewarm state!“
• Let’s be the dads who choose to be on fire for Jesus!
• Let’s be the dads who choose to be prepared by putting on the full armor of God!
• Let’s be the dads who choose to be prepared because we train daily!
• Today’s devotional closes with this challenge and question:
  • “Put on the armor of God to withstand! We will talk more about this in the next few days.
    
    What do you think some of the fundamentals of the Christian faith are?“