Today we get to continue digging into the traits of a godly dad. It’s interesting to just go with whatever the search results provide as the devotional to dig into. Today’s devotional from Bible.com is looking to empower us to be the dads. Today’s devotional from Bible.com is looking to help us address our feelings of inadequacy by providing us with the traits we need to be the dads. Today’s devotional from Bible.com is looking to help us get out of the starting blocks and into the race by sharing 6 biblical traits we need to model in our own lives in order to be the dads God created and purposed for us to be. So let’s dig in deeper as we jump into this new devotional in order to be able to learn and practice what God’s prepared in advance as good works for us to accomplish. Let’s grab a hold of these traits in order for us to be the dads, the godly dads we need to be for our wives, our kids, and our world.
Today’s devotional connects with the following verses:
‘Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ‘
1 Timothy 4:7
‘Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.’
Matthew 4:1-11
‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ‘
2 Corinthians 12:9
‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. ‘
Philippians 4:4-13
God’s Word is so incredible and timely! God’s Word never returns void and is able to speak to us right here, right now, the right things to help us in our moment. Let’s be the dads who make time to hear from God! Let’s be the dads who make the time to let God know what is going on in our hearts and minds! Let’s be the dads who don’t try to go it alone and choose to lean in and trust in God more!
So today as we get started, let’s grab hold of God’s Word in 1 Timothy 4:7 which tells us what to do and what to avoid! Let’s be the dads who avoid the godless things, the godless myths, and the old wives’ tales! Let’s be the dads who grab a hold of tightly His message to train ourselves up to be godly! Let’s be the dads who spend time with God! Let’s be the dads who spend time with God’s Word! Let’s be the dads who spend time with God’s people!
Ever considered what the devil tries to get you to believe when he has you in a weakened state and without the support and encouragement of others? Today’s Word shares how in the midst of Jesus taking time away from the people and while in the physically weakened state that comes through fasting, the devil shows up to try and twist God’s Word in order to get Jesus to slip up. Jesus knows scripture and isn’t fooled and so we need to be the dads who know scripture in order that we too won’t be fooled! Jesus knows scripture and is able to rebut what the lies of the devil are trying to tempt Him to do. We first see how the devil tries to challenge Jesus when he said: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” We see how Jesus is able to reject the devil’s temptation by using scripture to defend and strengthen Himself as He said: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” quoting from Deut. 8:3. The devil didn’t give up and took Jesus to the holy city and had Him standing at the highest point of the temple and challenged Jesus again and this time using scripture to try and tempt Him when he said: “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” quoting from Psalm 91:11,12. Jesus was not going to be fooled and tricked into sinning and getting trapped by the devil’s snare and so he replied with: “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” quoting from Deut. 6:16. The devil must have thought the third time is the charm and so was going to give it one more attempt. This time the devil took Jesus to another very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor and tried to tempt Him by saying: “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus wasn’t going to be fooled and even in the midst of having been through a 40 day fast quotes scripture to rip up and reject the devil’s offer when He replied with: “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” quoting from Deut. 6:13. So let’s be the dads who are prayed up for what will happen today! Let’s be the dads who are read up in God’s Word for what will happen today! Let’s be the dads who are filled up with the Spirit to overflow for what will happen today! Let’s be the dads who choose to not get tripped up by the devil and his temptations and instead lean in on and trust in God to help us get through!
Let’s choose today to grab hold of God’s reality! Let’s choose today in the midst of our weaknesses to lean in and trust God more! Let’s choose today to boast about our weaknesses because we know the real power comes through Jesus! We read and can find peace in these choices because God’s Word says that “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” When God is enough, wherever we are and whatever we have is more than enough! Let’s choose to walk out our today with Jesus’s power resting on us!
Let’s be the dads who rejoice in the Lord always! Let’s be the dads whose gentleness is evident to all! Let’s be the dads who are not anxious about anything but rather in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, we present our requests to God! Let’s be the dads who live our lives with the peace of God that transcends all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus! Let’s be the dads let’s keep our focus on what is true, what is noble, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely, what is admirable, what is excellent, what is praiseworthy, and think about such things! Let’s be the dads who can learn from God’s Word and through Paul’s life and Jesus’s life and put into practice all that goodness! Let’s be the dads who walk in the peace of God! Let’s be the dads who have learned to be content! That’s right let’s learn to feel or show satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation! Let’s be the dads who like Paul have learned to be content in any and every situation! Let’s be the dads who “can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”
Today’s devotional has been provided by Manhood Journey (more details can be found here: About The Publisher (manhoodjourney.org))
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 Manhood Journey: https://www.manhoodjourney.org/product/1-1-guides-bundle/.
“Day 5 The godly dad understands biblical manhood.“
- Let’s be the dads who are ready for what the devil throws our way.
- Let’s be the dads who aren’t our own worst enemy by speaking lies to ourselves.
- Today’s devotional shares with us “manhood myths” which are lies dads tell themselves:
- “Manhood Myth #1 > Men are always strong and don’t ask for help.”
- Don’t be fooled by the devil’s worldly lies when he tries to misuse scripture for his own evil purposes and plans.
- Let’s be the dads who like Jesus are ready and prepared, even if not physically filled up let’s be spiritually filled up, so that like Jesus in Matt 4:1-11, we can refuse and reject the devil’s lies.
- Today’s devotional speaks this truth today:
- “It’s true men are called to be strong—strong leaders, strong husbands and strong fathers—yet, at the same time, we are called to be meek and humble. “
- “We must acknowledge God is our real strength and ask Him for help. The godly dad does what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”“
- “Manhood Myth #2 > Success is having more or doing better than others.”
- Let’s be the dads who choose to live our lives with purpose!
- Let’s be the dads who choose to live our lives intentionally!
- Today’s devotional gives us some power examples and reason for us needing to lean in to God and not be fooled by the myths or the lies of the devil:
- “In his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Don Miller describes success and finding meaning when he writes, “Nobody cries at the end of a movie about a guy who wants a Volvo. But we spend years living those stories, and expect our lives to feel meaningful.”“
- “Many dads are driven by success. You will have to re-train yourself toward God’s definition of success. “
- Let’s be the dads who understand what success means and is defined as by God!
- Let’s be the dads who are more interested in finishing the race strong and getting to hear from God, “well done, good and faithful servant” than having stacked up more stuff than we can do anything with!
- Let’s be the dads who are focused on accomplishing God’s plan and purpose for our lives for our good and His glory!
- Let’s be the dads who are focused on eternity more than stuff that won’t last!
- Let’s be the dads who are more interested in storing up treasures in heaven than here on earth!
- “Manhood Myth #3 > No one should impose his beliefs on anyone else.”
- Let’s be the dads who are wanting to please God more than pleasing people!
- ‘On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. ‘
1 Thessalonians 2:4 - ‘By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. ‘
Hebrews 11:5-6 - ‘When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. ‘
Genesis 5:21-24
- ‘On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. ‘
- Today’s devotional expresses it this way:
- Let’s be the dads who are wanting to please God more than pleasing people!
- “Manhood Myth #4 > God wants us to always be happy. ”
- Today’s devotional points us to Philippians 4:12 which says:
- Today’s devotional points us to Philippians 4:4-13 because it:
- “Manhood Myth #1 > Men are always strong and don’t ask for help.”
- Today’s devotional concludes with a list of things that God wants us to have beyond happiness:
- “Joy: v. 4. Joy is different from happiness in that joy is unconditional. You can have joy in all situations whereas happiness depends on your circumstances.“
- “Gentleness: v. 5. Gentleness means you have compassion for others. It puts others needs above your own (Phil 2:1-4).“
- “Peace: vv. 7, 9. Peace is an inner calmness because you trust God.“
- “Contentment: vv. 11-12. Being content means being satisfied with what you have, who you are, and all your circumstances— good or bad. (v. 6; Matt. 6:25-34).“
- “Relationship with God: (vv. 4-7, 13). This blessing is the reason someone can have all the rest: joy, gentleness, peace, and contentment.“
- Let’s be the dads who trust God! The benefits of trusting God is how today’s devotional closes:
