As your kids get older, you will find yourself shifting to the role of a friend. The goal is to take on the role of being a compassionate friend to your kids. Seek to be the guide they need, when they need it.

The dad who raises godly children will ultimately be a friend to his kids. Let’s look at what it takes to live out the biblical trait of being a friend—so we can raise godly children.

 

“I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father” —Jesus (John 15:15)

 

 

Biblical Trait #7: Friend

My dad disciplined and raised us. He is now a close friend to me. One of the things he’s always done for us, before we start shooting any film project, he will pray over us. He will ask God to guide us, protect us, and use us. This is my dad. I cry every time he prays over us. He’s prayed so often over us, I know what he’s going to say—and I still cry.

Why is it so powerful for my dad to pray for me? I’m so grateful for his friendship, his counsel, his steadfastness, his prayers. If you’re a dad, please pray for and with your kids. Teach your kids how to pray.

If you didn’t grow up with a dad who prayed for you, that’s okay. My dad didn’t get this from his dad. My dad is a chain breaker. He said, “I’ll break the chain. It will start with me. I will pray over my sons.” I’m so grateful for my dad.

We read that Jesus came to show us the Father. Jesus spoke the words of the Father. He came to do the will of His Father. Jesus provided a means for us to know God as Father. And, Jesus taught us how to relate to God our Father. Jesus even says, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2). Jesus also said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:6-7).

Jesus did not say, “I am a way, a truth…He said, “I am the way, the truth.” The thing that amazes me, at the end of the day, I get the righteousness that Christ has—which is perfect righteousness. When God looks at me, He looks at me under the righteousness of the blood of Jesus Christ. Praise God! That is unbelievable to me. I mean, it’s believable. I accept and receive it!

When you think of how gracious God is, how kind He is to us…the fact that the Lord loves me when I should be unlovable, amazes me. Jesus forgives me when I am unforgivable. Jesus gives me the highest status of cleansing. I do not deserve it. That is the perfect Father

So, how do we get people to know God the Father and emulate that on earth through Jesus Christ? How can we point our children to Jesus? How can we emulate Jesus? How can we worship and serve Jesus with our whole hearts? Jesus is the gift.

I’m reminded that a movie doing well is not the reward. You don’t ask Jesus, “Hey, would you bless this movie? I hope this movie does well?” or “God, would you bless this book…I hope the book does well.” No, the reward isn’t acclaim or money, Jesus is the reward. He is the goal. He is the reward. Your ministry being fruitful? Jesus is the reward. It’s not, “Oh, our ministry did better than it did last year…” or “Oh, now I’m happy or be grateful for this or that…” No, Jesus Himself is the reward.

God, please, help me never forget that having a good year doesn’t mean you’re good. Or, have a rough month, and man, have I had some rough months this year…doesn’t mean that you’re not good faithful, Lord.

I worship You, Lord, because of who You are. If I only worship God when He seems to be doing good things for me, what does that say about my faith? No, God is good all the time. He is my Lord and Savior all the time. Lord, may my life reflect this believe and draw people to the Father through You.

Jesus is the path to the Father. He’s the example. He and the Father have the same characteristics. If you’ve seen Jesus, you’ve seen God.

Lord, may we emulate You. May we reflect you. May we draw closer to You. You are the goal. You are the glory. Thank You, God, for Your blood, for Your righteousness, for Your forgiveness, and for Your sacrifice to make me who I am. Help me to be a compassionate friend to my children, so they see a bit of You in their lives.

This is the seventh part of an eight-part series. We believe fatherhood on earth comes from the Fatherhood of God. From the very beginning, He—as the perfect Father—created fatherhood on earth as an introduction to who He is. This series was created from a talk given at the 2022 Fatherhood CoMission Summit. May God bless your fatherhood.

Find the previous post from the series:
7 Biblical Traits for Raising Godly Children

This is the seventh part of an eight-part series. We believe fatherhood on earth comes from the Fatherhood of God. From the very beginning, He—as the perfect Father—created fatherhood on earth as an introduction to who He is. This series was created from a talk given at the 2022 Fatherhood CoMission Summit. May God bless your fatherhood.