Preschool
Be sure your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23).
Prayers of a Father
Memory Verses
Primary
Ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23).
Junior
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23).
Background Scripture: Ephesians 1, 3; Philippians 1
Lesson Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-19; 3:14-19; Philippians 1:6-11
Introduction
May God’s blessings rest upon every father today. In this lesson, we will study what it means to be praying fathers. We will also discuss the responsibility to which God has called Christian fathers.
God’s kingdom flourishes as faithful men take the place God asks them to fill. It is through Jesus’s blood and the presence of the Holy Spirit that we can faithfully carry out the responsibilities before us.
Happy is the home where Dad leads, showing by example how to sincerely follow Christ. A home that is founded upon unselfishness, love, and prayer, coupled with humility and faith, connects us to heaven. As fathers, we are not called to do great things but rather to a faithful walk with God.
Key Verse
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved (Rom. 10:1).
Lesson Scripture
Ephesians 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.
3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Studying the Lesson
God is the Father of every living soul. “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring” (Acts 17:28). On a personal level, we can each say, “He is my Father.” We access Him through Jesus: “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph. 2:18). The Father sent his only begotten Son, and it is in this Son that we have life.
The gospel answers the need that came from the fall in the garden, when that perfect relationship with the Father was broken. The Savior came and revealed Himself in many ways. In a deeper sense, however, the kingdom of the Father was being established. A way for men’s hearts to be changed was effected through the death and resurrection of the Lord. On the Day of Pentecost, many souls were born unto the Father—a special, spiritual family had begun. Jesus commissioned his disciples to preach and teach this life-giving gospel and appointed these spirit-filled disciples to be fathers unto the early church.
The apostle Paul’s father heart is evident through his letters to the churches. He yearned for the success of his spiritual children while rejoicing at the faith and love of fellow believers. His heartfelt prayers spontaneously ascended to the heavenly Father. His rejoicing was not in his work but in the work of the gospel in the hearts of God’s children. Paul’s confidence was that the grace of God would continue to establish the hearts of the sincere followers of Jesus.
Practical Truths for Today
Is the heavenly Father pleased as He observes us as fathers in our homes and in his church today? Do we spend sufficient time in fervent prayer? Every Christian father’s desire surely will be to pass on the faith to his children. “Beloved . . . it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). Many times it is needful for us to open our hearts to God for renewal and a recommitment to faithfulness and fervent prayer.
Young fathers face exciting times yet overwhelming challenges in the uncharted waters of parenthood. We need not fear; Christ will show us what to do and give us grace as we are humble. It is paramount to spend time in prayer together as husband and wife. As the father is faithful in the basic Christian responsibilities, his wife will be secure. This is foundational for happy, secure children. Young children need our love and attention when we come home from the day’s work. As we fathers find that spot which God wants us to fill—whistling as we work, helping around the house, taking the children on a little drive, or leading in prayer and story time at the end of the day—life smiles upon us. Parents whose hearts are set on serving the Lord will find a special blessing.
A godly father may find himself walking through a quiet bedroom where the children are sleeping and be moved to pray for them and, being stirred to tears, end by praying for himself. These little experiences are the winds of heaven, inviting us to a closer walk with our heavenly Father. His provisions of grace and strength will be sufficient for the responsibilities asked of us.
Our faith will be tested, and at times we may wonder if our prayers are effective. As we think of erring children, broken homes, or the possibility of affliction, sickness, and suffering, we cry out to God because there is no other place to turn. Since we are his sons through Jesus, we are able to do this. “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Gal. 4:6).
Knowing we would face challenges, Jesus taught about prayer in a simple way. He told his disciples, “Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:22-24).
As fathers, we are called to a sobering responsibility in God’s kingdom. Watching over Zion rests on the men of today. We must avail ourselves of the provisions that God is desirous to give. He has solutions available for the complexities of today. Standing firm and voicing our conviction takes courage and humility. “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence” (Isa. 62:6).
We are also called to be ambassadors of peace to the world at large. Prayer is key in seeking to understand what God would have us to do. The Gospels twice record that Jesus entreated his disciples to pray that laborers would be sent into the harvest (Matt. 9:38; Luke 10:2).
Leaders, fathers, men of today: Do not become weary in your calling! There is yet a way for Christian families to be faithful and pure. Isaiah 35:8 says that “an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it.”
We must lead our families with courage, faith, and purpose, praying earnestly and often. God is pleased to hear our petitions ascending to his throne. He desires to pour out his abundant grace and mercy upon us and our families. He is a Father to fathers, and He knows what every father needs. Finally, may it be said by our children of their father, “He prays often.”
Questions
- What are signs of a lack in our prayer life?
- If the family if going through a hard time financially or otherwise, how much should be discussed in front of the children?
- What does it mean to fervently pray?
- As young people, what are our responsibilities to our fathers?
- Why is God honored when we call upon Him?
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).