Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: Here's a father instructing and warning his son. And yet, how exciting it is when a father gives instruction to his children and his children do not see hypocrisy but they obey their father's counsel. Because there's power behind those words because of his life. Fathers, be men of integrity.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. It is so good to have you with us today for our continuing focus on the life of a Christian father. Today, Raul will urge you to maintain authenticity in your spiritual walk, setting an example of faith and obedience in your home.

You'll see that spending more time in God's word and in prayer will help you naturally develop habits of righteousness while establishing your spiritual credibility in your family's eyes. Today's lesson is a father's counsel to his son in Proverbs chapter four. Here's Raul Ries.

Raul Ries: I want to share a message this morning, and I'm talking to Christian fathers because we have been chosen by the Lord. We have received the Lord as our Lord and Savior, and so the Bible speaks to our hearts and gives us instructions on the way we should really take care of our families. That's real importance.

And yet God has a purpose for each man that is here this morning because he wants you to become the leader of your home and he wants you to become the provider for your home. Look what he says to Solomon in Proverbs chapter four, verse one. Hear, my children or my sons, the instruction of a father and give attention to know understanding.

For I give you good doctrine. Do not forsake my law. First of all, we see that a godly father or a Christian father has to be a man of the word of God. If you're a father today and you're not reading the Bible, you're not studying the Bible, then really, what can you give to your children? And if you're a grandfather, what can you give to your grandchildren that is godly?

What kind of counsel will you give to them if you do not know God's word? It's really important to become a man of the word, a man of the word, to make sure you're taking time in the morning when you get up before you go to work to spend time in the word and in prayer for yourself and for your family.

Throughout the day as you go out to the world to work, that you remember that you're married and you have children and keep your family in prayer throughout the day. Why? Because the enemy attacks the wives and attacks your children. That's becoming a spiritual leader over your home.

And that's why Solomon here speaks as an expert and he says, as a father, I give you good doctrine. Do not forsake my law. He says, when I was my father's son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, he also taught me. My father taught me and said to me, let your heart retain my words and keep my commands and live.

David talking to Solomon, his son. Get wisdom. Get understanding. Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her for she will preserve you. Love her and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing. Therefore, get wisdom and all your getting get understanding.

Exalt her and she will promote you. She will bring you honor when you have embraced her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace and a crown of glory she will deliver to you. Notice the importance of God's word, wisdom, knowledge.

The Bible also says that God made the man as the leader of the house to be the trainer of his children in the ways of the Lord. Back in the Old Testament in the book of Deuteronomy chapter six, verse four through about six, seven. Actually, Moses was talking to parents and he said, hear, oh Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord or one God.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and you shall talk of them when you sit down in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you get up.

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be frontlets between your eyes and you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Putting up scripture in your house so that your kids can read scriptures. It's really important that here we take the counsel. Why?

Because this is a great responsibility that all men have been given by the Lord. God has said that. And yet I know that this morning there will be many men that are not spiritual leaders of their homes. They're not. And you need to take the responsibility here this morning to say, for me and my house, we're going to serve the Lord no matter what.

Why? Because there are great problems in life today. And yet it seems that people do not listen to what the word of God declares. I am amazed as I read the New Testament how Paul the apostle, even though he was a Pharisee and according to history, he was married at one time.

Either his wife died or his wife left him because of Christ. You couldn't be in the Sanhedrin and not have a wife. He was married and his wife left him or died. But he found a young man by the name of Timothy. Paul never had kids.

But he found this kid by the name of Timothy and he took upon himself to disciple him and to train him and to lead him as a spiritual father in the kingdom of God. Listen to what he wrote to him in first Timothy chapter four, verse 11.

He starts and he says, now these things command and teach Timothy. Let no one despise you because you're young. Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Until I come, give attention to reading the Bible, exhorting and doctrine.

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, the laying of hands in the eldership. As Timothy grew up through his grandmother and his mother, as he became a disciple of Paul and he was in the ministry, they laid hands on Timothy.

He says, meditate on these things, give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to all. He says, you're going to grow spiritually. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine, the Bible. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save yourself and those that are listening to you. Interesting.

A father's counsel to his son. Son, if you walk with God, many will follow you. Many will follow you. Fathers, we need to be like Paul. Love and instruct our children in God's word so they can know what's right and what's wrong.

Fathers need to pray and be kind to them, loving them, caring for them, taking care of your children's needs, being a great example in the home of a spiritual leader in the home. That's what the Bible teaches. Fathers are to be the providers of the family.

I know that mothers have to work today, but I beg you, if your wife doesn't have to work, keep her at home where she belongs with her children, with her grandchildren. This is what the Bible teaches us. It's really important for those little ones to know their mothers.

Fathers have to be good examples to their children, becoming the spiritual leader of the home in every way, in every area of life, so that God can bless you. Remember Joshua when he became the leader as Moses died and he took care of the actual nation of Israel?

As the years passed by and he became an old man getting ready to die, he gathered his wife together, his children, his grandchildren, and he called the nation of Israel to gather together, for he wanted to speak to them one more time. And this is what he said.

Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your father served on the other side of the river in Egypt and serve the Lord. And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day who you will serve.

Whether the gods which your father served on the other side of the river or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell now. But as for me and my house, notice the spiritual leader, we will serve the Lord. And as the nation called out and said, oh no, no, we're going to worship the Lord.

The Lord is the one that we want for us, for our children and our grandchildren and our great grandchildren. Words are very sounding, very nice when we hear them, but do they really have effect? Are they powerful? Yes, they are. But how many times words become cheap words?

They have no effect at all. You say, what do you mean? Well, all we have to do after these people answer Joshua and they affirm that they would take care of their children and their grandchildren is to go to the book of Judges chapter two, verse 10 and listen to what happened.

And when all the generation, Joshua's generation, had been gathered to their fathers, they died. Another generation rose up after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which he had done for Israel. And what did they do? They worshipped other gods. That's what I see today is happening.

And ask how many people really truly know God and how many of those children in the world are being taught the word of God. Even in Christian schools, the non-believer, they actually don't want their kids to go to secular school so they put them in private schools and the parents don't know the Lord.

And the children that are in that Christian school, they're learning about God but when they go home, they're coming into an atheistic home. But at least the word of God is being sown in the hearts of those children that maybe one day they'll make a decision. Happens all the time.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. It's always our privilege to support you in your spiritual walk. Visit us anytime at somebodylovesyou.com to explore our many resources, including Raul's six-part study specifically designed to instruct and encourage Christian fathers with biblical truth. Now back to more with Raul Ries.

Raul Ries: It says this, and then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals, and they forsook the Lord their God of their fathers who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. And they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them and they bowed down to them and they provoked the Lord to anger.

And they forsook the Lord and served the other God like Baal and Ashtoreth. And then the anger of the Lord came and he brought plunderers against them. All of the actual foreigners of other lands came with their gods and they began to oppress the people and to take over the land.

The parents or the fathers have not taken the time to teach their children. And yet the word of God is covered by the responsibility and the accountability that parents should have to their children, especially fathers. Here is Solomon again talking to his son.

In chapter one of Proverbs, verse eight, he says, my son, hear the instruction of your father and do not forsake the law of your mother. For they will be graceful ornaments on your head, they will be chains to your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, don't consent.

His father is giving instruction to his son concerning gang activity. These are people that are trying to recruit other children into the gangs. Check this out. If they say, come with us, let us lie in wait and shed blood, let us lurk secretly for innocent blood without cause.

Let us swallow them up alive and Sheol and whole and like those who go down to the pit. We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, we shall fill our houses with spoil. Cast in your lot among us and let us all have one purse. So they're thinking of breaking into houses, stealing, robbing and killing.

Interesting. Verse 15, my son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path. Notice that, a father's instruction to his children. And then how about in the book of Proverbs concerning wisdom?

In Proverbs chapter two, verse one, he says, my son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding. Yes, and if you cry out for discernment and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver and search for her as hidden treasures.

Then you will be understanding and the fear of the Lord will be in your life and you will find knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, for his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright, he is a shield to those who walk uprightly.

He guards the path of justice and preserves the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and a good path. When wisdom enters your heart and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you, understanding will keep you to deliver you from the way of evil and from the men who speak perverse things.

You see the importance of God's word? Fathers teaching your children, mothers also teaching their children. Real important. In chapter three of Proverbs again, he says, my son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands.

For length of days and long life and peace will add to you. If you get the word of God and you study it and you put it in your life, you're going to have longevity of life. Your life will be good. Then he says, let not mercy and truth forsake you, bind them around your neck, write them from the table of your heart.

And so find favor in high esteem in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not into your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge God and he will direct your paths. Beautiful, beautiful. And then check this out, fathers, if you have sons and daughters.

In chapter five of Proverbs, verse one, he says, my son, pay attention to my wisdom, lend your ear to my understanding that you may preserve discretion and your lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of an immoral woman drip like honey and her mouth is smoother than oil.

Now he's going to talk to them about prostitution and evil women that can actually take down your sons. He says, and her mouth is smoother than oil, but the end she's bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold of hell.

Lest you ponder her path of life, her ways are unstable, you do not know them. Here's a father talking to his son. Therefore, hear me now, my son, and my children, do not depart from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far, far from her and do not go near the door of her house.

Now, let me say this. If a father gives that kind of instruction to his son or to his daughter, but that father or mother are adulterous, how can the word of God really stick to your children? It can't. You have to be a doer of God's word. You can't be a hypocrite.

He says again, lest you give your honor to others and your years to the cruel one. Lest aliens be filled with your wealth, your labor goes to the house of foreigners. You mourn at last when your flesh and your body are consumed. I'm so happy he put that in there.

You know what he says? If you go to another woman, which is a prostitute or one that's been around and she has a venereal disease, you'll get it. He says it right there. Check this out. And then you're going to say, oh, how I hated instruction and my heart despised correction.

I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined my ear to those who instruct me. I was on the very verge of total ruin in the midst of the assembly of the congregation. Here is a father instructing and warning his son.

And yet how exciting it is when a father gives instruction to his children and his children do not see hypocrisy but they obey their father's counsel. Because there's power behind those words because of his life, a man of integrity. Fathers, be men of integrity.

Make sure you know what you're saying as you're doing what God says in his word. And then I think it's really important that as you receive that counsel from God for your children, receive also this counsel for your wives. Love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.

If you don't love your wife, you need to repent. You need to be kind and gentle with your wives. You need to go to your wife and say, I'm sorry for what you've done. You say, but you don't understand my wife. I don't have to understand your wife.

God does. You need to go as a spiritual leader to God for God's help and God's insight and God's wisdom. And I think it's so beautiful because Paul the apostle again in the book of Ephesians says, husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her.

That he might sanctify and cleanse her by the washing of the water by the word. Paul there says, husbands, get your wives into the word, give them a teaching in God's word, pray with them, read with them, spiritually speaking. You need to do that.

Why? That he might present his wife, notice to himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his wife loves himself. He says, for no one ever yet hated his own body. But what does he do? He nourishes it, he cherishes it just as the Lord does the church. If God takes care of the church, your wife is a type of the church, you need to take care of her.

Guest (Male): It is good to be reminded that we are constantly under observation from our children, so it's crucial that we model faithfulness and integrity in our spiritual life. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Today's study was titled A Father's Counsel to His Son.

For a donation of five dollars or more, we'll send an unedited copy to you. Just call us at 800-634-9165. Now to equip you to lead by example, we'd like to tell you about Raul's six-part series for fathers, available on either CD or USB.

This study includes today's message plus five others underscoring your unique role and responsibilities as a Christian dad. You'll also explore the rich blessings that come from establishing an environment of faith in your home. To purchase Raul's six-lesson father's series, visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165.

We'll send you the CD collection for 19 dollars or the flash drive for 10 dollars. The number once again is 800-634-9165. Or write to Somebody Loves You Radio, PO Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California, 91765. Our many free resources can strengthen you anywhere you go.

Browse iTunes and Spotify for podcasts of all of our previously aired programs and download our Somebody Loves You app for live-streamed Bible teaching and digital Bible studies. The Somebody Loves You Worldwide YouTube channel is also a helpful hub of Bible-rich teaching in a variety of formats, including Straight Talk with Raul, which streams Tuesdays at 10 a.m. West Coast time.

We are blessed by your partnership as we share the good news of God's word with the world. Every donation you make is tax-deductible. Next time we'll continue this father's series with inspiration from the faith and obedience of Joseph, a man who endured great personal hardship but was used by God in extraordinary ways. Now here's Raul once again with a final comment.

Raul Ries: For we are members of his body and of his flesh and of his bones. And for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, shall be glued to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. For this is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Nevertheless, let each one of you husbands in so particular so love his own wife as himself and let the wife see that she respects her husband. You say my wife doesn't respect me. Well, maybe you don't love your wife. When a husband loves his wife, the wife will respect him.

You see, Jesus never said to the wife love your husband. Jesus says submit to your husbands as unto the Lord. But the only way there can be submission is when there's true love. That's the only way. Otherwise, there is no love and there is no submission. Same thing with God.

If I don't submit myself to God, how can I say I love God? I won't be able to obey unless I broke myself before God. I am a broken man before God, and I'm submitting my whole life to him because I love him and because he loves me.

And then God can begin to work in your marriage and in your relationship with Jesus Christ. Well, he'll pour his Holy Spirit upon you, upon your wife, upon your children, and then we can say that we are surely living in a godly home that fears the Lord.

Guest (Male): This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.