In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the importance of fathers in raising their children in a way that allows them to receive the blessings of God. He shares the story of Esau, a son who sold his birthright and missed out on the blessing intended for him. The speaker emphasizes the need for fathers to guide their children in a manner that enables them to make an impact for Christ in the world. He also highlights the significance of having a blessed family that can be a blessing to others. Throughout the sermon, the speaker encourages fathers to seek God's blessing and to be a source of blessing to their households.

We welcome you again today to On Eagle's Wings. I'd like to start off by reading a part of Genesis chapter 27, starting in verse 30. And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting. And Esau had made savory meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? Where is he that had taken venison, and brought it me? And I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him. Yea, and he shall be blessed. And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. And he said, Thy brother came with subtlety, and had taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? For he had supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? Heavenly Father, we ask your blessing on this program today. We ask that thou would bless us according as we line ourselves up to receive your blessing. Father, we thank you for the time that we have to read your word and to listen. We pray now that your spirit would open up our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and that your spirit would anoint my tongue to speak your word with truth, and in a way that it might be a blessing. And we will thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. The other night as I was seeking God and listening to what the Spirit of God would have for us, I was listening to a preacher preach, and he said something about the blessing. He was talking actually about Jacob, when Jacob was wrestling with the Lord, and it's like the Lord pricked me on that, on the blessing. And I was thinking, well, how does that tie in? How would that tie in with Father's Day? And I just kept listening and waiting for the Spirit. And the next day my wife shared something with me, and the Lord just seemed to put it all together then. She'd went into our dentist and was talking with the dentist, taking a couple of our children in, or one of our children in, and herself. And she, in conversing with the dentist, had talked to him about some things, and then she just felt like God had led her to ask him this question, and she'd been prompted when she was out in the waiting room. And so she did. She said, you know, my husband has not been able to work for the last few weeks, and since then he's been having a lot of time to pray. And she said to him, how could we pray for you? Is there anything we can pray for you about? And she said the dentist just stopped, looked at her, I think he took off his glasses and just stared, stared at her, and then tears began to come into his eyes. And he said some things about not having a lot of great problems with maybe cancer in the family and things like that, but mentioned something about his teenagers, and teenagers running up and down the road and growing up in life, and something about maybe there might be something in the area with raising the teenagers. I don't know if he has problems or anything like that, but there must have been some concerns in his heart, because he almost had tears in his eyes. And he said something to my wife. He said, you know what it's like raising teenagers, and you have some. We've got a couple left. I think we've got about 18 years of raising teenagers in the year experience so far, and we've got many more years coming up, the Lord willing. But he said this to her, you know what it's like. In other words, he was implying, you know what it's like when you're trying to raise teenagers, and things just don't always go, and you've got struggles. And my wife thought, no, she didn't know what that was like for us, because we haven't had a moment's trouble with our teenagers. We could commit our whole affairs to our teenagers, finances, running the house, running the little business and everything to them, and go off for a week and not worry about a thing, except maybe their survival with some of the younger ones. But God just blessed us. We have two teenagers now, and one's grown out of the teenage years. And it's just been a great blessing to us, our children. Matter of fact, our children are just such a blessing. I enjoy each one of them. I like being with them. I like being with them collectively, or I like being with each of them individually. They're just a real joy. Matter of fact, I wish you could meet my children. I wish you could meet my wife, my family. And I've been even thinking about maybe we could have a get-together sometime later on this fall. We've completed seven years of this ministry, and I thought it might be good if we could just have a get-together and meet sometime. We might even like to try to sing you a song or two, and the kids might like to play their violins or something. We just like to minister and share. We're not great singers or anything like that, but we do enjoy the Lord and sharing the blessing of the Lord. And as I thought on this passage, here was a man, a young man possibly, struggling. He had sold his birthright. Here was a mom working things around so the son would get that which legally he was supposed to have that God intended. But here is a son who lived life loosely, and the father loved this son, loved both his sons, but he really seemed to maybe favor this son. He was a man's man. Out there in the woods, he would tackle it. He would wrestle it. He would get it. He was a man's man, and Isaac liked him. Loved this son especially, but this son did not get the blessing. And if you can just imagine him crying out to his father these words, Don't you have a blessing for me? Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. The other day, my wife and I were driving down Main Drag in Joplin, Missouri, and we saw some teenagers in front of us. The back window was busted out. Two boys and a girl in the back. And one boy was trying to get this girl interested in him. And they were all kids. In the front, there was one wild-looking boy with his hair really wild-looking, earrings hanging down. And I thought, Where is the father? Where are the parents of these children? You know what? Many of us have turned our, I say us, in identifying with the struggles that you have, but many of us have turned our children loose to the devil. Many Christians have turned their children loose to the devil. And it's a sad thing because these children were not meant to be turned loose to the devil. Now, I've got some things I'd like to share with you today. I've been seeking God on this. In relation to the father and Father's Day and a blessing. And I've prayed before I started this that God would just give me control on the time. You see, I've spent all afternoon, and some time the other day, but all afternoon going through studying the word blessing. Bless, blessing, and blessed. There was bless, blessed, blessed, blessing, and blessings. All in Genesis, and I studied them, and it's just really good. And I know, I don't dare try to tackle all of this and share it with you. It's just, we could take several weeks on it. But it was so good. As the Spirit of God just opens up, and you can do these things too, and I know you do. Just opened up these truths. Do you know when the word first blessed was used? And things like that, it was Genesis 1, 22. God blessed whales. But you come on over, and God put a special blessing on Adam and Eve. And as I come through here, I noticed how God especially blessed the father. And as God blesses the father, the father blesses his household. And this is the way it's supposed to be. Actually, with the blessing that Jacob got, there was seven aspects of this blessing that he got from Esau. It was no light thing. You see, Jacob secured the father's blessing for success. Basic general happiness. And also, he received a double portion of the father's property. He was also to become the family head. He would be the family priest. He would be in the line of the Savior. He would inherit the title deed of Canaan. And he would be the patriot of a great nation. It was no little thing that Esau had thrown away and thrown away his birthright. And when our children turn away from the ways of God, it's no little thing. And when fathers do not lead their children into the blessing of God, it is no little thing. And God will hold fathers accountable. You see, I believe that there's basically at least five areas, and maybe you could give me some more, that it's our responsibility as fathers to secure God's blessing on His children. God expects us to secure their schooling, to be interested in their schooling. And our children today, if we put them under ungodly teachers that will teach them ungodly values, they will turn out ungodly. So the father's responsible for the schooling. Whatever the teacher is will be impacted and imparted into the life of your children. Even if you have a Christian school teacher or a Sun School teacher, if there are some problems in that teacher's life, it's going to affect your children and thus it's going to affect you. The father's also responsible for the mate. To pray and secure the right mate for his children. And to teach them and ground them in Scripture that when they get married, it is until death will part them. And so he prays for the guidance in that. And he will instruct his children that the ways of God are holy and special and precious. And thus he will protect his children and keep them from going out into the world on dates. He will instruct them that courtship is God's method. This is God's way. Another thing, he will secure the blessing on his children for their profession. If they are young ladies, if he has girls, then they will be directed to be godly mothers. And they will be instructed in the home. If they are young men, then they will be led into the profession. And sometimes the father will apprenticeship the young men out as he sees the way that they are supposed to go. As he sees that way, then he may get some help in apprenticeshiping them out. The father is also responsible for the spiritual life of the children. In other words, the father is responsible to secure their soul in Christ. To pray for that salvation. To believe God for their salvation. And to bring them under the circumstances and the instruction of the word. And godly instruction. The father also in the spiritual life of his children is responsible for their walk with God. For the devotional time that he has with the family. And then there is a fifth area. And that is, he is responsible for the physical life of his children. To be the doctor. To call for the elders if necessary. To be alert to that which would hurt his family physically. To know when to call for the doctor. When to pray. When to use the means that God has given to us. So, in the matter of their schooling, in the matter of their mate, in their profession, their spiritual life and their physical life, the father is responsible to secure God's blessing on his children. You know, basically the definition of blessing means to bring to a state of happiness. And it's also tied in with praising God. To bless God. But to bring to a state of happiness. You know, when a father brings his family into this state of blessingness, then that family is a blessing to other folks. And they in turn will be blessed. What an encouragement it has been to us to have friends over the years. Families that have been blessings to us. And they have blessed us. And I was just thinking, we've got so many friends. It's just such a blessing to know that we have so many friends. Not only in this area, but around the country. That we can call on and say, would you pray for us? Would you help us in this area? Or how can we help you? What a blessing it is. You know, as I went through the scriptures. Let me just take you for a few minutes and bring you through some scriptures if I can. If I can get my bifocal and trifocal to focus around here. I have trouble sometimes with that. It's not old age, is it? Just eyes wearing out. That's all. But anyway, as I went through here, maybe we'll pick up in Genesis 12. On this thing of blessing. Because you see, God had told Abraham. He told Abraham. He said, get thee out of thy country from the kindred. And from thy father's house into a land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation. And I will bless thee. And make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing. Isn't that good? And I will bless them that bless thee. And curse him that cursed thee. And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. This is the principle. God wants the family to be blessed. And God wants that family to be a blessing. As the blessing comes, so the blessing goes. As God blesses the father, the father blesses his family. And the family blesses those around him. A faithful man shall abound with blessing, the proverb says. Proverbs 28, 20. And so Abraham was instructed to be a blessing. That God would bless him. You come on down to chapter 14. And there's another mention of blessing. In verse 19 and 20. And we might miss a lot of places. But this is when Abraham went off to rescue that rascal Lot. You remember when he came back? It says that in verse 18 of Genesis 14. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. And he was a priest of the Most High God. And he blessed him. And said, Blessed be Abraham of the Most High God. Possessor of heaven and earth. And he blessed. And blessed be the Most High God. Which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand. And he gave him tithes of all. One thing that the father is responsible is for the spiritual welfare of his family. And Abraham knew how to secure the blessing of God. And the blessing of the priest. Oh what a blessing it is for the father to receive for his family. The blessing from his church when he goes there. The father should be able to take his family to a church. That will bring a blessing to his family. And they will go out with their spirit. Revived with their spirit. Encouraged with joy in their hearts. So that they can go out and minister. The church is to be a place of blessing. And Abraham was blessed by the priest. Of course this has a beautiful lesson of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now if we might slip on over to another place maybe. And go to maybe 17. Genesis 17. We'll just pick up some places. And also in verse 16. And God, start off in 15. And God said unto Abraham as for Sarai thy wife. Thou shall not call her name Sarai. But Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her and give thee a son also of her. Yea I will bless her and she shall be a mother of nations. Kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed. And said in his heart. Shall a child be born unto him that is 100 years old. And shall Sarah that is 90 years old bear. And Abraham said unto God. Oh that Ishmael might live before thee. And God said Sarah thy wife. Shall bear thee a son indeed. And thou shall call his name Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him. For an everlasting covenant. And with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael I have heard thee. Behold I have blessed him. And will make him fruitful. And will multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget. And I will make him a great nation. Now let's come back to this first part. Abraham knew how to secure the blessing of God himself. And the blessing of God for his wife. A father as he secures the blessing of God. Will see that his wife is blessed also. You look at the countenance of a man's wife. And you can tell if he's meeting her needs. By the countenance that's upon his wife's face. You can tell what kind of shape the father is in. The man, the husband is. By the countenance of his wife. I look at a man's wife and I see her radiant. And I say her husband is blessing her. And oh what a blessing my wife is to me. Oh what a blessing it is to receive a godly wife from the Lord. And if we might want to slip on to another passage or two. Here we could go to chapter oh say 18. And there was more in that. But let's look at 18. In chapter 18 and verse 16. And the men rose up from thence and looked towards Sodom. And Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I shall do. Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation. And all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. Did you get that? In him. For I know him that he will command his children. That means he will appoint or he will give a charge to his children. And his household after him. And they shall keep the way of the Lord. To do justice and judgment. That the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he had spoken of him. Oh fathers. Secure God's blessing upon yourself. That you might secure it upon your household. That God may bring to pass that which he wants to do in your life. As God blessed the father. The father blessed his household. And the household was a blessing to those around him. What a testimony that God gave of Abraham. That he would be a blessed man. And if we wanted to go over to something else. We're familiar with chapter 22. Chapter 22 you know is the passage where Abraham offered up his son Isaac. One of the most tremendous, stupendous, powerful testimonies of a man's faith. In God is this chapter. And if you come down to verse 17. Well start back in 15 or 16 again. And the angel of the Lord called into Abraham out of heaven the second time. And said by myself have I sworn said the Lord. For because thou has done this thing. And has not withheld thy son. Thine only son. And let me tell you this. So many Christians are tight with God. They're chintzy. And because of that they can't receive the blessing that God has for them. My friend. Give it all to God that he might give it all back to you. Multiplied. Pressed down. That in blessing. Verse 17. God said that in blessing. I will bless thee. And in multiplying. I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven. And as the sand which is upon the seashore. In thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Did you notice that. God told Abraham that his seed would possess the gate of his enemies. Do you remember what the scripture says in Psalms 127. Verse 5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. Talking about children. Because children are a heritage of the Lord. The fruit of the room is his reward. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed. But they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Now I'm going to close down with some thoughts here. Fathers. Are your children being raised in such a manner. Receiving the blessing of God in their life. That they can speak with the enemy in the gate. Or has the enemy swarmed in through the gate. And taken over your children. Fathers. Are your children being raised in such a way. That they can go out into the world. And make an impact for Christ. And be a flavor and a light. Or has the world taken over your children. And I've got another question for you fathers in closing. Because you see as God blesses the father. The father blesses his household. And his family then is a blessing to those around him. As God blesses the father. And as the blessing comes. So the blessing goes. Father. Let me ask you this question in closing. Do you have God's blessing on your life? Do you have God's blessing on your life? If not. Don't go on without it. Whatever it takes. You get it. For a faithful man shall abound with blessing. May God bless you. As you apply the truth of his word to your life.