Precious Gifts for Your Children — Two Gifts God Gives to Fathers

The sermon opens by observing that despite hundreds of parenting books available today, a 2012 Times/CNN survey found that two-thirds of American parents believe their children are spoiled. The pastor asserts that the two greatest gifts God gives to fathers are the Bible and prayer—things that outlast all wealth, reputation, and health. However, to receive these gifts, a father must first personally trust in Jesus Christ as his own Savior.

Three biblical lessons for fathers are presented in detail. First, fathers must discipline their children consistently and in love, drawing from Proverbs 1:7-9; 22:6 and Hebrews 12:7. The pastor clarifies that discipline is not merely scolding but correcting wrong and teaching right, with the ultimate goal of raising self-sufficient children. Parents should expand boundaries according to age and responsibility, and should not remove every obstacle from their children's path, since failure and hardship are invaluable teachers. Second, a father must love his wife faithfully and tenderly, because a healthy marriage is one of the most important foundations for a child's emotional stability, as taught in Ephesians 5:25-28.

The third lesson is to teach God's Word through one's own life. The pastor distinguishes between two ways children learn Scripture: gaining knowledge from books and imitating their parents' living example. He emphasizes that the latter is by far the more important, since no institution teaches godly living as effectively as the home itself. Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 4:15-16; 11:1 and 2 Timothy 3:10 are cited as the biblical call to model faith for the next generation. The pastor also issues a pointed warning: words of criticism and gossip about church leaders or fellow believers, spoken in the home, directly destroy children's faith. He calls the congregation to speak words of grace as instructed in Ephesians 4:29.

The final section presents prayer as the most precious and enduring gift parents can give their children—regardless of distance, age, or life circumstances. The pastor connects parental intercession to the supreme example of Jesus Christ, who prayed for His disciples on the night of His arrest (John 17:9, 11, 20-21). Both the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27) and Jesus Christ (Romans 8:34) are currently interceding for believers, and this reality is offered as the strongest motivation for fathers to pray faithfully for their children every day of their lives.