Qualities of a God-Fearing Father
By Pastor Dan Kennedy
© June 21, 2020
Psalm 112
1 Praise the Lord.
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in His commands. 2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. 5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. 7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is secure; he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. 9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor. 10 The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
What does it mean to be God-Fearing?
It could be summarized in many ways, but “God-fearing” could also be summarized from one verse in Hebrews 11:6:
· God Exists: A God-fearing father must believe that God exists, and he evidences his faith through “earnestly seeking God”
Hebrews 11:6a
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists…
· Accountability:
Hebrews 11:6b
6 …and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
A God-fearing father recognizes that there is just accountability to the God in whom he believes: Both God’s profound reward of blessing for those who earnestly seek Him; and, alternatively, God has Just punishment for the scoffing carnal person, who is sinfully corrupt, does his or her own thing, and denies, even ridicules in their heart, any accountability to God’s Throne.
o Accountability in Rewards of blessing for earnestly seeking God
o Accountability in Just Condemnation for those rejecting God
A father who is truly “God-Fearing:”
1. Believes in God
2. Is Accountable to God
Psalm 111:10
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
God-Fearing: Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists
and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Qualities of a God-Fearing Father
Psalm 112
1a Praise the Lord!
Praise to God: Praise and thanksgiving to God are found throughout the whole of the Scripture…
A God-fearing father gives the ultimate credit for any success in his life:
· Not to his own gifts and ability,
· Not to his family or other mentors,
· Not to his personal life’s goals or accomplishments
A God-fearing father strives give first place in his life to no one except God.
He is a person who gives Praise and Thanksgiving to God, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things!
A Father who Fears the Lord will be Blessed
1b Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in His commands.
· He distances himself from that which is not honorable to God
· He surrounds himself with that which would give him a deeper and stronger relationship with God: Understanding of God’s Word, including fellowship and relationships with those who live lives honoring, loving and knowing God.
· And he graciously reaches out to those who do not have Christ in their lives.
God-Fearing Heritage: A God-Fearing Father’s Goal is to raise his Children to be God-Fearing too
Ps.112:2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Why was Abraham chosen to be the Father of the Israelites and of all the “Children of Faith?”
[Genesis 18:18–19 Passage background: The three angelic visitors got up to leave after having informed Abraham (and Sarah) about the coming birth of his promised son, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. Then the Lord said to the two angels with Him, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do regarding Sodom?” He continued below…]
Genesis 18:18–19
18 “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lordwill bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.”
Other selected passages regarding Children and Child raising:
Deuteronomy 6:6–7
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Proverbs 22:6
6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Ephesians 6:4
4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
1 Timothy 3:4–5
4 He [a church elder] must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
Titus 1:6
6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.
A Greater Wealth – Wisdom, Relationships, Righteousness, Reward: A God-Fearing Father concentrates on wealth of which the rest of the world has little understanding
Ps.112:3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
Spiritual Wisdom
Proverbs 8:10–11
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Being Rich Toward God
Luke 12:19–21
19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
Spiritual Wealth supersedes physical wealth
1 Timothy 6:17–19
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generousand willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Hope: A God-Fearing Father has hope in the darkness
Ps.112:4a Even in darkness light dawns for the upright…
The Apostle Paul had times of darkness:
o He struggled with his old carnal nature
Romans 7:18–20
18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Romans 8:1–2
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
o He struggled with his own pride from time to time – and the issues he dealt with from those who opposed him.
2 Corinthians 12:1–5
1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.
o He struggled with his “thorn in the flesh:”
2 Corinthians 12:7–10
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Was Paul’s “Thorn” a physical issue?
Galatians 4:13–15; 6:11
13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14 Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15 What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
Galatians 6:11
11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
o He struggled with the darkness of abuses in the places he preached and churches in which he ministered
2 Corinthians 4:8–9
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed….
o Paul struggled through the adverse circumstances and issues he faced in traveling and sharing The Gospel
2 Corinthians 11:23–28
23 … I worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
o He felt times of darkness through confinements in prison, for those who did not support him in various intense confrontations…sometime afterward he went to his execution, when any “darkness” was forever over.
2 Timothy 4:14–18
14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hope: A God-Fearing Father has hope in the darkness
Qualities that humbly flow in darkness: A God-Fearing Father strives to emulate qualities from God even in times of darkness
Ps.112:4a Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
Ps.112:4b for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
When God’s qualities of graciousness, compassion and righteousness humbly flow through a God-Fearing father who is experiencing a time of swirling, smothering, breath-consuming darkness, God may allow those closely observing to also see supernatural light and grace both dawning toward the God-Fearing father – as God’s answer in his dark dilemma; and, light, grace and righteousness gently being distributed from the God-Fearing father – to also be a “present” of gracious compassion as God’s gift through him, to others.
Gracious, compassionate righteousness. God gives His light to those evidencing His gracious qualities in darkness.
Good Outcomes: A God-Fearing Father will see Good come from his gracious lifestyle [Deep down satisfaction in life cannot be obtained by embracing the world’s qualities of greed, clawing for success, carnality and injustice.]
Ps.112:5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.
“Look at my life,” Paul says, “do you want to have an honorable life and an eternal hope that I have, or do you want the sordid outcome of a life of lasciviousness, or unobtainable legalism, or a gathering of assets, that you see others die with?”
· “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Cor. 11:1
· “Therefore, I urge you to imitate me.” 1 Cor. 4:16
· “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” Phil. 3:17–18
· “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” 1 Thess. 1:6–7
· “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Phil. 4:9
Good Outcomes: A God-Fearing Father will see Good come from his gracious and godly lifestyle
Long-term Stability: A God-Fearing Father has strength which keeps him stable and which will not be forgotten
Ps.112:6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.
Steadfast Trust when bad news comes: A God-Fearing Father is sustained during tough times from anxiety and fear by his steadfast trust in God
Ps.112:7-8 7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is secure; he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
Lifestyle of Generosity and Integrity:
A God-Fearing Father is generous, a man of integrity and will be honored by God
Ps.112:9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.
Stark Contrast to the Wicked:
Those who are not God-fearing will, in the end, see no good (Ps. 73:17-18)
Ps.112:10 The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
Qualities of a God-Fearing Father
· Praise to God!
· A Father who Fears the Lord will be Blessed
· A God-Fearing Heritage
· A Greater Wealth
· Hope, even in darkness
· Enduring Qualities: Gracious Compassion and Righteousness
· Good Outcomes
· Long-term Stability
· Steadfast Trust when bad news comes
· Benefits of Generosity and Integrity
· Stark Contrast with the finality of the Wicked
[1] Nyberg, M. F. (2016). Children. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.