Psalm 128, we started this series back on Mother's Day, and it concludes today, this Father's Day. Now this Psalm is God's blueprint for the home. It is God's blessings of harmony that he wants to give to your family. You want God's blessings on your home. I want God's blessings on my home. And Brother John, we've thought about it like this. No one would take a pile of materials and from that begin building a structure called a house. Nobody would do that without a blueprint. Yet so many set out to build a home with no idea of God's design, no idea of God's plan, no idea of God's blueprint for the relationships that form that home. It doesn't make a lot of sense and our homes are in disarray. And it's been my hope, friend, it's been my prayer that God would take this series and the power of this text and instill in each of you a desire of the blessings of Psalm 128 for your home. All right, the holistic harmonics of a happy home. Well, the first thing we learned in Psalm 128 was the requirements for family blessings. In verse one, it tells us what those are. It is he that feareth the Lord and he that walketh in his ways. The second thing we learned from this Psalm was the reach of family blessings. Verse one says, blessed is everyone, mom, dad, children, and grandchildren. The third thing we learn from Psalm 128 was the results of family blessings. And church, those are the centerpiece of this psalm. Well, what are those blessings? Well, there was the success of satisfaction, a happy, laughter-filled home, contentment. Not only the success of satisfaction, number two, there was the success of supply. God will cage the devourer from your home. The third blessing was the blessing of stillness, peace, in the home and at the home country. The fourth blessing we found in this psalm was the success of our successors, our grandchildren. Last week we looked at blessing number five, which was the success of the spouse, the wife, growing, thriving, and encompassing influence on the entire family. And the final blessing we find in Psalm 128 is the success of the sprouts, our children, tender olive plants that will produce godliness for years. Now, church, can you believe all of that? Just two requirements, fearing the Lord and walking in his ways in exchange for that truckload of blessings. And isn't that just like God? So good to us, makes it so easy, gives us way more in exchange than that which was asked for. You know, I think about the Garden of Eden. God says, Adam, Eve, this whole garden is yours. Just don't eat of this one singular tree. I mean, everything else was theirs. They had maximum freedom. They had maximum liberty, including unlimited, unbridled fellowship with Almighty God. not only the Garden of Eden, I think about the tithe. God says, if you can be trusted to give my 10% back to me for my work on this earth, if you can be trusted for that, I'll open heaven's windows of blessing for you, and you won't even be able to contain it. And then God says, in addition to that, brother Jim, I'm gonna take the devourer and I'm gonna rebuke him from your home. I won't allow him near your place. And then God said, test me, try me and prove me. Jesus said this in Luke chapter six in verse number 38. He said this about giving. He said, give, and it shall be given unto you. Let me give you an illustration of that. Josiah, you're on the end, I get to use you. Come on around here. Give, and it shall be given to you. Take that basket right there. All right, so the idea is this basket. Jesus says, give, and it shall be given unto you. So you give, and God makes sure that which you give is given back to you. But notice also it says, good measure. Not only is God gonna give you back which was given, he's gonna throw some good measure in there, a little extra, a little handfuls on purpose. Give and it shall be given unto you. Good measure, then it says, pressed down. I'm gonna press it down so we can put more in there. You ever did that with a lawn bag of leaves? You press it down so you can fill it up some more. That's exactly what God's talking about. Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, some handfuls on purpose, pressed down, and then shaken together. Make some more space so we can get some more stuff in there. Shaken together, and then overrunning until it overflows shall men give unto your bosom. God gives us way more that which is required of us. I think about the Garden of Eden. I think about the tithe. I think about our salvation. What does the Bible say in the book of Acts chapter 20 and verse 21? The Bible says, when we exercise repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ, then we have salvation in Jesus Christ. Brother Danny, when we get saved, then the mountain of that sin debt is removed. Those hundreds of thousands, millions of sins, they are all gone. We get eternal life in Jesus Christ. and our enemies, death, hell, and the grave, all of our enemies are defeated. And we become an heir of God, a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Everything that is in heaven becomes ours. We get a mansion, a robe, and a crown. Well does the song say, his robes for mine, oh, wonderful exchange. In church, I see the same thing in this psalm. Fear the Lord, walk in his ways, and the blessings of success by the truckload will be infused right into your family. When we take steps with God, when we walk in His ways, brother Dalen, we win and we win big time. Oh, that we would yearn for the blessings of Psalm 128 on our hearts. The holistic harmonics of a happy home. Well, we've seen the requirements for family blessings, the reach of family blessings, the results of family blessings, and number four this morning. Today, I wanna talk to you about the root of family blessings. Look at verse number four, if you would. The Bible says, behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Now each sermon of this series has taught us that it all starts with the man. And so this Father's Day, I wanna give you men a pep talk from the Word of God. We're just gonna get some overarching themes for the man as it relates to the home, okay? When we witness the blessings of this Psalm on a home, understand that that is a direct reflection of the man of that house's devoted leadership to Jesus Christ. Likewise, when we fail to witness the blessings of this Psalm on a home, that also is a direct reflection of the man of that house's devoid leadership to Jesus Christ. Three observations this morning. As we think about that, first of all, I want us to see the essentiality of the man to the home. The essentiality of the man to the home. Now, seeing the man as the head of the house, the spiritual leader, believe me, I understand, is not correct in today's America, but it is his ways. Friend, God predates American society. God predates American politics, so his book will not conform to them. but oh, how wise for us to conform to it though. Let me give you a verse. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11, in verse number three, the Bible says, but I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and that the head of the woman is the man, and that the head of Christ is God. Now the very mention of those words, and the head of every woman is the man, will set some folks' hair on fire. But friend, God's talking about order. Anything without a head is dead. And anything with two heads is a monster. And God wants us to have a vibrant home, one that is wholesome and attractive, so he gives it order. Now, Psalm 128 is often dubbed the Father's Psalm. And that's because the whole thing is written from his vantage point. Notice in verse number three, for instance, it says, and thy wife. In other words, the husband is the subcontractor that is to follow the blueprint that God has given us. And so, Brother Doug, when he fears the Lord, then he shall eat the labor of his hands. When he fears the Lord, happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with him. When he fears the Lord, his wife shall be as a fruitful vine, his children like olive plants round about his table. When he fears the Lord, he'll see his children's children, there'll be peace in his home, there'll be peace in his country. Sir, I tell you, so very much is riding on your decision to fear the Lord and walk in his ways. Being like Adam ain't gonna cut it. Lord, it's the woman that you gave me. Preacher, I tell you, that's what's wrong in my home. Listen, I know that there are rebellious women out there, and I do hope that you're not married to one of them. But that's not the primary problem in our churches. That's not the primary issue in this country. And it really all boils down to this. How much do you love God? Do you love Him above all else? How much do you love God and then how much do you love your wife and your kids? You know what the fundamental problem in America is? You say, yes, those sorry politicians in our woke military. Others will say, no, no, no, it's the DEI, it's the diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools, in our sports, and at our jobs. And then others are arguing, no, that's not it at all. It's the loss of the manufacturing jobs in this country coupled with a generation of folks that don't want to work. That's what the problem is. I hear you, listen on all of those, but hear me, those are just symptoms. The fundamental problem in America is dropout dads, failing fathers, and honorless husbands. And the need, I tell you, of this hour, the need of this hour is for fathers who will be God-fearing and hardworking, for fathers who will love their wives and lead their children. Hear me, it's difficult to be a good man. It's even more difficult to be a good husband. But most difficult of all is to be a good daddy. And yet that is the most important of all. Can I tell you something else? America will not be changed until our families change. And our families will not be changed until the Father is changed. And this church will not be changed until the men are changed. That's tough, but it's the truth. Now I thank God, I do. I thank God for the beautiful work that is spawning from the ladies' ministry of this church. But I believe with all of my heart that God is waiting to see what we men are going to do. And so my message to our men this Father's Day is that you can do it. Listen to the encouragement that God gives to us men. Isaiah chapter 41 in verse number 10, God says, fear thou not for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, I am thy God. I will strengthen thee. Yea, I will help thee. Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Wow. not only the essentiality of the man to the home. Number two this morning, now I want us to think about the example of the man to the home, the example. Sir, can I tell you this morning, the very, very best thing that you can do is to fear God, love your mama, by that I mean your wife, and lead your kids. You say, but preacher, my love for her is growing cold. Well then, sir, you take some wood and put it on a fire and stoke it up a little bit. We can choose to love. It's not love that holds our marriages together, it's marriage that holds our love together. Oh, that we would learn that difference. Something else, sir, did you know that God has placed you inside those four walls of your home to be the pastor of the home? And friend, you are to make everyone in that home a more radiantly beautiful Christian. You say, well, preacher, that's a lot of responsibility. It sure is. You say, pastor, how do I lead my family spiritually? Men, we lead our family by example. And the good news is it is easy to lead. Kids will follow your example and so will a godly wife. The bad news is we can't escape being examples to our children, to our home for good or for bad. And so with that, I ask that the Holy Spirit would have liberty to probe in our hearts as I ask you, are we modeling Christ in the home? Are we ambassadors of Christ in our home? I mean in our attitudes, I'm talking about in our words, in our actions, in our habits, especially under pressure. especially then. Listen, they're a sponge and they are watching everything. And that leadership is explained to us, men. You're in Psalm 128, go back a few chapters, go to Psalm 78, look at verse five. Listen to that leadership that God wants from you. Psalm 78, verse number five. The Bible says, for he, God, for he established a testimony in Jacob, and he appointed a law in Israel. Now, Jacob in Israel is referring to God's people. The testimony, the law, is talking about the word of God, okay? So let's read it with that understanding and context. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children. Make the word of God known to your children. Look at verse six, that the generation to come might know them. So your kids might know the word of God. Even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children. They're gonna know it so well, they're gonna get that foundation in their heart so well that they're gonna grow up and they're gonna teach God's ways and words to their children. Verse seven, that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. Men, the heart of our example is growing in the fear of the Lord. It is walking in his ways. He's a preacher that takes some time. And it does, I understand that it's a process. But my question to you this morning is, are you involved in the process? Are you daily growing in the knowledge of God through his word? Are you daily seeking to make your ways his way so that you can teach the family? We're talking about the example of the man to the home. So in terms of home life, men, we will not use God's name in vain. Neither will we allow that on the television or any device. We will not be flippant about God or his word in the home. We also will not have in our possession trashy magazines or use questionable or unwholesome websites. Why, men? Because we fear the Lord. In terms of home life, men, we will take the initiative of leading the family and reading the word of God. Men, we will take the initiative in leading the family in prayer. Men, we will take the initiative of leading our family in church life and what ministry for Jesus Christ is like. We will take the initiative and lead our family in speech that is seasoned with the salt of grace. Why? Because we fear the Lord. Oh, the impact that would have on your home and on your family. God wants to use you. God can use you. You say, you don't know what I've done, preacher. Be here tonight and look what God did to a man that was so unworthy. God can use anybody. Just be available, be desirous, be steadfast, and watch God transform things. God said this in Ezekiel chapter 16 and verse number 62, and he said, and I will establish my covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Oh, what an encouragement for the man to just take those steps with God and to take those steps with God with an unquestioning assurance of his blessed help as you walk with him. what your wife needs, what your children need is you, dad. Dad with a burning heart that is about to burst, a heart that is set aflame and overflowing with love and devotion for Jesus Christ. And so in terms of the home life, you teach your children Bible stories in the evening. Don't pawn that off to the television or the device and allow those things to instill a secular worldview into your children. You, my friend, you educate the kids. If at all possible, homeschool them or send them to a good Christian school, a good Christian school that is connected to a strong, solid, and sound New Testament church. And you go to the church that God directs you to. Oh, Brother Danny, do you know how many times I've heard people, I've heard men in particular say this, well, I'm going to that church, because that's where my buddies go. Where does God want you to be? That's where the blessings are gonna follow you at. And so in terms of home life, you teach the kids to mow the grass. Get them to help you with things that need repairing around the house. And if they like to play ball, you play ball with them. Don't pawn that stuff out to somebody else where at all possible, you do that with your children. Additionally, men, you pray for your wife and you pray with her. Your wife, find out what her needs and fears are, what they're all about, and then you get with her and you pray her through those things. And you go on dates with her. Weekly is preferable. You plan it, you execute it, dedicated alone time. And lavish her with gentleness. and love, and patience, and forgiveness. And then you take the family to God's house when God's house is open. What I'm saying to you this morning is what your family needs is you and you can give yourself to your family only after you have given yourself to Jesus Christ. The Bible says this in Luke chapter 14 in verse 26, Jesus said, if a man come unto me and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Now that seems shocking, but it's a statement of extremes. And the message is this, compared to our love for Jesus Christ, our love for all others should seem like hate in comparison. Have you gotten to that place in yourself, men? Or do you place your wife ahead of Jesus Christ? Love is always demonstrated by actions, is it not? Do you place your children above Jesus Christ? You are just what your wife and kids need. Be the man that God has designed you to be and flood your home with blessings, flood your family with blessings. but this is what it's gonna take. Jesus said, this is what it's gonna take. In Matthew chapter 22 and verse 37, it's gonna take for you to love the Lord thy God with all of thy heart, for you to love the Lord thy God with all of your soul, and for you to love the Lord thy God with all of thy mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. That's what it's gonna take. A man was outside with his daughter and a gully washer came. I mean, just a gully washer. And they got called, they ran into the barn for cover, and after the rain had stopped, the dad and the daughter came out. They were making their way back to the house. There was mud everywhere from the rain, and the dad was careful to step so he didn't get mud on his feet. And as he was walking, he turned about and looked, and he noticed that his daughter was stepping everywhere that he stepped. And she looked at him and said, Dad, I'm stepping everywhere you step, because I don't want to get mud on my feet. Sir, commit your steps to God so that your children will also. We don't want them getting mud on their feet. The root of family blessings. Thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. We've seen the essentiality of the man to the home. The example of the man to the home, and number three this morning, let's talk about the effects of the man on the home. Now an extensive study found the following results. If both parents attend church regularly, 72% of their children remain faithful. If only dad attends regularly, it drops to 55%. If only mom comes, it plummets to 15%. If just the kids come, you know, they're shuffled off to church and they stay home and do whatever, only 6% remain faithful. Having said that, of course, God can overcome the percentages. And so the single mom should not lose hope. You seek God and trust him for the results. But husband and wife, unified when it comes to the things of God, that is the ideal. And what that study demonstrates in a big way is the important influence of the godly father on his children's spiritual well-being. When husband and wife are there together, 72% remain faithful, and even if just dead comes, 55% will remain faithful. And thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Do you know why I fear electricity? Because I have a healthy respect of electricity. If I carelessly allow my hand to get caught on a live wire, I'm gonna know about that thing. And so, let me tell you a story from my childhood, 15 years old, probably. Mom and dad had bought us a used, big, dune buggy-style go-kart. I mean, this was a big boy. It had big old tires on the back, way bigger than three-wheeler tires. I mean, it had a big 12-horsepower motor. And the only thing wrong with it is that the brakes didn't work. Now, we never had anything like that before. I mean, so we were very excited, were we not? We got it home that night. And that night, my brother had a baseball game there at Mill Road. And so I pretended to be sick. so I could stay home. And as soon as they were gone out the door to that game, I was out the door in the backyard, putting gas in that go-kart, and I was off now. Our backyard was much too small for that size go-kart. And I was much too inexperienced to handle its size and power, especially in those tight quarters. And so, after about three minutes or so of riding that thing around, I was trying to maneuver a turn when one of the large back wheels, the one on the left side, got caught on a a very stable and strong metal clothesline pole that was heavily concreted into the ground, and now I found myself into some serious trouble. Because not only was the clothesline pole damaged beyond repair, but I also bent the axle on the go-kart wheel. And so in the following days, when what had occurred was revealed, I got everything that was coming to me. From mom and dad, I got scolding, I got a spanking, and I got a grounding. And from my brother Billy, my best friend, disappointment and a broken heart. I mean, I lost his trust in that moment, and that did affect me. Mom and dad, now they couldn't afford to get it fixed. It was all they could do to get that huge go-kart for us. So now we got this big old go-kart sitting in our backyard that cannot run. I mean, the axle was bent bad, really, really bad. And so a couple of months went by, and one day we decided we were going to fix it. And so we started beating on that axle to try to lessen the horrible whop as the tire rotated and moved around on me. It was like, oh, boom, waka boom, waka boom, just slow rolling it. And so it took a few days of beating, and we grabbed whatever we could. We grabbed some hammers, some large crescent wrenches, and we just beating it and beating it and beating it. And we were able to greatly reduce the whop, but the axle was still bent. The next day, when mom and dad went to work, we decided we were going to give this thing a test run. And having gained a little wisdom, we moved it from the backyard out to the front yard facing Neff Street. Now, let me give you the layout, okay? We're going to say this is the yard right here. This is our home facing this way, okay? This is the end of the yard. And right across the front of our yard was Highland Avenue. We lived on Highland Avenue. And then right in front of our house, went a street straight out, and that was called Neff Street. And at the end of Neff Street, there was another street on the end of that called Canal Street. Now, Canal Street was a very, very busy road. And so we got the layout here. We got Highland Avenue. We got Neff Street. We got Canal Street out there, very busy. We didn't like to go there because it was so busy. And here's our home. And here's the go-kart. We got it set right here at the end of the sidewalk facing right out to Neff Street. And so we were going to give this thing a test run. Problem is, Brother Jim, it wouldn't crank. I mean, the thing has set up too long. And if we pulled on that thing one time, and we're talking about a 12-horse motor, we pulled on it 400 times, we tried everything we knew, we took the breather off the carburetor, and we cleaned the breather, we poured gas down into the carburetor, and we pulled it again and again and again, and after a few hours of pulling, we decided to take a break, go in and get some food, and we did, and so we came back out after some time, trying to figure out what we're gonna do next. And so our friend Gerald, was lounged there in the seat of the go-kart. His leg was hanging out there on the roll bar and his hand was just relaxed there on the steering wheel. And Billy decided he was just going to give it one more pull for the heck of it and the thing cranked. And then it took off. The throttle was stuck. The key was stuck. And there were no brakes and the go-kart is gone. Gerald is sitting in there panicking and screaming I'm panicking and screaming and so I decided to take off after it I was over here to the side and so the throttle stuck probably about 20 miles an hour I say that because I ran a 4 5 40 which is about 20 miles an hour and I was able to hulk that thing down from the angle and I'm sitting there running right beside this go-kart he's saying help who What do I do? Help, Joe, do something! And I'm thinking, what am I gonna do? And I'm looking there, running beside this go-kart, brother Jim, and I look down, and there was a downward-facing 12-horse motor, and so on the top of that was the spark plug and its wire. And I had a thought, if I could take that wire off of the spark plug, it's gonna shut the engine down. So I'm running, I touch that thing, and it put me, it knocked a mess through me. I wasn't able to get it off. I kept running, by the grace of God, and I mean, this go-kart's getting mighty close to Canal Street, and I'm running beside this thing, and I gotta grab it, it's now or never, and so I grab that wire, I mean, it's jolting me, it's sending, I don't know how I don't have arrhythmia or something going on right now, but it's sending volts through me, I grab that, it's shocking the mess out of me, and I pull that wire off. And the go-kart begins to sputter to a stop. And I said, thank you, God. And I let it go. And would you believe that wire fell right back on that spark plug. And that thing started back up again before it ended. And it was off, and there's no way I'm catching it. He's within a few yards of Canal Street. And so I keep running after it. Gerald sees Canal Street coming. He takes a hard left through Mrs. Rainer's yard. I was like, what is he doing? And so I get around to the edge of the house and I see him plunge headlong into a row of pine trees. He hits that pine tree. He goes flying through an opening in the roll cage on the front of the go-kart. right into a pile of bushes where each leaf has a little pointy thing on the end of it. He's all tore up. I mean, I come over there, I get a stick and I get the wire off, the go-kart shuts down. What a day, what a story. But I tell you, that's why I have a healthy fear of electricity. But that fear doesn't cause me to avoid electricity, but to treat it with the proper respect. And man is the same thing with us and God. We don't avoid God, but we have a healthy respect of God, a healthy respect that demonstrates and manifests itself in our lives by simple obedience. Yet I fear that we have lost the fear of God in our upbeat, feel-good Christianity today in America. Did you know many in Christian leadership today even downplay the church grounds and what happens on it? Why? Because we've lost the fear of God in Christianity. I mean, anything goes today. And you know what they say? Well, it's just a building. This is just a lot, it's just land. True, but this ain't Walmart, buddy. This is God's house. And it is set apart for the purposes of God. Therefore it is holy and there should be a healthy fear of God when we are on this property, similar to the fear that I have of electricity. And men are to set the standard. But you know, I've heard stories from other preachers, read it in books, where folks have been dog-cussed out on church property. I have picked up beer cans from off of this church property. I have gone out there and tried to level out the divots on this church property where somebody took their pickup truck and did donuts out there in the front yard. I have had to pick up cigarette butts from this church property where folks have smoked on it. I've heard stories where there's promiscuity on church property. And as you know all too well today, even shootings today on church property. What's happened? We've lost the fear of God about that thing. And listen, when we lose the fear of the Lord, we lose our love with it. The Bible says, God is love. And when we lose the fear of the Lord, our love waxes cold. And listen, here's the point. It happens in the home also. When we fail to fear the Lord, we lose the love in our home. Moms and dads, husbands and wives, be careful of rules without a relationship in the home that is a perfect recipe for rebellion in children. And so when the father's love fades, it affects his children. When a father fails to love his daughter, she'll begin to question her own beauty. Well, if I couldn't attract dad's love, how will I ever attract anyone else's? Young lady, if that's you, God loves you just the way that you are. He does. She will also begin to develop an inordinate craving of attention. And so she will become susceptible to some young man who will gladly give her those hugs and those holds in exchange for other pleasures. Young lady, don't cheapen yourself. You are far too valuable to God. She will also be given to a spirit of rejection in her relationship. She'll see, she'll begin to see the inconsistencies in others as a rejection of herself. And ultimately, most grievously, she'll have difficulty trusting her Heavenly Father. And what about the young men? When a father fails to love his son, it also has effects upon him. He'll begin to develop a macho man attitude. How much of that do we see running around today? Why? He's trying to hide his insecurity because he never knew a daddy's lover. And so he'll begin to look to mom for a role model. And the masculinity will dissipate. And feminine characteristics will begin to develop. Mom will become dominant. He'll likely grow up and marry a dominant woman, the whole cycle repeating itself. You say, pastor, that's not what I want. What do I do? Are you listening? Protect the fear of God in your life. And then you love your wife, and you love your son, and you love your daughter. But it all starts with protecting the fear of God in your life. That's what the Bible's talking about in Proverbs chapter four, verse 23, when it says, keep, a word keep means to guard and protect. Keep thine heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Protect the fear of God in your life, and then seek the blessings of Psalm 128 on your home. It starts with fearing the Lord, walking in his ways. Would you stand with me this morning? Little Pep, talk to the men as we close Psalm 128. When they stand around my casket at my funeral one day, I don't think my kids, not a single one, are gonna say, you know, Dad was a pretty good preacher. I don't think any one of them are gonna say that. But you know what? They're gonna remember my character. They're gonna remember my love. They're gonna remember my honesty. And they're going to remember the reality of Jesus Christ in my life. I don't think a single one of them will remember any of my sermons. They're just not. And so, sir, dad, I ask you, on this Father's Day, is your home making melody? Is there a happy harmony that describes your home? If there's not, don't despair. Begin to fear the Lord and to walk in His ways. You are the leader of the band, Dad, and God will give you the happy harmonics of a happy home. And you can do it. Would you pray with me?