He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way-...

1 Timothy 3:4

I was reading through the above section of scripture and I was stricken by the what it said to me, a Christian father.

The responsibility a bishop has for the church over which he shepherds is the same as the responsibility a Christian father has for his children.

I am the father of three young children.

Satan is an evil schemer. On the day each of my children was conceived, Satan began his calculating. He has plans for my children. In his plan, my daughters will premaritally have children. My son will become a premarital father. The Devil plans that my children will become addicted to alcohol and other drugs. They will loose their faith in God and live out their lives as anything but faithful Christians.

If my children go down that road, the first one to be called to answer is me.

Me!

I may try, like Adam, to lay some of the blame on the mother of my children, but the one placed in charge of the spiritual welfare of my children is me. I will be called before the Judgment Seat and it will be required of me to account for the spiritual performance of my children.

These thoughts should sober us fathers. What kind of children will we present to The Father?

Will Satan have his way with our children?

It is time for us fathers to take our stand as heads of our families and guide our children to do right - to train them to love God.

God, as you are our Father, give us the wisdom to father our children - to train them to love you - to teach them to resist the Evil One. Strengthen our resolve to spiritually lead our families - to stand in the place you require us to stand.