The Flawed Father - Father's Day

we say it together? Ephesians chapter four verse one. I haven't been here in a few weeks, but is this still an Ephesians four one church? Come on. Can you say it with your chest? Therefore, you're still called. You're still called. He still calls you son. He still calls you daughter. So as you're still called to lead a worthy life, when the emotions are gone, when there's no band in the background, you're still called on your best day. On your worst day, you're still called. Well, I'm excited. I'm grateful to call legacy church home. I'm grateful to be in the house of God. I want to, I want to read you one verse. And I think this one verse will shape the trajectory of our time together. And I believe this verse could change your life. This is what it says. John chapter 14, verse eight. Philip said, Lord, show us the father and we will be satisfied. Lord, show us the father and we will be satisfied. I think that's an interesting, if not ironic statement for Philip to make, because he's talking to Jesus Christ and Jesus at this time has been with his disciples, including Philip for over three years. And this is, this is like the fourth quarter. This is over time. Like in a few moments, in a few moments, he will be arrested and taken to Golgotha and be crucified. So these are his last moments. And he's just been giving them clarity for why he came and what his calling is. And, you know, Philip has seen Jesus turn water in a wine and, uh, he's seen him walk on water. He's seen Jesus raise people from the dead, but Philip yet has the audacity in his last moments to be like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, that was cool. But one more thing. If you show us the father, I'll be satisfied. We'll be satisfied. And I'll, at first, when I read it, I was like, you got some nerve. What is enough for you, Philip? But then I thought he might be expressing a felt need that humanity has. It's not the things of Jesus that we want. We just want to know we're fathered. There are certain things that only a father can fulfill. And Philip's like, I've seen you as miracle worker. I've seen you as way maker, but I'm still waiting to see the father. And I wonder how many of us are still waiting to be fathered. I wonder how many of us are trying to use things to fill needs that only the father can. I was thinking about since his father's day, you know, I got to walk through the lobby and I saw the, the, the hall of the dad's wall of fame, the pictures of those amazing father figures. And, uh, we have a whole room dedicated to dads. And I was just thinking about all the great fathers

that are here at legacy. And that I know I was thinking about all the fathers I wish would be great. Um, that wasn't me. That was your baby mama saying that she's, she took the mic. She took the mic. And I was wondering, I had to think I was honest. I'm like, I wonder if I'm a great father, like what, what's the standard of a great father these days. And then I thought about the fact that so many fathers feel like they're failing because there's such a high standard for And then I thought about the fact that so many fathers feel like they're failing because there's such a high standard for, for great fathers. They don't feel like they're enough. And I had this thought, what if fathers aren't failing? They're just flawed. But because we spend so much of our time trying to avoid or, or, or, or strive or survive or, or try not to fail. That's all we think about. That's all we gauge because we've never been taught how to love, live and lead flawed. So I want to talk today for the few moments that I have, I want to talk from this thought, the flawed father, ain't that a father's day sermon, the flawed father. Let's pray. God do it only you can do please. And I pray that you do what we can't do. Soften our hearts, open our ears, speak to us, allow this to be something that actually changes the hearts, the minds, and the lives of your sons and daughters from now until you can return in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Can we, before we sit down and honor everybody that's joining on our online campus from all over the world, we love you. Thanks for being with us. Can we thank God for our amazing fathers serving today? How'd you go from rapping 16 to just playing? and the key is like we saw that amazing amazing amazing on your way to your seat high-five three people say you look flawed all right that's enough that's enough out of control said that with too much emphasis a couple of announcements I need to make before we get into the text everybody pull out your phone you already have your phone out your own social media and DraftKings well just go to your camera I know what you do flawed and take a picture or scan that whatever tap it whatever just September 17th through 19th I need every men of legacy and even if you don't go to legacy you can get kidnapped we'll adopt you for a weekend we're having a men's advance that was wild notice all the wives that are like take him away Jesus please notice we do

a women's retreat but men don't retreat we advance and so we're doing a men's advance September 17th through 19th and fellas just block it off your calendar request off work now it'll be good for your soul trust me it'll be good for your soul you'll get refreshed you get connected with other godly men and we we really believe that if you take this time to invest in who you are God can do a lot in and through you so make it a priority get to the men's advance another thing I want you to know how many guys gonna come back next week yeah come on come back next week but do me a favor after next week don't come back for a week we're gonna lock the church I'm not coming I won't be here July 5th we're doing something called capital C Sunday people that know know what is capital C it's a reminder it's a step of faith for us to this church to remember that we are part of the church we're not the only church and so what we do is we partner we we just we disseminate we say hey we're you're still a part of legacy but legacy is a part of the body of Christ and so with so many churches being in this competitive consumeristic insecure and critical mindset that I see on social media we're breaking the mold we're gonna say we're gonna take our body on the first of the month when people tithe and give we say we want people to be a part of the global church and take your family take your friends and here's what I would encourage you to do this is I think it's fun go to some you know there's a neighborhood church that's local only got like 10 parking spots you seen them what would it well how encouraging would it be for that pastor those ushers and deacons to see people flood their doors even for a Sunday just let me know hey we're thinking of you we see you God sees you and there's a local church that is not belittling you or comparing themselves or criticizing you we're praying for you we're partnering with you want to worship with you today and then do that for a day and then come back because if you don't come back then I'm gonna for real not come back so y'all better come back the Sunday after July 5th and it'll be a good time sound good uh I said happy Father's Day right I said I think I said that we had a whole video if you're on time you would have saw it but anyway uh last last

weekend my wife and my sister they surprised me or they tried to surprise me I ruined things but anyway they made an effort and they brought my dad out so we could spend early Father's Day weekend together and it was really cool so we we uh my sister my dad we went and had coffee in the morning and breakfast and while we're at coffee my dad's updating us on his life and he's moving and he's trying to move into this gated community and I'm like that sounds expensive like why do you need to be in a gated community comfort like just be in any community and he says well I spent the past 33 years in a gated community so I'm comfortable with it I just want to elevate the the atmosphere for those of you don't know my dad spent 33 years in prison that's his gated community I was crying laughing I thought it was hilarious I have a therapist don't judge me but uh after after brunch my wife then had another surprise she took me and my dad and we went to a concert and I want you to see my dad at this concert this is interesting to me I'm still seeing you Time is running so slow And I'm no one else that I am So I keep dancing on my high high high high high high high high high high Shaking okay Okay How ironic is it that a man who spent 33 years in Stan Quentin with thugs knows every lyric to Ed Sheeran? That's wild I'm not gonna lie. I have my dad don't like this pedestal of like gangster It dropped a few notches that bad day. I was like you supposed to you know, I've been big in pock not Dancing with my eyes closed Couldn't judge him though because I kept the camera on him. I didn't show it on me. I was thinking every word to I was in that thing But here's what I thought was crazy about that Me and my dad we've only been you know physically interacting for the past three years But I've been a Ed Sheeran fan for years and apparently he is too and how crazy is it that me and my dad share?

the same sense of depraved humor same Preferences for musical artists and what I also realize is me and my dad share the same flaws Never really interacted with my dad much But his flaws have been displayed in my life for 36 years Even though I didn't even have a model to follow it was just in my DNA And I wonder how many men are fighting battles and wrestling with flaws that they did not ask for they did not Develop on their own. It was just passed down on them generationally and So you're focused on their flaws not knowing that it's a result of their father Now listen, I'm I love my dad I'm not I'm not here to bash my dad I might not even be following Jesus if it wasn't for my dad. I might have been outside Like for real for real, but anyway, I Was I was thinking a couple things number one How powerful it be if other men who were in gated communities Could experience the gospel since apparently they get Ed Sheeran and we have this idea Why not bring legacy to every prison we can and that's what we're doing because of your generosity starting next week Every sermon that is preached from Chandler, Arizona was partnering with God behind bars to go to a prison I'm sorry a gated community near you And I'm grateful that we get to do that And I was I was I was thinking about you and I was thinking about Father's Day And I was thinking about great fathers and present fathers and struggling fathers, and I thought well, what's the standard then of a great father? And I would say, you know as a pastor we would have to say it's it's it's in the Bible, right So I've been asking this question to to other pastors all around the country because I've been excited to preach this sermon and so for Months, I've been asking people. Hey, who's the greatest father in the Bible? Have you ever thought about that as you're judging your husband? You need to be you need to be in your Bible more Well, who should he be like in the Bible? Well, we'll start in the beginning maybe Abraham right father Abraham Okay, that's part of the problem because really he should only had one son

That's what God promised him and then that son would have many sons But brother father Abraham also had a side chick that did not ask to be a side chick named Hagar And he impregnated her and then it happened. We call him Ishmael, but you use it how you want and While Abraham was a hero to Isaac he kicked Ishmael out and was a villain to him Which proves that one person can have two totally different experiences two people can have two totally experiences with the same person so while you're being villainized you might also be being celebrated at the expense of the person that it So Abraham doesn't make it to the wall of fame at Legacy Church Let's try somebody Israel right Jacob came Israel father. He was the the nation of Israel still exists Israel He had he had Joseph. He gave him the Coogee sweater the Gucci jacket. However, you interpret scripture Code of many colors You got to be a good dad. You're putting your teenager in Gucci, right? Except as much as Joseph was the favorite son of Israel He had 11 other sons who he neglected just to focus on Joseph So that again kind of I mean you batted one for 12 dog. I don't know if you I Don't know if that's the standard of greatness. We're shooting for either. So just so Jacob Israel. He don't make it Dang it. Who's a great? David because Jesus came from the lineage of David Jesus son of David so David's got to be a great he kills Goliath Come on, you want your dad to kill bullies and he's poetic you do songs. He's a gangster and I mean, he's like Ed Sheeran He's like my dad You know to me like I can't go to jail for murder or I can sing every lyric of Ed Sheeran like I'm both He's versatile who don't know how to—like, oh my gosh. Bro, my dad lives in a gated community. He's fine. But then I was thinking about David's sons, right? Like, he has Solomon, who wrote multiple books in the Bible—Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms—Solomon. I was like, what was that conversation like when Solomon asked David, hey, dad, how did you meet my mom? And then David has to be like, well, it started one day when I should have been fighting battles, but I stayed home and I was watching your mom, like a pervert, get a shower and I was like,

dang, she bad. I want her. And even though I was already married and I found out she was already married, I took her anyway and got her pregnant. But then we lost that one. But then we had you. So God works all things together. Look at God. What a God, bro. Also killed the first husband because I don't want—anyway, but you don't need— you see how hard it is to find the standard of greatness in Scripture? Unless God is showing us something, that God has a specialty of using flawed men to do great things, and he can get past the flaws if they'll just surrender their story to his design. It's almost like no matter how bad your history is, in the hands of God, it becomes his story, and all of a sudden you go from being the villain to partnering with the hero. And I want to use that to encourage any man that feels this tension of struggling that you're not enough. You feel like you're failed. You feel like you don't know how to be enough or become enough or do enough. And I want to remind you that you were created to be more than enough. Flaws and all. You're more than enough. We started a thing at Legacy last year called, uh, Mentorship, and it's where we take six months to mentor men. And it's really intense. Um, and we have about 60 men in it right now, and we're going through a book called Fathered by God, and it's been life-changing. And one thing that it's helped me understand is to be fathered by God, we have to first realize and understand the need for fathers and father figures on earth. And the Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 15, even if you had 10,000 guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the gospel. Even if you had 10,000 guardians, you don't have many fathers. What was he doing? He was combating what has now become a cultural norm where people believe, I don't need a man. Where single mothers can post themselves on Father's Day because they're doing both roles. Let me, let me free you from that weight, sister. If you believe the lie that you can adequately play both roles of mother and father, then you are putting unnecessary pressure on yourself. You're fooling yourself, and you will potentially fail your children because you are teaching them to function in dysfunction instead of allowing them to sit with the void of, actually I need a father. And, and let me, let me be clear. This is not to belittle women. I would say it like this. Mothers stepping up to meet their child's needs for a season is not the same as a man modeling how to live out God's desire and design for a lifetime. One of the greatest things a single mother can do is to intentionally place her children in environments with godly men.

Not just any man, but godly men, or present men. And, and what do you mean by that? Because sons and daughters were created to be fathered. Y'all are quiet. So let me give you some data, because men lie, women lie, feelings lie, numbers don't. So according to the National Institute of Health and the National Library of Medicine, data indicates that children do not strictly require a biological father to thrive. Rather, they require the unique parenting resources and social capital that an intentional male figure provides. You could be a non-biological father figure. That could include stepfathers, grandfathers, foster fathers, uncles, mentors, pastors. All of them can effectively step into the gap and recreate positive life outcomes through involved fathering. Now what does that mean? Involved fathering is defined by behavior, warmth, monitoring, and emotion availability, not genetics. So even when a non-biological father figure shows up and provides consistent, inductive discipline, adolescents show significant drops in anti-social behavior and aggression. You're not super introverted. You just don't have a daddy to force you to go play sports and make friends. No shade. Okay. They show higher levels of impulse control and lower juvenile delinquency rates. What does that look like? Practically. Okay. First, financial stability. Children in fatherless homes are four times more likely to live below the poverty line, and they make up 90% of all homeless and runaway children. What about emotional and mental health? Father absence acts as a direct risk factor for elevated youth suicide and clinical depression. Whereas high paternal warmth is linked directly to enhanced adult self-esteem, emotional resilience, and lower levels of daily stress. It's not cute to tell a seven-year-old, you're the man of the house now. That's putting on a stress he was not designed cognitively, emotionally, mentally, or physically to handle. It's not okay for a mother to feel like

or believe the lie that she has to be father and mother. You are not the same way men weren't designed to carry and deliver babies. Women weren't designed to carry and the weight of an entire family. What about relational quality? Adults raised with active, present, intentional fathers experience higher quality romantic relationships, greater marital stability, and lower divorce rates, while fatherless individuals are statistically prone to entering volatile partnerships earlier in life. What about sexual health? Girls raised by active, supportive, biological, or adoptive fathers experience a seven times lower rate of teen pregnancy, better body image, satisfaction, and delayed initial sexual activity. What about societal and criminal outcomes? Growing up without a father is one of the strongest predictors of correctional involvement, with fatherless youths disproportionately accounting for roughly 80 to 85% of the entire juvenile prison population. If you want to empty prisons, put fathers, keep fathers in homes. It's simple. How about just the overall quality of life? Children with active fathers have a 43% higher likelihood of earning high academic marks and significantly better physical health outcomes. So if the science community understands

that every child needs a father to prepare, protect, provide, and play with them, then why do men so often fail at these roles? Because the devil knows the data too. And he's made it his mission to kill, steal, and destroy the image, the influence, and the impact of fathers. So he wants people to believe the lie that I don't really need a father. I'll turn fine without one, and I don't have a daddy, and my mama, no, no, no. Or anybody could be a man. It's just, no, no, no, no. If anybody could be a man, nobody will be. And that's the problem, is you have perpetrators and perverts trying to perform and become something they were not designed or created to be. And it's unfair, it's unnecessary, and it's outside of God's. Why do you think there's such an attack on gender? When did gender confusion become normal? Why is it normal to be confused? Why do you think there's such an attack on biblical marriage? Because if anybody can't get married, that means that children are raised without the God design of a father, because anybody with testosterone can play that role, and that is not true.

And we are setting up a generation for failure as believers if we don't believe what God says about gender and about the necessity for godly men to step up and lead their families and themselves in their communities. Hey, I don't write the Bible. I just rehearse it and spit it to you, and don't come back July 5th if you're that man. I want to be clear. Notice how the science and Scripture points to intentional fatherhood, not just you bringing a bunch of men from the club to introduce to your kids each week, not just, well, you know, I'm here, I pay the bills. No, no, no, there's an intentionality that is needed to actually father, not just donate sperm. And here's who I want to speak to. I actually am not really focused on deadbeat dads who only show up on Father's Day to take pictures and then don't pay child support, don't stay active, are not even really trying to be a father. They just want to project like they're one. I'm not talking to you. This sermon is not for you. I'm talking to the men that are actually struggling because they're actually fighting and trying, and they feel like they're losing. I want to pour clear on that. I want to pour clear on that. I want to pour clear on that.

I want to pour clear on that. They feel like they're losing. I want to pour courage into men who are feeling this tension and this weight of, I feel like no matter what I do, it's still not enough. I want to talk to the men. I was just at a retreat with some men from all over the world. These are world leaders managing some of the multi-billion companies. I was talking to one guy. He's like, he's a venture capitalist. Like this year, I got to raise $60 million. I was like, I needed you last year for our big building campaign, right? And he says, but my problem is I'm feeling like I'm failing my family because I have to travel a lot for work and I have to do a lot for work and I'm missing a lot of moments with my kids. I'm not able to go to all the games and now I'm like, well, what do I do? And I'm like, well, how does your wife feel? She's like, she wants me to work because she don't want to work. I was like, okay, that's fair. Because I want you to hear the tension, what he's articulating. If I show up to every baseball game, I can't afford to keep them in club sports. If I'm at home to tuck them in every night, I can't make it across it to Tokyo to close the deal that pays for the home he lives in. But then I'm getting these podcasts into me about, I need to be more present. I need to be here more and he doesn't know what to do. But then you add another guy who does not make the same and he's doing his best and he's coaching his team, kids, little leagues, and he's present. And the wife's sending him TikToks about all the vacations she wants to take, but she don't

want to stop being a stay-at-home mom. Do you hear the weight the men are under? And so here's what I want to encourage you with. God did not design you to tease you and perpetually make you feel like you're never doing enough. He designed you as a human being, not a human being doing, meaning his only requirement is that you would be, be, everybody say be. I need to learn how to be a father, not do everything I think a father has to do. So 2 Timothy chapter one, I want us to wrestle with this for a little bit because I really think it'll bring clarity and confidence to a lot of people. This is the Bible says, 2 Timothy chapter one, starting at verse one. This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus. I am writing to Timothy, my dear son, may God the Father in Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. Everybody say grace, mercy, and peace. I'm going to get back to that. Verse three, Timothy, I thank God for you, the God I serve with a clear conscience. How many of you say that's all I want, I just want a clear conscience. Just as my ancestors did night and day, I constantly remember you in my prayers. I long to see you again for I remember your tears as we parted, and I will be filled with joy when we are together again. I remember your genuine faith for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. I want to give you the context for that letter we just read. This is Paul's second, technically his second letter to Timothy, but I want to, I want to

highlight the language he uses. First of all, he, he starts off the letter by saying, I'm writing, verse two, I'm writing to Timothy, my dear son. Here's what's ironic. That was not his kid, biologically. Timothy had a Greek father and a Jewish mother, and his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother Lois raised him in the faith of their forefathers. So he was raised knowing Yahweh, even though his Greek father, we can assume had many idols. Kind of like fathers today, sports idols, career idols, image, I like all these things that they idolize. And it was the faith of a praying grandmother and mother. Hear me clearly. I am never diminishing the power and the effect of a praying grandmother or a praying mother. You might be the only source to Jesus that little Ray Ray has, and that is more than enough. But notice how the faith of a grandmother and mother was partnered with the presence of a spiritual father. Meaning that Timothy was not going without just because his earthly father did not fit the profile of a man of God. So so once the faith of a grandmother and a mother is partnered with the presence of a spiritual father, all of a sudden Timothy's life changes forever. He's now a leader of churches, even though he's only a young adult. And this is what happens. He says, verse three, Timothy, I thank God for you. The God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did night and day, I constantly remember you in my prayers. Two things, man, I want you to notice in this text. Number one, he's letting Timothy know how thankful he is of him, not how much better Timothy needs to be. Make sure, as much as you coach up, or criticize, or correct, you double down how grateful,

I'm so grateful you're my kid. I'm so proud of you. I love you so much. Drown them in affection, not just correction. And so, he's articulating to this young man how grateful he is, how much he thanks God for him, how much of a gift he is. You know, I used to do this thing with my kids, for every single kid, all three of them, when I would take them to school, I would play this song, and it's not Christian, but it's spiritual. It's from DJ Khaled, and the song is just called, I Love You So Much. And it's this, check it out, I would refer it, even as a pastor, don't listen to anything else on the album, but that song is solid, okay. But literally, I ask any of my kids, on our way to school, we're driving, and the whole song is, I love you so much, I love you so much, you're an icon, you're a mogul, you're a legend, you're the greatest, and I'll just say it word for word, and I'm prophesying scripture through DJ Khaled. Um, and that's, that was our song on the way to school, for years, for all of them. Why? Because on their way to school, I want them to know how loved they are, how much I'm speaking faith into them, and, and so I'm depositing into them. So, so that's what Paul is doing, even from a distance, meaning, sometimes they just need to hear it. They can't, well, they know I love them. No, they need to hear it. And then he says, I pray daily for you. Your kids need to hear and see you praying for and with them. I just don't really pray that good. I don't really know how to pray. I stutter a lot. That's okay. Moses was a stutterer and a flawed father, and God used him too. The whole point is that they need to know that an imperfect prayer still works. They need to know that even if I'm mumbling, stumbling, God is good, God is great, let us thank him for this plate. The Lord is my shepherd. I don't know what I want. Like, whatever. They just need to know that they have a father who has a father, and that they can go to him too. You got to model faith. That's what Paul is doing for Timothy. He's like, I'm praying for you constantly. And then notice what he says. He says, I remember. He says, I long to see you again. Verse four. For I remember your tears as we parted. Think about the vulnerability. This is a young adult. This is a leader. Timothy's a leader now. He's not some 12-year-old. He might be anywhere between the ages of 16 and 24, and he's crying when his spiritual father leaves because they share that level of intimacy and vulnerability. Now, here's what's ironic about all this, that Paul is the one writing this letter and saying this, because I can't wait. Next year we go to Greece. I don't know if I've said this enough, but I'm going to say it again. We're going to the places where Paul wrote to Timothy and where Timothy was, and we're going to see it in real time next summer. So you can tap the thing or go

in the app. And if you want to go to Greece with us next summer, but here's my point. I've been studying a lot about Paul to get ready, right? I got to make sure I sound clear when we're, you know, I got to take y'all places I haven't even been like, yeah, by the way, this is in first Timothy chapter. So I've been doing all this research on Paul. And this is what I found out. Many theologians believe that Paul actually had a family, but because he made a decision to surrender his life to Jesus and follow Jesus, he was ostracized from his own family. Sometimes fathers are not present, but not by choice, but by circumstance. I want to leave it at that. So what if Timothy was the son that he wished he could be communicating to? So he went all in on it. And he's, he's speaking to Timothy the same way he wished he could speak to his own son, who may have rejected him because he committed his life to Jesus. And so he's talking to Timothy. And this is all in second Timothy, but I want to take you back to first Timothy, because the first letter that he wrote to Timothy was powerful. This is what he says. He said, this is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they too can believe in him and receive eternal life. Isn't that powerful? Not only is he self-aware, but he's transparent. He's vulnerable. He's saying, listen, I'm not some spiritual giant. I'm a flawed father, but here's what I love. He's saying I'm flawed, but I'm forgiven. I'm flawed, but I'm forgiven. God forgave me because honestly, I was one of the original homewreckers. I was taking men from their families and throwing them into prison just because they believed in Jesus. But now Jesus used a sinner like me, who was a tyrant, who was the worst of them. And he's using me to bring people, orphans, sons, and daughters back home to God. He's saying I'm flawed, but I'm forgiven. Fathers, men, women, Don't be embarrassed of your flaws. Point to how they allow you to be forgiven. It's actually a sign of how forgiven I am when I show how flawed I am. That God would still choose me, that God would still want me, that God would still love me. I'm flawed, but forgiven. Somebody say forgiven.

Not only that, I want to go to another chapter. In 2 Timothy chapter 2, he says, So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. This is a trustworthy saying. If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, somebody say endure. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful because he cannot deny who he is. I love this because he's pointing to the fact that God is so good that he's worth enduring the hardest of hearts. He's worth enduring the crazy baby mama who doesn't want you to see your kid and just makes you the devil. You better pay child support anyway. You better, you better stay as involved as you can anyway. I don't care if you're broken up or together. The kid needs to know that the father will be faithful. Can I have any faithful? Anybody saying I want to be faithful? I'm flawed, but I can be faithful. I can't change all my flaws. I can't change the flaws I've done, but I can be faithful in the moment. And let me help you redefine faithfulness because I was at a church recently and I asked the staff, I said, what is faithful? And they were like, loyal, dependable, present. I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's not what the Bible says. That's part of it. Faithful is not just being loyal. I thought I was the best husband after the first year of marriage because I was like, well, I'm not cheating, so I'm faithful. What else do you want? And what I didn't realize, biblically, anytime Jesus says, well done, good and faithful servant, he always associates it. Read the Bible for yourself. Any parable he says, well done, good and faithful, even at the end of the time when he comes back and he's going to say, well done, good and faithful, he has nothing to do with just being loyal. It has everything with do with being productive and intentional and growing something, meaning it's not enough to just stay married because you're loyal. It's can you grow your marriage because you're faithful? Can you grow your kids because you're faithful? Can you grow them because you're productive?

Well, I was always there. I was at every graduation. I know you were there, but what did you do while you were there? They didn't just need dad in the home. They needed dad leading the home. They needed dad being faithful. They need a father who is faithful, not just loyal. Loyal is good. That's a good step. But let's grow up. Let's mature. Let's be faithful because the beauty about Jesus is that he's faithful when we're unfaithful, not just he's loyal, but he keeps blessing you when you don't deserve it. He keeps showing up when you reject him. Even when you don't believe in God, God believes in you because he cannot deny who he is. He's faithful. Anybody grateful for a faithful God that was faithful when you were unfaithful and since he was faithful through your flaws, you can trust him as your father. I'm faithful. I'm grateful. I'm grateful. So I'm flawed, but faithful. Notice this though, in second Timothy one five, he said, I remember your genuine faith for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. Some of y'all are in here as a result of somebody's prayers that you didn't even know. You had a grandmama. You had a great grandmama. You had a person who knew your grandmama. And she was like, she wild. And she needs prayer for her future legacy. So here, here's, listen to what he says. He says, I know the faith continues strong in you. That's why I remind you to fan into flames, be intentional, be productive. It doesn't just happen. You don't just feel like being a man of God. You got to fan it in a flame. The spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you for God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity. I don't really know. I'm trying. I just don't know. No, no, no, no, no, no. That's not God. What is it, man? I can't really define it. No, God can. It's strong. Here, here's what God would say. God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Other translations say a sound mind. Who are my seasoned saints? A sound mind. Here, here, this is powerful about that. Notice the order of operations in the text. He says, God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity. Some of you are so afraid of failing, you won't step up and father, and that's okay. I just want you to know that's not God. That's a real thing, but that's not God. You need to fight against that. So here's how. You have to accept and lean into the gift he has given you, the spirit he has given you of power. You know why you need power first, because it takes power to love people that are unlovable. It takes power to love your kids in a way that you weren't loved. It takes power to keep showing up when you feel like quitting.

So he says, God's given you power, man of God. He's then given you love. You can't always be a thug. You need to learn some Ed Sheeran. And he's also given you self-discipline, a sound mind. What does that mean? It means even when I don't feel like doing it, because I have the spirit filling me, I can do it anyway. I'm not naturally super self-disciplined. I'm naturally motivated. If I get motivated, Jesus Christ himself would have to get in my face and be like, don't do that because I'm going to do it. But anything I do consistently that bears good fruit, that's all God, because I'm leaning in the Holy Spirit. Because naturally I'm like, I'll do what I feel or what I'm good at. And that's it. ADD, ADHD, no JLB, whatever it is, OCD doesn't matter. There is no excuse for why you can't lead your mind and your life disciplined because you have the Holy Spirit that should encourage you. Now here, here's, here's what I want to, I want to give you one more thing to understand. I'm flawed, but I'm forgiven. I'm flawed, but I'm faithful. I'm flawed, but I'm filled. I'm filled with the Spirit of God. I'm filled with good gifts. I'm filled with power. I'm filled with love. I'm filled with a sound mind. I'm filled with self-discipline. I'm filled.

Somebody say I'm filled. And know what else that means that I'm filled? Why he said power and love. Some soul, not some, so many, so many men are looking to be filled by things that are unfulfilling and it's, it's because they're trying to fill real needs and real voids. I know men that they, they'll, they'll come home and they'll just stay parked in the driveway because they have to muster the courage to go inside their house. And you know why? It's not because they're looking for sex outside of their, outside of their marriage. They're looking for success outside of their marriage. They don't want to always feel like a failure when they show up. And so they'll go to places and listen to people that make them feel fulfilled because when they go home, they feel like it's a war zone and they're having a fight to stay married. They're having a fight to raise their kid. They're having a fight and they're looking to be filled with grace, mercy, and peace. But let me encourage you brothers, because my Bible says in second Timothy chapter three, that all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training and righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equanimous, and equipped for every good work. What does that mean? It means that God does not want to tease you or remind you how much you're not enough. He wants to train you and equip you to be more than enough. He wants you to be complete, not incomplete, not seeking for satisfaction in a career, not seeking satisfaction in your assistant, not seeking satisfaction in the likes and the follows and the, in the, in the income. No, no, no. He wants you to know that you are filled with everything you need to do a good work. And here's the beauty. Being a father is a good work.

Being a husband is a good work. Being a man is a good work. And your father knows that you're flawed, but he wants to form you. Somebody say, I'm formed. I'm flawed, but I'm formed. I'm being formed into the image of God. This is what the Bible says in Jeremiah chapter one. He says, these are the words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, one of the priests from the town of Anaph in the land of Benjamin. The Lord gave me this message. I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations. Oh, sovereign Lord, I said, I can't speak for you. I'm too young. I'm too flawed. The Lord replied, don't say I'm too flawed or young for you must go wherever I send you and say, whatever I tell you, I want to encourage someone that feels inadequate. I want to encourage someone that feels like they've messed up too much. I want to encourage someone that feels like I would, but I'm just too anything. You're not too broke. You're not too uneducated. You're not too ill equipped. You were formed in your mother's womb, but before he formed you, he knew you'd be flawed and he formed you anyway. And he's like, I'm not done forming you. I knew you would be flawed and I formed you and sent you out anyway. I sent you to that family. I sent you to that marriage. I sent those kids to you. I sent that.

So I sent you to that place. I sent you because I knew what I was forming inside of you and I'm not done with you. So you can be flawed, but you're still formed. Your issue is you've allowed your flaws to form you instead of your father to form you. And you're so focused on the mistakes you made. You're so focused on the mistakes that were made to you. You're so focused on where you failed. You don't recognize that every single flaw. in the master's hands Can still be used to change legacies. Oh God does his best work with flawed individuals. I promise I'm speaking as one. I Know I started off in John 14 when Philip said Lord show us the father and we'll be satisfied I just want to let you know how Jesus responded to him Jesus replied have I been with you all this time Philip and yet you still don't know who I am Anyone who has seen me has seen the father Why are you asking me to show them to you You know the greatest gift you can give your children is Not the best version of you. It's the best version of Jesus through you It's it's it's when you can understand that. Well, I don't know what I'm doing. That's okay You got to do it anyway, but you're not alone In the standard of success the standard of greatness is not Do my kids look like me and do everything I do? No, no. No, I pray they don't because I'm flawed It's can my children see Jesus in and through me because if they see Jesus they've seen the perfect father So I can be flawed But forgiven I can be flawed, but I can be faithful. I can be flawed, but I can be filled I can be flawed because I'm still being formed Somebody say I'm forgiven. I'm faithful. I'm filled and I'm formed Come on, I'm forgiven. I'm faithful. I'm filled But I'm formed every man say I'm forgiven. I'm faithful I'm filled and I'm formed say it again. I'm forgiven. I'm faithful

I'm filled and I'm formed ladies. I just gave you a cheat code anytime He's not lining up with what he just said. That's all you got to pray God I thank you that he's faithful that he's producing the fruit of the Spirit God I thank you that he's forgiven so I can forgive him too, and he can forgive others God I thank you that he's filled with your spirit So even though I'm seeing the fruit of the flesh the fruit of the Spirit is in there God just bring it out of him Fill him up with your spirit God I thank you that he's being formed into your image not the image of his co-workers not the image of What he saw as a man. He's being formed in the image of God. I just gave you how to pray. You're welcome. I I Want every father to stand up every father stand up Here's what I want you to do I want you to lift both your hands And This is gonna be a prophetic moment that we get out of Scripture because the Bible says that Moses the flawed father Who didn't even make it to the promised land? But his children they did there's some things that you didn't make it to in your life that you want it But if you would stay faithful Your legacy will make it to the places that you wished you could have and that's okay Isn't that the status of a good father that the children got to stand on your shoulders and experience what you wish you could have You gave them what you didn't have well let me get back to Moses Bible says anytime the children of Israel are fighting a war that as long as he lifted up his Hands, they would win they were winning But the war took a while. It's a war and The Bible says there reached a point where Moses's arms started to get tired and he started to drop him and anytime he dropped his Hands his the children of Israel started to lose the war They started to lose lives and die and I wonder how many people connected to you are fighting and losing battles because your arms are just tired But the Bible says that while Moses raised his hands that Aaron and her his brother Biologically and a brother that got sent to him spiritually came under him and had him sit down and they held his hands up

so even though He was tired. He could stay faithful because he was filled with support So here's what we're gonna do your hands already drop it only been talking 30 seconds put them back up And here's what I want you to do Stay there, and I need everyone around them to hold their arms up. Just hold their elbows up You might have to get out of your seat there me I don't want to see any man by himself There's some men in the back you get out of your seat if you're not a father go support one Hold his arms up Because you don't know what he's carrying. You don't know the mental pressure. He's carrying. You don't know the financial pressure He's carrying. You don't know the emotional pressure. You don't know the spiritual pressure He's carrying and guess what? You're not supposed to because it's not designed for you. He's called to it. Not you and If you want him to make it in his calling he needs to know that when he gets tired He'll have some brothers and sisters in Christ who will hold his arms up And here's what I want every man at legacy to know you will never ever have to hold your arms up alone That's why we started this church so that people all over the world can support you in prayer They can support you and mentor you they can support your family get your kids to legacy kids We got men that'll hold those babies and speak life into them. We got men that'll help your teenager You don't have to be the only voice You got to be faithful to put other spiritual fathers and brothers and grandmas and moms around them We want to hold your arms up brother, I want to pray over every single man with his arms lifted right now, holy spirit I thank you for these mighty Living legends these men of God that you created that you designed that are called for a purpose I thank you God that they're not accidental fathers. They're not they're not they're not happenstance fathers God They are called supernaturally I thank you for the men that stepped up and they are raising kids that don't share their DNA But they share their heart for them. They love them I thank you for these men that have gone above and beyond To be the best that they could be even when they were lacking so many things on their own And I thank you God that as of this moment, they lack nothing because they know they are forgiven

They know that they are called to be faithful and they are equipped to be faithful They know that they are filled with the Holy Spirit They know that they are being formed in the image of God and they don't need their children to see perfect men They don't need their wives to see perfect men. They don't need others to see perfect men They need to see flawed men who are forgiven, faithful, filled, and formed Because you do your best work with flawed individuals who say yes So I come in agreement with every yes in this room every man that said yes to being a man of God every man that said Yes to being a husband every man that said yes to being a father every man that said yes to being a leader I thank you that from now on Father's Day will be a day of encouragement Not disappointment where they will feel be reminded of whose they are not what they don't do And I thank you also For a fresh perspective for your sons and daughters who've been wounded by fathers. I Pray right now a spirit of forgiveness to flood over us a spirit of grace Mercy and peace to wash over our minds and our hearts so that we can do the impossible We can forgive those who are flawed and haven't even apologized We can do the impossible of walking not in fear or timidity but in power love and self-discipline I thank you in Jesus name. Amen Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen Hey, if you're still watching at this point, I believe that it's not an accident I believe that if you're feeling something in your spirit That is God trying to get your attention and invite you into a deeper relationship with him And so if you're ready to take that step, I want to I want to walk you through what that looks like It's simple we're gonna say a prayer together and it's just you acknowledging that you believe that Jesus is who he says he is And that you're willing to commit your life to following him learning to what it means to be a son or daughter of God So repeat after me if you can Jesus here I am. I Believe that you love me that you died for me and that you want a relationship with me I Acknowledge that I'm a sinner and I need a Savior and I'm committing to learning what it means to be a follower of Jesus If I mess up, I will not quit because you've never quit on me I invite your Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me in your truth from today on in Jesus name

Amen. Hey, we're proud of you. That's a huge decision and we don't want you to feel like you have to figure it all out On your own from this point. We have a value at legacy that says we follow Jesus for ourselves, but not by ourselves So I would invite you to text the number below follow the instructions and we're gonna we're gonna send you resources So you can learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus and and be on this journey of faith Congratulations, your life will never be the same Thank you for watching. Hope you enjoyed the online experience Hey If this message impacted you make sure you like comment subscribe And share it with the friends so we can continue to share the gospel Hey here at legacy prayer is our priority You have any prayer needs you can send them to prayer at legacy az.church If you'd like to financially partner with legacy, you can text any dollar amount to 84321 You can also download the church center app visit our website at legacyaz.church Click on ways to give you'll find links to support legacy church. You can find us on social media Otherwise go out and love live lead like jesus. We'll see you next week