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You don’t have to hurry or scurry. The Spirit-led life does not panic; it trusts.

In Ephesians 1:19-20 (NCV) the apostle Paul reminds us that, “God’s power is very great for us who believe. That power is the same as the great strength God used to raise Christ from the dead and put him at his right side in the heavenly world.” The same hand that pushed the rock from the tomb can shove away your doubt. The same power that stirred the still heart of Christ can stir your flagging faith. The same strength that put Satan on his heels can, and will, defeat Satan in your life.

Just keep the power supply open. Who knows, you may soon hear people asking, “What’s gotten into you?” You see, as God’s story becomes our story, his power becomes our power.

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Disney World. The Magic Kingdom. How can a four-year-old girl be a little cranky in that dream destination for kids her age? Our granddaughter had been having a great day there with her mom and her cousins while her daddy was busy in meetings. She'd done all the princess stuff she loved, she'd gotten the autographs of Disney characters that she loved, she'd gone on rides she'd been looking forward to. But for some reason, by early afternoon she was just a little out of sorts. By that time, her dad was available, and he showed up to take her on some rides. And suddenly, it was like the clouds had blown away and the sun came out. She was the bouncy, happy little girl we all know again. In retrospect, I guess it was easy to diagnose why the clouds had rolled in. She was missing her Daddy!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Substitute For a Daddy."

It's true of every one of us, even if our childhood is way behind us. There's a spot in our heart and in our life that was meant to be filled by a father. If you've been trusted by God with the awesome assignment of being a father, don't ever forget there's nothing that can take your place in the life of your son or daughter. No matter how young or how old they are.

In Ephesians 6:4, our word for today from the Word of God, He speaks directly to dads: "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." We fail our children, and we fail the God who gave them to us when we continually "exasperate" them.

We exasperate them by our absence. We're so busy they just get our leftovers while everyone else gets our best. And that's wrong priorities. We exasperate our children by our unavailability. We're around them, but we're not with them. We're all tied up with sports on TV or some website, checking something out, we're doing our "chores" or we're involved in our hobby or our work. We're there, but they can't have us - because from the way it looks to them, there's something always more important than they are.

We exasperate our children by our criticism, too. How many of us have been wounded by the feeling that we could never be good enough for our dad? If you're always harping on what they need to improve, on what's wrong with them, that child is going to have a hard time believing they have a lot of value. The praise and encouragement of a dad is one of the most powerful life-shaping forces on earth.

Our kids are also exasperated by a father's silence - he doesn't express his feelings, he doesn't show or speak his love for them. So they're never sure where they stand. And a dad can exasperate a child with just passivity - a failure to lead, to set and enforce consistent boundaries, to provide spiritual leadership for them.

Maybe you're thinking about the hole you have in your life because of what your father never was for you. I call it the daddy deficit. I've got a wonderful promise from God for you in Psalm 68:4-5. "His name is the Lord...a father to the fatherless." And Psalm 10:14 declares that "You, O God...are the helper of the fatherless." God is already your Creator. He wants to be your Father - to love you, to care for you, not like the earthly father you had, but like the father you always wished you had.

But first you've got to have the sins forgiven that stand between you and Him. God the Father sent His only Son, Jesus, to die to pay for those sins so you can belong to the ultimate Father you were made for. The day you put your total trust in Jesus to forgive your sins, you get a personal Savior and you get the Father that your heart is missing.

You ready for that? Tell Him you want to belong to Him. Tell Him today. Go to our website and find there the verses that will show you how to be sure you belong to Him. That site i

A new report from the Charlotte Lozier Institute reveals dangerous overseas abortion drugs are flooding into the United States, bypassing our laws and regulations. International online pharmacies and abortion centers are shipping pills into all 50 states — often with no prescription, no medical oversight, and no meaningful limits on how late in pregnancy they can be used.  

These unregulated drugs not only threaten the lives of unborn children, ending countless innocent lives, they also put women at serious risk of complications because there’s no medical screening or follow-up.  

Studies show that approximately 1 in 10 women who take these pills will face serious adverse medical reactions like sepsis, profuse bleeding, and hospitalization. The abortion industry does not care about the women however, they only care about their profits.  

Anne shares about thanksgiving and praise from Psalm 42:4.

A study conducted by the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups revealed that AI toys marketed for kids often aren’t safe for kids.

Read the full review.

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When it comes to instilling character in our kids, the most important aspect we can teach and model for them is resilience. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Kathy Koch explores ways you can help your child face challenges with courage, confidence, and conviction. You’ll get a solid idea of what it looks like to bounce back from struggles and difficulties, as well as some tools to help you develop and nurture a spirit of resilience in your home.

Receive the book Resilient Kids plus an audio download of the broadcast "Helping Your Child Develop Resilience" for your donation of any amount! Plus, receive member-exclusive benefits when you make a recurring gift today. Your monthly support helps families thrive.

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