I John 3:1-3

Definition of Father

Father is term that refers to the “originator” of something. This is what we are as men; we are originators of our children.

An originator is the beginning of or the starter of.

God is our Father

Ephesians 4:4-6

Psalm 68:5

Psalm 27:10

We as Fathers…With His Attributes

Over the years, we have seen the attack on the institution of fatherhood and the strategy to make fathers unloving and ineffective is a primary goal of Satan himself.

Why? Because if fathers are distant, distracted, disconnected, or even abusive, children will believe all fathers are this way, even a heavenly Father who claims to love them unconditionally. But this is clearly not God’s plan.

God's desire is for all fathers to reflect aspects of His character, an earthly mirror of a heavenly reality. 

Genesis 2:26

We know things

Matthew 6:8

We have an adoptive heart

Psalm 27:10

Matthew 27:9-11

When you contemplate the symbolism in Jesus’ examples in Matthew 7:9–11, a deeper meaning, especially for fathers, is evident.

For example, consider the comparison of bread to a stone. Especially to a small child, a piece of bread and a small stone may look the same and feel the same. But they are not the same. Bread was, and remains today, a key source of physical life and sustenance, and it represents spiritual life as Christ’s body, which was broken for the salvation of the world. A stone, especially in the time of Christ, could be a tool of destruction and death. Remember, stones were used to martyr Stephen.

Now consider the symbolism in the comparison of a fish to a serpent. The fish is a key symbol of the Christian faith. Of note, Jesus’ first disciples were fishermen whom He transformed into “fishers of men.” These men fervently shared the good news that salvation is available for all men. In contrast, the serpent is the symbol of the Evil One who seeks to thwart the gospel and lead humankind down a path of destruction and death.