The 318 Project - The Importance Of A Father's Affirmation

The Importance Of A Father's Affirmation

06/17/21 • 60 min

In this episode, I talk with Clifford Hare, my dad and President of Faithful Men Ministries; and David Hare, my brother.
We talk about the importance of a father's blessing of affirmation in a child's life. The meaning of affirmation and where we first hear of the father's affirmation, or blessing, in the Bible.
Cliff shares about how he grew up in a non-christian home and had caring parents, but never had that affirmation of you are a good son.
Many people grow up with an image of the only way we get affirmation, or love, is out of fear unless we accomplish goals in life. Other times we may have a fear that we never measure up to receive that love and affection.
As men, we must allow ourselves to be vulnerable in front of our children and those we mentor. This isn't to show weakness, but that we have difficult time and how we work through them.
The origin of the father's blessing goes back to the book of Numbers 6:23-27 when God speaks to Moses and shares with him the Aaronic Blessing. Later we see when Jesus is being baptized by John that as He comes up from the water that God speaks and tells Him, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I AM well pleased." This comes before Jesus has done the first miracle, sermon or teaching; yet God was affirming him as his son.
Our identity in society come from the father. This comes with us going back to learn to hear the voice of the Lord.
The way to truly know of that love is not just by having a conversation with God, but having those intimate times with Him; whether in prayer, praise, both or simply just resting in His presence.
Even for Jesus after was affirmed by God, he went into the wilderness that brought a time of testing a walking by faith that we see that Jesus had confidence in His heavenly Father.
Clifford Hare has been married to Patricia Hare for 48 years. They have 2 sons, 1 daughter-in-law, 3 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. Cliff took over Faithful Men Ministries for Jack King in 2016. He serves as an elder and pastor at the Springs Church in Jacksonville, Florida.
David has works for the Florida State Corrections 6 years and has also is an ordained minister for almost 10 years.

Previous Episode

Do You Know All The Options Available In The Owner's Manual?

What is the first thing you do when you get home with your new phone, car or any electronic device?
Do you stop to read the instructions from the owner's manual, or just start messing with it to figure out all the options that it has on your own?
I remember as a kid, that as soon as I got home with a new video game that I would plug it into the game console and start playing it without reading the book to know the purpose for each level and what some of the options available to help defeat the game. Even when I got Legos, I would open the box and dump all the pieces out and start building what I saw on the box. But, about half way through it looked nothing like what was on the box cover.
That was when I went and got the instruction book or owner's manual out of the box to see what I need to defeat the game or the step-by-step instructions to build the Lego ship.
Even as we get older, we buy a new cellphone or car and immediately start trying to look at what all we can go with it to make us feel comfortable.
Later on when we have an issue arise or help on how to fix it, where do we go?
THE OWNERS MANUAL!
It is the same thing with our lives and our spiritual walk with Christ. We give our hearts to Him and ask for forgiveness of our sins and start growing. But, over time we get into a routine and then all of a sudden we face a crisis or an issue arises that we don't know how to handle or fix.
Much like when we see a indicator light come on the dash of the car, we can go to the owner's manual to see what the problem may be and what we need to do to fix it.
That owner's manual is the BIBLE!
God's word has so much for us to help guide and lead us in our daily walk. Yes, many of us may read the word in a daily devotion plan. You and I may take the time to pray everyday; even listen to praise and worship music while doing activities. But do we know all the options that are available to us from GOD?
Even for many seasoned Christians that have been saved and serving God for many years will tell you that God is still revealing new things to them when they read His Word. That is the beauty of the Bible is that it is God's breath and is alive for us and in us.
As we read and grow from reading the Bible, God reveals all the options and daily instructions that are available to use that will help us each and every day as we face life.

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Next Episode

Are You An Empty or Overflowing Vessel For God?

Do you feel like what you are doing for God is not having an impact or recognition?
Maybe, You got to that point where you felt completely empty and dried up.
Well, you aren't alone.

I will share how an image from an old movie about the desert revealed to me how God uses men and women throughout the Bible as a vessel for Him.

In John Ch 4: 7-15, Jesus spoke about the living water that He had to the Samaritan woman, and it is that same water that flows in those that are saved.

Jesus said we would have rivers of living water flowing from our belly (John 7:37-39).

This is a representation of the Holy Spirit that is poured out in us and flows through us.

Jesus said that we as Christians would do greater things than He. Not because of our abilities and power, but from the Holy Spirit working through us.

We are the vessel. When the Holy Spirit moves through us to speak into someone or over them (prophecy) or a message of tongues and interpretation, We are simply being a willing vessel. Jesus told those that followed Him to go to the upper room . (Acts 1:8)

What God showed me was a water canteen? Just as a canteen carries water to refresh and bring life to a thirsty soul, so are we a vessel that brings living water (the Word) to a lost and thirsty world.

II Corinthians 4:7‭-‬10
II Timothy 2:20‭-‬21

It is the water that brings life and gets the honor, not the vessel. The same goes with us. It is Jesus who gets the glory and honor by the Holy Spirit working through us as the willing vessel.

Like in those movies, like the westerns or others where they are stranded on the desert with only that one canteen. It is great for them while there is water in it, but Once the vessel runs dry it is worthless till they find an oasis or water supply to refill it.

The same applies with us. While we have the Spirit living in us to help uplift others, we too need a refilling of the Holy Spirit to continue on and refill our vessel so that we don't run dry and become worthless.

Jesus talked about that in the parable of the old wineskin in Luke 5:36‭-‬39. This same parable is mentioned in Matthew 9:17 and in Mark 2:22

In Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus even called out the Pharisees about their outer appearance

But again it is the Holy Spirit flowing in and through us that the world needs to see.

Even in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was placed on men and women at special times to prophesy and speak judgement from God.

In Ezekiel, God shows the prophet of an example of how the Holy Spirit can bring life to dead souls when in Ch 37 God commands him to speak to the valley of dried bones.

Then we see when Jesus is with the disciples at the Last Supper and he begins to wash their feet. In John 13:5-9, Peter tells Jesus not only to wash his feet by his hands and head.

Finally the Holy Spirit gives us an unlimited supply source that never runs dry. However, at times we may become tired, discouraged, run down or overwhelmed, but that is when we need to go back to that water source to refill.

The same thing with those movies when the character finally finds a well or oasis. They drink as much as they can to get refreshed and regain their strength and then they also refill that canteen for the journey.

That is with us as we are refilled, it allows us to continue the path that God has for us to share His Gospel to others for encouragement also.

Luke 6:38 NKJV

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