Archive for the ‘Fatherhood’ Category

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THE PASSIONATE FATHER

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

Day 186

“He parted the heavens and came down”
Psalm 18:9a

Did you know God the Father is passionate about us? His love for us is so passionate that if the enemy touches us, He will rise up and come to deliver us. This is why David said, “He is my shield and the horn (strength) of my salvation, my stronghold” [verse 2]. God is our Father and He protects us and our salvation. He is our strength.

There are times when the enemy comes we become so overwhelmed that we believe the battle is lost. Have you ever been in that place? Paul was. He even despaired of life and believed he was going to die. David also thought the same. He saw the cords of the grave around him and the snares of death. Both of these men cried out to God in their distress and He heard their voice from His temple. The Father stood up and came to rescue them.

There can not be a more powerful glimpse of the Father’s passion for His children then His parting of the heavens and coming down to rescue us! All the earth and universe shakes when His anger turns to our enemies. He thunders and His voice resounds throughout the heavens and earth. He slays our enemy. And He turns our darkness into light. Glory! What a great Father we have!

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me
from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who
were too strong for me”
Psalm 18:16-17

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OUR RESCUER

Monday, September 6th, 2010

Day 184

“He rescues the poor from their distress”
Psalm 107:41

What happens to us when we are in dry place and everything around us is lifeless? It seems God has disappeared, He isn’t around anywhere. Our day is a rut, one of dull routine. We seem to drift aimlessly. We may even be experiencing hopelessness. We are overwhelmed with the matters of life. How did we get there? Maybe we put ourselves there by stupidity or through sin and rebellion. Ultimately it seems nothing can be done and no matter what we try, it is useless.

It is in these very places that the Sovereignty and Glory of God may be seen. God calls forth things which are not as if they were. He can turn the deserts into pools of water and flowing springs. On the very ground where we have failed, He is able to turn it for our good. We are His people, the sheep in His pasture. He hears our cries, even when these have become muffled by our own doing. He will rescue us.

The faithful love of the Lord is seen throughout history. He brought His people out of slavery in Egypt. Even when they rebelled against Him in later years and He chastised them, He once again brought them out of captivity. His heart turned to them for no one heard them. And when He released them, He gave them increase in their lives. He is here today and is still rescuing us. What a God this is! His love is unfailing towards us.

“The Lord is my portion,
therefore I will wait for Him”
Lamentations 3:24

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CALL ME FATHER

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

Day 176

“Now you can call God your dear Father”
Galatians 4:3

There is something very intimately personal about the name ‘father.’ It is a personal name. A child has an explicit and unreasoning trust in his father. When a child expresses his father’s name, he is expressing that deep and knowing relationship. In His deepest hour of need, Jesus called on His Father using the Aramaic term ‘abba.’ It was the term used in everyday life of the family and Jews, out of reverence, avoided using this familiar word in addressing God. Not Jesus. It was ‘Abba Father.’

It is an amazing thing that we now can call Him our dear Father! If there is anything that stands out of the whole word of God outside of Christ’s sacrifice, it is this deep, intimate and personal relationship that God wants with us – and it starts by calling Him ‘Father. In fact, Jesus died on a cross so that we may have a right relationship with His Father.

How extraordinary! What a privilege we have been given. And not just a privilege, but an adoption as His child. It is the fulfillment of the basic desire and need in our nature. We are loved, cared for, given grace and covered by His mercy and compassion. And with all this He has made complete provision for us for all of our life. Yes, “abba, Father.”

“I have love you deeply”
Malachi 1:2

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HIS PRESENCE

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Day 162

“I will not forget you”
Isaiah 49:15

Ever go through troubled times or long periods of dryness? We do not sense God’s presence or nearness and depending on our understanding, may believe God is distant, mad at us or has withdrawn from us. None of these are true.

God said, “I will remember you.”

He remembers because He loves us.

His love is a love that endures forever [Psalm 136:23]. His love is seen in His faithfulness and longsuffering. And most important and difficult for us to understand, His love is not conditioned on our behavior. It is an unconditional love and it does not change because of circumstances.

He does not forget us. We are always before Him and His presence is with us through the Holy Spirit, a seal of our inheritance. Regardless of our feelings and senses and what we are experiencing, He is always with us.

“See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands,
your walls are ever before Me”
Isaiah 49:16

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THE FATHERLESS CHILDREN

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Day 153

“For in You the fatherless find compassion”
Hosea 14:3

The book of Hosea is about the apostate nation Israel – the nation God raised up for His people. Mother Israel abandoned her husband God the Father and embraced a new lover, Baal. She became a nation of shrines, sacrifices, royal symbols, trappings, priests, kings and a ruling class that shaped, directed and exploited the people. She gave the people her identity and formed each generation to rely on Baal, find her strength in the armies, and look for enrichment from trade.

To demonstrate this apostasy, Hosea suffered with an unfaithful wife and three children through whom he experienced what God experienced – unfaithful love. She was Israel, the leadership and culture, and the children were the ordinary men and women who are trained and nurtured in that culture. With the children being raised to follow in this unfaithful love they know nothing of their true Father God. They become a lost generation, the children of Baal – not possessing the integrity, compassion, and the knowledge of God as His chosen people. Some three millennia later there is little that has changed.

To these people who knew not their true Father, Hosea gave them the words to pray with [verses 2-3] ending by saying, “for in You the fatherless find compassion.” These who knew not their Father were orphans, fatherless children. Yet, God the Father’s promise to them was, “I WILL HEAL . . . I WILL LOVE . . . I WILL BE LIKE DEW” to them. It is a cry of the Father’s heart for His true children to come back home.

“Men will dwell again in his shade”
Verse 7

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HE IS OUR FATHER

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Day 152

“Father of the fatherless”
Psalm 68:5

There are two issues that closely touch the heart of the Father – the fatherless and widows. These are mentioned often in the scriptures. And in one instance when the Father spoke of His relationship to us, He used the picture of a baby at a mother’s breast. He said even if a mother forgets, He will not forget you. And He emphasized this in stronger terms by saying “I have engraved you on the palms of My hands” [Isaiah 49:15-16].

‘Fatherless’ are those that have or had no father at home while growing up. Reasons range from death, divorce, being born out of wedlock, or abandonment. And it seems this is increasing more and more in our times. But, there are other ways of being fatherless. There are fathers physically in the home who neither have interest nor invest in their children. There are fathers who abuse and even molest their children. Great is the cry of these children. One teenager said he wanted a father “with skin on him.” His loneliness and emptiness cried out.

That cry is heard on the Throne. God in His holy habitation turns to hear those who are fatherless, for He is the helper of the fatherless [Psalm 10:14]. When they cry for help, He hears and delivers them out of their troubles. He is near the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit [Psalm 34:15-22]. This is our God, Father of fathers, who sets us in His house.

“God sets the lonely in families”
Psalm 68:6

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good”
Psalm 73:28

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MY FATHER

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Day 140

“For Thine is the kingdom”
Matthew 6:13

When you are a small child, your dad is everything. He earns the income, takes care of the problems in the house, protects you, and helps guide your life. He oversees you and there is a certain security in that. It isn’t until much later in life that you begin to realize, although dad ruled in the house, he didn’t have the power to do everything.

It’s true in earthly countries also. A president or king may rule over a nation, but they do not have the power to do with their country what they wish. And they do not have the power to change external circumstances that can deeply affect a country. That’s true for the United States and all other countries. Leaders have a kingdom, but not the power. And it’s true for us as individuals. We can rule over our life and body, but the older you get you realize you do not have the power to do as you wish. If you believe otherwise, show how you have power over fatal diseases, accidents and death.

But not so with our Father and King of Kings. His is the kingdom and the power. He rules over all things and holds absolute power. And what is impossible for men is possible with God. There is no limit to the kingdom of God. Psalm 103:19 says, “His sovereignty rules over all.” He never sleeps or slumbers [Psalm 121:3-4]. This is our Father who is in heaven.

“For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever. Amen,”
Matthew 6:13

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HE IS OUR HELP

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Day 139

“The Lord is my helper”
Hebrews 13:6

Have you ever heard the phrase, “you sleep in the bed you make?” Or “heaven helps those who help themselves?” These are common sayings, but what is the meaning? If you fail or do something wrong, tough, you did it, suffer the consequences and live with it. If you don’t help yourself, no one will. Maybe God will help you if you help yourself. In other words, you are on your own.

Unfortunately, many Christians believe these statements. But these are not true, and, in fact, come right out of the pit of hell. Why? Because these statements not only totally misrepresent your Father in heaven, it actually lays charges at His door that He doesn’t care, will not help you and you can rot in your own pit. Think about it. If you believe any part of these to be true, you’ll see God as a distant judge Who condemns you. And it is the furthest from truth you can get.

Our Father is a helper to His children, even when you create your own problems. He understands human frailty and failings. His love covers a multitude of sins and He paid the ultimate price to redeem us from our fallen state. Do you think His arm is so short that He cannot save you? Or help you? Doesn’t the word declare what is impossible for us is possible with Him? Yes, His love covers every aspect our life. No matter what trouble you are in, even that which you made, He is ready to help you if you call Him.

“As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord is
thinking about me right now, You are my helper
and my savior. Do not delay, O my God.”
Psalm 40: 17

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A TENDER INVITATION

Monday, May 10th, 2010

Day 82

“Come to Me”
Matthew 11:28-30

One of our Father’s grievances is seeing His chosen ones weighed down with the burden of the religious system. Jesus addressed the complex and heavy rules that man added to the law which made devotion to God a burden. Carnal man created a religious system that misinterpreted the law, and presented God as a judge and jury. Many are still doing the same thing today. People cry out, hunger and thirst to know their Father; but all they receive from man’s religion is a God of “do” and “do not”, or conversely, shallow entertainment instead of a presentation of the living Fatherhood of God.

This tender invitation recorded in Matthew reveals the heart of our Father. Jesus, who has experienced the burden of men, calls out to the elect; “Come to Me.” His invitation is to those who are weary and burdened by the religious system; the humble ones who know they are hungry and thirsty. He wants to revive the heart, refresh them and carry their burden for them. Yes, He is a jealous God who wants to remove what separates you from Him.

John tells us what it means to answer this invitation: “He who comes to me will in no way get hungry, and he who believes in me will in no way get thirsty.” Come to He who will free you from anxiety, fear, and despair and bring you peace and rest. The rest is dwelling in His presence all the days of your life.

“I will give you rest”
vs 28

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HIS AFFECTION

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

Day 69

” it was because the Lord loved you …”
Deuteronomy 7:8

One of the most profound questions one can ask as a Christian is why God chose you, out of all people, to be His. In our self-sufficiency, education, and fast lifestyle it is this very truth that often escapes us, yet one we deeply need to know. It will change our lives, humble us before Him and bring us into a deeper knowledge and love of Him.

Consider this today: before this world came into existence, you had already been chosen by God to be His [Eph 1:4]. You are no accident. You are not here by circumstance. Nor were you chosen because you were born into the right family, or raised in a church. It was not because you were good, or because you decided to become a Christian [Jn 14:16]. No; it was because you were chosen before this world was created. He loved you first [1 Jn 4:19]. You were chosen in His sovereignty and unconditional love.

God set His affection on you; a tender feeling, a fondness for you. Even in the face of your sins, unrighteousness and separation from Him, He loved you. And even in knowing that you are not perfect: that you will fail, sin, and possibly even backslide as His child, He loves you. He loves you freely and has declared that He will heal your waywardness. This is why His word declares that love covers a multitude of sins. It is because of His love that you are His.

“Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us,
and not we ourselves; we are His people,
the sheep of His pasture”
Psalm 100:3

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