Classroom: Father Heart TWO 02-21-07
Claude 02-21-07
Father Heart
We started off by sharing things about each of our fathers and each of our relationships with him. What was/is he like? How was life growing up?
“I suspect that the things we said or didn’t say have had a great impact upon our lives.”
There is a God we want, and there is a God who IS – and they are not the same God. If I were to ask you to describe God to me, we would all describe Him differently. Some of those descriptions would be totally correct and right – others would be very different. There is a God we want; there is a God who IS – and they are not the same God.
During one session on the Father Heart of God a long time ago, this girl came for prayer. She was from an Indian background – she came from England. My friend and I were laying hands on her, ministering to her, and asking God to bring her a revelation. She was saying, “Thanks you Jesus! Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus!” And of course there is no problem for us to talk to Jesus – most of us probably don’t have a problem with talking to Jesus. It’s easy for us to pray to the Holy Spirit. The churches I would attend on Sunday morning in England – the minister would say, “Okay, let us pray. Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed by thy name.” And I wonder how many of those people really knew God as their Father.
Maybe today we did not want to share things that were too personal, or too painful. Some of us were very open.
When we were praying for this girl – we noticed something blocking her. So we stopped her and asked her to just listen to us. She said, “okay.” And we said, “we want you to switch your focus from Jesus to God the Father.” And she said “okay, I’ll try.” And when we were praying for God to open her heart, she just couldn’t bring herself to say the word “father.” There was too much meaning in that word she couldn’t let go of. And it seemed like a long time, but finally she was able to say, “Thank you Father!” And the dam broke. She just wept… thank you Father, thank you.
God is our Father.
In the Old Testament there are very few verses as God being the Father. For Israel, God was the God who gives life – the God who brings the children out into the world. God did not reveal Himself to everyone in the Old Testament. Only a few of them were chosen… Adam and Eve, some kings and prophets, Moses, and some others; and we know that God is a God of relationship and that He longs to have a relationship with you. Even before the world, there was God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and they have always been in a deep relationship with one another.
God is a God of relationship; and He longs to have an intimate relationship with you and me. God wants to have conversations with us. It’s not just us coming to God and giving Him a list – but it is God wanting to communicate with you and me. It is God wanting to give us His Word.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had a wonderful relationship with God. Try to picture that relationship and how wonderful it was. Adam and Eve and God would talk together. And of course, Genesis came and Adam and Eve were cast from the Garden. And God came to the people of Israel over and over, wanting them to come back; but Israel rebelled because there was no relationship. So why is that relationship so hard to establish? How is your relationship with God? What blocks you from Him?
Let’s look at the Father’s personality.
He is holy
John 17:11
He is righteous
John 17:25
He is loving
John 16:27
He is living
John 6:57
He is forgiving
Matthew 6:14
He is merciful
Luke 6:36
He is perfect
Matthew 5:48
He is all powerful
Mark 14:36
He is all knowing
Matthew 6:4
He is present everywhere
Psalm 139:7-10
And we have a lot of questions all the time. And we say, “God, why did you do this? Why did this happen?” And we don’t have all the answers! And we have to stand with that! We have to trust that God is right.
The Father Himself loves you. He loves you. Can you say that to someone?
Why does He love you? Because you’re doing a DTS? Because of where you’re from? Because you came half way across the world?
Let’s look at the Father’s authority. That is a concept most people don’t like – authority. We don’t like that, do we? Because we’re all independent people – “I don’t like the rules in this DTS! God leave me alone!”
But I believe that being under the Father’s authority is the safest place to be. I’m not saying we won’t have trials or tribulations or temptations, but if we are under God’s authority, God will provide a way out. He will give us the grace. Romans 12:2 says that His will is good, acceptable, and perfect. So I can rest in that. And as I renew my mind, as I offer myself as a living sacrifice.
Do you want to do His will? Or do you want to do your own will?
Father Heart
We started off by sharing things about each of our fathers and each of our relationships with him. What was/is he like? How was life growing up?
“I suspect that the things we said or didn’t say have had a great impact upon our lives.”
There is a God we want, and there is a God who IS – and they are not the same God. If I were to ask you to describe God to me, we would all describe Him differently. Some of those descriptions would be totally correct and right – others would be very different. There is a God we want; there is a God who IS – and they are not the same God.
During one session on the Father Heart of God a long time ago, this girl came for prayer. She was from an Indian background – she came from England. My friend and I were laying hands on her, ministering to her, and asking God to bring her a revelation. She was saying, “Thanks you Jesus! Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus!” And of course there is no problem for us to talk to Jesus – most of us probably don’t have a problem with talking to Jesus. It’s easy for us to pray to the Holy Spirit. The churches I would attend on Sunday morning in England – the minister would say, “Okay, let us pray. Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed by thy name.” And I wonder how many of those people really knew God as their Father.
Maybe today we did not want to share things that were too personal, or too painful. Some of us were very open.
When we were praying for this girl – we noticed something blocking her. So we stopped her and asked her to just listen to us. She said, “okay.” And we said, “we want you to switch your focus from Jesus to God the Father.” And she said “okay, I’ll try.” And when we were praying for God to open her heart, she just couldn’t bring herself to say the word “father.” There was too much meaning in that word she couldn’t let go of. And it seemed like a long time, but finally she was able to say, “Thank you Father!” And the dam broke. She just wept… thank you Father, thank you.
God is our Father.
In the Old Testament there are very few verses as God being the Father. For Israel, God was the God who gives life – the God who brings the children out into the world. God did not reveal Himself to everyone in the Old Testament. Only a few of them were chosen… Adam and Eve, some kings and prophets, Moses, and some others; and we know that God is a God of relationship and that He longs to have a relationship with you. Even before the world, there was God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and they have always been in a deep relationship with one another.
God is a God of relationship; and He longs to have an intimate relationship with you and me. God wants to have conversations with us. It’s not just us coming to God and giving Him a list – but it is God wanting to communicate with you and me. It is God wanting to give us His Word.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had a wonderful relationship with God. Try to picture that relationship and how wonderful it was. Adam and Eve and God would talk together. And of course, Genesis came and Adam and Eve were cast from the Garden. And God came to the people of Israel over and over, wanting them to come back; but Israel rebelled because there was no relationship. So why is that relationship so hard to establish? How is your relationship with God? What blocks you from Him?
Let’s look at the Father’s personality.
He is holy
John 17:11
He is righteous
John 17:25
He is loving
John 16:27
He is living
John 6:57
He is forgiving
Matthew 6:14
He is merciful
Luke 6:36
He is perfect
Matthew 5:48
He is all powerful
Mark 14:36
He is all knowing
Matthew 6:4
He is present everywhere
Psalm 139:7-10
And we have a lot of questions all the time. And we say, “God, why did you do this? Why did this happen?” And we don’t have all the answers! And we have to stand with that! We have to trust that God is right.
The Father Himself loves you. He loves you. Can you say that to someone?
Why does He love you? Because you’re doing a DTS? Because of where you’re from? Because you came half way across the world?
Let’s look at the Father’s authority. That is a concept most people don’t like – authority. We don’t like that, do we? Because we’re all independent people – “I don’t like the rules in this DTS! God leave me alone!”
But I believe that being under the Father’s authority is the safest place to be. I’m not saying we won’t have trials or tribulations or temptations, but if we are under God’s authority, God will provide a way out. He will give us the grace. Romans 12:2 says that His will is good, acceptable, and perfect. So I can rest in that. And as I renew my mind, as I offer myself as a living sacrifice.
Do you want to do His will? Or do you want to do your own will?
posted by CarbonChris at 10:15 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home