“Chosen Children of a Perfect Father”
(The Fatherhood of God)
Part 5
Review
I. The Likeness Factor
II. Unconditional love and acceptance factor
God’s love chose us. God’s love drew us into His family. God’s love removed all the obstacles to intimate relationship. God’s love supernaturally transformed us. God’s love reconciled us to Himself. God’s love keeps us in His family. Nothing in heaven or on earth can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
III. Protection and security Factor
References to God as our protector, shield, fortress, deliverer, everlasting arms, shelter, refuge and strength run all through the Bible. We are secure in Him. He writes us on the palm of His hand. He put His seal on us.
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Eph 4:30
Our heavenly Father does not shield us from all suffering any more than He spared His own Son but watches over us and brings about His eternal purposes in us and through us.
IV. The Presence Factor
Every child of God longs for the manifested presence of God. We know He is everywhere but we long for Him to show Himself to us in tangible ways. Our Heavenly Father manifests various aspects of character through our lifetime. He may manifest His love at one time and His glory another. We may all of a sudden become aware of His great mercy and forgiveness. At another time, His absolute holiness may grip our consciousness. God’s presence may become more acute through particular events in our life. Just because He doesn’t manifest His presence at a particular time does not mean He has left us. Isaiah 40:27-31
Moses counted on God’s manifested presence to distinguish them from other nations. Exodus 33:14-16
Before his death, Moses encouraged the people to focus on the Lord’s presence with them.
Deuteronomy 31:6,8
Sometimes loneliness can be a tool that drives us to God. God will sometimes allow us to feel alone so that we will focus our trust in Him alone. Other times, we are unaware of His presence in our lives because we are so distracted by other things. Still yet other times God’s manifested presence becomes more noticed when we gather together with other believers in prayer and worship.
V. The Wisdom Factor
A. The Wisdom of God
Life in a broken world can be difficult. Life in a broken world often becomes complicated and confusing. What shall we do? How shall we live? How do I handle life’s difficulties?
God intended for parents to provide godly wisdom, direction, counsel, advice, insight, perspective. I have often longed to have a dad to ask for advice or just point me in a direction.
Of course we all know that not all fathers would give good advice or counsel. Not all fathers were even around or willing to be involved in our life. I felt alone. I felt like I was on my own.
Without encouragement to stretch and a father’s affirmation, I usually choice things I thought I could handle.
Of course my Heavenly Father had different plans and I found myself in some pretty horrific situations requiring me to cry out to Him and trust His loving care.
He is the all-knowing God. He knows everything about everything everywhere in every age.
He knows actuals and possibles. What was and what might have been, what is and what will be.
Paul called Him the “God only wise.” Here are just a few of the passages referencing the perfect wisdom of God.
Psalms 147:4-5 Romans 11:33-36
Listen to Daniel’s prayer of thanks for God’s insight. Daniel 2:20-23
Isaiah 40:13-14; 40:28 Psalms 104:24
Not only does God know about all things in general. He also knows all there is to know about me personally.
Psalm 139:1-6 Hebrews 4:13
Our Heavenly Father knows everything about you and yet still loves you. There is no reason to hide. There is no reason to avoid exposure. God already knows all about it. My sin, my sorrows, my thoughts, my intents, my dreams, my failures and successes, my frustration, my pain, my confusion, my struggles. He not only knows but encloses me in His loving care and directs my life with His loving hand.
B. The Direction of God
We would expect a good father to provide direction for life in a complicated and scary world.
Our Father is such and father and provides personal direction in life.
Proverbs 3:5-6 . Psa 31:3
God directs us to Himself. God directs us to particular geographic locations. God directs us to influence and be influenced by certain individuals. God directs us to particular ministries and tasks. (Set aside Paul and Barnabas)
God provides wisdom for particular decisions and circumstances. James 1:5-8
Psalms 32:8-9 Psalms 73:24 Proverbs 16:9
David floundered every time he failed to seek the Lord’s direction.
There are serious consequences for rejecting God’s counsel. Proverbs 1:23-33
1. The Counsel of Scripture
The Scriptures record God’s counsel on any number of issues. Don’t expect God to tell you what to do if He has already clearly spoken on the subject. Should I cheat on my spouse?
Should I lie? Should I gossip? Should I give money in the offering? Should I take revenge?
What should be my life’s top priority? God has already given clear direction.
Scripture provides a framework for understanding the world of nature, people, events, the spirit world and the world of the future. Scripture may not address every issue we may face but it certainly provides the framework for understanding the issues and making God honoring choices. The Bible never mentions television, smoking, red Ferraris, IRAs, rap music yet within its pages the honest seeker can find applicable principles leading to godly perspective and choices.
Even though the Bible doesn’t mention television, it has much to say about exposure to sensuality and harmful things. It does say focus our thoughts on things that are good.
Philippians 4:8-9
It does instruct us to make good use of our time while on earth. The Scriptures provide perspective for life. The Scriptures offer insight into life that allows us a greater perspective.
What we assume about what we experience is not always the case. God’s apparent failure to provide direction may in fact be caused by something beyond our present understanding.
The Proverbs provide general wisdom and counsel related to living life in a broken world.
Proverbs 1:1-7; 6:22-23
2. The Counsel of the Holy Spirit
Besides the Scriptures, the continual presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit offers wisdom, insight, direction, truth and encouragement as needed. God is a very present help in time of trouble.
John 14:16-17 -- 1 Corinthians 2:10-16
At times, God will specifically speak to our heart. It is not necessarily an audible voice but an internal witness, a divine prompting in our Spirit with specific direction. It will never contradict the clear teaching of the written word and must be evaluated Biblically.
3. The Counsel of Earthly Parents
Such wisdom and counsel come from the Scriptures and from godly parents. Proverbs 2:1-6
4. The Counsel of Spiritual leaders. Heb 13:17
5. The Counsel of Life’s Circumstances
God may use life’s circumstances to point us in a particular direction. Satan also uses life circumstances to entice us in a particular direction. The apparent lack of opposition may not be an indicator of God’s approval. The presence of difficulty may not be an indicator of God’s disapproval.
The absence of God’s direction
What about when God is silent? What about the times God doesn’t seem to give direction?
Just as there are struggles when God’s protection and presence fall short of OUR expectations, we do not always get the counsel and direction we seek when we want it.
6. God already spoke
Saul desperately wanted a word from God. His link to God through Samuel was no longer available since Samuel had died. Saul’s desperation drove him to seek out a medium to try to get in touch with Samuel again. God apparently allowed Samuel to come back and talk to Saul but the message didn’t change. The reason God provided no further direction is because He had no further message than what had previously been delivered to Saul through Samuel.
7. God expects us to be filled with spiritual wisdom and make wise choices
8. Lack of any intention of following His direction – Rebellion
9. Lack of direction due to sin 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
10. Lack of awareness due to a heart dulled by sin
11. God has no particular preference one way or another
12. Silence is intended to lead us to deeper trust and dependence
13. It is not time yet. Need to know basis.
14. We wouldn’t understand the answer if it gave it to us.
Life still holds many mysteries. Not everything in life fits in a nice neat explainable box our outline. It was God’s silence in suffering that finally got to Job. God refused to answer His barrage of why questions. Job arrogantly demanded answers (direction) from God. When God finally answered, He fired a volley of pointed questions of His own Job’s way. Most of them focuses on who was in charge and would Job trust Him even in the dark. Job 38:1-7
Yes, our Heavenly Father promises counsel, direction, wisdom, insight, understanding and we are encouraged to continue to ask for wisdom. There are times however when heaven seems unbearably silent.
He may be silent but He is not unsympathetic.
He may be in the darkness but He is not in the distance.
He may be unresponsive but He is not unloving.
He may seem absent but He is not unaware.
It is during those times that we are encouraged to trust our Heavenly Father to ultimately work all things together for good.
Remember!
1 Corinthians 1:30
Paul prayed that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom
Colossians 1:10-12
APPLICATION
In need of direction, wisdom, counsel from a loving Father?
Ask Him.
Seek what He has already communicated.
Become wise in the word. 2 Timothy 3:15
Listen to those He sends your way.
Feel lost in the dark without direction.
Wait on the Lord.
Trust His heart when you can’t trace His hand.
