"god Is Our Father" Series

Isaiah 64:8-9 gives us the words of Father. "Yet you, O Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the Potter; we are all the work of your hands. Do not be angry beyond measure, O Lord; Do not remember our sins forever, we are your people."

Every wedding has these words spoken by the preacher, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother

to be joined his wife and shall become one flesh." Adam and Eve never had an earthly father but was created by their Heavenly Father. David said, " As a father has compassion of his children, so the Lord has compassion on his children.." Isaiah speaks on many names for God but has one called, 'an Everlasting Father."

Not once did the people in the Old testament call God as MY Father, but was referred as 'Father of nation of Israel. Jesus began by calling Him as "My Father." more than 60 times. It's not that He wasn't in reality a Father to them in the Old testament, but it was not the primary way He wanted them to see Him as a Father. He left that for His Son Jesus!

The word "Father has 3 different meaning as He is in the New Testament. First, as a paternal parent. We are born with paternal parents. Acts 17:25 says, "In Him (God) we live and have our being."

Second, The Father has a role, as the authority figure, he speaks with words of wisdom and the truth. He provides for his children. He wants what's best for you. Our Heavenly Father wants the same for His children.

Third, The Father is one who really cares. He says I need you. When we ran away, HE followed us. When we hid from Him, He found us. When we cursed Him, HE smiled back, said, that's okay, I still love. He calms our fears, He cheers us. HE provides what we really need. HE welcomes us back from a far away country.

Jesus knew His Father and what he could do for the world, when Jesus prayed "Father, Forgive Him.

"In practical terms, the relationship that the Son has given us with God the Father is analogous to his own. In the Son, we have become heirs of the Father’s kingdom, co-rulers with him and even judges of the angels (1 Cor. 6:3). This high calling comes with a price tag, for just as the Son glorified his Father while on earth, so we too are called to glorify him (John 17:1–26). We cannot do this in our own strength, but only in and through the relationship that the Father has entered into with us, through the Son and the Holy Spirit. Just as everything they do is done in relation to the Father, so everything that we are called to do must also be done in the context of obedience to his will. It is to the Father that we pray, through the Son and in the Spirit, because that is the pattern of our relationship to God that he has revealed to us. We pray to the Father because our Creator is also our Redeemer, and it is in that redeeming love that we know him." (Abimbola Sahu)

Conclusion: F == Friendly and Fantastic

A == Awesome and Advice

T == Teacher and Terrific

H == Healer and Heartfelt

E == Encourager and Endures

R == Relentless and Rough