A couple of weeks ago I preached a message called "OUR FATHER". Below are my notes from this message.
Have you ever been pranked? I've been pranked before...check it out below...Change well and truly pranked me back in the day!
Go to the Senior High Group page to see...
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=575532661#!/groups/86787038537/
Untill you properly identify someone it makes it hard to relate to them. If I had known who was really on the phone I would have responded very differently to the phone call, but because I had an incorrect understanding of who I was talking to it impacted how I related to this person.
Until we correctly identify God in our lives it will be hard to relate to Him.
It is important we understand and remember that before anything God is our father. Before we are anything we are His children. In Mathew 6:9, Jesus tells us that when we pray we should begin our prayer by communicating and identifying God as our Father.
The Lion King is such a sick movie. Check out scene below...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byDN8aoR4TI
It is very easy to forget that God is our Father, that we are his children. As soon as we do we lose our identity and we begin to relate to Him out of a wrong identification of who He is. The problem for Simba was not whether he was Mufasa's son or not, not whether he was the rightful king or not but that he had FORGOTTEN who he was. Our issue is not whether or not we are children of God, whether God is our Father, whether we have an inheritance in God, its that either we don't know, or we have forgotten.
Praying and reading your Bible will show and remind you. Come to Church and you'll discover and remember that He is....
So, God being our father has many implications. Just like any father cares for, protects, blesses, guides, teaches, disciplines their children, so does God with us. Here is a list of scriptures that have helped me to identify God correctly in my life:
o Hebrews 13:5 – never leave us or forsake us.
o Psalm 23 – Our Shepherd
o Cares for our health – Exodus 15:26
o Psalm 55:22 – takes our burdens
o 1 Peter 5 – cast your care on Him who cares for you.
o He wants close proximity with us like any father does –James 4 – draw near. 2 Corinthians 5:18
o When we reject Him, turn our backs on Him, close the door on Him – as we turn to Him He welcomes us. Prodigal son – Luke 15:11-22
o No Hidden agenda. Just LOVE – John 3:16
o He gives us FREE WILL. Doesn’t force himself on us. We have the choice, free will. John 3:16. James 4:8
o Responds to our needs, wants to fulfill our needs, supply our needs, knows our needs. Philippians 4:19 – My God will supply…. Matt 6:25-32
o Wants us to Rest in Him. Psalm 46:10 – Be still and know I am God. Yoke is easy, burden light – Matthew 11:30
I have a family dog (my sister owns her) called Bo-Derek. She is a Jug - Jack Russell cross Pug - she is always pumped about everything! As soon as she hears me come home (or any of my family for that matter, but mostly me cause she loves me the most) it doesnt matter to her whats happening around the place, whether she has poo on her, whether she is dirty, smelly, has just been licking or sniffing some other dogs behind. She hears me coming and she will frantically sprint up to me. She will jump into my arms and plant multiple slobbery, smelly kisses all over me. The funny thing is.... I LOVE IT. I don't yell at her, "Bo you better go get yourself cleaned up before you touch me". I don't push her away. I fully embrace her, I come running towards her, welcoming her and I lavish her with hugs, scratches and rough but nice pats!
In the same way, God wants us to come to Him…He is available to us, we are his children, he loves us and gets pumped about spending time with us.
He is OUR FATHER.
PRAY.BRING.HONOUR.