Devotionals - Discover the Book - Mar. 16, 2009

God As Our Father

This morning can you say without a doubt that you know that God is your Father?

Remember what God promised about Christ's coming? Isaiah 9:6:

Wonderful Counselor so we never have to be CONFUSED.

Mighty God so we never have to be AFRAID.

Everlasting Father so we never have to be ALONE.

Prince of Peace so we never have to be ANXIOUS.

If church traditions are correct all the Gospel writers had an overwhelming conviction of their salvation and God their Father’s care.

        Matthew knew the reality of God as His ever present Father when he suffered martyrdom by the sword.

        Mark knew the reality of God as His ever present Father when he died in Alexandria after being dragged through the streets of the city.

        Luke experienced the same reality of God as His ever present Father when he was hanged on a large olive tree in Greece.

        It was John's realization of God as His ever present Father when he was scarred in a cauldron of boiling oil and lived his last days banished on an island.

What does Jesus say will be in the lives of His children who genuinely belong to Him? They all cry out to God as their Heavenly Father! Today we continue what will be perhaps one of the greatest studies we have ever taken. We will look at each of Christ's presentations of the Gospel. Each way Jesus described salvation to both His Twelve and to the world. And to start join me in Luke 11:1-4.

        THE EVIDENCE OF CHRIST'S CHILDREN IS THEY SEEK: Luke 11:2-4 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

• Our Father in heaven (GOD AS FATHER),
• Hallowed be Your name (WORSHIPING HIM).
• Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (SUBMISSIVE TO HIM) v. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, (DEPENDING ON HIM) For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us (LOVING OTHERS).
• And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one (SEEKING HOLINESS).

        JESUS CALLED FOR INSIDE OUTEDNESS Luke 11:28,34,39 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” 11:34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 11:39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. INSIDE OUT LIVING. This is shown by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. And then in 1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

        YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF HEAVEN IF YOU ARE: CHRIST CONFESSING, GOD WEALTHY, KINGDOM SEEKING, AND HEAVENLY HEARTED Luke 12:8,21, 31, 34, 37-38 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 12:21 “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” RICH TOWARD GOD 12:31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. HEAVENWARD HEARTS 12:37-38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. WATCHING The unsaved, the lost, the worldlings to the very end of time are exactly opposite this. Remember the sky is falling down literally in the Tribulation and the lost cling to their stuff! Revelation 9:20-21 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Or in modern English: The remaining men and women who weren’t killed by these weapons went on their merry way—didn’t change their way of life, didn’t quit worshiping demons, didn’t quit centering their lives around lumps of gold and silver and brass, hunks of stone and wood that couldn’t see or hear or move. There wasn’t a sign of a change of heart. They plunged right on in their murderous, occult, promiscuous, and thieving ways.

        JESUS DESCRIBES THOSE HEADING TO HEAVEN AS: SIN REPENTING, FRUIT BEARING, GATE ENTERING, GOD KNOWING, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS DOING Luke 13:5-6 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. REPENTANT and FRUITFUL 13:24-27 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ WALKING NARROW ROAD – KNOWING GOD – DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS.

        Note the contrast of the two ways first God’s Way in James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

        Then the way of destruction in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! Listen to a paraphrase: Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people and look to your Father in Heaven!