FATHER

It is interesting, that in the thousands of years covered in the Old Testament, God is called "Father" only seven times. They thought of Him as other kinds of things — creator, almighty one, etc. But they didn’t think of God as Father.  Jesus uses the expression more than 150 times to refer to God.  Father - a term of endearment, compassion, closeness, and Jesus teaches that when we approach God we should do so as "our Father (Mt.6:9)."

God is not the angry tyrant. cosmic cop, universal killjoy, or impersonal force. God is a person, not a power. God's desire has always been  to have a personal relationship with us, and he created you with the ability to have a relationship with Him. Jesus throughout the gospels shows us that the type of relationship that He had with His Father, is the same type of relationship that God wishes with us. To be One with Him, as Jesus was One.

Many kids, especially today have very little connection to their father. So why would they be expected to have a connection with their heavenly Father? It’s no wonder we don’t understand God!  We need to let go of the misconceptions and myths we have about God so we can understand the truth of what the Father is really like.  Misconceptions keep you disconnected from God. Jesus said to Pilate, " To this end I was born, and for this cause I came into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. (Jn.18:37)."  Jesus came to show us the way to the Father (Jn.14:6), how to love God and in turn for God to love us!  But when you really know him, you’re going to love Him because the truth will set you free!

What about you? Do you think and interact with God as your Father? The reason why many people never connect with God is because they unconsciously think God is like their earthly father, who may have been unreasonable, mean spirited, a drunk. or something else, so they think God in these ways. We impose all those mixed up hurts and emotions onto God, and it’s no wonder we have a hard time connecting with him. Jesus states in Jn.14:9,  "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." He showed us God's love, His desire for our salvation, His desire to want to be One with us, His compassion. So the more you know Jesus, the closer you know Jesus, the more you know and closer you become to God.

Rev.21:6,7  "And He said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely. He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son."

Jim