Fatherhood

Prodigal went to a far country

The Fatherhood of God

II Cor 6:16-18 (NET)  
And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 6:17 Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, 6:18 and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the All-Powerful Lord.

John 1:12-13 (NET)   But to all who have received him – those who believe in his name – he has given the right to become God’s children 1:13 – children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.

Luke 15:20 (NET) So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him




6 things about the Father

1)  He keeps Covenant                                        Psalms 105:8-10

2)  He is a Rewarding Father                            Hebrews 11:6

3)  Prayer answering Father                              John 15:16

4)  Giving Father                                                  James 1:17

5)  Forgiving Father Father of Mercies             I John 1:9

6)  An available Father                                        I John 3:1-2





Know that you are given life and birth by God - He is our Father - we ARE his children. Yes, as the prodigal we sometimes rebel. We want the benefits / inheritance from our Father but then use it on our own ends and means. Not always in riotous living as such, but living afar from our Father, in a far country - doing our own thing. 

 There, we find our own ways do not bring the blessing, peace, grace and joy available to us when we live under the care of our Father. The glory is that when we turn and come back to our Father he is already running to us before we ever get to his door. Loved beyond our wildest imaginations - not for our perfection of life or our talents or gifts but loved as born sons of HIS and loved.

 

God's names in Psalms

My Shepherd

Still Waters

YHWH Rohi

The LORD is my shepherd;

 YHWH Jireh

 I shall not want.

 YHWH Uzzi

He makes me lie down in green pastures. 

(The LORD my strength)

YHWH Shalom

He leads me beside still waters.
(Heb: waters of rest)

 

Restoration

Paths Rightousness

YHWH Rophe

He restores my soul.

(The LORD our healer)

YHWH Tsidkenu

He leads me in paths of  righteousness

(or in right paths)

YHWH Kanna Shemo

for his name's sake.
(The LORD whose name is jealous)

                                      

 

Vally

No Fear

YHWH Melech Olam

Even though I walk  through   the valley of

the shadow of death,

(The LORD King over the ages)

YHWH Nissi

I will fear no evil,

(The LORD our banner)

YHWH Shammah

for you are with me;

(The LORD is there)

 

Rod & Staff

Table Set

YHWH Saboath

your rod and your staff,

(LORD of Hosts)

YHWH Maksi

they comfort me.
(LORD my refuge)

YHWH Hashopet

You prepare a table before  me, 

in the

presence of my  enemies;

(The LORD the Judge)

Surely& Goodness

   

Oil

YHWH m'kaddish

 you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows

(The LORD our Sanctifier)

ELOHE Chaseddi

Surely (or only) goodness  and mercy

(or steadfast love)

shall follow me all the

days of my life, 

(The God of my Mercy/Lovingkindness) 

YHWH Chaseddi

and I shall dwell in the  house of the LORD  forever.

(Same root as Emmanuel)

Birthed in the spirit.

Birthed by water and later by the Spirit.  PTL

When Nicodemus came to Christ he made a statement, we know you are sent from God, because of your works. Christ gave what seemed to be a totally unrelated answer to a question not asked. And that answer is found in the following scripture,


John 3:3b-8 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

The word used here for being born has the meaning Matrix. It means being born out of / from the womb. In this scripture above it is not the womb of flesh but the womb of the spirit.

And like the birth in the flesh it is a done deal. You can not go back into the womb and close the doors and act like it never happened. You can not unmake your birth. The birth is from another, not of your own doing. 

So, we must trust in and lean on God's birthing us into himself. We did not do anything to make ourselves born, accept believe. For, as one born of the flesh we heard the message that Jesus died to pay for our sins and we believed. He did all the work - bringing us birth in him. 

Sometimes we say we can walk in and out of salvation - a sin will cause us to lose our salvation. But in the same way we cannot walk in and out of birth we cannot walk out of our spiritual birth. That is ours from God. Now, growth in this our new life is ours - to be His dwelling place for he not only births us, but he seals us in his Spirit and he tabernacles within us. Let us live our life as sons and daughters birthed into God, bringing to him our worship, praise, and obedience out of love.