Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and
not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jer 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go
and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto
you. (KJV)
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye
shall search for me with all your heart.
Jer 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD:
and I will turn away your captivity, and I
will gather you from all the nations....
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT GOD THINKS OF YOU? IS
IT HARD FOR YOU TO BELIEVE THAT HE LOVES YOU AS MUCH AS
THE BIBLE SAYS HE DOES? ONE OF THE MOST WONDEFUL REVE-
LATIONS IN THE BIBLE IS THAT GOD IS YOUR LOVING
HEAVENLY FATHER. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU HEAR
THE WORD FATHER? SOME OF YOU WILL NATURALLY PROCESS
THAT WORD BASED ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR EARTHLY
FATHER AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED A FRESH REVELATION OF
OUR PERFECT, INFINITELY LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER.
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth
us not, because it knew him not. (KJV)
1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God
toward us, because that God sent his only
begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through him. (KJV)
1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but
that he loved us, and sent his Son to be
the propitiation for our sins. (KJV)
2 Cor 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation; (KJV)
2 Cor 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling
the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them; and hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation. (KJV)
Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But
when he was yet a great way off, his father
saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and
fell on his neck, and kissed him. (KJV)
Luke 15:21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have
sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and
am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Luke 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring
forth the best robe, and put it on him; and
put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his
feet: (KJV)
Luke 15:23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill
it; and let us eat, and be merry: (KJV)
LIKE THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON, GOD INITIATED
A PLAN OF SALVATION FOR ALL OF MANKIND--HE TOOK THE
FIRST STEPS TOWARDS SINFUL MAN BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT
LOVE WHEREWITH HE HAS LOVED US. GOD IS THE AUTHOR AND
ORIGNATOR OF OUR SALVATION AND IS THEREBY CALLED
FATHER. GOD NEVER CALLS HIMSELF MOTHER AND THERE IS A
REASON FOR THAT. HE ALWAYS CALLS HIMSELF FATHER
BECAUSE THE HEBREW WORD FOR FATHER LITERALLY MAENS THE
SOURCE. THE FATHER OF A THING IS THE SOURCE OF IT.
THIS HEBREW WORD FOR FATHER ALSO MEANS SUSTAINER AND
THEN PROVIDER; THE SOURCE OF IDENTITY AND THEN PROTECT-
OR, NOURISHER AND SUPPLIER. GOD IS OUR FATHER IN THE
SENSE THAT HE IS THE SOURCE AND THE ORIGNIATOR OF OUR
SALVATION.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above, and cometh down from the Father
of lights, with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning. (KJV)
WHAT KIND OF HEAVENLY FATHER DO YOU SERVE? AGAIN,
WHAT KIND OF THOUGHTS DOES HE THINK TOWARDS YOU.
ACCORDING TO OUR OPENING TEXT IN JER.29, GOD'S THOUGHTS
TOWARDS US AND OF US ARE GOOD. WHAT HE'S SAYING IS
THAT, "I'M NOT INCLINED TO BE THINKING EVIL, JUDGEMENT
AND CHASTICEMENT TOWARD YOU. I'M THINKING GOOD
THOUGHTS--I'M AT WORK PLANNING YOUR LIFE! STAND STILL
AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD. SOAK IN MY LOVE.!"
NOW THAT'S THE KIND OF HEAVENLY FATHER WE SERVE. HE
DOES NOT HARBOR EVIL THOUGHTS OF VENGENCE TOWRDS US.
HE HAS GOOD THOUGHTS TOWRDS US, THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND
HOPE THAT WILL REMAIN UNTIL THE END.
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS A GIVING GOD AND A FORGIVING
GOD AND HE DELIGHTS TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO HIS CHILDREN
BECAUSE THEY ARE SPECIAL IN HIS EYES. GOD REVEALS HIM-
SELF IN THE BIBLE AS A GENTLE FORGIVING FATHER, INIMAT-
ELY INVOLVED WITH US AND EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIVES.
WE OFTEN FORGET THAT GOD'S ATTRIBUTES OF OMNISIENCE AND
OMNIPRESENCE MAKES HIM NOT ONLY CREATOR BUT A PERFECT
HEAVENLY FATHER THAT IS INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH EVERY
DETAIL OF OUR LIVES. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR
HEAVENLY FATHER IS DEEPLY MOVED, AFFECTED AND TOUCHED
BY THE PRESSURES, PROBLEMS AND PERSONAL HEARTBREAK THAT
WE AS HIS CHILDREN GO THROUGH. HE REMAINS CONSTANT IN
HIS MERCY AND GRACE TOWARDS US.
Psalms 94:18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy,
O LORD, held me up. (KJV)
Psalms 94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me
thy comforts delight my soul. (KJV)
Ps 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing
aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou
hast been my defence and refuge in the day of
my trouble. (KJV)
Ps 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is
everlasting; and his truth endureth to all
generations. (KJV)
Ps 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to
anger, and plenteous in mercy. (KJV)
Ps 145:8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion;
slow to anger, and of great mercy. (KJV)
Ps 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender
mercies are over all his works. (KJV)
THE WORD TENDER MERCY LIT. MEANS TO HAVE A GOOD
HEART TOWARDS SOMEONE ELSE, TO BE SENSITIVE TO OTHERS
FEELINGS AND NEEDS; SYMPATHETIC AND COMPASSIONATE.
GOD'S MERCIES FLOW FROM A HEART THAT IS SENSITIVE
TOWARDS OUR NEEDS. THIS WORD TENDER IS AN EFFEMIN-
ATE TERM DENOTING THE NURTURING LOVE OF A MOTHER.
NORMAN SNAITH HAS DEFINED MERCY AS STUBBORN LOVE. WE
NEED TO SEE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AS BEING STUBBORN IN
LOVING US. MERCY REJOICES OVER JUDGEMENT. WE ALWAYS
THINK THAT GOD IS STUBBORN IN HIS JUDGEMENT AND CHOOSES
TO AFFLICT US RATHER THAN FORGIVE US AND HEAL US. WE
NEED TO SEE THAT GOD IS STUBBORN IN HIS LOVE AND MERCY
TOWARDS US AS HIS CHILDREN. HIS THOUGHTS TOWARDS US
ARE GOOD AND HE DELIGHTS IN GIVING GOOD GIFTS TO HIS
CHILDREN.
Luke 12:22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I
say unto you, Take no thought for your life,
what ye shall eat; neither for the body,
what ye shall put on. (KJV)
Luke 12:23 The life is more than meat, and the body is
more than raiment. (KJV)
Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow
nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor
barn; and God feedeth them: how much more
are ye better than the fowls? (KJV)
Luke 12:25 And which of you with taking thought can add
to his stature one cubit? (KJV)
Luke 12:26 If ye then be not able to do that thing
which is least, why take ye thought for the
rest? (KJV)
Luke 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil
not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you,
that Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these. (KJV)
Luke 12:28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to
day in the field, and to morrow is cast into
the oven; how much more will he clothe you,
O ye of little faith? (KJV)
Luke 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what
ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful
mind. (KJV)
Luke 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the
world seek after: and your Father knoweth
that ye have need of these things. (KJV)
Luke 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and
all these things shall be added unto you.
Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your
Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom. (KJV)
WE ARE RELATED TO GOD BY BIRTH AS REGENREATED SONS AND DAUGHTERS
OF GOD AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AGAIN TO FEAR
BUT WE HAVE RECEIVE THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION WHEREBY WE CRY ABBA FATHER.
THE SPIRIT OF REGENERATION WAS ACTIVE THE MOMENT WE WERE BORN AGAIN.
THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION HAPPENS THE MOMENT WE HAVE RECEIVE THE FULL
SENSE OF THE NEW BIRTH. THAT WE ARE THE CHLDREN OF GOD AND THAT HE IS INDEED, OUR
ABBA FATHER. KNOWING THIS RESULTS IN CONFIDENCE AND BOLDNESS IN OUR
APPROACH TO FATHER GOD AND FAITH TO RECEIVE FROM HIM. WON'T YOU
OPEN YOUR HEART TO HIM AND RECEIVE AFRESH THAT SPIRIT OF ADOPTION!
