I was thinking about Fathers Day this week and a devotional that I was preparing to share at work. So, I am posting some excerpts from that devotional here.
It is fitting to celebrate Father's and especially to celebrate our Heavenly Father. You may have positive or negative reactions to Father's day or perhaps mixed emotions. In a world with a shortage of good Father's I wanted to share a few videos first that celebrate Fatherhood.
It is fitting to celebrate Father's and especially to celebrate our Heavenly Father. You may have positive or negative reactions to Father's day or perhaps mixed emotions. In a world with a shortage of good Father's I wanted to share a few videos first that celebrate Fatherhood.
I remember a story my dad tells from when I was little. My dad loved to fish so he took us fishing often. My sister and I were pretty young and we were sitting on a ledge fishing, with dad in between us. Dad would take us where we could catch a mess of Perch rather quickly, considering our short attention spans. So as we were there fishing the fish started coming like crazy. No sooner would my sister catch a fish and dad get it off, then I would catch one and be waiting for his help. He went back and forth for quite a while as we caught one fish after another. After a while my sister looked around my dad and said, "Sissy, daddy hasn't even caught one fish"! He still laughs about it, but that is what it is like being a parent. It is not easy. It requires sacrifice. As you think of your dad you may have good and bad memories, or none at all. My dad was an honest, hard working man who always provided for our family. We were never wealthy and barely even reached middle class. He was gruff, serious and over protective. My father made mistakes, but there are many wonderful qualities to remember about him too.
As we reflect on fatherhood and remember our own experiences, we celebrate the good things and look to God, the perfect Father, to help us through the hard things. As a divorced single parent fathers day always leaves a bit of sadness in the pit of my stomach because my children's father is not all we had hoped he would be to them. He has never been around on Father's Day. There are about 6 months out of the year where they do not hear from him at all. The truth is, every earthly father falls short, some far shorter than others, but we ALL have a heavenly father that loves us with an unconditional, sacrificial, perfect love. Did you ever wish you had a rich father or rich relative that would leave you a big inheritance? My father was a fairly healthy man, but he had terrible allergies. One day one of his kids said, "Dad you know some people inherit cars, money, land, etc. and we inherited allergies!" Thanks! Seriously though, we all have been adopted into the family of God, when we accept Jesus. You and I have been named in the Will. We have a Father who loves and cares deeply about us. He is everything you have always dreamed of in a Father and so much more. He loves you deeply today. I want to share a few verses of scripture with you today to remind you that you have been adopted by the greatest father of them all. Adoption is the core message, that's what it's all about.
In Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians he sums up Gods love and our position as his children. Eph. 3:14-21
14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom every familya in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Here are a few more:
Galatians 4:4-7
4But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.b 6Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,c Father.” 7So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Romans 8:14-17
14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.f And by him we cry, “Abba,g Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Our view of God is often tainted by our circumstances and experiences, but if could see ourselves through His eyes we would truly understand the depth of His love for us. I have one last video clip below that I hope will help us realize the joy of being adopted into God's family. These two little ones are so full of joy and life because they have a "Really" Dad. We have one in our heavenly Father and I hope this helps you understand how great it is to be loved by Him.
As we reflect on fatherhood and remember our own experiences, we celebrate the good things and look to God, the perfect Father, to help us through the hard things. As a divorced single parent fathers day always leaves a bit of sadness in the pit of my stomach because my children's father is not all we had hoped he would be to them. He has never been around on Father's Day. There are about 6 months out of the year where they do not hear from him at all. The truth is, every earthly father falls short, some far shorter than others, but we ALL have a heavenly father that loves us with an unconditional, sacrificial, perfect love. Did you ever wish you had a rich father or rich relative that would leave you a big inheritance? My father was a fairly healthy man, but he had terrible allergies. One day one of his kids said, "Dad you know some people inherit cars, money, land, etc. and we inherited allergies!" Thanks! Seriously though, we all have been adopted into the family of God, when we accept Jesus. You and I have been named in the Will. We have a Father who loves and cares deeply about us. He is everything you have always dreamed of in a Father and so much more. He loves you deeply today. I want to share a few verses of scripture with you today to remind you that you have been adopted by the greatest father of them all. Adoption is the core message, that's what it's all about.
In Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians he sums up Gods love and our position as his children. Eph. 3:14-21
14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom every familya in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Here are a few more:
Galatians 4:4-7
4But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.b 6Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,c Father.” 7So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Romans 8:14-17
14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.f And by him we cry, “Abba,g Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Our view of God is often tainted by our circumstances and experiences, but if could see ourselves through His eyes we would truly understand the depth of His love for us. I have one last video clip below that I hope will help us realize the joy of being adopted into God's family. These two little ones are so full of joy and life because they have a "Really" Dad. We have one in our heavenly Father and I hope this helps you understand how great it is to be loved by Him.
1 John 3:1 says, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! ... (NIV)
This song reminds me of the depth of His love for us. I hope on this Fathers Day you are reminded of how much you are loved by your heavenly Father or if this is news to you I hope you will accept this truth that He does love you. If you would like to know more about this Father that loves you please feel free to contact us! We would love to share more.
This song reminds me of the depth of His love for us. I hope on this Fathers Day you are reminded of how much you are loved by your heavenly Father or if this is news to you I hope you will accept this truth that He does love you. If you would like to know more about this Father that loves you please feel free to contact us! We would love to share more.