Pastor Chuck’s Message
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Our Father – “Abba”
My notes and thoughts on Father’s Day
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The 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. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now 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.” Romans 8:14-17
It’s Father’s Day! What a special day! Do you know where the idea of Father’s Day originated?
THE IDEA FOR CREATING A DAY for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Having been raised by her father, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Her father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Roses are the Father’s Day flowers: red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died.
A GOOD FATHER IS ONE OF THE MOST UNSUNG, UNPRAISED, UNNOTICED, AND UNAPPRECIATED HEROES IN ALL HUMANITY.
He is the first hero a little child will ever know. His influence lasts much longer than his life. He is an earthly portrayal of the Heavenly Father.
Today, instead of talking about our own fathers or being fathers ourselves, we’re going to look at how our heavenly Father parents us, and then, in turn, how we can apply that in relating to that others.
How Does God Bring Out the Best in Us?
1. God Loves Us Unconditionally
John 3:16 (NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God loves each of us and wants to have a relationship with us. He forgives us and wipes the slate clean. God never gives up on us.
How can we translate this to our relationships?
The first way is by offering others forgiveness. Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and loving to each other, forgiving each other just as God forgave you in Christ.” We forgive others because we’ve been forgiven by our heavenly Father. Just as we have been forgiven, we are to forgive others.
Then you never give up on them. Love always believes the best. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says, “Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope. It [love] can outlast anything.” Real love never gives up. Our Father keeps on loving us, no matter what.
Once we’ve confessed to God and been forgiven by God, often we still don’t feel forgiven. Sometimes we need somebody in our life to say, “It’s over. You’re forgiven. God has forgiven you.” You can be the voice of God in their lives. We learn to forgive others and we help them to forgive themselves.
2. God Corrects Us Without Condemning
Is there anyone here who doesn’t need correction in our life? No! There is not one of us who doesn’t need correction at times. Every one of us. None of us are perfect. God corrects us without condemning. Scripture tells us that God the Father corrects those that He loves.
Solomon writes in Proverbs 13:24 (CEV) “If you love your children, you will correct them; if you don’t love them, you won’t correct them.” We are God’s children and He loves us so we can expect to be disciplined if we need to be
How does this apply to our relationships? Sometimes we see things that aren’t quite right. If we really care about that person, we have a responsibility to talk with them about the situation with real love and concern.
Ephesians 6:4 (NIV) says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
“Don’t keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather bring them up with the loving discipline, with suggestions and godly advice.” This verse is specifically for fathers about their children but it can be applied to all of our relationships.
Watch your words. Realize the importance of your words. Ephesians 4:29 tells us, “Don’t use harmful words. Use only helpful words. The kind that should build up.”
Scripture tells us that we’re supposed to speak the truth in love. You don’t lie. You don’t pretend that the correction doesn’t need to be done (or situation doesn’t exist). But when we take the time to use helpful words and speak the truth truly in love, it has incredible power to change hearts.
3. God Affirms Our Value
God values you more than you could possibly imagine. He values every one of us. God custom-designed each of us before we were even born and values what He wants to do in every one of our lives.
“God made all the delicate parts of my body and He knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex. Your workmanship is marvelous.” Psalm 139:13-14 (NLT)
Proverbs 12:25(TLB) tells us, “…a word of encouragement does wonders.” Who do you need to encourage today?
4. God Embraces Our Uniqueness.
God not only accepts our uniqueness; He loves our uniqueness. After all, He made each of us that way! Every person is different. Every person is special.
God recognizes and values our individuality.
3. God understands our personalities.
No matter how hard you try, you’re never going to turn an introvert into an extrovert. And you’re never going to turn an extrovert into an introvert. They’re just wired that way by God. And He did it for a reason and a purpose.
1 Corinthians 12:6 says “God works through different people in different ways.” God intentionally makes everybody in the world different with different strengths and personalities. No one is like anyone else.
God warns us over and over and over to never compare ourselves with others because we’re all unique. Galatians 6:4 says this “Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done.”
One of the great privileges of relationships is helping others recognize and embrace their uniqueness. They are originals. They don’t need to compare themselves with anybody else. They’re not in competition with anybody else. That is a fundamental truth that we all need to realize.
5. God Trusts Us with Responsibility
Jesus said that we grow through being trusted with responsibility. Luke 16:10-12 (NCV) tells us, “Whoever can be trusted with a little can also be trusted with a lot. And if you cannot be trusted with things that belong to someone else, who will give you things of your own?” People respond to responsibility. When you give people responsibility, you give them the ability to respond.
Every one of us has a need in our lives to develop competencies. Each of us has talents that need to be challenged in order to improve them.
Jesus not only taught this but He also modeled it. He took the twelve disciples, just common workers, fishermen. They were just normal people. They were not at the top of their class and they certainly weren’t wealthy or privileged.
Jesus picked twelve ordinary people and He spent three years with them, giving them responsibility. Greater and greater responsibility, eventually giving them the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20 ERV), “So he [Jesus] came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.’”
That’s what you call trusting with responsibility! Obviously, it worked. We’re all here. There are about two billion Christians in the world to say nothing of those from the past. Why? Because eleven men stepped up. They stepped up to the responsibility and they were given a worldwide vision, “Go into all the world!” And they stepped up.
Conversely, God sometimes allows us to fail. Part of bringing out the best in your children is allowing them to fail. That’s an important part of life.
One of my favorite verses in Proverbs says, “Though a righteous man falls seven times he rises again.” The reason I like that verse is because it says even righteous people make mistakes. They fail. However, the difference between failure and success is that successful people get back up again and again. They learn and they start again. They don’t give up, they get up!
Have you read about how many elections Lincoln lost before he became President? Something like nine in a row. He just kept on going!
Failure is a part of life. Everybody fails at one time or other. God allows us to learn the skill of how to recover from failure. It strengthens our character and it allows us to be prepared for reality. Which is, we’re going to make mistakes. Remember, God forgives, God restores.
These are the ways God fathers you. Your heavenly Father loves your uniqueness and He affirms your value. Jesus on the cross says, “This much! That’s how much you’re worth! That’s how valuable you are to Me. I died for you. I affirm your value; I trust you with responsibility. He corrects you without condemning. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 NIV God loves you unconditionally.
God wants you to do with other people like He does with you.
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Our Father – “Abba”
My notes and thoughts on Father’s Day
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The 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. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now 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.” Romans 8:14-17
It’s Father’s Day! What a special day! Do you know where the idea of Father’s Day originated?
THE IDEA FOR CREATING A DAY for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Having been raised by her father, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Her father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Roses are the Father’s Day flowers: red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died.
A GOOD FATHER IS ONE OF THE MOST UNSUNG, UNPRAISED, UNNOTICED, AND UNAPPRECIATED HEROES IN ALL HUMANITY.
He is the first hero a little child will ever know. His influence lasts much longer than his life. He is an earthly portrayal of the Heavenly Father.
Today, instead of talking about our own fathers or being fathers ourselves, we’re going to look at how our heavenly Father parents us, and then, in turn, how we can apply that in relating to that others.
How Does God Bring Out the Best in Us?
1. God Loves Us Unconditionally
John 3:16 (NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God loves each of us and wants to have a relationship with us. He forgives us and wipes the slate clean. God never gives up on us.
How can we translate this to our relationships?
The first way is by offering others forgiveness. Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and loving to each other, forgiving each other just as God forgave you in Christ.” We forgive others because we’ve been forgiven by our heavenly Father. Just as we have been forgiven, we are to forgive others.
Then you never give up on them. Love always believes the best. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says, “Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope. It [love] can outlast anything.” Real love never gives up. Our Father keeps on loving us, no matter what.
Once we’ve confessed to God and been forgiven by God, often we still don’t feel forgiven. Sometimes we need somebody in our life to say, “It’s over. You’re forgiven. God has forgiven you.” You can be the voice of God in their lives. We learn to forgive others and we help them to forgive themselves.
2. God Corrects Us Without Condemning
Is there anyone here who doesn’t need correction in our life? No! There is not one of us who doesn’t need correction at times. Every one of us. None of us are perfect. God corrects us without condemning. Scripture tells us that God the Father corrects those that He loves.
Solomon writes in Proverbs 13:24 (CEV) “If you love your children, you will correct them; if you don’t love them, you won’t correct them.” We are God’s children and He loves us so we can expect to be disciplined if we need to be
How does this apply to our relationships? Sometimes we see things that aren’t quite right. If we really care about that person, we have a responsibility to talk with them about the situation with real love and concern.
Ephesians 6:4 (NIV) says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
“Don’t keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather bring them up with the loving discipline, with suggestions and godly advice.” This verse is specifically for fathers about their children but it can be applied to all of our relationships.
Watch your words. Realize the importance of your words. Ephesians 4:29 tells us, “Don’t use harmful words. Use only helpful words. The kind that should build up.”
Scripture tells us that we’re supposed to speak the truth in love. You don’t lie. You don’t pretend that the correction doesn’t need to be done (or situation doesn’t exist). But when we take the time to use helpful words and speak the truth truly in love, it has incredible power to change hearts.
3. God Affirms Our Value
- God values every one of us. Look at how Jesus explained our value. In Matthew 10:29-31 “Jesus said, ‘Not even a sparrow can fall to the ground without your heavenly Father knowing it and you are much more valuable to Him than a whole flock of sparrows.”
God values you more than you could possibly imagine. He values every one of us. God custom-designed each of us before we were even born and values what He wants to do in every one of our lives.
“God made all the delicate parts of my body and He knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex. Your workmanship is marvelous.” Psalm 139:13-14 (NLT)
- God pays attention to us. Matthew 10:30 talks about the fact that one of the ways we can value others is by paying attention to them. God sure pays attention to us. Matthew 10:30 (Msg) says, “God pays…attention to you, down to the last detail - even to numbering the hairs on your head.” Every detail of our lives. He appreciates and notices us. You can affirm people just by noticing them. Eye contact has incredible power when it comes to expressing and sharing values. You don’t really understand the gift that you’re giving people just with eye contact. That’s one way you can show you really appreciate their value, by paying attention.
- God shows us affection. Hosea 11:4 says, “I drew them to Me with affection and with love. I picked them up and held them to My cheek.” That picture reminds us that people need loving touches. But kids always need hugs. Remember that we’re God’s kids! God hugs us in very special ways. People need loving affection. When you give affection, that values them.
- God expresses His appreciation. Isaiah 43:4 “God says, ‘You are precious to Me. You are honored and I love you.’” When was the last time you said something like that to someone? If you feel like you can’t say it, then write it down. Write a note of encouragement. Anytime you show appreciation to someone, you raise how they feel about themselves, their value.
Proverbs 12:25(TLB) tells us, “…a word of encouragement does wonders.” Who do you need to encourage today?
4. God Embraces Our Uniqueness.
God not only accepts our uniqueness; He loves our uniqueness. After all, He made each of us that way! Every person is different. Every person is special.
God recognizes and values our individuality.
- God knows the stage of life that we are in. He understands that at each stage of life there’s certain ways to train and teach us. And there’s appropriate amount of responsibility we should have at each stage.
3. God understands our personalities.
No matter how hard you try, you’re never going to turn an introvert into an extrovert. And you’re never going to turn an extrovert into an introvert. They’re just wired that way by God. And He did it for a reason and a purpose.
1 Corinthians 12:6 says “God works through different people in different ways.” God intentionally makes everybody in the world different with different strengths and personalities. No one is like anyone else.
God warns us over and over and over to never compare ourselves with others because we’re all unique. Galatians 6:4 says this “Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done.”
One of the great privileges of relationships is helping others recognize and embrace their uniqueness. They are originals. They don’t need to compare themselves with anybody else. They’re not in competition with anybody else. That is a fundamental truth that we all need to realize.
5. God Trusts Us with Responsibility
Jesus said that we grow through being trusted with responsibility. Luke 16:10-12 (NCV) tells us, “Whoever can be trusted with a little can also be trusted with a lot. And if you cannot be trusted with things that belong to someone else, who will give you things of your own?” People respond to responsibility. When you give people responsibility, you give them the ability to respond.
Every one of us has a need in our lives to develop competencies. Each of us has talents that need to be challenged in order to improve them.
Jesus not only taught this but He also modeled it. He took the twelve disciples, just common workers, fishermen. They were just normal people. They were not at the top of their class and they certainly weren’t wealthy or privileged.
Jesus picked twelve ordinary people and He spent three years with them, giving them responsibility. Greater and greater responsibility, eventually giving them the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20 ERV), “So he [Jesus] came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.’”
That’s what you call trusting with responsibility! Obviously, it worked. We’re all here. There are about two billion Christians in the world to say nothing of those from the past. Why? Because eleven men stepped up. They stepped up to the responsibility and they were given a worldwide vision, “Go into all the world!” And they stepped up.
Conversely, God sometimes allows us to fail. Part of bringing out the best in your children is allowing them to fail. That’s an important part of life.
One of my favorite verses in Proverbs says, “Though a righteous man falls seven times he rises again.” The reason I like that verse is because it says even righteous people make mistakes. They fail. However, the difference between failure and success is that successful people get back up again and again. They learn and they start again. They don’t give up, they get up!
Have you read about how many elections Lincoln lost before he became President? Something like nine in a row. He just kept on going!
Failure is a part of life. Everybody fails at one time or other. God allows us to learn the skill of how to recover from failure. It strengthens our character and it allows us to be prepared for reality. Which is, we’re going to make mistakes. Remember, God forgives, God restores.
These are the ways God fathers you. Your heavenly Father loves your uniqueness and He affirms your value. Jesus on the cross says, “This much! That’s how much you’re worth! That’s how valuable you are to Me. I died for you. I affirm your value; I trust you with responsibility. He corrects you without condemning. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 NIV God loves you unconditionally.
God wants you to do with other people like He does with you.
- He will never leave you or abandon you. Heb. 13:5
- God has reserved a place for you at His table. Eph. 2:6
- He will give you strength when you’re weak. Is. 40:29
- The Lord will love you always. Ps. 118:1
- God will protect you. 2 Thess. 3:3
- He will help you keep going. Ps. 54:4
- The Lord will comfort you in hard times. Ps. 23:4
- He will give you everlasting life. Jn. 6:40
So God Made a Father
By: May Patterson
At the dawn of time, God looked down on all He had made and said, “Now, I need a caretaker.”
So, God made a father.
God said, “I need someone to teach children to fish, and to ride a bike without training wheels, and to play catch in the backyard. It must be someone who’s tough enough to run a chainsaw and wield a machete and yet, gentle enough to join his little girl and her dolls for tea.”
So, God made a father.
“I need someone to bring the car around when it’s raining, so everyone else can stay dry. Someone who will keep jumper cables in his truck, just in case he needs to help a stranger. I need someone to notice practical things, like how the tread on the tires is wearing and if the weather stripping around the front door needs replacing, for no one else will.”
“I’ll create someone who’s strong enough to open a tightly sealed jelly jar and tall enough to place the angel on top of the Christmas tree. Someone who will be gracious enough to let his son fish the best fishing hole or to let his daughter win at least one hand of gin rummy.”
“Yes, he will struggle to find his glasses and keys,” God thought. “But I’ll help him find time for the important things, like tumbling with the kids in the den floor, or saying ‘I’m proud of you, son,’ or giving Mama a hug.”
So, God made a father.
God said, “I need someone brave enough to carve the Thanksgiving turkey, for no one else seems to want the job. Someone who’s not afraid to go into Grandma’s dark cellar, or to check on what goes bump in the night, or to remove the dead mouse from the mousetrap.”
“I need someone wise enough to know when to let his child fail. Someone who will pick her up, dry her tears and say, ‘Honey, I know you can do it! Give it another try.’”
“I need someone who listens more than he talks. Who will stand by his family through laughter and tears, tornadoes and snowstorms, good times and bad? Someone who will love his kids and love their mother even more.”
So, God made a father.
God said, “I need someone to provide for the family. Someone who will get up early and stay up late and never complain. I need someone who’s willing to make unpopular decisions and stand by them. Someone to provide authority and discipline, as well as love.”
“I need someone with broad shoulders, broad enough to carry a little child around town and broad enough to pull more than his fair share. Yes, I need someone who will work the second-shift, or take second-best, or play second fiddle, so that his family can have it better than he did.”
“I need someone who is willing . . . willing to man up and provide the love, support and strength his family will so desperately need.”
So, God made a father.
“Sometimes, he will not feel worthy of the love his family gives him. There will be times when he fails to live up to my ideal standard. But when his family needs him, he will show up, or give up, or do whatever needs to be done.”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I need,” thought God as He shook His head. “A father to love my children, and if necessary, to lay down his life for them. Someone . . . well, someone like Me.”
So, God made a father.
By: May Patterson
At the dawn of time, God looked down on all He had made and said, “Now, I need a caretaker.”
So, God made a father.
God said, “I need someone to teach children to fish, and to ride a bike without training wheels, and to play catch in the backyard. It must be someone who’s tough enough to run a chainsaw and wield a machete and yet, gentle enough to join his little girl and her dolls for tea.”
So, God made a father.
“I need someone to bring the car around when it’s raining, so everyone else can stay dry. Someone who will keep jumper cables in his truck, just in case he needs to help a stranger. I need someone to notice practical things, like how the tread on the tires is wearing and if the weather stripping around the front door needs replacing, for no one else will.”
“I’ll create someone who’s strong enough to open a tightly sealed jelly jar and tall enough to place the angel on top of the Christmas tree. Someone who will be gracious enough to let his son fish the best fishing hole or to let his daughter win at least one hand of gin rummy.”
“Yes, he will struggle to find his glasses and keys,” God thought. “But I’ll help him find time for the important things, like tumbling with the kids in the den floor, or saying ‘I’m proud of you, son,’ or giving Mama a hug.”
So, God made a father.
God said, “I need someone brave enough to carve the Thanksgiving turkey, for no one else seems to want the job. Someone who’s not afraid to go into Grandma’s dark cellar, or to check on what goes bump in the night, or to remove the dead mouse from the mousetrap.”
“I need someone wise enough to know when to let his child fail. Someone who will pick her up, dry her tears and say, ‘Honey, I know you can do it! Give it another try.’”
“I need someone who listens more than he talks. Who will stand by his family through laughter and tears, tornadoes and snowstorms, good times and bad? Someone who will love his kids and love their mother even more.”
So, God made a father.
God said, “I need someone to provide for the family. Someone who will get up early and stay up late and never complain. I need someone who’s willing to make unpopular decisions and stand by them. Someone to provide authority and discipline, as well as love.”
“I need someone with broad shoulders, broad enough to carry a little child around town and broad enough to pull more than his fair share. Yes, I need someone who will work the second-shift, or take second-best, or play second fiddle, so that his family can have it better than he did.”
“I need someone who is willing . . . willing to man up and provide the love, support and strength his family will so desperately need.”
So, God made a father.
“Sometimes, he will not feel worthy of the love his family gives him. There will be times when he fails to live up to my ideal standard. But when his family needs him, he will show up, or give up, or do whatever needs to be done.”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I need,” thought God as He shook His head. “A father to love my children, and if necessary, to lay down his life for them. Someone . . . well, someone like Me.”
So, God made a father.
|
|
|
|
|