Know God: The Love of God & the Fear of the Lord

“My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5

This passage in Proverbs 2 says that if we receive God words, cry out for understanding and discerning, then we will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. The fear of the Lord is the key to the knowledge of God.

We already visited the fact that God is Love, and perfect love casts out all fear. But, this “fear of the Lord” is a different kind of fear. It is a reverence, awe, respect, trembling – that is required before a Holy God.

God does not contradict Himself, so He can be love and holy, merciful and just, high and lifted up and yet near – all at the same time. It is difficult for us to comprehend, but He is like a multi-faceted diamond that everytime the light reflects in a different way, we see a new glimpse of who He is.

I love what author and speaker Bob Sorge says, “The fear of the Lord and the love of God are like a gas pedal and brake pedal in a car. You need both. With only gas—you will die, and with only brake, you will go nowhere. We need both.”

It is so true. If we only focus on the love of God, we will only depend on His mercy and forgiveness, and forget about holiness and righteousness. If we only focus on the fear of the Lord, we will not identify ourselves before Him as His beloved sons and will be afraid to approach Him, living in condemnation and religion. We need both the Love of God and the Fear of the Lord in our lives.

Scripture: “My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5

Prayer: Lord, I want to know You more. I am hungry for the knowledge of God. I am hungry for relationship with You and to know you more. I cry out for knowledge and discernment. I lift up my voice to You. Give me the fear of the Lord. Let me know Your love and my place as a son (daughter) before You, but let me tremble before Your Word. Let me have a deep respect and honor for Your Holiness and Majesty that shakes me to the core. Give me the Fear of the Lord that I may find the knowledge of God. I cry out to you for understanding and discernment.

Continuing praying in your own words.

Prayer Posture: In Jewish culture and throughout Church history, physical posture affects even our internal heart posture sometimes. In many cases in the Bible where people came into contact with the Holiness of God – they laid face down before Him, or got on their knees or extended their hands out before Him. In your quiet place, alone with God. Try one of these postures of prayer and honor and respect toward the Lord, and prayer in your own words. Pause and see if you encounter a sense of His presence or feel His holiness or fire.

Write: Write what you sensed or experience in your prayer journal. Go back and reflect and revisit it at different times when you desire more holiness or the fear of the Lord in your walk with God.

For more resources on praying Scripture or going deeper in the knowledge of God, check out the “knowledge of God” blog series.

Know God: Father to Be Honored & Revered

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?” Says the Lord of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’” (Malachi 1:6)

Interesting passage. We always think of the Love of the Father, but we do not always think of the honor and reverence toward the Father. In this passage of the book of Malachi, the Lord rebukes His priests for not showing honor and reverence toward Him as a Father and Master.

There were several areas that He addressed throughout the book of Malachi.

1.  Heart position lacking honor and reverence.
2. Offering the leftover and unwanted portions as tithes and offerings
3. Fully withholding tithes
4.  Forsaking their wives and children, divorce, unfaithfulness in the family.

And there were several promises and consequences if those things changed or did not change.

And the prayers of the priests were not accepted, because these heart positions and actions were not changed. God even said basically in a paraphrase, “I see your tears, but I will pay no attention to them…” because the actions were not reflecting the right heart posture of honor and reverence toward God.

Now, this may seem heavy for many reading it, and it is. But as we looked in the previous session at Hebrews 4 – the loving Father who corrects – this is all the one and same Person, who is doing this. He loves us, but part of His love toward us is pruning and refining us. And if we are submissive and humble ourselves before Him, we will be changed and we will become more like Him – holy as He is holy.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of understanding the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-6). If we want to know God, then we must have a healthy fear of Him. This is not the ungodly fear spoken of in I John 4, but the holy, godly, fear of the Lord that shows honor and reverence to Him and is aware that He is much higher and bigger than us.

Scripture: “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?” Says the Lord of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’” (Malachi 1:6)

Prayer: Turn this passage into a dialogue with God. Ask Him in your own words if there is any place in your life where you have “despised His name” or have not showed honor and reverence to His name.

Listen: Pause and see if anything comes to your mind. Maybe there is something even from one of the things that God had rebuked the priests for.

Repent (Confess/Turn): If there is anything that comes up in your heart that you feel you have done wrong or that you have not honored the Lord in, then confess that to Him by telling Him and asking Him for forgiveness. Ask Him if there is anything you can do to make it right (for example: paying tithes, restoring relationships with family), etc.

Repentance means to stop going in the direction you are going and completely turn in the opposite direction. So, if you have confessed and repented in an area, then ask the Lord how you can replace that action or heart position with a new one that shows Him honor and reverence.

Write: Write these things down, and keep a record of them. Make concrete goals and action steps and set certain times that you will go back and visit them and realign yourself to them.

God is Love: Loving Father Who Corrects

Hebrews 12:3-13 – “Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens (corrects) everyone he accepts as his son.” 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” (NIV)

Sometimes, our concept of love is limited to “what feels good,” but love is so much more than that. Here it is written that “God disciplines us (corrects us) for our good” – but that does not always feel good. Actually, it says that it never seems pleasant, but painful. However, it brings forth good fruit.

God is a loving Father. He loves us, and His correction is always for our good. Look at these different reasons given for why God corrects us…

• “So that you will not grow weary and lose heart”
• This word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son”
• “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens (corrects) everyone he accepts as his son.”
•  “God is treating you as his children.”
•  “Submit…and live!”
• "God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness."
• It produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
• “So that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed…”

These are all good things, even if it may not feel like it at the time. The correction of the Lord IS LOVE.

So let us look at our part in this passage and use those things as prayer tools to make changes in our lives.

What is our part?

• “Consider Him” (focus on the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, how He laid down His life for us.)
•  “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood…” (which means we need to resist sin to the point of shedding blood…
•  “Have you completely forgotten the word of encouragement that addresses you as a son?” (which means, that we need to remember, and constantly remind ourselves of it.)
•  “Do not make light of the Lord’s discipline”
• “Do not lose heart when He rebukes you”
• “Endure hardship as discipline.”
•  “Submit to the Father of spirits and live!”
• “...for those who have been trained by it” (God, help me be trained by Your discipline. Help me be changed by it).
• “Strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees” (Do not lose heart. Be encouraged.)

Prayer Time: Take this passage and these thoughts and talk to God about them in your own words. Turn this into a conversation with Your Loving Heavenly Father and ask Him what needs to be corrected in Your life. Ask Him to strengthen you and help you to make changes. Ask Him to encourage your heart and strengthen you and bring forth fruit in this time.

Thank Him: Thank Him for being your Father and helping you and correcting you. Let thankfulness flow from your heart that He has not left you as an orphan and He is teaching you during this time.

Write: Write your thoughts and impressions in a journal. Write down the things He is asking you to correct and prayerfully write down action steps of how you can take little practical steps in your daily life to change those things.

For more practical prayer tools on praying Scriptures, see the previous posts on the “Knowledge of God Series.”

God is Love: Love Is...

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…” (I Corinthians 13:4-8)

Interesting, this is one of the most quoted and most familiar passages in the Bible, but I almost always hear it taught from a specific perspective – the perspective of our love towards others. This is used as the main passage at weddings and the main passage for teaching children --how to be nice, and the main standard for how we treat each other in church. And all of that is good, of course, but I think we might be starting from the wrong foundation.

If God is Love, then this passage is about God. And this passage is about His Love – His Love that He has toward us. As we studied in the last session, we see that “We love God, because He first loved us” (I John 4:19). Therefore our love for Him starts with Him. Furthermore, our love for others should also start with Him.

The First Commandment is “love God with all your heart soul, mind, and strength,” and the second is “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22). But how can we love our neighbor as ourself if we hate ourselves, or cannot receive God’s love for us personally? So, the key to loving God and loving others is first receiving His love toward us.

So now, let’s look at this passage a little differently – “Love is patient and kind, does not envy, does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, etc…” If God is Love, then you could actually substitute the word "God" here in place of "love." “God is patient and kind, does not envy, does not parade Himself, is not proud (puffed up), is not rude, does not seek His own…”

This is actually a description of Who God is in His very nature. Which means, that we can look at this passage as the way God relates toward us. You can say, “He is patient with me. He is kind to me. He does not envy, He is not prideful, He doesn’t show off to put others down, etc…”

When you begin to think about this passage as the way God relates to you, then you will start to feel a thankfulness, and tenderness about His love toward you, and you will be able to receive His love and His thoughts and His affections toward you. When that happens, you will also be able to love others – not from your own striving or attempt to love them, but from an overflow of the Love of God that you have already received in your heart.

So let’s pray this now.

Scripture: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…” (I Corinthians 13:4-8)

Prayer: “Jesus, Your love is patient and kind. It does no wrong. You do not envy and are not prideful. You humbled Yourself and gave Your life freely on the Cross. Thank you, Father. Fill me with your love, today. Let Your love fill my heart, and help me to love others from Your love.”

In your own words: Talk to Jesus about this passage. Focus on the area that you struggle in the most. Let Him talk to you about it.

Listen: Pause and listen for what He might say to you about His love for you. Maybe there is an area where you are not patient with yourself or kind to yourself. Talk to Him about that, and let Him show you His patience and His kindness toward you.

Write: Write in a journal or notes about what you are feeling and experiencing with the Lord in this passage. Write out certain scriptures or phrases that touch you. Go back and read this when you are feeling unloved or unwanted.

For further ideas and tools, look at the earlier sessions in this “Knowledge of God Blog Series; Part 1 – God is Love.”

God is Love: No Fear in Love

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” (I John 4:17-19)

We are going to be filled with something. But in order to get rid of darkness, the answer is not to try to cast out the darkness, but to turn on the light. What is the antidote to fear? Love. Perfect love casts out all Fear. God is Love and He is perfect, and His love toward us is perfect. How can we be filled with more of His Love and be free of fear? We need to “behold” (look, think deeply, meditate, chew on in thought) His Love for us.

I John 3: 1-3 says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

In this passage, John actually says, “Behold” or look, gaze, meditate on, chew on, think deeply about -- God’s love. And specifically, in this passage, it says to think deeply about His love as a Father, and our position or identity as His children. In the last lesson, we looked at God’s love through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, and in this lesson, we are looking at the Love of God as a Father to His children.

When we want to get the Love of God deep into us, or know an attribrute or characteristic of God more, we need to study those passages of Scripture about Him, but also, we need to look at various ways those Scriptures can get deep into our hearts, minds, souls, and spirits, so that we can love God with all of our being (Matt. 22:33-40).

And right now, we are focusing on God’s love as a Father that fills us and casts out fear. Romans 8:15-16 further develops this thought, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…”

Again, here we see that our identity as children of God frees us from every fear. But how can we be filled with God’s love and be freed from fear? The key to this is in I John 4:19, “We love Him because He first loved us” – which means that the love that we have for God, and God’s love that we can feel does not originate with us, but it originates with God. But does that mean that we are helpless to do anything about receiving the Love of God? The answer is no, of course not.

God is Love, which means that His love is ALWAYS there, whether we feel it or not, whether we experience or see it manifesting as a reality in our lives. It is there and exists and is moving constantly. But we need to receive it, and how we do it goes back to this idea of “Beholding” (look, meditate, think deeply, chew on, etc). 

2 Corinthians 3:18 says that, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

This means that in order to transform (change) our thoughts, emotions, and will (choices, decisions, desires) that we need to behold (look, meditate, chew on, etc) the Glory of God – or His attributes, characteristics. This is why growing in the knowledge of God is so important – not only in head knowledge, but heart knowledge, and relational experience with Him. And we do that through praying, singing, and interacting with Scripture until it becomes a part of us and changes us.

So, let’s try that today with beholding the Love of God. Try these interactive methods of praying Scripture, and adapt them to how you see fit. You can even try this as a family with your kids, or your spouse, or with a group of friends, as well as alone in your quiet time with Jesus.

Scripture:

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” (I John 4:17-19)

Prayer Points:

• Jesus, I just declare who You are. You are Love. I worship You, and behold You as Love today. I want to behold and ponder Your Love as a Father toward me and How great Your Love is toward me!

• Your love is GREAT toward me, Lord! I thank You and Praise You for it.

• Show me how much You love me today, and let me feel Your Love and know it personally deep inside.

• I give you all of my fears. You said those who are in fear have not been made perfect in love. So, I give you my fear today – my fear of …….. and I ask that You would make me perfect in Love. And you would cast all fear out of my mind, will, and emotions.

• Holy Spirit, you said that those led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God, and we have not been given a bondage of fear, but a spirit of adoption. And so I cry out to you, “Abba! Father!” Come and touch me. Come and hold me. Come and give me peace. Fill me with Your love today.

• Give me boldness. Give me boldness to speak your Word to my friends and neighbors. Give me boldness to live without fear in an unstable environment.

• Make me perfect in love, Father.

• I just set my eyes on Your love today. I behold it. I receive it. It is wonderful and it is perfect. I love You, because You first loved me. You are the beginning of love and your love is eternal. Thank you, Father. I love you!

Sing: You can do this a Capello or turn on a little instrumental music or grab an instrument, and sing these phrases and prayers, and allow them to go even deeper into your heart. Allow your own words and thoughts to come out of your spirit. Allow yourself to take more or less time as you need it, and open your heart to God.

Listen: Ask Jesus to talk to You about His love for you, and just take a few minutes to pause in silence and see if He shows You anything. You might feel certain fears come up inside of you. Tell Jesus about them and ask Him to take those fears out of your life. Declare His Love and truth over yourself. Pause to see if you feel or sense anything that He might be saying to you. See if He brings anyone to your mind to pray for and pray for Him to show His love to them.

Write: Write down your thoughts or impressions in a journal, and write the different Scriptures that touched you the most, and maybe some of the reasons why they impacted you so much in this season. In times when you need encouragement, go back and read them and speak them over yourself again.

Draw or color: This is especially great for kids, or creative types. Close your eyes, and ask Jesus to give you a picture of His love for you, or have your kids do this. And then have them draw or color what they saw.

Know God: God is Love

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (I John 4:14-16)

God is Love. It is the very nature of who He is. Even if he punishes, corrects, or carries out justice – It is done in Love, because that is His very nature. He is like a loving father who corrects his children so that they become good adults (Hebrews 12).

Romans 5:8 says that “God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.” It means that love is not based on a feeling. It is not based on a circumstance or what is happening around us. It is not based on whether we have money this month or we lost it. It is not based on whether the healing came or did not come. The Love of God is based on this: That Jesus Christ came into the world to die for us while we were yet sinners, and He gave His own life for us.

“Greater Love has no man than this, that a man would lay down His life for His friends.” (John 15:13).

God already showed His love to us by His completed work on the Cross and that should be our anchor in the midst of chaos when we feel that God does not love us. It is at exactly that time when we need to believe.

Here are some prayer points to pray this Scripture into you, so that it becomes not just head knowledge, but heart knowledge. Pray these out loud to yourself, adding things as you feel in your heart.

Scripture: “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (I John 4:14-16)

Prayer Points:

• Jesus, help Your Word come alive in my thoughts and in my heart.

• Jesus, I testify and believe that You are the Savior of the world.

• I confess that You are the Son of God.

• Help me to abide (live, dwell) in You, and in Your Presence. Help me to live in Your Love. Help me to receive Your Love.

• I know Your Love, and I believe in Your Love, but help me know Your Love more and believe Your Love more. Help me to feel it and experience it, even when outside circumstances are telling me differently.

• God, You are Love. Jesus, You are Love. Help me to know you more as Love. Unconditional. Pure. Help me know True Love that has no end. Help me to know You and experience You as Love in Person.

• I love you, Jesus. Help me to love You more. Help me to live in Your love today and show Your love to others.

Sing: Also, feel free to turn on a little instrumental music or grab your instrument, and sing these phrases and prayers, and allow them to go even deeper into your heart. Allow your own words and thoughts to come out of your spirit.

Listen: Ask Jesus to talk to You about His love for you, and just take a few minutes to pause and see if He shows You anything. Ask Him to talk to you about His love for others. And pause to see if you feel or sense anything.

Write: Write down your thoughts, or impressions in a journal, and write different Scriptures that touch you. In times when you need encouragement, go back and read them.

Follow in the Footsteps

I was hiking yesterday off-trail through a foot of snow. Without any snow-shoes or skis, my feet were sinking a foot down with every step. It was hard work, but I was enjoying it.

I hiked through the woods for an hour, making my own trail, and I was thinking about how much labor it is to   blaze new trails and to go places no one else has gone before.

After about an hour, I was getting very tired and I met up with some footprints leading to the way out. I began to think about how much easier it was to follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before you. I began to be grateful for the great men in history who cared about future generations. I began to be thankful for the older generation alive now, who care about raising up the younger ones, and creating a floor for the next generation to walk on and go higher than they did.

Even though there are times where God has us go and blaze new trails, His design is for us to grow on what the fathers before us have built, and to father those who will come after us. Sometimes, we must blaze new trails, but we must always be mindful of those who will follow behind.

Implementing the Five-Fold Ministry: Fathers Releasing Sons

Before looking at strategies and programs for implementing the five-fold ministry, it is necessary to implant foundational principles at the root of the process for the development to actually work. Another foundational principle that is necessary for the five-fold ministry to work is that of fathers releasing sons who become fathers.

One huge area lacking in our society is that of fathers who know how to call forth a younger generation and release them into what God has called them to do. Although God can come and transform the existing church structure, many people become set in their ways, making it difficult to make a new definition to old ways of doing things. However, the best way to transform a culture is for those fathers in the older generation who have seen the wrong ways of doing things, to impart their wisdom and anointing to the next generation and release them to go farther than they did.

The problem is two-fold. First, many older people where never fathered themselves, and do not know how to properly be fathers. Second, many young people are rebellious against authority and want to usurp the authority of the older generation rather than learn from them.

However, God’s design was for the older generation to pave the way for the younger generation and create a new, higher foundation for the young ones to walk on than what they had when they were young. Furthermore, His design is for the young ones to walk on that old foundation and build on it, rather than tear it down and move to another place to build.

In the previous teaching on Love & Service, we looked at the verse where Paul was speaking of Timothy as being the only one who was like-minded and served as a son serves a Father (Phil. 2:19-22). Even in Paul’s day, he was looking to raise up sons who would care for the Church as much as he did—and even in his day, it was lacking.

Not only did Paul raise up a son in Timothy who would serve and love the Church, but he raised up a son who also became a father in the church (I Cor. 4:14-17). God is not looking for sons who drain the life out of the older generation to take what they need for themselves. He is looking for sons who are so thankful for being called sons that they—in turn—call forth others as sons.

Also, God is looking for fathers who call their “children” into the identity and callings that are over their lives. A father who is secure in the love of His heavenly Father can see the God-given destiny on a person and call them forth into what God has called them to do.

Implementing the five-fold ministry cannot be a sterile process learned from a book or manual. It must be birthed. It must be birthed in prayer and birthed in lives. This takes labor and it takes trying and failing. It also takes learning from the mistakes of the older generations—and also learning from their successes. We must have the hearts of fathers turned to children and children to the fathers in order for the five-fold ministry to work in the Church.

Role of the Apostolic: Birthing the Next Generation

For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. (I Corinthians 4:15-17)

It is so remarkable to me that in this passage, Paul was exhorting the church in Corinth to imitate him. Later on in chapter 11, he exhorts them again to imitate him as he imitates Christ. What I think is even more remarkable, however, is that Paul did not go to Corinth himself in this passage. He actually sent Timothy to them who was his beloved and faithful son in the Lord. Paul had fathered Timothy as a son, and Timothy was being sent to father the church in Corinth. He had been birthed as a father by Paul.

Timothy was the one who taught the church in Corinth and through that they were imitating Paul who was imitating Christ. Although Paul did go to Corinth at certain points, Paul was not addressing himself going to Corinth in this passage, but he was speaking of Timothy going to Corinth and that Paul through Timothy would birth them as a father.

Even more than this, it is noteworthy that Paul was distinguishing here between teachers and fathers. He was telling the church in Corinth that he has begotten them. He was saying that he was the one who led them to the Lord but even more than that, he was birthing them.

Paul continually uses the imagery of fathering when he is referring to his role in the church. In all of those passages, he constantly de-emphasizes the glamor in the life of an apostle, and he emphasizes that fact that they are laying down their lives for the church rather than taking advantage of them. Even in one passage, Paul likens himself to a mother who nurtures them.

Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day…as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children… (I Thessalonians 2:6-9, 11)

The role of every generation is to honor the generation above them and to pour into the generation under them. Every ceiling on one generation should become the floor of another. We need fathers and mothers in the generation who build on the foundations of the older generation while promoting and birthing the next generation into all that God has created it to be.

Going to Work with Daddy

Sometimes we get so overwhelmed by how much we can and should do for God, that we do not realize how He sees us, and how much He actually does not NEED our help. However, even though He does not need our help. He loves for us to be with Him.

Just like a little kid who wants to go to work with their dad, I can imagine some of our prayers ascending to heaven kind of like this...

"Daddy, can I sit on your lap while you work on the computer today? I know I spilt apple juice on your laptop last time, but I can help you better this time..."

Or perhaps, "Daddy, can I help you mow the yard? I know my mower is only plastic and blows bubbles, but when I follow your mower, the grass gets cut..."

And how about, "Daddy, can I sit on your lap on the tractor? I know that I always fall asleep and tie up your hands, but I get to be near you and feel your heartbeat in your chest..."

You see, so many times, we see ourselves as though we really have something to offer God. We think He really needs our help. He really needs us to DO something for Him. But in reality, He just wants to be with us and to partner with us.

Our help really isn't help, but He sees us as His children and loves us so much. He just wants us to be with Him. He will teach us as we learn and grow, but to enter the kingdom of heaven, we have to come like a little child.

"Daddy, can I go to work with you today?"

Thankful for the Lord's Leadership

I am so thankful for how God leads us, even if it doesn't make sense most of the time. It is amazing how much you grow in appreciation for the little things when the little things are taken from you. I am so grateful to the Lord for friends, family, and for His presence. I am thankful for the ability to walk and to do my own laundry. I am thankful for people who speak into my life even when what they are saying is hard for me to hear. Life isn't about the destination, it's about the journey, and God doesn't care how fast we get there, He only cares what state we're in when we arrive. When I get there someday, I hope that I hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of Your Lord." I am thankful that He is so gentle and patient with us and He doesn't mind if we fumble around to get our footing sometimes. Ultimately, we come up leaning on Him.

It is amazing how many times when you prophesy over people, the Lord takes the opportunity to give a word to you through the Holy Spirit who teaches all things. That happened to me the other night. I gave a word to this guy about racing cars and how the pit stop was just as important in the race as the actual time on the track. The mechanics have to change the tires, align them, tune the motor, fill up with gas, check the oil, etc. Time is the essence even in the pit stop. It's not a break from the race--it's still the race itself.

I used the think that any time I was hindered from doing, that I was being "benched"--out on injury, but if we find our identity in being, then we are not merely "benchwarming" when we're not doing. I hate benchwarming. I always want to be a starter in the game, but sometimes God shakes your foundations to bring refocus and realignment to your life.

No matter what season of life you are in, or what you are capable of doing, you can always pray. A friend of mine Jeff always says, "Life is one long conversation with God." Sometimes seasons don't allow for us to be in the prayer room, but every season allows for us to pray. You can always talk to God, and you can always "be" in His presence. It's a hard lesson to learn sometimes, but it is so valuable. God cares more about our character than what we can do for Him. It's amazing when you see the true heart of the Father and how affectionate He is even in his correction. The Father disciplines those He loves, and yet He is so gentle and meek when He does it. His gentleness makes us great.

It's been 3 months since my back injury, and I am still recovering, but I am so grateful to the Lord for everything He has done in my life. My heart is so tender right now. Sometimes life can be a pressure cooker, but as my dad Mike says, "Pressure cookers make you tender."

The Lord is teaching me to give to subtle cues of the bit, just like a powerful racehorse that has to shut-down and turn at the drop of a hat. We have to learn to give to subtle cues if we want to win the race. Another friend of mine, Bev challenged me one time, "Do you want to be a wild stallion or do you want to be a horse the King can ride on?" I definitely want to be the latter. I want to be a horse the King of Glory can ride on.

The Father & Fear of the Lord in Malachi

Lately, I have been alternating between reading Ephesians & reading Malachi quite a bit. It is interesting because both books reveal the Father in various ways, but one reveals the love of the Father & the other one reveals the honor & reverence required toward the Father--the Fear of the Lord.

It is necessary for us to see both dimensions of the Father in a healthy way. The word "fear" as in the fear of the Lord primarily means "honor, reverence, awe." The Hebrew word used for fear is yire & it also connotes other dimensions of fear as well, but this is because it involves real human emotions--the soulish kind of fear. However, the pure fear of the Lord is clean & involves only the spiritual sense of the word--awe, reverence, honor.

Twice in Malachi, the Lord rebukes the priests for not honoring the Lord as a father. He repremands them for not taking care of their wives, for leaving their children, for divorce, & for despising marriage. He admonishes them to come back to the Fear of the Lord & ends with turning the hearts of the Fathers to the children & children to the Fathers.

The Fear of the Lord & the Love of God are both necessary elements in a correct view of God. Try alternating reading Ephesians & Malachi this week & noting every instance the Father is mentioned. Also note when the Fear of the Lord or Love of God is mentioned. Ask God to reveal the Father to you. It only takes around 20 to 30 minutes to read each book.

Devo 63: The Kingdom like a Child

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 18:3-4

Jesus said that for us to enter into the kingdom, we must become like children. He is not only speaking of salvation here, but also of living the kingdom life. The things of God are foolishness to the wise, but they are powerful and they put to shame the things which are mighty (I Cor. 1:27).

Most of the attributes of the kingdom of God are completely contrary to the way we think. God said, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways…” (Is. 55:8-9). The way He does things are so contrary to the way we do things. He who is humbled will be exalted, and he who exalts himself will be humbled.

The God of all creation came to earth, lived a sinless life, and died for the sins of all mankind. Even though he was God, he did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped, made Himself of no reputation and took up the cross. Therefore, God highly exalted Him and now He sits at the right hand of the Father (Phil. 2:6-7).

Stop for a second. Think about that. Everything seems so upside-down there. This is the kingdom of God.

Many times on the road of being transformed into the image of Christ, we come across a blockade in our mind. Our mind must be renewed because the things of God are not natural things that can be understood by a natural mind, but they are spiritual things that must be understood by a spiritual mind (Rom. 8; I Cor. 2).

This is why we must become like a child. Before a child begins to do something, they do not think about the process it takes to do it. They just do it. Children do not reason through something and talk themselves out of it. When icecream is sat in front of them, they do not wonder how many calories are in it, how many miles they have to run, or if it will cause Type II diabetes. They just eat it.

If they go out to play in brand new clothes, they do not worry about whether or not grass stains come out with a certain stain remover, or if they will come out at all. They just play.

Jesus said for us to enter the kingdom of heaven like a little child. So when we lay hands on the sick, we do not need to think about the scientific improbability of something happening, or whether that person will think we are dumb, or whether God heals today, or why He hasn’t healed before, or if we are saying the right formula or not. We just need to lay hands on the sick.

If the Lord whispers a word to us, we don’t need to go through the mental gymnastics of whether that was God, or if God really speaks that way, or what those people will think of us. We just give the word. Just like a little child would. They do not think about what other people think of them. They just say it like it is. That is why parents cannot gossip around little kids because they just repeat what they hear, and they will say it right to the person.

The problem is that many of us do not know what it is like to be a child. Many of us had our childhoods stolen because of tragedy, trauma, abuse, or false responsibility. Some never had parents or their parents treated them badly. Some were abandoned or sick or never saw what it was like to have fun.

Many people believe that they are stuck with the childhood they had and they can never get it back. However, this is not true. You are adopted now. You have come under a different family and you can start your childhood all over again—and it’s not a bad thing this time.

You have been adopted by a heavenly Father, and no matter how good or bad your earthly father was—every single believer must learn what it is like to be adopted as a child of God.

It is no wonder that one of the names of the Holy Spirit is the “spirit of adoption” (Gal. 4; Rom. 8). That is His actual name. He is the one who cries out from within us and bears witness that we are sons and daughters of God (Rom. 8; Gal. 4; Eph. 1).

The only way we can know what it is like to be a child is to have a genuine revelation of the Father. We have to focus on who the heavenly Father is—not who we think He is, or why we do not know who He is, or if we will ever know who He is—but actually who He is. We must focus on scripture that tells our mind who God really is, and then pray and ask God to make that revelation real to us.

God is a Good Father who loves to give good gifts to His children (Lk 11). He is delighted in us (Ps. 16, 18). He delights in giving us the kingdom (Lk 12). He is forgiving (Lk. 7).

Jesus came to show us the Father (Jn 14). Everything Jesus did was a revelation of the Father. He only did what He saw the Father doing (Jn 5:19).

When we realize the joy and delight our Daddy God has over us, then we will be able to become like children and fully enter into the kingdom, which is our inheritance as sons and daughters.

Ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you as Father. Ask Him to pour the love of the Father into your heart. Ask Him to help you become like a child. Ask Him to give you the faith of a child. Ask Him to let you see the kingdom of heaven come to earth and let you be a part of it happening.

Grace and Peace to you in Jesus Name!

Love,

Amanda

Copyright © 2010, Amanda Rich, All Rights Reserved

Devo 50: Guarantee of our Inheritance as Sons

Daddy, Papa, Abba, Father...God is our Dad. Jesus turned everything on its head when He called God “Abba Father.” But Jesus knew our place as sons and daughters. He knew that we could come to the Father through His Son.


Over and over again, Jesus and the apostles spoke of our place as sons and daughters of the Most High God. Many times, this is in the context of freedom from sin, demonic powers, or the law. When we truly realize that God is our dad, our faith will go to a whole new level and many of our worries, fears, and anxieties will dissipate.

In Romans 8:15-16, Paul says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…” (NKJV) It is the testimony of the Holy Spirit that bears witness that we are children of God. When we talk to Holy Spirit or “abide in Him,” it is a testimony to our place as sons and daughters, and we can then cry out to Him.

Paul also speaks of this in Galatians 4 and that passage says that the Spirit is “crying out” which indicates that once we have the Holy Spirit in us, He continually cries out to the Father. He is making intercession for us. Romans 8:26 goes into more detail about this intercession by saying it is a “groaning too deep for words” (NASB)

Again in Ephesians 1, Paul also speaks of our place as sons and daughters, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself… (Eph 1:3, 5). He then goes on to speak of our redemption through the blood of Jesus and how we now have an inheritance as our purchased possession. Again, he speaks of the witness of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance (Eph. 1:13).

In each of these passages, the witness of the Spirit is mentioned along with our identity as sons and daughters. Also, in each of these passages, there is a freedom that comes from the witness of the spirit in the place of our identity as sons. In Romans 8, we become free of fear. In Galatians 4, we are free from the Law. Ephesians 1 is an introduction into the rest of the book which goes on to speak of our place seated with Christ in heaven far above principalities and powers (which is the demonic realm) (Eph. 1:3, 2:6, 3:10, 3:21, 6:12). So, from our identity as sons in Ephesians 1, we are free from demonic powers.

The problem is however, that many of us never find our identity as sons and we never use our weapons to fight. Much of the problem is because we have a distorted view of the Father. Also, much of the problem is that we have never truly felt that witness of the Holy Spirit, or if we have, we have neglected to continue growing in our relationship with Him.

When Jesus walked the earth as a Man, He told us that when He went away, He would not leave us as orphans, but that He would send the Holy Spirit—the Comforter (paracletos, GK), to help us (Jn 14:16-18). The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we have not been left as orphans, but that the Lord will return to us and we will enter into our full inheritance as sons and daughters of the King.

Even though all of this is laid out for us in scripture, many people never actually walk in their identity as sons and daughters. Many of us get beat down by fear, anxiety, worry, depression, oppression, etc…and we never taste that freedom we have in Christ. He who the Son sets free is free indeed (Jn. 8:36).

There could be many teachings on what it is to walk in our identity as heirs—I have already taught on it many times, but I will say that the primary way is through fellowship with the Holy Spirit of promise. John 14-17 is all about our relationship with Holy Spirit. He is a person, the third person of the Trinity. He wants to be known even as the Father and Son are known.

In John 15, Jesus speaks on abiding in the Spirit and having fellowship with the Spirit. He warns that any branch who does not abide in the vine will be cut off. We cannot lose our communication with the Holy Spirit. We cannot decide, “Oh, I am not going to talk to you today…” I have tried that—trust me, it’s a bad idea. Anyone who does not abide in the vine will be cut off.

This is not to make us afraid of doing something wrong, but it is a reality check that we have to talk to Holy Spirit. We have to communicate with the Father and Son through Holy Spirit on a continual basis—all day, everyday.

What are some practical ways of doing that? First of all, we have to ask the Lord to help us abide in the vine. We have to ask Holy Spirit for that “witness” of the Spirit. There are many teachings and different theories on that doctrine, but I am not going to argue those right now. Ask the Lord about them. Read scriptures about the witness of the Spirit. Let Him explain it to you.

He wants to be known way more than we want to know Him (Jn 17:3). All we have to do is ask. The Lord said in Luke 12, “Fear not, little children, for it is my delight to give you the kingdom!” (Lk. 12:32). He says this just after saying that we can ask anything in His name and He will give it in Luke 11.

Ask Holy Spirit to give you that spirit of adoption that breaks the bondage of fear, the law (striving to attain our own righteousness), and demonic oppression. Ask Him to cry out on your behalf and tell Him that you agree with Him in intercession for your own spirit.

Then make agreements with scriptural promises over your life such as Jn. 8:36, II Cor. 5:17, and I Jn 4:4. Say these scriptures out loud and make them personal such as: “I am a new creation…” Break agreements with lies you have spoken over yourself and repent for agreeing with them. Say out loud that you no longer agree with those lies (name the lie), and when they come back, begin speaking the promises of God over your life rather than thinking about the lies.

Then ask Holy Spirt to fill you with His presence. I have faith that He will do it! Ask Him for a tangible witness of the Spirit.

There is so much more I can say, but I have already said enough. I have attached one or two similar devos in this email.

“Lord, I ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit to fill each person as they read this. I ask for a tangible presence to be in their room. Bless them and make your face shine on them in the Precious Name of Jesus. Amen.”

Amanda
 
Copyright © 2010, Amanda Rich, All Rights Reserved

Devo 34: Show us the Father

Just imagine. Jesus comes up to you like a daddy with his little child, grabs your wrists, and swings you around in the air. You are spinning around wildly. Your feet are flailing in the wind. Everything around you is a blur and the only thing you can see is His face.


You are a little nervous—“What if He drops me?” You know this is supposed to be fun, but it is actually quite nerve-wracking. Then, you look into His eyes, and He is smiling. He does not say a word, but you know by His eyes, He is saying, “Just trust me.”

This is what life feels like sometimes when you are fully trusting in Jesus. Everything is spinning around you, your feet have been knocked out from under you, and you really only have one choice—to trust Him.

Since the summer, the Lord has been teaching me about the heart of the Father. A few weeks ago, I had a dream that had to do with Romans 8:15, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry out, “Abba, Father!”

The Lord showed me that this revelation of our adoption as sons of the Good Father drives away fear and insecurity from our lives.

For this to become a reality in our hearts, we first have to understand that God is good, and He is a good Father. Jesus came to show us the Father (Jn. 14). He said that if human fathers, being sinful, know how to give good gifts to their children, then how much more would your heavenly Father give good gifts (Mt. 7:11).

Knowing that He is Good is the key to trusting Him. When we trust Him, then fear has no place in our lives, and we can surrender control to Him. Enjoyment of life and thankfulness can then enter our lives, and we can be secure no matter the circumstances.

In a class a few weeks ago, I heard that every person has four basic needs for a father: security, love, affirmation, and purpose; yet, because every earthly father is human, those needs cannot be completely met by them. Consequently, we attempt to meet those needs with anything else we can find until we realize that there is only one way to meet them. We must learn to have those needs met in our heavenly Father.

Security: Romans 8:15. This verse in Romans is about having our security in the Father. We have no reason to fear when we realize that the God of all creation is our Father and we can cry out to Him.

Love: I John 3:1. “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” It is not a coincidence that this verse highlights the love of the Father, and I John is all about the love of the Father being in us so that we may be like Him. Furthermore, the passage in Romans continues by assuring us that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:35-39).

Affirmation: Galatians 4:4-7. “Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” In this passage, Paul ties in the spirit of adoption that cries out, “Abba, Father!” with our identity as sons of God and heirs of the kingdom. The Romans 8 passage also speaks of our identity as heirs and how all creation is waiting for the sons of God to come into their identity as heirs of the kingdom, and that we are eagerly awaiting for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:19, 23). Again, in Romans 8, the Father affirms our identity as being “more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).

Purpose: Romans 8:28-29. This passage speaks of the intercession of the Spirit for all those that are “called according to His purpose.” This purpose is to be “conformed into the image of His Son.” This is the “hope of our calling” that we would be “pure just as He is pure” (Eph. 1:17-19; I John 3:2-3; Matt. 5:48). This is our purpose and destiny. It is more than just our calling or ministry here on earth. Our destiny is to become like Him, even as Jesus prayed in John 17:23.

When the world is spinning around us, we can find our security in the love of the Father. We can also have our needs of affirmation and purpose met in Him and what He says of us. We can trust Him and stare into His eyes even if there is no one else to trust.

This week, meditate on the Good Father. Read Romans 8, Galatians 4, and I John 3-4. Ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you as Father. Ask Him to show you insecurities in your life and places where you have not trusted Him. Ask Him to forgive you and help you place your trust in Him.

Jesus, you came to show us the Father. I pray you would reveal Him to our hearts in an even greater way. Bring restoration to us. Turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers (Mal. 4:6). Let us show the love of the Father to a lost and dying world. We love you, Lord. Thank you that we can put our trust in You. Amen.

Love,

Amanda
 
Copyright © 2010, Amanda Rich, All Rights Reserved