THE FATHER’S LOVE | SermonIndex

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Joyful_Heart Nov 1, 2011

THE FATHER’S LOVE
by David Wilkerson November 1, 2011

Many people find it difficult to think of God as a loving Father. They see Him through eyes clouded with the pain of past experiences with an ungodly father or stepfather.

Thousands of Christians do not believe God loves them because their earthly father abandoned, wounded, or grieved them so badly. I pray that this message will speak not only to them but also to those of you who have not yet discovered the depths of our heavenly Father’s love!

Many of us know the Scriptures and the theology behind God’s great love for His children. Yet very few of us have learned to appropriate that love and we are not enjoying the benefits of having it.

Listen to how God described Himself to Moses:

“The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin . . .” (Exodus 34:6-7).

When we are in the midst of our trials, we forget what God has said about His own nature. Yet, if we would only believe Him in such times, we would have great assurance in our souls. From cover to cover, the Bible speaks to us as God’s voice, revealing to us how tender and loving He is.

He is ready to forgive at all times. “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You” (Psalm 86:5).

He is patient with us, full of tenderness and mercy. “Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord” (Psalm 119:156). “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy” (Psalm 145:8).

When you go to the Lord in prayer and worship, be very careful what kind of image of God you take into His presence! You must be fully convinced of His love for you and believe that He is all He says He is!

sermonindex Nov 1, 2011

"When you go to the Lord in prayer and worship, be very careful what kind of image of God you take into His presence! You must be fully convinced of His love for you and believe that He is all He says He is!"

Amen to brother Wilkersons words here. Woe unto them that pervert the image of God and cause people to doubt His love......brother Frank

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live4jc Nov 2, 2011

This is so true that God yearns for us to come to Him with a secure vision of his love for us. We see this frequently in the gospels, as Jesus so often commended people who demonstrated 'faith' and he rebuked his disciples and others for their 'unbelief'. It seems though that what God was looking for went beyond just faith, meaning 'belief'. Rather he was looking for a heart that trusted in Him, that cast its confidence in Him. This attitude was seen in the words of the centurion when he said, "speak the words only and my daughter shall be healed". Hebrews 10:35 is another verse that reflects the value that God places on the confidence or trust that we put in Him, "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward."

As this Wilkerson article points out, it's important that when we come to God, we come believing that he will help us and that he does hear us. I've found this to be true in my own prayer life. When I've come to God in prayer pouring out the pain and everything else that I may feeling in my heart, but don't go any further than that, than I believe I'm letting unbelief hinder my prayers. David often expressed the lament of his heart, but then he would go further, and would go on to express a confidence in God's all sufficiency, and in his sovereign control over the circumstances he was facing. Hebrews 11:6 seems to underscore this idea that the 'faith' God is looking for in our relationship with Him, is rooted in a sure confidence in Him as a God who loves us, and who wants the best for our lives. There it says, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

In Jesus,

John

sermonindex Nov 2, 2011

Thank you for this post, Brother John.

Just this morning I was thinking of "how the twig is bent", by who raised us and then again, by whom we marry.
All or any of these can twist our perception of GOD's nature and love toward us.
If we had an overly-disciplinarian raise us - we never feel as if we can please GOD - and so forth.

Thanks again and Thanks Sis Joyful!!

R

rojam Nov 3, 2011

I'm sorry guys, with all due respect for our beloved brother David, I'm not sure I buy this. I know that it is very popular to try to explain the reason why people don’t respond to God’s love, but I think the responsibility lies directly on their own shoulders.

In Luke 17, we see the account of ten lepers that are healed by Jesus. Only one of them returned to thank him. Do you think that the other nine lepers did not return because their daddies were mean to them or could it be that they were just ungrateful. In Ro 5:8, Paul rights, “. . .God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I’m sorry fiends, but if this is not enough to show us how much God loves us, the cruelty of an earthly father is the least of our problems.

People will not be facing hell because they had a poor example of a father, they will be facing hell because they are rebellious, hard hearted and they love darkness rather than light. As Paul declares in Romans chapter 2, we are all with out excuse.

We live in a religious culture that goes to great lengths to make sure that people feel no shame or guilt over their sin. If we see someone begin to feel uncomfortable we rush in to quell their discomfort.

Brothers, this ought not to be. When Jesus saw the rich young ruler grow sad over the realization that he loved his riches more than the hope of eternal life, he let him bear the full weight of this tragic foolishness. When he walked away, Jesus did not follow after him trying to discover what childhood injury caused him to choose riches over life, he allowed him leave bearing his sadness and guilt. I hope and believe that it is very possible that we may meet that young man in heaven some day, because Jesus did nothing to rescue him from what very well may have been a godly sorrow.

I know that people have suffered greatly at the hands of abusive parents and it is a great tragedy, many need to be healed from the wounds inflicted by the sins of others, and I would never try to belittle that. However, if someone does not believe that God loves them, it is not because of the way their father treated them, it is because they have not plummed the depths of the love and mercy of our great God and Savior.

sermonindex Nov 3, 2011

I don't think we're discussing sinners or the ungrateful healed leper-types.
In my mind as well as the others - we're talking about people who obey GOD out of a fear that is not the type that He is looking for.
GOD is not into psychiatry but HE is compassionate enough to know what we've all been through and takes that extra step to "comfort His people" - just as a 'good' earthly father would if his child doubted his love. GOD is not callous of what any of us have been through.
There will be no excuse for refusing His Salvation when we die - but for those who are presently His Children and are still in need of a deeper knowledge of HIS Love - we should all be very careful to understand that some have an unhealthy over-active conscience that fears GOD in a way that is not Biblical-fear but caused by those who abused them and that GOD is a Loving Patient Father desiring to heal those countless yrs of abuse. Some even go into some type of ministry because they're still trying to do something to 'make dad proud of them'.
Our fears are never an excuse for sin - but an ungodly-fear of GOD or an unhealthy non-Biblical understanding of His True Nature does exist in some folks and we need to make room for the time it takes for HIM to heal them.

Some have been wounded severely in "a church" or by some spiritual-leader as well.

A person with an unhealthy over-active conscience [or a faulty image of GOD], desires to please the object of their love - which would be GOD in this discussion, though few they may be - but GOD does need to go a bit further with them - as you mentioned - "many need to be healed from the wounds inflicted by the sins of others, and I would never try to belittle that" - and that's good and what we're reading/writing about on this thread.

GOD Bless you.

sermonindex Nov 3, 2011

Quote verse from Article:

"“The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin . . .” (Exodus 34:6-7)."

Another tragedy I've seen of late on some other forum - is two people who have diseases that believe that they are dying of these diseases because of the sins of some ancestor of theirs - that CURSED "generational curses" HERESY is killing them even faster than if they had a Healthy-Biblical View of What Jesus Accomplished On The Cross!!!

And no one is telling them .....

If this lie that is sending these two people to an early grave, doesn't upset anyone - than you're colder than ice. I tried to sign-on to that forum but for some reason could not. Though the majority normally rules with the heresies there, especially in that area and demonology.

Those who didn't tell them the truth - that the teaching of "generational curses" is a heresy for the truly born-again, are just as responsible for these people's demise as the devil is and sadly enough - they themselves have believed a lie against His Spirit of Truth.

Please pray for them!!!