God Our Father - Part 14

Wow!!  We made it to part 14 in our series "God Our Father."  I have to say I have really enjoyed this series.  It has given me a much better understanding from the Scriptures concerning the nature of God and how He sees and deals with His children.  

God loves us, that sounds simplistic but we must remember that He proved this love by sending His son to die for us while we were His enemies.  There was nothing half hearted or simplistic about the cross.  

In our final message we looked at the final two descriptions of God's love found in verses 7 and 8 of 1 Cor. 13.  

In 1 Cor. 13:7 the last clause tells us that, love endures all things.
 
The Amplified translation tells us that,  "it endures everything [without weakening]  AMP

• Love (God) endures all things.  So, what does this mean?  Love (God) takes patiently, perseveres, and tarry’s through anything.  God (Love) endures bravely and calmly in all situations.  
• God (love) steadily walks with us bravely and calmly.

Since Jesus is the perfect expression of God then we should be able to find this in His earthly ministry.

Scripture:  Matt 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. NKJV

• Here we have this kind of love being taught by Jesus.  This is love that takes patiently, perseveres, and tarry’s through anything.  This God kind of love will go two miles when it is only required to go one mile.  This is the nature our Father.  Jesus is the exact image of God. 

Scripture:  Luke 6:27-27 "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. 32 "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. NKJV

• Do we see it?  This is exactly what the Lord has been saying through this whole series. God loves without hidden agendas or ulterior motives.  These words prove it, “love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”
• God, right now, is being kind to the unthankful and the evil.  So why would we think that He is being unkind to the thankful and righteous? 
• God, right now, is being merciful to the unthankful and the evil.  So why would we think that He is being unmerciful to the thankful and the righteous?

 
Finally, we looked at 1 Cor. 13:8 - Love never fails.  

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]  AMP

• What does this mean?  Love (God) never fails, this means He never falls down.  Love (God) never loses power or position, He has never and will never bow to another God!  God (love) will never fall in ruin, cease to exist, He will never come to an end or disappear.  

For our last point in this series, we are going to look at the ministry of Paul and what the Holy Spirit spoke through him in Romans 8:31-39.  

Scripture:  God's Everlasting Love - Rom 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV

• This section of Scripture in Romans 8 is a testament to the power of Galatians 5:6 "faith works by love."  The revelation of God's love for us causes our faith to work.
• Here is a list of phrases in these Scriptures that prove a revelation of God's love is a key to living in victory.  
  • "If God be for us, who can be against us?"
  • "He didn't spare Jesus so He will not spare anything else at His disposal for us."
  • "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"
  • "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
  • "Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  

All of these phrases are statements of faith concerning God's love and care for us even in the midst of circumstances that are trying to destroy the believer.  If the enemy can get us to believe that God doesn't love us he can frustrate our faith.  If he can frustrate our faith he can hinder our receiving from the Lord.  

God is our father.  He is merciful and kind, loving and gentle.  He is always looking for a way to redeem us.  I will leave this blog with one final verse of exhortation from 1 John.

1 John 4:16 - 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.  

Know and believe the love that God has for you!!

In Christ, Pastor Sean