by Dr. Charles Stanley
Tuesday October 4, 2005
Knowing God as Your Father
The Old Testament records few times that the Lord dealt directly with people.
But that changed when Jesus, God’s Son, came into the world and revealed the personal nature of God the Father.
What is the biblical basis for calling God “Father”? In the Sermon on the
Mount, Jesus spoke extensively about God as a divine parent. He pointed out that our heavenly Father knows what we need (Matthew 6:8) and because of His tender care, we should not worry (25-26). He also gave His followers a pattern for prayer that began by addressing God with a new title, “Our Father.”
Who can call God “Father”? The Bible teaches that only those in God’s family
have that privilege. Many people think He is everyone’s parent, but the Scriptures indicate that we are not automatically His children. Spiritual birth is required (John 3:3). By accepting Jesus’ sacrificial death as payment for our individual sins, we join God’s family (John 1:12).
What is God the Father like? The life and ministry of our Savior teaches us
much about the caring nature of our heavenly parent. Jesus was always about
His father’s business, both in word and deed (John 5:19;
nature as you meditate on the Word and communicate with Him in prayer.
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