Words from the Father: Diving Deeper
See Jesus
It is incredibly important that we know what kind of Father our God is. What we believe about Him impacts our relationship with Him on every level.
Sometimes our view of God can be skewed or brought off-center from truth if we have experienced hurts or failures from our earthly dads. This affects our ability to trust God as our Father. We can also get mixed up about our identity because we are mistaken about what He thinks of us.
Jesus is at work right now on our behalf.
Jesus is helping us become whole and free from unforgiveness that we may see God the Father clearly! If we ask, He lends us His strength, helping us forgive those who have caused even the most painful wounds. With His help we can release those who have hurt us and be healed. We can have a true picture of our Father God restored.
Below you will find a letter. I invite you to imagine with me that it is from our Good Father, written to you, the child He loves.
Family, we know that the Bible gives us a clear and accurate view of God. So, any portion of this letter that seems highlighted to you, or maybe challenging to accept, I invite you to go and dig deeper by reading the scripture references provided (and/or any other verses that Holy Spirit brings to mind).
As you read may you know Him more.
My Dearest Child,
I love you more than you can even understand right now. I have always loved you and always will. There are some things I would like you to know about my heart for you. Please allow the truth of my Word to renew your thinking about Me. It is possible my dear one! (Romans 12:2)
First of all, did you know that our relationship is my top priority? I have held nothing back when it comes to you. I am 100% in. It has been my joy to be reconciled to you. (Romans 8:32, 2 Corinthians 5:18)
My desire from the beginning was for you to have full access to Me. Jesus has made this possible! Now you are invited into the most precious place of my presence. (Hebrews 10:19-20) AND I WANT YOU TO BE THERE. There is room for you. You can enter that place at any time, 24/7.
Not only have you been invited to come near to me, my child, I RUN to you! I have seen you coming for a long time and it is my joy to celebrate you as part of my Family! (Luke 15:20) Hear that, Dear One: You are a CELEBRATED member of my Family. You did not slip in unnoticed. Angels rejoiced when you were saved!
Did you know that you don’t have to guess what I might be like everyday? You do need to be careful around Me, you do not need to gauge my mood. I am the same every time. (James 1:17) I am consistently kind and the gifts I give you are consistently good.
Dear child, I promise to look after you. I see your needs right now. I see your needs as they change from season to season. I am not surprised and I am never unprepared. I am mighty to provide for you. (Matthew 6:25-26)
You are safe with me. Did you know that your emotions matter dearly to me? Where you have been wounded emotionally, I promise you, I was near and I am near. I have never left you alone. Would you let me bind up those hurting places in your heart? (Psalm 147:3)
You are safe with Me. When you are in trouble or under attack, I will defend you. Every. Single. Time. I am your strong Rescuer (Psalm 62:5-7 & Colossians 1:13)
If you ever find yourself confused about what I am like, you can look to Jesus. (John 14:6-7). He came to show the world what I am really like and He did an AMAZING JOB! Look to Him. Read of Him. Ask Him questions about Me. Trust and believe what He is saying to you.
My child, there is so much more I long for you to know. But I am not in a hurry. There is space for our relationship to grow and grow (Ephesians 3:18-19). In the meantime, know this:
Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate you from My love. (Romans 8:38-39)
All my love, always and forever,
Your Heavenly Father
Know Jesus
This week, you can dive deeper into the message through one or all of the following:
Listen or listen again to Pastor Merodee's message by visiting the Podcast page
Do a DBS on 1 John 3:1
If you need to talk to someone about forgiveness and healing for emotional wounds I encourage you to connect with Pastor Kevin or Pastor Merodee. They would love to walk with you! Freedom and healing are available in Jesus.
Discovery Bible Study
TO BEGIN
Pray and ask Holy Spirit to teach you about God from His word.
Next, read the verse a couple of times.
Now, ask these questions:
What does this tell me about God/Jesus?
What does this tell me about people?
How can I respond to what I just read?
When you’re done asking these questions, it’s a great idea to pray and thank God for teaching you more about who He is and who you are!
Discovery Bible Study (DBS) is a way for anyone, anywhere to read God's word! You can dive deeper into this week's message by doing a DBS one any one or all of these scriptures. DBS is a great tool to use for your own devotions, as a bible study with friends, or as an evangelism tool!
1 John 3:1
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. "
Prayer Prompts
Pray that the Lord will help us to see Jesus and His Finished Work.
Pray that the Lord will help us to be aware of His Presence.
Ask the Lord for a revelation of the Father's love.
Share Jesus
You can share this week's podcast, email, or blog post. Check out volunteer opportunities to get involved in the work of sharing Jesus in our church family and community.
Current Volunteer Opportunities
Pastor Charla is creating the upcoming Kids Church schedule. You can pastorcharla@kiplingchurch.com
Pastor Nicole is looking for volunteers for the administration ministry. If you are passionate about serving in the behind-the-scenes operations of the church, this is a great opportunity to get involved! pastornicole@kiplingchurch.com
