The Good Father - Petra - Church-Wide

The Good Father By Brian Flewelling Nov 3rd, 2013

Introduction: Different Format: We’re going to blend the teaching and worship together into more of a united worship service. My hope is that as we hear the word and apply it right away in our worship it will help us to see God and worship God in a fresh way in a special way today. I encourage you even during the brief teaching to maintain a posture of worship and prayer with God. You don’t have to worry about when to stand and sit, we’ll give you clear direction. Meditative Thoughts God is a good father. The scriptures lead us into an encounter with a good father. 1. I have to believe in my heart that God is good, or I won’t trust him. And trust has to be the bedrock of every healthy relationship. “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart.” I can’t do that if I don’t perceive God as good and loving. God’s goodness is written on every page of his book, and on every heart that has every truly encountered him. A.W. Tozer defines his goodness as “His unfailing attitude toward (us) is open, frank, and friendly. By His nature He is inclined to bestow blessings and He takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people.” The Goodness of God is what makes everything about him generous and kind towards us. His intention towards us is for our wellbeing. He is a Father. He’s a good Father. He’s not abusive, He’s not negligent, He’s not demented or demeaning. He’s always encouraging. He doesn’t exasperate His children with oppressive expectations. He is fair. He is kind and benevolent. He’s not looking to harm you, gloat over you, or take advantage of you. He smiles over his children. He’s not looking for your failures, he’s prearranging for your success.

God is gentle with his children, and fiercecly protective of them. He is loving. Patient. Forgiving. Generous. He is gracious and compassionate. He’s assertive and proactive. He doesn’t have a quick temper. He’s overwhelmingly positive, upbeat, and joyful. His love for us never subsides. It gets even better 2. You can encounter the goodness of God for yourself. God gives himself freely and generously to every one of his children. He doesn’t love me more and you less. And he makes himself available to every one of us and he wants every one of us to come into his big bossom, his big hug, into the embrace of his protection and gentleness. 3. Enduring faith in God’s goodness often requires a fight. We’re living in the age of rage. Age of skepticism. Age of worry. Jesus said “because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold”. The real challenge is to believe in what God says about himself despite what everything around me says about him. We must cling to the truth about God. God is a provider. God is just. God is my protector. God is my healer. We have to learn to live in the humility of not having all the answers. Faith is a contest. “Fight the good fight of the faith.” 1 Timothy 6:12 Tension: believing in his goodness despite living with difficulties, unmet dreams, hopes. Altar Invitation:  If you’re in the middle of a fight for your faith.  If you feel like something is robbing you from experiencing God’s goodness.  If you have difficulty trusting God, or maybe you have hurtful experiences with an authority figure that is distorting your view of God  You’d just like a fresh dose of God’s love, have someone pray with you.

God’s reputation: (worship team reads these, and slide show) Our God is Kind You gave me life and showed me your kindness. My life was preserved by your care. Job 10:12 Our God is Gracious & Compassionate And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Exodus 34:6-7 Our God is a Protector and Warrior The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” Psalms 12:5 Our God is a Provider I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Deuteronomy 11:14-15 Our God is a Healer When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8:16-17 Our God is Passionate about his Children The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 Our God Loves to Bless His Children Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Therefore you do not lack any gift of grace as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 1 Corinthians 1:7 Our God Never Abandons Us Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified…for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of need. Psalms 46:1

Song: Never Once Psalms 145:8-21 Song: Great Is Thy Faithfulness 4. We simply need to receive and enjoy God’s goodness. Permission to simply “be” and not have to always “do” something. Simply receive his love and goodness. Simply be his children. Simply be his beloved. Start from the place of whom I am instead of what I can do. Jesus says that the Father sends rain on the just and the unjust. His abundance and blessings pours out over us according to his goodness, not according to our deservedness. Often times we strive and work for something that God has already freely given us. Or trying to impress a God that has already taken pleasure in us. Our fight is not to earn God’s pleasure. It is to continue to rest and receive it. Hebrews 6 – labor to enter into his rest. “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works…make every effort to enter that rest… Just rest and be the one that he poured out his affection over. We can’t earn his pleasure with our good works. He is good. We rely on his goodness. We simply rest and receive and live in a posture of overwhelming blessings. Song: Only Your Love Congregational Declaration: God is a Father. God is my Father. My Father is a Good Father. I trust that what the scripture says about him is true. He is always faithful. He is always good. He is gracious, compassionate, kind & patient.

He is always powerful. He is always just. He is always right. God is a Father. God is my Father. My Father is a Good Father. I’m committed to growing in my relationship with my Father God. I don’t see him perfectly. I’ll never understand him totally. But I can know him intimately. God is a Father. God is my Father. My Father is a Good Father. He promises to never abandon me. When bad things happen to me he turns them into something for my good and for his glory. When he disciplines me it is for my wellbeing. He promises that he has good plans for me. He gave up the most valuable thing in his heart to have me. He promises to provide all that I need to succeed in my maturity, wellbeing, and purpose. God is a Father. God is my Father. My Father is a Good Father. Amen!

[Explain meaning of furious] Ministry Song: Furious Nothing can tear us from The grip of His mighty love We’ve only glimpsed, His vast affection Heard whispers of, His heart and passion It’s pouring down…

His love is deep, His love is wide And it covers us

His love is fierce, His love is strong It's furious His love is sweet, His love is wild And it's waking hearts to life The Father loves and sends His son The Son lays down His life for all He lavishes His love upon us He calls us now, His sons and daughters He’s reaching out… … and its waking hearts to life He is waking hearts to life He is waking hearts to life Your love is deep, Your love is wide And it covers us Your love is fierce, Your love is strong It's furious Your love is sweet, Your love is wild And it's waking hearts to life

Closing Prayer: The Prayer of Blessing of the Lord May the Lord drench you in blessings, and preserve you. May the Lord smile upon you and his grace stir joy in your heart. May the Lord turn his earnest attention towards you and give you abundant life!