Our Father 4

Hello Everyone,

James 4:2, 3 tells us, "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." We cannot say "our Father" and pray selfishly.

As members of the family of God we are part of the body of Christ.

Our concerns should be for the edification, not just of ourselves but for the Body.

God is "our Father," and He loves us all.

So we approach God, recognizing that we need each other and that "if one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it"1 Corinthians 12:26.

Then, because God "so loved the world" (John 3:16) that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8), our concern should always have an eye out for the effect of our prayers and witness on the world, that they too might be brought into the family of God.

This means coming to God as our Father with a love, not only for Him, not only for our fellow believers, but even for our enemies and for those who persecute us.

Jesus said this is necessary "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.… Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:44, 45, 48).

A perfect LOVE—that is a mature LOVE that does not depend on how other people treat us—will help to let the world know God truly is “Our Father” and what a wonderful God and Father He is.

Greater Things Are Still to Come because Our Father is in Heaven!

Pastor Phil