The Blessings of Having God as Our Father, 8/14/11
The first part of James 4:8 gives us words of promise and encouragement:
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”What a blessing it is to be able to come close to our God, knowing that the closer we choose to come to Him the closer He will come to us. God is our creator and eternal heavenly Father.
What child does not want to curl up in the protective arms of their Father? What Father does want to hold, protect and comfort their child? God longs for us to come into his arms and enjoy his love and protection (Matt. 23:37). All we have to do is come.
Let us consider the blessings of having God as our Father:
1. He is the source of very good and perfect gift – James 1:17; Matt. 7:11.Let’s resolve every morning, as soon as our eyes open, to draw closer to our heavenly Father , subject ourselves to Him and enjoy His protection. He is our light, our salvation and the defender of our lives. (Psalm 27:1)
2. He provides us comfort in all our afflictions. 2 Cor. 1:3-4.
3. When needed, He chastises us. Heb. 12:5-11.
4. He has promised to never forsake us. Heb. 13:5-6.
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Seeking God, 2/29/09
Deuteronomy 4:29 tells us “But if you seek the Lord your God you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul”.
In Proverbs 8:17 we learn “I love those who love me and those who seek me find me.”
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “Without faith it is impossible to please God. We must believe that he exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
There are many verses in the Bible that speak to seeking God. Clearly God wants us to seek Him. The word “seek” implies a quest, not a casual act. If we are to seek God we must read the Bible to gain understanding. We can’t read it like we scan a newspaper. We must read and act on our knowledge. So we progress in our faith. Progressing in the faith is the fruit of seeking. Are we seeking God? Are we on a quest to know God and His will for us?
