Knowing God and Praying To Him As Father
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 10/16/2011 AM |
Text: | Galatians 3,4; Lord's Day 46 |
Psalters: | 376, 324, 234, 278 |
- The basis.
- God wants some of His creatures to know Him and speak of Him as ?Father.?
- Only in the Christian religion is God spoken of as ?Father.?
- God is Father because:
- He chose us to be His children (Eph. 1:5).
- He redeemed us by the death of His own Son (Gal. 4:5).
- He regenerated (born again) us by the Spirit of His Son (Gal. 4:6).
- The reality of the relationship.
- This relationship of Father/child implies four things.
- The children have rights, we have the right to His attention, affection, and riches.
- The children have His likeness.
- The children have an assurance that He will supply all our need (Phil. 4:19).
- The children are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ of His inheritance (Rom. 8:17).
- As intimate as our Father is, He remains our Father is ?in heaven.?
- This beautiful name has wonderful implications for us.
- As His children we can speak to Him directly.
- We can trust Him to care for and protect us (Matt. 7:9-11).
- Because He has us address Him with ?our,? we are reminded that we are a part of a whole.