0:00:00.600,0:00:05.533 Well, let's pray before [br]we look into the Word. 0:00:05.533,0:00:07.604 Our Father, we ask You 0:00:07.604,0:00:11.896 for Your Holy Spirit this evening - 0:00:11.896,0:00:14.357 the Spirit of faith and power 0:00:14.357,0:00:17.965 and love and of a sound mind. 0:00:17.965,0:00:21.480 We ask You that You would glorify Yourself 0:00:21.480,0:00:23.993 that we'd come away 0:00:23.993,0:00:28.112 with a little glimpse of who You are. 0:00:28.112,0:00:29.447 Help us, Lord. 0:00:29.447,0:00:32.109 We're not able to do that, 0:00:32.109,0:00:33.759 but we pray that You would do it; 0:00:33.759,0:00:36.369 that You'd take control. 0:00:36.369,0:00:42.697 We pray in Jesus' name, Amen. 0:00:42.697,0:00:45.873 Well, our text this evening 0:00:45.873,0:00:58.051 is found in Matthew 6:9. 0:00:58.051,0:01:00.377 Matthew 6:9, 0:01:00.377,0:01:02.800 and actually just the [br]first part of the verse. 0:01:02.800,0:01:07.532 "Pray then in this way, 0:01:07.532,0:01:11.406 'Our Father, who is in Heaven...'" 0:01:11.406,0:01:14.344 "Pray then in this way, 0:01:14.344,0:01:17.238 'Our Father, who is in Heaven...'" 0:01:17.238,0:01:19.842 As you know, these are the first words 0:01:19.842,0:01:22.327 of what's called "the Lord's Prayer." 0:01:22.327,0:01:24.959 Maybe a better name would be 0:01:24.959,0:01:27.946 the "model prayer" or the "pattern prayer" 0:01:27.946,0:01:31.217 because the Lord is giving us this prayer 0:01:31.217,0:01:35.087 as a pattern for our own praying. 0:01:35.087,0:01:38.349 And as for the larger context, 0:01:38.349,0:01:42.303 this prayer comes about in the middle 0:01:42.303,0:01:44.978 of what we know as the [br]Sermon on the Mount, 0:01:44.978,0:01:48.203 and this glorious passage of Scripture 0:01:48.203,0:01:52.287 that begins at the beginning of Matthew 5 0:01:52.287,0:01:57.116 and goes all the way [br]to the end of Matthew 7. 0:01:57.116,0:01:59.609 And at the end of this sermon, 0:01:59.609,0:02:01.329 Matthew makes this comment. 0:02:01.329,0:02:06.044 He says, "the result was that when Jesus 0:02:06.044,0:02:08.471 had finished these words, 0:02:08.471,0:02:12.670 the multitudes were [br]amazed at His teaching." 0:02:12.670,0:02:16.510 They were amazed at His teaching. 0:02:16.510,0:02:19.305 A couple of years ago there in Kirksville, 0:02:19.305,0:02:21.145 we spent some time considering 0:02:21.145,0:02:26.998 the amazing teachings [br]of the Lord Jesus Christ; 0:02:26.998,0:02:29.745 the radical teachings of Jesus. 0:02:29.745,0:02:32.581 And by the time we finished the series, 0:02:32.581,0:02:35.834 I basically had come to the conclusion 0:02:35.834,0:02:40.428 that everything the [br]Lord Jesus taught was radical. 0:02:40.428,0:02:42.617 It's amazing. I mean, think of it. 0:02:42.617,0:02:46.904 "It's easier for a camel to go [br]through the eye of a needle 0:02:46.904,0:02:50.494 than for a rich man to enter [br]the Kingdom of Heaven." 0:02:50.494,0:02:54.731 What a shocking word [br]that was in that setting! 0:02:54.731,0:03:00.013 "Every idle word that a man shall speak, 0:03:00.013,0:03:01.700 he shall give account for it 0:03:01.700,0:03:02.898 in the day of judgment." 0:03:02.898,0:03:04.287 You know that has to be true. 0:03:04.287,0:03:06.512 God's not going to let [br]some things slip by, 0:03:06.512,0:03:09.684 but just think about that. 0:03:09.684,0:03:13.323 "That which is highly [br]esteemed among men..." 0:03:13.323,0:03:14.438 Think of that. 0:03:14.438,0:03:15.998 "...Highly esteemed among men 0:03:15.998,0:03:20.515 is an abomination in the sight of God." 0:03:20.515,0:03:23.989 "Unless a man is born again, 0:03:23.989,0:03:26.344 he can't see the Kingdom of Heaven." 0:03:26.344,0:03:28.126 You've got to be born two times. 0:03:28.126,0:03:29.517 Think of these things! 0:03:29.517,0:03:32.399 Just one after another! 0:03:32.399,0:03:35.241 "Don't think that I came to [br]bring peace on the earth. 0:03:35.241,0:03:37.651 I did not come to bring peace, 0:03:37.651,0:03:40.035 but a sword." 0:03:40.035,0:03:42.952 "Strive to enter at the narrow gate; 0:03:42.952,0:03:45.075 for many will seek 0:03:45.075,0:03:49.139 and will not be able." 0:03:49.139,0:03:54.281 "Before Abraham was born, I am." 0:03:54.281,0:03:57.436 "No one knows the Father except the Son, 0:03:57.436,0:03:59.719 and he to whom the [br]Son wills to reveal Him." 0:03:59.719,0:04:00.809 Think of this. 0:04:00.809,0:04:02.704 Jesus said nobody in the whole world 0:04:02.704,0:04:06.542 knows the Father except for Me, 0:04:06.542,0:04:09.593 and anybody that I [br]choose to reveal Him to. 0:04:09.593,0:04:11.689 Well, we could go on and on, couldn't we? 0:04:11.689,0:04:13.377 The wonderful, radical, 0:04:13.377,0:04:17.061 world-changing teachings of Jesus. 0:04:17.061,0:04:20.066 But tonight then, I'd like for [br]us to focus on one thing; 0:04:20.066,0:04:22.078 one of those teachings, 0:04:22.078,0:04:24.154 and that is the teaching of the Lord Jesus 0:04:24.154,0:04:27.014 concerning the fatherhood of God. 0:04:27.014,0:04:29.137 "Pray then in this way, 0:04:29.137,0:04:33.554 'Our Father, who is in Heaven..." 0:04:33.554,0:04:35.959 We can't imagine how radical 0:04:35.959,0:04:39.509 and earth-shaking these words were 0:04:39.509,0:04:41.278 in the day in which they were spoken. 0:04:41.278,0:04:43.012 The Jews had heard many times 0:04:43.012,0:04:44.742 of the fatherhood of God 0:04:44.742,0:04:49.826 in relation to the corporate [br]nation of Israel. 0:04:49.826,0:04:52.118 Just one example: 0:04:52.118,0:04:53.379 Hosea 11:1, 0:04:53.379,0:04:55.929 "When Israel was a youth, 0:04:55.929,0:04:57.619 I loved him, 0:04:57.619,0:05:01.098 and out of Egypt I called My son." 0:05:01.098,0:05:02.423 So there's the Father - 0:05:02.423,0:05:05.250 the Father of Israel His son 0:05:05.250,0:05:06.530 in a corporate sense. 0:05:06.530,0:05:09.597 And even on the individual level, 0:05:09.597,0:05:11.565 there were some passages, 0:05:11.565,0:05:14.095 like Isaiah 43:6, He says, 0:05:14.095,0:05:17.026 "Bring My sons from afar 0:05:17.026,0:05:20.003 and my daughters from [br]the ends of the earth." 0:05:20.003,0:05:21.803 So there were some things like that, 0:05:21.803,0:05:24.865 but when it came to the [br]matter of private prayer, 0:05:24.865,0:05:27.809 the Jews never addressed God 0:05:27.809,0:05:29.617 as "our Father." 0:05:29.617,0:05:32.933 In fact, those who have [br]done a thorough study 0:05:32.933,0:05:35.701 of the rabbinic writings 0:05:35.701,0:05:38.427 just in recent years, 0:05:38.427,0:05:41.913 say that no Jew ever [br]used the term "father" 0:05:41.913,0:05:44.723 as a direct address to God 0:05:44.723,0:05:49.374 until the 10th century A.D. 0:05:49.374,0:05:51.760 In other words, Christians had been saying 0:05:51.760,0:05:54.317 "our Father" for 1,000 years 0:05:54.317,0:05:57.486 before any Jew began to do that 0:05:57.486,0:06:00.795 as far as any records that we have. 0:06:00.795,0:06:02.681 They spoke of "the Father," 0:06:02.681,0:06:05.019 but they never used the term "Father" 0:06:05.019,0:06:06.469 to address God in prayer. 0:06:06.469,0:06:08.907 Yet, Jesus did it repeatedly, 0:06:08.907,0:06:11.557 and He taught us to do it. 0:06:11.557,0:06:13.751 He said, "When you pray, 0:06:13.751,0:06:17.979 pray like this, 'Our Father in Heaven.'" 0:06:17.979,0:06:21.075 Beloved, if you are Christian, 0:06:21.075,0:06:24.315 God is your Father in a way 0:06:24.315,0:06:29.568 that far exceeds any fatherly relationship 0:06:29.568,0:06:34.151 that He had with the [br]corporate nation of Israel. 0:06:34.151,0:06:36.792 In fact, God is your Father 0:06:36.792,0:06:41.613 in the most intimate, [br]personal way imaginable. 0:06:41.613,0:06:44.833 You have been born of God. 0:06:44.833,0:06:48.311 John says born, "not [br]of the will of the flesh 0:06:48.311,0:06:50.891 or the will of man, but born of God." 0:06:50.891,0:06:53.230 And he goes so far in 1 John, 0:06:53.230,0:06:55.422 he says, "God's seed remains in you." 0:06:55.422,0:06:58.685 We would have never said [br]something like that, but he says that. 0:06:58.685,0:07:01.729 "God's seed remains in you." 0:07:01.729,0:07:04.161 You've been born of God. 0:07:04.161,0:07:09.057 This fatherly relationship with God. 0:07:09.057,0:07:11.699 In another place, he says we've become - 0:07:11.699,0:07:13.464 Peter says, we've become 0:07:13.464,0:07:18.814 "partakers of the divine nature." 0:07:18.814,0:07:22.117 You're a child of God, 0:07:22.117,0:07:24.083 both by legal adoption 0:07:24.083,0:07:26.213 and by spiritual birth. 0:07:26.213,0:07:28.458 And from deep within you 0:07:28.458,0:07:31.299 comes welling up this elemental cry, 0:07:31.299,0:07:33.506 "Abba, Father." 0:07:33.506,0:07:35.627 Abba, Father. 0:07:35.627,0:07:39.048 An intimate, love relationship [br]with the God of the universe. 0:07:39.048,0:07:41.650 Beloved, this is a fatherhood 0:07:41.650,0:07:46.647 that's far deeper than [br]any human fatherhood. 0:07:46.647,0:07:51.499 It's the reality of which [br]the best earthly father 0:07:51.499,0:07:54.008 is only a shadow. 0:07:54.008,0:07:56.849 In fact, God created earthly fathers 0:07:56.849,0:07:58.506 so we'd have some idea 0:07:58.506,0:08:00.713 of what He's talking about when He says 0:08:00.713,0:08:03.013 He's our Father. 0:08:03.013,0:08:06.723 Sadly, many of you may have had fathers 0:08:06.723,0:08:09.063 that you have to try to forget about 0:08:09.063,0:08:11.756 in order to get a right concept of God. 0:08:11.756,0:08:14.745 But to the degree that [br]there's common grace - 0:08:14.745,0:08:16.890 I know myself and my home, 0:08:16.890,0:08:19.894 my father did not truly know the Lord, 0:08:19.894,0:08:21.426 but we went to church, 0:08:21.426,0:08:25.610 and he, in many ways, 0:08:25.610,0:08:30.331 gave me a glimpse of [br]what it is to be a father. 0:08:30.331,0:08:32.610 But all of those things are shadows. 0:08:32.610,0:08:35.319 God created earthly fatherhood 0:08:35.319,0:08:40.183 as the type of which He is the anti-type 0:08:40.183,0:08:41.282 or the true Father. 0:08:41.282,0:08:43.541 He is the only real Father 0:08:43.541,0:08:45.823 that any of us will ever have. 0:08:45.823,0:08:49.770 He's what fathers are supposed to be. 0:08:49.770,0:08:53.232 And the Lord Jesus says [br]this in Matthew 23:9, 0:08:53.232,0:08:57.150 "Do not call anyone on earth your father. 0:08:57.150,0:09:01.110 For one is your Father - [br]He who is in Heaven." 0:09:01.110,0:09:04.493 He's the real deal. 0:09:04.493,0:09:07.969 Those other fathers are shadows. 0:09:07.969,0:09:11.824 Hebrews 12:9, "We had fathers of our flesh 0:09:11.824,0:09:13.937 to discipline us, and we respected them. 0:09:13.937,0:09:15.833 Shall we not much rather be subject 0:09:15.833,0:09:19.060 to the Father of spirits and live?" 0:09:19.060,0:09:21.585 So the best earthly fathers 0:09:21.585,0:09:24.539 try to be on a human level 0:09:24.539,0:09:30.858 what really only God can be to us. 0:09:30.858,0:09:34.222 But Jesus not only taught [br]us to say, "Father," to God, 0:09:34.222,0:09:37.630 He taught us to say, "Our Father." 0:09:37.630,0:09:39.089 And this means, first of all, 0:09:39.089,0:09:42.872 He's my father on an [br]individual, personal level. 0:09:42.872,0:09:44.688 And we've said that. 0:09:44.688,0:09:47.612 But think of this, 0:09:47.612,0:09:49.789 in teaching this, He's teaching us 0:09:49.789,0:09:52.685 that we're part of a family; 0:09:52.685,0:09:56.204 that we've got brothers and sisters. 0:09:56.204,0:09:59.127 So there's true fatherhood - 0:09:59.127,0:10:04.950 the only real fatherhood that ever was. 0:10:04.950,0:10:08.677 And the real family - 0:10:08.677,0:10:10.885 true brothers and sisters on a level 0:10:10.885,0:10:13.842 that's never been in an earthly family. 0:10:13.842,0:10:15.070 Think of that. 0:10:15.070,0:10:18.652 And so we gather together as a family. 0:10:18.652,0:10:22.790 And we lift our voices [br]and say, "Our Father." 0:10:22.790,0:10:25.674 Our Father. 0:10:25.674,0:10:27.913 I mean, when we come to the place, 0:10:27.913,0:10:29.425 when all these little things 0:10:29.425,0:10:32.448 that our brother talked about this morning 0:10:32.448,0:10:34.676 that we separate over this and that, 0:10:34.676,0:10:36.173 when we come to the place 0:10:36.173,0:10:38.680 where all that falls away and we stand 0:10:38.680,0:10:42.131 in the presence of our Father, 0:10:42.131,0:10:44.769 we will feel a love for each other 0:10:44.769,0:10:47.644 that is unimaginable. 0:10:47.644,0:10:54.518 Brothers and sisters of the true Father. 0:10:54.518,0:10:58.229 Men from every tribe [br]and tongue and nation. 0:10:58.229,0:10:59.157 Think of that. 0:10:59.157,0:11:00.539 Wasn't that glorious to see 0:11:00.539,0:11:02.808 all those different languages? 0:11:02.808,0:11:06.630 And there's so many more -[br]there's thousands more. 0:11:06.630,0:11:09.507 All one in Christ. 0:11:09.507,0:11:11.016 All part of the same family. 0:11:11.016,0:11:12.875 All from the same Father. 0:11:12.875,0:11:16.014 All born from the same Father. 0:11:16.014,0:11:21.510 Indwelt by the same Spirit. 0:11:21.510,0:11:23.369 Well, God is our Father. 0:11:23.369,0:11:24.930 What else does Jesus say? 0:11:24.930,0:11:26.045 Not only our Father, 0:11:26.045,0:11:30.284 but He's our Father in Heaven. 0:11:30.284,0:11:31.585 In Heaven. 0:11:31.585,0:11:34.441 In other words, He's in a different realm 0:11:34.441,0:11:35.573 than we are. 0:11:35.573,0:11:38.052 He's the Creator. 0:11:38.052,0:11:39.820 We're the creature. 0:11:39.820,0:11:41.315 He's infinite. 0:11:41.315,0:11:44.915 We're finite. 0:11:44.915,0:11:47.205 You know, we use this word "infinite" - 0:11:47.205,0:11:48.670 we don't really have any idea 0:11:48.670,0:11:51.560 what that words means. 0:11:51.560,0:11:53.628 When I used to study math in college, 0:11:53.628,0:11:55.240 we would talk about 0:11:55.240,0:11:58.536 a particular function at a certain point - 0:11:58.536,0:12:00.708 it goes to infinity we'd say. 0:12:00.708,0:12:02.302 It goes to infinity. 0:12:02.302,0:12:03.754 And in your mind, you picture 0:12:03.754,0:12:07.166 this really, really, really large number 0:12:07.166,0:12:09.682 that looks like this... 0:12:09.682,0:12:12.502 it goes to infinity. 0:12:12.502,0:12:14.455 But you see, once you get to that number, 0:12:14.455,0:12:16.818 you're not any closer whatsoever 0:12:16.818,0:12:20.440 to getting to infinity 0:12:20.440,0:12:24.431 because there isn't any end to it. 0:12:24.431,0:12:27.913 And so you travel a million, [br]million, million miles 0:12:27.913,0:12:30.336 and you haven't gotten [br]any closer whatsoever 0:12:30.336,0:12:33.689 because there isn't any place -[br]you're never going to get there. 0:12:33.689,0:12:35.773 You don't get any closer. 0:12:35.773,0:12:38.270 Those are when you think in terms of space 0:12:38.270,0:12:39.746 or in terms of numbers, 0:12:39.746,0:12:41.836 but when we think in terms of God, 0:12:41.836,0:12:48.994 infinite - we don't even [br]know what that means. 0:12:48.994,0:12:52.429 But He's infinite. 0:12:52.429,0:12:56.959 So, how far have we come already? 0:12:56.959,0:12:59.072 Well, Jesus said pray like this: 0:12:59.072,0:13:00.252 "Our Father in Heaven." 0:13:00.252,0:13:02.259 What's it mean? It means that we are 0:13:02.259,0:13:03.998 in a love relationship, 0:13:03.998,0:13:08.058 an intimate family relationship with God, 0:13:08.058,0:13:10.711 and the God that we're [br]in this relationship with 0:13:10.711,0:13:15.585 is both personal and infinite. 0:13:15.585,0:13:18.928 He's our Father in Heaven. 0:13:18.928,0:13:22.102 Both personal and infinite. 0:13:22.102,0:13:25.858 And that's the foundation [br]and governing reality 0:13:25.858,0:13:29.214 of the Lord's prayer that follows after, 0:13:29.214,0:13:30.644 and all prayers, 0:13:30.644,0:13:34.034 and the whole Christian life; 0:13:34.034,0:13:39.056 that our Father is both [br]infinite and personal. 0:13:39.056,0:13:42.358 Charles Hodge pointed out many years ago 0:13:42.358,0:13:45.077 that the human mind left to itself 0:13:45.077,0:13:48.413 cannot come up with that. 0:13:48.413,0:13:52.428 When men start thinking about God, 0:13:52.428,0:13:54.396 and they start moving in the direction 0:13:54.396,0:13:56.302 of an infinite God, 0:13:56.302,0:13:59.757 they lose His personality. 0:13:59.757,0:14:01.676 And you see that in Eastern religion. 0:14:01.676,0:14:04.803 They talk about a god as a little-g god 0:14:04.803,0:14:07.878 that is another name for everything. 0:14:07.878,0:14:10.569 But the God of Hinduism for example 0:14:10.569,0:14:13.098 is not a personal God. 0:14:13.098,0:14:16.285 It's just another word. It's an "it." 0:14:16.285,0:14:18.418 A word for everything. 0:14:18.418,0:14:22.263 And some of you know about reincarnation. 0:14:22.263,0:14:24.157 You know that you're reborn, 0:14:24.157,0:14:25.993 you're reborn, you're on this wheel. 0:14:25.993,0:14:30.756 The idea is to get off of [br]the wheel of rebirth 0:14:30.756,0:14:33.549 and to blend back into the nothingness 0:14:33.549,0:14:37.896 of the impersonal. 0:14:37.896,0:14:40.361 Hindus don't want to be reborn; 0:14:40.361,0:14:41.968 they want to get off of that 0:14:41.968,0:14:44.983 and blend back into nothingness. 0:14:44.983,0:14:46.242 Why am I saying that? 0:14:46.242,0:14:51.524 Well, because there's [br]no place for a person 0:14:51.524,0:14:54.598 or for personality in Hinduism 0:14:54.598,0:14:58.190 because the god of Hinduism is impersonal. 0:14:58.190,0:14:59.998 In other words, it can't hear; 0:14:59.998,0:15:02.097 it can't speak. 0:15:02.097,0:15:06.896 It's less than we are. 0:15:06.896,0:15:08.695 And the Hindu idea of nirvana 0:15:08.695,0:15:11.129 is not at all like a [br]Christian idea of heaven. 0:15:11.129,0:15:13.273 It's a negation of personality; 0:15:13.273,0:15:17.175 not an affirmation of who you are. 0:15:17.175,0:15:24.809 And so, you know in Buddhism, 0:15:24.809,0:15:26.049 you have this saying, 0:15:26.049,0:15:30.923 "man enters the water [br]and leaves no ripple." 0:15:30.923,0:15:34.220 In Christianity, you have:[br]man enters the water 0:15:34.220,0:15:37.798 and leaves ripples that go on forever. 0:15:37.798,0:15:43.006 Because God is personal 0:15:43.006,0:15:45.043 as well as infinite. 0:15:45.043,0:15:46.951 But anyway, you go in that direction - 0:15:46.951,0:15:48.543 the mind of man has the infinite. 0:15:48.543,0:15:50.044 You go in the other direction, 0:15:50.044,0:15:52.981 you have the personal gods, [br]but they're not infinite. 0:15:52.981,0:15:56.971 Greek gods are like that. 0:15:56.971,0:15:59.020 This is popular in our day - 0:15:59.020,0:16:01.159 all these various "gods." 0:16:01.159,0:16:03.414 And they're a bunch of big men and women 0:16:03.414,0:16:05.761 fighting each other. 0:16:05.761,0:16:08.208 And they're nothing. 0:16:08.208,0:16:10.459 You see, you have personality, 0:16:10.459,0:16:12.619 but unless God is infinite, 0:16:12.619,0:16:14.862 He's just a big man who can't help you. 0:16:14.862,0:16:18.318 He's in the same predicament you're in. 0:16:18.318,0:16:21.062 But if you've got a God who exists - 0:16:21.062,0:16:23.153 I mean, we can imagine a fire that burns; 0:16:23.153,0:16:24.559 you keep putting logs on it. 0:16:24.559,0:16:29.627 We can't imagine a fire that [br]burns on its own forever. 0:16:29.627,0:16:32.219 These are some of the things [br]that we're talking about 0:16:32.219,0:16:34.881 when we talk about a self-existent, 0:16:34.881,0:16:38.992 infinite, personal God. 0:16:38.992,0:16:42.004 So, our God is both infinite and personal, 0:16:42.004,0:16:46.267 and with Him we have [br]answers to everything. 0:16:46.267,0:16:48.302 But, oh, what a hard time we have 0:16:48.302,0:16:50.229 holding on to both realities. 0:16:50.229,0:16:54.606 The mind of man wants to go one [br]way or the other constantly. 0:16:54.606,0:16:58.131 If we start seeing how great God is, 0:16:58.131,0:16:59.646 immediately we start thinking 0:16:59.646,0:17:03.738 what could He care [br]about my little problems. 0:17:03.738,0:17:05.660 And He gets more and more removed 0:17:05.660,0:17:08.941 from really entering in to our feelings 0:17:08.941,0:17:10.360 and our trials. 0:17:10.360,0:17:11.975 You start going the other way 0:17:11.975,0:17:13.546 and you really begin to realize 0:17:13.546,0:17:14.725 how much God cares, 0:17:14.725,0:17:17.025 and you start thinking of Him as little. 0:17:17.025,0:17:19.455 You know, He's torn with the [br]same problems you are, 0:17:19.455,0:17:21.118 and He can't figure out what to do, 0:17:21.118,0:17:22.676 and He's struggling with things. 0:17:22.676,0:17:27.762 You see this in false theology. 0:17:27.762,0:17:32.581 You see both directions all the time. 0:17:32.581,0:17:35.973 But God is both infinite and personal. 0:17:35.973,0:17:37.574 So, first of all, He's infinite. 0:17:37.574,0:17:39.951 He's in Heaven. 0:17:39.951,0:17:42.119 And that's absolutely foundational 0:17:42.119,0:17:44.884 to the whole Christian life, 0:17:44.884,0:17:47.394 and to every prayer [br]that the Christian prays. 0:17:47.394,0:17:51.039 "Thy kingdom come." 0:17:51.039,0:17:52.304 Well, God's infinite. 0:17:52.304,0:17:55.041 He's able to make His kingdom come. 0:17:55.041,0:17:57.955 John the Baptist said God's [br]able from these stones 0:17:57.955,0:18:00.977 to raise up children unto Abraham. 0:18:00.977,0:18:02.754 So, we got out and look at things 0:18:02.754,0:18:04.972 and say it's impossible - 0:18:04.972,0:18:06.293 what's God going to do? 0:18:06.293,0:18:08.322 Look at Islam. 0:18:08.322,0:18:10.550 I've read accounts in the last year or so 0:18:10.550,0:18:13.142 of people in Mecca having dreams 0:18:13.142,0:18:15.012 that led them to read the New Testament 0:18:15.012,0:18:17.605 and get converted. 0:18:17.605,0:18:22.291 I mean, God's able to do anything. 0:18:22.291,0:18:26.370 He's able to save, 0:18:26.370,0:18:28.524 no matter how obstinate 0:18:28.524,0:18:34.024 and impossible the sinner is. 0:18:34.024,0:18:38.810 God says to Ezekiel, "Son of man," 0:18:38.810,0:18:40.476 you know, he went out and looked 0:18:40.476,0:18:41.941 at that valley of dry bones; 0:18:41.941,0:18:45.145 there were very many [br]and they were very dry. 0:18:45.145,0:18:50.915 And God says, "Son of man,[br]can these bones live?" 0:18:50.915,0:18:52.394 I remember, years ago, 0:18:52.394,0:18:54.635 I used to live in Lawrence, Kansas. 0:18:54.635,0:18:58.068 One time, I went to the natural [br]history museum there. 0:18:58.068,0:18:59.478 It was late in the day 0:18:59.478,0:19:01.984 and I think I was about [br]the only person in there. 0:19:01.984,0:19:04.604 I probably was the only person in there. 0:19:04.604,0:19:08.426 And I walked around in those hallways 0:19:08.426,0:19:10.260 with my footsteps echoing, 0:19:10.260,0:19:13.308 looking at those bones. 0:19:13.308,0:19:16.712 "Son of man, can these bones live?" 0:19:16.712,0:19:19.304 And you look at the bones 0:19:19.304,0:19:20.314 of those tar pits 0:19:20.314,0:19:22.382 and those saber-tooth tigers and all that, 0:19:22.382,0:19:24.838 and you look at them -[br]they're very dry 0:19:24.838,0:19:29.705 after thousands of years. 0:19:29.705,0:19:33.603 But God speaks and they [br]begin to come together. 0:19:33.603,0:19:35.185 You see, this is the foundation. 0:19:35.185,0:19:38.363 God's infinite power is the foundation 0:19:38.363,0:19:40.738 of our praying for the kingdom to come. 0:19:40.738,0:19:42.898 Nothing can stop Him 0:19:42.898,0:19:46.919 from bringing in His kingdom! 0:19:46.919,0:19:48.898 He's infinite in power! 0:19:48.898,0:19:50.740 He can do anything! 0:19:50.740,0:19:53.266 He can keep kings from sleeping at night 0:19:53.266,0:19:56.490 so they happen to pick [br]up a book and read it, 0:19:56.490,0:20:04.132 and that type of thing, you know? 0:20:04.132,0:20:07.537 He can save your child. 0:20:07.537,0:20:09.378 He can save the most impossible cases. 0:20:09.378,0:20:10.575 The devil will tell you, 0:20:10.575,0:20:12.969 "look, God's a God of the mountains, 0:20:12.969,0:20:15.182 but not the valleys." 0:20:15.182,0:20:19.700 "He can save so-and-so, [br]but this problem's different." 0:20:19.700,0:20:21.871 "You never hear about [br]anybody getting saved 0:20:21.871,0:20:24.999 with that kind or problem." 0:20:24.999,0:20:26.947 God hears that and He says, 0:20:26.947,0:20:36.008 "We'll see about that." 0:20:36.008,0:20:37.479 Daily bread? 0:20:37.479,0:20:40.118 Just think about these [br]requests in the Lord's prayer. 0:20:40.118,0:20:42.891 Daily bread? You need daily bread?[br]He's infinite in power. 0:20:42.891,0:20:45.236 He's able to bend heaven and earth 0:20:45.236,0:20:46.848 to get daily bread to you. 0:20:46.848,0:20:49.327 He's able to do far above 0:20:49.327,0:20:50.905 all we can ask or think. 0:20:50.905,0:20:54.424 He's able to make all grace abound to you 0:20:54.424,0:20:57.531 that always having all [br]sufficiency in everything 0:20:57.531,0:21:03.620 you may have an abundance [br]for every good work. 0:21:03.620,0:21:05.743 I remember Bob Jennings told me, 0:21:05.743,0:21:08.664 and Terri may have to correct [br]me on some of the details, 0:21:08.664,0:21:14.329 but one time, when they [br]didn't have any money, 0:21:14.329,0:21:18.471 and they're praying and need daily bread, 0:21:18.471,0:21:22.076 and as I recall, it was in the parking lot 0:21:22.076,0:21:25.200 of the grocery store. 0:21:25.200,0:21:28.118 They got out and he said [br]the wind was blowing 0:21:28.118,0:21:32.604 and it blew a dollar bill up to his feet. 0:21:32.604,0:21:34.968 Well, you can't buy much [br]food with a dollar bill, 0:21:34.968,0:21:36.032 but it's God saying, 0:21:36.032,0:21:41.172 "look, I can give you a windfall. 0:21:41.172,0:21:44.051 I can do anything. 0:21:44.051,0:21:45.413 I just want to remind you, 0:21:45.413,0:21:51.818 I'm in charge of this." 0:21:51.818,0:21:53.996 If we put together the testimonies 0:21:53.996,0:21:55.490 in this room tonight 0:21:55.490,0:21:59.690 of all the miraculous provisions, 0:21:59.690,0:22:02.869 I mean, it would be astounding. 0:22:02.869,0:22:04.547 I used to keep a book of that 0:22:04.547,0:22:06.876 until the book got full. 0:22:06.876,0:22:08.975 One thing after another where God 0:22:08.975,0:22:15.700 faithfully provides in ways [br]that we can't imagine. 0:22:15.700,0:22:19.904 Knowledge. 0:22:19.904,0:22:22.249 Francis Schaeffer used to say, 0:22:22.249,0:22:24.666 "There's no black hole back of God." 0:22:24.666,0:22:27.196 There's no hidden things [br]that He doesn't know. 0:22:27.196,0:22:28.585 He knows everything. 0:22:28.585,0:22:30.792 He's infinite. 0:22:30.792,0:22:32.144 Because He knows everything, 0:22:32.144,0:22:34.321 nothing's going to come [br]out of the darkness 0:22:34.321,0:22:38.622 and surprise Him and overthrow His plans. 0:22:38.622,0:22:40.832 Providence. We talked [br]about that last year. 0:22:40.832,0:22:42.778 He's able to control every insect, 0:22:42.778,0:22:44.566 every snowflake, everything, 0:22:44.566,0:22:55.122 every aspect because He's infinite! 0:22:55.122,0:22:56.364 Deliverance from sin? 0:22:56.364,0:22:58.854 God's infinite. He's able. 0:22:58.854,0:23:00.473 Beloved, do you believe this? 0:23:00.473,0:23:02.636 He's able to take the most helpless, 0:23:02.636,0:23:04.710 hopeless drunk or drug addict 0:23:04.710,0:23:06.521 and make them stand. 0:23:06.521,0:23:08.317 And Paul says stand he will, 0:23:08.317,0:23:16.041 for God is able to make him stand. 0:23:16.041,0:23:17.538 We used to sing that song, 0:23:17.538,0:23:20.478 "It's the grandest theme [br]in the earth or main, 0:23:20.478,0:23:27.844 our God is able to deliver thee." 0:23:27.844,0:23:31.174 Praying for some weak [br]and struggling brother? 0:23:31.174,0:23:33.507 God's infinite. 0:23:33.507,0:23:35.643 He's able to keep Him from falling 0:23:35.643,0:23:38.564 and present him faultless before [br]the presence of His glory 0:23:38.564,0:23:41.191 with exceeding joy. 0:23:41.191,0:23:44.541 Praying in relation to [br]the powers of darkness 0:23:44.541,0:23:48.107 pressing around? 0:23:48.107,0:23:50.111 Brother Dan told me that over there 0:23:50.111,0:23:51.981 where they're laboring, 0:23:51.981,0:23:53.279 you feel it, you feel it, 0:23:53.279,0:23:55.033 he's laboring under it all the time. 0:23:55.033,0:24:03.212 I didn't feel it because he's bearing it. 0:24:03.212,0:24:04.931 God's infinite. 0:24:04.931,0:24:07.334 Principalities and powers [br]are nothing to Him. 0:24:07.334,0:24:09.762 Greater is He who is in you - [br]how much greater? 0:24:09.762,0:24:11.656 Infinitely greater! 0:24:11.656,0:24:13.610 He's not just a little bit greater; 0:24:13.610,0:24:16.323 He's infinitely greater. 0:24:16.323,0:24:18.345 Jesus is dealing with a legion of demons. 0:24:18.345,0:24:28.654 He just says, "Go." 0:24:28.654,0:24:29.667 God is infinite. 0:24:29.667,0:24:32.380 We come to Him with reverence and awe 0:24:32.380,0:24:35.231 as the one who is infinitely exalted. 0:24:35.231,0:24:37.839 You know, even the Lord Jesus Himself 0:24:37.839,0:24:41.765 in John 17, He says, "O Righteous Father." 0:24:41.765,0:24:44.206 "Holy Father." 0:24:44.206,0:24:48.045 We're not talking about a flippant [br]attitude in this fatherhood. 0:24:48.045,0:24:50.483 He's the infinitely exalted One. 0:24:50.483,0:24:52.562 But at the same time, God is personal. 0:24:52.562,0:24:54.625 He's our Father. 0:24:54.625,0:25:00.019 The God who spoke the [br]universe into existence 0:25:00.019,0:25:03.511 is our Father. 0:25:03.511,0:25:05.090 At the present estimate, 0:25:05.090,0:25:09.378 how many stars do you think there are? 0:25:09.378,0:25:11.123 Ten thousand? 0:25:11.123,0:25:15.351 Well, I think all the [br]grade school kids here 0:25:15.351,0:25:17.346 know better than that. 0:25:17.346,0:25:21.087 How about ten thousand billion? 0:25:21.087,0:25:23.134 That's a lot. 0:25:23.134,0:25:26.994 How about ten thousand billion trillion? 0:25:26.994,0:25:29.131 That's how many at the present estimate. 0:25:29.131,0:25:30.828 It's probably more than that now. 0:25:30.828,0:25:33.720 It's been a couple [br]years since I read that. 0:25:33.720,0:25:34.882 So what's a trillion? 0:25:34.882,0:25:38.904 When you take a million of something, 0:25:38.904,0:25:44.001 and you take a million of those millions, 0:25:44.001,0:25:45.771 we can't even imagine that. 0:25:45.771,0:25:46.942 You've got a million; 0:25:46.942,0:25:48.994 and you've got a [br]million of those millions. 0:25:48.994,0:25:51.533 Now take a billion of them. 0:25:51.533,0:25:53.601 A billion of them. 0:25:53.601,0:25:59.122 And take ten thousand [br]of that billion trillion, 0:25:59.122,0:26:01.452 and the Bible says, 0:26:01.452,0:26:06.705 He calls them all by name. 0:26:06.705,0:26:08.762 Because of the greatness of His power, 0:26:08.762,0:26:10.090 not one of them's missing. 0:26:10.090,0:26:11.189 He calls them out 0:26:11.189,0:26:12.144 Now, think of this. 0:26:12.144,0:26:14.066 He's not calling them "one-billion-one," 0:26:14.066,0:26:16.182 "one-billion-two," "one-billion-three." 0:26:16.182,0:26:18.584 You know what names are in the Bible? 0:26:18.584,0:26:21.265 They talk about some [br]characteristic of something. 0:26:21.265,0:26:25.610 He's got a unique name [br]for every one of those 0:26:25.610,0:26:29.665 ten thousand billion trillion stars! 0:26:29.665,0:26:32.887 And each name - mysterious names - 0:26:32.887,0:26:35.974 and names that go into what the character 0:26:35.974,0:26:41.540 of that star is. 0:26:41.540,0:26:44.967 And He's your Father. 0:26:44.967,0:26:51.291 What right do we have [br]to be so unbelieving? 0:26:51.291,0:26:53.933 It's pitiful, isn't it? 0:26:53.933,0:26:58.150 We can't lay hold of it. 0:26:58.150,0:26:59.606 We've got to ask our Father, 0:26:59.606,0:27:01.733 "Help. Help me. Help me to see." 0:27:01.733,0:27:11.756 "Help me to believe a little bit [br]of what You're able to do!" 0:27:11.756,0:27:14.092 Our God is a personal God. 0:27:14.092,0:27:16.853 Now, you theologians, 0:27:16.853,0:27:20.417 don't let philosophy [br]rob you of this reality. 0:27:20.417,0:27:21.756 Some of the things I've read 0:27:21.756,0:27:24.433 about God's supposed impassibility - 0:27:24.433,0:27:27.021 that is, His inability to experience 0:27:27.021,0:27:28.839 pain or emotion - 0:27:28.839,0:27:33.097 they're sheer philosophy, [br]and they fly in the face 0:27:33.097,0:27:35.079 of a thousand Bible verses. 0:27:35.079,0:27:37.141 It's from theologians thinking too long 0:27:37.141,0:27:39.384 about God's infinity. 0:27:39.384,0:27:42.859 If you do that, you can't [br]hang on to His personality. 0:27:42.859,0:27:44.706 But they say, look, God's impassible. 0:27:44.706,0:27:46.360 He can't be touched with emotion. 0:27:46.360,0:27:50.597 Well, let me read a little bit to you. 0:27:50.597,0:27:53.189 "Grieve not the Spirit of God." 0:27:53.189,0:27:55.641 Don't make Him sad. 0:27:55.641,0:27:57.266 That's what the word grieve means. 0:27:57.266,0:28:00.648 You can look it up and look [br]at all the other verses. 0:28:00.648,0:28:03.574 "As a bridegroom rejoices over the bride, 0:28:03.574,0:28:07.796 so your God will rejoice over you." 0:28:07.796,0:28:10.469 How many of you have [br]ever been to a wedding? 0:28:10.469,0:28:12.564 You think there's any emotion there? 0:28:12.564,0:28:13.971 You look at the groom 0:28:13.971,0:28:17.301 and the bride comes through - 0:28:17.301,0:28:20.673 we don't believe this! 0:28:20.673,0:28:23.000 The infinite God - 0:28:23.000,0:28:25.036 He says, "I'll rejoice over you 0:28:25.036,0:28:30.443 like a groom rejoices over the bride." 0:28:30.443,0:28:34.661 Isn't it amazing? 0:28:34.661,0:28:37.195 "He will exult over you with joy. 0:28:37.195,0:28:39.025 He will be quiet in His love. 0:28:39.025,0:28:43.379 He will rejoice over you [br]with shouts of joy." 0:28:43.379,0:28:47.503 That sounds like some emotion to me. 0:28:47.503,0:28:49.202 "God so loved the world, 0:28:49.202,0:28:51.806 that He gave His only Son." 0:28:51.806,0:28:54.864 He delivered Him up. 0:28:54.864,0:28:58.225 And we can't comprehend this, 0:28:58.225,0:29:02.893 but we know this, it cost God greatly 0:29:02.893,0:29:05.084 to crush His Son. 0:29:05.084,0:29:06.269 That's a revelation. 0:29:06.269,0:29:07.812 God revealed that to us. 0:29:07.812,0:29:09.452 Think of Abraham 0:29:09.452,0:29:11.121 and that offering up of Isaac. 0:29:11.121,0:29:13.172 He says, "take now your son, 0:29:13.172,0:29:16.654 your only son, whom you love." 0:29:16.654,0:29:18.944 What's He saying to us? 0:29:18.944,0:29:21.547 He's getting across [br]that what Abraham felt, 0:29:21.547,0:29:23.911 there's something, somehow 0:29:23.911,0:29:32.815 connection with Him sacrificing His Son. 0:29:32.815,0:29:35.584 Beloved, God is not [br]some philosophical "X," 0:29:35.584,0:29:36.903 He's our Father. 0:29:36.903,0:29:39.019 "'Wherefore come out from among them 0:29:39.019,0:29:40.911 and be ye separate,' saith the Lord, 0:29:40.911,0:29:42.551 'and touch not the unclean thing, 0:29:42.551,0:29:45.296 and I will receive you.'"[br]I'll welcome you. 0:29:45.296,0:29:48.536 "'And I will be a Father to you, 0:29:48.536,0:29:51.610 and you shall be My sons and daughters,' 0:29:51.610,0:29:55.763 saith the Lord Almighty." 0:29:55.763,0:29:57.207 You see it? 0:29:57.207,0:29:59.368 Your Father in Heaven. 0:29:59.368,0:30:01.696 He's almighty, and here He says, 0:30:01.696,0:30:03.366 "You'll be My sons and daughters." 0:30:03.366,0:30:09.218 He treats the ladies - [br]"You're My daughters." 0:30:09.218,0:30:11.429 And to the men, He says, "You're My sons." 0:30:11.429,0:30:14.305 Think of that. Isn't that special? 0:30:14.305,0:30:24.714 This God that we're talking about. 0:30:24.714,0:30:27.970 Well, what are some of the implications 0:30:27.970,0:30:34.409 of the fact that God is [br]our Father in Heaven? 0:30:34.409,0:30:37.765 I've got nine of these. 0:30:37.765,0:30:39.777 And most of them come from the Gospels. 0:30:39.777,0:30:41.137 Some come from other places 0:30:41.137,0:30:46.489 where they're a little clearer. 0:30:46.489,0:30:47.952 But some of the implications - 0:30:47.952,0:30:50.828 and this will be the rest of the message. 0:30:50.828,0:30:52.205 The first implication - 0:30:52.205,0:30:54.557 I believe the most profound implication - 0:30:54.557,0:30:56.530 and I hope that I'll be able somewhat 0:30:56.530,0:31:00.439 to get it across. 0:31:00.439,0:31:02.790 What's it mean that God is my Father? 0:31:02.790,0:31:10.177 It means that I have a lap to climb into. 0:31:10.177,0:31:17.216 I have Someone - you have [br]Someone to hold you. 0:31:17.216,0:31:20.617 You have a Father. 0:31:20.617,0:31:24.937 You have a home. You belong. 0:31:24.937,0:31:26.945 Think of the terrible state of those 0:31:26.945,0:31:31.034 who have no heavenly Father. 0:31:31.034,0:31:32.653 You're flying in a plane at night 0:31:32.653,0:31:35.831 over some unknown city, 0:31:35.831,0:31:38.664 looking down in the darkness 0:31:38.664,0:31:40.307 on thousands and thousands 0:31:40.307,0:31:42.069 of little specks of light, 0:31:42.069,0:31:49.495 and every one of them is a house. 0:31:49.495,0:31:53.514 Unknown names. 0:31:53.514,0:32:01.591 In those little specks [br]of light are people. 0:32:01.591,0:32:03.189 Unknown people. 0:32:03.189,0:32:04.384 Thousands of them. 0:32:04.384,0:32:05.827 Tens of thousands of them. 0:32:05.827,0:32:08.105 Millions of them. 0:32:08.105,0:32:11.080 And then you realize, you're one of those 0:32:11.080,0:32:14.822 little, unknown... 0:32:14.822,0:32:18.208 I'm talking about a person without God. 0:32:18.208,0:32:24.280 The feeling that you have. 0:32:24.280,0:32:26.052 Pascal said it like this, 0:32:26.052,0:32:30.602 "When I consider the [br]short duration of my life, 0:32:30.602,0:32:32.718 swallowed up in the eternity 0:32:32.718,0:32:35.023 before and after..." 0:32:35.023,0:32:39.293 He's talking about our [br]smallness in relation to time. 0:32:39.293,0:32:42.718 "...When I consider the [br]small space which I fill, 0:32:42.718,0:32:45.871 or even can see engulfed in the infinite 0:32:45.871,0:32:49.720 immensity of spaces of [br]which I know nothing 0:32:49.720,0:32:52.848 and which know nothing of me. 0:32:52.848,0:32:56.024 I'm terrified. 0:32:56.024,0:32:58.433 And I wonder that I'm here 0:32:58.433,0:33:00.592 rather than there." 0:33:00.592,0:33:03.319 Have you ever thought about it? 0:33:03.319,0:33:04.802 "I'm here rather than there, 0:33:04.802,0:33:09.549 for there's no reason why [br]here rather than there, 0:33:09.549,0:33:12.991 or now rather than then." 0:33:12.991,0:33:15.215 He says I think about [br]that - I'm terrified. 0:33:15.215,0:33:18.356 You see, without God, 0:33:18.356,0:33:21.164 man is an orphan in a vast, cold, 0:33:21.164,0:33:24.138 very uncaring universe 0:33:24.138,0:33:27.639 that doesn't even know he exists. 0:33:27.639,0:33:29.076 And when you look out on those 0:33:29.076,0:33:31.792 millions of stars in the darkness, 0:33:31.792,0:33:34.785 if you have no heavenly Father, 0:33:34.785,0:33:36.218 you are nothing. 0:33:36.218,0:33:41.036 You are a nothing. 0:33:41.036,0:33:42.415 And there's a terrible sense 0:33:42.415,0:33:44.455 of insignificance and aloneness. 0:33:44.455,0:33:46.222 I'll quote Pascal again. He says, 0:33:46.222,0:33:52.549 "The eternal silence of those [br]infinite spaces alarms me." 0:33:52.549,0:33:54.528 But when you realize that your Father 0:33:54.528,0:33:57.402 made all those stars, 0:33:57.402,0:33:58.975 it's different, isn't it. 0:33:58.975,0:34:01.297 And, that He's both infinite and personal. 0:34:01.297,0:34:04.179 And He really does love you. 0:34:04.179,0:34:06.936 Everything changes. You belong. 0:34:06.936,0:34:08.302 You're accepted. 0:34:08.302,0:34:10.680 And at the very root of all reality, 0:34:10.680,0:34:11.820 you have a home. 0:34:11.820,0:34:15.927 You have a place to go. 0:34:15.927,0:34:19.885 I remember one time [br]I was in a strange city, 0:34:19.885,0:34:22.275 and I was already a Christian, 0:34:22.275,0:34:25.674 but it came over me - 0:34:25.674,0:34:31.748 this sense of aloneness and smallness. 0:34:31.748,0:34:33.996 It's terrifying. 0:34:33.996,0:34:35.974 And then it came into my heart, 0:34:35.974,0:34:37.286 "I will receive you. 0:34:37.286,0:34:40.451 I will be a Father to you." 0:34:40.451,0:34:42.098 And as soon as you have that, 0:34:42.098,0:34:44.854 the infinite God is my Father! 0:34:44.854,0:34:47.735 And everything's going to be alright. 0:34:47.735,0:34:55.907 He's with me. 0:34:55.907,0:34:57.096 You have a place to go. 0:34:57.096,0:34:58.843 You have a home.[br]You have a lap. 0:34:58.843,0:35:01.240 You've found the ground of your existence 0:35:01.240,0:35:04.425 and it's not some cold, [br]abstract principle; 0:35:04.425,0:35:10.047 it's the lap of a loving [br]heavenly Father. 0:35:10.047,0:35:12.506 Surely the opposite of that 0:35:12.506,0:35:14.931 is part of what hell is. 0:35:14.931,0:35:17.540 You remember Jesus talks [br]about outer darkness 0:35:17.540,0:35:19.431 and weeping and gnashing of teeth. 0:35:19.431,0:35:21.067 You look inside, there's warmth, 0:35:21.067,0:35:22.698 there's a family, there's a home, 0:35:22.698,0:35:25.224 there's rejoicing, there's Abraham 0:35:25.224,0:35:28.787 and Isaac and Jacob coming; 0:35:28.787,0:35:31.249 people coming from the east and west 0:35:31.249,0:35:34.121 and reclining. 0:35:34.121,0:35:37.639 And you're outside. They're in there. 0:35:37.639,0:35:41.173 They have a Father. 0:35:41.173,0:35:45.639 And you're outside in the darkness. 0:35:45.639,0:35:46.796 No family. 0:35:46.796,0:35:48.627 No Father. 0:35:48.627,0:35:51.932 Well, I think the most fundamental meaning 0:35:51.932,0:35:55.087 of having God as our Father, 0:35:55.087,0:36:03.430 and that is we've found [br]our reason for living. 0:36:03.430,0:36:06.242 We've found the meaning of existence. 0:36:06.242,0:36:07.619 But the second thing, 0:36:07.619,0:36:09.694 that God is my Father means 0:36:09.694,0:36:11.628 that I never need to be afraid 0:36:11.628,0:36:14.735 because God cares for me 0:36:14.735,0:36:17.321 in a personal and intimate way. 0:36:17.321,0:36:19.206 Matthew 10:29-30, 0:36:19.206,0:36:23.033 "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? 0:36:23.033,0:36:25.541 And yet, not one of them will fall 0:36:25.541,0:36:31.379 to the ground apart from your Father, 0:36:31.379,0:36:34.029 but the very hairs of your head 0:36:34.029,0:36:36.904 are all numbered." 0:36:36.904,0:36:43.258 Jesus says, "Don't fear [br]them that kill the body." 0:36:43.258,0:36:45.468 The One who names every star 0:36:45.468,0:36:48.511 has numbered the hairs on your head. 0:36:48.511,0:36:50.587 He cares that much about you. 0:36:50.587,0:36:52.572 And you know, it's not the idea 0:36:52.572,0:36:55.445 just that God knows how [br]many hairs are on your head, 0:36:55.445,0:36:58.308 He knew how many [br]hairs were on Hitler's head. 0:36:58.308,0:36:59.972 That's not the point. 0:36:59.972,0:37:03.724 But that He's that concerned about you. 0:37:03.724,0:37:07.715 That concerned, 0:37:07.715,0:37:10.802 that not one sparrow [br]can fall to the ground. 0:37:10.802,0:37:12.700 You say, how do I know I won't 0:37:12.700,0:37:14.498 fall to the ground and get killed? 0:37:14.498,0:37:16.306 You don't know, but you do know this, 0:37:16.306,0:37:18.530 it's not going to happen [br]without your Father 0:37:18.530,0:37:20.000 being right there 0:37:20.000,0:37:23.920 controlling the whole thing. 0:37:23.920,0:37:26.427 The context of these verses in Matthew 10 0:37:26.427,0:37:28.749 is persecution, but it [br]applies to every area 0:37:28.749,0:37:31.540 where we might be tempted to fear. 0:37:31.540,0:37:38.587 God won't just let [br]anything "happen" to us. 0:37:38.587,0:37:41.438 He cares for me in a [br]personal and intimate way. 0:37:41.438,0:37:44.132 Not one of those little birds 0:37:44.132,0:37:48.744 can fall to the ground [br]apart from your Father. 0:37:48.744,0:37:50.644 But the third thing 0:37:50.644,0:37:52.523 that the fatherhood of God means to me: 0:37:52.523,0:37:54.021 the fact that God is my Father 0:37:54.021,0:37:56.635 means He will provide for me. 0:37:56.635,0:37:58.483 Now, we know these things. 0:37:58.483,0:38:01.370 Matthew 6:26-33. 0:38:01.370,0:38:03.318 "Look at the birds of the air, 0:38:03.318,0:38:04.578 that they do not sow, 0:38:04.578,0:38:05.690 neither do they reap, 0:38:05.690,0:38:06.926 nor gather into barns, 0:38:06.926,0:38:12.657 yet your Heavenly Father feeds them." 0:38:12.657,0:38:14.948 So there's the food thing. 0:38:14.948,0:38:17.872 "Are you not worth much more than they?" 0:38:17.872,0:38:20.523 He goes on, "Why are you [br]anxious about clothing?" 0:38:20.523,0:38:22.074 So now He's dealing with that. 0:38:22.074,0:38:25.764 "Observe how the lilies of the field grow. 0:38:25.764,0:38:27.737 They do not toil, nor do they spin, 0:38:27.737,0:38:31.038 yet I say that even [br]Solomon in all his glory 0:38:31.038,0:38:33.372 did not clothe himself like one of these, 0:38:33.372,0:38:37.850 but if God so arrays [br]the grass of the field, 0:38:37.850,0:38:40.964 which is alive today and tomorrow [br]is thrown into the furnace, 0:38:40.964,0:38:43.594 will He not much more do so for you, 0:38:43.594,0:38:46.072 O men of little faith? 0:38:46.072,0:38:47.602 Do not be anxious then, saying, 0:38:47.602,0:38:49.834 what shall we eat? [br]Or, what shall we drink? 0:38:49.834,0:38:52.079 Or with what shall we clothe ourselves? 0:38:52.079,0:38:55.531 For all these things the [br]Gentiles eagerly seek, 0:38:55.531,0:38:59.658 for your Heavenly Father knows 0:38:59.658,0:39:04.043 that you need all these things." 0:39:04.043,0:39:05.656 So God is my Father. 0:39:05.656,0:39:07.222 He'll feed me. He'll clothe me. 0:39:07.222,0:39:08.676 He'll provide for me. 0:39:08.676,0:39:12.546 What right do I have to be anxious? 0:39:12.546,0:39:14.916 I'm not telling you [br]anything you don't know, 0:39:14.916,0:39:18.905 but beloved, how much [br]have we entered into this? 0:39:18.905,0:39:21.522 Can you imagine a life [br]where you don't have 0:39:21.522,0:39:24.243 any anxiety at all about [br]any of that stuff 0:39:24.243,0:39:26.576 because you know God is going to 0:39:26.576,0:39:27.821 take care of it all? 0:39:27.821,0:39:29.618 That He's infinite in power? 0:39:29.618,0:39:31.408 That's what Jesus is talking about. 0:39:31.408,0:39:34.300 He's talking about freedom from fear 0:39:34.300,0:39:35.644 of somebody killing you. 0:39:35.644,0:39:38.023 He's talking about freedom from fear 0:39:38.023,0:39:41.749 of not having food or [br]clothing or provision. 0:39:41.749,0:39:43.623 Just to be totally free. 0:39:43.623,0:39:46.492 Look, my Father owns everything. 0:39:46.492,0:39:48.872 He spoke the universe into existence 0:39:48.872,0:39:50.119 and all those stars. 0:39:50.119,0:39:52.099 I don't have anything possible 0:39:52.099,0:39:53.958 that could happen to me. 0:39:53.958,0:39:57.752 A little bird can't fall to the ground. 0:39:57.752,0:40:00.985 Think of this. 0:40:00.985,0:40:03.426 The fact that God is my Father, 0:40:03.426,0:40:07.499 it means that I don't have [br]to use vain repetitions 0:40:07.499,0:40:09.870 like the Gentiles do. 0:40:09.870,0:40:11.334 He says your Father knows 0:40:11.334,0:40:14.849 that you need those things 0:40:14.849,0:40:17.249 before you ask. 0:40:17.249,0:40:19.693 Number four: the fact [br]that God is my Father 0:40:19.693,0:40:23.495 means that I can trust Him implicitly. 0:40:23.495,0:40:24.645 Now listen to this, 0:40:24.645,0:40:25.987 "What man is there among you 0:40:25.987,0:40:27.777 when his son shall ask him for a loaf 0:40:27.777,0:40:30.237 will give him a stone? 0:40:30.237,0:40:31.773 Or if he shall ask for a fish, 0:40:31.773,0:40:34.068 he will not give him a snake, will he? 0:40:34.068,0:40:36.567 If you then, being evil..." 0:40:36.567,0:40:38.738 Now fathers - the best fathers - 0:40:38.738,0:40:41.732 compared to the Heavenly Father are evil. 0:40:41.732,0:40:44.473 They come so far short of what He is, 0:40:44.473,0:40:47.058 but even we know how to give good gifts 0:40:47.058,0:40:48.416 to our children. 0:40:48.416,0:40:53.457 "How much more shall your Heavenly Father 0:40:53.457,0:40:56.680 give what is good to those who ask Him?" 0:40:56.680,0:40:58.772 Why would the Lord give this teaching? 0:40:58.772,0:41:01.138 Well, because the devil [br]is always telling us - 0:41:01.138,0:41:05.308 you know the word "devil" [br](diabolos) means slanderer. 0:41:05.308,0:41:08.772 And he's constantly slandering God to man, 0:41:08.772,0:41:12.657 and he'll tell you that the [br]kind of Father you have, 0:41:12.657,0:41:15.487 that if you ask Him for an egg, 0:41:15.487,0:41:17.379 He'll give you a scorpion. 0:41:17.379,0:41:20.106 The devil tells you that. 0:41:20.106,0:41:21.207 Constantly. 0:41:21.207,0:41:22.977 He'll tell you God's a liar. 0:41:22.977,0:41:24.774 "You shall not surely die." 0:41:24.774,0:41:27.163 He tells you God's holding out on you. 0:41:27.163,0:41:30.783 God knows that if you eat that,[br]you'll have something good. 0:41:30.783,0:41:33.423 He'll tell you that the good land 0:41:33.423,0:41:34.636 that God is giving you 0:41:34.636,0:41:37.436 devours its inhabitants. 0:41:37.436,0:41:40.273 If you go in there, it will eat you up. 0:41:40.273,0:41:44.357 All those slanders about [br]the character of God. 0:41:44.357,0:41:49.063 I've shared a lot more examples of this 0:41:49.063,0:41:53.789 in talking about our [br]adversary the slanderer, 0:41:53.789,0:41:55.843 but there's so many of them. 0:41:55.843,0:41:57.925 I was thinking before 0:41:57.925,0:41:59.402 when I was preparing this, 0:41:59.402,0:42:02.479 I was thinking of how many [br]young people there are here. 0:42:02.479,0:42:04.689 So you girls, you're praying, and you say, 0:42:04.689,0:42:07.860 "Lord, I want You to choose [br]a husband for me." 0:42:07.860,0:42:09.372 Or you guys, you're praying, 0:42:09.372,0:42:11.349 "Lord, I want to put it in Your hands. 0:42:11.349,0:42:14.406 I want You to choose my wife." 0:42:14.406,0:42:16.319 And the devil's right there saying, 0:42:16.319,0:42:18.520 "Don't do that! 0:42:18.520,0:42:26.060 God will give you the [br]ugliest girl imaginable. 0:42:26.060,0:42:28.080 Or, if you do that, 0:42:28.080,0:42:29.926 you won't even get married at all. 0:42:29.926,0:42:31.406 He won't even give you a wife. 0:42:31.406,0:42:35.557 You've got to take [br]this in your own hands." 0:42:35.557,0:42:37.335 See, it all goes back to: 0:42:37.335,0:42:38.872 do I have a Father? 0:42:38.872,0:42:48.831 Do I have a loving Heavenly [br]Father who can do anything? 0:42:48.831,0:42:52.961 A.W. Tozer was telling [br]his congregation one day 0:42:52.961,0:42:55.018 about how he had put his little daughter 0:42:55.018,0:42:56.151 into God's hands 0:42:56.151,0:42:58.523 just for whatever God would have for her, 0:42:58.523,0:43:01.280 and a woman came up after the sermon. 0:43:01.280,0:43:05.268 She said, "Aren't you afraid to do that?" 0:43:05.268,0:43:07.042 Think of what kind of God 0:43:07.042,0:43:10.301 the devil tells us we have. 0:43:10.301,0:43:14.879 You know, that he's an "evil" type God. 0:43:14.879,0:43:17.149 I can trust Him implicitly. 0:43:17.149,0:43:18.664 That's what Jesus is saying. 0:43:18.664,0:43:20.884 He's saying you will never come 0:43:20.884,0:43:22.847 as a child of your Heavenly Father 0:43:22.847,0:43:25.140 and say, "Father, will [br]You give me an egg?" 0:43:25.140,0:43:27.692 and He says, "I will, son, [br]now close your eyes 0:43:27.692,0:43:29.179 and put out your hand," 0:43:29.179,0:43:31.887 and He drops a scorpion into it. 0:43:31.887,0:43:34.362 He'll never do that. 0:43:34.362,0:43:40.933 He'll give good things to [br]those who ask Him. 0:43:40.933,0:43:43.152 Number five: the fact [br]that God is my Father 0:43:43.152,0:43:45.031 means that I never need to make 0:43:45.031,0:43:48.416 an outward show of goodness. 0:43:48.416,0:43:51.404 God is able to keep track [br]of everything in secret 0:43:51.404,0:43:52.978 and reward me in ways 0:43:52.978,0:43:56.065 that no man ever could. 0:43:56.065,0:43:57.807 Oh, that we could lay hold of this. 0:43:57.807,0:44:00.943 "Beware of practicing your righteousness 0:44:00.943,0:44:03.549 before men to be noticed by them, 0:44:03.549,0:44:05.874 otherwise you have no reward 0:44:05.874,0:44:09.883 with your Father who is in Heaven." 0:44:09.883,0:44:11.831 And He goes through three things. 0:44:11.831,0:44:13.605 "When you give alms, 0:44:13.605,0:44:16.028 do not sound a trumpet." 0:44:16.028,0:44:18.805 You want your alms to be in secret. 0:44:18.805,0:44:20.499 Don't let your left hand know 0:44:20.499,0:44:22.114 what your right hand's doing. 0:44:22.114,0:44:24.335 "And your Father who sees in secret 0:44:24.335,0:44:26.018 will repay you." 0:44:26.018,0:44:28.706 When you pray, don't [br]be like these hypocrites. 0:44:28.706,0:44:30.052 They stand out in the open. 0:44:30.052,0:44:31.471 They want to be seen by men. 0:44:31.471,0:44:34.577 Go into your inner room, 0:44:34.577,0:44:36.457 and shut the door, 0:44:36.457,0:44:38.743 and pray to your Father 0:44:38.743,0:44:40.807 who is in secret. 0:44:40.807,0:44:42.849 That's where God is. 0:44:42.849,0:44:45.377 You say, God's so far away; 0:44:45.377,0:44:47.166 I can't find God. Where is He? 0:44:47.166,0:44:50.681 Well, He's in secret. 0:44:50.681,0:44:54.132 "And your Father who sees in secret 0:44:54.132,0:44:57.220 will repay you." 0:44:57.220,0:44:59.074 And then He talks about fasting - 0:44:59.074,0:45:01.821 not to put on a gloomy face 0:45:01.821,0:45:04.787 to be seen fasting by men. 0:45:04.787,0:45:06.583 "When you fast, anoint your head 0:45:06.583,0:45:07.630 and wash your face, 0:45:07.630,0:45:10.156 so that you may not [br]be seen fasting by men, 0:45:10.156,0:45:13.158 but by your Father who is in secret. 0:45:13.158,0:45:15.548 And your Father who sees in secret 0:45:15.548,0:45:18.152 will repay you." 0:45:18.152,0:45:19.249 Think of this: 0:45:19.249,0:45:22.584 I don't have to put on a show to men. 0:45:22.584,0:45:25.325 It doesn't matter what men think anyway. 0:45:25.325,0:45:28.439 God knows. He sees everything in secret. 0:45:28.439,0:45:30.317 Every bit of it He knows. 0:45:30.317,0:45:35.566 And He said I'm not going [br]to let you miss out. 0:45:35.566,0:45:38.884 Just as I was preparing [br]this, I'm thinking, 0:45:38.884,0:45:41.498 Lord, over and over You're saying 0:45:41.498,0:45:45.500 He will reward you; He will reward you. 0:45:45.500,0:45:50.025 If you fast, if you pray, if you give 0:45:50.025,0:45:52.317 in the presence of your Father, 0:45:52.317,0:45:54.460 He'll reward you. 0:45:54.460,0:45:57.901 We can be sure He will. 0:45:57.901,0:45:59.518 He keeps perfect records. 0:45:59.518,0:46:01.241 He sees everything in secret 0:46:01.241,0:46:02.957 because He's infinite. 0:46:02.957,0:46:04.910 And He will reward. 0:46:04.910,0:46:07.351 Number six: the fact that God is my Father 0:46:07.351,0:46:09.983 means that I have a perfect example 0:46:09.983,0:46:12.605 to pattern my life after. 0:46:12.605,0:46:18.964 I've got a Father worthy of [br]emulating in every way. 0:46:18.964,0:46:20.485 "You've heard that it was said 0:46:20.485,0:46:22.766 you shall love your neighbor[br]and hate your enemy, 0:46:22.766,0:46:24.562 but I say unto you,[br]love your enemies 0:46:24.562,0:46:26.907 and pray for those who persecute you, 0:46:26.907,0:46:28.824 in order that you may be sons 0:46:28.824,0:46:31.690 of your Father who is in Heaven. 0:46:31.690,0:46:34.380 For He causes His sun to rise 0:46:34.380,0:46:36.453 on the evil and the good, 0:46:36.453,0:46:39.741 and sends rain on the righteous[br]and the unrighteous." 0:46:39.741,0:46:40.724 I like that. 0:46:40.724,0:46:45.666 It's like a little kid has an orange ball. 0:46:45.666,0:46:49.245 God has His sun. "That's My sun." 0:46:49.245,0:46:51.764 God causes His sun to shine. 0:46:51.764,0:46:56.019 He causes His sun to shine on this earth. 0:46:56.019,0:46:59.706 And He sends rain on the righteous 0:46:59.706,0:47:07.530 and the unrighteous. 0:47:07.530,0:47:09.824 He says, "if you love those who love you, 0:47:09.824,0:47:11.127 what reward have you? 0:47:11.127,0:47:14.135 Do not even the tax gatherers do the same? 0:47:14.135,0:47:16.012 And if you greet your brothers only, 0:47:16.012,0:47:17.742 what do you do more than others? 0:47:17.742,0:47:20.084 Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 0:47:20.084,0:47:22.305 Therefore, you are to be perfect 0:47:22.305,0:47:26.664 as your Heavenly Father is perfect." 0:47:26.664,0:47:30.821 We know how young sons [br]want to imitate their fathers. 0:47:30.821,0:47:33.440 Well, here's a Father worthy of imitation 0:47:33.440,0:47:35.361 in every way. 0:47:35.361,0:47:37.736 And the Lord Jesus looks [br]at what's happening 0:47:37.736,0:47:38.860 in the world around us. 0:47:38.860,0:47:41.146 He says, look, your Father's being kind 0:47:41.146,0:47:44.806 to these ungrateful and evil men. 0:47:44.806,0:47:46.655 You imitate Him. 0:47:46.655,0:47:48.044 "Love your enemies. 0:47:48.044,0:47:49.135 Do good and lend 0:47:49.135,0:47:50.721 expecting nothing in return, 0:47:50.721,0:47:52.422 and your reward will be great, 0:47:52.422,0:47:56.372 and you will be sons of the Most High, 0:47:56.372,0:47:58.930 for He Himself is kind 0:47:58.930,0:48:01.203 to ungrateful and evil men. 0:48:01.203,0:48:03.774 Be merciful, 0:48:03.774,0:48:07.786 just as your Father is merciful." 0:48:07.786,0:48:10.396 Number seven: 0:48:10.396,0:48:20.398 (Is this good hermeneutics, [br]Jesse, to have nine points?) 0:48:20.398,0:48:22.157 The fact that God is my Father means 0:48:22.157,0:48:23.537 that He loves me too much 0:48:23.537,0:48:25.802 to leave me without discipline. 0:48:25.802,0:48:27.882 Isn't that something? 0:48:27.882,0:48:29.633 Hebrews 12, "You have forgotten 0:48:29.633,0:48:32.625 the exhortation which is [br]addressed to you as sons. 0:48:32.625,0:48:35.880 My son, do not regard lightly [br]the discipline of the Lord, 0:48:35.880,0:48:38.064 nor faint when you are reproved by Him. 0:48:38.064,0:48:40.008 For those whom the Lord loves, 0:48:40.008,0:48:42.383 He disciplines and He scourges every son 0:48:42.383,0:48:44.384 whom He receives. 0:48:44.384,0:48:46.266 It is for discipline that you endure; 0:48:46.266,0:48:48.378 God deals with you as with sons. 0:48:48.378,0:48:54.379 For what son is there whom his [br]father does not discipline? 0:48:54.379,0:48:56.073 He disciplines us for our good, 0:48:56.073,0:48:59.602 that we may share His holiness. 0:48:59.602,0:49:01.024 All discipline for the moment 0:49:01.024,0:49:03.117 seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful. 0:49:03.117,0:49:05.260 Yet to those who have been trained by it 0:49:05.260,0:49:11.184 afterwards it yields the [br]peaceful fruit of righteousness." 0:49:11.184,0:49:14.962 Proverbs 3:12, "For whom [br]the Lord loves, He reproves, 0:49:14.962,0:49:19.143 even as a father the son [br]in whom he delights." 0:49:19.143,0:49:23.662 So, God loves me too much to [br]leave me without discipline. 0:49:23.662,0:49:26.894 That doesn't mean that every [br]hard thing that happens to us 0:49:26.894,0:49:28.371 is a punishment for sin. 0:49:28.371,0:49:33.406 Sometimes a trainer will [br]have a runner carry weights - 0:49:33.406,0:49:35.071 something like that - 0:49:35.071,0:49:37.856 he's not punishing him;[br]he's disciplining him, 0:49:37.856,0:49:41.150 preparing him; making him stronger. 0:49:41.150,0:49:44.891 God does that too. 0:49:44.891,0:49:47.480 Number eight: The fact [br]that God is my Father 0:49:47.480,0:49:50.121 means that His attitude toward me 0:49:50.121,0:49:53.712 is one of kindness and compassion; 0:49:53.712,0:49:56.055 not harshness and rejection. 0:49:56.055,0:49:58.868 How many people are going around 0:49:58.868,0:50:00.822 thinking that God is carrying this club 0:50:00.822,0:50:02.265 waiting for them to slip up 0:50:02.265,0:50:06.291 so that He can smash them? 0:50:06.291,0:50:08.840 Jesus talks about this even in conversion. 0:50:08.840,0:50:12.661 He says (Luke 15), "While he [br]was still a long way off, 0:50:12.661,0:50:16.190 his father saw him and felt compassion 0:50:16.190,0:50:19.105 and ran and embraced him and kissed him." 0:50:19.105,0:50:21.391 He's telling us what God is like 0:50:21.391,0:50:25.437 in His attitude toward us. 0:50:25.437,0:50:27.673 Psalm 103:13-14, 0:50:27.673,0:50:31.292 "Just as a father has [br]compassion on his children, 0:50:31.292,0:50:34.875 so the Lord has compassion [br]on those who fear Him, 0:50:34.875,0:50:37.827 for He Himself knows our frame; 0:50:37.827,0:50:40.344 He is mindful that we are but dust." 0:50:40.344,0:50:44.190 Think of what a wonderful thing that is! 0:50:44.190,0:50:45.783 When I'm going through a trial, 0:50:45.783,0:50:47.213 God knows our frame. 0:50:47.213,0:50:48.681 He has compassion on us. 0:50:48.681,0:50:51.761 He's mindful. 0:50:51.761,0:50:53.241 My Father understands. 0:50:53.241,0:50:54.775 He knows my frame. 0:50:54.775,0:50:56.398 His attitude's one of compassion. 0:50:56.398,0:50:58.896 He's so patient. He's so merciful. 0:50:58.896,0:51:01.349 He's not a harsh taskmaster. 0:51:01.349,0:51:04.129 Malachi 3:17, "'They shall be Mine,' 0:51:04.129,0:51:05.368 says the Lord of Hosts, 0:51:05.368,0:51:08.140 'On the day when I make [br]up My own possession, 0:51:08.140,0:51:10.125 and I will have compassion on them 0:51:10.125,0:51:15.059 as a man has compassion [br]on his own son who serves him.'" 0:51:15.059,0:51:17.437 Last one. 0:51:17.437,0:51:20.989 And I truly am sorry to [br]have so many points. 0:51:20.989,0:51:23.065 The fact that God is my Father means 0:51:23.065,0:51:27.923 that He delights to [br]give me an inheritance. 0:51:27.923,0:51:30.443 You may feel ever so weak and afraid 0:51:30.443,0:51:32.262 you may not even make it to heaven. 0:51:32.262,0:51:34.446 Satan may tell you that [br]God doesn't want you 0:51:34.446,0:51:35.901 to make it to heaven. 0:51:35.901,0:51:37.940 And that He's against you. 0:51:37.940,0:51:41.130 That isn't true. 0:51:41.130,0:51:43.454 Jesus said, "It's not [br]the will of your Father 0:51:43.454,0:51:46.131 who is in Heaven that [br]one of these little ones..." 0:51:46.131,0:51:47.599 He's talking about believers. 0:51:47.599,0:51:50.390 "...That one of these [br]little ones should perish." 0:51:50.390,0:51:56.609 And none of them will. Not one. 0:51:56.609,0:51:59.561 Right after Jesus tells us [br]to seek first the kingdom, 0:51:59.561,0:52:01.297 He immediately assures us, 0:52:01.297,0:52:03.273 "Fear not, little flock, 0:52:03.273,0:52:08.826 your Father has chosen gladly [br]to give you the Kingdom." 0:52:08.826,0:52:10.811 And according to the Lord Jesus, 0:52:10.811,0:52:13.238 there's a day coming when the righteous 0:52:13.238,0:52:16.160 will shine forth like the sun 0:52:16.160,0:52:20.344 in the kingdom of their Father. 0:52:20.344,0:52:22.941 Well, there's so much [br]more that could be said. 0:52:22.941,0:52:25.738 So much hinges on this love relationship 0:52:25.738,0:52:29.418 between Father and son [br]or Father and daughter. 0:52:29.418,0:52:31.825 When our love for the Father 0:52:31.825,0:52:33.560 is really strong and clear, 0:52:33.560,0:52:36.981 immediately we think about His name, 0:52:36.981,0:52:38.936 wanting His name to be glorified. 0:52:38.936,0:52:40.615 Immediately we think about wanting 0:52:40.615,0:52:42.457 His kingdom to be advanced. 0:52:42.457,0:52:43.807 You don't have to say, 0:52:43.807,0:52:46.242 well, I've got to remember now 0:52:46.242,0:52:49.126 to be concerned about the name of God. 0:52:49.126,0:52:50.622 It just happens automatically 0:52:50.622,0:52:52.994 when you're full of love for Him. 0:52:52.994,0:52:54.782 And it happens automatically 0:52:54.782,0:52:57.329 that when you pray for your daily bread, 0:52:57.329,0:53:00.191 it's in connection with wanting [br]His kingdom to come, 0:53:00.191,0:53:01.758 not just selfish. 0:53:01.758,0:53:04.020 And wanting to have victory over sin; 0:53:04.020,0:53:05.498 wanting forgiveness for sin, 0:53:05.498,0:53:07.381 and deliverance from sin 0:53:07.381,0:53:10.579 is not so you'll feel [br]better about yourself. 0:53:10.579,0:53:14.067 But so that you can what? 0:53:14.067,0:53:18.156 So that you can let your light so shine 0:53:18.156,0:53:19.877 that men will see your good works 0:53:19.877,0:53:22.816 and glorify your Father 0:53:22.816,0:53:26.217 who is in Heaven. 0:53:26.217,0:53:31.673 Well, Jesus said when you pray, 0:53:31.673,0:53:36.028 say, "Our Father in Heaven." 0:53:36.028,0:53:40.548 May God help us to believe [br]and lay hold of these things. 0:53:40.548,0:53:42.091 Amen.