The Heavenly Father revealed to us the closeness, the intimacy, warmth and the tenderheartedness of God. He gave us the right to become His children. We are the children of God! It is such an honor and a privileged to be called children of God.
God, the Heavenly Father also desires a close and intimate walk with us. So let us begin with how we are to address Him in our daily conversation.
Matthew 6:9 (NKJV) In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Jesus taught us the Lord’s Prayer where it begins with “our Father who art in heaven”….It is a good daily reminder whenever we pray that God is our good heavenly Father who love every one of us unconditionally.
Roman 8:15-16 (NKJV) For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
There is no fear in love because perfect love cast out all fear in the presence of a loving Heavenly Father. The closest English word for the word used in Aramaic “Abba” is daddy or papa in Italian.
The Heavenly Father has our best interest in His heart. We need to trust His heart when we do not understand what we are experiencing in our lives especially during the most difficult and challenging times.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Matthew 7:11 (NKJV) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
James 1:17 (NKJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Many people would ensure that their children have an edge over others by giving them the right exposure at an early age in their lives. The parents would send them to Summer camp in the US and Europe. Some of the parents would enroll their children in good enrichment and preparatory classes so that they will do well in their IB. Some might even ensure that they have good internship, extra-curriculum like sports and social responsibilities projects so that they can include it in their application to Ivy League universities. In short, they will do everything humanly possible to ensure that their children get a good head start in life to secure a good job in future or manage the family business. All these steps are well thought out by the parents’ despite of man’s sinfulness and selfishness then how much more will God who is the father of light will have a good plan for our future. There is no darkness or evil in God therefore there is only good and perfect plan that He has for us that’s filled with peace, hope and joy for us.
Sermon Series: He Will Make Your Path Straight
完美的计划
天父向我们显明了祂何等的亲近、亲密、温暖和温柔。 祂给了我们成为祂孩子的权利。 我们是神的儿女！ 被称为上帝的儿女是何等的荣耀和特权。上帝，天父渴望与我们亲近又紧密地同行。 让我们从我们在日常谈话中如何称呼祂开始。
马太福音6：9 所以你们祷告，要这样说，我们在天上的父，愿人都尊你的名为圣。
耶稣教导我们主祷文，它以“我们在天上的父”开头……每当我们日常向神祷告时，这经文及时地提醒我们有一位无条件地爱我们的天父。
罗马书8：15-16 你们所受的不是奴仆的心，仍旧害怕；所受的乃是儿子的心，因此我们呼叫：“阿爸！父！” 圣灵与我们的心同证我们是神的儿女。
爱里没有恐惧，因为在慈爱的天父面前，完美的爱驱散了所有的恐惧。 与亚兰文“Abba”中使用的单词最接近的英文单词是 daddy 或意大利语 Papa。 天父一心想把最好的赐给我们。当我们不明白我们在生活中所经历的事情，尤其是在最困难和最具挑战性的时期，我们需要相信祂的心。
耶利米书 29:11耶和华说：我知道我向你们所怀的意念是赐平安的意念，不是降灾祸的意念，要叫你们末后有指望。
马太福音 7:11你们虽然不好，尚且知道拿好东西给儿女，何况你们在天上的父，岂不更把好东西给求他的人吗？
雅各书 1:17各样美善的恩赐和各样全备的赏赐都是从上头来的，从众光之父那里降下来的；在他并没有改变，也没有转动的影儿。
许多人会通过让孩子在生命的早期阶段有正确的接触，以确保他们比其他人更有优势。父母会送他们去美国和欧洲参加夏令营。 有的家长为了孩子取得好的IB成绩，会给孩子报很好的补习班和预备班。有些父母甚至会确保他们有良好的实习以及参加课外活动，如运动和社会责任项目，以便他们可以将其纳入常春藤大学的申请中。简而言之，他们将竭尽所能确保他们的孩子在生活中获得良好的开端，以期未来能有一份好工作或管理家族企业。作为有罪性且自私的人类尚且在为人父母时处心积虑地为后代谋划，那么身为众光之父的神岂不更会对我们的未来有美好的计划。神的里面既没有黑暗也没有邪恶，唯有祂对我们的美好纯全的计划，充满了对我们的和平、希望和喜乐。
讲章系列：祂会指引你的道路