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!
God is often seen as a judge rather than a loving Heavenly Father. Although He is a judge who is righteous, holy, and just, He also desires a close relationship with mankind whom He created. Although sin caused man to be separated from God, He instituted the sacrificial system in the Old Testament so the people’s sins could be forgiven and He appointed a High Priest to minister on their behalf. This system pointed toward the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The law taught us about sin, its penalty, and our inability to stand before God based on our own strength. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but through Jesus, we can have righteousness and be reconciled to God.
God is love. He did not abandon His creation despite our sin. Instead, He pursued us with His love. Through the establishment of an unconditional covenant with Abraham, God ensured a foolproof plan for our salvation. Jesus came through the lineage of Abraham as the Messiah to deal with the sin issue that separated us from God. He made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us so that we could have His righteousness. Through our belief in Jesus Christ, we can stand right before God in Christ every day of our lives without fear despite our weaknesses. God has chosen to see us in Christ daily because He wants to fellowship with us.
Acts 10:38 (NKJV) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with 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.
Nonetheless, we need to take the time to know God as a loving Heavenly Father while we are on earth, but first and foremost, we need to be convinced that God is good. The Bible reveals to us the character of God, and that Jesus came to declare the Heavenly Father to us. God has good intentions for His people. We learnt the Heavenly Father anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit, and Jesus went about doing good to those He ministered to. All good and perfect gifts come from the Heavenly Father of lights. He has no darkness, wickedness, or evil intent towards His children. We are in good hands if we place our faith and trust in the Heavenly Father.
God knows what is good and bad for us, and while He dotes on us, we need to accept, submit, and be obedient if He withholds some things from us. It is easier to seek God when we know that He is a good Heavenly Father. As the Holy Spirit draws us to seek the Lord, let’s spend time with Him so we can find rest in His presence in the midst of challenges.
Sermon Series: How Much More God
你有一位很好的天父
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？
神常常被视为审判者，而不是慈爱的天父。 虽然祂是一位公义、圣洁、公正的审判者，但祂也渴望与祂所创造的人类建立亲密的关系。 虽然罪使人与神隔绝，但神在旧约中设立了献祭制度，使人们的罪得到赦免，并任命了一位大祭司代表他们来服侍祂。 这一献祭制度指向耶稣基督在十字架上的工作。 律法教导我们认识罪、罪的刑罚，以及我们无法依靠自己的力量站立在神面前。 我们都犯了罪，亏缺了神的荣耀，但通过信耶稣，我们可以称义并与神和好。
神就是爱。 尽管我们有罪，祂并没有放弃祂的造物。 相反，祂用祂的爱来追寻我们。 通过与亚伯拉罕订立无条件的圣约，神确保了我们的救赎计划万无一失。 作为从亚伯拉罕一支而来的弥赛亚，耶稣解决了使我们与神隔绝的罪的问题。 神使无罪的耶稣替我们成为罪，使我们能得着祂的义。 尽管我们是软弱的，通过信耶稣基督，我们得以在有生的每一天都能在基督里坦然无惧地站在神面前。 神选择每天都在基督里看我们，因为祂想与我们相交。
使徒行传10:38 神怎样以圣灵和能力膏拿撒勒人耶稣，这都是你们知道的。他周流四方，行善事，医好凡被魔鬼压制的人，因为神与他同在。
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。
尽管如此，当我们还活着的时候，我们需要花时间去认识神这位慈爱的天父，但最重要的是，我们需要确信神是良善的。 圣经为我们启示了神的品格，耶稣来向我们显明天父。 神对祂的子民一腔善意。 我们了解到天父以圣灵膏抹了耶稣，祂周流四方，向祂所服侍的人行善。 各样美善和全备的赏赐都是从众光天父那里降下来的。 祂对祂的儿女毫无黑暗、狡诈或邪恶的意图。 如果我们对天父有信心并且信靠祂，我们就完全不用担心。
神知道什么是对我们有益的或有害的，虽然祂疼爱我们，但如果祂不给我们某些东西，我们需要接受并顺服。 当我们知道神是一位良善的天父时，寻求祂就更容易。 当圣灵吸引我们来寻求神时，让我们花时间与祂在一起。这样，当我们遇到挑战的时候，就可以于祂的同在中找到安息。
讲章系列：“岂不更多“的神
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