“Heart of Father; Heart of Son!”
Since the beginning, the relationship between fathers and sons has been broken, and sins of fathers have been passed along. When talking with other men about their relationship with their father, they may express that their father loved them. When asked if their father ever said: “I love you son, I am proud of you!” Or any such sentiments, I am amazed how few have actually heard those kinds of words. Rather, they perceived it as though they had.
I am moved at how hard it is for some men to express affections. I am surprised to hear how hard it is for even their wives to express affirmations of love, because of childhood events or lack of affirmation they received. Then, seeking love in marriage, discover it hard to give words of love and affirmation as their personal need for appreciation, was also deficient!
Often, we gain or perceive our impressions of God, from our natural fathers! For example, we may perceive God as an angry, because our natural father was an angry man. Some see God as ready and quick to punish us when we do wrong! Many have fear of falling into the hands of an angry God! We have gotten that image or learned it from leaders, who themselves grew up under that concept of an angry God! TV, church, sermons based on fear of hell, lead us to believe God is simply angry at sinners. I grew up like that! True enough about hell! But God is still seeking to save us because of His love for us, not His anger!
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3.
What happened to Jesus, being assaulted by those seeking to destroy Him, was from angry men, who hated Jesus-The Son of God! They saw Jesus as coming and taking their power, control and position away from them. As everything Jesus did was as His ABBA in Heaven showed Him, so He did, in like manner! John 5:19-20
Today, news media reporting is based on fear mongering, to keep us coming back in fear! Good news is not enough to control or keep us coming back for more. Yet, God is doing amazing things in world! In fact, His Glory is coving the earth! The Goodness of God, is simply not reported! The Goodness of God is seen as fantasy news! I have had hard times trying to share what God is doing with me, in my travels with God, as people dismiss the signs, wonders, miracles I have witnessed with my own eyes, ears and hands. Not me working; but God working! They simple do not believe that God did or is doing that today! And for sure not with me, of all people, I suppose? But, none the less, I have witnessed signs, wonders, miracles of God as work!
We have all been witnesses to living in broken relationships, as others since the Garden of Eden, between God and Adam and Eve. We have all seen broken relationships with brothers, as Cain and Abel. We, like early men, have all seen broken relationships deteriorate until there was nothing good left, as on the earth as in the days of the flood. Then, God found only Noah still in relationship with Himself!
Noah, was an amazing man, surrounded by evil men, was still seeking to hear and answer God to such a degree, he would follow God in obedience, with his family in building and entering the ark! Sound like today? Very much so!
But the story has a strange twist, as Noah too, blesses and curses his own sons! I love Noah! He was a man after God’s heart, yet he lived as a man, broken too. With his heart after God, he passes the curse on to his sons. I cry! I want Noah to be perfect and bless his sons and be a great example for us as fathers. Yes, to one degree a great example of saving his house, but not a good example, in cursing his sons for their mistakes! The curse continues in broken relationships.
After the flood, we discover Abraham, who became a “friend of God!” God and Abraham so communed together in such a way, God invites Abraham on journey with Him. Abraham was not perfect and made mistakes, but his overall heart was to hear and obey God. God made and kept His Promises with Abraham. That relationship established for us an example of a faith-walk with God, what it means to see, hear and engage God in much the same way!
Through our own lives we have experienced disconnected relationship with our own fathers and our own sons, too. Disappointment, anger, fear and shame inhibit the ability to communicate in such a way to heal and build a strong affirming bonds together. Most of our pain does not come from adulthood, as we can reason things out as adults. The real issues come from our childhood, when what we experienced, we based on our authority figures, present or absent, and what we felt and heard, we counted all as truth! We then interpreted our relationships from that understanding as truth, or our reality.
So strange, men living in silence finding it hard to share our reality! Then, there are those who rage and complain with accusations and attacks, as they see a world against them! Anyone seen infringing on them, their rights or space, they resist, fighting the pain of injustice, disappointments, abuses of their life. We pass on our pain from generation to generation! Where is the love; Joy; Peace; Father/son relationships?
From Genesis to Malachi, the struggle of relationship between father/sons has continued without relief. We have learned to survive! Old Testament ends with hope, that there will come a man, who will demonstrate what it is to be in real relationship with God as a Good Father, and we His sons, restored at last!
2But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; And you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves… 5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 6And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4.
Genesis starts-Malachi ends, with story of broken relationships and call to restoration.
Matthew-Mark-Luke-John, start the New Testament with demonstration of what it looks like for GOD and Man Relationship in restoration and wholeness! ABBA-JESUS Relationship!
John the Baptist, who demonstrates the message and messenger of Elijah, now introduces Christ, the Son of God, to the world! It is here at JESUS Baptism, the amazing words of affirmation every man cries to hear from his father; ABBA-speaks and His Son Hears! Jesus is glorified and unashamed, engaging the Presence of the Holy Spirit, coming like a dove: The love, joy, peace…; The Presence of ABBA’s Heart into the Life of JESUS!
ABBA demonstrates and gives His Heart for His Son!
JESUS demonstrates and receives His Father’s Heart-Love! Identity! Affirmation!
21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said,
“You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
(Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1)
There are no stronger words then these that every son needs to hear from his father!
It is in these amazing words of Blessing over His Son, ABBA speaks from an Open Heaven!
God is unashamed of His Son-JESUS! It is this unashamed and wonderous love, JESUS came, so we could know ABBA like Jesus knew ABBA, as we too could hear those words spoken over us as His sons!
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1.
38 “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—(JESUS) 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 1.
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Prayer:
“Come JESUS: Save me! I repent-forgive me, deliver me from my sin and make me clean! Heal my heart! Bring me into my Right Relationship with ABBA, in JESUS Name! Holy Spirit-Come like fire and clean me out and make me holy, and child of God; In Jesus Name, Amen!”
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