God's Greatest Gift

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, let's take a moment to reflect on God's greatest gift to us - His Son, Jesus Christ.  Though He came in the form of a baby, this prayer of St. Patrick reminds us that He is our all in all.  Merry Christmas!

Jesus - Our All in All

Christ for sickness, Christ for health,

Christ for poverty, Christ for wealth,

Christ for joy, Christ for sorrow,

Christ today, and Christ tomorrow;

Christ my life, and Christ my light,

Christ for morning, noon, and night;

Christ when all around gives way,

Christ my everlasting stay; 

Christ my rest, Christ my food,

Christ above my highest good;

Christ my well beloved, my Friend,

Christ my pleasure without end;

Christ my Savior, Christ my Lord,

Christ my Portion, Christ my God,

Christ my Shepherd, I His sheep,

Christ Himself my soul does keep.

Christ my Leader, Christ my Peace,

Christ has brought my soul's release;

Christ my Righteousness divine,

Christ for me, for He is mine;

Christ my Wisdom, Christ my meat,

Christ restores my wandering feet,

Christ my Advocate and my Priest,

Christ who never forgets the least;

Christ my Teacher, Christ my Guide,

Christ my Rock, in Christ I hide;

Christ the everlasting Bread,

Christ His precious blood has shed;

Christ has brought us near to God,

Christ the everlasting Word,

Christ my Master, Christ my Head,

Christ who for my sins has bled;

Christ my Glory, Christ my Crown,

Christ the Plant of great Renown,

Christ my Comforter on high,

Christ my Hope draws ever nigh.

Posted by Redeeming Love

Burdens to Blessings

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people." Genesis 50:20 (NLT)

You Can Never Be Undone

It can be a real mess out there. And the crazy thing is, there can be whole rising muck of stuff on the inside too.

And yet — we do it anyways: String up a tangle of lights. Set a musty angel atop the tree. Deck the front porch and the back streets and the whole tilted world in this twinkling robe, this tinseled robe. Watch how the whole world spins round in these lit colors.

But as much as the world decorates and prepares for Christmas, it's like the hem of our robe is dirty and dragging; there's always the ripped underside of things, the dreams and bits of us and unspoken hopes, all torn to pieces.

You can feel this — in a torn-up world, you feel a bit torn apart.

When you are brave, you give yourself the gift of facing and touching your own torn places. The places where we're torn to pieces can be thin places where we touch the peace of God.

Like Joseph, in the book of Genesis, who reaches out touches his own worn-thin place. He feels along the edges of the torn places, and he sees through, telling his brothers that verse we can hold onto like a gift today: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good."

What was intended to tear you apart, God intends it to set you apart.

Whatever has torn you, God makes a thin place to see glory. Whatever happens, whatever unfolds, whatever unravels, you can never be undone.

You can stand around a Christmas tree with a family tree like Joseph's, with cheaters and beaters and deceivers. Or his dad, Jacob, who ran away and ran around and ran folks down.

But out of a family line that looks like a mess, God brings the Messiah. What was intended to harm, God intended all of it for good, and no matter what intends to harm you, God's arms have you. You can never be undone.

No matter what intends to harm you ... God is never absent, never impotent, never distant.

You can never be undone.

In the middle of all our collective mess stands the most monstrous evil. The wood of the crèche that held baby Jesus lies torn apart behind the wood of the Cross. The cries of the innocent Babe under the stars of Bethlehem twist into the agonized cries of the innocent victim atop the injustice of Calvary.

The holy dark over the manger gives way to the heinous dark over the Messiah and the slamming hammer and the tearing vein and the piercing thorn — the created murdering the Creator.

The Cross stands as the epitome of evil.

And yet God takes the greatest evil ever known to humanity and turns it into the greatest Gift you have ever known.

"If the worst things work for good to a believer, what shall the best things?" writes puritan Thomas Watson. "Nothing hurts the godly ... all things ... shall cooperate for their good, that their crosses shall be turned into blessings."

If God can transfigure the greatest evil into the greatest Gift, then He intends to turn whatever you're experiencing now into a gift. You cannot be undone.

Somewhere, Advent can storm and howl and look messy.

And still, the world all robed for Christmas can spin bravely and beautifully on — holding on to a God who won't let you be undone.

Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." (ESV)

Reprinted with permission by Proverbs  31 Ministries

God, Our Father

When an earthly father does not provide the love, nurturing, care and support that a daughter needs, it can leave her with a marred image of who her heavenly Father is. However, those traits that may have been missing in an earthly father are all present and abundant in Father God. Be blessed as you read the below scriptures and allow them to renew your mind as to who He truly is.  

Portrait of Your Heavenly Father

Your Father is perfectly faithful.

Deuteronomy 31:8 “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Your Father is a generous provider.

Matthew 7:11 “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”

Your Father is loving and compassionate.

John 17:23 (Jesus speaking to His Father) "You have loved them even as you have loved me."

Psalm 103:13 “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”

Your Father is forgiving and accepting.

Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Your Father is a patient teacher.

Isaiah 30:20-21 “Your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”

Your Father is an understanding counselor. 

Isaiah 9:6 “He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Your Father is a wise communicator.

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

James 3:17 “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

Your Father gives good gifts.

James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Your Father is attentive to your needs.

Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Your Father is strong yet personal.

Isaiah 40:26 “He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”

Matthew 10:30 “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

And so much more. He is more wonderful than our mind can comprehend. He is there, even if we feel that He has left or that He ought to leave, and even when we turn our backs on Him. Our Father is love, pure love, and He does not change.

Reprinted with permission from From Seek Him Meet Him weekly online devotional, © by Sylvia Gunter, The Father's Business, P. O. Box 380333, Birmingham, AL 35238, www.thefathersbusiness.com.  Email: info@thefathersbusiness.com

Look to the Light

“You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy.” Psalm 16:11

Basking in the Son

Yesterday I took a walk along a beautiful tree-lined trail and enjoyed all the splendor of fall – the smell of crispy leaves filled the air, sunlight dappled the trees, and swirls of colorful leaves danced before my eyes.  As I strolled along and enjoyed all of the sights, sounds, and smells of the season, I came to a spot that took my breath away.  

The sun was hanging low in the sky and was casting its glorious light upon a tree laden with golden leaves.  I stopped in my tracks and stood where the sun met the trail and basked in its light.  As I took in the warmth and gazed at the light, I noticed that everything around me disappeared.  

The light was so strong and bright that it overshadowed the other people on the trail, the houses that surrounded me, and the trees whose company I had been enjoying. I could see nothing but the beautiful, life-giving light. 

It was then that the Lord reminded me that so it is when we fix our eyes on our Savior.  No matter what our circumstances, no matter what may be surrounding us vying for our attention or threatening to steal our peace, joy, and sense of well-being, when we fix our eyes upon Jesus Christ, it all falls away.  There is no darkness that His light cannot pierce and no obstacle that He cannot overshadow.

Yesterday was a beautiful reminder to me that when trouble comes my way, and indeed it will, I need to turn and bask in the light of the Son who has already overcome.

I could have stayed there for hours, but life and its responsibilities urged me on. However, as I walked away, the words of an old hymn rang through my mind...  

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

By Shannon M. Nass

     

A Divine Exchange

Life can throw many things at us, but thankfully, God has everything already covered.  He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and conquer everything that comes against us.  Our job is to receive all that He did for us through a divine exchange of our circumstances for His comfort, love, and victory.  

Comfort: God's Holy Exchange

All of us will be walking in more of the Luke 4:18-19 ministry of Jesus as we go on with God:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Luke 4:18-19 NKJV

    

Jesus began his ministry on earth quoting from Isaiah 61:1-3. "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD ... has sent me ... to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."

Jesus defined His call and His eternal relationship with us when he quoted this passage in His first public sermon. He brings good news to us, binds up our broken heart, and comforts our mourning in our grief. These days may not feel like His goodness or His faithfulness, but His Word promises that dark clouds are under God's feet (Ps 18:9). He never stops inviting us near him to love, guide, deliver, heal, and comfort us. All we love is in His hands. He hears our prayers and our tears when there are no words. He counts them as liquid intercession, which is precious to Him (Psalm 56:8a). He is our Mighty Warrior and contends with those forces that contend with us (Isaiah 42:13; Psalm 35:1).

Be blessed with a still heart, while God fights for you (Exodus 14:14; Psalm 46:10). Be blessed in His covenant of love that can never be taken from you (Romans 8:35,38-39; Psalm 18:19). Be blessed to know that everything is for His glory (2 Corinthians 4:15). He is being glorified in you.

God's promise is sure that he is able to guard what you have entrusted to Him (2 Timothy 1:12). Receive His covering of His sweet presence and peace that passes all understanding in all your cares. He never loses sight of whom He designed you uniquely to be and whom He designed those you love to be. His plans for you are written on the palm of the nail-pierced hands of His Son.

Be blessed to know Him as your Father of compassion
and God of all comfort, who comforts you in all your cares.
2 Cor 1:3-4

Reprinted with permission from From Seek Him Meet Him weekly online devotional, © by Sylvia Gunter, The Father's Business, P. O. Box 380333, Birmingham, AL 35238, www.thefathersbusiness.com.  Email: info@thefathersbusiness.com

For Everything There is a Season

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." As grey skies begin to outnumber blue, the last read and gold leaves cling to bare branches, and crickets have quieted their nightly chorus, it is becoming evident that a new season will soon be upon us. Though we know what to expect from the icy bite of winter each year, sometimes seasons come upon us and we find ourselves quite unprepared for what lies ahead. Such was the case a few years ago in my own life. Thankfully, God always has a path prepare for us and He reminded me of that with three simple words... 

Walk, Watch, Wait

While on a camping trip with my family, I had an opportunity to go for a run along an unfamiliar stretch of the Great Allegheny Passage. As I laced up my running shoes, my mind raced with anticipation of the beautiful scenery that I knew lay ahead of me. Little did I know that in addition to the breathtaking landscape along the trail, the Lord had a message for me.

Wildflowers flanked both sides of the trail and the air was filled with the songs of birds. The sun dappled the trees and the cool freshness of the morning awakened my spirit. This quiet stillness of dawn was just what I needed to prepare my heart for prayer. As my family stood on the cusp of a new season in our lives, my heart was heavy with anxiety, worry, and fear of the unknown.

My daughters were heading off to Kindergarten, and I was forced to redefine myself as I let them go. The thought of coming home to an empty house each afternoon conjured feelings of loneliness and I wondered how I was going to fill the time until they came home each day. These and other uncertainties kept my mind spinning and I woke up many nights with feelings of heaviness and a sick stomach.

As I continued along the trail, I poured out my heart to God and lay at His feet all of my cares and concerns. The trail twisted and turned as it followed the snakelike path of the Youghiogheny River. The bends in the trail made it impossible to see what lay ahead, forcing me to focus on the path at my feet. That's when the Lord wrote His loving message on the tablet of my heart. Walk, watch, and wait.

I had been so caught up wondering about the future, that I hadn't done what God had called me to do right then, which was simply walk. Press on, move forward, and continue in the direction He had pointed me. There were no decisions or plans to be made. The Lord simply asked me to go on with Him, one little stretch at a time. The path was clear and straight before me. Daily time spent reading His word and in prayer would keep me from veering or turning around.

As I continued on, the Lord also asked me to watch. There were bends in the road ahead, but I was not to focus on them. If I did, I would miss the beauty that was already surrounding me. He wanted me to breathe in the fragrance of the wild flowers, listen to the songs of the birds and the crickets, and enjoy this stretch of the trail upon which I walked. I was to take in all that was going on around me and watch for what He was doing in my life at that time.

A bend in the trail loomed ahead and the unknown lurked around the corner, but for that the Lord simply said wait. Just wait and rest in Him. Thankfully, He knows what lies ahead for me and He has already taken care of it all. He prepared the path and He will lead me down it. Side by side He walks with me over every bump and along every twist and turn. My Companion knows the way, knows what is ahead, and will make sure I am prepared for it all.

The next day, I turned my first corner. I didn't know what it looked like on the other side, but I was certain that it would be beautiful and there would be a loving hand waiting to hold mine and lead me down the next section.

"The path of a righteous man is ordered by the Lord and He delights in his way." Psalm 37:23

By Shannon M. Nass

The Time Keeper

As we go about our days with one eye on the clock and the other on the tasks at hand, time can seem to be slipping through our fingers as we face busy days and full schedules.  When I start to feel overwhelmed by it all, I stop, reflect, and refresh myself in the One who holds time in His hands. God's got it covered and He will equip us to do what He has called us to do.  Rest in Him.  His timing is always perfect!

Alignment Of Your Times 

Hear God's Word for you in Psalm 31:15. "My times are in your hands." And in Daniel 7:25. "He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws." And in Revelation 1:8. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

Let God bring your spirit, soul, and body into alignment with His divine time. Choose to stay in the present tense of God's time. Be blessed as you understand the wiles of the enemy to change God's times (Dan 7:25). Ask God to deal with all warping of your time. Be blessed in every part of your spirit to be in harmony with God's time. Ask Him about time, timeliness, and bringing time into alignment, so that you stand in His victories and the breakthroughs already won. 

Be blessed with lining up with your birthright and with God's divine time, so that no portion of your being or spiritual identity or inheritance is out of kilter. God who is out of time can keep your spirit, soul, and body in right relationship to the flow of his days for you. Anticipate His timing on your coming and going. Be blessed to see His fingerprints upon everything that concerns you. If it concerns you, it concerns Him. Look for and receive His nurture, and grow and increase and be strong in all that your Father has for you to receive. You have worked hard over time to overcome brokenness. Trust God to propel you forward, because He is nurturing your whole being. Fragmentation is a thing of the past as God brings all of you to full stature, as Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. Be blessed with being whole in every part: spirit, soul, and body.

Be blessed to know the fullest dimensions of what God has placed inside you. Be blessed with knowing your identity in Christ for such a time as this. Understand what your Father designed you to do and how He wants to implement your gifts to accomplish that work with authenticity. He is mentoring and coaching you in the completeness of Christ's likeness. Be blessed with receiving that spiritual deposit now. You have a powerful destiny and purpose. He is guiding and equipping you to demonstrate his magnificence. 

Recognize that God's hand is on every circumstance of your life, as He gives you opportunity to learn and to express all of Himself in you. Be blessed as you accept the giftedness He has placed in you, and know that you are a gift from Him to all the people in your circle of influence. Be blessed today in God's redeemed time. He made everything beautiful in His time.    

Be blessed in the name of the Alpha and Omega, with whom time has no beginning or end (Rev 1:8).

Reprinted with permission from From Seek Him Meet Him weekly online devotional, © by Sylvia Gunter, The Father's Business, P. O. Box 380333, Birmingham, AL 35238, www.thefathersbusiness.com.  Email: info@thefathersbusiness.com

A Very Present Help

God loves His children and is intimately acquainted with all of our ways.  He promises to be a very present help in our hours of need and is there when we call out to Him. No need is too great or too small for Him to meet.  He's proven Himself faithful to me in this area and He wants to do the same for you.  Be blessed!

In His Care

A few year's ago, my husband’s job required him to work ten days straight with no break in between.  No break for him meant no break for me.  As a stay-at-home mother of four-year-old twin girls at the time, my days were filled with activity so any respite I received was welcomed and appreciated.  The thought of ten busy days ahead with little to no quiet time was daunting to say the least.  However, as with all things, I entered into it with prayer and trusted that God would be my strength. 

The first week went by smoothly for the girls and me as we got together with friends and enjoyed spending time out of doors.  By day seven; however, my grace and mercy towards my children was waning along with my strength.  I was just plain tired and the tiniest little indiscretion on the part of my children set me off.  The three of us were missing my husband and we were all displaying it in different and unsavory ways.  

After shamefully raising my voice at them, I realized that what I needed was a little break from the action.  I asked them for their forgiveness, and then asked God for His forgiveness and strength to finish the day.  Shortly after my outburst, the Lord put it upon my heart to go for a run on the nearby walking trail.  Running has always been a way for me to alleviate stress and reconnect with my heavenly Father, but I was so tired that it was the last thing I wanted to do.  However, He kept pressing it upon my heart and before I knew it, I had my running shoes on, the jog stroller in the trunk, and the girls loaded in the backseat on the way to the trail. 

After running the first mile, I could feel the stress melting from my body and my mind.  It was a beautiful afternoon with the sun shining, a cool breeze blowing, birds chirping, and the newly blossomed honeysuckle assaulting our noses with its heady fragrance.  Before long, the rhythm of the stroller combined with the fresh air and cool breeze lulled my girls to sleep.  I finished up my last mile, and then slowed down to a stroll and enjoyed the blessed quiet time.  It was then that I realized what God had in mind for me all along.  

While a run wasn’t even on my radar, He knew it was just what I needed to restore my soul.  I walked and talked with Him, thanking Him for the much needed break in the middle of my day.  I marveled at how He knew just what I needed, when I needed it.  He embraced me in the beauty of His creation and I drank in the sights, sounds, smells, and most importantly, His love. 

According to the world’s standards, I’m pretty insignificant, but God showed me on that trail that I matter to Him. The Creator of the universe searches my heart and knows me intimately.  He comes to me in my time of need and is there for me when I cry out to Him. 

I will never forget that afternoon with my God, enjoying His presence and drawing from His strength.  He refreshed my spirit, renewed my mind, and bathed me in His forgiveness, mercy, and love.  Since then, I've learned to lean more fully on Him and dwell on His grace, mercy and loving kindness, keeping in mind that He is dwelling on me and that I do not go by unnoticed by Him.  

He loves all of His children this way and He longs for us to come to Him and drink deeply from the living waters.  Seek Him and you will find that He is already there waiting to meet your needs and display His love to you.  Run to Him.  He is waiting for you with open arms.  

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”  Psalm 23:1-3     

By Shannon M. Nass

Precious in His Sight

The following devotion serves as an awesome reminder of Jesus Christ's love for us and that no sin - past, present, or future - is beyond His grace, mercy and forgiveness.  No matter where we've come from or where we are, we are precious in His sight and nothing can separate us from His love.  What a beautiful truth.  Be blessed!

You Are Not a Throwaway Person

"Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, 'Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?' 'No, Lord,' she said. And Jesus said, 'Neither do I. Go and sin no more.'" John 8:10-11 (NLT)

It was just an old broken can opener, but Michael, my young son, saw something of great value.

When he walked into the kitchen, this "treasure" on the cabinet piqued his curiosity. He asked if he could play with it as he ran his little hands over it, checking out all its nifty parts. Better yet, could he keep it?

I didn't really think he could get hurt since it was broken, but I explained why it was not a toy.

Despite my insistence, he proceeded to make his case for gaining possession of the can opener. Finally, growing weary of this discussion, I used my maternal "I mean it" tone and told him to throw the broken can opener away and go play.

Suddenly, little Michael's demeanor changed. His shoulders slumped and his skinny little arms hung limp beside his body, as if all the bones had left them completely.

Then for sentimental effect, he poked out his bottom lip and stared up at me with big, blue, puppy-dog eyes, uttering this question in the sweetest sounding, most pitiful little-boy voice he could muster: "Well Mommy, if I was broken, would you just throw me away?"

Whoa! Didn't see that one coming. Our conversation about a silly can opener just got complicated. I chuckled, gave him a big hug, and reassured him he was too valuable to me to ever be thrown away — even if he were completely broken.

Satisfied with my answer, he skipped off with the can opener, cord flopping behind him. I was left stunned, pondering the weight of his question.

My thoughts went back to years earlier when I felt like that can opener because of mistakes in my past: broken and useless, void of value. But then a smile washed across my face as I remembered the day God told me I was too valuable in His eyes to ever be thrown away, much like He did for the woman found in John chapter 8.

John opens this chapter with Jesus confronting a group of religious leaders who had brought a woman before Him who'd been caught in adultery. They asked Jesus what they should do with her.

Before shaming her before Jesus, the crowd had already decided this woman was a throwaway person. A useless sinner. A woman who had made mistakes and wrong choices and should be held accountable for her actions to the highest degree: death by stoning.

But Jesus saw more when He looked at that woman. He looked past her sin and shame and saw her value — a value she most likely didn't even see in herself.

The leaders asked Jesus what He thought of her sin. They wanted Him to accuse her and affirm her worthlessness so they could begin the stoning, but He did just the opposite. He not only refused to accuse her, but also challenged her accusers: "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" John 8:7b (NLT)

One by one, they dropped their stones, turned and left. Jesus' words proved to the crowd and to this broken woman that, despite her sin and the mistakes she had made, her life mattered.

Certainly this woman knew she'd done wrong. Maybe deep in her heart she felt she deserved her punishment. Maybe she hung her head ready to accept the blows, thinking her life lacked purpose. But Jesus knew her worth. Her value. He knew the purposes for which He'd created her. And He wanted her to know that, too.

None of us is a throwaway person, because no one is ever beyond repair in God's eyes. He is the ultimate restorer of people, hearts and lives. Restoration brings transformation, and the faith to believe our lives truly do matter to God.

Lord, thank You for loving me, despite me. Help me see the value You see in me and to trust You have an amazing plan for my future. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Ephesians 1:7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." (ESV)

Taken from Proverbs 31 Ministries.

The Father's Love Letter

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.

Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

 

Father's Love Letter used by permission
Father Heart Communnications ©1999 FathersLoveLetter.com  

 

 

 How to Know the Father