Jesus redeems us to become sons and daughters of God who carry the Father’s perspective to our world.
John 14:18-21 I will not leave you as orphans…The one who loves me will be loved by my Father...” NIV
We live in an orphan culture that lives for likes, recognition and invitations. Father God is calling from us all more than we realize exists within us.
Genesis 17:4-6 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations…6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. NIV
God is speaking to a 99 year old man who had no son. God said, I’m going to make you a father. I’m going to make you a life giver. I’m going to put things in you that life never gave you. Don’t make excuses!
The voice of your Father God has the power to call things out of you that you didn’t even know could come from you.
God calls it out of us so we will call it out of others! (I’m 99 yrs old and don’t even have a child.) Stop arguing with God.
God takes impossible situations and demonstrates the power of his word – with God all things are possible! That’s the kind of Father He is!
1 Samuel 16:11 So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse answered. "He is tending the sheep." Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives." NIV
“Youngest” is the Hebrew word, “qatan” which literally means: small, young, unimportant and insignificant.
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. NKJV
Based on Psalms 51 most Jewish commentators believe David was conceived in an act of sin. Regardless of the potential idea that David was in some way illegitimately born to Jesse, the fact that he wasn’t invited clearly communicates he was classified as less important or less significant.
Imagine everybody’s surprise when the mighty Prophet Samuel looks at this unlikely person, in an unlikely place at this unlikely time and says, “Regardless of how anybody else sees you. Regardless of how you may or may not have been conceived. Regardless of any possible father wound. Regardless of your own self-disappointment. Regardless of what others have said behind your back. The Father sees something in you that I’m calling it out of you.
Samuel wasn’t David’s natural father. He became a spiritual father drawing something out of him. We are to be spiritual mothers and fathers drawing things out of people they can’t even believe exists within them themselves.
God awakened God’s voice within Samuel under his spiritual father Eli and this empowered Samuel to awaken David.
2 Kings 2:11-13 …Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha cried out, “My father! My father!... NIV
Because the nature of your Father God exists within you, you are awakened as mothers and fathers in the faith to awaken others!
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Consider specifically how you can provide for someone this week as an expression of gratitude for what God has provided for you.
SPIRITUAL WELLNESS: THE FATHER’S PERSPECTIVE
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
When the sons and daughters of God possess a healthy perspective fruitfulness results and the world becomes a better place.
The spirit of Ishmael (heart of an orphan) wars against the spirit of Isaac (heart of a son). This seems to be the dominating spiritual battle on the earth.
John 14:18-21 I will not leave you as orphans… The one who loves me will be loved by my Father...” NIV
Jesus didn’t die on the cross so God could be your Master. Jesus died on the cross so God could be your Father.
God’s plan is for us to hear the Father’s voice together as a family. This is why we start each group with this as our first question:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God in this season of your life?
2. What is one piece of good advice you remember coming from your father or from a father figure in your life?
3. What is one perspective you have now that you wish you would have had when you were younger?
The Father’s perspective is a perspective of counsel that awakens something of an enriched and fruitful future.
Genesis 17:4-6 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations…6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.” NIV
God was speaking to a 99 year old man who had no son. God was saying, “Regardless of your limitations I’m going to make you a father. I’m going to make you a life giver. I’m going to put things in you that life never gave you.”
In God’s Kingdom he adopts us as sons and daughters becoming our father. He is a father to the fatherless (Ps 68:5). Even if life didn’t give you what you feel like you need God is able to awaken life within you just like he did for Abraham.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. How would you describe what it means to father someone well?
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Consider specifically how you can provide for someone this week as an expression of gratitude for what God has provided for you.