Being Fathered By God – Day 5

Coming into day 5 of this great devotional. I found this devotional: Being Fathered By God. The devotional seems very powerful and purposeful as it calls out how “Every man has had authority figures in his life, and much of what a man perceives about God was shaped by those authority figures. His earthly father is at the top of every man’s authority list.” So I took on the offer to join the journey into this devotional. Will you join me on this 14-day journey?

Scripture for Today’s Devotional

• Luke 15:20-24
• John 21:15-19
• Luke 11:11-13

‘So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. ‘

Luke 15:20-24

‘When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” ‘

John 21:15-19

‘ “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 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 the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” ‘

Luke 11:11-13

Do you realize the power of God’s Word? Do you realize the truth in God’s Word? Are you making and taking time to hear from God through His Word? Are you making and taking time to capture the truth and the promises of God? Are you ready to get started and see what God’s Word can speak into your life through His Word? Let’s get started with the scripture from today’s devotional and see how it can help us to Be The Dads that God created and purposed for us to be!

Let’s be the dads who are filled with compassion for our kids! Let’s be the dads who understand the compassion our Heavenly Father has for us! Let’s be the dads who love and forgive our kids! Let’s be the dads who humble ourselves and turn back to God asking Him to forgive us for our mess-ups! Let’s be the dads who demonstrate how much we love our kids by the way we act and respond to them! Let’s be the dads who model our responses to God’s loving response to the lost son even when our kids make really bad decisions! Let’s be the dads who realize we can always turn back and return to God no matter how bad a decision we made! Let’s be the dads who celebrate the good decisions and return of our kids into the ways of God!

Let’s be the dads who love God! Let’s be the dads who love Jesus! Let’s be the dads who from the overflow of this love choose to live lives glorifying God in accordance with His plans and purposes for our us! Let’s be the dads who speak God’s Word into the lives of our wives, kids, and the world! Let’s be the dads who will walk our kids back into the light and into their purpose and calling from God! Let’s be the dads who like Peter who was reinstated back as the Apostle Peter after having denied Jesus 3 times, are ready to restore, reinstate, and hand destiny to our kids! Let’s be the dads who like Peter turn to Jesus to be restored, reinstated, and given our destiny! Let’s be the dads who unconditionally love God and love our wives, our kids, and the world! Let’s be the dads who put our faith into action as we lead our families! Let’s be the dads who put our faith into action as we love our wives! Let’s be the dads who put faith into action as we love our kids! Let’s be the dads who put faith into action as we pour love into the world around us! Let’s be the dads who put our faith into action in order to give meaning and purpose to our lives!

Let’s be the dads who know how to give good to our wives, kids, and the world around us! Let’s be the dads who trust God and know how to give good gifts better than we do! Let’s be the dads who trust God and ask when we have needs! Let’s be the dads who trust God and live in a relationship with Him!

Today’s devotional was provided by Michael Thompson where on zoweh.org they share the following: “Every man has had authority figures in his life, and much of what a man perceives about God and projects onto God was shaped by those authority figures. At the top of every man’s authority list is his earthly father. How your dad handled your heart has shaped you and contributed significantly to how you perceive God. Join us for this journey towards experiencing the heart of the Father and getting everything out of the way that is in the way of being a Beloved Son.“

Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me: (check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)

Through zoweh.org, you are able to download today’s devotional and many others.

For more information, please visit https://www.zoweh.org/youversion.

Takeaways from Today’s Devotional:
“The Prodigal Father“

• Let’s be the dads who understand our Heavenly Father’s heart as provided to us through Jesus!
• Let’s be the dads who receive and gather the intel about our Heavenly Father given to us through Jesus’ teachings and parables!
• Let’s be the dads who grasp and look to understand the heart of our Heavenly Father through all the messages we read in the Bible about the King of God!
• Let’s be the dads who see the invitations to see our Heavenly Father in the parables of Jesus!
• Let’s be the dads who see our Heavenly Father in the parable of the lost or prodigal son!
• Let’s be the dads who grab hold of the meaning “prodigal” which is “spending resources freely and recklessly; being wasteful . . . extravagant . . . having or giving something in a lavish way.”
• Let’s be the dads who realize how “prodigal” the Father was when He spotted the son finally returning home!
• Today’s devotional uses the Message version of Luke 15:20-24 to express it:
  • “When [the son] was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech…
    “Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.” But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, “Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!” And they began to have a wonderful time! Luke 15:20–24 MSG“
• Let’s be the dads who see how the Father is being spotlit through this story!
• Let’s be the dads who see how Jesus would do this same thing for Peter one day, “reinstating the one who denied Him three times (John 21:15-19)“!
• Let’s be the dads who know how our Heavenly Father’s “redeeming love is ready to cure our greatest aches“!
• Let’s be the dads who grasp the reality of the Father’s response to the prodigal son and could even respond “yes” to His older son who had been faithful and never left Him! Today’s devotional expresses it this way:
  • “The Father’s reaction was so over the top that the older son, who had never gone astray, responded, “Really? Really, Dad? You are going to do that for this wasteful, betraying, dishonoring son of yours?” Simply put, the Father answered, “Yes, yes, and yes!”“
• Let’s be the dads who are aware and holding tightly to God’s love and care!
• Today’s devotional speaks to how all of creation gets to take part in God’s love and care when it says:
  • “And the Father doesn’t stop with just his sons (and daughters). No! All creation gets in on the deal of his love and care.
    
    Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? Matthew 6:26
    
    It is more than comforting. It is necessary to know that Someone is watching out for us, caring for us, making the wrongs in our life right, and giving good and meaningful gifts.
    
    If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing—you’re at least decent to your own children. And don’t you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him? Luke 11:11–13 MSG“
• Today’s devotional closes with these questions:
  • “What kind of gifts from the Father are you getting?“
  • “Can’t you just hear Jesus telling how great his Dad is?“
• Today’s devotional closes with this thought on Luke 11:1-3:
  • “In the passage above, it is still the “preseason” before the gift of the Holy Spirit was fully delivered on the day of Pentecost. Now that we have the Holy Spirit, the gifts are to continue way beyond a single moment. They are to flow and be continually dropped off on the doorsteps of our heart. Beloved Sons with eyes to see and ears to hear know of what I write. The Father deeply wants his gifts to get through to us so we can see and hear and experience that he is good and has good in store for us as he grows us into men.“
• Today’s devotional closes with the challenge of these questions:
  • “Have you understood that much of Christ’s mission was to set the record straight about the Father’s heart and therefore His love?“
  • “Why is it important to know “Someone” is watching out for you?“
  • “What are a couple of recent gifts the Father has given you?… Showing his love and affection just to you, his Beloved?“