Discussion: Has there been any challenges in understanding and experiencing the Father-heart of God in your life? What has the Lord taught you about your relationship with Our Father in Heaven? As you grow spiritually, God’s desire is that you increasingly know Him as Father and His Father-heart in your life each day. The New Testament is full of passages declaring God to be Our loving Heavenly Father. Allow me to quote three important aspects of this: For how can one fully give their life, their heart, their soul, their affections, their EVERYTHING to a God whom they do not know? Such is what I wrestle with. Lord, I want to know you more... no, I NEED to know you more... if I am to have any hope of devotedly following your pillar of fire wherever it may rest in the stunning darkness that surrounds this world, I must know you. This is not a request but a desperate plea from a hungry, fully-dependent soul. Hungry and desperate, the son decides to come home. He knows he’s sinned and doesn’t expect to be restored to his family, but is content to live as one of his father’s servants.

This book is part of the core curriculum, so-to-speak, of Youth With A Mission. It talks about how the Lord relates to us as a loving Father and how our relationship with our own dads and other authority figures can inhibit our ability to respond to Him as such. As our Father’s children, let’s run to His arms—and give others the opportunity to do the same by showing compassion on others.There is an ache in God’s heart for every one of His children to return to Him—even those who are lost and sinning—as we will see in the third parable. The Lost Son If you’re looking to encounter the Father with others who are hungry for more revelation, we invite you to an upcoming Immerse focusing on this, May 13–20 in Kansas City. Spend eight days experiencing theological teaching coupled with practical, hands-on training in the harp and bowl model all in a community of 24/7 corporate prayer. Knowing that God is Our Father is much more than just knowing some verses from the Bible; it is a truth that should change our lives. Below are five out-workings of the fact that God’s Father-heart is constantly towards us. In Love, He predestined us for adoption by grace! God doesn’t see us as His sons and daughters because we are perfect and serve him so well! God’s love for us is unconditional. In addition to the core curriculum this program offers special break-out sessions for pastors and leaders who want to grow in shepherding well in these last days, giving “meat in due season” (Matthew 24:45).

I could go on but what is important is that you know and take hold of the fact that God’s Father-heart reveals all those things to be lies. God loves you and is calling you to greater intimacy; to a deeper knowledge of Him and His ways; to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Let’s not speed by these two words, forgetting their significance and power. If God truly is our Father, then this knowledge can transform how we live, pray, and serve. And transformed people will bring good news to a lost, hurting, and often fatherless world.Then we will see healing in our lives, families, and world, as the Lord turns “the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). Growing up, when I thought about God and Jesus, I always thought that Jesus was the nice one and God as being distant and angry. When I prayed as a child and young adult, I would talk to Jesus, but not to God the Father. I thought he was disappointed with me, cold, and judgemental. Jesus and Paul both declared that God is not just Father, but Abba. Abba is an Aramaic word which has no simple explanation in English, but is often said to mean “daddy” (Mk. 14:36, Rom. 8:15). One person put it like this: So we never need to try deserving the Father’s love! Unconditional love can’t be deserved! It’s freely given! In John 14:18, He says that He will not abandon us as orphans. In 2 Corinthians 6:18, He says, “And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” Receiving the Father’s love

The father was watching for him! He ran (which was disgraceful for a man of stature) and kissed him—not worrying if his son still smelled like the pigpen! Somehow, I received the message that God was upset with humans and Jesus protected us from his anger. When I eventually learned to see God as a kind and loving father, my entire walk with the Lord changed. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believedin his name,he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”God’s fatherly love is always available to you. I encourage you to pray and ask God to reveal Himself to you as a Father. Ask Him how He sees you as his precious daughter or son.

Participants will also learn the harp and bowl model of worship and intercession used at the International House of Prayer, making this program ideal for pastors, leaders, worship teams, prayer groups, and anyone who desires to start or strengthen a prayer ministry in their local church, home, or workplace. Learn more » But there’s one more twist to the story: the older brother, who has been working hard for his father for years. He gets angry when he hears the celebration for his wayward younger brother. God wants us to know the intimacy of Him like a small child does with their dad, but also to understand that Our Dad is the Creator of the universe. He is mighty, powerful, awesome living God. Allow God to soften your heart so that you can call Him “Dad” and know that He looks upon you with favour and listens to your voice with delight. 2. Living Out the Father-heart of GodOne of the great declarations of the Bible is that God is Our Father. The Bible tells us of the amazing closeness, intimacy, warmth and tender-heartedness of God, Our Father. When received through faith in Jesus Christ and acted upon, this truth gives amazing freedom and power in our lives as believers. God constantly wants to reveal how much He loves you. He wants to speak to you! Down below is a resource you can use to ask God what He wants to show you right now about His Father’s Heart for you! However, Tertullian saw God the Father as a judge and Jesus as our defense attorney. He originated the idea that Jesus saved us from God’s wrath. His ideas have been passed down through centuries of church history, which is why so many people still see God the Father as a harsh judge today.