THE HEART OF THE FATHER

Capture the Wonder #2

Pastor Dennis Clanton

Woodland Church

Sunday, April 23, 2023

(Jude 1–2, NCV) “From Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. To all who have been called by God. God the Father loves you, and you have been kept safe in Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love be yours richly.”

(1 John 3:1, AMP) “What an incredible quality of love the Father has given us, that we should be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are!”

1. ENJOY YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

(Ephesians 2:19, NLT) “You are members of God’s family.”

(1 Timothy 3:15, GW) “God’s family is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. ”

2. UNDERSTAND THE LOVE OF GOD.

(Ephesians 3:16–19, NLT) “I pray … Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

a. Wide enough – to be with me everywhere.

b. Long enough – ­to last forever.

c. Deep enough – to handle anything.

d. High enough – to overlook my mistakes.

GROWTHWORK

1. Be bold in prayer.

(Romans 8:17, NLT) “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father. … “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.”

2. I can have peace in pain.

(Hebrews 12:11, NLT) “No discipline isenjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

(1 Chronicles 4:10, NKJV) “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.”

3. Be courageous and take a risk to be a passionate follower of Christ.

(Mark 15:43, NLT) “Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body …  he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.”

(Romans 6:13, NLT) “Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life.”