The Character of Abba Father’s Heart – The Holy Spirit and His Faithfulness

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This past week my son TJ and I took a road trip. Destination? College! This is the first vehicle that TJ owned and since the truck is up in years and miles I thought it might be wise for me to follow him to Iowa and then I would continue traveling to Michigan where I have some ministry appointments. As the miles went by I found myself staring at the back of the blue Toyota truck as we passed through the never ending state of Nebraska, anyway, as we went along our way I thought about how our Heavenly Father travels with us on the journey toward His promises for us. He is always there to make sure we get to the place He is leading us to. Just as I was with TJ to make sure just in case something happened I was right behind him with my credit card to guarantee he arrived safely to college.

How much more does our Heavenly Father want you and me to know His loving presence; a presence that never leaves us alone on this journey of faith? Which leads us to last week’s blog? Do you remember reason 1 for waiting?

Reason 1: “..we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope…” (Rom. 5:3-4). 

The Father uses the struggle of waiting to build into our character a passionate hope in Him alone. The wilderness of waiting strips us of self and creates a total dependency on the Father and His faithfulness. This is the place the Father desires His children to live from, a place where He is our only hope for this life and the next.

Reason 2: “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us,” (Romans 5:3-4). As we grow in this “passionate hope” we open our hearts to the greatest of gifts the presence of the Father’s love by the Holy Spirit. Hope prepares the container of our hearts to be flooded with streams of living water from Heaven. Jesus taught that the Father would send the “Counselor (the Spirit) who would be with you forever,” (John 14:16). We have a guarantee that is sealed upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit that we are going to make it, that our God will do the impossible just as He did in Abraham’s life.

Jesus told His followers to “wait for the gift my Father promised,” (Acts 1:4). They needed to know the overwhelming love of the Father through the Holy Spirit so that they could travel forward with great confidence. I know I can’t make this journey with out the awareness of my Abba Father’s loving presence with me. Join with me in crying out for a new work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts making us fully aware of our Faithful Father’s presence with us. Come Holy Spirit, Come!!!

The Character of Abba Father’s Heart – Faith & Faithfulness

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As I write this blog I am already counting the days until my family departs for Grand Lake Colorado. Grand Lake is one of my favorite spots in all of Colorado. I am looking forward to spending time in God’s creation before all the activities in the fall begin. Whenever I picture what heaven will look like I imagine a cottage on the shore of this glacier formed lake.

You may be asking, “What does this have to do with the faithfulness of the Father?” Grand Lake is a tangible way to illustrate the importance of faith as it relates to the faithfulness of our Father God in both our past, present, and future situations.

Remember His Past Faithfulness: Even hearing the words Grand Lake brings back a flood of wonderful memories of past childhood days-boating, fishing, hiking, and simply enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. And, Grand Lake also makes me think of the countless ways in the past He has been faithful to my family!

As I have shared in a previous blog Romans 4-5:1-11 has been apart of my daily reading for the last month. Daily I read these words in Ch. 5:8 that remind me of His past faithfulness it states “God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” I praise God that He opened my eyes to my sin and revealed a perfect Savior in His Son Jesus. This amazing grace has been so evident in His past faithfulness and carries me forward into His loving arms in the present moment and the future.

Anticipating His Future Faithfulness: As I look forward to spending time at Grand Lake with my family, just the anticipation brings great joy. So too I look ahead with faith and joy to my Father fulfilling all His promises given for the future. Abraham is a great example of this because he believed God’s future promises even when it was deemed impossible (Romans 4:18-23). Yet, in faith he counted on God to keep His promise. Abraham knew that God was faithful in the past and would be faithful in his future. This gave him great joy for the present and great hope as he looked ahead to the future. Abraham claimed God’s promises in faith that he would have a son, and be the father of many nations.

What a blessing to be able to look back at God’s faithfulness and look forward with great joy to what my Father has in store for the future. Here is a powerful biblical promise that I have been holding on to as I look forward to what my Father has for me in the future: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand…”Isaiah 41:10. 

Claim these future promises with me today: Your Father “will strengthen you and will help you,” and His powerful “right hand” will never let you go no matter what you are going through! Oh and next time you are in Colorado make sure to check out Grand Lake.

The Father’s Love Letter

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I just returned back from another amazing trip to Lesotho Africa. One of the the great blessings I got to experience was leading a retreat for Mountain Kingdom Hope students. These are high school students who are orphans and a couple times a year they are brought together from all different schools to worship, study God’s Word, and experience being a family.

We have found out from our previous retreats that the students did not own Bibles. So my sister Cindy contacted a friend who donated a bible for each student. It was overwhelming to watch the students reaction as we handed a Bible to each of them. Huge smiles covered their beautiful faces and they could not restrain themselves from opening it up and reading God’s love letter in their own language.

Throughout the retreat their Bibles did not leave their hands as they treasured it as if it was their most precious possession. I can’t tell you what that picture did to my heart and how it challenged me anew to hold the Father’s Word of love to me as the greatest of gifts.

As I returned from my trip and opened up the Bible in my morning devotions I asked the Father to give me that same passion and excitement for His living love letter as I experienced through these incredible students in Africa. May that be your prayer as well.