Abba! Father!

So, I received some news a little over a week ago, which, at the time, was VERY disturbing. My mother announced that she would be getting married and moving to Arizona. Coupled with the manner in which she told me and the knowledge AND lack of knowledge of the details surrounding this, I was like a deer in headlights. I wanted to run away from her and cry, a reaction I would expect out of a young child.

For the next week I would begin processing this news. At first, it was disbelief, anger, hurt and feeling like I didn't even know how to turn to God for help. What would I pray for? I didn't know.

Well I began to pray for comfort and peace, at first. I didn't know how I could make sense of it all. So I just wanted peace with it. Of course, immediately, God began to do just that. Through His deep and constant love for me he took hold of me by my right hand and started the process of, not only, peace BUT understanding.

He took me to an OT story of Nabal, Abigail and David in 1 Samuel 25. There's much more to the story (read it), but, David took Abigail to be his wife when her husband died. He would be her protector and provider for the rest of her life. First and foremost, this is most important to me for my mom~ protection, a provider, she won't be alone anymore. I had such peace after reading this knowing that God was giving me the answers I needed. And so quickly! Thank you Father!!

God is wise! His wisdom is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere" (James 3:17).

God is sovereign! He does "work out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will" (Ephesians 1:11).

This past week, God has "guided me with his counsel" (Psalm 73:24). I am gaining such understanding of this marriage to be, my mom's heart, Darwin's (her fiance) heart, there desires and considerations for everyone (the kids) involved. I now have confidence that God is at work here. His plans are perfect and He is accomplishing His will. I may not understand all the details (the speed at which it is happening). But, God is showing me that it doesn't matter. I don't need to understand everything. I just need to trust Him who knows EVERYTHING.

While I'm happy for my mom and the desires of her heart, I'm actually starting to feel excited for her. The anger, hurt and disbelief have been turned into joy. That can only be from God! He IS the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73: 26).

It's strange for me to think that I will soon have another dad. But, all I really need is my Heavenly Father. I have "received a spirit of adoption as sons by which I DO cry out ABBA! FATHER!" Romans 8:15. I am his kid. How sweet is that?!!!!!

discussion notes

Theology for Daily Living: A Class for Women

Session Two: God is Our Father
About the Class:
Classes meet the third Saturday of each month at 9am, through the month of May. In between sessions we will post articles, insights and answers to questions at http://theologyfordailyliving.blogspot.com. This will allow you all to keep up and be a help to applying theology in your day-to-day.

Who is God?
Last month we looked at how the knowledge of theology (who God is) reflects itself in our daily lives. This month we will look at the first person of the trinity, God the Father, and His character.

1. The Character of God
The bible provides us with God’s actions, words, thoughts and feelings from which we can derive (limited) insight into God’s Character. We have God’s own words about who He is from Himself (Exodus 34:6), His prophets (Zeph 3:17), and His people (Psalm 100). Our starting point is going to be Psalm 73 (again!!), verses 23-28.

2. Loving-
A. Hebrew
Our God loves us. But it looks so very different then what we define as “love.” In the Hebrew, there are two words for “love.” One is the same as the English word, the other, chesed, means something more. This love is “loving-kindness,” it also means “steadfast love, grace, mercy, faithfulness, goodness and devotion.” Chesed is always used to describe God’s love (i.e. Exodus 34:6, Deut 7:9, Psalm 136, Neh 9:17, Jonah 4:2). God’s love for us encompasses all the qualities of the definition of chesed, and this is just using our limited language.

B. Greek
Paul talks of the complexity of God’s love in Ephesians 3:17-19. The Greek word for love is agapao, and like the Hebrew word chesed, expresses a deep and constant love. Think about the famous passage on love in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul uses 16 descriptions trying to paint us a picture of what God’s love, untainted by sin, looks like.

C. One Last Definition
Wayne Grudem, in his Systematic Theology, defines God’s love this way- “God’s love means that God eternally gives of Himself to others.” 1 John 4:8 says “God is love.” God does not just love, He is love. Everything God does, decrees, says, etc. flows from that love. Love’s culmination is seen in Jesus’ sacrifice and redemption of our sin (see John 3:16).

3. Wise
Our God is wise (Job 12:13). Everything God does and decrees is done out of perfect wisdom. James 3:17 describes God’s wisdom as “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” Everything God does is done in light of His eternal purpose. He has the best plan and knows best actions to achieve His plan (Romans 16:27, 1 Cor 1:17-31, Eph 3:7-12).

4. Sovereign
Our God is sovereign. He is in control, all-powerful. He can accomplish all His purposes. “Our God is in Heaven, He does all that He pleases,” Psalm 115:3. God’s power is infinite, He is not limited in any way, rather, He “accomplishes all things according to the counsel of His will,” Ephesians 1:11, cf. Matt 19:26, Luke 1:37. No event occurs outside of God’s sovereignty, but He is over all things (Acts 17:24-31):

-good (James 1:17, Phil 4:19)

-bad (Gen 50:20, Prov 16:4)

-“accidental” (Job 37:6-13, Prov 16:33)

God is Our Father
1. God is a Father
Another attribute of God we see within the word is that of “father.” In the Old Testament God is called the “Father of Israel” (Deut 32:6, Jer 3:4, Mal 2:10), “Father of the people” (Psalm 68:5, Psalm 89:26), and biblical imagery depicts Him as having the qualities of a father (Psalm 103:13, Hos 11:1-4).

2. God Has a Son
In His earthly ministry Jesus stressed that He was the Son of God (e.g. “I and the Father are one,” John 10:32; see also Matt 11:27, John 15:24. etc…). One of the words Jesus used to address God is “Abba” (i.e. Mark 14:36). The word was a common one for people to use in addressing their dad; however, because of the intimacy of the term, it was not something anyone would have used when speaking of or to God. In teaching His disciples to use this word (Matt 6), and in His teachings on the Father (John 14), Jesus promoted a more intimate connection between us and God. Jesus made the idea of God as a Father our reality, as His death and subsequent resurrection brought us into adoption as God’s kids (John 1:12, 17:21).

3. Adoption
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us that we should be called children of God; and so we are…” (1 John 3:1). Adoption results when we possess saving faith, Romans 8:11-17. In Christ we are adopted as children into God’s kingdom. John 1:12 says “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

God choose us from the beginning to be His kids (Rom 8:29-32), and sealed us with His Spirit, a guarantee of our status; “the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God…” Romans 8:16. God’s love is so great, He didn’t save us out of our sin to be His slaves- He saved us and made us His kids. “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out Abba! Father!” Rom 8:15.

God, in his perfect wisdom, planned to make children of us (who were previously “children of wrath” Eph 2:3), in His love He chose to adopt us into His family and by His sovereignty it was done.

It’s important that we recognize what God has done through adopting us:

• Relationship with God- We relate to God as a Father, we come to Him as His kids, which is so much more precious then just a distant savior (Gal 4:4-7, Eph 1:4-14).
• Relationship with each other- Being God’s kids means we are brothers and sisters, members of one Family. Christianity is not merely something we have in common with each other; it is an intimacy of perfect family (John 13:35, Eph 4:1-7)
• We are co-heirs with Christ (Gal 3:26-29, 1 Pet 1:4, Rev 2:26-27, 3:21).

Discussion Questions:

1. Read Hebrews 12:5-11. Discipline can be defined as “training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior.” God’s discipline is a benefit of being adopted into God’s family, but we often see it as a burden or something to be avoided.

Proverbs 3:11-12 says, “My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, or loathe His reproof, for whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” Do we accept the discipline of Our Father our do we run from it? In times of discipline how can we fall back on what we know about God’s character to carry us through in times of discipline?

NB: The word used to describe God’s discipline in Hebrews 12:6 is scourge. This word is hard, but it isn’t meant to refer to a penalty we are receiving but to the passion and sometimes intensity of God’s discipline. God’s discipline can be severe, but it is not to be confused with punishment. Punishment is reactive whereas discipline is proactive.

2. We looked at some of the characteristics of God which make Him utterly unique. How do we tend to take away from God’s might, wisdom and love by allowing the character of our earthly fathers to interpret the character of our Heavenly Father? Is there a character trait about your earthly father that prevents you from giving complete trust to God who is your Father?

3. In light of the fact that we our God’s kids, how then should we relate to one another? We are in fact one family- is it difficult for you to view other Christians as your brothers and sister? Do you treat the church body as intimately as you do your immediate family?

Questions for Personal Reflection

1. In light of the definition, “God’s love means that God eternally gives of Himself to others,” how does this alter your view of what it means to be part of a family (earthly family and/or church family)?

2. James and Proverbs speak extensively on wisdom. What does it mean in your daily life to trust and know that God’s wisdom is above your own earthly “wisdom?”

3. God is sovereign and all the circumstances of your life, past, present, and future, flow through His hands. How should you react (or repent) in light of this truth?

4. Study on your own more of God’s character (i.e. mercy, grace, Holiness, patience, truthfulness, etc…) and consider how knowing truths about His character influence your daily living.

A Hymn for Valentine's Day

Here Is Love

Here is love, vast as the ocean,

    Lovingkindness as the flood,

When the Prince of life, our ransom,

    Interposed His precious blood.

Who His love will not remember?

    Who can cease to sing His praise?

He will never be forgotten

    Throughout heaven's eternal days.



On the mount of crucifixion,

    Fountains opened, deep and wide.

Through the floodgates of God's mercy

    Poured a vast and gracious tide.

Peace and love, like mighty rivers,

    Flowed incessant from above.

Heaven's peace and perfect justice

    Kissed a guilty world in love.

Crystal's Story

Please understand as you read this that I post this only by the grace of God. When I was asked to post my testimony... I was struck with fear. I knew at once that God wanted me to do this. I have struggled with what to share and what not to and I have chosen to be fairly candid... This said... it is a little long.
I sometimes feel like I have led several separate lives. There is my childhood, filled with fear, anger, chaos, and scattered with pleasant memories of love. I grew up in a family of 8. I was the oldest middle child. Depending on what year you look at in my childhood, you will see varying happy memories, these became fewer and farther between as I got older, and my mother got more immersed into heroine usage, and my father spent more time in prison. This time correlates almost exactly with my walk with Jesus.

I was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints or Mormon church. My mother hates it when I call them Mormons. I never questioned it. I would wear my pretty dress on Sunday and answer all my Sunday school questions with the exact same wording and the exact same voice inflections as all the other little girls in their Sunday school dresses. I could tell you my testimony... which was the exact same as all the other children's testimony... no problem. I never questioned it. I didn't have to accept Jesus... because I was taught that to focus on the cross was disrespectful and morbid. Jesus wasn't God... he was my cool older brother sent here to make neat stories for Sunday school.

I was given the Holy Ghost as a gift when I was 8, by 6 old men in 3 piece suits in front of the church, while my mother looked on and cried, and all I could think was..."These guys kinda smell funny." I didn't know what it was to praise Jesus or feel the Holy Spirit. This was all fine... why question it? This is until I hit high school.

It was only in the year previous to high school, that I began to figure out that my life wasn't the same as other kids. They were allowed to leave the house, they didn't watch their mother get beat up by their father... or worse listen to their father beat up their brothers. I spent my childhood trying to protect my brothers from the same fate I had. So I had taken on this role of mom. I made dinner, worked after school jobs so I could by them things, made sure they got off to school, and often took the beatings for their mistakes.

As I hit high school I moved out. I continued in the Mormon church, even taking the 5 am "scripture" classes. But as time went on... and I met my first boyfriend... I began to question it. What did I believe in? A friend I had met in middle school... who is my oldest friend to this day... began to ask me questions, about why I believed what I did....and I couldn't really formulate an answer. All I knew is that I lived in constant guilt and fear of my parents. Somehow... I think, at first just in an attempt to feel loved by anyone, I ended up at her church. 1st Presbyterian. I liked it... though a little weirded out... but the services were 2 hours shorter and the music was fast and pretty. As time went on... and I moved in and out of my parents house...in hopes to protect my brother from whatever crazy strung out people were coming in and out of the house at the time... I became much more involved in the youth group. I went on retreats where I remember just crying because I was so confused... I didn't know what was true and what wasn't. You see I had a Jesus as a Mormon too.

There is no official date of acceptance of Jesus into my heart. Honestly I am not sure I ever did in high school. I like to think I did... I like to think all those teenage warm fuzzies I felt on mission trips to Mexico... and on retreats must have meant I loved Jesus, but I still wasn't sure I trusted Him. And I still wasn't living the life of a Christian. I would smoke and party with all my friends from school Saturday night (and Monday through Friday...well except Wednesday... that was youth group night) and be to church seemingly perfect on Sunday. Very few people knew of my family, or my background... and even fewer knew of my chosen lifestyle.

As I went off to college, having finally gotten my younger brothers out of my parent's house, and into what seemed like safer homes, I was excited at the possibilities. I went to a Nazarene college, having no idea what a Nazarene was. I quickly became aware that there were separate denominations in Christianity, and having been a fairly new Christian, if a Christian at all, I shut myself off. I didn't feel like I belonged.... and I carried this with me for the next several years of my life....

We can call this life number 2... I trusted no one... why should I? No one ever came through for me? I found a small group of people and together we all turned our backs on what little faith we may have had. I, having just recently had one of my best friends killed by a drunk driver, gave up. I dropped out of school moved to Chicago, pretended to attend art school for a few quarters and partied like it was 1999... (except it was 1999... but I digress). I spent the next 5 years, pretending I had never heard of God. I occasionally felt guilt for the incredible sinful lifestyle I was leading, but this was easily cured with pot or alcohol. I moved back home a couple years later.


There I ran into an old friend of mine... who months later I found myself living with and engaged to. My life was no longer in my control. I worked to pay all our bills, I put on a cover for our family and friends, and I Put up with extreme verbal and emotional abuse. The only thing I can credit this man with is bringing me to Bremerton. In hopes to distance himself from my family... as they were catching on... he move us here... nearer to his family.... and it wasn't but 2-3 months later that he was out all night, stoned all the time, and become increasingly abusive. By the time this man and I last saw each other... aside from a court date... I was staring up at his furious eyes while he had me pinned under the hood of the stove.... thumbs place in the exact right spot of my neck... trying to kill me. Turns out... He was a lot like my father was. Luckily for me, against his authority... I had made a friend who called the police and saved my life that night.

I tell you this long list of whoa is Crystals for one reason and one reason only... to illustrate the miracles of Jesus. To show you what my Lord pulled me out of. Four short years ago... I found myself in a crumpled ball not able to leave my house... about to be homeless... and having no idea who I was. A long road later and I can say with full confidence that I am in life 3... or something like that! I am born again. I have found a life in Jesus. I have found myself. I know my purpose now is to be a servant. God has blessed me with a family through Seaside... a family I had really never known before.

I have struggled with trust... especially in men. I have overcome the fear that God will leave me just like my father did. God has put a love in my heart for others and children.... and it is a sincere love. I have always been a servant... but in this case it is not an enslavement.... it is a joy. I have been able to overcome fears of marrying and having my own children....so much so it is one of my deepest desires. I always feared my parents lack of love and affinity towards violence was genetic... but I have truly seen God's grace and I have grown a heart that is capable of so much love. I have been able to truly forgive those that have hurt me, and discovered God's protection in setting boundaries.

So no, I have never said a prayer on a back of a card, but I have truly felt the spirit in me. I am so grateful that my Lord and savior died on that cross for all my many sins. And I am just blessed with my own personal testimony of the wreckage that the Lord has pulled me out of.

As I walk this walk, I truly desire that I can exemplify Christ. I hope my story may be helpful to another woman who may have been abused or child who is getting abused. I know the life I have lived has given me both wisdom (to some degree) and empathy toward others in this situation. And I am open if ever any woman may need a listening ear. This too is all Jesus.

Just a Couple Notes...

Hi Ladies,
I am so excited about the breakaway weekend. It should be an awesome time of fellowship. We are really going to focus in on Worship, and will be breaking down different practical aspects of how we worship. Our first session will start at 7:30 PM Friday night more maps and details coming soon.

So just a couple things we want you to know. This year it is at Fort Warden. We are renting a few houses there, and they will be equipped with kitchens. Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday is included in the registration cost. Dinner Saturday night will be a Potluck style Italian meal. Please let Crystal Woodrich or Anna Stenwick know if you are interested in helping with that.

We are encouraging you to go enjoy the sites of Port Townsend, whether it is at the beach or the the waterfront shops, this said as we will not be together at one site at this time, lunch will be on your own. Feel free to dine in town, bring something from home, or join together with other ladies and put together your lunch potluck style.

Lastly, this year we are really encouraging women to get signed up early. We have limited space and want to make sure as many women can come as possible. This said at the time of registration the fees will be due as well. We do have some full and partial scholarships available. Please help us with this need, as we need all funds in by March 9th to make this weekend possible.

We appreciate your cooperation with this. We know this will be a blessed time in worship of our Lord and we look forward to getting to know all the women God has brought to Seaside church.

Thanks.

Ladies Breakaway 2008

Question

Here's more questions raised at our first session.

I'm still not sure about the fear of the Lord. How do you reconcile that with Jesus' life on earth? He wasn't feared.

Also, how do we have a personal realtionship with God and fear Him?

When I think of Jesus' life on earth, "He came to serve, not to be served, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). His purpose, as foretold by scripture, was to preach, proclaiming justice and peace to the nations, and to heal. He taught, performed many miracles, and healed many. People were amazed at his teachings as someone who had authority (Matthew 7:28,29).

He was completely humble, the ultimate servant always ready to the requests of the distressed and sick. What a picture of our Savior.

Yet, He was despised, rejected and ultimately beaten beyond recognition then killed, just as the scriptures said it would be.

Luke 9 tells us that Jesus said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." His death and resurrection would be the ultimate proof of who He was~ the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord.

When Jesus was arrested Peter came forward in an attempt to maybe rescue/protect Jesus. Jesus' response was, "Do you think I cannot call on my Father and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?" (Matthew 27:53,54).

Isaiah talks about Jesus as an ordinary man. There was nothing special about him. "He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him" (Isaiah 53:2). He was not feared, respected. People hated him, rejected him. He took on our suffering though. He was peirced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). This was the Lord's will. But, He was raised and lifted up and highly exalted (Isaiah 52:13).

"God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear" (Acts 2:32,33). Upon hearing this and the fact that God made Jesus, who they so ruthlessly crucified, to be Christ, the people were "cut to the heart" and asked Peter "what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). The ultimate proof was in his death and resurrection. I can only imagine the regret they now were feeling over what they had done and their lack of belief.

Think about God's awesomeness. He knew from the very beginning of time that we would need a Savior. Jesus was from the very beginning. That's somewhat difficult for me to wrap my mind around. His will. His purpose. His foreknowledge and calling us to Him. These are all things that I can struggle with really comprehending. God is so much bigger than us. It's hard to grasp. I am in absolute awe of His mightiness. Speechless is another word that comes to mind. This is fear of the Lord~ reverential. But at the same time, while He is so much bigger than us, He is our Father~ loving, kind, generous, protecting, humorous, sensitive, comforting. He can be all these things to us yet still be Almighty God.

In our personal relationship with Him, we fear God through honoring, respecting, submitting, obeying and worshiping him. Fearing God can be a very intimate thing. For example, worshiping God through prayer.

And, there is definitely a dominoe effect. The more I worship God, praying, reading scripture, submitting to His will for me (and seeing the fruits from that submission), the more I fear Him. We all have the opportunity to have this kind of precious relationship with our Heavenly Father. That is absolutely pleasing to Him.