We Have a Loving Heavenly Father
Zac Poonen emphasizes the loving nature of God the Father and the importance of approaching Him in faith and confidence in prayer.
Zac Poonen emphasizes the misconception that God the Father is strict while only Jesus loves us, clarifying that it was the Father's love that sent Jesus to save us. Jesus assures His disciples of the Father's love and care, comparing it to how earthly fathers provide for their children. Poonen challenges believers to approach God in prayer with faith, believing in His tender, fatherly care and His willingness to grant good gifts to His children, regardless of their maturity in faith. He encourages all, regardless of spiritual age, to boldly come to God as a loving Father who delights in hearing and meeting their needs.
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Many have the wrong idea that God the Father is a very strict Person and that it is only Jesus Who loves them. This is a satanic distortion of the truth. It was the love of the Father that sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Jesus told His disciples, "The Father Himself loves you" (Jn. 16:27). He also told them that if their Heavenly Father fed the birds and clothed the flowers, He would certainly take care of them. There was no need for them to be anxious then, for their Heavenly Father knew all their needs (Matt. 6:26-34).
He also told them that if earthly fathers knew how to give good gifts to their children, their heavenly Father would certainly give good things to His children too (Matt. 7:11).
You may say that all this is very elementary. Yet many times when we come to God in prayer we don't really believe that God is going to grant us our request, because we are not sure of His tender, loving, fatherly care for us. Thus we limit God by our unbelief. Do you really believe that when you pray, you are speaking to a loving Father, Who delights to hear you and Who cares for you?
Some may have the feeling that God will hear them only if they are mature saints. How is it with an earthly father? If he has a number of children, does he listen to his 20-year-old son more than to his 3-year-old daughter? Does he tell his little daughter, "You are too young to talk to me, I can't listen to you?" Certainly not. In fact, the father is more likely to listen to his youngest child than to His older children. It's even so with God.
He says, "All shall know Me (as Father), from the least (youngest) to the greatest (oldest)" (Heb. 8:11). Notice that the youngest are mentioned first!
Even if you were born again but yesterday, you can come to God boldly saying, "O God, You are my Father, I am Yourchild, and therefore I have a right to talk to You." That's the way Jesus encouraged His disciples to go to God in prayer.
Every time we pray, we must approach God as a Father who loves and cares, and who is interested in us. Only thus can faith be generated; and without faith it is no use praying at all.
God is a good God. He delights to give good gifts to His children. The Bible says in Psalm 84:11,"No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly." In Psalm 37:4 it says , "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." These promises in the Old Testament are endorsed and confirmed and amplified by Jesus in the New Testament along with many more promises.
This is the foundation for our faith - the conscious acknowledgement of God as our loving Father.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Misconceptions about God's nature
- The Father's love demonstrated through Jesus
- God's provision for His creation
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II
- The importance of faith in prayer
- God's willingness to listen to all His children
- Approaching God with confidence
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III
- God's goodness and generosity
- Biblical promises of provision
- The foundation of faith in God's fatherly care
Key Quotes
“The Father Himself loves you.” — Zac Poonen
“No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” — Zac Poonen
“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- Approach God in prayer with the confidence that He is a loving Father who cares for you.
- Recognize and reject misconceptions about God's strictness and embrace His loving nature.
- Trust in God's promises and His willingness to provide for your needs.