Spread the Fire - November/December 2007 - (Page 21)

Jesus taught the disciples when they asked him to teach them how to pray to focus on the Father. When you pray say, “Our Father …” When the woman at the well asked Him about where a person should worship, he told her that the true worshippers would worship the Father in spirit and in truth. He directed her to relationship with the Father. Derek Prince once commented that when Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me,” (John 14:6) He was revealing both the pathway and the destination. Jesus is the way, and the Father is the destination. The problem with many in the Church is that we have gotten stuck on the way and have never reached the destination.” WE NEED A SON’S HEART TO KNOW THIS PAPA It is possible to have experiences of His fathering love for us and feel His closeness even quite deeply at times but developing a relationship with Him as Father is what sonship is about, and that requires that we possess the heart of a son. Many people in this generation have lost their understanding of sonship because of broken relationships with their natural fathers and other authority figures, so they are not real sons at heart anymore. We know that God looks on the heart not outward appearances, so what he is looking for in our hearts is the same heart in us that was in Jesus toward His Father. Jesus was a son at heart to His Father, and He wants us to become sons at heart both to God and to our earthly fathers again. In Christ, the last prophecy of the Old Testament in Malachi 4:6 is fulfilled, “And I will turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons and the hearts of the sons to the fathers.” Jesus was the greatest teacher of all time. I wonder how many thousands of volumes have been written analyzing His words. He changed history. His values have shaped civilizations that exist today. And although He is renowned as the great Pastor and Shepherd of the sheep, the Prophet of prophets, Apostle of apostles and the epitome of all miracle workers, He took none of these titles to Himself. Instead, Jesus chose the word, “Son,” to define Himself, and it is into that image that the Holy Spirit is now conforming you. (Romans 8:29) The Apostle John wrote, “If anyone says that he abides in Him, he ought also to walk even as He walked,” (1 John 2:6.) Jesus walked in the yoke of love with His Father, and He invites us into that yoke, too. He promises that in that yoke we will find rest for our souls. IS THIS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF RELATING TO PEOPLE? I have heard people describe sonship as relationship between pastors and congregational members. Some talk of it as relates to Christian ministry leaders and workers under them or to Christian employers and workers. However, I believe that sonship is primarily about our relationships with our natural fathers and mothers and our heavenly Father. Enjoying sonship in relation to fathers and mothers in Christ and to employers, pastors and ministry leaders may be a blessing from God; but it is important to have a relationship with God the Father first, so that we may enjoy and reap the benefits from other relationships. I believe that we are living in the “days of Elijah” which were prophesied in Malachi 4: 5-6. “And the spirit of Elijah will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” When we are born into our parents’ home, our heart is naturally turned to them. It is only through hurt that we turn away from them. When someone turns to Christ, through repentance and grace, he once again becomes a son as a result of the new birth, this time a son of God. Now with a soft heart, full of gratitude and S TF - 2 1

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Spread the Fire - November/December 2007

Spread the Fire - November/December 2007 Contents In the River Finding My Place As a Son How to Experience the Father’s Love From Shame to Honor: My Journey into Sonship “YHWH” is Papa Book Review The Last Word International Itinerary Resource Center Catalogue Upcoming Events Visitor Information

Spread the Fire - November/December 2007

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