Do You Have a Healthy View of Your Heavenly Father?

INTRODUCTION

Think about how sons view their fathers

First super hero

We ask the question tonight Do you have a healthy view of your Father?

Need to do some serious introspective analysis of this question

Not pretend view but a biblical view of God. A prevailing attitude, a conviction

HOW YOU VIEW GOD WILL DETERMINE YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS GOD

Romans 8:15 ESV

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Psalm 8:9 ESV

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Names is Scripture

Aloheem - God of power

His covenant name of Lord of Host

Jehovah: God of peace, God who provides, God who sees

The ultimate is Father - this is affectionate

1 John 3:1 ESV

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 Corinthians 8:6 ESV

yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

UNHEALTHY VIEWS OF GOD

Genie

Santa or Fairy God Mother

Maitre d’

Golden Corral

Burger King

Netflix - on demand

Policeman

Scorekeeper

Hovering Parent

Helicopter Parent

Preoccupied Professor

Imaginary Friend

Jesus’ Prayers Reveal How He Saw His Father

John 11:41–42 ESV

So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

God is an eager listener

Model Prayer

Matthew 6:9–10 ESV

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:11–13 ESV

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Matthew 6:14–15 ESV

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 7:9–11 ESV

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Garden Prayer

Matthew 26:39 ESV

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Are you will to pray this prayer

The Cross Prayer

Luke 23:34 ESV

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Luke 23:46 ESV

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

The peace and solace of this prayer

Wrong views about God account for most of the world’s problems and your too.

Eve - God is sneaky and selfish

Judas - God is unseeing and unforgiving

The correct view of God would solve many of the problems in the world today.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” A.W. Tozer