Have you ever tried to get a handle on what would be considered the core characteristics of Father God?

Just what is it that underlies everything that God does to and for mankind?

As I've brought it up you probably can guess that I have my own belief from what I've read in this regard, and most likely you realize that I may be planning to tell you all about it! You are not wrong!

So what do we learn from God's word that will point us to the essential God of the bible?

This would be the core of the Father's heart, the centre of Jesus' teaching and the focus of Holy Spirit as He is within us guiding us to be perfect representatives of Jesus.

My understanding is that this core is made up of two things. Love and Outreach. Some would say 'Love and Mission!'

1^st. The Love Of God! John 3:15-16. are the best known scriptures about God's love.

John 3:15-16 As the brass serpent was lifted up in the wilderness for the healing of the children of Israel, God so loved the world that He sent His only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God loves the world just the same as He loves the children of Israel. Just as He provided the brass serpent for Israel's healing so He provided Jesus for the world's, and by His stripes we are ALL healed. Through Jesus God shows His love for ALL mankind.

2^nd. Outreach - Showing People God's Best! Jesus came so that all who trust in Him would have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10 tells us, - “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”.

In 3 John 1:2 we read this…

3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers”.

Can I suggest that outreach is to show everyone that God's heart is for all people to prosper and be in health even as their souls prosper. He wants us to prosper now in the same way that our soul is prospering. Of course God has in mind that we have a great future to look forward to, but, He's interested in our NOW also!

Miracles for instance, are available as required but the goal is to be walking in health These miracles of healing and deliverance come about because we have a Father who loves us and the heart of any good father is to do the best he can for his child. Isn't that what you would do if you could; any time?

To me it's amazing that some people believe that God who is the perfect father would give His children diseases and then refuse to heal them – to teach them lessons! But that's just my thinking that a good Father would not act that way and I have faith in a good God; a good Father!

From the bible therefore I see that -
Love is the centre of the heart of God.
Everything God does is done out of Love.
Everything God does is done to bring that love to all people.

In other words God is into outreach to bring His love to all peoples.

With this understanding we realize that miracles are the dinner bell to lead people to God. God's goodness to us, is to bring all to repentance!

But the next question to come to your minds I'm sure is, “What does that mean with regard to our lifestyle now?

Well. Do you remember this clause in Jesus' model prayer?

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.”

There's an old saying, “God's role is to get us to heaven; our role is the bring heaven here!” By our lifestyle we are to make God's Kingdom come, to those around us!

Are you perhaps thinking that's impossible?

Well when Jesus was on earth He said that the Kingdom was among His disciples. He said to them that the kingdom of God was within or among them.

Let's take this as meaning that Jesus as the King of the Kingdom was there among them so God's Kingdom had come!

As a disciple of Jesus you have Holy Spirit within you. You are in Christ and Christ is in You! Since Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus, by simple extension the Father is in You!

We can check this out together in John 14:11-20

John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will see Me no longer, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live too.

20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, you are in Me, and I am in you.

If we see what verses 11 and 20 are telling us, then just as Jesus said to His disciples that the Kingdom was among them, when we walk into a room we bring the Kingdom of God among the occupants.

When Jesus walked into a room, God's grace or 'Divine Favour' was available. So, did you notice in verse 12 above that we also have within us the power to do all the works that Jesus did?

Now some say that you can believe and do it or doubt and do without. Having doubts is not the end of the matter though.

It's a learning experience for all of us and we do not get to walk in the full power of God instantly at conversion. We are to grow in faith and grow in grace. Practice makes perfect as they say in the secular world.

We have to learn the 'laws' that cover healing, for instance, so that what we do will line up with what God requires for us to access His provision. Still, God knows that we can do it because He says in Matthew 5, verse 48…

Matthew 5:48 “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect!”

Notice that it does not say "Become perfect"! It's not a process; it's a state of being! So if God says we can do it, are we to say it's impossible or are we to believe that with God all things are possible and agree with Him to do the works of Jesus?

I say let's agree and take God at His word! It would be easy to place the reason for failure at God's door if Jesus had said "Ask God to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons'. But He said that we should do those things ourselves!

And if we learn to do what Jesus did and said, as Jesus wants, instead of asking God to do it for us, we will, I believe, see more of those things come to pass in our lives. Then we will have...

God's Kingdom come, and God's will be done! On earth in our day, as it is in heaven.

Whenever we think of that line, (Your kingdom come, etc.) or speak it aloud we are placing a challenge in front of ourselves, because we host the King of the Kingdom within us; and He wants to do those works through us!

One of the things I've noticed being emphasized in Christian circles today is that “We are in Christ”. And we also know Jesus is in the Father. We are walking around in a bubble made up of God, with the king of the kingdom within us!

What difference does that make to our life? What difference should it make? Can I suggest that it should make us live very differently from those who have not yet accepted Jesus as their Saviour? But can I also suggest it does not come accidentally! To walk in Love...

It's up to us...
- To pray in faith to find God's plan for our life.

It's up to us...
- To be guided by the Spirit as we follow God's plan for our life.

It's up to us...
- To practice letting Jesus (the word of God) fulfill God's plan through us.

When I was writing this, it occurred to me that the same sequence for living according to the plan of God, through Faith, the Spirit and the Word, also applies to how we live overcoming lives, because...

We overcome the world by our faith (1 John 5:4-5);
We overcome our flesh by the Spirit (Gal 5:16);
We overcome Satan by the word and the blood (Revelation 12:11).

But then you would expect that when we are living in love and according to God's plan for our lives that we would naturally be living overcoming lives also!

Isn't it great when a God plan comes together!

Amen!

Best wishes for grace and the peace of Jesus.

Attlee.

Attlee.

What Kind Of Friend Is Jesus. Click Here.
What do you mean - Grace? Click Here.
The Heart Of God Click Here.

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