01/14/21 A LOVING FATHER

01/14/21 A LOVING FATHER

If you love & follow Jesus you don't walk in darkness or hide your light or serve two masters.

GOD SETS STANDARDS FOR HIS CHILDREN
Luke 9:23-26
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believes with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Titus 2:11-15
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

God's commands, directives to us are not mean spirited or oppressive. God's commands to us should be understood in the way a loving parent tells the child not to play with fire, not to drink poison, not to swim with sharks. God's restrictions are intended to protect us from evil and danger, and also intended to promote us in faith, grace and holiness.

If you find God's rule in your life to be obnoxious and objectionable, then you need to find a saving relationship with Him, because those who are saved do not find His commandments grievous, but instead they delight in God's will, doing the things that please Him.

GOD'S COMMANDS NOT GRIEVOUS
1 John 5:1-5
1 Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loves him that begat loves him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

WE DELIGHT IN GOD'S LAW (WORD, WILL)
Romans 7:22
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Psalms 1:1-2
1 Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalms 37:4
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psalms 94:19
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

Psalms 119:16
16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Psalms 119:24
24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

Psalms 119:35
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Psalms 119:47
47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

Psalms 119:174
174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.