OUR FATHER WHO IS GRACIOUS UNTO US
From psalm 67;
May God turn to us and be gracious
May He bless us and shine His face on us
That His ways may be known to every nation
So the whole earth would hear of His salvation
May the people be glad and joyfully sing
May they ever praise their righteous and holy King
He rules in goodness, justice and equity
May His grace be upon us for all eternity
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OUR FATHER REVEALS THE CORRUPT MOTIVATION FOR THE PERPETUATION OF OPPRESSION AND INJUSTICE IN A KINGDOM
The book of Ecclessiates chapter 5 verse 9 says this;
The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
The produce of agricultural land supplies sustenance for everyone but in kingdoms where oppression and injustice are found, a system of corruption has entrenched itself where the hierachy of rulership takes portions of the produce and the king himself, at the top, skims from everyone.
Tellingly, when there is a famine in the land, those who benefitted from the land when it was productive do not repay those from whom they took a portion.
In order to maintain this system that benefits those in political power, any people who object are oppressed and injustice is imposed and rights are denied to the poor to ensure that they perpetually supply the system with voiceless effort.
Such is the nature of corrupt kingdoms.
OUR FATHER WHO WARNS OF DOCTRINAL CORRUPTION
The book of 1 Timothy chapter 4 verses 1 - 3 says this;
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
The Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, warns him that the Spirit of God had expressly warned of an approaching time when some people would turn away from the faith and begin to heed the leadings of deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons.
The instruments through whom these false teachings come through would be lying hypocrites who had burned their consciences numb.
These fake teachers would spread wrong doctrines like forbidding people to marry and setting up mandatory dietary restrictions which, in correct doctrine, do not apply to believers.
To avoid the infestations of these teachings that would lead people astray, Timothy was instructed by Paul to point these things out to brothers and sisters in Christ, to diligently watch his own life and doctrine and to set a good example for everyone in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
As mentioned in 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 16,
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Amen.
OUR FATHER WHOSE DAY OF VENGEANCE IS FORETOLD
The book of Isaiah chapter 63 verse 4 says this;
It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come.
This verse, prophesied as the words of the Lord by prophet Isaiah, speaks of the day of retribution by the Lord.
The day had come when the nations would be trampled underfoot and when the winepress would be trodden in wrath.
The appointed day of vengeance had arrived and with it also came the year of redemption.
Amen.
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OUR FATHER WHO SHOULD BE FEARED FAR MORE THAN MEN AND THE REALM OF DARKNESS
The book of Isaiah chapter 14 verse 17, referring to the king of Babylon and the spiritual king above that kingdom, describes what the former rulers of this world pondered as they watched him fall into the pit after he had once made them all fear. He was described as;
the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”
The rulers who looked upon the dreaded central figure of darkness while he entered the pit, are astonished at how fearful they were of him while he was tormenting them and yet here he lay, powerless in the face of the Lord as His body decayed among the worms. His judgment was heaped upon him without remedy.
We who live on the earth are innordinately fearful of men and the powers of darkness but these can only destroy the body. The scriptures say that we should instead fear the Lord our God much more as stated by the Lord Jesus in Mathew chapter 10 verse 28 which reads;
And fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him that is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Amen.
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OUR FATHER WHO WILL GATHER HIS PEOPLE
The book of Isaiah chapter 43 verses 4 - 6 says this;
Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
This passage records the Lord speaking to the children of Israel in loving and protective terms where He tells them that they are precious and honoured in His sight and that He loves them and He will protect them and redeem them.
The Lord tells them that He will gather the children from the far reaches of the earth back into the land of their inheritance.
In the subsequent verse 7, the Lord generalizes the group of people who are the children of Israel to include everyone who is called by the Lord's name whom He created for His Glory. It reads this way;
everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
The Lord will gather to Himself all His people and will shield them from floods and flames.
Amen.
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