OUR FATHER WHO DRAWS US TO HIMSELF

The book of Psalm 15 says this;

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?

Who may live on your holy mountain?

The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;

whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord;

who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind;

who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the  innocent.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

Amen.

OUR FATHER WHO TEACHES HIS PEOPLE HIS WAYS

The book of Luke chapter 9 verses 10 - 11 says this;

When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

The apostles had been given authority by the Lord Jesus to heal the sick and cast out demons and they were sent into the surrounding villages to preach the news of the kingdom.

Their activities had so much impact that even politicians like Herod the tetrarch wondered what was causing all the commotion in the land.

When the apostles returned from their missions, they reported to the Lord Jesus what their experiences were. He gathered them and retreated to a small town on the northeast side of the sea of Galilee to lower their profile and get less political attention but their movements were discovered and the crowds of people followed them there.

Jesus, though wanting to lower their profile among the authorities in the land, had mercy on the crowds and welcomed them and taught them things about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed healing.

The crowds lingered late into the evening and it was then that the Lord challenged His disciples to continue in the authority He had given them and feed the thousands of the people who were there.

They could not see how to do it so Jesus divided the loaves and fishes so that they were multiplied and could feed all the people.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS WILL OCCUR IN THEIR PROPER TIME

2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 3 says this;

Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 

The people of the church at Thessalonica had been concerned about what they had been hearing that the day of the Lord  had already occured.

Paul the apostle assured them in his letter to them that they should not be  alarmed by the false doctrines they were hearing.

To clarify the matter for them, Paul reiterated that the day that Lord appears would not be reached until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.

The rebellion mentioned is the great falling away when a great number of those professing to be Christian's will turn away from the faith.

The man of lawlessness mentioned as the one who will rise to prominence is the antichrist.

These events will predicate the day that the Lord returns in power.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO INVITES THOSE WHO SEEK HIM TO HIMSELF

The book of Isaiah chapter 65 verse 11 says this;

“But you who abandon (turn away from) the Lord, Who forget and ignore My holy mountain (Zion), Who set a table for Gad [the Babylonian god of fortune], And who fill a jug of mixed wine for Meni [the god of fate], 

The prophet Isaiah captured a point of contrast that the Lord made between those who served Him and those who abandoned Him.

Whereas the Lord would preserve the righteous cluster of people who lived by the Spirit of God and they would dwell with Him on His holy mountain, those who abandoned the Lord and ignored the kingdom of God and those who sought fortune and luck by making offerings to the pagan gods, a fate of destruction awaited them.

Have mercy on us O God.

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OUR FATHER WHO WARNS THROUGH HIS PROPHETS

The book of Amos chapter 3 verse 4 says this;

Does a lion roar in the thicket when it has no prey?

Does it growl in its den when it has caught nothing?

The prophet Amos, prophecing over the kingdom of Israel, declares parables that warn of the inevitability of the judgement that was to be  brought against them.

In the same way that a lion's roar in the thicket indicates that the lion has acquired prey, the prophecies against Israel indicate that judgment has been brought against Israel.

In the same way that a lion growls in its den when it has captured an animal, so does the prophet of God utter prophecy when the evil deeds of the people have triggered judgement upon them.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE JUDGES HIS OWN HOUSE

The book of Amos chapter 2 verse 9 says this;

“Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them, though they were tall as the cedars and strong as the oaks. I destroyed their fruit above and their roots below.

This verse speaks of what the Lord did to secure the victory of the nation of Israel over the Amorites.

In spite of this intervention by the Lord, the people of Israel did the evil works mentioned in verses 6 - 8;

They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.

They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.

Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.

They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge.

In the house of their god they drink wine taken as fines.

The Lord sent prophets and Nazirites to the people of Israel to correct them but they silenced the  prophets and corrupted the Nazirities.

Their judgement of destruction is set against them from which there is no escape.

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