The Father's Love Letter

My Child,
   

You may not know me, but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

 For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

Father's Love Letter used by permission Father Heart Communications
© 1999-2011 www.FathersLoveLetter.com

5 Questions With Joni Eareckson Tada

Welcome to 5 Questions With.....

Today's Guest is Joni Eareckson Tada.

Joni Eareckson Tada is the founder of Joni and Friends, an organization accelerating Christian outreach in the disability community that numbers 610 million people worldwide. This organization operates out of the new Joni and Friends International Disability Center located in Agoura Hills, California. Joni is not only an international disability advocate but an artist and the author of numerous bestselling books.

And now without further delay, on to the questions:

Hello Joni,

1. For those not familiar with your organization, what are some of the ministry arms of Joni and Friends?

I started Joni and Friends in 1979 in response to the many people who were reading the Joni book and seeing the Joni movie – when I saw their questions, I wanted to create a response mechanism to address their issues of depression, disability, and understanding the goodness of God. Now, more than 30 years later, Joni and Friends delivers thousands of wheelchairs to needy disabled children and adults in developing nations, holds Family Retreats for special needs families here in the U.S. and in less-developed nations, and designs disability ministry courses of study for undergraduate programs in Christian colleges and seminaries around the world.

2. With your busy schedule of writing, recording and public speaking, how do you balance family, faith and fun?

I once heard someone say that if you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. And that’s true for me! I feel so blessed by God (what other quadriplegic enjoys the health I do after 45 years in a wheelchair? What other quadriplegic enjoys the opportunities for Christian service that I do?). I’ve been so blessed, that I feel a strong urgency to simply ‘pass on the blessing’ to others less fortunate – and it’s why I so love not only the work at Joni and Friends, but the opportunities to travel with my husband on behalf of the ministry.

3. Everyone battles discouragement at times. How do you handle the discouragements (physical, spiritual, emotional) in your life?

After so many years living as a quadriplegic, there are still mornings I wake up and think, I can’t go on; I don’t have the strength. But then I pray, “But, Lord, you have strength; please let me borrow your perspective and power on this difficult day!” And He gives just that and more. So waking up needing God desperately and urgently is not such a bad thing. It’s the way the apostle Paul felt in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 when he said, “... We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life...” But then I love the next verse, “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” It seems the weaker we are, the harder we must lean on Jesus; and the harder we lean on Him, the stronger we discover Him to be. It’s a great lesson to live by.

4. What book of the Bible has God been speaking to you through the most right now?

Ken and I are just finishing up reading through the Bible in a year, and we are in Revelation. I am astounded that soon and very soon all these things Jesus talks about in that mysterious book will happen – and it’s all about to break on the horizon. I’ve been asking God to drive home to me this heavenly point of view so that I might live with a greater sense of urgency.

5. Are there any specific projects coming up that you would like to mention?

Through the Joni and Friends’ Christian Institute on Disability, Ken and I are spending most of our trips visiting Christian colleges and universities where I speak at chapel services and at the disability ministry classes we help design. Nothing gives me greater joy than to impart my passion to a new generation of believers, striking the match in their hearts to reach the world’s one billion people with disabilities with the practical help and heavenly hope of Jesus!

Thanks so much Joni!

Thanks for inviting me to participate in this interview.

Well there you go. I would encourage you to check out the Joni and Friends website where you can find training opportunities, books, devotionals and a wealth of other resources. Just got to Joni and Friends.

To see past 5 Questions guests see 5 questions page under the tab above.

First Love

Ah first love. There is such emotion, such passion. When I fell in love with my wife, Sarah, there was all that and more. I was consumed by her. I wanted to do everything to please her, to woo her, to win her heart.

I found my interests matched hers, at least for a time, and that we shared similar thoughts.

Then we got married.

"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Revelation 2:4

When I fell in love with the Lord, when I surrendered my heart to Him, there was also great passion. I had a great frenzy of desire to please Him. I through myself into the relationship wholeheartedly. I wanted to do everything for the Lord. I wanted to pray without ceasing, to win the lost, to work, work, WORK!

Then life happened.

I have heard these really guilt-ridden messages before where we are hammered to return to our first love.

The concept is great but it's the working out that seems to drive people nuts.

I love my wife passionately. However the longer we have been together the more I realize I can never get back those emotional, giddy feelings of first love that I once had. Nor do I want to. That love was based on feelings and hormones. It was not based on fact. The FACT is my love is deeper than those early days of heightened frenzy. I am more committed, more in love than I was when we first met. Our love is richer, fuller and real. (You can ask her, I'm not making it up!)

I love the Lord more and more each day. However I never want to go back to those days of heightened frenzy where I through myself into EVERYTHING "Christian" to prove my love to God and to keep the emotions going. It wasn't natural. It leads to burnout. I don't have to work to earn God's gift of Salvation.

One verse had become more real for me. It is 2 Corinthians 12:9, which talks about God's strength being made perfect in weakness. I am weak, I need to rest. I need to rest in God and quit trying to strive to win His favor. I need to accept His gift.

I believe that the call to return to our 1st love is not a call to return to a giddy emotion. I believe it is a call to commitment, to a deeper, more passionate love. So kick back, rest and enjoy the Lord!

Quit Majoring on the Minors

People love theology but let's face it, churches split over this stuff. Don't take my word for it, pick up a phone book; look up 'church' and see how many variations you can find on each denomination. Yet every time I turn around, a group of believers is trying to draw me into theological "discussions" on Revelation, Creation, etc... Now there is nothing wrong with these discussions, but I have noticed it invariably turns into a defense of "stated belief," and my question is always, "Why?" Why must believers of differing, or even the same, denomination, squabble and bicker over minute points of the Word of God?

Theology can very easily turn into an over-complication of Christianity!

Jesus is coming back. When? I'm not God. He will come back when He's ready. I am more concerned about being ready myself then to argue over when it's happening. When will the Rapture happen? When God wants it to and not a moment before. I have my opinions but in the end that's what they are...opinions based on an interpretation of Scripture. You might have the same one or one that is slightly different. In the end why does it matter? Why not focus on the FACT that He IS coming back, and leave the timing to Him?

I remember being drawn into one discussion on Creation and everyone had an opinion. Six days, 6,000 days...the arguments were rapid and each had a Scriptural defense. In the end though I had to ask....why does it matter? Do you believe God created it? Good. Move on.

I am not saying we should not defend the faith....the sad part is, most of the time we are defending "our beliefs" against other Christians. I'm not saying these are not "major" issues. I am saying that in the end, will our view of Revelation keep us out of Heaven? Will God look in the book of life and say, "Oh you believed in my Son, you accepted Him, yet you thought I was coming back pre-trib....get out!"

My heart breaks when I can see pastors of different denominations stand in a small Christian bookstore and not acknowledge each other because of differing beliefs. When believers will argue to the death over their interpretation of Revelation while not paying the slightest heed to the Great Commission! (Matt. 28:16-20) When the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) gets minimized while the timing of the Rapture gets all the press we have gone astray!

It's time to get back to basics. To focus on Jesus Christ and Him crucified! Are you with me?

Alpha and Omega (Just A Thought #25)

"In the beginning GOD..."

What a powerful opening statement. I remember years ago reading a Q & A with a popular American Western writer named Louis L'Amour. He said a good book should grab you from the opening line. Well, I believe the Bible is more than good books, more than just great literature; however, as far as opening lines go, that one is fantastic.

"In the beginning GOD...."

This makes me want to find out more about this God. Who is He? How can I know Him? He sounds powerful. He sounds mighty. I read this verse and it makes my knees want to buckle. I want to drop on my face before this God. No melodrama...just fact. God, to me, sounds awesome right from the beginning.

While speaking of beginnings, look at John 1:1 in the New Testament and you see the same phrase referring to Jesus Christ. "In the beginning the Word..." We find out here the Word was Jesus and He was also there at the beginning.

These 2 verses leave me awestruck. Maybe it's just where I am right now in my relationship with the Lord right now. I find myself craving simplicity. I want more of the Lord and less of the "window dressing" that the church today seems to focus on. No tangents...just the Lord Himself. I want more of Him.

I also find myself wanting to focus on the facts. He created the heavens and the earth. He sent His Son to die for us. JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN! He will return one day. As I get older I find myself longing for His return more and more. I keep thinking of the end statement in Revelation. "Come Quickly Lord Jesus!"

In this life I realize that what matters most is my relationship with Him. I want more of Christ and less of me.

Alpha and Omega...the beginning and the end.