⁸The Lord is kind and merciful.
He is patient and full of love.
⁹He does not always criticize.
He does not stay angry with us forever.
¹⁰We sinned against him,
but he didn’t give us the punishment we deserved.
¹¹His love for his followers is
as high above us as heaven is above the earth.
¹²And he has taken our sins
as far away from us as the east is from the west.
¹³The Lord is as kind to his followers
as a father is to his children.
¹⁴He knows all about us.
He knows we are made from dust.

What a blessing to be children of God and have forgiveness of sins.

Family :To be a father is to have a family.

1) Good fathers are faithful to their families.

2) A good fathers will provide for their families.

3) A good father will defend his family.

4) A good father will promote peace and harmony among his family.

It is great to be a child in the family of a good father.

God’s family today is the church.

1) 1 Timothy 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

2) Hebrews 3:6 “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.”

God has been faithful to His family, the church.

1) It is the place of the saved: Acts 2:47 “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

2) He provides for the church: Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

3) He gives the Church direction through Christ: Ephesians 1:22 “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,”

4) He desires to keep the Church pure: Ephesians 5:27 “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

5) He nourishes and cherishes His family: Ephesians 5:29 “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:”

What a great blessing to be part of God’s family.

A Father

Having a good father is a blessing in and of itself.

1) Good fathers desire a personal relationship with their children.

2) Good fathers want that which is good for their children.

3) Good fathers will discipline their children.

4) Good fathers provide work for their children.

5) Good fathers provide recreation for their children.

6) Good fathers teach their children.

It is truly a blessing to have God as our Father.

1) Romans 8:15 “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

2) 2 Corinthians 6:18 “And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

3) We have the blessing of talking to our Father: Matthew 6:9 “After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

4) He knows what our personal needs are: Matthew 6:32 “for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

5) He shows mercy to His children: Luke 6:36 “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”

6) He seeks his children to worship Him in spirit and truth: John 4:23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

7) He teaches us: John 6:32 “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.”

8) He protects us from spiritual harm: John 10:29 “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father”s hand.”

9) He disciplines appropriately: Hebrews 12:6-7 “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?”

10) It is to Him that we give thanks: Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

What a blessing it is to know God is our Father

Felicity

A good father desires his children to be truly happy.

1) Fathers will often go out of their way to make their children happy.

2) They provide for food, clothing, shelter, yes.

3) They want them to have a good life.

4) Good fathers even provide for their children’s amusement from time to time.

5) Good fathers even reward their children for good things they do.

God, our heavenly Father, has certainly provided for our happiness.

1) John 15:10-11 “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

2) He wants us to be saved and thus have happiness here and in eternity.

3) He gives them a kingdom in which to live: Luke 12:32 – Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

4) He provides for the resurrection from the dead. John 5:21 “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.”

5) He has a place for his children to live eternally: John 14:2 “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

What a blessing to know that our Father desires our happiness.

CONCLUSION: To be a child of God is to have the blessing of…

1) Forgiveness

2) Family

3) A Father

4) Felicity

Invitation/Close

The Blessings of Being a Child of God (Part 2)