Excerpts from the teaching on UNDERSTANDING THE FATHER'S LOVE by Bro Peter Ogungbayi on 4th April, 2021


UNDERSTANDING THE FATHER'S LOVE

1. God is your Father: 
It is important to understand that we have a father and there is a love of the father for us. The God and Creator of the heavens and the Earth is your Father and hence your relationship with him should be of such.

Matt.6.6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to YOUR FATHER who is in the secret place; and YOUR FATHER who sees in secret will reward you openly. (NKJV)

This further emphasises God's role and position in our lives as a Father amongst many others. 


2. God is your Source:

Matt.6.25 - "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Matt.6.26 - Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

The Greek word for "Father" here is "Pater" which means "Source". Everything that pertains to you can be and should be sourced from God including your finances, health etc. It is essential that you begin to see God as your ultimate source. He is your father and unending supply. Therefore, it is important that you place God above every other thing in your life. 


HAVING A GOOD PERSPECTIVE OF THE FATHER


Firstly, it is essential to know that God is good ALL THE TIME. We can see this in James 1:7.

Jas.1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is NO VARIATION OR SHADOW OF TURNING. (NKJV)

God is good at all times, He has no variation. Most times, anything you see that is outside of God's goodness is not usually with God, but with man. 

Let us look at the testimony of Moses about God. 

Deut.32.4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He. (NKJV)

So to highlight the emphasis;
•God is the Rock (i.e Refuge and Strength)
• His works are perfect, and all His ways are just
• He does no wrong

IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE FATHER'S LOVE

1. The Love of God is better than life. If you understand the love of God, the issues of life will not be a problem to you. 

Ps.63.3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. (NIV)

2. Faith works through love 
Gal.5.6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. (NKJV)

3. Christ's Love fuels our passion

2Cor.5.14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: (KJV)

INVESTIGATING THE LOVE OF GOD
1. God has loved us even before the foundation of the world

Eph.1.4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. (AMP)

2. God knows your history and yet still chooses to love you

Eph.2.4 But God - so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, (AMP)
Eph.2.5 Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ 's salvation). (AMP)

Note that Verse 4 describes God's love for us as WONDERFUL AND INTENSE! 

3. God's love has made us Sons

Rom.8.14 - For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Rom.8.15 - For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."


4. There is nothing too big that God your Father cannot give you

John.3.35 The Father loves the Son and has given (entrusted, committed) everything into His hand)

From the earlier established that God's love has made us sons, it therefore means that there is nothing too big for God to give us (His Sons). Hallelujah!

5. God's Love was clearly shown and proven in the sending of His Son

Rom.5.8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NKJV)
John.3.16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV)

6. God's Love is patient and kind. God's love believes the best in you

1Cor.13.7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. (AMP)

We pray that each day of our lives, we walk in the reality of God's love for us and as well extend this love to all men. Amen.