Unveiling the Heart of the Father by Joseph Prince
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By Joseph Prince
"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" Luke 15:20, 22-24 One of the most beautiful parables in the Bible is the parable of the father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Many commentators call this the parable of the prodigal son, but the real hero of this story is the father and his love for his two sons.
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"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" Luke 15:20, 22-24
One of the most beautiful parables in the Bible is the parable of the father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Many commentators call this the parable of the prodigal son, but the real hero of this story is the father and his love for his two sons. It's a parable that Jesus used to skillfully unveil to us the true heart of our gracious and loving heavenly Father.
Please take a few minutes to read through the full parable, and as you read through it, consider this: What is your opinion of God, especially when you've made a mistake? Do you see Him as an all-powerful, distant, and unfeeling judge who is angry whenever you fail and who constantly has to be appeased? Or do you know Him as your Daddy, your Abba Father whom you can run to anytime, even when you have fallen short? Do you see Him as unwaveringly and patiently waiting for you to return to Him and then racing down the road to meet you with tears streaming down His face, embracing you, and raining His kisses upon you?
As I was studying the Word, the Lord revealed to me that many believers have come to a place where they have forgotten their heavenly Father. They have forgotten about His love, His grace, and His loving-kindness. They relate to God in a judicial and transactional fashion, coming before Him with apprehension and trepidation, presenting their failings to Him and quickly leaving before they get the punishment and condemnation they think they rightly deserve from Him. They perceive Him exclusively as a God of holiness, judgment, and justice - His face steely and stern, His mighty arms folded in dissatisfaction and disapproval. They see a God who is easily displeased, quick to anger, perpetually disappointed with them, and waiting impatiently to be placated.
This wrong belief of who God really is has driven many into fear, guilt, depression, and insecurity. And that is why itâ°°s so vital we see the heart of the Father as unveiled by Jesus in this timeless parable.
Beloved, do you see His heart of love for you? There is a vacuum in our hearts that can only be filled by the Father's love. I believe that if you would allow the Father to come into your heart today and fill you up with His perfect love, you will find the joy, confidence, fulfillment, and freedom that you have been looking for in life.
Joseph Prince
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"Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it." Numbers 23:20 Take time to reread today's scripture. They are precious words, and they reveal how God sees you and me today. They were spoken by a prophet named Balaam, who had been hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to invoke a curse to drive his enemy, the Israelites, from his territory. However, when Balaam opened his mouth to curse, blessings from God flowed out upon the Israelites instead (Num. 23:21–24)!
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Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength....For he shall be like a shrub in the desert and shall not see when good comes. Jeremiah 17:5–6 One of the saddest things about a man who trusts in his strengths and self-efforts—"who ....makes flesh his strength"—is that he cannot see good when it comes his way. As a pastor, I have seen, down through the years, people who don't put their trust in the Lord when it comes to their marriages, finances, and other areas of weakness. They are determined to trust in their own efforts and tend to be rather arrogant and frustrated with the people around them.
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Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33 I'm sure you want the Lord to manifest Himself as the God of peace when you are fearful. So, let's go deeper into what the "God of peace" means. Don't forget that Paul was Jewish, so when he said, "the God of peace be with you," he was saying "Jehovah Shalom be with you." "Jehovah Shalom" is Hebrew for "the God of peace." Now, the first appearance of the name Jehovah Shalom is in the Old Testament story of Gideon in Judges 6.