Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s continue our recognition tour, in preparation for Thanksgiving, by recognizing our Heavenly Father.

Today’s scripture, Galatians 4:5-7 (NLT) says…
[5] God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. [6] And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” [7] Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

Consider…
This week we took time to recognize…

• Our relationship with God
• The Son of God
• We’re who God says we are
• The Name of Jesus
• The Holy Spirit

Today we’ll conclude our pre-Thanksgiving recognition focusing on the source of everything, our Heavenly Father.

James 1:17-18 (NLT) clarifies…
[17] Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. [18] He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

These verses show us the following about our Heavenly Father…

• He gives good and perfect gifts

Jesus first identified that fact in Matthew 7:11 (NLT)…
[11] So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

And of course we know He gave the greatest gift ever, His Son.

Jesus let’s us know that in John 3:16 (NLT)…
[16] “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Notice the salvation was the purpose of the Father’s prescious gift, but the gift given was Jesus. We also see that God’s gift was motivated by His love.

The same author who transcribed Jesus’ iconic words, later reiterated in 1 John 4:9-10 (NLT)…
[9] God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. [10] This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Here we recognize God’s gift, motivated by His love, is unconditional. Two statements that illuminate that are…

• From John 3:16…so that everyone who believes in him
• And from the two verses just pasted…This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us

We have learned God’s unconditional love is known as Agape, which is a Greek word for a selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial love that seeks the well-being of others without expecting anything in return.

That describes the good and perfect gifts God gives as well…

• Selfless
• Unconditional
• Seeks others well-being
• Doesn’t expect reciprocation

As the Holy Spirit unwrapped this beautiful fact of God’s greatest gift ever, which is His only begotten Son, He showed me something else that we may have missed. God gifts and gives His love motivated gifts through all of His children.

1 Peter 4:10 (NLT) tells us…
[10] God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

You see, Jesus was not only the gift given, He was gifted to serve every one well. Read Jesus’ words in Matthew 20:28 (NLT)…
[28] For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus recognize He was given to serve others well AND give His for life for whomever believes in Him.

That means we too must recognize, that as the Father’s children, we are also gifts given to serve and sacrifice ourselves for others.

That’s why Romans 12:1 (ERV) emphasizes…
[1] So I beg you, brothers and sisters, because of the great mercy God has shown us, offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him—an offering that is only for God and pleasing to him. Considering what he has done, it is only right that you should worship him in this way.

I think most of us think the Father sacrificing His Son Jesus is the last sacrifice ever. While that is true for the penalty, power and presence of sin, it’s not true for blessings others while we’re still here on earth.

Jesus explains in Matthew 5:16 (ERV)…
[16] In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

Here’s a truth that we may overlook, people will always recognize and remember the giver of good gifts. That’s why Jesus tells us to do good things that are clearly bring glory to our Heavenly Father.

In fact, we read in Ephesians 2:10 (ERV), after being told we have been given eternal life by grace through Christ 5 verses earlier…
[10] God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.

We’ve been gifted by our Father to do the good things He planned.

That adds another recognizable attribute about our Heavenly Father, He’s intentional.

Writing that hit play on Travis Greene singing…

All things are working for my good, yeah
‘Cause He’s intentional
Never failing
I know that all things are working for my good, yeah
He’s intentional
Never failing

That’s what Romans 8:28 (NLT) is encourage us to remember…
[28] And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

The Holy Spirit just showed me that what may not feel good to us, is still good for us.

Dying a criminal’s death on the cross didn’t feel good to Jesus, but Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT) explains…
[9] Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus’ Lordship was fortified because He humbly and obediently died.

The Heavenly Father reveals His consistent response to humble obedience in 1 Peter 5:6 (NLT)…
[6] So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.

That helps us recognize, our Heavenly Father honors humble obedience.

Another thing I was shown about the giving nature of our God is that all of His gifts help, especially the gift of us His Helper, which is the Holy Spirit we recognized in yesterday’s post.

Remember we identified that one of the ‘Cs’ seen in the Holy Spirit is confirmation? Well, 1 John 4:13 (NLT) says…
[13] And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.

And Romans 8:15-16 (NLT) bears witness…
[15] So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” [16] For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

You see, God let’s us recognize we’re His by placing His Spirit inside of us.

That just triggered the thought…

• God made us in His image
• Remade us in His Son’s likeness
• Made His home in us with His Spirit

We’re made children.

That made me look up “Made Man”, and according to Wikipedia, in the Sicilian and American Mafia, a made man is a fully initiated member of the Mafia.

Redeeming that definition for the LORD, we are fully initiated members of God’s family.

Ephesians 1:5-8 (NLT) confirms…
[5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. [6] So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. [7] He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. [8] He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

Recognizing we’re made by our Heavenly Father also makes me think of Psalms 100:2-5 (NLT) which exhorts us to…
[2] Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. [3] Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. [4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. [5] For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Knowing our Heavenly Father…

• Made us
• Claimed us
• Dwells in us

…should make us thankful, and full of praise!

You see all of our Heavenly Father’s actions emphasize…

• He’s good
• His unfailing love continues forever
• His faithfulness continues to each generation

Psalms 103:13-14 (NLT)
expounds on our unconditionally loving Heavenly Father…
[13] The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. [14] For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

Notice our Heavenly Father’s recognizable…

• Tenderness…1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)…Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
• Compassion…Lamentations 3:22 NIV…Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
• Intimate awareness…Luke 12:6-7 NIV…[6] Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. [7] Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

The Holy Spirit also just told me not to minimize the value of being ‘dust bubbles’, because we are filled with the breath of God. Genesis 2:7 (NIV) says…Then the Lord God formed a man[a] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

No wonder Jesus encourages in Matthew 6:31-32 (NLT)…
[31] “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ [32] These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

The Holy Spirit is telling us that with everything I’ve said thus far, what our Heavenly Father wants to recognize most is that we have a good good Father!

As Chris Tomlin lyrically testifies…

Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories of what they think You’re like
But I’ve heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You’re pleased and that I’m never alone

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

Oh, and I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching for answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need before we say a word

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

Because You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You’re perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Oh, it’s love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still into love, love, love

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

While it would have made sense to have made this today’s song, the Holy Spirit directed me to give a benediction that prepares the way for a week of giving thanks to, and for, the Triune God.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)…May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

In the words of Pastor T.D. Jakes, “Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready” to give thanks to our Triune God!

Today’s song is…
Father Jesus Spirit

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)