Gemstone Foundation

Emerald

The Love of the Father

The whole creation is an amazing expression of the love of God. In the Genesis account, after each creation (Gen 1&2), HE saw "that it was good". After HE made man He saw "that it was very good", and He rested and sanctified the 7th day. God gets pleasure from the earth: the seas, the grass, the seed, fruit trees, the sea creatures, the winged fowl, the cattle, creeping things, the beasts; and from the heavens: the greater and lesser lights, the stars, and most of all from communion with man. God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) has "good" pleasure in His creation, and "very good" pleasure in man. Does man have pleasure in God?

1. Does God still love man even in his sinful state?

The answer is absolutely YES. You have to remember that when man rejected God, he chose to rebel and basically chose to follow the path of Lucifer. Lucifer and his fallen angels were judged with a sealed fate and no hope to change anything.

Yet God chose to extend mercy (along with judgment) to man.

He gives us a continuous choice, to choose the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ. Without this extension of mercy there is simply a fearful waiting for judgment and death.

2. Can God be a loving Father or only a heavy taskmaster with many rules and laws to be kept?

God is a loving Father to His children. His rules are written on our hearts. We obey them out of love not duty, nor trying to earn His regard. Serving God is a great pleasure because He can be known personally and the relationship is so wonderful. That is why Christians are willing to suffer for God, because they are unwilling to destroy that relationship. Do we keep the 10 Commandments? Yes – out of love. To know HIM is to love HIM.

3. Does He keep a book of our good deeds to balance out our bad?

Yes, our good deeds are recorded, for we will receive rewards at the believer's judgment, but our bad deeds have been forgiven and covered by the blood of Jesus. As soon as we repent and turn away from them, they no longer exist.

Unless God causes you to do the good deed, there will be an impure motive behind it, so even our best efforts have no standing with God.

What is left to do?

Cast ourselves upon Him and ask for the resurrection life of Jesus Christ to flow through us so that we may touch a dying world. It must come from HIM, through us, to others, so that they will glorify God and not us.

Now we will have a work, which has standing before God and thus eliminates all personal pride -- except for the pride that God used you!

Of course, this also must be laid down. God uses all of His children who yield themselves to HIM.

4. Is He a judge waiting to pronounce the verdict -- guilty?

John 5:22 tells us that all judgment is given to the Son. This is because He is the part of the Godhead that actually took on flesh. HE knows what it is like to live on planet earth as a man. Jesus Christ would have to pronounce over us the word "guilty", except for the blood covering that He provided, which gives us a means of escape from the sentence of death we have been under since the Garden of Eden.

Can you see that He is a just, holy and righteous God who loves mercy? Can you see that it must be done His way and not ours? He so longs for all to come under the shelter which He has provided.

These are a few of the many correct and incorrect concepts of the Father. Lets look at what the Bible shows us about the Father.

He loves to create and express Himself.

All of creation is some reflection of Himself.

He has a higher purpose than we can see or know for every level of creation.

Concerning His people; He works all things together for good to those who are the called according to His purpose. He lovingly carries us into our destiny even if it entails discipline and judgment along the way. It is the same with the Nations.

God's judgment for His people is always redemptive. He provides for our needs, even our need to know and love Him (through Jesus) --  even His need for fellowship with His creation (us through Jesus).

You well know how little we love each other, let alone love a God we can't physically touch and see. The only kind of love that we are really acquainted with is love of self. Oh, we say we love someone, but that is usually because they supply our need for affection. The love of a parent for a child is the closest to God's love, in that it is somewhat sacrificial.

God's highest calling in man is to sacrifice in love, as exemplified by His Son, Jesus Christ. When the world sees this kind of sacrificial love manifested, they may consider what we have to say!

The book of 1 John chapters 3-5 is a practical exposition of the Father's love towards His people and how it is to be expressed through us to each other. As you take time to read these scriptures privately, I am praying that you will experience the love of the Father. Meditate upon them. May the Holy Spirit be made manifest in your heart with great love towards God, and your fellow man.           1John 3:16-18; 3:23; 4:7-12; 4:16-5:3

This is a good time to ask God to forgive you for sins against HIM and others. He will show you how to make amends (where possible) and how to receive forgiveness. Give up your bitterness and resentment. If you need wisdom, please pray to your heavenly Father first.

If you have prayed the Jesus prayer (Gate of Pearl), spoken to the Father directly, and have been unable to receive the love of God, or are in confusion please seek personal help from someone who knows the Father in a positive way.

Many people do not believe that God can love them (personally).

Many people need to be healed before they can receive HIS LOVE.