"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' " (Gal. 4:6).
Posted : 30 Sep, 2011 12:53 AM
Devotional
"Abba! Father!" In the original, the apostle employs two different languages. It may not be improper to infer that, by using both the Aramaic and Greek form�the one being familiar to the Jew, and the other to the Gentile�he would denote that both Christian Jews and believing Gentiles are children of one family, and are alike privileged to approach God as a Father. Christ, our peace, has broken down the dividing wall of hostility that was between them (Eph. 2:13�16). And now, at the same mercy-seat, the Christian Jew and the believing Gentile, both one in Christ Jesus, meet, as rays of light converge and blend in one common center, at the feet of their reconciled Father (Eph. 2:18).
The expressions, too, set forth the specialness and intensity of the affection. Literally, "Abba! Father!" signifies "Daddy! Father!" No bond-servant was permitted to address the master of the family in this way; it was a privilege peculiar and sacred to the child.
And when our blessed Lord would teach his disciples to pray, he led them to the mercy-seat, and sealed these precious words upon their lips, "Our Father in heaven" (Matt. 6:9).
And after his resurrection, with increased emphasis and intensity, he gave utterance to the same truth. Prior to his death, his words were, "I go to the Father" (John 16:10). But when he came back from the grave, every truth he had enunciated before seemed to be quickened with new life. How tender and touching were his words, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God" (John 20:17).
In Christ, you are no longer a bondslave, but a son. Oh, claim the dignity and privilege of your birthright! Approach God as your Father. "Abba! Father!" How tender the relation! How intense the affection! What power it imparts to prayer! What may you not ask, and what can God refuse, with "Abba! Father!" breathing in lowliness and love from your lips?
Remember, it is an inalienable, unchangeable relation. Never, in any instance, or under any circumstance�even the most aggravated�does God forget it. He is as much your Father when he chastises as when he approves. He is as much your Father when he frowns as when he smiles. He is as much your Father when he brims the cup of adversity as when he bids you drink the cup of salvation.
Behold the touching display of it in his gracious restorings: "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). In all his wanderings that father's love had never lost sight of his wayward child. It tracked him along all his windings. It waited for and welcomed his return.
We may doubt; we may debase; we may deny our divine relationship; yet God will never disown us as his children, nor disinherit us as his heirs. We may cease to act as a child, but he will never cease to love as a Father. "If we are faithless, he remains faithful�for he cannot deny himself" (2 Tim. 2:13).
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' " (Gal. 4:6).
Posted : 30 Sep, 2011 08:52 AM
We may doubt; we may debase; we may deny our divine relationship; yet God will never disown us as his children, nor disinherit us as his heirs. We may cease to act as a child, but he will never cease to love as a Father. "If we are faithless, he remains faithful�for he cannot deny himself" (2 Tim. 2:13).
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' " (Gal. 4:6).
Posted : 30 Sep, 2011 12:26 PM
and that is why we never agree Pj, because i believe in a Holy, Almighty, infalible, loving, faithful God whom i love because he first loved me and gave his only begotten son to be my propitiation for my sin. No matter what my foolish sinful heat wills me to do i have an advocate Jesus my Lord who will never leave me or forsake me., all because he loved me before i could ever love him. My future is tied up in God alone not in anything i do. I can NOT earn my salvation. The wrath of God has been satisfied by his only begotten son. I serve a faithful God out of thankfulness for the mercy he has shown to me.
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' " (Gal. 4:6).
Posted : 30 Sep, 2011 12:52 PM
Galatians 4 KJV
1~ Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2~ But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
3~ Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
4~ But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5~ To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6~ And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7~ Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8~ Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9~ But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10~ Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11~ I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
12~ Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
13~ Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14~ And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15~ Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
16~ Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17~ They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
18~ But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
19~My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
20~ I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
21~ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22~ For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23~ But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24~ Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25~ For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26~ But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27~ For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
28~ Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29~ But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30~ Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31~ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
*** Its always best to read the whole Chapter....This chapter is about Covenant, Bondage & FREEDOM...:bouncy:...xo
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' " (Gal. 4:6).
Posted : 1 Oct, 2011 02:03 AM
no Pj we are called to deny self pick up our cross and follow him, no choice if you are a Christian you give up self and follow his will not your own, following self leads to destruction. Get over your self and your humanism and follow the Living and Almighty God of the bible.
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' " (Gal. 4:6).
Posted : 1 Oct, 2011 10:55 AM
Pj if you knew anything you would have never made that statement, Donna has been reading holy scripture and comparing it with other scripture, communing with God in prayer since 2003. My God says you need to put off self and follow him that is the message of the scripture. `not your humanistic views and you vain imaginings of the finneys and olsteens you follow. Get over your self Pj and follow the God of the bible.
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' " (Gal. 4:6).
Posted : 1 Oct, 2011 12:19 PM
Donna I do understand how one can pray and study scripture every day and totally miss God, that revelation is in the law of sowing and reaping. You sow corrupted seed into your heart and it will produce a harvest and then whosoever will interpret scripture in light of the corrupted seed.
If your commitment is to lord only, put down all Calvinist teaching and authors for at least sixty days. Fast all and Calvinism.
Pray to the father in Jesus name, And ask him to show you if you have missed his truth's in any way, and ask him to guide you to a church that teaches the book of Acts, and signs and wonders follow the preaching of the word.
