God Our True Father . . . How do we understand the Father’s love and security? No matter which way we turn everything of God is family, with the stamp of family all over it. God is our heavenly Father, and His Fatherhood as a parent is to us in an earthly sense in every way. Ephesians 1:2-10, 15-17, 18, 19-20, 21 (NASB) 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [Grace and peace is given the believer by the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Grace { charis } = God the Father’s kindness to His child. Peace = the welfare of the child by the Father. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, [‘To bless’. The Greek word used here, like its English equivalent, 'to bless,' signifies to praise, as when we bless God; to pray for blessings, as when we bless others; and to bestow blessings, as when God blesses us. 'Praise to the God who has blessed us' is then the expression of thanksgiving and praise to God on account of those special benefits which we receive from him through His Son, Jesus Christ. “…in the heavenly places” The meaning is that these blessings pertain to that heavenly state into which the believer is introduced. Here on earth he is, as the apostle says in Ephesians 3:6, 'in the heavenly realms.' He is a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20). The word 'heaven,' in Scripture, is not confined to the place or state of future blessedness, but is sometimes nearly equivalent to 'kingdom of heaven.' God the Father has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing (gift) in the highest of places in His Son. But, do we really understand what it is that we have been blessed with? How do we comprehend ‘every spiritual blessing’? How might we appropriate EVERY spiritual blessing?] 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love [God the Father chose us in His Son before the foundation of the world that we would be holy (live truly as adopted sons and daughters of God the Father) and blameless (without guilt of punishment for our sin in the finished work of Christ at Calvary) before Him, the Father.] 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, [The Father blessed us because He chose us. It was the Father’s great love that caused Him to predestine us to His adopted son and His adopted daughter. Each one of us was orphaned in the Garden at the fall of Adam and Eve. We became fatherless, disinherited and nameless. Through Christ’s sacrifice, He paid the price with His blood for our adoption by the Father. Isaiah 14:27 says, ‘For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will null it? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?’ You can’t change God the Father’s predetermined intent regarding adoption. The purpose, as the prophet Isaiah says, of God the Father can’t fail!] 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. [God the Father freely bestowed His grace on us.] 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace [God the Father is for us, not against us! In Christ’s blood we have been made acceptable to the Father because Christ’s payment for our sins was acceptable payment for our sin.] 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight [God the Father lavished on us His forgiving grace and His riches which none of us deserved.] 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him [The Father’s will is no longer a mystery, for He has made it known to His children. The former mystery has been made known because of the Father’s kind intention toward us which He, the Father, purposed before the foundation of the world in His Son.] 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him… [God the Father is never taken by surprise! He planned everything, and absolutely nothing will surprise Him.] 15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. [The Father will give to us, His children a spirit of wisdom and revelation of His Fathering.] 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, [The eyes of our heart will receive words of light from God the Father – the revelation that is the hope of His calling of us.] 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, [Do you know the Father’s exceeding greatness and His power towards you? That same power which raised Christ from the dead is the same strength and might that is afforded His children.] 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. [God the Father will fill everything with Himself. We will learn fathering from Father because we live as His sons and daughters.] How do you see God the Father’s intentions towards you? His heart’s desire towards you is for your well-being. Can you receive all that the Father has for you, or does the mention of the very word ‘father’ raise emotions of pain and fear within you? Why not come to your heavenly Father and determine to be His adopted child. In your heart ask your real Father to make each one of those things assured you a reality, living and expressed through His tender heart for you. go to top