HOPE AND HEALING
Pastor Josh Weisbrod - April 26, 2020
KEY IDEA: God is a perfect and loving Heavenly Father and He loves you unconditionally.
KEY PASSAGE: Multiple Scripture passages (see below)
SUMMARY: God is the model of Fatherhood for a wounded generation. The more you understand your heavenly father the more you will be healed of fatherhood wounds and released of fatherhood worries in your future. God is ready to heal the pain of past wounds, bring hope for your future.
• Story about teenager who needed stitches and Josh was present with him. Josh modeled his experience of fatherhood to this teenager: I’m here for you no matter what happens.
• We are a fatherless generation, who has deep wounds from the past and great worries about our future. Kids from fatherless homes are 10 times more likely to be poor, 2 times more likely to drop out of high school, 90% of men in prison had no role model, or a poor male role model.
• We emulate what we see and we replicate trauma to others.
• Your perception of your earthly father is often how you perceive God.
• God wants to redefine fatherhood for you, and give you a new standard of Heavenly Father.
Your Father will Never Leave You
• Deuteronomy 31:6; John 14:16; Psalm 139:7-10
• God will never leave you in suspense. He will never sneak out, He’ll never abandon you.
• You never have to ask if He will stay or go. He’ll never leave you. Good fatherhood is security.
• If you struggle with abandonment, you need trust.
Your Father will Protect You, Not Abuse You
• Some father’s bring pain instead of protection.
• Some fathers are brutal and abusive. It’s difficult to comprehend a God who protects when you come from an unsafe home, ruled by fear, chaos, and brutality.
• Matthew 7:9-11
• God will always protect and never abuse you.
• 1 John 4:18 – God’s love is perfect. He disciplines, not punishes. He corrects in love. Proverbs 3:12
• God is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 God is a Father of comfort and protection not terror and abuse. He cares for you. He is compassionate towards you. He will not hurt you.
Your Father Knows Your Needs
· 16 million children struggle with food security.
· If you’ve never had a father who cared for your needs and you had to take care of yourself, it can be hard to believe that God sees your needs, cares about your needs, and is faithful and able to provide for your needs.
· Psalm 50:10 Not only is He able to supply all of your needs, but He loves providing for you because you are valuable to Him. Philippians 4:19
· God the Father provided for your eternity through Jesus. He provides for your life with tender care because he loves you. You are worth caring for.
Your Father Takes Delight in You
· There is a major struggle in this fatherless generation and it is worth.
· Father physically present but emotionally absent. We didn’t get the validation or approval we needed.
· Maybe we’ve acted out, looking for something to validate me. God won’t like me.
· God likes you, not because of what you do, but because of who you are. You are His child.
· You don’t have to earn His love, approval, affection, or attention.
· God delights over you as His child. God sings over you. Zephaniah 3:17
· God loves you as He loves Jesus. If you are His, you are loved. John 17:23
Your Father Loves You Unconditionally
· This idea of unconditional love may be the hardest to grasp.
· If we grew up in a home where love was conditional,
· “If I was /wasn’t , then I would have been loved.” Wounds of fatherhood.
· We begin to blame ourselves and it speaks to our identity.
· God loves you because He loves you. That will never change even when we sin.
· We may have feared sharing with our fathers out of fear of shame or abuse.
· There is more mercy in God than sin in you. Psalm 34:5; Luke 15:21-24
· God’s love is unconditional. You are loved. You are worthy of love. He demonstrated it through Jesus dying on the cross. Romans 5:6-8
Your father might have:
· abandoned you. Your Heavenly Father will never leave you or forsake you.
· abused you. Your Heavenly Father will always protect and comfort you.
· neglected you. Your Heavenly Father will always provide for you.
· never accepted you. Your Heavenly Father delights in you as His child.
· not have loved you. Your Heavenly Father loves you unconditionally.
Psalm 68:5; Psalm 34:18
God wants to heal you of the father wounds from your past and guide you with hope for your future.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Use these reflection questions as a way to deepen your relationship with God. Allow the Holy Spirit to shine a light into your heart.
1) Does the information that Pastor Josh provided about the “Fatherless Generation” surprise you? Why or why not? [Kids from fatherless homes are 10 times more likely to be poor, 2 times more likely to drop out of high school, 90% of men in prison had no role model, or a poor male role model.]
2) In his message Pastor Josh said, “Your perception of your earthly father is often how you perceive God.” How has this been true in your life?
3) Which characteristic of God as Father has been or is the easiest for you to believe and embrace? Which characteristic of God as Father has been or is the most difficult for you to believe or embrace?
4) Which characteristic of God as Father do you feel you most need God to reveal to you at this time in your life?
5) How easy or difficult is it for you to believe that God wants to, and has the power to, heal you of father wounds?
Full Podcast Episode: https://banner.church/podcast/2020/5/25/hope-amp-healing-redefining-fatherhood-42620