Your Identity in Christ
In Christ, I am a child of the Heavenly Father, the Divine Dad, the Almighty Abba, my Powerful Papa.
Romans 8:11-16
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Pondering Point
Here is a first devotional thought: You have been adopted by the Lord God Almighty and He wants you to call Him “Father.” The second devotional thought is a question: For whom is the Spirit of God urging you to pray about and/or connect with to expose them to potential adoption into Father God’s family?
Prayer Prompt
We are going to let Chris Tomlin’s song Good Good Father lead our prayer prompt today.
Listen to it if you have the time and a media resource available.
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…to us
Sermon on the Mount Podcast
Episode 21
What Does “Hallowed Be Thy Name” Mean?
(The Lord’s Prayer Part 2)
Prayer is at the center of the center of the Sermon on the Mount. In this section, Jesus gives us a simple prayer we can participate in. It’s only 12 lines long, but it contains a universe of ideas that center us with God. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the first half of the prayer: “Our Father who is in the skies, may your name be recognized as holy. May your Kingdom come and your will be done as it is in the skies so also on the land.”
https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/what-does-hallowed-be-thy-name-mean-lords-prayer-pt-2/
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 139:7-12
- Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence? - If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. - If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea, - even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. - If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,” - even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Read the verses of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask Him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Teaching or Command of God
Jeremiah 23:23-24
“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away?” “Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.
The Promise
Psalm 71:20
Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.
Pondering Point
Diana Ross popularized it, Ashford and Simpson wrote it, but God himself foreshadowed the song years before in Psalm 139.
Ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you, babe.