“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.” Psalm 103:13 (NIV)

The writer of this Psalm encourages us that God is a caring, loving, compassionate Father. He cares about everything in your life. Have you ever experienced God’s compassion in your life? What personally comes to mind?

We must admit that you and I have had moments where we have questioned if God cares. “God, did you see that doctor’s report? Do you care? Do you see what a mess my marriage is in? Do you care? Do you see how little money we have in the bank and all the bills we’ve got? Don’t you care? Do you see how my kids are struggling in school? Don’t you care? You know this fear that grips my mind that I can’t seem to get rid of. Do you care?”

From my own experience I can answer YES God still cares. In fact, He cares more than you care. He wants to help more than you than you even need help. He knows what will help you more than you know what will help you. He is aware, and He also cares.

The Bible assures us, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV).

If you knew and felt how much your heavenly Father constantly and compassionately cares, you couldn’t help but love him back.

Take time today to cast your anxiety on God and trust that He will receive it with care and compassion.

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Matthew 6:9 (NIV)

Out of all the scriptures covered in the Old Testament, from Genesis thru Malachi, God is only called “Father” seven times. In that culture climate, they thought of Him in ways like Creator, Almighty One, etc. But they didn’t think of God as Father. Then Jesus comes along and says “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name’” (Matthew 6:9 NIV).“ Jesus literally says, “Call Him Father”

Jesus uses the expression “Father” more than 150 times to refer to God. God is not an angry tyrant. God is not a cosmic bellman or prayer bellboy. He is not an impersonal force. God is a personal God who wants to have a relationship with you. There is only one problem, there are some who just don’t think of God as Father. For many people, the name “father” is a negative term that brings up all kinds of bad memories. From this, we have a lot of people who may say, “‘Our Father in heaven” just to decipher a major difference. Here’s what is real, there are some human fathers that have made their family’s home a hell on earth. While many fathers are loving and kind, others can be fickle, moody, abusive, controlling, manipulative and violent. So the words “our Father in heaven” can carry baggage or even be a trigger. Many people never connect with God because they unconsciously think God is like their earthly father. They will impose their mixed-up hurts and emotions from their human fathers onto God. 

If their earthly father is unreasonable, they will tend to think God is unreasonable. If their father is unreliable, they may think God is unreliable. If they just don’t understand their earthly father, they might think they could never understand God either.

Misconceptions can make it to difficult to connect, thus keeping people disconnected from God. 

To understand the truth of what God the Father is really like, you need to let go of any misconceptions and myths you have about him.

Discovering the truth about God, as well as who God really is, will set you free to have a loving relationship with Him as your Father!

I want to leave you with these two questions to consider. Just take some time today or later in the week to think on them and apply them. 

1. When Jesus instructs us to pray “Our Father in heaven,” what kinds of feelings or images come forth for you?
2. What positive father characteristics have you associated with God?

"For as in one body we have many members,[a]and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Romans 12:4-5

One of the most common descriptions of the church in the Bible is the “Body of Christ.” What Jesus Christ did when he was here in his physical body, he wants us to continue to do today. 

We are the body of Christ on earth. We are part of him. We literally represent his hands, his feet. We are most times the only representation of Jesus that people will see, and most times the only bible some people have ever seen. 

Let me suggest that everybody’s needed in the body of Christ, and in God’s family. We are all parts of it. Shiloh and friends let me also suggest that it takes every one of us to make it complete.

Consider us, the body of Christ (the Church), being like a jigsaw puzzle. When you are building a jigsaw puzzle and you’ve got one part missing, no matter how small or big the puzzle is, you notice that one missing piece. 

That’s the same for the body of Christ. Everybody’s needed. You may say, “Oh I’m just a toenail or a fingernail in the body of Christ.” Have you ever lost a toenail or a fingernail? You notice it, DAILY!!!

Never mistake or confuse prominence and significance. Something can be prominent but not significant. Whereas something that is significant doesn’t have to be prominent. 

Have you ever felt like you are not a prominent or significant part of the Body of Christ? How did it impact your connection to the body?? Do you know of someone who is in this space now?

Let me be of some encouragement, you don’t have to be prominent in the body of Christ to be vital. Always remember that you are significant!!! What you offer and who God has made you to be is enough. There are so many parts of the human body that are not prominent that are extremely vital so you can function. In Christ’s body, though there are many parts, remember everyone is needed in the church. We all have work for the advancement of His kingdom to do!

“The LORD is near to all who call on him.”  Psalm 145:18 (NIV)

God feels so far away from us during times of our most difficult struggles. There are also moments where our main struggle is how far away He seems to be when we are trying to feel or be close to Him.  

Even though He may sometimes feel farther away, this text reminds us and encourages us that He’s always near. He’s as close as your next breath. God is even closer than your next minute, your next second. He’s with you every moment of every day.

The Bible says in Acts 17:27, “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us” (NIV).

Yesterday you may have felt that God was right there with you, while today you may feel like He is nowhere near you. Truth is, your feelings and reality don’t always match. I want to suggest this reality to you: God is with you right now!!!!! 

Consider these three truths about God:

1. God is never too busy for you. Psalm 145:18 says, “The LORD is near to all who call on him” (NIV). Every time you call, God is near. You are on His mind a lot more than you think. He thought about you before you were born. He thinks about you every moment of every day. You may get too busy for God, but he never gets too busy for you.

(What changes do you need to make in your life so that you are not too busy for Him?)

1. God loves to meet your needs. He doesn’t do it begrudgingly. He loves it! Mathew 7:11 says, “If you . . . know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (NIV). You can enjoy the fact that God loves giving good gifts to you. He loves to bless you.

(What do you need to call on God for today?)

III. God is sympathetic to your hurts. Whenever you go through something that’s tough, remember this verse: “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18 NIV).

God is close to you, and he understands what you’re going through. Turn to him. And you’ll find that He is already right there with you.

12 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

Have you ever paid attention to the reality that it’s easier to pick up bad habits than it is to get rid of them? 

• What are some your bad habits?
• What sin in your life is causing distractions? Keeping you from focusing spiritually??

Here’s a glance into why it’s so hard for many to get rid of your bad habits:

1. Because you’ve held on to them for a long time. You didn’t collect your habits, hurts, and hang-ups overnight. Many of these patterns were established over a length of time. They become familiar. Even if they aren’t helpful, you hang on to them. Studies have shown that it takes a little as 7 days to create a habit, but more than 90 days to break it. 
2. Because you identify with them. We often confuse and attach our identity with our defects, or we even allow others the power to do so.  And most times it causes many to have an unconscious fear of change. This can also make people believe that they cannot change. 
3. Because Satan fights it. Satan doesn’t want you to be transformed and set free. The moment you get serious about changing, he starts whispering to you, “Who do you think you are? You can’t change. You’ve tried to change in the past; it won’t work. You may as well give up!” He wants you to be comfortable being the worst version of yourself. He doesn’t want you to see yourself as God sees you. 

Cleaning up, changing, becoming a better you is never easy. It takes time. You will have to remind yourself of your identity in Christ; makes no difference in how new or old you are in the faith. The text says, “Lay aside every weight, and the sin that clings so closely.”

For every bad habit you can identify, replace it with a good habit that will help you become more Christlike.   Also rely on the Holy Spirit, whose power in you is greater than Satan’s attacks. This mindset will help you to live better, eat better, become healthier, and experience an incredible life.