#245 Open House Series# 1, God-The Father

Open House Series# 1 — God-The Father
By: Pastor Karl Thomas

Ephesians 2:19-20  “You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are His house,…”

1 Chronicles 16:34 “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

Psalm 86:5 “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.”

GOOGLED MYSELF   find out who I am … there are at least three of me …

Any Concept of God that is built through a preconceived filter will limit your ability to connect with God. 

MEDIA  Time Magazine   April 6, 1966 “Is God Dead”

Hollywood  The Grey … “where are you … Oh I’ll do it myself.

EDUCATION     School … higher learning … no God   Science …

FRIENDS  Your friends shape your belief system … what do you think.

EXPERIENCES
Natural disasters … acts of God  Bad Events … critical illness … breakups    Authority figure were creepy

RELIGION
Many ways up the mountain … god is difficult and mysterious … moody old guy in the sky. Mother nature.

PARENTS  I had a pretty good up bringing … a little weird.   I was a bit weird as a father too
How they treated you The way they saw life  How there relationship did or didn’t work out

MOSES … a guy who got to know GOD … FACE TO FACE AS A FRIEND.

It was a relationship that evolved
Exodus 33:18 “And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” Who are you? What are you famous For?

Moses Background
Born in a time when Pharaoh was killing all hebrew babies.
Parents used to hide him in the river … basket bullrushes
Pharaoh’s daughter found Him
Pharaoh was his first real Father figure
He knew he was a hebrew and he saw how they were treated and wanted them free.
Killed an Egyptian who was treating a slave bad.
Pharaoh found out and wanted to kill him
40 years in the dessert … sees a burning bush … send someone else
10 Plagues …. then the Red Sea
Then we have the people in the wilderness headed for the promise of  a good land
Moses gone up the mountain for 40 days … is he coming back?

Lead these people. Not without you … by the way … WHO ARE YOU REALLY?!!!!!

“He’s trying to kill us!” Moses and the people of Israel spent their whole lives seeing God through this Pharaoh filter. Difficult for generations of slaves to understand a loving God.
Best thing Moses ever did was ask God who are you? Show me?

Exodus 34:5-7  (MESSAGE)
God Reveals Himself As He Really Is.
“God descended in the cloud and took up his position there beside him and called out the name, God. God passed in front of him and called out, “God, God, a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient—so much love, so deeply true—loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Still, he doesn’t ignore sin. He holds sons and grandsons responsible for a father’s sins to the third and even fourth generation.”

1. Merciful
    He runs to your mess. He values you. Doesn’t accuse you.

2. Gracious
    Getting what you don’t deserve.  Empowers us to excel.

3. Endlessly Patient
    He never quits on you. No “eggshells”  Sees the finished you!

4. So Much Love
    He is consistent. He is not moody. Be yourself.

5. Deeply True
    Trustworthy  Never lies.  His Word never fails.

6. Forgiving
     To a 1000 generations. He removes your sin. Establish you in peace!

7. Just
    He holds us responsible.
    The cross is where He deals with our mess.
 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” 

Ephesians 1:7  “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

Romans 8:15 “…but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 

Just say yes to JESUS!!!

This encounter resulted in Moses countenance shining so bright they asked him to cover his face.

Accepting what Jesus did at the cross removes the filter so that you can know God as He really is!

245 Open House Series# 1, GodThe Father, PowerPoint Slides

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