Our Heavenly Father

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Many of us will celebrate Father’s Day by honoring beloved fathers or men who are father figures in our lives. Traditionally, we’ll honor these men by presenting them with gifts and sentimental cards. Some of us may even have cookouts and family gatherings. This day is a great opportunity for us to recognize and remember the importance of fatherhood.

As we recognize and honor earthly fathers, we should also recognize and honor our Heavenly Father. The Gospel shows us the important role God, the Father, has in our lives. His written word shows us that we can have a personal relationship with the Almighty God, which goes far beyond knowing Him just as “Creator.” His goodness and wonderful promises are found throughout both the Old and New Testaments. For instance, His living word tells us that we are the Father’s beloved sons and daughters and have been adopted by Him. It also says we are joint heirs with Christ. Unfortunately, there are many precious people wandering the earth who have no knowledge of these glorious truths. Many of them are influenced by other religions that are founded upon lies and deceit, which paint a picture of God quite different than the truth in scripture.

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“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. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.”

— John 3:16-17

In the Middle East, where Islam is the dominant religion, the Qur’an teaches that god is not a father to anyone. According to both the Qur’an and Hadith, there are 99 names of god and not one of them reference him as a father. Allah is just another one of those names.

Take a look at the contrast:

  • Allah is distant, Father God is not.

  • Where Allah shows no love, Father God shows unconditional love that is everlasting.

  • Islam offers hopelessness, Jesus offers hope.

  •   Islam’s holy book provides no real guidance. In Christianity, the Holy Spirit provides guidance, comfort, and empowerment.

  •   In Islam, salvation is based on works or good deeds, trusting if you do enough good works or deeds you may enter heaven and be saved from hell. Salvation in Christianity is faith-based — no works required — and available to all who believe in Jesus.

Spiritual fatherlessness abounds not only for those residing in the Middle East, but throughout the world. Within our GCM network, disciple makers living in hostile environments are consistently bringing this love of the Father to the unreached. On Father’s Day, let’s pray for those who do not yet know God as their Father. May He deliver them from the lies and deceit of their religion. May His hands be upon those who are courageous enough to follow the truth, which is only found in Jesus.

In a chaotic world that is lost, where hope seems fading, there are many people who yearn for more. A people whose hearts are void of hope and love. A people searching for the truth. A people desiring more meaningful lives. And their only hope is found in the One True Living God – a God that is eternal, a Father. A God who loves them unconditionally and desires a personal relationship with them. A God who knows each one by name and knows the number of hairs on their heads. A God who will be their Father if they will reach out to Him through His son Jesus, the only way to Him. A God who says yes to them and to all who are searching.

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“For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.”

— Romans 8:28

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HELP US REACH MORE MUSLIMS IN RESTRICTED NATIONS WITH THE LOVE OF THE FATHER

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We believe the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are inspired by God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, 1 Peter 1:21)

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent who has revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Luke 3:22)

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us, in His present rule as Head of the Church, and in His personal return in power and glory. (Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:31)

We believe in the creation of mankind in God’s image, and the fall of man, resulting in universal guilt and total depravity; and the necessity, therefore, of redemption and restoration; that all men and women are lost spiritually and face the judgment of God, that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and that repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ is necessary for regeneration by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 2:17)

We believe salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life. (Luke 24:47, John 3:3)

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the saved unto the resurrection of eternal life in the presence of our Lord, and the lost unto the resurrection of damnation and eternal punishment. (Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43-48)

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ and that all true believers are members of His body, the Church, which has the duty to preach the Gospel to every person. (Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 2:22)

We believe that we must dedicate ourselves to prayer, to the service of our Lord, to His authority over our lives, and to the ministry of teaching, preaching, the prophetic, the apostolic, and evangelism. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

We believe in upholding the ordinances of the church of water baptism and holy communion.

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe in Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, Acts 10:47,48, Romans 6:4)

The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine—, is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4), a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26), and is enjoined on all believers “till He comes!”