13 Jan Real Men: Pray Like Jesus to the Father
God is Your Father, Not Your Master
Galatians 4:6-7 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
God as Master vs. God as Father
A master uses you A father bless you
You serve them They serve you
Motivate you by fear Motivate you by love
Beats you down Builds you up
No grace for an inheritance Full grace for an inheritance
You are a Son, Not a Slave
Romans 8:14–16 all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…
Slave vs. Son
Controlling relationship Loving relationship
Powerless Empowered
Works-based lifestyle Grace-based lifestyle
Forever out of the family Forever in the family
“One man can make a difference. Churchill saved England. Lombardi turned the Packers from doormats into legends. Namath convinced the Jets they could win the Super Bowl. Iacocca turned Chrysler around. It happens all the time. One man can make a difference. Jonathan Edwards was one man who made a difference. Born in 1703, he was perhaps the most brilliant mind America ever produced. A pastor, writer, and later, president of Princeton, he and his wife had eleven children. Of his known male descendants:
- More than 300 became pastors, missionaries, or theological professors.
- 120 were professors at various universities.
- 110 became attorneys.
- 60 were prominent authors.
- 30 were judges.
- 14 served as presidents of universities and colleges.
- 3 served in the U.S. Congress.
- 1 became vice-president of the United States.”
Group Questions
- Do you mainly see God as Father or Master?
- Do you mainly see yourself as Son or Slave?
- Do those under your leadership feel more like sons or slaves?
- If you have put a father wound on someone close to you, how can you help heal that?
