Who's Your Daddy?

Hello, dear friends! This week we are going to continue on our journey through the book of 1 John. This past week at our study of this book, God really blew our minds! John has a radical thought for humanity that is unparalleled by anything else I’ve heard about God. Seriously, I’m not trying to make this up to get you to read!! This could be something I find so exciting and fulfilling! Let’s check out the beginning of  1 John 3….

Again, remember the idea of this book is assurance and to exemplify what true fellowship with Jesus looks like. Written by the Apostle John, who was a first hand witness of Christ’s ministry, and is being led by the Holy Spirit. Lastly, he was writing to people who already believed!

“1 Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him.”  1 JOHN 3:1-2

In my last post we talked about the idea of not loving the world or it’s desires. We talked about how Christians should be different. Here is why! John drops something that just blows my mind. For starters, God loves us. God loves you, God loves me! He loves us so much that while we were enemies He did the unthinkable. He opened an opportunity for us to become family! We have the privilege of being His son or daughter!

I don’t know about you but that’s amazing to me. For those of you who don’t know, my earthly father passed away when I was 5 years old. I didn’t have much of a father figure in my life from that time forward, or at least one that I cared about, until about my freshman year of college. A lot of the things I did as a young man that were un godly definitely could be stemmed back to the idea that I longed for a loving, fatherly figure in my life to push and encourage me to the right things. I didn’t have that. In a single parent home, having an awesome mother, doesn’t always solve the problem. I looked to MTV for my role models, the music I listened to, my friends my own age, my coaches, my bosses, but never really searched deep for the real Father.

About 5 years ago, I went to a conference with some friends after a really hard time in my life. I had a radical experience with God, and I met my Father. God the Father. Can I tell you why verses 1-2 are so awesome?

To do this let me tell you a brief side story. My mother met great man who loved an cared dearly for her and a few years back was remarried! I have never been happier for her (Love ya mom). He and I have a great relationship and I have become comfortable calling him Pops! Pops has one of the coolest Harley Davidson motorcycles around. One of the things that has crossed my mind is that if I were to ride that bike around my hometown, not that my wife would be thrilled about it, everyone would probably know that it was his bike, not mine. But boy would I feel honored to ride that thing!

What I’m telling you is this, just like that story, God invites us into something that’s not ours and we’re not know for. He has metaphorically handed us the keys to one of the most amazing, radical, one of a kind stories that this world has ever heard of. It’s so awesome that when we walk in this story, people will look at you and I and say, “That’s totally not Bryan right there.” We have the opportunity to live like God is our Father, to call Him Daddy! In doing so, there is no way we will live like something else.

“8 The one who commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil’s works. 9 Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how God’s children—and the Devil’s children—are made evident.” 1 JOHN 3:8-10

Look as God’s Child, we no longer strive to make a practice, or a lifestyle of sinning. God’s laws, way of thinking, heart, love, peace and so much more recreates us and transforms us to repent of foolishness and be wiped clean of unrighteousness. Verses 7-8 confirm there is a difference between those who are His children and those who are of a far lesser flock. So let me ask you a few things to reflect on this week!

Do you have a relationship with God in such a way that you are no longer living your way and it clearly evident that you have Him as your Daddy?

Do you crave to live as Jesus did, morn over the sin that you walk in, and long for unrighteousness to flee from your life?

Do you realize the privilege that knocks on your door?

Feel free to answer below or message me on facebook.com/BryanAllard! I Love You Beloved!