Ultimate Security 4, Ann Burwick

Continuing Ann's presentation on ultimate security:
Although our behavior will never achieve perfection ISAIAH 64:6 tells us that our efforts are as filthy rags. He loves us so much that He gives us His perfect status with God. This doesn't mean our actions and attitudes are irrelevant and we do grieve God with our behavior and God does chasten,yet our status as holy, beloved and acceptable children remains intact.

(Like when one of my children has made a decision I know will end up causing them pain, I am grieved, but I don't accept them any less as my dearly loved child. In fact I want to give to the child who does not seem to be seeking God right now just as I do the one who is zealous for Him, and am just as excited to hear from each of them. I surely don't love to the depth that God does his children).

John 17:19-26 tells me that the Father loves me as He loves his own son and because I am as Ephesians l:3 states "in the beloved" when the father looks at me He sees me as acceptable BECAUSE I am "in" Christ. I am accepted right now - as I am - Nothing I can say or do will make me more or less acceptable to God. I am AS acceptable as the most spiritual person I know, J. I. Packer, Billy Graham or ________.

WE ARE FORGIVEN AND RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF CHRIST'S SACRIFICE THEREFORE WE ARE PLEASING TO GOD IN SPITE OF OUR FAILURE. Robert McGee in -Search for Significance goes on to add that we are also ABSOLUTELY COMPLETE IN CHRIST. Coming from three generations of Christians who believed the Arminian doctrine which teaches salvation by grace and keeping saved by my works, this has been extremely freeing and yet caused me to follow Christ out of love and gratitude rather than fear and guilt. Coming much more boldly in His righteousness and acceptability to a more intimate walk with God, and definitely enjoying Him more..

Our ability to experience God's love and thus our security in Him has much to do with our PERCEPTION of Him. If we believe He is demanding or aloof we will not be able to receive his love and tenderness. Instead, we may be afraid of Him, angry with him or even wonder if He can be bothered with our concerns. "Just as a door rests on the strength of its hinges, so do we rest and rely on our God's character." This may mean reprogramming our minds as to who God really is and is not. A major cause for a wrong view of God is our EXPERIENCE WITH OUR EARTHLY PARENTS, PARTICULARLY OUR FATHER. Quoting Ray Burwick, " A 'heart wound' concerning our father causes our view of God to be like looking through a scratched lens - distorted as to who and what He is and how He relates to us."

If our earthly father set unreachable standards for us and if acceptance was only gained by good performance, we will attempt to gain God's approval by performing well as a Christian but feel as if we never quite please Him. A harsh and angry father becomes a harsh and angry God, a distant or absent father models a God who seems far removed from my everyday problems and of course a strong caring father, projects that picture of a strong caring God.

Studying about God will have little impact on an inaccurate view of God if there is conscious or unconscious hurt resentment or guilt dealing with our parents (our God Models). In order to decide whether this is a problem. Think about your early memories of your father, and your relationship to him - how you felt around him , how he expressed love/or didn't to you.

Come back on Monday and we'll discuss this more.