The Generous FatherSpeaker: Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Gist: As a father gives the best gifts and the heart's desire of his children, so is our Heavenly Father who grants all things to enjoy freely to us. He is the eternal source of all blessings. Everyone who asks, receives. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17)
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7)
When I was a little boy, I was very fond of sweets. My father, while returning home from his duty by 7 or 8'o clock in the night, would come with a packet of sweets for me. On some days, he would return from outstations at midnight and ask my mother, "Has our son gone to sleep?" As soon as I hear his words, I would jump out of my bed, shouting, "No daddy, I am awake." Wherever my father may go, he would return home with sweets for me. A father's desire is to give his children the things they like. Our Lord is the Ideal Father with wholesome gifts for His beloved children.
"Trust in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." (1 Timothy 6:17)
It is not God's will that His children should be hungry. He wants them to eat delicious food and be happy (1 Timothy 4:4). No father desires that his child be dressed in rags, but rather He wants His children to be nicely clothed. Our Father wishes to give them all to us. Let us ask our Generous Father all the gifts that we desire and receive them freely.
Dear friend, remember that your physical health is a great gift from God. Health comes from God. Look at the Lord Jesus nailed to the cross, and see His broken body, with bleeding wounds and stripes all over. He writhed in unbearable pain that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, "He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses" (Matthew 8:17).
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)
"For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob." (Malachi 3:6)
I had an aunt who lived very near to our house. One day, all of a sudden my mother fainted. We were in a great fix. The village physician was called and he gave some medicinal leaves which someone was to chew and blow the breath into my mother's nostrils. But the leaves would produce blisters in the mouth of the one who chews those leaves. My aunt offered to do that. Her mouth was filled with blistered while she chewed those leaves. Bearing all the pain and restraining all her feelings, she blew her breath into my mother's nostrils. Immediately my mother opened her eyes, but my aunt had to suffer long from those blisters.
This is what the Lord Jesus Christ did on the cross at Calvary. He said, "Let all diseases and weaknesses afflict Me. By My sufferings, let My children have a new lease of health!" Yes! Divine healing is a gift that comes from the wounds of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
A few days ago, a young man wrote to me saying, "Sir! I am asking God to give me the gifts of the Holy Spirit. If He refuses to give them, I am resolved to commit suicide. On going to heaven above, I will demand why He did not grant me those gifts." I explained him that if he committed suicide, he will not be able to go to heaven. Dear friend, there is no need for all that, because God has those gifts to be given only to us (1 Corinthians 12:1,31; 14:1). The Bible describes the various manifestations of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, all these gifts will surely descend upon us and will begin to function in our lives. We become transformed into supernatural men and women. The devil will begin to tremble at our sight. When we pray for others, the Holy Spirit will perform miracles that they need in their daily lives.
"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)
I know an engineer who had ulcers all over his body. He came to a Jesus Calls Good News Meeting just out of curiosity to see what would happen there. Before he went to the meeting, he told his wife, "I shall go and see what is going on in that meeting and then phone you. You may also come then." She was anxiously waiting for the phone call, but she was disappointed. So, she made a call to him after waiting the whole day. She could hear her husband speak to her excitedly, "I attended the evening meeting on the first day. During the prayer time, the man of God declared, 'Here, to my left is a man with ulcer in his stomach for eighteen long years and God heals him right now.' Immediately, I felt a supernatural power descending upon me and I received complete cure. At the morning session, the following day he spoke about the power of the Holy Spirit. I too implored, 'Lord! I want to live a victorious life. Grant me Your Holy Spirit.' The Holy Spirit then descended on me. It looked then as if the Lord Himself came down and took me in His embrace. I cannot find words to describe the joy that flowed into my heart. So, I have no mind to leave this place. Do come here and join me immediately."
Our gracious Lord does not stop with granting us the gift of salvation. He is anxious to grant us good health and material gifts, besides the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He wants His children everywhere to be preeminent, rejoicing with the bounty of His gifts. He is alive even today and He is our Everlasting Father.
Dear friend, Do you want victory over sin, healing from sickness, material blessings in abundance or comfort for your broken heart? Do you desire to be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit? The Lord has them all ready for you in His hands. When you accept Him as your Everlasting Father, He will abide and grant you all His wholesome gifts. He will make eternal joy overflow into your heart and home!
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
Help me to change my sinful life to a life pleasing before Your sight. Wipe away all my tears, pains, suffering and sicknesses and grant me complete deliverance from them. Come and dwell in me and my family. Let Your unchanging peace and joy fill me and my life. Fill me with the gifts and fruit of Your Holy Spirit. I make this humble prayer through Jesus Christ, my Lord.
Amen. |