I Never Knew What To Give My Dad On Father's Day

Psalms 147:10-11, “He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Proverbs 23:26, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”

As an adult I often had difficulty deciding what to get my earthly father on Father's Day. My father had enough money to buy whatever he wanted. So what do you get the guy who has everything? So I would get out my crayons and colored felt-tip pens (yes, even as an adult) and I would take the time to make a handmade card for my Dad. I wanted to give him something that money couldn't buy.

Now I find myself as a child of God asking the same question—What can I give my heavenly Father? God can do anything (omnipotent), go everywhere (omnipresent) and He knows everything (Omniscient). What can a clump of clay from the earth give to His Maker to please him? We have many indications in the Word of God what makes God happy. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” We know without any question that FAITH pleases God!

Psalms 147:10-11, “He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” God loves to forgive people! That's the whole reason why God sent His only begotten Son into the world to die on the cross for our sins. 2nd Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Proverbs 19:11, “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.” The Lord loves to forgive! God created man in His own image, not just His physical appearance but also in our soul and spirit.

The dearest thing to the heart of God is soulwinning! From the blood sacrifice of Abel in Genesis to the saints of Revelation whose robes are washed in the blood of the Lamb, the great theme of the Holy Bible is the salvation of humanity. God desires for “ALL” to come to repentance, that is to be saved (2nd Peter 3:9).

Obedience pleases God! The first thing that every person must do to please God is to get saved by trusting in His Son Jesus. You can spend your life doing many wonderful works in Jesus' name, and preach in Jesus' name, and follow Jesus calling Him “Lord, Lord,” but none of that will please God if you are not resting 100% in Jesus because of what He did to pay for your sins. John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” Faith alone in Jesus Christ pleases God.

Soulwinning Makes God Our Heavenly Father Happy

Now what about God's children? That is the $64,000 question. What does a redeemed child of God give to our heavenly Father to make Him happy. Dear friend, nothing makes God any happier than preaching the Gospel. Luke 15:10, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Every time someone receives Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, Heaven throws a party! God rejoices with the saints in the presence of the angels. I think the reason why the Bible says there is rejoicing “in the presence of the angels” is because redemption is a human experience. The angels were not redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

Dear friend, do you have any idea how fortunate we are to be humans? Christ didn't die for the angels. God created the angels to serve Him and us. That is why we read the precious words in Matthew 18:6 and 10, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. ...Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Psalms 34:7, “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”

This passage speaks of Christian believers. We are the little ones (God's children) who BELIEVE in Christ. The Bible warns everyone not to do evil against any child of God, because THEIR ANGELS (at least two guardian angels) DO ALWAYS BEHOLD THE FACE OF THE FATHER. The angels know their place. 24-hours a day our guardian angels stand alert waiting for God's next order concerning us. I do not find any teachings in the Bible about angels needing sleep or rest. I think that are awake all the time. I am greatly comforted knowing that God has stationed angels to care for me. Since the word “angels” is plural, we know that there are at least TWO of them. When Lazarus died, the “angels” (Luke 16:22) came to escort him home. Again we see that the word angels is plural, meaning there were two or more.

The Angels Were Created To Serve

The angels don't care for us, our heavenly Father cares for us. Matthew 6:7-8, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” The angels were created to serve. I love the angels! I cannot wait to meet them and spent time getting to know them. 1st Peter 1:12, “Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.” The angels have a keen interest in spiritual things! God created them to serve and a big part of their duties is caring for believers as the Father gives them commandment. Our assigned angels DO ALWAYS BEHOLD THE FACE OF THE FATHER, waiting for His next command concerning His dear saints on earth.

There is much rejoicing in the presence of the angels. Jesus and the saints rejoice continually as lost people get saved, and backslidden saints repent and get right with their heavenly Father. This is hard for some of us to understand, because we are so preoccupied with our favorite professional sports team, television Hollywood, an upcoming church barbeque, life's heavy burdens, our health afflictions and other things that choke and hinder us from bearing fruit to Christ with the Gospel. Luke 8:14, “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” This world will choke us if we do not prioritize serving God, so that Satan will render us useless and ineffective for God.

The emphasis of The Parable Of The Sower And The Seeds is not about salvation, which is a common error people make; the emphasis is about maturing in the Lord to bear fruit (souls saved). God's ultimate goal for every new convert is to grow so that person reproducers into more believers. This is The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). God didn't save you and me just to have fire insurance. God didn't save us merely to sit on our blessed assurance! God is not pleased with a believer to merely occupies 18 inches of pew three times a week, but never shares the Gospel with lose sinners. If you want to make God happy dear friend, then you need to share the Gospel with lost sinners, so they can escape the damnation of Hell too.

We've all heard every type of Bible teaching and preaching imaginable on television, radio and the internet. But dear reader, any Bible preaching or teaching that does not compel the listener to get busy serving God, witnessing to lost people with the Gospel, is not sound Bible doctrine. Revelation 19:10b says “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Good Bible teaching is centered around Jesus Christ and getting people saved through faith in Him!

There is a hierarchy of authority in Heaven and earth. This is also true of the Satanic kingdom. Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Revelation 4:11 teaches that ALL THINGS were created to please God. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” By the way, here is a fantastic THRU THE BIBLE study series by Pastor J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) on “REVELATION.”

Your Heavenly Father Wants To Spend Time Fellowshipping With You

God created ALL THING and for His pleasure they were created. I was born early in the morning on March 5, 1967. God made me for the sole purpose of pleasing Him! In hindsight I am humbled and amazed beyond words that God wanted to create something and somebody like me. Why did God make me? It blows my mind to realize that the wondrous God Who spoke the unsearchable universe into existence, pays attention to my thoughts and cares about me.

I don't know if you have ever done this, but when I buy something from the store, I am humbled that it was made just for me! When I eat a delicious pizza from the store, I stop to appreciate that someone took the time and effort to obtain and mix all the ingredients just right, and then package the item and deliver it to the store, and this particular pizza is mine, ALL MINE! I don't feel worthy. When I eat a delicious Big Mac from MacDonald's (I love those things, especially the dehydrated onions and pickle in the middle), I enjoy realizing as I savor every wonderful bite that this Big Mac was MADE JUST FOR ME!!!

I enjoy, appreciate and am thankful for every thing in my life!!! I am often reminded that God made me in His image. I don't think any of us can truly understand the depth of what that means. Just like I enjoy savoring every bite of my Big Mac, and thinking about all that went into making this heavenly moment on earth possible, I also think God savors our fellowship with Him. How often have I prayed quickly just to know that I prayed to ease my conscience? Do you think God enjoys drive-by-praying? I am as guilty as anyone of only praying in my spare time, or at a traffic light while waiting, or at my convenience. Aren't we terrible the way we mistreat God? We sure are! Yet our precious Savior fully understands our weaknesses and flaws. Psalms 103:14, “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”

I enjoy knowing that God enjoys my presence. God enjoys when I pay attention to Him. James 4:8-10, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” I love that promise from God. If we make an effort to draw closer to God, HE WILL draw closer to us as well.

Be A DOER Of God's Word, Not Just A HEARER

Dear friend, God has been in the religious business for a long time! The Lord knows our human nature far better than we do! Proverbs 20:24, “Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?” The Bible is our instruction manual as human beings. When all else fails, read the instruction manual! ...

James 1:22-25, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

I very much love this passage of Scripture! When I went to San Diego in 2010 to get my second neck surgery, I had stopped in a Mexican restaurant to eat. As I exited I saw a man searching in garbage pails for food. I went over and handed him a Gospel tract with $20 inside. I'll never forget what he said to me: “Thank you for being a doer and not just a hearer of the Word.” I cherish what he said to me. Since that day I have strived by God's grace to BE A DOER OF GOD'S WORD, and not just another idle hearer. Our churches across the world are filled with HEARERS only, sitting on the premises instead of standing on the promises!

Proverbs 14:14, “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.” We've all been backslidden for most of our life! We Americans are the worst!!! The television is the center of most homes, where the family gathers around it as an altar to worship Hollywood's celebrities and gods among the people. 

Dear friend, taking 15-minutes out for God each day is not the best thing to do. The answer is to meditate day and night in the Bible, letting it be a part of our life 24/7. You would be better off reading just one Bible verse and thinking all day about what it means, than to read 20 chapters and don't think about it anymore. Notice what James said:

James 1:22-25, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

Reading the Holy Bible helps them most who CONTINUE THEREIN. ...

Psalms 1:1-3, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Again, just as we saw in James 1:22-25, the key is to CONTINUE THEREIN, MEDITATING DAY AND NIGHT in the Word of God. Tens of millions of people go to church, but forget what they heard afterwards. If you want to be close to God and see fruit in your life, then you need to saturate your mind, heart and will with the inspired King James Bible. The Word of God doesn't just have the answer, THE HOLY BIBLE IS THE ANSWER!!!

The God of the universe has everything except our heart. Proverbs 23:26, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” If you will give God your heart dear saint of God, He will make you all that He desires for you to be! Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” The way to learn about Christ is to get into the yoke with Him, pulling the work load of soulwinning. Nothing is dearer to the heart of God than our obedience and trust.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.