[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Farticles\u002Four-father":3,"\u002Farticles\u002Four-father-surround":92},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"bibleBooks":8,"body":16,"columnName":73,"date":74,"description":75,"extension":76,"image":77,"meta":78,"minRead":79,"navigation":80,"path":81,"postType":82,"publication":83,"publicationUrl":77,"seo":84,"stem":85,"topics":86,"__hash__":91},"blog\u002Farticles\u002Four-father.md","Our Father",{"name":7},"Dave Faust",[9,10,11,12,13,14,15],"1 John","Matthew","Psalms","Hosea","Exodus","Isaiah","Colossians",{"type":17,"value":18,"toc":69},"minimark",[19,28,31,34,37,40,43,46,49,52,55,58,61,64],[20,21,22,23,27],"p",{},"John concludes his first epistle by writing, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21, ",[24,25,26],"em",{},"New International Version","). The Ten Commandments begin in a similar fashion, instructing God’s people to honor only the true God (“have no other gods before me”) and refrain from worshiping “graven images.”",[20,29,30],{},"False gods constantly compete for our attention, and caricatures of the true God abound. That’s why the Lord’s Prayer starts by affirming God’s true identity and holiness.",[20,32,33],{},"Tough and Tender",[20,35,36],{},"Is the Lord a strict, petty, unmerciful, tyrannical judge? Or is he a mild-mannered, cuddly old gentleman who smiles on everyone with benign approval? Neither of these extremes fit the robust descriptions of God found in the Scriptures.",[20,38,39],{},"By telling us to address “our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9), Jesus used a title that combines respect and endearment, toughness and tenderness—mingling the power of a protecter with the gentleness of a provider. The psalmist wrote, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him” (Psalm 103:13). The prophet Hosea compared God to parents who hug toddlers cheek-to-cheek and teach them to walk by holding their arms (Hosea 11:3-4).",[20,41,42],{},"The fatherhood of God was a prominent theme in Jesus’ teaching. He told his disciples, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). He described the Father as our unseen but always-present partner who sees what we do in secret and knows our needs even before we verbalize them (6:6-8). He compared God to a kind, attentive father who gives good gifts to his children (7:7-11).",[20,44,45],{},"The Lord’s Prayer reminds me to pray, “Thank you, Father, for men who have been my spiritual fathers and mentors over the years. Help me to be a faithful father and grandfather myself, leading the next generations wisely and well.”",[20,47,48],{},"Hallowed or Hollowed?",[20,50,51],{},"The statement, “hallowed be your name,” reflects another of the Ten Commandments: “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:7). To hallow means to respect highly—to regard something or someone as holy. Sadly, today God’s name is often treated with hollow disdain instead of hallowed reverence.",[20,53,54],{},"It’s hollow to use God’s name as a curse or a cliché. If you catch yourself muttering “Oh God” as a mindless habit, don’t use the excuse, “I didn’t mean anything by it.” That’s just the point! If we say God’s name, we should mean something by it.",[20,56,57],{},"It’s hollow to twist God’s name into a tool for personal gain. It’s wrong when self-centered politicians misuse his name to attract votes or unethical church leaders manipulate followers and donors with misleading claims.",[20,59,60],{},"It’s hollow to praise God’s name in our prayers while dishonoring him with our actions. In Isaiah 52:5, the Lord laments, “All day long my name is constantly blasphemed.” The sinful behavior of God’s people brought his name into disrepute.",[20,62,63],{},"By saying, “Our Father in heaven,” we affirm our personal relationship with God, remind ourselves that heaven is a real place, and set our hearts and minds “on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:1-2). Let’s approach God’s throne of grace with reverence and confidence, for we are members of his royal family, crying out, “Abba, Father.”",[20,65,66],{},[24,67,68],{},"Next Week: “Your Will Be Done.”",{"title":70,"searchDepth":71,"depth":71,"links":72},"",2,[],"Consider This","2025-02-12","John concludes his first epistle by writing, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21, *New International Version*). The Ten Commandments begin in a similar fashion, instructing God’s people to honor only the true God (“have no other gods before me”) and refrain from worshiping “graven images.”","md",null,{},3,true,"\u002Farticles\u002Four-father","column","Christian Standard",{"title":5,"description":75},"articles\u002Four-father",[87,88,89,90],"Intergenerational Ministry","Spiritual Formation","Biblical Theology","Church Leadership","Fae5w_oUZJ9vND1P21zDXfQmr_0sFs7wYhwhY-evMng",[93,98],{"title":94,"path":95,"stem":96,"description":97,"children":-1},"Our Daily Bread","\u002Farticles\u002Four-daily-bread","articles\u002Four-daily-bread","What is your favorite kind of bread? In Amman, Jordan, I ate tasty flatbread baked by a street vendor over a charcoal fire. In a grass hut in Ethiopia, a gracious family served me bread made from grain grown and ground by their own hands. I have devoured hearty rye bread in Germany, buttery croissants in France, and mouth-watering cornbread in Kentucky, but nothing beats the homemade loaves my mother served warm from the oven, slathered with pats of butter.",{"title":99,"path":100,"stem":101,"description":102,"children":-1},"Our Goal: Encouragement","\u002Farticles\u002Four-goal-encouragement","articles\u002Four-goal-encouragement","When people ask me, \"How do you like the magazine business?,\" I don't quite know what to say. The way I see it, we're in the encouragement business. Hebrews 3:13 says to \"encourage one another daily.\" Weary parents, insecure children, overworked elders, teens, singles, married couples, bosses, coworkers, neighbors, missionaries—whoever they are and wherever they live, people need encouragement."]