DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY - FATHER’S FAMILY.

My concern is not whether God is on our side; my great concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right. A. Lincoln.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. - 1 John 3:1.

Rudyard Kipling once wrote about families, "all of us are we--and everyone else is they." A family shares things like dreams, hopes, possessions, memories, smiles, frowns, and gladness. A family is a clan held together with the glue of love and the cement of mutual respect. A family is shelter from the storm, a friendly port when the waves of life become too wild. No person is ever alone who is a member of a family. - Fingertip Facts.

Some gifts are too precious for words, and too wonderful to fully appreciate. The greatest of these gifts is that we are God's children! We have been adopted into the Father's family! Jesus claims us as his younger siblings! Even though the world may not acknowledge this, that doesn't make it any less true. After all, the world didn't recognize its Creator when he became flesh, and lived among the people he had made. God's Word, however, still proclaims the truth; we ARE the children of God!

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. - Rom 8:16-17.

The world hasn’t a clue about us, they do not know of the joy of following Jesus, they don’t know, and haven’t experienced the true happiness that we have. They think because we speak to God, and worship Him, that we are foolish fanatics. Little do they know that we, as followers of Christ, will one day share His presence in heaven. They despise us, they think we have a screw loose, and yet we can look upon them with the great love that the Father has given us, and accept them, warts and all.

S. I. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application blank that asked, "Are you a leader?" Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, "No," and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: "Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower." - S. I. McMillen.

Our confidence to share this great love, comes from the love of God. We walk in a land that is full of strangers, which treated our Lord badly, and crucified Him. As the children of God we must walk by faith, and live in hope. This allows us to be able to witness to the lost, the great love Father has given us, and it is ours, and His desire, that they share in this great love. What a wonderful privilege it is, to be ambassador’s for Christ, in a dying and depraved world.

Paul considered himself Christ's ambassador. What is an ambassador? He is an authorized representative of a sovereign. He speaks not in his own name but on behalf of the ruler whose deputy he is, and his whole duty and responsibility is to interpret that ruler's mind faithfully to those to whom he is sent.

Paul used this "ambassador" image twice -- both in connection with his evangelistic work. Pray for me, he wrote from prison, "that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak" (Eph. 6:18-20). He wrote also that God "gave us the ministry of reconciliation...So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

Paul called himself an ambassador because he knew that when he proclaimed the gospel facts and promises and urged sinners to receive the reconciliation effected at Calvary, he was declaring Christ's message to the world. The figure of ambassadorship highlights the authority Paul had, as representing his Lord, as long as he remained faithful to the terms of his commission and said neither less nor more than he had been given to say. - James Packer.

Let’s take this great opportunity that Christmas presents to us, and tell of His wonderful love, forgiveness, and acceptance. Hallelujah, what a mighty God we serve!

Loving Father, I thank you, for the incredible blessing of being your child. I know that I haven't begun to understand all the glorious things this gift means. However, Father, I look forward to what I can learn now about what it means, and I joyously anticipate the day when I can see you face to face and fully know the meaning of this joy. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit to communicate your great love, to those that are lost. In the wonderful Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY