RESTORED Week 12 - Knowing God as Father

Watch the Video for Week 12: “Knowing God as Father.”

Scriptures Mentioned Today

• Exodus 34:6-7
• Hebrew 12:5-11
• John 14:7-11

Your Notes from the Teaching

He who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9)

Perhaps our main obstacle to drawing nearer to God is our misunderstanding of what He is really like. We view the Father as harsh and judgy, in large part because we have all been exposed to some kind of religiously skewed view of Him, often presented by well-meaning teachers who overemphasize the fear of the Lord without sharing much about His goodness.

So, if you were asked, “Which part of the three-in-one God are you most comfortable with?” how would you answer? Most people would say it is the Son, Jesus of Nazareth. As a man, of course, he is more relatable, but he also seemed to embody the love and mercy of God so well. In fact, the religious people of Jesus’ time had a hard time receiving Him because He was not judgy enough for them, while the “sinners” flocked to him because they recognized him as love and mercy incarnate.

Isn’t it amazing that Jesus Himself wanted to make sure we got it — that He and the Father are exactly the same? A begotten son — accessible, visible, easily known, presenting a perfect image of God in the flesh. A man in the perfect image and likeness of God — just like we were created in the beginning.

Having trouble trusting that God is like we have been sharing in this course? Take some time to write everything you know and love about Jesus below. Then, trust Him that He and the Father are exactly the same. That He truly is a “chip off the old block.”

Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!" (Exodus 33:18)

Moses once again began the climb up Mt. Sinai — Horeb, the place where he first met God at the burning bush. Since that first climb all those years ago, Moses had become God’s friend (so God Himself referred to him), and he was at the end of his rope. Having seen God work 10 plagues of biblical proportions (literally!), parting the seas for them to walk through on dry ground, providing manna for them to eat, and miraculous water from a rock in the desert to drink, the Hebrews still would not trust the God of their Fathers. Moses had been on this mountain before — returning with 10 commandments written on stone tablets by the finger of God Himself — only to find Israel worshipping a golden calf of their own making. A god of Egypt at the mount of God Almighty!

Weary in heart, Moses just had one request of God — Please, let me see your glory. In other words, show me again how big and majestic a God you are. Was he looking for another display of God’s power — with thunderbolts and clouds and signs in the heavens? Or something more intimate, like another bush on fire but not burning up? But God’s answer to this request was something very different: I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you… (Exodus 33:18-19)

What did Moses learn that day? God’s glory is best seen in His goodness. He is most fully demonstrated in all His majesty when His mercy and lovingkindness is being revealed to those in need of it (like the Hebrews were that day). To clarify this answer, God gave Moses an introduction to His full nature as Moses hid his face in the cleft of a rock:

"The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin... Exodus 34:6-7

Do you share Moses’ desire in your own heart? Do you really want to see God in all of His glory? Look for signs of His goodness. Can you see those today in your life? Ask God, as Moses did, to show you His glory and you will see them all around.

if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.(Hebrews 12:8)

Depending on the way in which it was administered in our home growing up, the term discipline can come with a lot of baggage. Perhaps breaking the word down a little will help understand the truest meaning of what God means by it. We can see it right in the word itself: disciple- ing. Yes, discipline is simply the process by which we become disciples. Unfortunately, discipline has become synonymous with punishment, which is why we tend to shy away from it.

It is helpful to view it like we view a skilled and seasoned coach. His goal is to help us become the best player we can be, and employs several different methods: instruction, feedback, correction, honing our skills, encouraging us when we do well (and when we fail), and drilling us in whatever is necessary to become excellent at the sport. Many days, it involves running...lots of running, and maybe torturous things like burpees, suicides, and Oklahoma drills. During training, we may loathe the coach who seems in the moment to hate us. But afterward, when we hold the medal or trophy in our hand, we thank God he was willing to make us endure hardship to become the best we could be.

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Hebrew 12:11)

God is the best coach (discipliner) in the world. If we want to excel at being children of God, He will provide ways to confront our weaknesses and train us in righteousness. His discipline is never punishment for what we have done — only training so we will be overcomers of evil. We will be ready to face whatever the kingdom of darkness throws in our was as we go around manifesting the light of the world.

He aims to make champions of us all. Will you allow him to discipline you? Do you resist the Heavenly Coach as he trains you through life and circumstance? Are you seeking the soft and easy way, rather than the way through your issues? I urge you today to say, Yes, Lord as He works His righteousness in you and one day, you will hold the victor’s crown.