Do We Trust the Father
Greetings and good morning brothers and sisters This is Dr. James Perry continuing with our series where we seek to explore the deeper meanings of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the years, the heavenly Father has revealed many revelations of spiritual truth to me, and I want to share them with you. This morning we seek to understand what it means to trust the Father.
And now, sit back and listen to today's message.
Do We Trust the Father.
" . . . Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” Psalms, Chapter 2, Verse 12.
Brothers and sisters, do we know the Father? When Phillip asked Jesus to show him the Father, and he would be satisfied, Jesus replied, by asking Phillip if he had been with him that long and did not know him. Jesus said that whosoever had seen him had seen the Father. Do we accept Jesus as the revelation of the heavenly Father. Does the Father know us? He certainly does; his spirit lives within our minds and souls. “. . . He knows our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. “ . . . He knoweth the way that we take. When he hath tried us, we shall come forth as pure gold..” Does the heavenly Father love us? Yes, he does. We are precious in his sight. But do we love the heavenly Father? If we do then, we should obey his command to love one another as he loves us.
Do we trust the Father? Do we have faith in his divine goodness; in his faithfulness and his trustworthiness? We think that we do, but we don’t really know until we have been thoroughly tested on all points even as he was when he lived the life in the flesh. How do we perform under the tests of life? Are we found to be still trustful and faithful after our fondest and most cherished dreams have perished? Are we found to be still trustful and faithful when he calls one of our loved ones home to be with him? Do we allow the knowledge that they are with him to comfort us or do we become overwhelmed by the sorrows of life nevermore to emerge to the surface of the joys of life.
What do we do when the Father confronts us with our greatest fear? Do we say at such a time that “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.” Does the light of love still shine brightly in us when the sunset of life begins, when our bodies began to fail us. Do we go quietly and serenely to our bed of mortal death, firm in the faith knowledge that the resurrection morning awaits us or do we go howling and screaming into the darkness of the mortal end, our souls filled with despair and terror? Do we willingly endure the terrible testing that must take place so that he becomes the object of our supreme loyalties? Do we calmly stand the awesome creative process where we are born again and emerge into the new creature that “only has eyes for you.”
As we view our lives at any given time, we will find that we are locked in a moral struggle or some sort. We may be in the process of standing for the higher values of truth and righteousness, or we may be suffering the unpleasant consequence that such a stand often entails. It is impossible to avoid moral struggles. Moral struggle is the raw material that the spirit uses for the growth of the soul. The very thing that causes us so much pain, sorrow, and disappointment-moral struggle is inherent in life. There are two ways to handle these moral struggles. We may elect to take a so called short cut, follow our own natural inclination, and decrease in moral and spiritual status, or we can make the effort to resolve the moral struggle the way we conceive the Father would do so as revealed by His Son, and evolve that moral refinement and those spiritual qualities of truth, beauty, and goodness that everyone admires. Everyone enjoys being around someone who is loving, kind, compassionate, strong, tender, forgiving, and merciful. But these qualities do not appear as the result of wishful thinking but from the unflinching choice of good over evil when confronted with it..
Except through moral struggle, there is simply no other way for us to acquire those qualities of spiritual value. Our experience with moral struggle generates those qualities if we follow the leadings of the spirit. If we make the effort to meet our struggles the way the Father would, then all the spiritual forces of the universe are on our side. The Spirit of Truth, the spirit of Jesus helps us. This spirit empowers us to overcome the attacks of moral cowardice by amazing acts of moral bravery, even spiritual bravery. This Spirit of Truth empowers and emboldens our souls to dare to be Godlike, to be perfect even as the heavenly Father is perfect. This Spirit of Truth inspires our souls to overcome the moral struggles of time by giving us a glimpse of eternity.
And all of this spiritual transformation is to be had by the exercise of our faith, by exercising faith in Jesus. But we must make a distinction between believing in Jesus and having faith in Jesus. Believing in Jesus requires nothing from us but our intellectual consent. But having faith in Jesus means loving each other as he loves us. And this love is unconditional in its lavish bestowal. This love is given for its own sake. Where ever there is a deficiency of this love, this love like water, seeks the lowest level, daring to invade the domain of evil and conquering it with its power of goodness. If we really trust the Father, we will gladly bestow this love upon our brothers and sisters.
This concludes today’s message on understanding what it means to trust the Father. We hope you find something in this message to ponder and pray about as you go about your day.
Until next time, this is Dr. James Perry
Your Kingdom Come; Your Will Be Done!
Inspirational Messages of Light
By Dr. James Perry
Do WE Trust the Father
