Thank you for joining me today. We will be looking at a special topic. There are so many who have not had experience with a good father. We are going to look at God as our Father. Praying the Lord will give you special revelation for this study. Eric

If you would search for information on the effect of absent-fathers on American society - you would find site, after site, after site dealing with the subject.

You might ask why there are so many absent fathers in families today. There are many answers to that question. Some fathers die because of war, terrorism, diseases, or accidents. According to my research though, the most common cause for a ‘fatherless family’ is divorce, followed by those who have never committed to a marriage relationship, ending with unwed single mothers and a father who refuses to take responsibility for the children they sire and leave the mother to raise the child on her own.

Family is a God created institution..

Think about this - God’s heart desire is that we would enter into right relationship with Himself. So, He sent His Son to come in the flesh and be the perfect sacrifice necessary for us to be able to become His children, when we accept Christ as our Savior. When we take that step, we do become part of the family of God and God becomes our Father.

The family unit is under attack today by the enemy of our soul. I want us to look at some statistics of what takes place in the family, particularly because of absent-fathers or destruction and the dysfunctional condition of the family unit. This is pretty dismal.

According to www.psychology today.com and fatherhood.org, when the father is absent from the home, there is a greater risk of poverty , children are more likely to have behavioral problems, go to prison, commit crime (boys), become pregnant (girls) as a teen, face abuse and neglect, abuse drugs and alcohol, and are more likely to drop out of school. (U.S. Census Bureau - 2023 living arrangement of children under 18 years old).

In americafirstpolicy.com.latest.issue-brief fatherless… it was stated that 18.3 million children are without a father in their home and that 80% of single parent homes are led by single moms. (U.S. Census Bureau).

Lifeisbeautiful.org found through their research that : 70% of youth in state operated facilities are from single parent homes; 40% of children are born to unwed mothers: in 56 school shootings, 82% grew up in an unstable family environment or without both biological parents; in fatherless homes children fare far worse in overall well being and mental and behavior health; abandonment leads to anxiety, social withdrawal, and depression which leads to increase risk of suicide and other forms of self-harm; 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes; 90% of youth in the U.S who run away or become homeless originally came from a fatherless home (U.S. Department of Justice).

You see from the statistics that the enemy has targeted families for destruction. The most common method used? Removal of the fathers! Why do you suppose that is? I believe the enemy’s goal is to destroy the image of God, our Heavenly Father, in the lives of the fatherless. And sad to say, once the cycle begins it usually continues, without an outside intervention.

There is good news, however! There is a way out of the grip of despondency, depression, rejection, and abandonment!

Today, we will learn or be reminded that God is the father to the fatherless. He is the Father of all who believe in him. He has adopted all who believe and accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

John 1:12 (NKJV), “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” ‘Received,’ rambano in the Greek means: not to refuse or reject, to get possession of, or obtain. ‘Right‘ (exousia, power) means: the authority or right to act, privilege, the physical and mental power, the ability or strength with which one is endued. ‘Children‘ (teknon) means: children, children of God, all who are animatd by the Spirit of God. When you do not reject or refuse Christ, He gives you the authority and right to become a child of God!

In the Old Testament, God is referred to as ‘Lord’ and also as ‘Father.’ Isaiah 63:16, “Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, LORD, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past.” Isaiah 64:8, “ And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.” The Hebrew word translated ‘Father’ in these verses is ab (ahv). “Ab is supposed to be one of the first words a baby can speak. The Aramaic form of the word ab is abba, which has become common in modern Hebrew as the word Israeli children use for “daddy”. It is used as father, forefather, producer of a certain thing. It can mean architect, builder, creator, or the one who causes something to be.” (Word Wealth in the New Spirit Filled Life Bible).

We read, “Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us?” in Malachi 2:10a (ESV). God has created all of mankind and in that sense of the definition of ‘father,’ He is the Father of us all.

However, the idea of Him as the personal Father of all mankind without the element of belief is not scriptural. There is an intimacy with fatherhood that only comes with relationship.

All of mankind is welcome to enter into this relational intimacy with God through the gift of redemption by the acceptance of His Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 8:14-16 (NIV), “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.” ‘Father’ in verse 15 is translated from the Greek word pater, meaning: reconciled, loving Father of those who through Christ have a specially close and intimate relationship with God. ‘Children’ (teknon) in verse 16 means:: offspring - all who are animated by the Spirit of God and is closely related to God.

Galatians 4:4b,5 and 6 (CSB), “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba, Father! " In verse 5, the phrase ‘adoption as sons’ (huiothesia) means: the nature and condition of the true disciples of Christ, who by receiving the Spirit of God into their souls become the sons of God.

When you become a disciple of Christ, the Spirit of God comes to live inside you and you have been adopted by God as his child. in verse 6, ‘Abba’ is a term of endearment by a beloved child, i.e. in an affectionate, dependent relationship with their father :daddy, papa.

Do you see it? When you become a disciple of Christ, you will never be fatherless, abandoned, unloved or unacceptable! Praise God!

The reference of God as Father to those who believe was propagated by Jesus when He spoke to Mary in John 20:17, "Don't cling to me," Jesus said, "for I haven't yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”

In teaching the disciples to pray, Jesus instructed then to pray, “In this manner,…Our Father in heaven..” (Matthew 6:9 (NKJV). In Matthew 5:16 Jesus, again speaking to the disciples, said, “ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Jesus spoke a command to the disciples in Matthew 5:48 (NIV), “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Romans 1:7 (ESV) reads, “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 1:3 (ESV), “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Then we read it again in Ephesians 1:2 (NIV), “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

This is such wonderful news! You see, even if, in this world, you have not had a ‘present’ or a ‘good’ father, and even though you may not have had a good example of a loving father - as a believer in Christ, you can rest in knowing that God is not only your Creator and Redeemer, He is also your “Abba, Daddy, Father! He loves you and always will. He is the One who will hold you in His lap, hug you to His chest, and meet your every need - spiritually, physically, and emotionally!

In fact, He promises that He will meet every need you have!

When Jesus was arrested before His crucifixion and the disciples scattered and left Him all alone, He stated in John 16:32, “Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with Me.”

I will close with Psalm 68:5a (CSB), “God in his holy dwelling is a father of the fatherless.”

Unless otherwise noted all scriptures are taken from the New Living Translation.

NKJV New King James Version

ESV English Standard Version

NIV New International Version

CSB Christian Standard Bible