For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father!--Romans 8:15, AMPC

I was reading Psalm 25 aloud this morning (I have it posted on my bathroom mirror), when I remembered part of a semon by my pastor from yesterday.

"We need to know God as Father, not just as God," he said.

I agree. 

So as I was rehearsing His wonderful promises in Psalm 25 (one of my favorites!), it hit me that, while David could not call the LORD "Father" (because Jesus had not yet come to earth and died on the cross for our sins, then been resurrected), we can!

Hallelujah!

I've known this, of course, and we know that Jesus Himself taught us to pray to the Father in Luke 11:1-4 (AMPC): 

1 Then He was praying in a certain place; and when He stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, [just] as John taught his disciples. 2 And He said to them, When you pray, say, Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come. Your will be done [held holy and revered] on earth as it is in heaven.   3 Give us daily our bread [food for the morrow]. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us [who has offended us or done us wrong]. And bring us not into temptation but rescue us from evil. (some versions add, "For thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever, amen." Indeed!)

When I remembered the sermon my dear pastor preached, it hit me delightfully deeper that God was my father, so I changed my confession of Psalm 25 from "God" to "Father."

As I proclaimed Psalm 25, I started saying, "Daddy God, thank You that we who hope in You will not be disappointed, and You will not allow us to suffer shame or disgrace....Thank You, Daddy God, that we who fear, revere, and worship You; we You will teach in the way we should choose! You are a good Daddy! A good shepherd! You always lead us in right paths, for Your names' sake!      

Thank You that You love us so much You gave Jesus for us, and now (when we believe and receive His atoning death for us and His resurrection, and receive Him as Savior and LORD) He is our Brother, and You are our dear, darling, Daddy God!"

Hallelujah!

As the LORD--Your Father Who loves you, once you've received Jesus!--to reveal Himself as Daddy God to you, more and more. Remember out loud and thank Him for the faithful, sweet things He's done--just like you would remember and thank aloud your earthly father.

I've learned to ask the LORD to give me child-like faith, and I've also learned to bind and repent of doubt and unbelief.  God is better than the best earthly father. He is not a man that He should lie, so He means what He says--every time!

God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?--Numbers 23:19, AMPC

Why have I ever doubted Him? But He is helping me to believe and act more quickly now. Praise Him. He is so patient, and wise, and loving; slow to anger, and abounding in love!

But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness and truth.--Psalm 86:15, AMPC

God is the Covenant God, as He professes in Psalm 89:34, among many other places: "My covenant will I not break or profane, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips."

He is utterly trustworthy, forever! We trust Him when we sleep at night-- or we wouldn't sleep!

Most of all, He is our faithful Father, our loving Daddy God!

Know, recognize, and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations,--Deut. 7:9, Deut. 32:4

Daddy God, help us trust You as much when we're awake!

We love You, Daddy God! We bless You and praise You and thank You, forever!

Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. They lift Him up in books (P.O.W.E.R. Girl!; LEGACY; Visions of the King; Your Holy Health; more); presentations; service in church, community, and the world; and via the "River Rain Creative" (309 videos) and "POWERLight Learning" You Tube channels.