Father's House Blog

                  Since starting the Father’s House Trust, I have had letters and emails from people whose lives have been changed by theFather’s love. One that particularly struck me came from a man called Neil. Hewrote, “I just wanted to say that I have been so blessed by your book Orphans to Heirs which I have just read. I have recently, after 28 years as a Christian and 21 years as a pastor, come into an EXPERIENCE of the Fathers love. For the first time in my life I now know that there is a loving authority figure overme who wants the best for me, and who loves me. Praise to the Father, MY Father who loves me. Your book has done much to reveal and reinforce these things. Bless your heart!”

                When I read that, two thoughts crossed my mind. First of all, I was so grateful that Neil had had a direct personal revelation of the Father’s love. I believe every Christian needs this. Secondly, I also began to wonder why he had to wait so long for it. The thought that Neil had been a pastor for over two decades and not known the Father’s love felt all wrong to me. That got me asking the question, why does the revelation seem to tarry?

                The following testimony, from a retired pastor called Terry, may give us a few clues. He wrote, ‘My mother deserted us when I was 4 years old. My younger brother went to an aunt, my older sister went to our grandma and I went into a children's home where I was abused physically and emotionally. After a succession of foster homes and children's homes I was returned to my father 7 years later. He never wanted children so I was either told to go outside or upstairs. Never was I held or told I was loved, just the opposite. I was regularly beaten for the slightest misdemeanour and one time put head first in a water filled barrel. I thought I was going to die!

                Now let’s fast forward in time 13 years. I had a 'Damascus Road' conversion experience. But I had the faith of a servant not a son. Obviously I could not relate to Father God but I was so thankful to Jesus for taking my punishment. I knew a lot about punishment.

                I was married by this time and my wife had two sons from a previous marriage. They were 1 and 9 when we got together. Both became Christians as did my wife, one has now fallen away. I became a Methodist Minister at 39.

                I took early retirement a few years ago. My first year out was spent in a motor home but my wife’s failing health meant we had to get back into bricks and mortar. I then wrote a book, unpublished, inresponse to Richard Dawkins 'The God Delusion'. It helped me sort a few things out. Either God is God and He knows what He is doing, or I pack it in. But I couldn't deny all the blessings I had received, especially when I was told my wife was going to die. That was 30 years ago and she lives!

                 That 1st year of retirement was a time ofgreat blessing. Then I hit a very steep decline, my 'Dark Night of the Soul' for about a year. On the way up I read a book which said “If you don't loveGod, pray to Him and ask Him to help you to love Him”. I did.

                 Two weeks later I received a letter from our older son and daughter in law. I had asked for a recording of a conference they held at their Church on 'Signs and Wonders'. Instead I received a recording of another conference 'The Father Loves You', which you had given. I didn't connect it with my prayer and left it for some time. Then out of a sense of duty I thought I had better listen to it. It blew me away!! I felt like newwine had been poured into an old wineskin and I was about to burst! I have never experienced anything like it. Why oh why hadn't I heard this before. I subsequently bought 'From Orphans to Heirs', and of course 'The Father You'veBeen Waiting For'. How I wish I was still in ministry. This is what the Church, the world needs to hear. There are still too many orphan sons and daughters.  Thank you Mark. And thank You Father. Thankyou for waiting! I can now say, “I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU” to the Father...

                  I think we can discern from this great testimony a number of reasons why some believers have had to wait so long before experiencing their own, life-changing revelation of the Father’s love. Here’s a few:

                  First, I would point to a lack of proper, Bible teaching. Some Christians simply haven’t been told about God the Father’s love, or about the ‘Spirit of adoption’ (Romans 8.15). Perhaps the emphasis has been much more on a legal rather than a relational view of God in the teaching they’ve been exposed to. In other words, perhaps there has been more about God as Judge than about God as Abba, as Daddy.

                  Second, I draw attention to the down grading of the experiential side of the Christian life. Many Christians have been brought up in a quite cerebral environment where the focus has been on the mind and not the heart. Perhaps there has been a fear of experiencing an emotional response to God, or a fear of emotions in general. This kind of repression, wedded to incomplete theology, can cause a blockage to Abba’s love.

                  Thirdly, I would highlight the destructive part played by toxic experiences of one’s earthly fathers. When we have been badly wounded by our dads, this causes the word ‘Father’ to take on a very negative nuance in our souls. The idea that God is a Father gets tangled up with our own experiences, and instead of God’s fatherhood determining what fathers should belike, our fathers become the lens through which we see God as Father.

                   Fourthly, it is interesting to me that so many are experiencing the Father’s love now. I am getting more and more reports of people coming into an intimate experience of God’s love in these days. I am also hearing of more and more ministries and churches embracing the corerevelation of the Fatherhood of God. This suggests that we are in a special season of grace in which hearts are being turned to the Father (Malachi 4.6).

                   I am sure there are other reasons besides these why so many believers have had to wait for a personal encounter. Maybe some just don’t see the need for it!

What do you think?