Published by admin on 09 Jan 2008 at 01:01 am
WHO’S YER DADDY?
I was born in Indiana, the “Hoosier State”. Years ago I gave a short introduction about myself at a church, and jokingly said, Indiana is called the “Hoosier State” because people there ask “Who’s yer Daddy?” Well, it broke the ice, and everyone got a laugh. But that has stuck with me ever since. Who’s your Daddy? They’re talking about my heavenly Father!
It is written in Revelation 21:7, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”
Wow! That’s an awesome thought; “he that overcometh”. That means my heavenly Father is raising me to be an overcomer, a champion, not a loser. I’m glad He has such high expectations of me. But why shouldn’t He? All Fathers are like that. He’s my Daddy, and I’m His son. But I’m not the only one that He’s raising to be an overcomer. After all, YOU have also been adopted into God’s own family. Basically, that means He’s your Daddy, too. And as part of His family, and heir to the promises and benefits, people are looking to see your heavenly Father’s traits in you. Ever heard the saying, “Like Father, like son”? It makes no difference to Him that we are adopted children. He has made us His very own, and put His Spirit in us, and we call Him, Abba, Father. Isn’t it amazing what the blood of Jesus does for us?
Do you think of yourself as living the rest of your life, every single day, as an overcomer? You should! When I get out of bed in the morning, I don’t always feel like an overcomer. But when I look in the mirror I see someone looking back at me who is not an ordinary person. I see an overcomer. I see a man who God loved so much, He gave His only begotten Son to die for his sins, a man who God has invested His Holy Spirit into, whose job is to change him from pitiful to powerful! When I consider what this man staring back at me in the mirror used to be like, it never ceases to amaze me what God can do.
I remember my first day as a child in the family of God, the transformation got underway. He didn’t waste any time, either. He took this dirty snot-nosed kid and scrubbed me up, put some clean clothes on me, and said, Boy, I’m going to make something out of you! Yeah, sure, I thought. Good luck…… He just smiled and told me He loves me. Sometimes I cooperate with Him and it’s fun. Sometimes He brings me along kicking and screaming, and it isn’t much fun for either of us. But He’s always Daddy, and I’m always son. Thank God, His love for me is not dependent upon my behavior, because if it was, I might be in the orphanage by now. But I’m not, because God doesn’t have any “throw away” kids. We’re all precious to Him, we’re all learning, and we’re all a work in progress. And God already sees us as overcomers, not because of what we have done, but because of what He has put in us, namely His own Spirit.
My, what a work He has started in us. And do you know what? He will not stop until we are each fully transformed into His image. I think it good not to be too hard on others. When I look at you, I see a mighty man or woman of God “in progress”. Now, people get real excited when they see a newborn baby. Yet, that baby has not accomplished anything in life, good or bad. Look again after he or she has grown up, and ask their Mama what her opinion is of that child. In Mama’s eyes, her child can do no wrong, even if by twelve years old they’re a professional car thief. A mother’s love sees only the good. She has unconditional love for her children. You talk ugly about her child, and she’s gonna put some knots on your head! She doesn’t lug that heavy purse around just for looks, you know!
Now, if an earthly mother loves her child that much, how much more must your heavenly Father love you? After all, God has exceedingly high hopes for all His kids. So much, in fact, that He’s prepared your place in His Kingdom. And, He has forgiven you ALL your sins, past, present, and future, every one of them, so you can’t mope around saying you’re not good enough. Gone! Poof! Like last week’s paycheck. That kind of gone! God has made sure there’s nothing standing in the way of YOU being an overcomer. He has adopted you, given you His Holy Spirit, and called you son. In fact, He already has your inheritance laid up for you.
It’s like a person who raises champion thoroughbred horses. The colts born of them are of utmost quality, and are destined to be champions, just like their parents. Why? Because it’s in the genes. They just can’t help it! It can’t be any other way. Every seed reproduces after it’s own kind.
Who’s yer Daddy?? You can trace your lineage back to your heavenly Father, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Champion of Champions! And He believes in You! After all, He knows what you’re made of, because He’s yer Daddy!