Going to the Father.....

     Have you ever felt that you were at a distance with God. You know things just aren't quite where they need to be, but you don't really know what to do about it. You know you have reached a point in your life that you want to get close to God but He seems so far away. I don't know about you but when I have been in that situation I knew it was my fault because God never moves nor does He pull himself away from me. What did I do to cause this? For me anyway, It came about through selfish decisions. I wanted what I wanted and nothing was going to change my mind until I found out what I wanted wasn't what I wanted at all. Does that sound familiar?
     Well if you feel that way, you are not alone. Many have been in your shoes. I believe if we were honest with ourselves and each other, we have all been there at one point or another. We can also look in the scripture and find a very familiar story in Luke 15 about a son that wanted it his way so bad that he pretty much told his dad he wished he was dead and asked him for his inheritance. The father gave his son what he requested and the son left the comfort of his father's house and went into the world. Scripture tells us that he wasted it all away until one day he looked up and he had nothing left. When he woke up with the pigs, he knew that he had done wrong and wanted to return to his father.
     I want you to notice something very important in this story that I think we overlook because of its familiarity. In Luke 15:18, the son says, "I will arise and go to my father". He did not say he would go to his fathers house. He said he would arise and go to his father. I want us to realize that it is about a relationship and not a residence. Our encounter is with the Father not the church, not His house. I truly believe this is why you find many people in and out of church. They attendance is based on their relationship to that church and its people. The relationship should be focused on God and Him alone. My relationship with others stem from my relationship with God. As my relationship with God grows so does my faithfulness to and concern for His church.
     May we arise today and go to the Father........ May we fall in love with the person of God and who He is.
I am so thankful for the relationship that I have with God that was made possible by My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who died for my sins and arose from the grave and is seated at the right hand of the Father.....Praise Him, Praise HIM....... Listen to this song presented by the Prestonwood Baptist Church Choir in Plano, Texas.... AWESOME!!!!!!!......

All I can say is WOW!!! I simply love this song and this church pastored by Dr. Jack Graham is solid,,,
I am John Sowders and I am Second..!!!!