My Personal God: My Father

by David Chadwick

By now, you should really know that the eternal God of the universe wants to be your close, personal friend. He longs to be your helper, your hope, and your trust.

He also wants you to know him as your Father.

Jesus, God in human flesh, called his Father, “Abba,” which means “Daddy.” So did the apostle Paul in Romans 8. We should do the same. God wants all of his children to know him as “my Father” (Psalm 89:26). A personal Daddy.

Our Daddy in heaven is always present. Always compassionate. Always loving. Always kind. Always good.

No matter how wonderful your earthly daddy was or is, every earthly daddy will fall far short in comparison to our heavenly Daddy. God is the only One who can be the perfect parent at all times. Original sin created flaws in all humans. There is not a single person on earth who can love perfectly each and every day. But God can and does!

Our heavenly Daddy is perfect. And his love for each one of us is perfect. He’s a good, good Father who wants to give his children good gifts (Matthew 7:11). Gifts far greater than anything we could ask for or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Do you know God as your Father? Pray to him now, “Daddy, I love you! You are a good and perfect Father. You love me perfectly each and every day. You desire to give me good things. I believe you will watch over and care for me all the days of my life. Thank you for unconditional love.”

Your Father loves you perfectly. His loving kindness knows no end!

My Personal God: My Trust

by David Chadwick

The eternal God of the universe wants to be your close, personal friend. Your redeemer, your light, your trust. He is a personal God!

Who in your life do you trust the most? Maybe it is a spouse? Friend? Parents? Sibling?

In the midst of many earthly people and things in which we seek to place our trust, God wants you to trust him the most. Why? Because he is for you. He loves you deeply and promises to always provide what’s best for you.

King David called God “my trust” (Psalm 71:5). David leaned on the Lord. He depended on him at all times. From David’s youth until the end of his life, he put his trust and confidence in God first and foremost. He trusted in the Lord with all his heart and did not lean on his own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Do you put your trust in God or in people? Do you turn to God in prayer and leave the outcome solely in his hands? Or do you try to control circumstances that are ultimately outside your control?

Your Daddy in heaven wants you to trust him with each and every area of your life. All means all. Every single situation in the universe, big and small, is under the sovereign control and authority of the Creator of it all.

Today, place your trust in God. Believe he is there for you at all times and in all situations. Pray to him: “Daddy, thank you so much for loving me. Thank you for being my trust. I never have to worry because you promise that you will never leave me or forsake me! I trust you to be with me until the end of the age.”

God is your personal trust. You can fully trust him with every area of your life.

My Personal God: My Hope

by David Chadwick

The Christian faith is different from all other world religions. The God of Christianity entered into our mess and offered grace to each one of us. This grace gift eliminates striving and extends an invitation to find a close, personal friend in our great God.

God longs to be your redeemer, your shepherd, your helper. To become your personal God.

From where does your hope come? Does it come from the things of this world? Or from the Creator of the world? King David knew true hope only came from God and called God “my hope” (Psalm 71:5). God wants you to call him your personal hope, too.

When you know God as your hope, the Holy Spirit - the great Comforter - will encourage you day by day, moment by moment. He nudges you to keep pressing on, especially in the hard times when your heart fails and you feel like you can’t endure another thing.

Your Daddy knows his plans for you - plans to give you hope and a future. A future that includes using your gifts for his glory and his great purposes. He has a specific and unique calling on your life, one that cannot be thwarted even in this broken world (Jeremiah 29:11).

Do you know Jesus as your eternal hope? Pray, “Jesus, you are my hope! Through you and because of your promises, I have secure, eternal hope. I also have daily hope because you live in me! I will not give up. I will not be shaken.”

Dear friends, always have hope because God is your personal hope!