Homework/Journaling:

For those of you who have completed Beth Moore’s bible study “The Quest”, the questions below were taken from it. 

1. Where are you?

2. Who told you that?

3. What do you want?

4. Why are you afraid?

5. How much more?

Beth encourages us to use these questions throughout our journey with the Father to re-calibrate us – or reset our course. We will be reviewing these questions in our homework session as we ponder the Father and His love for us. 

After listening to the lesson, spend some time praying and asking God to help you answer these questions based on where you are right now.

1. Where are you – in your circumstances, relationships, and in your intimacy with the Father? 

2. What do you want Him to do for you during this season?

Our barriers to intimacy can be exposed by asking 2 more Beth questions:  “who told you that?” and “why are you afraid?”  

Emily reviewed signs/symptoms in our feelings, thoughts, and responses that indicate we aren’t believing or receiving God’s fatherhood. Pray through Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Now see what the Holy Spirit brings to light as you read through the list below. 

• God seems mean or apathetic

• The Bible is stale

• Obedience feels overwhelming, boring, or heavy

• You are experiencing ongoing anxiety and dread

• Feeling like your life, your spouse, your kids, your circumstances, or others are taking things from you.

  • You know, getting overly upset when your kids won’t take a nap because you REALLY need them to?

  • Being inflexible when plans change.

  • Wanting your spouse to love you in a certain way so much, that you can’t lay it down to love them the way God has instructed you to.

  • Having an ongoing bad attitude about something in your schedule

• Feeling overwhelmed or like you are drowning.

• God’s will in your life feels like a to-do list (i.e. go to church, read your bible, pray, go to home group, love a neighbor, check)

• You’re exhausted

• You are looking for comfort–often in lesser or quicker means than the Lord can provide you.

• You are discouraged or hopeless

• You are full of unmet needs. You know the type. LIke if one more person asks for a snack before I’ve had breakfast, I’m going lose it.

• Disproportionate responses. Like when a driver cuts you off, and you’re like, “gosh. Everyone is only looking out for themselves. Can’t somebody just HELP ME?”

As we focus on Our Father and let Him address us/discipline us as children, you will likely end up with 2 lists.  One with areas that demonstrate an orphan mentality that you need to talk to Him about and one that describes the Father and benefits of His Fatherhood that will focus you and motivate you to talk to Him. 

Another question from The Quest (Beth Moore): How much more? [Luke 11:11-13].  In Emily’s final remarks, she says: “…an intimate, personal relationship with Him has been deeply desired, bought and paid for.  There’s more to be afforded. There’s more for me in my daily walk and life because He is my father…”

• Sorrow and loss do not have the final word

• We trust that He meets all of our needs. For sleep, for relationship and community, for “me time,” for time with your spouse, for a job, for money, for energy. When you’re suffering, when your day didn’t turn out the way you thought it would.

• Everything works together for our good and His glory

• We can come boldly to Him with all of ourselves at any time

• We can live differently

• We can think differently

• We can be taught, disciplined, cared for, and enjoyed by Him

• We can live close to Him

• We get to be Fathered by the One who made us. Nobody knows us better.

• We get to be Fathered by the One who is never sorry for what He has to do for us

• Everything that comes to us comes through Him first. We are not victims. To anything. Ever. He redeems it all.

Take time throughout the next 2 weeks to ponder this list, give thanks for it, talk to the Father about where your life demonstrates this list and where it doesn’t. As we move through the remainder of the study, keep your personal list of the benefits of Fatherhood visible and add to it with scriptures, examples, and confessions.  

Emily said “God’s storehouse is for you…there is infintely more of our Father’s heart for you than you have ever been able to grasp.  Take time to ponder this throughout the next few weeks. Write down anything God puts on your heart – dreams, promises, hope, repentance, courage, worship.

Contributor:  Donna Hyatt