WEBVTT 00:04.368 --> 00:09.237 [SPEAKER_00]: God loves to exceed our expectations and break our boxes. 00:10.319 --> 00:12.243 [SPEAKER_00]: Today's topic does just that. 00:13.305 --> 00:20.318 [SPEAKER_00]: As we end our week, today we're exploring God's attributes that make him a fun, joyful father. 00:20.838 --> 00:29.293 [SPEAKER_00]: Let's allow God to reshape our notion of Him, and free our hearts up to enjoy just how good God really is. 00:29.313 --> 00:37.487 [SPEAKER_00]: He is better than anyone we've ever known, and it's my hope today that we can see that with clear eyes. 00:38.569 --> 00:40.973 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast. 01:08.712 --> 01:14.860 [SPEAKER_00]: Our scripture for today comes from Psalm chapter 30, verses 11 and 12. 01:15.981 --> 01:21.768 [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture says, You have turned for me my morning into dancing. 01:22.830 --> 01:32.021 [SPEAKER_00]: You have loosed my sat cloth and clothed me with gladness that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. 01:33.263 --> 01:37.268 [SPEAKER_00]: O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever. 01:41.365 --> 01:47.741 [SPEAKER_00]: There is a terrible misconception in the church today that our Father is not a fun God. 01:49.244 --> 01:57.585 [SPEAKER_00]: For most Christians, what they know of God comes through worship services rather than direct encounters with the living God. 01:58.679 --> 02:04.727 [SPEAKER_00]: As the body of Christ, we have not cultivated a culture of restored relationship well. 02:06.309 --> 02:16.601 [SPEAKER_00]: But regardless of faults in the church today, God longs to give you a revelation of how incredibly fun it is to have Him as your father. 02:17.983 --> 02:25.092 [SPEAKER_00]: He longs to guide you into a lifestyle of abundant joy as you grow in your relationship with Him. 02:27.164 --> 02:30.129 [SPEAKER_00]: while God's fun may look different than the world. 02:31.091 --> 02:35.458 [SPEAKER_00]: Every form of fun apart from his is a cheap imitation. 02:36.861 --> 02:45.696 [SPEAKER_00]: We see countless examples in Scripture of God's children experiencing a depth of joy unattainable apart from God. 02:46.604 --> 02:52.714 [SPEAKER_00]: David writes in Psalm 1611, you make known to me the path of life. 02:54.036 --> 03:01.448 [SPEAKER_00]: In your presence, there is fullness of joy at your right hand, our pleasures forevermore. 03:04.053 --> 03:11.565 [SPEAKER_00]: The fullness of fun is found with God, because He alone guides us to the path of true life. 03:12.794 --> 03:25.305 [SPEAKER_00]: He alone frees us, heals us, loves us, rejoices over us, has graced for us, and lungs to fully satisfy our desires. 03:27.347 --> 03:34.534 [SPEAKER_00]: In John 10, 10, Jesus said, the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. 03:34.554 --> 03:40.219 [SPEAKER_00]: I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 03:42.562 --> 03:46.789 [SPEAKER_00]: God longs to lead you to the fullness of life today. 03:46.829 --> 04:00.030 [SPEAKER_00]: He longs to guide you to the riches of His love that you might experience how fun it is to be truly loved by your creator, sustainer, and Lord. 04:02.407 --> 04:04.372 [SPEAKER_00]: Our father loves parties. 04:05.395 --> 04:08.403 [SPEAKER_00]: He loves to celebrate and have fun with his children. 04:09.486 --> 04:13.497 [SPEAKER_00]: Ecclesiastes 2 vs 24 through 26s. 04:14.118 --> 04:21.566 [SPEAKER_00]: There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. 04:22.447 --> 04:25.350 [SPEAKER_00]: This also, I saw, is from the hand of God. 04:26.091 --> 04:30.456 [SPEAKER_00]: For apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment. 04:31.257 --> 04:37.864 [SPEAKER_00]: For to the one who pleases him, God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy. 04:40.612 --> 04:46.901 [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine to keep a wedding feast going. 04:48.783 --> 04:59.818 [SPEAKER_00]: The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is the story Jesus told of an earthly father and son and a parallel to our relationship with the Heavenly Father. 05:00.136 --> 05:19.327 [SPEAKER_00]: When the prodigal son returns home, the father tells his servants, bring quickly the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, and bring the fat and calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 05:20.288 --> 05:27.460 [SPEAKER_00]: For this, my son was dead, and his alive again, he was lost and has found. 05:30.072 --> 05:36.443 [SPEAKER_00]: While the older son was out in the field, he heard everyone celebrating with music and dancing. 05:37.525 --> 05:40.109 [SPEAKER_00]: He couldn't help but go see what was going on. 05:42.013 --> 05:53.953 [SPEAKER_00]: And Revelation 19, for tells the great marriage supper of the lamb, where we will celebrate our total and complete union with God, the party to end all parties. 05:55.958 --> 06:02.451 [SPEAKER_00]: Psalm 30, verses 11 and 12 says, you have turned for me my morning into dancing. 06:03.554 --> 06:12.011 [SPEAKER_00]: You have loosed my sat cloth and clothed me with gladness that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. 06:13.053 --> 06:16.701 [SPEAKER_00]: O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever. 06:18.942 --> 06:23.886 [SPEAKER_00]: Your heavenly Father, longs to lead you to the fullness of fun today. 06:25.007 --> 06:30.112 [SPEAKER_00]: He longs to close you with gladness and turn your morning into dancing. 06:31.673 --> 06:35.276 [SPEAKER_00]: The God you serve is the inventor of fun. 06:36.598 --> 06:39.000 [SPEAKER_00]: He loves to celebrate with his children. 06:40.401 --> 06:48.308 [SPEAKER_00]: He longs to fill your days with that which will satisfy the deepest 06:49.587 --> 06:56.037 [SPEAKER_00]: May you encounter the fun heart of your Heavenly Father today, as you enter into guided prayer. 07:22.544 --> 07:36.309 [SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, meditate on God's desire to give you a fun life, allow Scripture to reorient your understanding of what it's like to live life with your heavenly Father. 07:38.393 --> 07:44.805 [SPEAKER_00]: Psalm 16 verse 11 says, You make known to me the path of life. 07:45.663 --> 07:53.445 [SPEAKER_00]: In your presence, there is fullness of joy at your right hand or pleasures forevermore. 08:37.621 --> 08:38.302 [SPEAKER_00]: and next. 08:39.725 --> 08:41.950 [SPEAKER_00]: Where do you need more fun in your life? 08:43.473 --> 08:46.138 [SPEAKER_00]: Where do you need God to close you with gladness? 08:48.022 --> 08:52.812 [SPEAKER_00]: Where do you need to experience the abundant life Jesus died to give you? 09:45.408 --> 09:52.021 [SPEAKER_00]: And last, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to have the fullness of fun today. 09:52.081 --> 09:59.916 [SPEAKER_00]: What is he providing for you that you might experience all the joy and celebration available to you? 10:01.499 --> 10:04.305 [SPEAKER_00]: What is keeping you from living a more fun life? 10:05.908 --> 10:07.551 [SPEAKER_00]: He wants to free you today. 10:09.117 --> 10:15.516 [SPEAKER_00]: spend time arresting in his presence and allow him to do a work in your heart today. 11:10.070 --> 11:16.341 [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes we hold to an idea that advancing the kingdom and having fun don't go together. 11:17.864 --> 11:23.374 [SPEAKER_00]: We leave parties and fun to others as we are too busy with more important matters. 11:24.997 --> 11:29.164 [SPEAKER_00]: But why would a non-believer want to get to know a boring God? 11:30.527 --> 11:34.474 [SPEAKER_00]: Why would they want to spend time with a group of boring people? 11:35.500 --> 11:40.626 [SPEAKER_00]: As children of God, we have the greatest source of joy available. 11:41.647 --> 11:48.575 [SPEAKER_00]: We should be the happiest, most fun, and most loving people the last will ever encounter. 11:50.036 --> 11:55.783 [SPEAKER_00]: It's in our joy, love, and fun that we will best advance the kingdom. 11:57.224 --> 12:04.933 [SPEAKER_00]: It's living the abundant life God loves to give us that will encourage others to want to know the God we serve. 12:06.668 --> 12:13.168 [SPEAKER_00]: May you advance the kingdom of your heavenly Father, by living today with the fullness of fun. 12:44.823 --> 12:47.847 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for listening to today's podcast. 12:48.288 --> 12:50.291 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with First 15. 12:51.332 --> 12:56.440 [SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to remind you today that First 15 is a completely donor-funded ministry. 12:57.341 --> 13:02.288 [SPEAKER_00]: If God has been using First 15 in your life, would you consider making a donation? 13:03.089 --> 13:14.526 [SPEAKER_00]: You are one of the millions of people being impacted by First 15 this year, and we could truly use your support to continue helping even more people around the world, Dr. Closer to God. 13:14.506 --> 13:23.182 [SPEAKER_00]: To give head over to support for 15.org, where you can make a one-time donation or become a first 15 monthly partner. 13:24.204 --> 13:30.515 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for your generosity and simply for being a part of what God is doing here at first 15. 13:31.577 --> 13:36.025 [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you see Kim.