Security in this insane world is a rare commodity. Satan is pouring out his evil like a flood tide, and fear is spreading across the land like a wildfire. People are frightened and are running for shelter. Some are running to alcohol and drugs or other destructive things as they try to avoid facing the reality of these days of evil. Many are trying to escape by entering into the false security of organized religion, but there is no real refuge except into the arms of God.

Oh, perhaps a little feeling of security could be the result of having a steady job, money in the bank, or a good health insurance policy; but all that can disappear overnight. People used to feel a degree of safety, living here in America, but that protection is crumbling by the minute.

I believe the greatest problem our nation faces is not the threat of nuclear war or the unstable state of the economy, but rather the lack of security that a great number of children have while growing up in today's society, due to the unprecedented breaking up of marriages, along with so many couples living together outside wedlock. Some children do not even know who their real fathers are, which makes them unsure of their identity. In other words, they could be called "fatherless."

Several years ago, God placed love in the hearts of my wife and me for a fifteen-year-old girl whom we met in a Christian rehabilitation center. She was a happy, cheerful kid who would not let a wheelchair slow her down. We discovered, awhile after we met her, that at the age of nine she had been in a terrible automobile accident, which killed her mother, stepfather, brother and two sisters. She was the only survivor, but was left paralyzed from the waist down. About that same time her real father fell from a ladder, leaving him with permanent brain damage. She is one who could certainly be considered "fatherless."

Much to our delight, she accepted an invitation to our home and came regularly during her school vacations. It was a little awkward for her at first as she did not know how to address us. I said, "Mr. and Mrs. sounds so formal; if you would like, please call us by our first names." We had an important message on our hearts to convey to her--one that would take time, love and patience. We wanted her to realize that she was more than just a visitor and tried to communicate that to her in different ways.

First, I built a permanent wheelchair ramp to the entrance of our house, and we gave her a room of her own. When it was time for her to leave, we would not say, "When are you going to visit us again?" but rather, "When are you coming home again?" Like our own children she also brought much joy into our lives. How well I remember the special invitation to her high school graduation, the visits to her in college, and the privilege I had of wheeling her down the aisle on her wedding day to give her away to a fine, young man whom the Lord has given her for a husband. Still, through all these blessings, something was missing, like the frosting on a cake. Finally, a few months after her wedding, it happened! The message somehow got through--what we wanted and had waited for so long arrived. It came in a letter we received from her that said, "Can I call you Mom and Dad?"

I know that when we repent and receive Christ, our sins are forgiven, we have eternal life, and it is great; but how long does it take for us to really understand that God is our Father? Don't let the years slip by without enjoying God as your Heavenly Father. Jesus said for us to call Him Father: "When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven" (Luke 11:2). He also said, "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven" (Mat.23:9). This does not mean that we should not call our natural, flesh and blood parent, father, and give him all the love, honor and respect that we are instructed to in the Scriptures. Jesus meant that we are not to allow anyone to take the place of our Heavenly Father in our lives.

Want to have a Spirit-filled life? Think more about God as your Heavenly Father: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Rom.8:14-16). Dearly Beloved . . . what more security could you have than for the Holy Spirit to identify you as a child of God?

One of Satan's most effective devices is to get Christians to doubt their true identity as God's children. If he tried to use it on Jesus as the Son of God, he will undoubtedly use it on you. Satan said to Jesus, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread" (Mat.4:3); and "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down (from the pinnacle of the temple): for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Mat.4:6). Again, the devil spoke through men and said, "If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross" (Mat.27:40). After Satan has wounded or tempted you, he will also speak to you and say, "If you are a child of God, why are you suffering, or why do you have evil thoughts?"

All children, of course, are not fatherless. Many have excellent parents who love them dearly. Unfortunately, some do not realize this and would rather be out doing their own thing instead of being home where they belong. Look at the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son. The foolish actions of this young man caused him to end up in the "pits." Fortunately, he did not remain there. The Bible says, ". . . he came to himself" (Luke 15:17). In other words, he realized his identity as a son and he returned to his father. As we read further in the parable, we find that his older brother had more problems than he had. He was shackled with an unforgiving attitude. It seems as if both sons did not know, at least in the beginning of the story, the loving heart of their father. Remember, regardless of how badly these sons acted, it did not change the father's heart one iota. I think the Bible interpreters made a mistake when they labeled that parable "The Prodigal Son." They should have called it "The Loving Father With the Mixed Up Kids."

The second great evil device Satan will use against you is to try to give you a wrong concept of God. After all, the first words he spoke recorded in the Scriptures reveal him trying to make Eve believe that God is a liar (Gen.3:1). Many ministers, teachers, and Christians who want to keep God's children in line will say, "If you sin you could lose your salvation." In other words, "God will disown you and kick you out of His family." Good grief! How could anyone believe such a lie?! I know that my Heavenly Father is not like that, although I may deserve it.

Once a man visited us with his four-year-old daughter. It was an enjoyable visit; that is, until it became time for them to go home. The child did not want to leave and began to demonstrate how stubborn she could be. Different ways were tried, without success, to persuade her. Then the father used that big lie, which upsets me so much when I hear it. As he walked to the door, he said, "Bye, I'm going to leave you." It worked! Suddenly, the little girl got over her stubbornness and ran, frightened and crying, to her father. Big deal. He got his child to obey him, but did he have to do it in such a mean way and at such a high cost? He loves that little girl and would rather die than see her harmed; yet he may have placed a scar on her heart, because small children believe everything they hear from their parents.

There is an even bigger lie used by many pastors to control the children of God. It is an effective, satanic control device that devastates the flock of God. It causes extreme insecurity in Christians who believe it and brings severe discipline to those who use it. If you have been born again into the family of God by receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior, don't ever believe the big lie that you can lose your salvation!! No human father, in his right mind, would ever cast his child out of his family. Isn't God more compassionate than a human being? The Bible says "But as many as received him (Jesus), to them gave he power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12,13). Do you think that after you receive Jesus into your heart and are born again and sealed by the Spirit of God that you ever have to worry about being disowned by God or becoming a "Heavenly Fatherless" child?

Remember, God does not have to lie to whip His children into obedience. In fact, it is impossible for God to lie (Heb.6:18). Want more security than all the money in the world can buy, more than all the armies in the world can give? Listen to the words of Jesus and claim your true identity, which was purchased for you on the cross of Calvary: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me: and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). And if this next promise from the Lord doesn't fill your heart with His love and security, I don't know what else to say: Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:27-29).

Now, we as children of God should be the happiest, most secure people in the world; but, let's face it, we spend much of our lives living in fear and anxiety, which greatly limits us from coming anywhere near living up to our potential. Many of our talents remain undeveloped, many of our dreams are not fulfilled and many precious friendships are never cultivated.

The big obstacle that hinders God's people from going forward is low self esteem. Even to begin to live up to our potential, we must realize who we are--in Christ! On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate yourself? Before you answer let me state this fact: If you belong to Jesus, God rates you a big "ten," for He sees you as being perfect in Christ! Not because of your performance but rather because of what Jesus performed on the cross.

Do not be discouraged if you have low self esteem. Sooner or later that problem affects most everyone. Some people try to cover it with a bold image, while others draw into themselves. I speak from experience on this subject, because it has been a plague to me most of my life.

Having an inferiority complex is something that one cannot continually ignore. I knew that someday I would have to deal with it. When I first began to face it, it used to be to me like fighting a monster; but now it is getting easier. It has been an uphill battle; and although I have a long way to go, praise God, I am gaining, even to the point where I can smell the victory!

If a person has an inferiority complex it can cause a lot of emotional pain; but I have found that pain is not always a bad thing to have, for sometimes it can be a blessing in disguise, a warning signal that something is wrong. Simply taking a pill to stop a physical pain and then leaving the cause untreated is not a good remedy. There are fast ways to temporarily overcome some of the pain of low self esteem, but a quick, do-it-yourself fix would be like giving someone a band-aid for a broken back. What is needed is a deep inner healing.

I believe the inferiority complex disorder began when Adam and Eve fell from their innocence. They could no longer be unashamed and immediately tried to cover themselves with fig leaves.

The Lord has shown me that, rather than trying to fight the symptoms of my inferiority complex disorder, I should recognize that He has already healed the cause. It is a deep, wonderful healing that penetrates to the inner depths of my being, bringing about complete wholeness.

It is there if I will receive it. In a way, I am like the man at the pool of Bethesda who had a crippling sickness for thirty-eight years. (I have had my inferiority complex ailment longer than that.) Jesus said to the man, "Wilt thou be made whole?" (John 5:6).

The Bible says that ". . . he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isa.53:5). Some people think this applies to a physical healing of the body, but it goes much deeper than that. It is a healing of the soul, and, in a sense, the body too, when you consider the wonderful, new, unrestricted, glorious body that is waiting for us, which will be unaffected by disease or age. Miraculous physical healings take place through prayer, even in this age of unbelief; but still, the limited, physical bodies we have now will eventually get sick or simply wear out. They are only a temporary vehicle for the soul which lives on when the body dies.

The suffering and death of Jesus on the cross accomplished a complete, absolute, immediate healing of our souls; and when we repent and receive Him into our hearts, we have that healing forever. That is why we can sing, "It is well, it is well, with my soul!"

But, if all is well, why do we still often suffer with so much low self esteem, and why do we so often feel such insecurity?

I believe that because of Christ all is well in my soul. Through faith I have received the complete atonement. My soul soared from the pit of evil and blackness to the height of heaven and is now whiter than snow. That is too much to comprehend all at once. It would take an eternity of eternities to fully realize the depth of the healing to the soul that was accomplished on the cross. The more aware I am of what was completed at Calvary, the deeper the healing becomes, putting to flight these troublesome symptoms, and bringing me into a kind of security that transcends anything the world can offer.

I can now actually begin to enjoy myself, which is something I never, in my wildest dreams, thought was possible. Oh, how I am enjoying the healing--I love it! I am not only learning to enjoy myself (when I am walking in the new creation), but I am finding that I am relaxed around other people so that I can enjoy their company. And, best of all, as I become secure in my true identity as a child of God, I find I can relax and really enjoy a relationship with my Heavenly Father. He has been speaking to me lately to "lighten up" and enjoy life with Him in spite of the condition of the world.

Recently, one morning when my wife was on her daily walk, a little child was walking in front of her. He began to twirl around and jump up and down. What he was doing did not make much sense to a grown-up except to observe that he was having a delightful time being a child. As my wife watched him, the Lord spoke to her and told her that she should enjoy her life that way. He did not mean that she should be jumping on the sidewalks, but that she should be as a child in her relationship with her Heavenly Father.

When she returned from her walk and shared that with me, I really became excited in my spirit, for I knew it was also a message from the Lord to me. As I was in my workshop, putting some booklets together, I felt like dancing, although I do not really know how to dance. Then I put a music cassette in the tape player, and what came on was singing by little children that I had recorded one time at a friend's nursery school. I heard the words in the song that the children were singing, and they were, "I can be anything, anything God wants me to be." At the end of the song they all gave a big shout: "ANYTHING!!!" Immediately, the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and I said to Him, "Lord, anything! You name it! I will do it! You've got it . . . anything!" (Believe me, I do not usually pray this way!) Then the next song came on, and I knew it was the voice of the Lord speaking to me through the children. The first words were: "And Jesus said,‘Be as children, little children at play; running and laughing every day.’ Taking the time to talk to Him, and listen as He answers from deep within."

Is this our great calling in our service to the Lord? Simply to enjoy life and relate to our Heavenly Father as a child? Could this be our best service to God? When you say you want to be "used" by God, would you consider being used as an instrument of His love? Will you simply become as a child and bask in the love of your Heavenly Father? Or would you rather substitute being "used" in some form of work that is more important in the sight of man?

God gave me a tremendous experience several years ago that taught me how He wants His children to know how much He enjoys them. I was driving through an area of the White Mountains of New Hampshire on a beautiful fall day when the leaves were in full color. Being familiar with the territory, I knew I was approach- ing a quiet spot on a hillside where there was a spectacular view; so when I arrived there, I pulled the car over to the side of the road and walked down a pathway leading to the area. While I stood on the grassy slope, admiring the view, I thought, The Master has used His paint brush, and I began to tell God how much I enjoyed His creation. Then in my spirit I was becoming aware of something that I had never before experienced. This may sound strange, but I will tell it anyway.

I sensed the invisible presence of someone nearby who was so happy that he was dancing. He was a small figure up in the air behind my right shoulder. I could not see His face, but I knew it was my Heavenly Father. All I can say to describe the dance is that it was very lively. It was not an audible sound like when I speak through my vocal cords, but a communication with Him within me began to develop. I asked God, "Why are You dancing?" and He spoke back to me as only He can do and said, "Because I'm glad." I then said, "Why are You glad?" and He answered, "I'm glad that you belong to Me."

Can you imagine how that experience began to shatter my old inferiority complex? Now I don't only tell God how much I enjoy His creation, but how much I enjoy Him!

The one thing that bothered me about that vision was why God appeared to be so small. I know how big He is when I look up into the heavens and view what He has made. I know how big His grace is when I think of the cross of Calvary. For years after that experience, I wondered why He appeared so small in my vision that day. I even questioned, at times, if it really was the Lord; but I knew that it was Him. Then one day it came to me: Why not just ask Him? So I did. He answered, "So you would not be frightened."

It is far beyond my understanding that the Master of the Universe would appear in a small form to me so that I would not be frightened, and then give me such a wonderful message. It is beyond my understanding that the Lord of Glory would lay aside His garments, gird Himself with a towel, pour water into a basin and wash the feet of His disciples (John 13:4,5). It is beyond understanding that the Son of God would sacrifice Himself on that cross for our sins. The love of God bewilders me. I find that the more I grow in His love, the more I become as a child who does not have to understand in order to enjoy the love of the Father.

I have found God to be very gentle with his children (not with their images, but with who they are in their true identity). We too should be careful how we treat His greatest possessions. Do you realize that if you have become a child of God through the crucifixion of Christ that you are no longer your own, that you now belong to God?! Therefore, you have no right to downgrade yourself. Oh, having a good laugh at oneself is healthy once in awhile; but if you continually criticize yourself, even though it may sound humble, remember that you are putting down a valuable possession of God. He paid a high price for you. The Bible says ". . . ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet.1:18,19).

I received a letter from a man, which included a typical prayer request of many Christians. He said, "Please pray that I will have an inner healing from fear, rejection and self-condemnation." Many believers will say to me, "I can love others, but I cannot love myself." I remember being in a church service one evening, and during the prayer time, a woman who happened to be the preacher's wife went to the altar and lamented loudly: "Oh, Lord, what a worm I am." She was not repenting for some sinful action, but was merely stating her opinion of herself to God or, perhaps, to the world. Many in the congregation probably thought, My, she is such a humble spiritual person; but I cried out (in my heart), "Lord, what is wrong with that woman? Doesn't she know she is precious, holy and pure in Your sight? Doesn't she know that Your sacrifice on the cross was enough to cleanse her from all sin and unrighteousness? Why is she putting down a child who belongs to You and whom You have declared holy and innocent?"

The Bible tells us, "He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul" (Prov.19:8), and that Christ is the wisdom of God (1 Cor.1:24), which clearly signifies that people who have Jesus in their heart should love themselves. God has accepted you just as you are. If others don't, that is their problem, not yours; but if you don't accept yourself, then it is your problem.

Fear and anxiety cause much suffering. It is understandable why people outside of Christ, walking in darkness, suffer this way; but Christians who are safe and secure in the family of God have no reason to be in such a condition. The Lord said, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isa.41:10).

Let me tell another story about a big strong man and a frightened little girl. This man was a friend of mine who has gone home to be with the Lord. I remember him telling me how one night, while he was carrying his little daughter up the stairway, she began to tremble and cry. He had a short sleeve shirt on, and her little fingernails dug into his arms so hard that he shouted, "Honey, what's the matter?" The little child, while looking down the steep stairway, cried out: "Daddy, Daddy, I'm going to fall!" "Darling," he said, "don't worry, I would never drop you!" Regardless of how hard the little girl tried to hang on, she did not have the strength to keep herself from falling if her father let his arms down; but when she realized the strength of her father's arms and became aware of his love, she relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the trip up the stairway.

What about you? Are you enjoying life? Are you aware of your Heavenly Father's love? Are you trying to walk the "performance tightrope," or are you counting on the strong arms of your loving God to keep you from falling? Can you hear this with your heart? "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deut.33:27). You are not strong enough to hold yourself up, but Jesus is. He ". . . is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless . . ." before God (Jude 24).

Do not be fearful and anxious, but relax in your Heavenly Father's arms. Enjoy the trip as He carries you through the darkness of this world and up that glorious stairway to the place He has prepared for you, where you will be forever in the safety of His divine presence. If the temporary body you are now living in becomes sick or weak, and you have prayed for a healing without any apparent results, please, do not let anyone tell you that your condition is due to a lack of faith. Your spiritual life can be in excellent condition even though your body is failing miserably.

A good example of this was demonstrated by a dear friend of mine, named Mary. She was a woman of great faith; yet, at the peak of her service for the Lord, she developed cancer in her body. Many Christians fasted and prayed, but still she died. During her final days, while she was suffering greatly, I visited her in the hospital. Seeing her in so much pain was difficult for me. I didn't know what to say to her, so I asked, "How are you, Mary?" She quickly answered, as she did for so many years, "Oh, I'm fine." Then she really began to feel bad, not because of her physical pains, but because she thought she had told me a lie; and I began to feel bad because I had asked such an inappropriate, insensitive question. While we were both groping for words of apology, a thought came to me, and I said, "Mary! You are fine . . . that is . . . the real you . . . the spiritual you." A big smile came across her face, and she said, "That's right!" The joy that came over her was not because she realized she had not really lied to me, but because she knew her true identity.

I have a credit card in my wallet that is good only until a certain date. When that time arrives, it will no longer be valid—the card will be useless, and I will throw it away and get a new one. Your old life is like that. When you received Christ as your Lord and Savior, your old identification became void, and God gave you a brand new one that is good throughout all eternity. The Bible says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor.5:17).

How can we tell others about the love and security there is in God's family if we are insecure ourselves? How can we teach others about God if we have not spent enough time with Him to really get to know Him as our Heavenly Father? There are parents who do not take the time to be with their children. God is not like that. The Bible says, "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up" (Ps.27:10). He is never too busy to spend time with you! There are children who do not take the time they should to be with their parents. Don't be like that with your Heavenly Father. Set quiet times aside--just for Him.

Remember, the more you learn about Jesus, the better acquainted you will become with God. Jesus said, ". . . he that hath seen me hath seen the father . . ." (John 14:9), and "I and my father are one" (John 10:30). Your peace and security and your joy will only come when you know the goodness of God to you. The Bible says, "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee" (Job 22:21).