The Father Difference

Forgiveness and Blessing Build Happy Families

• Ed Tandy McGlasson • Season 2 • Episode 14

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It's never too late to mend bridges with your loved ones. Strained relationships can be restored, broken ties can be mended, and a father's blessing can have a profound impact on a child's life. 
Today's episode takes us on a heartwarming exploration of the transformative power of forgiveness and the healing power of a father's blessing. By sharing moving accounts of estranged families reuniting and the life-altering impact of a father's words, we delve into the essence of grace, forgiveness, and restoration in family relationships. 

Experience the awe-inspiring power of unexpected miracles as we discuss how a father mended his broken bond with his son just by speaking a blessing over him. Learn how to tap into God's power through grace and see how the Holy Spirit sets us up for miracles even when we feel unprepared. We also explore the art of asking questions in parenting, offering an enlightening perspective on how this simple tool can foster deeper connections and pave the way for healing and reconciliation.

We wrap up the episode by examining the profound power of forgiveness and blessings. Hear a personal account of how a father restored his relationship with his son through the power of blessing. We also delve into the concept of being spiritual children of God and how this fosters deep connections and transforms Extra Grace Required (EGRs) family members into great ones. Tune in and get inspired to champion positive change in your family relationships. 

[OUTRO]
It's never too late to mend bridges with your loved ones. Strained relationships can be restored, broken ties can be mended, and a father's blessing can have a profound impact on a child's life. Through sharing these heartwarming stories, we hope to inspire you to embrace the power of grace, forgiveness, and blessings to strengthen your family bonds. Tune in to our next episode as we continue to explore these life-changing themes.

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Ed Tandy McGlasson:

Hi, I'm Ed Tandy McGlasson and welcome to the Father Difference Podcast. Today we're going to be listening in on a sermon I did recently about how to get together with family how to solve those cracks you might have in your family. You know the ones where bitterness has kind of slipped in and you're dreading that auntie showing up or that son or daughter where you have that awkwardness during the holidays. Actually, I call those EGRs extra grace required. There are some ways that I've learned how to break through in those relationships that I'm going to be sharing doing this sermon I recently preached. So enjoy and remember it's never too late for God to do a miracle in your life and your family and bring you back together. God bless you. Well, welcome to one of my favorite churches in the world, some of my favorite people, and today I want to talk to you about having the best Thanksgiving ever. How many of you want the best Thanksgiving ever? Right, slam, dunk, Wow, right. And I'm not going to talk to you about food, because I am predicting that that's going to happen. I'm going to talk to you about EGRs. Those are family members who I call EGRs extra grace required, who are going to show up at your meal. You might be looking online, but we all have those in our life, or we have kids that are suffering, or we have spouses, friends, exes and how do we minister to them? How do we reach the unreachable? Well, I'm going to share some things with you and I'm going to start out with a story that one of my adventures and I don't think it's just unique to me I learned years ago that if I could learn to see what the Father is doing, like Jesus, then I'll have an adventure every time I leave my house. It happens everywhere. As a matter of fact, my last trip back east, I had a seatmate who we had this incredible five hour time of ministry and by the end of the flight I had the stewardess on her knees receiving Jesus and in the aisle, you know, on the plane, and five other people coming forward laying hands on all of them in the very front row. And I went on the plane just to get a nap. How many of you have been in a place where God interrupts that perfectly designed nap or what you want, and just interrupts with His kingdom? And part of that is learning how to develop a sensitivity and an understanding of God moving around you. It's really easy to be overwhelmed by the news of the day, by the politics of the day, by all the stuff going on, and miss that the Father Jesus said is always working. He's even working now.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I wrote this book years ago, the Difference of Father Makes and, matter of fact, if you just put in TheDifferenceofFatherMakescom, I'll send you one for free. Where it's? Over 450,000 guys and gals have gotten this book now, which is awesome. And, matter of fact, as I speak, it's happening almost every minute in Asia, right now, in Brazil, right now, everywhere. It's amazing what happens, how God uses something. But a guy in Texas got my book and he calls me from his reading room. He's in the bathroom when guys usually read books about this big okay and he's sobbing and he says it's been many, many years since I've seen my daughter.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I had a horrible divorce and haven't seen my daughter in over 12 years. Every time I write, my wife sends the letter back. We are dead to you. Is there anything I can do? And I said I want you to write one more letter. We're going to pray and I want you to write it to your daughter. We're going to pray. She gets it with these words Help me understand how much I hurt you when I divorced your mom. If you want to talk, here's my number, dad. She got the letter about five or six days later and immediately got on the phone and said dad, is this you? Can you imagine that moment? Yes, I have a question I have to ask you.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

They agreed to meet. She lived in Kansas City. He flew from Dallas. They found a restaurant. He showed up early. He was waiting at each person walking in the restaurant and then this girl comes in. He's not sure if it's her, he has no pictures, he has no understanding of her life. And they meet eyes from the lobby into the restaurant and she immediately starts sobbing, comes over, he's not sure what to say. And his daughter looked and said daddy, was I that ugly? Can we get somebody to shut the door out front there? What Was I that ugly? You never held me, you never told me you loved me and I just figured I was so ugly. You divorced mom and he looks at her and it says no, sweetheart, I was a broken man, I was addicted to pornography and I was so afraid it might affect you I stayed away. Would you forgive me? And she jumped across the table there in that little restaurant and hugged his neck and he waited my whole life for you. He said, would you come to my house? I have a gift for you. He followed her home. She pulled into the back to gravel driveway. He walked up to the porch. It had a screen door. When he got up to the door to knock he heard he's here. He's here and outran two grandchildren he didn't know about.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I say that to you is that it is never too late for God to hear your family. It's never too late for you to be healed from things and see children today. They need their father's blessing in their life. It doesn't matter how much you blew. You might be watching thinking I've completely blown it, but no one will ever replace you as a birth dad. You carry something. God actually put it in you and I gotta tell you I've seen thousands of dads and families restored in these years. When men understand that they carry something sovereign from God in their bones his fathers and they learn how to bless their children, because your kids need your blessing. I mean, imagine where the Middle East would be if they got their true birthright from God, the Father, where they moved from the blessing of Abraham to the blessing of God, the Father in Christ, guns would drop, bombs would stop going off, birthrights would be transferred. The whole world is.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

You know, we're in a huge dilemma in our culture and it's just not the wicked media, it's the lack of a dad. And when fathers learn that they matter, they've learned that they count, that they carry something. They can let go of the grieving and begin to step into that place as a dad. And it's just, it's miraculous. Things happen Because, see, your words as a dad can really unlock a destiny in your children, matter of fact, the same with your moms.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I love this verse in 1 Peter 3.9,. It says in the message it goes for all of you, no exceptions, no retaliation, no sharp tongue sarcasm, instead, bless. That's your job, to bless, you'll be a blessing and you'll also get a blessing. And the third thing, you know, your question of your children will also not only were your words unlocked your destiny, your questions will help you see the father working in your family.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

We're gonna talk about that, because I've learned one thing I can't make God do anything. Anybody wanna say an amen to that. I cannot make it happen, right, I can't make my kids do anything. I can't even make myself do anything. I definitely can't make my wife do anything. Any men say amen to that right, or vice versa. Anything that we have to rely on our natural abilities doesn't happen. But when we learn how to see what God is doing and participate with Him, it changes everything. Because here is John 5, 19 through 20. Grab your Bible. If you don't have your Bible, I'm assuming you've memorized it so you can just read along with me and remember.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

When I first saw this verse, it just completely floored me Because it unlocked for me the secret of how Jesus lived his life. He was actually the Son of God. He was an eternal being being born in the womb of Mary. But he made a statement to the secret of his life and how he did ministry. It's profound. He said to them truly, truly, I say to you the Son of man can do nothing on his own accord. You can do nothing on his own accord. Not that he couldn't take up his God-like power, he could.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

But Philippians says he emptied himself and became a servant. Even to the death on the cross, he became a servant. He came to follow his father. He didn't come to prove he was the Son of God. He could do nothing on his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. And what hit me when I first started to get this was see if Jesus was like Superman or Batman. Had an S on his chest and you know, you think, you know. Nobody can be like him. He came to model what it would be like to be fathered by God. The same way he was to be led by the Father, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and he said he can only do what he sees the Father doing.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

We're gonna talk about how to learn to see today, for whenever the Father does, the Son does likewise. So, in other words, jesus never once took on his divinity to act and do a miracle. Everything he did was in response to him being able to see what the Father was doing with the people right in front of him. Boy, wouldn't that change Christianity today if we live that way? How many times have we been told? How many times do you feel like you haven't fasted enough, prayed it up enough, been holy enough for God to use you? What would happen if you were able to be unlocked to just doing what the Father is doing, not only in you, but in every person that comes your way, because, see, you carry in you, whether you feel like it or not. You were seeing that last song. I love it.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

You actually carry with you the kabad of God, the glory of the Lord in Christ. If you're born again, he is in you and every place you go it interrupts the enemy's plans. You don't feel it all the time. Is it any wonder that people will just flip you off for the way you drive? For no reason and you're not that bad of a driver.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

That happens to me. People just like and I go. Is that your IQ? This doesn't help the situation. One you know.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

But you get attacked for no reason. You get talked about for no reason. You wonder what did I do wrong? You don't understand that Christ is in you, the hope of glory, and around you all the time there's activity happening. The Father is working to lead you into the life he's made you for and to the adventure. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise, and I just love this part of the verse, for the Father loves the Son and shows them all that he's doing Cash. I start thinking you love me too, don't you, if I learn to pay attention the way Jesus did. I can participate with you and do everything you're doing. Every place I go, oh Lord.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

But I've also had those times where the Holy Spirit's kind of set me up. You're filled, you're set up sometimes, and I was at a whimper event. I was serving drinks, snacks and I was part of the prayer team and this woman comes in the back. I'm standing in the back and she sees me. She's in a wheelchair and her husband rolls around and she goes. I've waited for you. If you just speak the word, I will be healed. Man, I almost heard TBM music going on right then. It was just awesome, and so I held my hand up and I said women, be healed. And she struggles and gets to her feet and falls on her face and breaks her sunglasses and cuts her nose and she's laying in a pile. I thought she was dead. She fell so badly and I was standing there going. Oh Lord, I'm so sorry.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I get to assume this was, like you know this woman to speak the word and she's going to be healed and she's laying there and I have no faith. I've not one hair on my body giving me a Hallelujah moment. I mean, there is nothing, I am just trying to find a way to get out of the building and John Wimmer goes where's Ed McClassen? We have a man up here who's been in a wheelchair for 15 years. God uses Ed to work in miracles. Would you come forward, ed? And I walked up there. I got nothing. Man, I'm like I'm going to fail again. Okay, lord, whatever you want to do, I just what's going on.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

And in the midst of that moment I just said, I just said this prayer. I said, god, what are you doing with this man? Right then I saw these in the spirit. I saw these X's his neck, all the way down his spine, that little X's that were marked. And I said you have this scarring and all your nerve endings. And he was yes, I have MS. And I just said Lord, heal this one, this one, this one, this one Now stand up. And he walked immediately. And I was the most shocked person in the whole room. You see, beloved God's made us in such a way, like Christ, you know, like Paul wrote, I decided to know nothing among two except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and fear and trembling. Does that sound like a prayed up prophesying Paul. No, my speech, my message were not in the plausible words of wisdom Didn't even preach very good but in the demonstration of the spirit and power, so that your faith might not rest in men's wisdom alone, but in the power of God.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

There's this transition that can happen with us when we begin to take the spotlight off of what we're doing and just turn it on to say Father, what are you doing right here? What are you doing with my daughter right now? My son right now, my neighbor, the guy who's pumping gas next to me, what are you doing? My son came to me because I was learning this in college. He called me and my oldest son, edward just such an amazing man of God All my children. I learned how to bless them, to be men and women and change our whole family. But he called me and said, hey Dad, he was a Colorado on a golf scholarship. And he said, hey Dad, I got free lift tickets, free condo snowboard equipment, everything and I'm going to go to Vale this weekend. I know you'll probably tell me no, but I just thought I tell you and I was in that moment when children are about to do something they shouldn't, because he was on a golf scholarship.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

If you got hurt he might lose it. And I was in that moment just so quick to just condemn him. I'm asking this question, lord, what are you doing? And I just felt this question come up and I said Son, have you read your contract of your scholarship? He said my contract.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I go yeah, you're a man, you get to kind of choose, but make sure there's no stipulation that if you get hurt in an intramural or extracurricular sports activity outside of golf you'd lose your scholarship. You think I should do that, son. You're a man of God, you get to choose. So then I said have you talked to your coach? And he said my coach, you think I should talk to him. And I said he said Well, I said I don't know he's your coach, I just let him know you're going. And he goes Okay. And I said have you prayed about? Oh, yeah, I prayed about it, dad, it's good. I said Well, have a good time.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

About 15 minutes later my son calls back hey, dad, what's the matter? Son, just totally sucks. Did you know it was in my scholarship If I get hurt? I said no, I didn't. Son, that was like you know wild guess, you know question and I called my golf coach. He said, son, I would prefer you didn't If you get hurt every drop the travel team.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

And then I heard it. It's a moment when the father begins to work. And now did I think about it, dad? It would be foolish of me to risk my PGA tour career over one weekend of pleasure with my friends. I don't even know why I called you, but, lord, thanks for just listening to me. Dad click, and I mean I was dancing like Kermit the Frogs on my telephone after that moment, because questions are powerful ways to help your children discover the truth.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

Or a wayward family member, because when we're interacting with human beings little coaching kind of session with you right now is that most people get into either. Many times a parent, child conflict. The parent has the power, has the food, has the refrigerator, says If you're going to live in my house, you're going to live by my rules. If you're going to be a Christian, you're going to live by my rules. And your kids will live by your rules many times while you're looking, but when they're with their friends, they live by their own ones.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

But I started reading about this guy named Jesus who every time he interacted with people, he has some questions. Man, the first time that God spoke to Adam and Eve was what A question, adam, where are you? God knew he was in shame. God knew he sinned. He wanted to see what was going on in Adam and he said well, I'm naked. Well, who told you? Matter of fact, jesus. When calling his disciples, he asked them who do you guys say that I am? If you look at all, I started to trace you.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

All the time Jesus asked questions and every place he asked questions there was a supernatural transaction with the Holy Spirit in that person. All through the Bible it was either healing or prophecy, or words or miracles, because Jesus didn't wear his anointing as permission to heal the sick at his whim. Jesus was full of grace and truth and unlimited with the anointing of the presence of God, but realized that without the Father working in the person, him, stepping beyond the Father's working would make it so that you and I could never do what he did because we're not Christ. So he created a model for you and I to enter in to the supernatural world of the Father working and one of the ways he asked questions who do you say that I am?

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

And they said some say John the Baptist, elijah, Jeremiah, one of the prophets in Matthew 16, 14, to 16. And Peter said but no, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus saw the Father's working in Peter. He couldn't have known that and he saw that. He said blessed are you, simon and Bardona, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father, who is in heaven, showed you that. I tell you because of that, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail. Now you understand the way Jesus. He said you are Peter, which means little stone, and Jesus actually said upon this and I believe if we had video he would go rock. See, jesus was the rock that followed the people of Israel all through the Old Testament. It's where the water came from. That's why Moses got in trouble, because he struck the rock. He didn't speak to it, he didn't realize, he didn't discern that was Christ. Upon this rock I will build the church. See questions. Help us to even to deal with it.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

The biggest attack in your family and our culture in the world bitterness, because when your kids are bitter towards you, they stop receiving from you. They get the. If they're Southern Californians, whatever kind of get that what. You want to slap it off their face, cast out that demon. How would you do whatever, no matter how strong your word is, no matter how strong your dream is, if the father's not working in your kids and you're not discerning what he's doing and you try to make a season happen. They often will do this to the church, to you and to even Christ, because they feel like they don't get a vote.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

And I did that. I mean I did that constantly. I had a pastor friend of mine who went to an event that I did. He got my book. He was heading a strange daughter and tried to go home and bless her. Guys like reading this book and they want to go right to the blessing part. Right, they don't realize he had to win her heart back. And I was at a book fair in Colorado signing books and we were getting this book out and this young woman walks up to me and goes thanks a hell of a lot. And I'm like shoot, what should I do? She said you wrote this book. The Difference of the Father Makes Us. I said well, yeah, thanks a hell of a lot.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

My dad reads this and thinks he can just take me out on a dinner, like you did your daughter, get on one knee and give me a ring and bless my life. And so my dad takes me to the most expensive restaurant in Atlanta. We go out on a date. I haven't even spent time with him, I don't even like my dad and he decides he's gonna bless me and he goes right to the end of your book. Because I read your book, I love it, but I don't love it to my dad's thought he could just get my heart, got on one knee in this restaurant, pulled out a ring and I looked at him and I said what the hell do you think you're doing? I don't like you. I won't let you bless me. And my friend Johnny was holding that ring. People were watching. He even brought over the mater D and everybody to watch this moment. People were filming the moment and he put the ring back in his coat and sat down. And she says to him dad, until you get my heart, I won't receive from you. And he said well, what do I do? He said stop trying to be my pastor and learn to be my dad. A year later he blessed his daughter. She's given them a bunch of great grandkids.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

She meant a godly man. We can change the world when we learn to just follow. You know in the Bible says that all bitterness, wrath and anger in Ephesians 4, 31 and 32, be put away among you with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has forgiven you. And I remember reading that and and realized that I wasn't father in that way. I was the coach of my kids. My wife would tell you I was driving them to be better, better grades, better performance. I was even saying it's like you know, you're a McLassen, you can do better and Christ will anoint you. I mean, I preached at them and as they got older, they would give me a nickel and say thanks for the sermon. Dad, you know, it's just like.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

You know I was directing and I was doing all this stuff towards them because I myself, my own heart, had never been captured by the love and adoption of a father in heaven. I was trying to protect them as a dad and I was in our bedroom and I heard my kids fighting and they were being passive, aggressive and then saying that I'm just kidding. And I realized that I taught them all that I brought the locker room from the NFL and we joke around and go just kidding. And I just was so wounded and I said what do I do, father? I don't know what to do. He said why don't you go out there and teach them how to ask for forgiveness? Got them walking out there and he showed me I needed to be the one. So I sat him down on the table and I'm not sure, probably, luke, you know. Oh boy, we're gonna get it now.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

You know, when we had to sit around the family table, it was a time for you know game plan. You know, let's get on the same page. And my wife would like roll her eyes like come on, ed. And I said guys, I need your help with something I know I've really hurt you in places that you've never told me about. Could you tell me right now where I hurt you so I can ask for forgiveness? And that question completely unlocked my kids and I said, really, dad, and one by one, they shared and I just broke my heart and I owned it and said well, you forgive me, would you forgive me? Did you forgive me? And I started to get my kids back? That's a great question for you Could be with a relative.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

It could be with your kids, your midi kids, because if your kids are not receiving from you as a mom and dad, it's not because they need to be independent. Most often is because they've said I want my own life right now. I don't want you to interfere. God has never made family to disintegrate into culture. God's made family to change culture and one of the things by asking a question like that and if you wanna really be brave, ask your wife that question. Or vice versa, imagine what your family would be like if bitterness could not get in the door because you're so quick to say tell me what I did that hurt you so I can ask for forgiveness.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

The reason we're able to do that is not because we're just more holy than others. It's because of all that Christ has done in Romans 5, 8, while we were still dead in our trespasses and sins. What did Christ do? He died for us See when I started modeling Ephesians 2, 4 through 5, but God being rich in mercy because of his great love, which he loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses, he made us alive Together with Christ. By grace you've been saved. So what happens in families when there's no forgiveness? We get dead. As a family we just walk on eight shelves.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I was at the Newport at the food market many years ago on vacation and I was standing in line putting my stuff in as I do, and right behind me they made a mistake and they ran into me with their cart. They just, you know, hit me and turned around thinking somebody might know, and there were two brothers and a sister. They all had really big red noses and they weren't saying a clause and they had five gallons of vodka and mixed in their cart I had turkeys and food, they had booze, and so I saw this and I figured this must be the Lord. And so I looked at him, I said thirsty and he and the girl go oh hell, man, if we don't drink this, we can't get together in Thanksgiving. And I just go weepy and I say you know, there's another way. Imagine what your Thanksgiving could be if you really learned to talk and forgive one another. And you could just see the spirit of God just hits him. And I look in down at their cart and they're looking at me.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

It's the world right now. Our children are being fed this all the time. Matter of fact, in our culture now there is no forgiveness. They're tearing down statues, thinking somehow this removes racism or hurt. But guess how we changed this and I said you know, I'm not going to be a racist. I'm not going to be a racist. I want people to solidify that I never ud остination économique. Modeling this and following the father. That's how you make your children and your grandchildren Bulletproof to crazy world. This is to teach them how to forgive.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

And for the next two weeks before Thanksgiving, I just I encourage you if you got any angst with sister, brother, uncle, daughter, son, son-in-law, own it and be the first one so you can get to the next part of my message, which is the ultimate. When the healing is there, it's about blessing and see, when you model that there will be an openness for them to receive from you. And so when my children are like this and it happens in different seasons they'll do whatever. Dad, I just I hear the 007 song, you know, and if you're gonna accept this mission, it's like I'm going in. I am not gonna let bitterness be in between me and my kids, or my new children that I've added through marriage, my new daughters and sons. I'm not gonna let bitterness have any place in my family tree. And how does that happen? I gotta go first.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

Now it was two years ago. We had all of our grandkids then we have more now, and they were just opening all their presents. Within 18 seconds my wife, wrapped for four weeks, hid in her closet and brought out she is definitely Miss Santa and she's awesome. And they started fighting over stuff and in Jessica said Raleigh, you're being mean to your sister. Go over and ask for forgiveness. Will you forgive me and hugs little Anna. You sits me. I started that. You can too. Doesn't matter how many years have passed. Call them, call that brother, call that sister, call that daughter. What if they hang up? Call them again next week, send them a note. Help me understand On this side of heaven. Don't give up until you get an audience, because the bitterness that they have is eating them alive and they're teaching it to your grandkids. You watching, I know I moved from preaching to Medellin, but on our watch to church of Jesus Christ. We must fulfill this, you know.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I want to close with this verse in 1 Peter, 3, 8, 2, 9, if you get your Bible. It's the ultimate fruit of forgiveness. 1 Peter, 3, 8, through 9,. I'm reading through the NS N-A-S-B New American Standard Bible. To sum it up that all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind-hearted and humble in spirit, not in returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but give a blessing instead, for you were called for this very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

Let's talk about blessing for a minute, so we'll have some back and forth. So when I say to you that God wants you, what is a blessing? What would you say? Saying something good over somebody? Okay, what else? Put somebody else first, right, because you can't give a blessing if you put yourself first. What else? Here we go. Right, exactly what this verse says right, hatred with love. What else does blessing do? Right, reliable work, right, that's what God does, right. So let me ask you this why is blessing somebody so important and so powerful over somebody's life? Why? You may have never experienced it before. You might never have experienced it before. All nations will be blessed. All nations will be blessed. That's great. But why does a human being need this? It's human and supernatural. It's both things.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

Let me give you a little insight the Lord had me with when God made Adam. How did he make him? He made his own image. What's that? He made his own image, Right, what were you gonna say? His own image, his own image? He made his own image. Well, that's the product of how he made him. But how did he actually make Adam? He briefed him what he briefed him. He briefed him to him, but he was already a being. But how did he make him into a young man? He was a man. What's that? From the depths of the earth. From the depths of the earth, right. It says right in scripture let us make man in our image and likeness. He spoke him into existence. He made Adam to be a word activated human being. He's made you to be word activated. So the words over you carry great power, depending on how much trust you put in those who are delivering those words.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

Some of you today are feel limited because of the way you've been talked over. You're actually believing the lies the enemy says through somebody who limits you or a father who didn't know how to bless you. And so when I meet a person who doesn't know how to receive a blessing, many times I meet a person who didn't have a dad who was generous, not with the money part, but with, hey, I love this about you. I love the way God's made you and when you have people in your life that are speaking to you, what God says about you in a real way and touches you, I mean, those are my friends. I don't have any friends that are speaking to you or any friends who want to fix me. I have them go to someone else who's more screwed up. I don't want those guys in my life. They have no life.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

Now, think about this If we're word activated, one of the most powerful things you can do is read this Bible over yourself. If you're word activated and you read the scripture every morning and let it ricochet off the wall in your study or the glass and come back to your ears and faith come by hearing and hearing the word of God. You're gonna be edified, you're gonna be encouraged, you're gonna be blessed. I mean, how many times has God spoken into your quiet time of your life and said something to you and it's just completely rocked you? You know what I'm saying Incredible moments that God wants to do. Imagine now you meeting a boy in a coffee shop who has never once had a dad ever say anything kind to him, a dad who's a monster. Dad is the population of kids out there who are desperate that somebody will speak to them through this. They don't know who they are, and I'll just kind of close with this story and we're gonna pray.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I was one of the things I love to do is, well, I just love to get out of my house because I get activated. Jill knows that no matter where we go, if I get in public something happens, and we've had many a beautiful sunset dinner kind of messed up because I see somebody. So we went through a wife a number of years ago and she looked at me and she said you know, on this trip to Hawaii, could we not lead so many people to Christ? So he said that to me and I said well, honey, I never do this on purpose. I mean God just brings people to me. What am I gonna do? Go God the hell. You know I can't do that. You know what I mean. Sorry, burn. You know it's like God just pulled me out of such a pit, and so we were gonna go land on the beach. She said could you just not look at anybody? And I said fine. So she, this is how it works with me and it's how it works with you too. You just don't realize it totally. I mean, remember how Matthew was saved? Jesus walks up from the work they're fishing and sees a tax collector and the Bible says he looks intently at him and says Matthew, come, follow me. No sermon, nothing. It was a look to a man who felt invisible.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

And so we went on a beach, where at the Marriott Resorts, and so she picks the two shaves, lounges the farthest away from the hotel in a cove and faces me towards the cliffs, looking away from everyone. And I just joked around, not even anticipating this, saying honey, what if God just brings somebody over and wants to be saved? What do we do? Fine if God does that, fine, but I just want you and me on the shade. That's that mean. You are here, baby, all right, we're here.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

So we're out there, we're having a little drink and some snacks and all of a sudden I don't know how long it was, how long was it? An hour or so later, or two hours, I don't know we're out there sunbathing and she looks over my head and goes oh crap. And I said what's the matter? She goes, okay, and I turned around and up is walking a University of Hawaii football player that I found later, with his jersey on and a knee brace on his right knee and he's limping over to me through the sand and he comes over and he goes. Please excuse me, sir, I can't take my eyes off of you. I had no father in my life. I've hurt my knee. I'm gonna lose my scholarship. Is there anything that God can do in my life? I'll just go to hell.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

No, you'd those moments you know, or just you know, set up by God and I got to lead this young man to Christ. How long was it, honey? Just a few minutes. Right, he's on his knees, weeping and crying, receiving Christ. I lay hands on him, I bless him, I pray for his knee. He gets up, his pain is gone. He takes off his brace, holds it over his head, runs all around the sand on the beach going Jesus, jesus, jesus.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

See, I think that it's like the Jesus revolution happened because a few people got that that everywhere you go, in time and space, if you'll pay attention, the father is working. He's working with your kids, but it's dialing back our attempts at being anointed and just being you in Christ, a beloved son or daughter that God has positioned with a broken football player on a beach who needed life. By the way, that little vacation we had, close to 20 people in the hotel that we got to lead to Christ it's just a great way to justify spending so much money on a vacation. I'm doing it for you, god, right Now. The reason that I'm here today is that not only to share this message with you, but to invite you in to more of this incredible privilege of being a son and a daughter that just follows the father around all day long. And I'll encourage you in kind of closing, stop trying to be a Christian in a world that's marginalized Christians, just to be a beloved son or daughter who is ready all day long to minister to who God brings around you, whether you're in a restaurant, whether you're pumping gas.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

I was just at the AT&T store. My wife dropped this little thing in the bay during a Duffy ride. We even had my son try to scoop it off the bottom, so I went in not too happy to have to replace this device. I know that a Muslim man needed Jesus. Incredible, he's in my course learning how to be a son.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

Everything you go through God puts you into position to be around somebody in the hospital, in the food market, because you have Christ in you and so you're never going to be retired. You're never going to be retired. It's so much more fun. And so I want to pray for you for two things. To maybe three is first of all, just to realize that the greatest call in your life is to be an adopted son or daughter. Jesus never died for us to become Christians.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

Matter of fact, I was reading my Bible one day and years ago, and the father just shows up during my quiet time. He goes what are you doing? So I'm reading my Bible. He says stop reading it like a Christian. And I was like what do you mean, lord? He said how do my son read the Scriptures? He hit me like a son. It just pour into them their true identity of being sons and daughters.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

The day, like Lation says, might receive their adoption of sons. And if sons no longer slaves, is no longer slaves in their heirs. And so, no matter how your dad, I've framed your world, no matter how many people have spoken ill into you, no matter how many times you've done it to yourself, god the Father says over you. You are my beloved sons and daughters. In you my love and I bless your life with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. In the name of Jesus, I adopt you. I've written my name on your birth certificate. I am your born again birth papa, and now I fill you and connect you to that sonship and daughtership, and that you no longer have to try to facet up, pray it up, try to be this faith-walking, fire-breathing Christian. You can just be a daughter and you can just be a son, and all you gotta do is ask me. All you gotta do is say pass the butter, papa, and I'm gonna give it to you. I'm not gonna give you a stone for bread, I'm not gonna give you a snake for food. I'm gonna bless you. I'm gonna bless you as a father. That's why I sent my son. I'm gonna bless you.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

And, father, I ask you right now that, for all those that are watching right now, I pray, lord, that whatever you have deposited in me and being able to see the father working, you would turn it on in their life everywhere they go. They would never leave the house again. It's just a Christian, but they would be sons and daughters and they would see it with their kids, they would see it with their grandkids, they would see it with their neighbors. They would see what the father is doing and that this question would come up in their heart over and over and over again every day. Father, what are you doing Every time there's resistance, father, what are you doing? And they would stay in this place of just following you, just the way Jesus did.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

The father himself loves his son and shows him everything he's doing. Jesus said Well, the father himself loves you because his son, whom he loves, is in you and he will show you everything he's doing. Now lift up your eyes and see. Jesus said for the harvest is already white. He's looking at the almond blossoms on the hills. And he said, basically, in that moment, fishing will never be bad, the harvest will never be small. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.

Ed Tandy McGlasson:

So I'm sending you today, with your pastors, with your leaders, I'm sending you to be sons and daughters in the land of orphans who are desperate for one moment, with a mom or a dad like you, so they can connect to the father they never thought they could ever have. In the name of the father, in the name of the son in the name of the Holy Spirit. Now go get them. In Jesus' name, amen. I'm so grateful you listened all the way to the end and got a free gift for you. I got to do this. Go to thedifferenceoffathermakescom. It's our gift to you. It's our bestselling book that we've had over 450,000 people either get, buy or download for free, and I know it'll be a blessing to you, and so if you're ready to turn those EGRs into great family members, I think this book will really help you. Remember, it's never too late for God to do a miracle in your life and your story, because he loves you. God bless you.

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Ed Tandy McGlasson

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