Jesus's favorite name for God was Father. This beautiful word means many things to us in the teaching of Jesus. First, Jesus was really the Son of God, and could rightfully speak of Him as "My Father." But Jesus taught us more than that. Not only is Jesus the Son of God--the Only Begotten in the flesh--but we are all the children of God. He is the Father of our spirits, so that we may also rightfully pray to Him as "Our Father who art in heaven." Then, if God is really our Father, He must have the same kind of feelings for us that fathers always have for their children. Indeed, since He is God, His feelings must be deeper and truer than those of any earthly father. Jesus put it thus: "What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" [Sidenote: A real joy to know the true God.] It is a matter of comfort and joy to know the true God--to worship a God whom we can understand, whom we may recognize. It is no wonder that people everywhere become confused when they try to pray to a God who is something yet nothing, who is everywhere yet nowhere, who sits on the top of a topless throne, and so forth. It is no wonder that people are looking for the true God. {33} "We know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them--that He created man, male and female, after His own image and in His own likeness, created He them, and gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve Him, the only living and true God, and that He should be the only being whom they should worship." THE REFERENCES John 14:6-9. Heb. 1:1-3. John 12:45. John 1:14. Matt. 13:35. Doc. and Cov. 130:22. Col. 1:15. Matt. 7:9-12. Phil. 2:6. Doc. and Cov. 20:17-19. THE QUESTIONS 1. How do we learn to know things? 2. Why have men strayed from the true conception of God? 3. What kind of being is God? 4. What did Jesus say God is like? 5. What did His disciples understand Jesus to mean? 6. In what sense is God the Father? 7. How is He like other fathers? 8. Why could you not worship any other God than a personal God? 9. What did Jesus teach Joseph Smith concerning God? {34} PICTURE: JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA, Hofmann {35} IV WHAT JESUS SAID OF HIMSELF [Sidenote: Jesus's testimony to the woman of Samaria.]