Revisiting The Attributes of God
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M
I think an helpful answer to this would be the following
Isaiah 55:6-9 NKJV
[6] Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
[7] Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon. [8] "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor
are your ways My ways," says the LORD. [9] "For as the heavens are higher than
the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NKJV
[11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of
peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon
Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. [13] And you will seek Me and
find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
A child might want to reach out and grab the fascinating flames of a fire, but
to do so would be dangerous.
A person might want instant healing but it may be that during their illness they will
draw closer to God and learn patience.
A person might want a specific job because it attracts a big salary, but maybe God
knows all that money will change that person and lead them to being a slave to money.
A person might fall in love and want to marry someone, but maybe God knows it would
be a complete disaster.
We tend to put physical needs first but I believe our spiritual needs, spiritual growth and
where we will spend eternity is God's priority. We tend to live like there is no tomorrow
but God the Father is so concerned with our eternity that God the Son died on a cross.
The vast majority of the bible was concerned with God's redemptive plan. But while it is
finished, in one sense it's also still going. It is active in each new life born on planet earth.
I believe prayer is important, our prayers do get answered especially if we partner with God and ask
Him to show us His will and plans.
God can do anything but He won't impose His will on us, He wants us to partner with Him and
align ourselves with Him. He wants a relationship with us and you can't have a relationship
with someone without talking to them.
There is a really old custom in the UK of two people pulling the wish bone on a chicken or turkey and
whoever gets the larger part, makes a wish. It's the V shaped bone.
Ages ago over a week, I had the same repeated dream 3 nights running in which I
saw my hand with a wishbone in it. Then on the fourth night I got the entire dream
in which I held up the wish bone and curled my little finger around one side. I
just knew in the dream that God was about to curl his little finger around the other
half and pull it with me, but then just as it was about to happen I woke up.
I was gobsmacked! I couldn't get back to sleep and I spent ages looking up various
things in the bible and I came across these verses in Job.
Job 19:23-26 NKJV
[23] "Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
[24] That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!
[25] For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;
[26] And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,
In some versions it is translated as Oh that I wish they were inscribed ....
Well it struck me that Job's wish came true, his story is recorded in the bible for
all to see! Job suffered but his suffering amounted to a bigger plan in which his
wish came true, God was glorified and all the readers down the ages take great
comfort in the truth that God knows our frame, He will not give us more than we
can endure and the knowledge that God's eternal plans are far greater than
we can comprehend. Job was restored and was to become a blessing to
us all.
If you want to be excited about prayer, ask God to show you how to pray and ask
God what He wants you to pray about! Not many do that but you will be amazed
at what transpires, you see prayer is a two way thing!
As for those desparate emergency prayers, God does answer those He knows what our
needs are before we ask, but by praying, we receive such a blessing when the answer comes.
I experienced that many times last year.
As per #4 question i think this is an approptiate way of answering. When sin entered the world so did murder, theft ect. But Gods will or knowledge is never thwarted. He still knows when and how someone will die. Just because God knows these things does not mean He is the cause of these things. When and how we die is because God has "allowed" it to happen. Man does have a hand in these things but he doesnt control these things. Does God allowing this mean He is "evil" or a "tyrant"? No! It means that no matter what, Gods Will is fulfilled but we dont know the complete full reason. There are some things we dont fully understand and i think this is one of those things.
M
I think the key point here is that God sees the bigger picture, this life we're living now is all we know but God looks at eternity. In the grand scheme of things this is just a blot in the ocean. God is looking at eternity. We can't know but maybe those who suffer most in this life have the greatest rewards in Heaven - certainly God says in His word that the greatest will be the least so I guess it figures the ones who suffer here will have the greatest rewards for their faith throughout their trials....possibly?
I think an helpful answer to this would be the following
Isaiah 55:6-9 NKJV
[6] Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
[7] Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon. [8] "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor
are your ways My ways," says the LORD. [9] "For as the heavens are higher than
the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NKJV
[11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of
peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon
Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. [13] And you will seek Me and
find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
A child might want to reach out and grab the fascinating flames of a fire, but
to do so would be dangerous.
A person might want instant healing but it may be that during their illness they will
draw closer to God and learn patience.
A person might want a specific job because it attracts a big salary, but maybe God
knows all that money will change that person and lead them to being a slave to money.
A person might fall in love and want to marry someone, but maybe God knows it would
be a complete disaster.
We tend to put physical needs first but I believe our spiritual needs, spiritual growth and
where we will spend eternity is God's priority. We tend to live like there is no tomorrow
but God the Father is so concerned with our eternity that God the Son died on a cross.
The vast majority of the bible was concerned with God's redemptive plan. But while it is
finished, in one sense it's also still going. It is active in each new life born on planet earth.
I believe prayer is important, our prayers do get answered especially if we partner with God and ask
Him to show us His will and plans.
God can do anything but He won't impose His will on us, He wants us to partner with Him and
align ourselves with Him. He wants a relationship with us and you can't have a relationship
with someone without talking to them.
There is a really old custom in the UK of two people pulling the wish bone on a chicken or turkey and
whoever gets the larger part, makes a wish. It's the V shaped bone.
Ages ago over a week, I had the same repeated dream 3 nights running in which I
saw my hand with a wishbone in it. Then on the fourth night I got the entire dream
in which I held up the wish bone and curled my little finger around one side. I
just knew in the dream that God was about to curl his little finger around the other
half and pull it with me, but then just as it was about to happen I woke up.
I was gobsmacked! I couldn't get back to sleep and I spent ages looking up various
things in the bible and I came across these verses in Job.
Job 19:23-26 NKJV
[23] "Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
[24] That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!
[25] For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;
[26] And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,
In some versions it is translated as Oh that I wish they were inscribed ....
Well it struck me that Job's wish came true, his story is recorded in the bible for
all to see! Job suffered but his suffering amounted to a bigger plan in which his
wish came true, God was glorified and all the readers down the ages take great
comfort in the truth that God knows our frame, He will not give us more than we
can endure and the knowledge that God's eternal plans are far greater than
we can comprehend. Job was restored and was to become a blessing to
us all.
If you want to be excited about prayer, ask God to show you how to pray and ask
God what He wants you to pray about! Not many do that but you will be amazed
at what transpires, you see prayer is a two way thing!
As for those desparate emergency prayers, God does answer those He knows what our
needs are before we ask, but by praying, we receive such a blessing when the answer comes.
I experienced that many times last year.
Isaiah 55:6-9 NKJV
[6] Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
[7] Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon. [8] "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor
are your ways My ways," says the LORD. [9] "For as the heavens are higher than
the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NKJV
[11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of
peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon
Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. [13] And you will seek Me and
find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
A child might want to reach out and grab the fascinating flames of a fire, but
to do so would be dangerous.
A person might want instant healing but it may be that during their illness they will
draw closer to God and learn patience.
A person might want a specific job because it attracts a big salary, but maybe God
knows all that money will change that person and lead them to being a slave to money.
A person might fall in love and want to marry someone, but maybe God knows it would
be a complete disaster.
We tend to put physical needs first but I believe our spiritual needs, spiritual growth and
where we will spend eternity is God's priority. We tend to live like there is no tomorrow
but God the Father is so concerned with our eternity that God the Son died on a cross.
The vast majority of the bible was concerned with God's redemptive plan. But while it is
finished, in one sense it's also still going. It is active in each new life born on planet earth.
I believe prayer is important, our prayers do get answered especially if we partner with God and ask
Him to show us His will and plans.
God can do anything but He won't impose His will on us, He wants us to partner with Him and
align ourselves with Him. He wants a relationship with us and you can't have a relationship
with someone without talking to them.
There is a really old custom in the UK of two people pulling the wish bone on a chicken or turkey and
whoever gets the larger part, makes a wish. It's the V shaped bone.
Ages ago over a week, I had the same repeated dream 3 nights running in which I
saw my hand with a wishbone in it. Then on the fourth night I got the entire dream
in which I held up the wish bone and curled my little finger around one side. I
just knew in the dream that God was about to curl his little finger around the other
half and pull it with me, but then just as it was about to happen I woke up.
I was gobsmacked! I couldn't get back to sleep and I spent ages looking up various
things in the bible and I came across these verses in Job.
Job 19:23-26 NKJV
[23] "Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
[24] That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!
[25] For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;
[26] And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,
In some versions it is translated as Oh that I wish they were inscribed ....
Well it struck me that Job's wish came true, his story is recorded in the bible for
all to see! Job suffered but his suffering amounted to a bigger plan in which his
wish came true, God was glorified and all the readers down the ages take great
comfort in the truth that God knows our frame, He will not give us more than we
can endure and the knowledge that God's eternal plans are far greater than
we can comprehend. Job was restored and was to become a blessing to
us all.
If you want to be excited about prayer, ask God to show you how to pray and ask
God what He wants you to pray about! Not many do that but you will be amazed
at what transpires, you see prayer is a two way thing!
As for those desparate emergency prayers, God does answer those He knows what our
needs are before we ask, but by praying, we receive such a blessing when the answer comes.
I experienced that many times last year.
Yeah He may know all that we have to say but i am sure He enjoys when we just talk too him.
M
Thank you Sac, this is helpful. All to often we pray to ask for something, to bless someone or to give thanks. Praying as in a relationship to converse about your day is SO important. Not only must we pray to talk but to listen too. For most people time is an issue and it is a case of putting time with God first, I think this is a goal we all should strive to meet.
M
I took me a long time to understand prayer does not have to start with "our father" and finish
with "amen".
I "chat" with God a lot, tell Him about day, ask Him what He thinks of things, when I'm
reading the bible ask Him what something means, ask Him about things I don't understand
in life. Then at times praise overflows. Praise can mean so many things, once I bought God
a bunch of flowers and put them in my bedroom, but I told Him they were a gift to Him.
Just wanting to spend time with God is a form of worship and praise. I spent several years
playing the saxophone in the worship team at church and many glorious moments of amazing
praise came from that.
In private moments at home I put on music and dance before God or play along (has to be
in private, you wouldn't want to see my dancing!)
with "amen".
I "chat" with God a lot, tell Him about day, ask Him what He thinks of things, when I'm
reading the bible ask Him what something means, ask Him about things I don't understand
in life. Then at times praise overflows. Praise can mean so many things, once I bought God
a bunch of flowers and put them in my bedroom, but I told Him they were a gift to Him.
Just wanting to spend time with God is a form of worship and praise. I spent several years
playing the saxophone in the worship team at church and many glorious moments of amazing
praise came from that.
In private moments at home I put on music and dance before God or play along (has to be
in private, you wouldn't want to see my dancing!)
M
I took me a long time to understand prayer does not have to start with "our father" and finish
with "amen".
I "chat" with God a lot, tell Him about day, ask Him what He thinks of things, when I'm
reading the bible ask Him what something means, ask Him about things I don't understand
in life. Then at times praise overflows. Praise can mean so many things, once I bought God
a bunch of flowers and put them in my bedroom, but I told Him they were a gift to Him.
Just wanting to spend time with God is a form of worship and praise. I spent several years
playing the saxophone in the worship team at church and many glorious moments of amazing
praise came from that.
In private moments at home I put on music and dance before God or play along (has to be
in private, you wouldn't want to see my dancing!)
with "amen".
I "chat" with God a lot, tell Him about day, ask Him what He thinks of things, when I'm
reading the bible ask Him what something means, ask Him about things I don't understand
in life. Then at times praise overflows. Praise can mean so many things, once I bought God
a bunch of flowers and put them in my bedroom, but I told Him they were a gift to Him.
Just wanting to spend time with God is a form of worship and praise. I spent several years
playing the saxophone in the worship team at church and many glorious moments of amazing
praise came from that.
In private moments at home I put on music and dance before God or play along (has to be
in private, you wouldn't want to see my dancing!)
"It" won't allow me to give you rep but I would if I could lol.
The Omnipotence of God
"Gods ability to do all things that do not conflict with the divine will or knowledge. Gods power is limited only by Gods own nature and not by any external force." Westminster Dictionary of Theological terms
Omnipotent--All powerful, having unlimited authority. Websters dictionary of the English language
"That perfection of His being by which He is absolute and highest casualty." Louis Brekof Systematic theology
Gods power displayed
In creation---Jeremiah 10:12
Over death--Philippians 3:10,11 John 11:43
Over any authority--Colossians 2:10
In our lives--Ephesians 3:16
Over nature--Mark 4:39
Sometimes we will "define" the omnipotence of God as "God can do anything". This is both true and false. It should read "God can do anything that is within His nature and will". There are a few things that God cannot do. A couple of them are; God cannot lie, God cannot sin and God cannot change (immutability which we will study).
"Gods ability to do all things that do not conflict with the divine will or knowledge. Gods power is limited only by Gods own nature and not by any external force." Westminster Dictionary of Theological terms
Omnipotent--All powerful, having unlimited authority. Websters dictionary of the English language
"That perfection of His being by which He is absolute and highest casualty." Louis Brekof Systematic theology
Gods power displayed
In creation---Jeremiah 10:12
Over death--Philippians 3:10,11 John 11:43
Over any authority--Colossians 2:10
In our lives--Ephesians 3:16
Over nature--Mark 4:39
Sometimes we will "define" the omnipotence of God as "God can do anything". This is both true and false. It should read "God can do anything that is within His nature and will". There are a few things that God cannot do. A couple of them are; God cannot lie, God cannot sin and God cannot change (immutability which we will study).
M
Wow you have a good relationship going there Miri, it is more difficult for me to do this as my family are all secular. I know this doesn't sound good (lol) but I actually love it when hubby works nights because I get to spend time alone with God and I love those times, just to be still with Him and not say too much but flowers and dancing...that is so awesome!
"It" won't allow me to give you rep but I would if I could lol.
"It" won't allow me to give you rep but I would if I could lol.
M
Yes, it's not like He "physically" can't - more He won't because it isn't within His nature. Very reassuring to know that God cannot change, many people try to change Him or His word - calling it "outdated" but God doesn't change to accommodate how our world or our attitudes change.
I find all of God's power verses you listed here so reassuring.
Praise God that He has the highest authority so no need to fret over elected governments whose policies we do
not agree with - He is in control, things only happen if He allows it!
We no longer need to fear death for Jesus "took the bullet"!
We are blessed with His power in us Via The Holy Spirit Amen!
I find all of God's power verses you listed here so reassuring.
Praise God that He has the highest authority so no need to fret over elected governments whose policies we do
not agree with - He is in control, things only happen if He allows it!
We no longer need to fear death for Jesus "took the bullet"!
We are blessed with His power in us Via The Holy Spirit Amen!
The Immutability of God
Our God is a God that does not change.
"It is that perfection of God by which He is devoid of all change, not only in His being, but also in His perfections, and in His purposes and promises". L. Berkhof Systematic theology
"God is perpetually the same: subject to no change in His being, attributes or determinations." A. W. Pink Gleanings in the Godhead
In the gods of mythology those who "worshiped" them had no idea which "state" a particular god would be in at any certain time. (Which serms odd seeing how they were created by man). But, these gods were in a constant state of change depending on the day, the date or even the weather.
The idea of a god that does not change is a hard concept for us to grasp and define because himan beings are in a constant state of change. For something to change it has to go from good to bad, bad to good or change eternally. God in His perfection can move in none of these directions.
God by His own addmission tells us that He does not change.
"For I am the Lord I do not change." Mal 3:6
"I AM WHO I AM". Ex 3:14
The Immutability of God should be of great comfort to us. It means that what God has stated in His Word is rock solid. He will not at the last minute change something up on us. For example; He will not all the sudden change the way we can gain eternal life through faith in Jesus.
Because of His Immutability, He is someone we can trust and have faith in. It is impossible to have complete faith in something or some one that has the ability to change. Because God does not change we can have complete faith in Him.
Psalms 102:27, Isaiah 40:6--8, Hebrews 1:12, Hebrews 6:13--18, Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17
Our God is a God that does not change.
"It is that perfection of God by which He is devoid of all change, not only in His being, but also in His perfections, and in His purposes and promises". L. Berkhof Systematic theology
"God is perpetually the same: subject to no change in His being, attributes or determinations." A. W. Pink Gleanings in the Godhead
In the gods of mythology those who "worshiped" them had no idea which "state" a particular god would be in at any certain time. (Which serms odd seeing how they were created by man). But, these gods were in a constant state of change depending on the day, the date or even the weather.
The idea of a god that does not change is a hard concept for us to grasp and define because himan beings are in a constant state of change. For something to change it has to go from good to bad, bad to good or change eternally. God in His perfection can move in none of these directions.
God by His own addmission tells us that He does not change.
"For I am the Lord I do not change." Mal 3:6
"I AM WHO I AM". Ex 3:14
The Immutability of God should be of great comfort to us. It means that what God has stated in His Word is rock solid. He will not at the last minute change something up on us. For example; He will not all the sudden change the way we can gain eternal life through faith in Jesus.
Because of His Immutability, He is someone we can trust and have faith in. It is impossible to have complete faith in something or some one that has the ability to change. Because God does not change we can have complete faith in Him.
Psalms 102:27, Isaiah 40:6--8, Hebrews 1:12, Hebrews 6:13--18, Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17
M
When I think about God The Father, I wonder why we cannot look at Him and live. Is He an actual physical being - He must be because Moses saw Him from behind but I wonder if His light is too strong for us - the power of it, the heat of it or is it something else. Or indeed is God The Father simply a spirit manifested as Jesus in human form? If God is physical then not only does He not change His mind, actions etc but "bodily" He surely cannot age or deteriorate, fade in any way. God will always be around even after everything else is destroyed.
Having just read all those passages, it not only God who never changes - His word will never change or die either.
God loves us, of that there can be no doubt. Anyone who is willing to put their son through what He did for us proves that beyond any doubt. It is reassuring that His love for us is steadfast and cannot change. I believe God can get angry about things - things we do but still He loves us like any earthly father would. He even loves those who hate Him with venom and wishes for them to repent and turn to Him, even those we would consider the most evil in society - terrorists, murderers, child molesters and rapists yet His love for them is no different than the love He has for us. All sin to Him is equal and He loves us all equally if we repent and turn to Him.
Having just read all those passages, it not only God who never changes - His word will never change or die either.
God loves us, of that there can be no doubt. Anyone who is willing to put their son through what He did for us proves that beyond any doubt. It is reassuring that His love for us is steadfast and cannot change. I believe God can get angry about things - things we do but still He loves us like any earthly father would. He even loves those who hate Him with venom and wishes for them to repent and turn to Him, even those we would consider the most evil in society - terrorists, murderers, child molesters and rapists yet His love for them is no different than the love He has for us. All sin to Him is equal and He loves us all equally if we repent and turn to Him.