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[h=2]The Very Character of God[/h]
This is taken directly from an article by Pat Schatzline in the March, 2013 issue of Charisma Magazine.
The very character of God is love, mercy, and justice, yet what the (current) culture hears about God is often the opposite. Results of a recent Gallop poll are remarkable. There appears to be four main views of God.
1. The Authoritative God
2. The Benevolent God
3. The Critical God
4. The Distant God
Now understanding how America views God, it is easy to see why many believe natural and man-made disasters must be from heaven. It is easy to see why so many find it easy to believe that natural disasters must be due to God' anger with nations. He must be mad at us.
In the Old Testament, God did judge nations. He led the nation of Israel into captivity because of its rebellion and idolatry. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their sexual prevision and lawlessness.
God loves every nation and calls out to them to serve Him. He is their refuge. He always made a way of escape in the Old Testament, but because the world was under the law, as a just God he had to punish the nations when they were disobedient.
When disasters strike, God wants us to run to Him, not away from Him because we think He is mad at us. No matter what state we find ourselves in, He is there with open arms of love, mercy, and compassion. When disaster strikes, we need only to call upon Him.
Because of the way the world views God (Authoritative, Benevolent, Critical, Distant) it is easy to believe, at times, He might be mad at us.
Five Ways God Proves He is Not mad at You
1. God never stops loving us. Romans 8:38-39
2. God created us for a purpose. Acts 17:24-29
3. God wants to give us an abundant life. John 10:10
4. God gave His Son as a sacrifice to cover all our sins. Romans 8:3-4
5. God has prepared a place in heaven for us.
God loves all of us, regardless of our history. And there is a huge difference between conviction and condemnation. God convicts and that leads us to repentance, but the devil condemns, and that leads to a life of guilt.
God is not mad at us. He wants to spend eternity with us. Would you want to live forever with someone you were mad at? God doesn’t either.
SHALOM
This is taken directly from an article by Pat Schatzline in the March, 2013 issue of Charisma Magazine.
The very character of God is love, mercy, and justice, yet what the (current) culture hears about God is often the opposite. Results of a recent Gallop poll are remarkable. There appears to be four main views of God.
1. The Authoritative God
2. The Benevolent God
3. The Critical God
4. The Distant God
Now understanding how America views God, it is easy to see why many believe natural and man-made disasters must be from heaven. It is easy to see why so many find it easy to believe that natural disasters must be due to God' anger with nations. He must be mad at us.
In the Old Testament, God did judge nations. He led the nation of Israel into captivity because of its rebellion and idolatry. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their sexual prevision and lawlessness.
God loves every nation and calls out to them to serve Him. He is their refuge. He always made a way of escape in the Old Testament, but because the world was under the law, as a just God he had to punish the nations when they were disobedient.
When disasters strike, God wants us to run to Him, not away from Him because we think He is mad at us. No matter what state we find ourselves in, He is there with open arms of love, mercy, and compassion. When disaster strikes, we need only to call upon Him.
Because of the way the world views God (Authoritative, Benevolent, Critical, Distant) it is easy to believe, at times, He might be mad at us.
Five Ways God Proves He is Not mad at You
1. God never stops loving us. Romans 8:38-39
2. God created us for a purpose. Acts 17:24-29
3. God wants to give us an abundant life. John 10:10
4. God gave His Son as a sacrifice to cover all our sins. Romans 8:3-4
5. God has prepared a place in heaven for us.
God loves all of us, regardless of our history. And there is a huge difference between conviction and condemnation. God convicts and that leads us to repentance, but the devil condemns, and that leads to a life of guilt.
God is not mad at us. He wants to spend eternity with us. Would you want to live forever with someone you were mad at? God doesn’t either.
SHALOM