Do you want God or a genie?

[1still_waters]

Simple discussion questions.
Some questions to provoke internal thought and reflection. Feel free not to respond.

Do you want God?

Do you want more of a genie whom will make your life easy, seamless, grant you success in all you do, and make your life a magical adventure?

What do your prayers reflect in relation to these questions?

What does your life reflect in relation to these questions?

 

[Fenner]

A Genie would be cool , but getting everything you want isn't always a good thing, so I'll take GOD.

 

[Fenner]

Oh I usually pray for God's will or for what direction he wants me to go.

 

[Donkeyfish07]

I thought about making that point earlier in another thread. Some people do seem to think that God is this genie that is supposed to do anything you want him to. As for me, I'll take the true God just the way he is.....even when I don't understand why I have to go through the things I do.

 

[Pipp]

I pray for God's will and for grace to accept it if it's not what I want. Like Fenner said everything we want isn't always good for us.

 

[coolgirl]

i pick God 100% tho a genie would only grant 3 wishes and grants more to us.

 

[TrustInJesus]

I pick the inventor of Man, God, rather than an invention of man in a genie.

 

[SpottyPyjamas]

I'm always reminded of the children of Israel in the wilderness who, in a way felt God should be like a genie. They wanted Him to do what they wanted when they wanted it - give us water now *grumble grumble* ~ give us meat now *grumble grumble*

What did they gain from such an attitude? Misery.

Psalm 106 verse 15 - 'And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.'

He wanted a relationship with them - when they had a need, He wanted them to come to Him humbly fully dependent on Him to meet that need.

They in turn would have learned more about Him - His kindness, faithfulness etc.

When I pray, I present my request to God, excited to see how He can turn this situation around for His glory. What is He wanting to teach me in this.

I want to know Him better - that is why I pray.

 

[Rachel20]

Matthew 22:37-38

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a]38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

People come and go, friends and family may betray you. But God will never leave you nor forsake you. In times of trouble, when you reach up against a hard wall and there's no other hope to turn to, you can always turn to God.
God is a provider and He looks after all our needs. He is everything to us. What more do we want?

How can God ever be a genie?
I am reminded of this verse.

Matthew 16:26
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Everything else in this world is temporal. Say today, you have all the material things you can possibly want, you have all the friends and admirers, but what happens if you lose that?

Tomorrow you wake up and you have nothing, what will happen to you? Will you be able to sleep at night, with that peace, that even if you lose everything, you haven't lost God?


I think that's the hardest and most difficult lesson to learn - but we're all reaching there.


This is the cry of my soul -

[video=youtube;-gaT4q9eJ1U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gaT4q9eJ1U[/video]
As the deer pants for the water

So my soul longs after you

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship you


R- You alone are my strength, my shield

To you alone will my spirit yield

You alone are my hearts desire

And I long to worship you


2- I want you more than gold or silver

Only you can satisfy

You alone are the real joy giver

And the apple of my eye


3- You're my friend and you are my Father

Even though you are my King

I love you more than any other

So much more than anything


PS -SpottyPyjamas- Loved your response The children of Israel didn't trust God and were looking to him as to a genie. Thanks!

 

[Desdichado]

There are days I honestly wish I had a genie.

 

[Grace-Like-Rain]

I've always shied away from asking God for specific things. It seems so much like telling him what to do. I don't know why I struggle with it. Scripture is full of people asking God for very specific things. I do love when people ask me to specifically pray for a certain outcome or need to be fulfilled. It gives me more direction than I seem to be able to find on my own.

 

[IloveyouGod]

I always pray asking God to help me accept His will even when it's against mine (which is most of the time is the case ) So I guess that says it all. I choose God.

 

[secularhermit]

There was a moment I saw GOD as a genie. I wanted to use Hm instead of being used by Him. There were days I thought He was the person who would give me what I couldn´t get by myself or using-abusing other resources... I never saw Him as He really is. When I was this I said "I was", I was selfish, more more than usual and, when not receiving what I wanted, I left all I should have kept.

Those days I tore my Bible as that relaship I´m pending to develope as a bond and as a subject of His kinddom (not mine, but HIS).

Genies gives like Satan: Those I have read give you a couple of things and, as we now know, those things received worth your pay... What do I owe the world or a sin?

God is a giver, and unselfish one. Whatever He gives, He is happy when we take uner care (not like those we were, controlling things we have given, remembering others "We are those who gave them things or feelings").

I rather submit myself to what He has as a present, each day is enough.

 

[BenFTW]

Does not God grant us the desires of our hearts? Does not the Word say that whatsoever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive and it shall come to pass? I think there is inherent flaw in this question. It denies the goodness of God or limits it, when His will is that His people, His children prosper. Even to Israel God wanted them to be blessed, and choose life!

Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV) | In Context | Whole Chapter


19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:


One of my favorite verses in the Word of God is ...

Ecclesiastes 5:19

New King James Version (NKJV)

19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

I am vehemently against such a doctrine that denies the Children of God prosperity, for how then shall they be blessed to be a blessing? How then, shall bibles be printed, missionaries sent, and churches built? My God is greater than any man made genie, His favor surrounds me as like a shield. People make wishes and the genie grants three, children of God make prayers and He goes exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. People seem to think God as an angry and stingy God but what they don't realize is that there is no limit, there is an infinite abundance. God is the Creator, He speaks and it comes into being.

Some may accuse me of a "Prosperity Gospel" but let me tell you, you can't have any Gospel, Good News, without it being a blessing in every area of your life.


3 John 1:2

King James Version (KJV)

2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

 

[DuchessAimee]

Here's the thing with genies. They're tricksters. Let's say you ask to be rich. The genie won't make you rich by Western standards. No, he'll make you rich by the poorest third world country's standards. That's why you would have to be insanely specific... but even that is against their rules.



Magic ALWAYS has a price.

 

[cinder]

Well if I'm going to be very honest. While I want God to have "phenomenal cosmic power", the arrangement I most look for is something more along the lines of one of us being the trusted advisor and second in command for the other. I welcome all his wisdom, but don't always want to obey. But on the other hand I definitely see God as more than just a wish granting machine.

God doesn't seem to want to be my advisor though so he tends to kick my butt whenever I get too proud or reliant on myself.

 

[Donkeyfish07]

Magic ALWAYS has a price.

Someone has been watching Once Upon A Time, lol.

 

[GodIsSalvation]

Way I see it God doesn't have to do anything He doesn't want to do. If God wants to grant me a wish so be it, if He does not want to grant me a wish then I must assume He have good reasons. God is after all God, and thus being the supreme intellect knows what to do better than I do.

Also to be a bit of a smart alleck:

Genie=Djinn=Demons

So I think its pretty safe to say we all choose Jesus. Though I get the point of the topic is moreso about the fact that God is not our servant, but rather we are meant to be His servants. Just couldn't pass up on the smartalleckery though so my apologies lol.

 

[BananaPie]

...but Fairy Godmother, what's wrong with Mr. Sandman??

[video=youtube;ejnSBdd5XIo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejnSBdd5XIo[/video]

 

[ArtsieSteph]

I want God, but it seems like sometimes I treat Him like He's a genie. I expect a sort of instant message of spurts rather than actual lessons between His plan and me. You know?