Coming to terms with God and whether my revelations are right or not

My belief is that God is our best friend who loves us in the deepest way possible; in a way we cannot comprehend. I believe the thought of God and salvation should fill us with peace, joy, hope. I see God as wanting a relationship with us and understanding us fully and knowing that if we keep His commandments, we are staying strong and trying to walk with Him. He is slow to anger, meek, humble, and gives rest. I imagine Heaven will be paradise and rest.

When people say we need to worship God and thank God and praise God, I do not think of God as a king that needs people to worship Him, but rather when we worship God, we are rejoicing in all that is God: love, compassion, peace, joy. When we thank God we focus on God and what is positive, not the negativity of the world or the materials of this world. Thanking God allows us to be humble and focused on the light and on Him instead of getting bogged down in the world and what we don't have or wish we had.

I also feel as if God would not create the torment of Hell and takes NO delight in punishing the wicked and that it is His hope that ALL people would receive paradise. After all, God's only intention was to fill us all with his peace and Spirit. It is the enemy, however, who wanted a place of fire and torment and God, being merciful and giving free will, gave the devil the kingdom he wanted, but said he has to go there to versus God making the worst torment possible to punish the devil. I would imagine God would have just casted the evil out of Heaven. Is this accurate, or am I making things up???

Also, when I pray to God, I feel like I can talk to Him casually like a friend, and that He walks beside me like a friend and does not forsake me but rather sees me as a child learning and growing. But when I read things like fire and brimstone coming from Heaven, God's wrath destroying sacrifices in the OT, and God being angry because people do not worship Him right, I get scared and think what if God is angry and instead of being the unconditional friend that I hope for and thing of, wants us to bow down to pray and does not delight in casual talk with Him and that it says He is a "consuming fire." When I think of the past sacrifices, I think that because of the curse over the Earth due to the fall which resulted in animals consuming other animals to live (God never intended this), one of many things, people burning animal offerings, or their food, was a way of rejecting the earthly possessions and keeping focus on God. I've gone on another rant.

What God do we serve? The God that is our best friend, the God of love, peace, joy, happiness, rest...a God we can talk to casually when we wish, but a God we should always repent to and ask for forgiveness when needed. Or a God that is wrathful and angry or insulted when we do not worship Him correctly. The God of the Baptist churches (sing and praise with their hands held up in joy), or the strict, stern God like that of the most traditional churches. A God that instead of wanting us to worship Him as in worshipping love, compassion, peace, joy and keeping our focus on Him to walk the narrow path just wants us to worship Him as we would worship a king who wants acknowledgment?

I know we serve a God that delights in giving, is slow to anger, humble, meek, loving, and will not forsake us. But what about the above examples? I know God fights for the disadvantaged, poor, ill, lost and is the superhero for the good against the wicked. But what about the above examples? Are we not to talk to Him casually? Is He an angry God or a God of love? Do we worship God as we would worship a king on a throne, or worship God in the sense of praising His love, joy, happiness, peace that comes only with God and the He delights in this because He sees His children happy in Him?

God bless you all and thank you for helping me understand and grow.

Another example that I think of is of Nadab and Abihu. I understand that they were wrong because they did not do as the Lord intended. I guess it is equivalent today to someone continuing to live in sin?? I believe God is love and understands us with deep compassion and yes, even sympathy at times, and wants us to succeed. A maternal-paternal love that we cannot comprehend. What is up with these examples, though?

Also, I believe when the angels in Heaven and even the flowers rejoice and worship God, they are doing so not because God wants worship as an earthly king wants worship, but because the very power and presence of God brings about an indescribable peace and joy that people cannot help but praise and rejoice!! Am I right, or is it in line with the Nadab Abihu example? Or do I not understand fully that example? Sorry for my questions...I think they are natural for a new Christian, however. I hope everyone stays strong in faith and never gives up or gives in. We serve a God that has broken the powers of hate and darkness once and for all and delights in giving and lifting up those who hurt and are lost. Thank you all for helping me on this journey, no matter how annoying I am and how much I tick off the administrators with my incessant posts.

Diagree about OP`s views on Hell but agree with everything else. God isn't insecure so He doesn't demand we worship Him to feed His ego. He wants our thanks and praise and service to others because they make Him happy. As He is our friend as well as Lord we want to make Him happy. It all springs out of knowing we are loved by Him

I can't see why the moderators on here would have any issue with someone posting a lot if it was because they needed help or encouragement. After all did Jesus get ticked off when someone needed help?

lol the admins are not easily ticked off....

In the old testament many people viewed God as a King and themselves as servants, but in the NT Jesus called His disciples friends and encouraged people to walk with Him.

its the difference between the OT covenant and the NT covenant mediated by Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 8
God's wrath and anger are towards people who are disobedient but if you have faith and trust God, even if you are thrown into a fiery furnance like Daniel's three friends, He will be with you.

I believe Hell is real but i wouldn't give satan that much power to call him the ruler there.

Guess what, you are completely right in suggesting that it is wrong to see ourselves as servants of God. We are not servants of God, we are SLAVES of God. Nearly every time you see the word 'servant' or 'bond servant/slave' used to refer to a believer in the New Testament, the word in Greek is 'Doulos', which literally means slave.

Translators have shied away from using a true translation because of the history associated with the term 'slave'. But the truth is we are nothing more than 'slaves' of Christ. We have no rights, we origionally sold them to sin and the our master Jesus baught them from sin (Romans 6:17, 1 Corinthians 7:23).

Once you start seeing yourself as a Slave of Christ the christian life and scripture starts to make a lot more sense, you are humbled and thus obedience comes more easily.

I believe Paul even refrred to himself as a "slave". He may have used the term "bondservant" which I think is different. A slave was a servant unwillingly. But when that servant was et free...if he grew to love his master he could choose to stay if he wanted to. I'm not sure if this part is true or not...but, as a sign that this man had chosen to stay in service to his master willingly they would pierce his ear and put a ring in it to show his loyaly and love for his master.

We don't like to use the word "slave" today to stay policially correct. But, Being a slave or a bond servant is what Paul meant. God doesn't want us to serve him out of force. I think He wants us to want to serve Him. Everyone wants to bring up rights all the time. I'm not sure if this will make too much sense...but, since we were bought with a price...a high price...Can we really say we "rights" the way the world means it?

Exo_34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
1Ch_16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Jer_7:2 Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.
Joh_4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Col_2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

I must have missed the memo that says we don't need to worship GOD......