Discuss with your friends: 1) What false or incomplete images of God do you have? 2) What new thoughts do you have about God? And then 3) Write a prayer to God asking Him to reveal Himself to you.
Knowing Him 50: Obedient Leadership
Introduction Peter leads a large group of disciples to an isolated (perhaps secretive) meeting where Jesus will once again give them their marching orders. Then they make their way back to Jerusalem to await the coming Holy Spirit as the movement switches into its...
1. I used to think of God only as this all-seeing, all-knowing omnipotent being. Because this was my sole understanding of God, I had this mindset that you should be careful of what you think or do, because He does see, hear, and knows all. And so, my main concern in life was just doing good (or rather, not get caught doing bad). I kinda likened God to a scary, supernatural parent who sees everything you’re doing.
2. As I’ve gotten older and more mature in my Christian faith, I’ve changed my views of God a lot. God is a lot more complex than I understood Him to be. He is still an all-powerful, omnipotent being. But He is not scary. He is loving. He is generous. He is a provider. He is all-good, but allows evil to happen. He gives man free-will, but also guides and encourages. I now liken Him to a loving, but diligent parent; the kind who loves and provides for their kids, wants the best for them, but also allows them to make mistakes, and who’s heart breaks whenever they do.
3. I pray that I can continue to grow in my understanding of God and incorporate a lot of the lessons I’ve learned in my life to my daily walks. I hope to be a good model for my kids, and to encourage them so that they have an understanding that God isn’t scary, but loving. I’ll try to do so in my regular voice and not my dad-voice, or they will be scared. 😃
Ok, here we go- had to put on my thinking cap for this one🤔
1) I have to say, after much reflection on this, that today, I try to remain very open minded about my conception of God. This is primarily due to the fact that, as God has continued to reveal Himself to me through my experience of Him, through His Word, through prayer, and through other members of His body, my concept of Him has transformed significantly! At one point in my life, I viewed God as merely some entirely distant, yet infinite and omnipotent entity that actually cared very little for me and my trivial human affairs. Yet, once I got to know Him, and drew closer to Him, this concept was proven to be entirely wrong. Then, at another point, I put him in a box, (so to speak,) in that I assumed that He only worked in a particular way, and that every person needed to have the same experience of Him that I have had in order to come to know Him. This as well proved to be totally wrong! Today, I know that God loves each and everyone of us far more than we can fathom, and that “His ways are higher than our ways,” and though I can know Him very intimately, I will never fully comprehend every aspect of Him. And this is a good thing, for that is a big part of what makes Him God, and makes getting to know Him more a fascinating journey that has no end!
2) Some of the newer thoughts that I have about God, (other than what I already mentioned,) are His workings within the spiritual realm, beyond what we see and touch. As I learn more about this, and become more aware of it in my own experience, I am once again in awe of God and His power at work among His people and in the world.
3) “Heavenly Father, keep my heart and my mind open as You continue to reveal Yourself to me more each day. Remove the scales from my eyes, that I would behold more of You, and help me to steer clear of arrogant, close-mindedness that would keep me in everlasting ignorance of who You really are! Lead us in the way everlasting!”
1) I am spending some times with my brother, Philip, in Escondido this week, so I used this question to share with him the incomplete image I used to have about God. I used to see God as a stern and harsh God, because of His holy character. It didn’t help when you hear things like this all the time growing up, “God punishes those who lie or steal, etc.” (Nói láo Chúa phạt; hay Ăn cắp Chúa phạt)
2) God is still big and mysterious now, but He is more approachable, especially with the description like in Exodus 34:6-7 “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,”
3) O Most gracious God, thank You for being patient with me, and loving me even though I don’t deserve it. But I’m thankful that You are mindful of me. I pray that You will continue to reveal Yourself to me and allow me to get to know You better each day.
A false image of God I have is that he’s my personal pocket genie, where whenever I need something that’s when I come as wish for it. Rarely do I sit back and ask myself if what i’m asking for is what God wants for me. God is so many things but I need to accept that he wants the best for me and not to be short sighted on his roadmap. I need to learn to let God guide my path rather than try to find my own way cause inevitably the path I chose on my own knowledge and understanding will definitely cause me to stumble and be lost. In this reading I learned more about how God was there before all things and will be here after all things, so if anyone knows what’s up it’s definitely him.
I pray that I will have the humility to trust in God, and be rooted in his word so I am clear that whatever path I am going down is the one he has planned for me.
From Amy Yu
1. Like others, sometimes I forget God has his own plans for me and I would like to take control of my own destiny. Being alone here in the States since 21 without much support and no family around, I feel like there’s only one chance for me to succeed here – focus on career and get the PR. God will understand that I’m busy since I have other priorities to take care of. I put my needs above Him.
2. God has His ways of revealing Himself in an unexpected way. Like the reading last Friday, if we have an open heart and expect the unexpected, it will be a rewarding journey for myself. I have to keep reminding myself that God never abandons me no matter what I’m going through. He’s there for me through every ups and downs.
3. Dear God, I need to know that you care, that you love me, be my refuge from pain, replacing my distress with peace, and be my strength when I feel weak and find it hard to carry on. Help me not to fear the future but to boldly trust that you are in control when my emotions plunge me down, and when I am in despair.
Thank you that all things are possible for those who believe. Thank you that you are moving in me right now. May I continue to receive from you this hour and every hour. Amen.
I guess we’re starting with an easy question, huh?
1) incomplete/false image I have of God is the notion that God the Father is somewhow in charge and that God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit are subservient to God the Father.
2) I don’t know about “new” but a more theologically accurate image of God would be one in which all three persons in the Godhead are equal in power/value/supremacy..that the Father/Spirit defer to one another in their respective roles.
3) “God I praise you for your ways are higher than our ways, you are infinite and I am finite. Yet you condescended to reveal yourself to me in your Creation, your Word and in your Son. Please.refine my image of you that I may worship you in spirit and in truth.
1) I used to think that God was someone I could rely on and always gave me help when “I” needed it, like the ultimate 911 service mentioned in today’s reading. I thought this way before I came to Christ and started knowing God, especially at the beginning of my Christian journey. I tended to pray when I needed to. My life was not fully a God-centered life.
2) The new thought I have about Him is that He created everything, but not everyone can see Him. Only people who accept Jesus and follow Him can be children of God and connect to God. Also, God always had a plan for us no matter what we did, and we sometimes suffer or have a hard time, but I learned that if I keep praying and asking for God’s wisdom, He will give me what I need at the right time with His unconditional love and mercy.
3) Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your eternal love and blessings in my life, even when I had an incomplete image of you and even when I’m sinful. I ask you to reveal yourself as I learn and know more about you. I’m so thankful that you rescued me from evil. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
False images of God I have dealt with it is treating as a spiritual 911 service. Reaching out to Him only in emergencies or certain events instead of it being a continually relationship built on love. New thoughts I have about God is the idea that He is three and one person. It is a bit confusing but the reading emphasizes that we have to accept that we won’t ever fully understand God. That is something I am hoping to understand more as we continue the reading. Lord I pray to start and build my life again around You and be rooted in You. Not only through reading Your Word but with intentional prayer and submission to You on Your terms.
The image that God would all of a sudden hand me something that I as for. When he knows what best for me. I have a false image where I think he needs to understand me but it’s actually me that needs to understand him.
I’ve lately been able to see his faithfulness through all the thoughts that I have about him. He really is every where and in every single decision I make. I have a sense of what the things he does for me whether it is good or bad.
Dear Lord,
You are almighty God. You are always near and far. You see through my heart and my mind. Please come into my heart and forgive me for my narrow mind and prideful heart. Please help me understand your ways so that I may grow closer to you Lord. I am in need of your strength and guidance. Please help me see you in a Holy light
For most of my life, I viewed God mainly as a Father — comforter, unconditionally loving, always there for me when I need Him. However, that becomes a problem when I only come to Him in times of distress. It’s also a problem when I forget to be in awe of God and His majesty. Yes, He can be seen as this loving father figure, but that is a milli-fraction (I know that’s not a word 😅) of who He is. Our minds cannot fathom His greatness.
Ps. 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
Father, I pray that you continue to reveal yourself to me. Remind me of your greatness and majesty. Bring me to my knees in awe of you.
1) in my eyes I had seen god as simply the creator, and the end goal after death. 2) I now can see how god is much more than I can even put into words. God is the son, the father, and the Holy Spirit. Three different entities yet all the same one at the same time. He is the ultimate love, and the never ending peace. God is much more than I would be able to fathom. 3) holy god, thank you for all you have done for me so far, I am sorry for my doubts and my sins. I come to ask for you to please reveal yourself and show me what it means to follow you. In Jesus name, amen
(Danny)
I had an incomplete image of God of what who he/she/it, I never seen God but I believe it an a spirit that something I can give hope to. The new thoughts I have about God is when I learn about the video on Sunday, everyone have their own opinion of God, they have their own God but most of the God they think of will remain the same person which was pretty interesting to me. I pray to God to let me know not to feel emotional and hope God can help me overcome those obstacles, I pray one day God will revealed himself in my life.
From Daniel Martinez:
1) in my eyes I had seen god as simply the creator, and the end goal after death. 2) I now can see how god is much more than I can even put into words. God is the son, the father, and the Holy Spirit. Three different entities yet all the same one at the same time. He is the ultimate love, and the never ending peace. God is much more than I would be able to fathom. 3) holy god, thank you for all you have done for me so far, I am sorry for my doubts and my sins. I come to ask for you to please reveal yourself and show me what it means to follow you. In Jesus name, amen