Proverbs 8:13: The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. |
Image of God
What is our Image of God?
We need to come into the intimate presence of God's love. A place of safety, a place in the Father's heart. Knowing we have that, will produce peace, peace produces a healthy attitude, which produces balanced chemicals in the body.
Love: We meet the needs of others at our own expense
Lust: We meet our needs at the expense of others
- Which God do you serve? God of Love or a God of Fear? (I John 4:18)
- A God that judges and punishes or a God that is forgiving and loving?
- A God that produces fear or a God of love and acceptance?
- A God that rewards failure with pain or a God that rewards failure with forgiveness and comfort?
- A God that keeps track of all your failures and sins and brings them up over and over, or a God that forgives and forgets?
- An angry God or a compassion God?
We can't have intimacy with a person you feel is angry with you. Yet religion teaches of an angry God. It misrepresented Jesus. Jesus died so we can have intimacy with the Father. So we can be intimate with God, and comfortable with Him as we are. That's the reason Jesus came. To show us the Father's Love to bring us into an intimate relationship with Him.
You don't know how valuable you are, accepted and loved… if you battle this, you will be filled with anxiety and fear.
A father's presence is so critical to the environment of the home attitudes. I had been told that the woman is the one who holds the family together, but that isn't true. It's the man who sets the tone in the home. Because if a man loved the wife as Christ loved the church, the woman would be at peace, then the children would be at peace. We put too much on the mother, when it's the father's responsiblity. You may even see that for yourself in your own family. A father that is demanding and unyielding is a father who breeds fear in the wife, which then passes on to the children. A woman who doesn't feel loved by her husband, will treat the children as she is being treated. It's the man's responsiblity not the woman's to hold the family together. The anointing doesn't flow up, it flows down from the head, God, to Jesus, Jesus to the man, the man to the woman, etc..
As we look at the relationship we have had with our earthly father and mother, it will determine how much intimacy you will have, how much you can trust, how much you can believe. It affects your image of God.
When we fail and know we deserve judgment are we fearful of God? If we are then, we'll treat others the way we believe God treats us when we fail.
God wants to inhabit us - "abide" - be comfortable with Him, be ourselves, feeling accepted, full of peace. He doesn't want to be a visitor with God or a fareweather friend. He wants to move in to our home, our heart. When we entertain visitors we put on an "act" and we can't really be ourselves most of the time. God is not looking for a visitation, he's looking for inhabitation.
We need to believe God loves us the way we are, not the way we should be.
God will not rest until we rest in Him. Isaiah 66:1 (Where is there a house I may rest?) He will not cease in his labors until he finds rest in you. And as long as we feel unworthy, stinky, we can't be ourselves, we can't find rest in God.
John 1:18 (Jesus proceeded from the bosom Father) John 8:14 (Jesus then went back to where he came) Verse 21: Disclose -I will make known to you by all your 5 senses; 25 - I will make a home in you.
We can't rest when we think we have to be perfect, and do everything right. If our image of God is we're loved when we are OK, and doing everything right.
When the world is pressing in on you, when you are made to feel shame, what do you begin to think? If it's anything other than: "The Father Loves me the way I am now, not what I should be" then you'll look for comfort in all the wrong places.
When you feel like you have let people down, fallen short in Christian walk, what is your image of God? Do you feel ashamed and unworthy? Or will you go to God and find comfort from Him?
It all comes down to the image of God when we fail.
There are 2 reasons why we feel this way: A misrepresentation of the earthly father, and we look through the lens of that relationship 2) We develop a false image of God through false religion and fear. (Religion based on performance or fear is built on hidden lies that say we must perform to receive God's love, it plays on feelings and emotions.)
When we are busy "doing" we will get tired and not have enough to give to those who "deserve" it, which is our families.
Here is a personal account of what I'm talking about.
One night I was in the kitchen looking for something to eat. I wasn't hungry, I just "needed" something. I always attribute everything to food, shopping, or another type of enjoyment. But then after thinking about what I've been sharing, I decided to go to my husband. I asked him to hold me. And much to my surprise, the "need" for food had disappeared. What I "needed" was love, feeling safe, being touched and held in a comforting and caring way. I also know that not everyone has that, that is why it's so important to go to our Heavenly Father. Even though I'm married, there are times when my husband isn't available, especially if he's out of town over night. I have found myself lying in bed, feeling alone, and in "need." I then reach out to my Heavenly Father and say, "Lord wrap your arms around me and hold me, I need to feel your love." And that's exactly what happens. I fall asleep in His arms!
Now let's see what Jesus said about his Father: John 14: 1-3 (Matthew 20:18-19 - Jesus told his disciples he will be condemned and killed.) The disciples believed Jesus was going to be set on a throne in this world, but that's not what was going to happen. Total panic and anxiety hit them, and he's going to leave them? And when a leader was killed, the followers were killed as well, and they began thinking they are going to die too. This was not a happy moment. The disciples were in fear and disappointment.
Let you heart not be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me…. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 1:18 John 8:14 - From the bosom of father, back to bosom of father) Jesus went to prepare a place. And you know the way where I'm going? Thomas said, how do we get there? Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the father by me." Which is God's love - his bosom. This verse is all about intimacy.
The "way" has no meaning if it doesn't get you someplace. What is the final destination? The Father. We are not taking anything away from what Jesus did, his finished work on the cross gave us access to the Father.
John 14:7 - He who has known me, knows the Father.
John 14:8 - 10 "Jesus show us the Father and it will be enough. Then Jesus said, John, He that hath seem me has seen the Father also. The Father that dwells in me, He does the work. In other words, show me our Father in Heaven and I'll finally be content. We have had a relationship with Jesus, and not with God. We had an unhealthy fear of God. But Jesus died to bring us a deep loving relationship with the Father. Jesus was the man he was because of the Father he had. He wasn't the man he was because he was God, but because of His Father. Jesus gave to us, what he himself got from His Father. (John 14:24).
John 8:28 - I do nothing but what I've seen my father do, and speak only the things I've heard my father do. (Before Jesus could do anything, Jesus copied the Father.)
What did Jesus do? (Remember, whatever Jesus did, he first saw his father do.)
Jesus was motivated by need - he sees the "need" that the people were hungry? Were there thieves, tax collectors, defiled, (gentiles) in that crowd? Yes, he met ALL needs. He came for the unrighteous, those that are needy, and he fed every one of them. Keeping in mind, he only did what he saw his father do. When Jesus sees a need, he wants to fulfill it.
God's desire to bless us is not based on our behavior - but on our need. This helps us understand why others seem to be blessed who you "think" doesn't deserve it. It's because God sees their need.
Wrong thought: Get giving down, fasting down, reading the word down, etc… in order to be blessed. And we have more faith in us to do it, than faith in the father that wants to bless us the way we are not the way we should be. We need to understand that God lives to supply all my needs according to His riches and Glory. (Its not what I do - we end up putting our faith in ourselves - we need our Faith in God - which Love and Generosity)
Rebellion = Laws without intimacy. When you see someone in rebellion, you'll see someone who feels under some sort of law. It could be a parent, a boss, etc., but always has something to do with relationship. If we do not have a loving relationship with someone and we ask them to do something, it will become hard pressing and seem like a law. But if we love the person we are wanting to do something, and they are feeling that love from you, that law is no longer hard and pressing, but a pleasure. It's the same with God. We will obey God and not fight it when we truly have an intimate relationship with Him.
Intimacy with God and family all begins with your image of God. If you believe God has caused a lot of your problems, given you a disease, caused you to be where you are right now, you need a new image of God.
How can we believe God is the angry God, and Jesus be the loving God? But they are one in the same. If you believe that God is an angry God but Jesus is loving, then you have separated the two... they are ONE. We think that Jesus is protecting us from an angry God. You need a new image of God because remember, they are one!
Hebrews 1:3 - Jesus represents the nature of God
Col. 1:15 - Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
Our Image of God - Do we want to spend time because of who He is in Love, or do we have relationship with Him to get what we can get from Him?
Below is the nature that Jesus showed us that reflects the same nature of God. Jesus said, when you see me, you see the Father, I and my Father are one. (John 10:30)
Nature of God the Father; (Jesus showed us who the Father is)
- Meek and Lowly (Gentle and Humble spirit)
- Servant
- Generous (Jesus fed the 5000)
- Doesn't Judge
- He loves me the way I am, not the way I should be
- Not the way others tell me to be
- Come to me when you are in tribulation
- Loving
- Forgiving
- Calm the storm in my life
- Cares about every need
- Everything I see in Jesus, is GOD.
- Compassionate
- Empathy - discern needs of others
- Childlike
- Father
- Servant
How did Jesus treat Lepers? In the Old Testament, lepers had to shout out "I am unclean". But what did Jesus do? He touched them. A desperate need they had was to be touched, because law forbade them to be touched. But Jesus touched them, the unclean, and since Jesus can only do what He saw his father do, God then touches the unclean to heal.
Let's look at the Prodical Son: In the Old Testament, It was a law that anyone who was unclean, had to go through a ritualistic cleansing before they could enter into the house. But in this story, knowing that his son was unclean (living with pigs), he ran to the son, in his filth, and hugged him and loved him, covered him with a clean robe, put shoes on his feet (slaves don't wear shoes) and gave him a ring. He was welcomed into the home just as he was. Before he took a bath! God is running toward you to ready to restore you to his love.
Hebrews 2:11- Jesus is not ashamed to be your brother.
Hebrews 11:16 - God is not ashamed to be your God. No one is too unclean to be touched.
Luke 15:31 - God is always with us, to give all that he has.
Hebrews 13:5 - I'll never leave you nor forsake you.
How can we have intimacy with an angry God? We can't. We have to get our heart right with God in confession, become restored to God and develop a healthy image of God.
So in your fear and crises, where can we go? To the bosom of the Father!
If we don't know this, we have an ungodly belief toward God.
John 8: (Adulterous woman) Jesus took His time to respond - we need to stop and ask God how we are to respond to those who come at us? He said to her, woman where are thy accusers? "There are none" "Neither do I accuse you." (Before Jesus spoke these words, he heard his father say it) A loving father gives us what we need - regardless of our obedience.
John 5:22 - The Father judges no one!!!! We keep thinking God is judging us, that is not true. But He who the father loves he disciplines, but he doesn't judge. So as soon as we misrepresnet the father's love to our family, Whats the first thing we think? Blame or feeling of unworthy and we have a hard time going to God.
John 5:24 - He who hears my words, does not come into judgment.
John 3:17 - God (father) did not send the son into the world to judge the world, but to save them. Those who believe in Jesus is not judged or comdemned, does not accuse.
John 12:47 - Jesus spoke - "if anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them - I will not even judge you, I didn't come to judge, but to save the world. He who rejects me, does not receive my sayings, and the words I spoke will judge him at the last day. And it says judging those who did not receive Jesus!!! Believers wont' be judged even at the last day.
Hebrews 9:27 - It is appointed for us once to die, and then the judgment. So why do we judge each other if God doesn't judge until the end?
80% of Christians thoughts are negative - Why? Because we are tied into accusatory, negative thoughts, judgemental negative thoughts because we have a wrong image of God. We need to know he constantly loves us and accepts us.
John 16: How many have never been hurt by another Christian? Have you wondered why many can be so cruel? V 2. How many people hurt us in church using the Word even - they think they are doing God service. V 3 They do these things because they don't know "The Father." If you don't have a good image of God, you don't' have a Good image of Jesus and visa versa.
V23 - 24 So in "that day" all about pain coming to our life …. What are we to do? Jesus said, go to the Father in m name. We are to go to the Father through Jesus! Jesus "don't ask me in that day (time of need) but as the Father". If we pray to Jesus, we stop short, because we need to pray to God.
Every one's need is to have a place in the Father's heart. If we stop at Jesus, we will miss out, and we will still be in need. Casting all our cares to God for he cares for us. The "Jesus Only" churches are really missing out!
Where do we want to run in crises? To the Father! When we know we are loved and accepted in God, it doesn't matter what anyone says about you, if you are secured in the Father's love, it's water running off the ducks back - because it matters more what God thinks of you that what others. And when we see that, we can know they are representing another Father - coming out of religion.
Do we feel more like a servant trying to please a master, or are you feeling like a son or daughter in the father's love? That will determine the image of the Father you have.
Jesus last two hours John 14-15-16 he told of the Father 51 times… Saying we need to know our Father. His first revelation of the Father John 3:16 - my Father Loves.
Is our image of God one who doesn't love us when we do something wrong?
John 14:28 - I go to the father for the Father is greater than I. There is one in heaven greater than I.
Matthew 18:4 - whoever humbles himself as a child, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Remember, Jesus is humble and gentle in heart. There has to be a childlike innocence in the father. Jesus portrayed this childlike innocence.
Matthew 23:11 - the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whowever exalts himself shall be humbled.
Whoever wishes to be greatest among you shall be your servant, and whoever exalts self shall be abased. (Matthew 20:26-28). Whoever is to be first, will be slave. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. He only does what He sees His father do.. so God is servant to all!!
John 13:1 - "Having loved His own He now expressed His full extent to the love of His disciples." This was said when Jesus washed their feet. This act was reserved for the lowliest slave to do, and if that house didn't have slaves, it was reserved for the youngest child. Feet had to be washed before coming into a house because of the filth in the streets (animal stuff, etc.) So what did Jesus do? No one washed anyone's feet at the Passover, so Jesus stepped in to fulfill the need. The fullness of love is expressed through fullness.
Jesus cleansed and washed taking on the form of a servant and Jesus said, "I only do what I see my Father do.
The greatest will be servant of all, the greatest will be as a little child. There is one greater than I."
Father God is going to kneal at my feet at the gates of heaven, and he's going to wash me from all the filth of the world, any pain, hurt, whatever. He's going to remove all the filth that I had so I can enter into his house clean. He's going to wipe away every tear. I do believe that I won't be singing and shouting, I will be in tears at that day because of His love for me. Tears of Joy, Tears of understanding my Father's love.
We haven't expressed the fullness of love to others until we are willing to meet another's needs (serve) at our own expense. Foot washing is a spiritual express. I want to wash Tom's feet to wipe away all the hurt I have caused him. I want to serve him.
God is not the cop in the sky, He's a father who is ready to lay down his life and serve us. Who shall serve the wedding supper of the lamb? Not us, we are the bride… The greatest in heaven will be servant of all.
Do we feel like a slave? We haven't realized the love of the Father.
Love covers a multitude of sins. When God loves us, it covers all our sins. And in a moment, when wanting to be in his presence, God no more remembers our sin. We can also do this with others. As we love others, and they love us, all our sins are forgotten.
Jerm 29:11 "Thoughts of good and not for evil."
What is your happy thought? That My Father Loves me like I am, not like I should be.
Peter Pan flew when he would think his happy thought. His happy thought was to be a daddy.
We are God's happy thoughts. I Corinthians 13:5 - love thinks no evil. He can't think negatively about you, He doesn't judge you, he's not ashamed of your… And when we believe we are His happy thought, we start living it, our childlikeness has been restored, and we are being restored in our heart so that all pain goes - now we can fly and rescue others.
God loves me the way I am, not the way I used to be.
Which God would you have honor and respect for?
Angry God or Compassionate God?
What God would your children like you to be more like?
Which God would you love to spend all eterninty with?
Which God is more likely to cause you to love Him?
Which God makes you more likely to increase the fear and failure in your life?
There are two God's - Father of Love and Father of Lies.
Which one do we serve. Which one do we represent.
"Happy Thought" father loves me just the way I am, not what I should be.
People are more important than a ministry - my husband, my family, friends.
Ministry
If you want to develop a right image of God and receive from Him the truth of who he really is, then pray with me:
"Dear Heavenly Father, I recognize that I have had a poor image of who you are. I can say that I know you love me, but I have had a hard time believeing it for me, and feeling it in my heart. I always thought that what I did caused you to bless me or not bless me, love me or not love me. I had an ungodly belief toward you, and I'm asking you to set me straight. As I see Jesus' life, he showed me who you were. Jesus isn't to run interference between us, he's to be the "way" to you. He represented you in His life, and I want that to be my image of you. You aren't an angry God ready to judge me and condemn me. Jesus covers all my sins, I'm not to pay for anything. You love me, always and at all times. Your blessings are ever before me. Help me to see you clearly Lord. I demand every lie to leave my mind and thoughts that are not right toward you Lord. Teach me who you are, help me to discover you the way you intend me to see you. Forgive me for fearing you in a wrong way, but let me come to you no matter what at all times without fear of rejection or retaliation, because that is not you. I cast out every evil thought that is not true about who you are. Help me to learn more of you by learning more of Jesus. I thank you for this truth. Help me to abide in you every single day, and find you as my "safe place", being covered and hidden under the shadow of your wings. I ask you to forgive me for blaming you for what not giving me what I think I needed to be OK. But you have been giving, I haven't been receiving. Helpme to learn how to receive from you Father, so that I have it to give away. Help me to be the Mother or Father you intended me to be from the foundation of the world. Help me to accept all your love for me, loving me just as I am, not as I should be, so that I can love my family the same. Heal my broken heart Lord, and heal all those hearts around me whom I've hurt. Restore my heart and restore theirs as well. I thank you for your love toward me, and I receive it now, as it's all I need. In Jesus name, Amen."
To return Back.