Post by MIRIAM JACOB on Mar 2, 2007 8:14:36 GMT -5
February 5th, 2007
One common problem that tends to cause us to focus our prayers on something other than our relationship with God are false views of God that may come to our mind when praying.
For me personally I don't really have a particular image that comes to mind when I pray, but a lot of people do. It may not neccissarily be a visual image, but more of a description of who He appears to be to you personally. I'm not saying those people's thoughts are wrong, but the truth is many people, myself included at times, picture God in ways that are not biblical, and this is important to understand if you want to have a real two-way conversation with Him. If you expect to hear from God, you've got to be sure you're praying to the real God of the Bible, and not our own personal god conjured up in our minds.
Some people think of God as a good friend who is just there to listen to their problems, give some advice and have a good time with them. No rules or anything, He just wants to have fun with them.
Some think of God as more of an entity that grants requests rather than an actual being with a personality. A force like gravity, or maybe even a genie who grants wishes, as if God is more of a power outside our world who only interferes when we ask Him to and how we ask Him to, and if He does what we ask, He is good and has cooperated.
Some think of God as more of a grandparent who watches over us and protects us, but is very playful and lenient with us. Like grandparents who give candy before dinner or ice cream whether or not you ate your vegetables as a child. They think that God will grant their wishes and personal desires if they whine enough or have a big enough pity-party to make God feel bad for them. They also tend to unconsciously think that God is a man like us, a lenient imperfect human who will not condemn us for doing wrong as long as we go to church and say we love Him. This is a very dangerous misconception because this is what Jesus was talking about when He preached the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Lukewarm, or "Sunday Christians", who claim to know and love God but do not. This is very dangerous because Jesus Himself said that even though those people believe God exists, they will not get to Heaven.
One of the most dangerous misconceptions in my opinion is when some think of God as more of a personal conscience who always agrees with what they do. Instead of reading His Word and shaping their life around it, they shape their opinions and views of His Word to fit their own worldly views and opinions. For example, maybe a newly saved person who grew up learning about evolution suddenly reads Genesis and can't see how it is possible to be literal, so instead of researching it honestly or believing it anyway, they may choose to shape that around their worldy belief, and say that Genesis is just a metaphor. I'm not picking a side and saying Genesis is literal and not metaphorical, I'm saying that some people take the Bible and choose what they want to believe based on what they have already learned in the world. They may only believe in parts because of worldly discoveries or views that seem to contradict things.
Some may think that God is always on their side as long as they keep holding that title of being a Christian, as if they feel that they are saved by their own will. "I will be in Heaven someday because I believe it", or "This person hurt me so I will hurt them in return, I don't need to call them a brother/sister and forgive them because they wronged me, and God is on my side."
Some think of God as more of a hater of the most obvious sins and world problems. As if God is sitting in Heaven as a spectator of the world, seeing what we do. Choosing sides on our own situations, as if He is just another individual but with more authority. Some use Bible verses or God's name as kind of a smoke screen to make themselves and others believe that they are doing God's will, yet they are really just living their lives as they please. Some people may even subconsciously think they fool God into thinking that we are saved this way. For an example of this idea, say someone murdered a family member of yours. A person with this idea of God would think that it is ok, or even right, to live the rest of their life in hatred toward that murderer, holding a grudge toward him instead of forgiving him, because God hates murder. It would be very difficult to forgive that person of course, but it is the right thing to do. The fact that God hates murder, does not make it right for you to do the judging and hate the murderer.
I admit there was one point in my life when I was sure I was going to Heaven someday, simply because I said so and I wanted to. I believed God existed, I believed Heaven existed, I was a good person by the world's standards, so I thought, what's the problem? It was almost as if I thought I could will myself into Heaven. Many people are like this today. In fact, I am not one to judge, but I am concerned that most Christians are like this today. The truth is, you do not get to Heaven on your own will. That is our pride speaking, and Satan getting in the way. That is exactly what he wants you to think, because deception is his greatest trick. If you think you are going to Heaven someday simply because you believe in God, you go to church, or you call yourself a Christian, you may be in for a very rude awakening.
These are just a few examples, some of the more obvious ones that probably just about every believer is or has at some time been guilty of, including myself of course.
So, how do you think of God when you pray? After being honest with Him about how you are feeling, try thinking about who it is you actually think you are talking to. God obviously, but who is God to you? Recognize it, and be honest with Him about that as well. Then try to fix any false views you may have about God to fit His true character. If you do this you will be able to better communicate with the real God because you will better understand who you are talking to, and can therefore better understand His will in situations if you know His character. God presents Himself in the Bible in many different ways, and He is our Creator and far beyond anything we can ever see or comprehend, so we can't know too much about Him exactly, but there is a lot that He has given to us in His Word so that we can understand who He is.
(C) Scott Morgan
source:http://www.the-daily-blessing.com
One common problem that tends to cause us to focus our prayers on something other than our relationship with God are false views of God that may come to our mind when praying.
For me personally I don't really have a particular image that comes to mind when I pray, but a lot of people do. It may not neccissarily be a visual image, but more of a description of who He appears to be to you personally. I'm not saying those people's thoughts are wrong, but the truth is many people, myself included at times, picture God in ways that are not biblical, and this is important to understand if you want to have a real two-way conversation with Him. If you expect to hear from God, you've got to be sure you're praying to the real God of the Bible, and not our own personal god conjured up in our minds.
Some people think of God as a good friend who is just there to listen to their problems, give some advice and have a good time with them. No rules or anything, He just wants to have fun with them.
Some think of God as more of an entity that grants requests rather than an actual being with a personality. A force like gravity, or maybe even a genie who grants wishes, as if God is more of a power outside our world who only interferes when we ask Him to and how we ask Him to, and if He does what we ask, He is good and has cooperated.
Some think of God as more of a grandparent who watches over us and protects us, but is very playful and lenient with us. Like grandparents who give candy before dinner or ice cream whether or not you ate your vegetables as a child. They think that God will grant their wishes and personal desires if they whine enough or have a big enough pity-party to make God feel bad for them. They also tend to unconsciously think that God is a man like us, a lenient imperfect human who will not condemn us for doing wrong as long as we go to church and say we love Him. This is a very dangerous misconception because this is what Jesus was talking about when He preached the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Lukewarm, or "Sunday Christians", who claim to know and love God but do not. This is very dangerous because Jesus Himself said that even though those people believe God exists, they will not get to Heaven.
One of the most dangerous misconceptions in my opinion is when some think of God as more of a personal conscience who always agrees with what they do. Instead of reading His Word and shaping their life around it, they shape their opinions and views of His Word to fit their own worldly views and opinions. For example, maybe a newly saved person who grew up learning about evolution suddenly reads Genesis and can't see how it is possible to be literal, so instead of researching it honestly or believing it anyway, they may choose to shape that around their worldy belief, and say that Genesis is just a metaphor. I'm not picking a side and saying Genesis is literal and not metaphorical, I'm saying that some people take the Bible and choose what they want to believe based on what they have already learned in the world. They may only believe in parts because of worldly discoveries or views that seem to contradict things.
Some may think that God is always on their side as long as they keep holding that title of being a Christian, as if they feel that they are saved by their own will. "I will be in Heaven someday because I believe it", or "This person hurt me so I will hurt them in return, I don't need to call them a brother/sister and forgive them because they wronged me, and God is on my side."
Some think of God as more of a hater of the most obvious sins and world problems. As if God is sitting in Heaven as a spectator of the world, seeing what we do. Choosing sides on our own situations, as if He is just another individual but with more authority. Some use Bible verses or God's name as kind of a smoke screen to make themselves and others believe that they are doing God's will, yet they are really just living their lives as they please. Some people may even subconsciously think they fool God into thinking that we are saved this way. For an example of this idea, say someone murdered a family member of yours. A person with this idea of God would think that it is ok, or even right, to live the rest of their life in hatred toward that murderer, holding a grudge toward him instead of forgiving him, because God hates murder. It would be very difficult to forgive that person of course, but it is the right thing to do. The fact that God hates murder, does not make it right for you to do the judging and hate the murderer.
I admit there was one point in my life when I was sure I was going to Heaven someday, simply because I said so and I wanted to. I believed God existed, I believed Heaven existed, I was a good person by the world's standards, so I thought, what's the problem? It was almost as if I thought I could will myself into Heaven. Many people are like this today. In fact, I am not one to judge, but I am concerned that most Christians are like this today. The truth is, you do not get to Heaven on your own will. That is our pride speaking, and Satan getting in the way. That is exactly what he wants you to think, because deception is his greatest trick. If you think you are going to Heaven someday simply because you believe in God, you go to church, or you call yourself a Christian, you may be in for a very rude awakening.
These are just a few examples, some of the more obvious ones that probably just about every believer is or has at some time been guilty of, including myself of course.
So, how do you think of God when you pray? After being honest with Him about how you are feeling, try thinking about who it is you actually think you are talking to. God obviously, but who is God to you? Recognize it, and be honest with Him about that as well. Then try to fix any false views you may have about God to fit His true character. If you do this you will be able to better communicate with the real God because you will better understand who you are talking to, and can therefore better understand His will in situations if you know His character. God presents Himself in the Bible in many different ways, and He is our Creator and far beyond anything we can ever see or comprehend, so we can't know too much about Him exactly, but there is a lot that He has given to us in His Word so that we can understand who He is.
(C) Scott Morgan
source:http://www.the-daily-blessing.com