Right Thinking Towards God
In his book “The Knowledge of the Holy,” A.W. Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think of God is the most important thing about us!” We need to have correct thinking about who God Is We are created in His image; He is not created in our image! In Exodus 3, when the Lord appeared to Moses, he instructed Him to take off his shoes because the very presence of God was Holy! Then, the Lord commissions Moses to return to Egypt and deliver the enslaved Israelites. When Moses asked the question, “Indeed when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3:13). The Lord did not reply, “I am what you want me to be.” Or “I am what you imagine me to be.” No! He answered Moses, “I AM who I AM!”
J.I. Packer, in His book “Knowing God,” writes, “The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy which could ever engage the attention of the child of God is the name, nature, person and work, the doings and existence of the great God who he calls Father!” Packer says, “There is something exceeding improving to the mind in contemplation of deity!”
The worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... constantly tells us how to think, even what to think about God! But Paul urges us to have a different mindset concerning who God is, saying, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrificeA sacrifice/offering to God (or deities in pagan religions) that differed in occasion, purpose, and form. The most important sacrifices required by the Old Testament law include burnt offerings, grain..., holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed..., but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-3).
I want to underline three reasons why what we think of God and how we think of Him is so important in our Christian life.
Right thinking about our God is the way we show Him that we love Him!
Look at Matthew 22:37 and notice we are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This means that our minds should have the right thinking about who God is and what God is like. This right thinking can only come from the word of God! So, we have to be men and women who get into this book and let this book get into us! We need to spend less time on Facebook and more time in HIS Book!
C.H. Spurgeon said, “He who thinks about God will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods along this narrow globe.” He said, “The most excellent study for expanding the soul is the science of ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... and Him Crucified and the knowledge of the glory of the TrinityTrinity means that the three persons of the Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – are distinct from one another but are nevertheless one God. It was already known...!”
Right thinking about God helps us to avoid Idolatry!
Notice the first two commandments given in Exodus 20:1-5. Idolatry begins in the mind. It has been said, “Idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” When we fashion an image of God in our minds that is not consistent with what the Bible says about God, this is idolatry! Romans 1:21 reminds us, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” God has revealed Himself to us in His written Word and through the Living Word, the Lord Jesus ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... (We will look at this closer in our last session).
Right thinking about God strengthens us to Walk by Faith.
When we read Hebrews 11, we are reminded that those in the so-called chapter of the Heroes of the Faith knew God! They walked with God personally, had an intimate relationship with Him, believed God, trusted Him and walked by faith.
But what often happens to us is that we know little about our God, and what we know, we isolate because of our circumstances. We might know and understand that God is love, but when bad things happen because we live in a worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... broken by sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced..., we might begin to think that God has abandoned us or wonder why He allowed that accident or why he didn’t stop this from happening.
It is so easy for us to isolate specific characteristics of God to serve our purposes. We call these characteristics attributes of God. An attribute of God is “that which is true of Him which He has revealed in His Word to us!” There are unshared attributes of God, meaning they are His alone. There are shared attributes of God, meaning that He also desires these to be seen in us. I believe there are more attributes of God than any of us can count because God is infinite! But one passage of Scripture has always been very special to me because it contains many precious attributes of God, answering the question, “What is God like?”
We all know the verse in Isaiah 40:30-3 that reads, Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” A precious promise from God’s Word! We learn who our God is when we look at the verses that proceed with this encouraging verse.
He is Self-Sufficient (Is 40:12-14). He stands alone and doesn’t need anyone to help Him, direct Him, counselThe counsel (purpose) of God is his plan. What God plans will happen. There is a counsel of God with his people Israel (Isa 46:10). This counsel has existed since... Him, or instruct Him.
He is Omnipotent (Is 40:12). He is all-powerful.
He is Omniscient (Is 40:13-14, 28). He is all-knowing (Rom 4:17, 11:33-36, Is 42:9, 46:10, Acts 15:18).
He is Righteous/Just (Is 40:14). He always does that which is right and just (Gen. 18:25, Heb 9:7-8, Ps 119:137-138, 145:17).
He is Wisdom (Is 40:14). Wisdom begins and ends with Him (Rom 11:33, 1 Tim 1:17, Ps 104:24, Prov. 3:19)
He is Sovereign (Is 40:15-17). Everything is under His control, and nothing takes Him by surprise (1 Sam 2:6-8, 1 Chr 29:11-12, Eph 1:11)
He is Incomparable (Is 40:18). Nothing and no one can compare to Him (Col. 1, Heb 1, Eph 1).
He is Transcendent (Is 40:22-24). He is far above everything and everyone else! He exceeds all limits.
He is Eternal (Is 40:26-28). He always was, and He has always been in control ((s. 57:15, Ps 147:3-4).
He is Holy (Is 40:25). He is pure (Is 6:1-4, Ps 30:4, 47:8, 111:9).
He is Infinite (Is 40:26). He has no limits (Ps 47:5, Job 5:9, 9:10).
He is omnipresent (Is 40:27). He is everywhere (Ps 139:7-12, Prov. 15:3, Jer 23:23-24, Mt 28:20).
He is Immutable (Is 40:28). He is unchanging (Mal 3:6, Heb 13:8)
He is Long-suffering (Is 40:28). He is a patient God who never tires (Ex. 34:6, Ps 86:15, 2 Pet 3:9, 15
He is Faithful (Is 40:29). He is always trustworthy, dependable, and can be counted on (Lam 3:23, 2 Cor 12:9, 1 Cor 1:7, 9, 10:13, 1 Thess. 5:23-24, 2 Tim 2:13, 1 Jn 1:9, Eph 3:16-18).
There are many more attributes of our God. When we are occupied with who our God is and what He is like as He is revealed on the pages of Scripture, it renews our strength, helps us see things from His perspective, and gives us spiritual energy to walk by faith and not faint along the way!
