Read Exodus 3:7-15
Key Verse: God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
For some people God is distant, like their father was growing up. For some, God is demanding and critical, much like a sibling they had growing up. We can't really help it, but qualities of our friends, family, relatives, teachers....even ourselves....have made it into our concept of who God is. In a sense, we have made god in our own image. Many thoughts we have about god are ones that we have created ourselves, not what the Bible teaches. And that is a BIG problem. Your prayers to God will be based on what you believe him to be. If you see him as weak, you won't expect much from him. If you think he is distant then you will think he doesn't hear you.
When Moses talked to God back in Exodus 3, he asked God for a name. God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM....Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' Every once in a while the English language doesn't quite grasp the whole meaning of a Greek or Hebrew phrase. This verse is one of those occasions. It can literally be translated "I will always be who I have always been". It was a beautiful way of saying I am the God who will always be the same, as I was in the past, so I will be in the future.
Can you trust God? Did people in the Bible trust God? Then you can too, he hasn't changed!
Does God listen to you? Did he listen to people in the Bible? He hasn't changed!
Does God love you? Did he love people in the Bible? He hasn't changed!
Does God still do miracles today? Did he do them in the Bible? He hasn't changed!
On and On we can go.
Learn who the God of the Bible is, not the one you may have made up from past experiences. Your thoughts about who God is will influence your attitude in prayer. Your thoughts about who God is will also direct the nature of your prayers. Your thoughts about who God is will impact on whether or not you think God will answer your prayer.
Needless to say, too many people think of God as a fast food restaurant. When the answer to their prayer doesn't come when they think it should it confirms God doesn't care, or is ineffectual, or is busy with something else. None of that is true. But God does ask us to trust Him that He has it covered and will work it out in His time in the best way. Learn better who He is.
The real power in prayer comes not from praying, but it comes from the character of God. True power and authority rests in the person of Christ. It is God who moves mountains as we join with Him reconciling the world to Himself.
Heavenly Father, teach us more about you. Transform our view of who you are. We want to know the God of all Power who was also meek. We want to know the God who Loves but also disciplines. We want to know more and more about you so that we can be just like you. Holy Spirit, fill us with your life changing presence. Renew our thinking. We are seated with Christ in the heavenly places, give us a view of truth from Heaven. AMEN
Can you trust God? Did people in the Bible trust God? Then you can too, he hasn't changed!
Does God listen to you? Did he listen to people in the Bible? He hasn't changed!
Does God love you? Did he love people in the Bible? He hasn't changed!
Does God still do miracles today? Did he do them in the Bible? He hasn't changed!
On and On we can go.
Learn who the God of the Bible is, not the one you may have made up from past experiences. Your thoughts about who God is will influence your attitude in prayer. Your thoughts about who God is will also direct the nature of your prayers. Your thoughts about who God is will impact on whether or not you think God will answer your prayer.
Needless to say, too many people think of God as a fast food restaurant. When the answer to their prayer doesn't come when they think it should it confirms God doesn't care, or is ineffectual, or is busy with something else. None of that is true. But God does ask us to trust Him that He has it covered and will work it out in His time in the best way. Learn better who He is.
The real power in prayer comes not from praying, but it comes from the character of God. True power and authority rests in the person of Christ. It is God who moves mountains as we join with Him reconciling the world to Himself.
Heavenly Father, teach us more about you. Transform our view of who you are. We want to know the God of all Power who was also meek. We want to know the God who Loves but also disciplines. We want to know more and more about you so that we can be just like you. Holy Spirit, fill us with your life changing presence. Renew our thinking. We are seated with Christ in the heavenly places, give us a view of truth from Heaven. AMEN
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