"Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear me and always keep all my commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!" Deuteronomy 5:29 The image of God that many hold is one of sternness and judgment. And surely, he can be that. But sternness and judgment IS NOT HIS WILL. The Lord yearns for the heart of man. He desires that man follow his commands THAT IT MIGHT BE WELL WITH THEM. Where does one get the image of God as a harsh and cruel judge? Surely he is portrayed that way in parts of the Bible, but it's not because he wants us to know him that way. If you had a child prone to running out into the street in heavy traffic, you would first explain to your child how dangerous that is, and your hope would be that your child believe you and never run out into the street. Why would you warn him? Because you take pleasure in restricting him? Of course not, it's a command that comes from the depths of your love for your child. But if he refuses you and takes it as a command he just does not want to obey, and then runs out into the street, you'll have to take more drastic measures to save his life. Whatever it takes, you'll do it. You'll do anything to teach him that he must not run out into the street. The Lord conveys this very sentiment in this passage in Deuteronomy. "Oh," he says, "Oh that they had such a heart in them that they would fear me and always keep my commandments ...THAT IT MIGHT BE WELL WITH THEM…" God doesn't have "control issues." He doesn't give us commands because he delights in controlling people. God is love. He loves us and he watches over us jealously. He has told us HOW to walk "that it might be well" with us. God wants our trust. Children forever ask their parents "why...?" But there are things you can't explain to a young child. If you tell your child not to take candy from a stranger, the child will ask "WHY?" But it's difficult, if not impossible, to convince a child that someone offering them something good can actually be doing that with evil intent. Children are innocent, and if a stranger comes up to them with a gentle smile offering them something good, the trusting child is easy prey for that wolf in sheep's clothing. So the parent simply says "don't do it," because the innocent, trusting child isn't going to understand the "why." God did not place us on this earth and then leave us saying, "see you at the end, hope you make it." No, God gave us a Book explaining everything to us. He reveals to us who he is, who we are, what our purpose is, where we're going, and how to get there. For the parts where we fail and incur guilt for disobedience, he sent his Son to bear the judgment for us. How can anyone think he is a terrible Father who only wants to smack us when we do wrong? That is SO FAR from the truth! He has told us he is love. He is a wise Father who wants us to obey him because he wants our best ...that it might be well with us. If you had a stern or unloving father, if your father was rigid and hateful, then that's the image you'll probably have of God – but it's a very wrong image. If you never received love from your father, it's going to be very hard for you to believe that God loves you. If your life has consisted of bad things, trauma, loss, and rejection, then you're going to blame God for all that. But you're blaming the wrong one. God has very, very clearly showed us in his Word that there is an enemy bent on your destruction. He said this about him: "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1st Peter 5:8 Seeking whom he "MAY" devour. What does that mean? It means Satan is a legal expert. He is constantly watching for disobedience because when a person accepts a lie from Satan, the rebellion in that acceptance opens the door to evil. He tells you God is mean and unfair in commanding you not to run out into the street. If he can get you to believe that, then he'll suggest that you have the right to freedom of choice, so why not just follow your desire and go ahead and run out into the street. Then when you get hit by a car, you blame God. THAT is how Satan works. If your life has been trauma-filled, it's usually going to be because the laws of God have been violated - whether by rebellion in your life or rebellion in the life of your parents, because the Scriptures tell us that the results of the sin of rebellion can come down on the children to the third and fourth generation. Apply your heart to understanding God's Word because it is his revelation for you, that it might be well with you "AND with your children." Never, EVER believe the lie of Satan who presents an incorrect picture of God for you to believe. That very thing caused the very first sin (Genesis 3:1). Satan is THE FATHER OF LIES. Jesus said of him: "When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." John 8:44 God is LOVE. He loves YOU. Believe him!
"In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him,
and without him nothing was made that was made."
John 1:1-3
The Lord has repeated the doctrines of the faith in several places throughout the Scriptures, to preserve the message and to confirm it. He has preserved the integrity of his Word - by repeating the key doctrines in several places throughout his Word so it won't be mistaken.
“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”
2nd Corinthians 13:1
This passage in John declares Jesus Christ to be the creator. It says ALL THINGS were made through him. Now compare this to the very first words in the Bible:
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Genesis 1:1
It can't be any plainer than that. God created all. Jesus Christ created all. These two verses contain the foundation of the faith. They confirm the Creator, and they confirm the deity of Jesus Christ.
Many believers, sadly, do not know or understand the enemy of both God and of mankind. God showed in the very beginning who Satan is and what his goals are, and these truths are repeated sufficiently throughout the Scriptures to establish them. God tells us the most important thing to know about Satan - he is first and foremost: A LIAR.
Jesus said of Satan:
"When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources,
for he is a liar and THE FATHER OF IT."
John 8:44
For every doctrine in the Bible, Satan has put forth a counterfeit doctrine, and if you don't understand this you will be deceived, because he makes the lies SEEM TRUE.
For example, look at the first foundational truth quoted above – the fact that God created all that is. For this truth, Satan has introduced the following lie: Through "brilliant" men, the "experts" of our society, he has caused the world to embrace the "theory" of evolution as fact, while rejecting God as Creator. Some try to mitigate this by saying that God created through evolution. No, there is no species on earth that is the product of evolution, in fact, the very opposite is true. Mutations of DNA downgrade the organism's DNA. Mutations of DNA produce downgrades not upgrades in the organism. It's the death principle that came into the world when sin came into the world. All living things devolve, and all living things die. The Scriptures teach that it all began when sin entered the world.
Satan is the god of this world (2nd Corinthians 4:4) and as such, Satan is behind the lies that foster the acceptance of all evil, such as perversion, the lies fostering the murder of children, the lies causing men to believe there are many ways to God...
These are but examples of the MANY deceptions Satan has put upon a willing world. He makes things SOUND good, so that people will accept it. That's the nature of deception. IT ALWAYS SOUNDS GOOD.
"And no wonder! For Satan himself
transforms himself into an angel OF LIGHT.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers
also transform themselves into ministers of
righteousness, whose end will be according to their works."
2nd Corinthians 14:15
Take a deeper look into the things which you believe. Put your belief system under a microscope and ASK the Lord to show you where you have fallen for things Satan has succeeded in making the world believe, things that sound good and make sense, but that are actually LIES. Read God's Word from cover to cover, because knowing the Scriptures is the first necessary step to identifying deception.
You might be very surprised.
"...but we also glory in tribulations,
knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
and perseverance, character, and character, hope."
Romans 5:3-4
Glory in tribulations...???
Yes. Don't think your trials aren't important, it is through our trials that we grow. They're unpleasant at the time, but the fruit of them is eternal, and later we will glory in what they produced in us ...and we'll glory in it for all eternity.
Accept trials with praise to the Lord for what he will do in you through them. Someday you will rejoice when you see the work that was accomplished by that which at the time seemed so grievous.
"...though now for a little while, if need be,
you have been grieved by various trials,
that the genuineness of your faith,
being much more precious than gold that perishes,
though it is tested by fire,
may be found to praise, honor, and glory
at the revelation of Jesus Christ..."
1st Peter 1:6-7
The apostle Paul found himself with "a thorn in the flesh," which the Scripture goes on to say was actually "a messenger of Satan" to harass him. In this case, the tribulation was meant to keep Paul from pride. He was a very learned man, mighty in the Scriptures, powerful in preaching the Gospel, and he even had had a vision of heaven. He could easily have thought himself great in such a setting, so the Lord set a circumstance in which Paul would be constantly reminded of his weakness. Paul went to the Lord three times, passionately praying to be delivered from the situation, but the Lord said no, that it is needed, but that He would be with him in it.
"Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord
three times that it might depart from me.
And he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you,
for my strength is made perfect in weakness.'”
2nd Corinthians 12:8-9
Paul's response was not to be angry at God for denying his request. No, the true character of Paul was shown in his conclusion:
vs 9:
"Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
So humble was this man that he totally embraced the will of God for his life:
vs 10:
"Therefore I TAKE PLEASURE in infirmities, in reproaches,
in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.
For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Paul went on to be one of the greatest men who ever lived. His work impacted multitudes for eternity, and his life's work is still doing the same 2,000 years later. Had he not responded in all humility when God told him "no," his life would have gone on into obscurity.
Friends, surrender is the key to releasing the power of God. There is no limit to what God will do with a totally surrendered heart. The decision one makes on this issue will determine the course and the outcome of the rest of his life - and of his eternity!
A powerful teaching on surrender: