In yesterday’s devotion, “Which God Are You Praying To,” we discussed how we create powerless gods based on our own version of what is “right” and then wonder why our prayers are not answered. In other words, if we want our prayers to be powerful, then we better know whether the god we’re worshipping can handle the weight of our prayers. What we think about most is what we really worship and that is our god. This is true—whether we acknowledge it or not. While we can SAY we are praying to the God of the Bible—how can this be true unless we really know who He is?
Aren’t you just a little curious to know WHO the God of the Bible really is?
Do you really want to know Almighty God—who spoke the vast universe into existence and knows everything—even down to the smallest molecule in your body?
God has given us His Word so we can discover both His attributes and His nature. First, let me explain the difference between “attributes” and “nature.” An attribute describes who someone is and describes their abilities; while their nature is what determines how they act.
I am a woman—that’s an attribute.
I like to laugh—that is my nature.
So what does the Bible say about God’s attributes and nature? (Attribute’s of God)
God’s attributes, which identify Him as God and describe His abilities are:
1. He is a Spirit: John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17
2. He is everlasting: Isaiah 57:15; Psalms 90:2; Hebrews 1:10-12
3. He is omnipotent (all powerful): Revelations 19:6; Genesis 17:1
4. He is omniscient ( all knowing): Psalms 147:5; Luke 12:7; Isaiah 46:9-10
5. He is omnipresent (present everywhere): Jeremiah 23:23-24; 1 Kings 8:26-27; Psalms 139:7-10
God’s nature, which determines what kinds of things He does are as follows:
1. God is LOVING
2. God is RIGHTEOUS
3. God is JUST
4. God does not change so—His nature does not change. (We can count
on Him to be the same in all circumstances.) Malachi 3:6
God’s Word on His nature is:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight.”
Jeremiah 9:23-24
When we acknowledge God’s attributes—it should EXCITE us to pray to HIM!
Do you know anyone else who you can make requests of who is—supernaturally— powerful, wise, and everywhere at once??? But to connect to Him, we must understand His nature—what He does and how He responds. First, His most dominant action is LOVE, because He IS love. (1 John 4:8) However, He is also perfectly RIGHTEOUS and unerringly JUST in all He does. Because He is love, He longs to have a relationship with His creation—including us. But our sin presents a problem—we run amuck of His righteous and just nature and—are separated from Him. (Isaiah 59:2) That’s why Jesus died—to pay the debt we couldn’t pay so our spirit could be made “the righteousness of God.”(2 Corinthians 5:21)
After we are born again through receiving the gift of salvation, we have the opportunity to communicate with Him in a way that is deeply personal and intimate. We are no longer like a dirty beggar on the street vainly trying to obtain an audience with the King. NO!
The King of Kings is now our Daddy.
He knows best—we don’t. He defines what is right and wrong—because He is perfectly righteous, AND His attributes (see above) qualify Him to make this determination. For the same reasons, He is also qualified to judge. OUR attributes and nature do NOT qualify us to make this call. (Human Design)
So if we are defining what is right and wrong and it is in opposition with God’s Word—we are denaturing the essence of God. Thus, we are praying to a denatured god—not the God of the Bible. We have chosen a god who can do nothing over a God who can do anything, knows everything, and is everywhere!
When we know God for who He really is, and we desire to 100% follow Him, then—when we pray—we have ALL the power of the Heavenly throne at our disposal!!!
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
I John 5:14-15
Stay tuned…tomorrow’s devotional is in answer to an excellent question posed by a friend based on the prior two devotionals: “How do we get prayer right?”
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