By E L Thornton
Pg. 1
“OUR PICTURE OF GOD”
Job 19:26-27 “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”
A father was watching his small son draw a picture. Intensely focused, the young lad was totally engrossed in his work of art. Crayons were scattered everywhere, unfinished sketches were wadded and cast aside, fresh sheets of paper were laying within reach of this young master of painters.
Without wanting to break, nor disrupt, the boys concentration, and certainly not wanting to break his thought pattern, the Dad gently asked, “Son, what are you drawing? Never looking up from his work the small boy said, “God.”
Somewhat startled, his Dad said, “Well no one knows what God looks like.” The small boy, very confidently gazing at his masterpiece, retorted, “They will when I get through.”
My nephew, C.E. Bowen, has a grand daughter. When she was four years old,
she showed me a picture she had drawn of her “gramps”, you should have seen it. It didn’t really look like C.E., it didn’t even favor him. But it was her picture of “Gramps.”
We all have a picture of God in our minds. And our picture of God is critically important to what we are. In fact, our picture of God may be the most important thing we have. For it is “how we see God” that makes us what we are in the kingdom of God.
How we see God in our lives can have a devastating, or a rewarding, effect on our faith. We must have a right view of God, or else, our faith will be crippled, distorted, and out of focus.
Too often, we allow circumstances to shape our picture of God, and if our circumstances are good, it is easy to believe that God is good. But if our circumstances are bad, then we are likely to draw some false conclusions about God. In a time of personal adversity and deep struggle, our picture of God can become flawed, imperfect, and incoherent or disoriented.
And it’s true, sometimes we see God through our circumstances, rather than seeing our circumstances through God and his infallible word. God’s word is irrefutable,
irreplaceable, irrepressible, irreproachable, irresistible, irreversible, irrevocable, it is true and forever settled in heaven. You would do well to look at all the circumstances of life through the Word of God.
Pg. 2
“OUR PICTURE OF GOD”
I. SOME PEOPLE SEE HIM AS “A GOD THAT WANT LISTEN TO ME:”
God is too big, immense, or gigantic. God is too stalwart, powerful, or almighty. God is too sovereign, regal, or great. God is too awesome or overwhelming,
why should he listen to me, we reason.
If you picture God as a severe Judge, unapproachable, unmerciful, uncaring or unconcerned, you will approach God accordingly. But on the other hand, if you see God as a loving, caring, understanding God, you will approach him accordingly.
But before you tell me, or try to make me believe that God want listen, you will have to take out some of the Word of God. Scriptures like—–
Jer 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
Ps 34:17-19 “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
Ps 145:17-19 “The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.”
Matt 7:7-8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
II. WE MUST SEE HIM THROUGH HIS WORD:
We must see him as—-I will never leave you nor forsake you
I am with you alway even to the end of he world
I will do it
I will give good gifts to them that ask
I am able to do this
I will give you rest
It is I be not afraid
I am in the midst of them
When you get in trouble you must see God through his Word as—-
Refuge in time of trouble (Ps. 9:9)
In time of trouble he shall hide thee (Ps. 27:5)
God is strength in time of trouble (Ps. 37:39)
Pg. 3
“OUR PICTURE OF GOD”
God will deliver in time of trouble (Ps. 41:1)
A present help in time of trouble (Ps. 46:1)
In mist of trouble thou wilt revive me (Ps. 138:7)
When in sickness you must see your sickness through God’s Word.
James 5:14-15 “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
III. HOW DO YOU PICTURE GOD:
Adam saw him————–as the creator
Noah————————as the covenant maker
Abraham——————as the provider
Moses ———————-as a Star coming out of Judah
Joshua———————–as the Captain of the host
David ———————–as the Shepherd
Solomon———————as the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley
Isaiah————————high and lifted up
Jeremiah———————fire shut up in my bones
Daniel———————–as answer to prayer
Three Hebrews————–God that walks in the fire
John the Bap.—————-as the lamb that takes away the sins of the world
Peter————————as Christ the son of God
Paul ————————as the rewarder of them that diligently seek him
John the beloved————as the Bright and Morning Star
Thomas———————as my Lord and my God
Prov 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: ———–.”
By Faith Abel, offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice
Enoch, was translated that he might not see death
Noah, being warned of God prepared an ark to the saving of his house
Abraham, when he was called of God left his kindred
Sarah, conceived and bare a son
Abraham, when he was tried offered up Isaac
Isaac, blessed Jacob and Esau when he was old
Pg. 4
“OUR PICTURE OF GOD”
Jacob, when he was dying gave charge to his sons
Joseph, when he died made them promise not to bury him in Egypt
Moses, when he was born was hid
Moses, when he was come to age refused to be called the son of Pharaohs
Moses, forsook Egypt
the walls of Jericho fell
the harlot Rahab perished not
Your picture of God, or how you see God, will determine what you are in God, or what you receive from God. When you see him through his word, every promise that’s in the Word belongs to you
