The Personality of God
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5
The purpose of the Bible is for our understanding of God and his love for us. The Bible is not a rule book, it’s a book about God’s love and how he renews our mind and heart to become like Jesus. The Bible also identifies our new Godly character and how we become the person God created us to be.
We can understand God’s personality by reading his words he gave to the prophets about Israel, and we can see his heart when he is pleased with Israel. We see his hurt and anger when they ignore his words and go into idol worship. Why have they aroused my anger with their images, with their worthless foreign idols? (Jeremiah 8:18) For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me,” says the Lord, (Jeremiah 4:22) We as parents, get angry when our children disobey us. We punish them, yet we still love our children. The Lord is angry and sad when we sin and refuse to repent, still he continues to love us. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. (Hebrews 12:6)
Since we are created in the image of God, he wants us to understand that the toxicity of sin in our lives is bad for us, both physically and spiritually. Science has shown that our thinking has a powerful influence on our mental and physical health. Our minds are created for love and hope, while fear, unforgiveness, anger etc., are toxic to our health.
The personality of God can be seen in Godly parents, except God has perfect love and perfect wisdom. His goal is to mold us to the mind of Christ giving us life to the full and bringing us to our Heavenly home. He fills his children with the Holy Spirit, connecting us to him so he can guide us through life with his divine help.
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27) We are created in the image of God, and Satan tries to wire our minds to the ways of the world, and that is why God has to renew our mind to become the person he created us to be. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2) In order for the Lord to renew our minds he must discipline us just a parent disciplines their Child.
Jesus lived in the flesh and showed us how to live the way we are created, with a mind filled with God’s love and compassion. We are all being molded to have the mind of Christ, a mind filled with love and a mind without toxic thoughts. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.(Luke 13:34) Jesus revealed the heart of God, perfect love and compassion, always with forgiveness for those with a repentant heart.
Today try and live as Jesus would live your day. Take time to think what Jesus might say and do in your conservations. After doing this for awhile, reflecting Christ will become more natural.
Prayer: Lord, guide my thoughts, words, and actions to be Christ-like today. Mold my mind and heart to that of Christ. In Jesus name, Amen