To get into God’s mind, you have to start from the beginning of the Bible. In Genesis, you can see He’s thinking of creating, and does it step by step. And then He talks to someone, ‘let us make man in our own image’. When you go further into the scriptures, you find that Jesus mentions something crucial; he says, he was there at the beginning, John 6:62. And then he says, the Father sent him, and afterwards he says, ‘I’m going back to the Father in heaven’. He is currently seated at the right hand of God the Father.
When you keep on reading, you get to a scripture in Isaiah, whereby God says to us, ‘as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my thoughts higher than yours’…Isaiah 55:9. So here we learn, his thoughts are far higher than ours. This includes his plan, intelligence, generosity, judgement, kindness, love, patience, forgiveness, and justice.
Before Jesus, he uses prophets such as Abraham, to get glimpse of his thinking. When it came to Moses, he speaks to him directly by giving him the Ten Commandments and explains why.
The Ten Commandments are crucial to get us on the right track, but Jesus extends God’s requirements even further. The Bible says, God proclaimed the commandments in a loud voice, from out of the fire. And it goes on to say, they are designed for our protection and also to enjoy life in peace. (Why did God choose fire? I ask. The Holy Spirit says, fire, as God’s creation, has a way of getting our attention quickly – a sign of being alert to God’s purpose). Deuteronomy 5
- You shall have no other gods before me. (there is only one God the creator of heaven and the earth with all living things)
- You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of worship.
- You shall not misuse the name of God (YHWH), e.g. blasphemy, swearing falsely Matt. 5:33-37, using Him to do acts of terror which are not connected to his will, etc)
- Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy ( this helps us to reflect on what is more important, thus taking a break from work)
- Honour your parents. (most parents have got their children’s best interest at heart)
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery. (divorce and adultery breaks hearts)
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not give a false testimony against anyone.
- You shall not covet, or set desire on something that belongs to someone else. (Admiring something is one thing but desiring and setting your heart on something that belongs to someone else is another; it causes insecurity). Desiring something we don’t have is Satan’s trap of getting us unhappy, in other words to stop us appreciating what we have already been given by God.
And the scripture says, ‘do what is right and good in God’s sight, so that it may go well with you’…Deut. 6:18. Most people would agree that breaking God’s commandments have consequences. All the commandments have one thing in common – Love. (Loving God and your fellow human being). And where there is love, there is respect.
Without the Bible, we wouldn’t have known the truth about God, or to understand exactly what happened long time ago. So much is revealed in the New Testament and the Old Testament. We learn how he chose the Israelites (descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob) as the first fruits. Even when he does that, he had already planned from the beginning to send his own begotten Son to rescue mankind from Satan’s control. So Yahweh decided that the only way a human can be forgiven of sin, is through his Son.
That’s why he spoke in a loud voice, ‘this is my own Son, listen to him’. Mathew 17:5. So Jesus is his number one. He set him apart to be as holy as Him, and gave him all authority in heaven and on earth, to forgive sins, to save, to judge, and to give eternal life, Mathew 25:31-46, 28:18-20. For every knee will bow before Jesus. Philippians 2
Jesus said, the Father is in me, for every thing he said, came from God. The people who saw Jesus in person had a special opportunity, because seeing Jesus was like seeing God, John 12:45. Jesus also said, he is the only one who saw and knew the Father. Those who love him and put the Bible into practice with a sincere heart will get to know him and the Father, and in the end will inherit eternal life. He said, not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven only those who do the will of my Father in heaven. Matt.7:21. And what’s the will of God? It is to do what pleases him.
So if anyone wants to know the real God, the one who created the world, they have to ask Jesus to open their mind. Luke 24:45. The question is; does God want every human being to believe and read the Bible. The Holy Spirit says, ‘Yes’. Why? Because it holds the words of his Son, whom he has appointed to be above all, for in him there was no sin or error. Does Almighty God want all people to listen to Jesus and do what he says? His Holy Spirit says, ‘Yes’. (It was impossible for Jesus to lie). If anyone wants to know what God thinks, they have to get into Jesus’ mind, in order for them to get a clear picture. Does Jesus want people to cause violence or terror in the name of religion? The Holy Spirit says, No. Does God want people to hate each other because of religion? Jesus says, ‘No’. God wants people to get to know him in truth and love.
The scripture says ‘a thousand years is a day to God. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance’. 2 Peter 3: 8-9. God hates any kind of sin; He wants us to focus on his plan through Jesus – to be saved. Because the scripture says, ‘He is the image of invisible God, the first born over all creation. For by him all things in heaven and earth, visual and invisible…were created. Colossians 1:15-20.
When Jesus came, he opened the door for everyone to have access to God. He emphasised on having faith in God. Believing in Jesus and the Bible scriptures is an important process when it comes to know God. It dictates our actions and flourishes our minds. And if anyone wants to know whether God the Creator of Heaven and Earth wants them to read the Bible and follow its teachings, they have to ask Him in privacy and silence, and He’ll answer them.
Jesus mentions about the judgement, ‘There is a Judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him/her at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say…whatever I say is just as the Father has told me to say’. John 12. God wants us to examine ourselves. If you’re a believer, Jesus says, watch yourself when it comes to sin, and apply the scriptures in your life. Luke 17:3
God has opened my mind to understand the scriptures, that’s why Jesus wants me to share the message. I used to have questions, and God has answered most of my questions. For example, how did different races came about? He gave me an answer.
If you have any questions, be free to ask! Jesus will help me answer your questions, regarding God and the Bible.
(Scriptures from NIV Bible)
We all get to that point when we are troubled or worried by something. Plans not getting our way, marriages break downs, friendship troubles, business ideas fall apart, job situations, children not listening as they should, and so forth.
Again this is a crucial question that targets a side of us that succumbs in doubt sometimes. It is okay to doubt our abilities because we are imperfect, but to doubt God who has absolute power and perfection is a no, no. And more importantly this is a question directed at believers, to get us understand that we have to focus on God or Jesus and take his directions to heart.