If you ask a group of people what God is like, you will receive many different answers. Some will say He is a force somewhere in the cosmos, while others picture a benevolent grandfather type who overlooks “little sins.” Most of the time, the description given will reveal more about the speaker than about the real Jehovah. In fact, the true God might surprise you.
As the Father reveals Himself in Scripture, one word that’s never used when referring to Him is “it.” God is a person; in every reference, He is given a name (Yahweh, Elohim, Lord) or referred to by masculine pronouns (He, Him). He fits all of the attributes of personhood—intelligence to reason, emotions to feel, and the will to make decisions. From Genesis to Revelation, God displays these features.
Scripture also shows God’s immutability. Let us be clear about what that means: Neither the Lord’s nature nor His character ever changes—He is always Spirit, and His love remains constant. We can all expect that God’s principles and laws will hold true and that He will act exactly as He has promised. While He does adjust His emotions to fit a situation, delight, anger, and other feelings are nuances of His being, not new traits.
God is eternal—He has no beginning or end. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. No one created Him; God simply is. That’s hard for humans to understand, but if the Lord were completely explainable, He would be like us and unworthy of worship. If we are to honor the Father, we should know Him as He really is—eternal and unchanging.
Sharing is a learned quality; it simply is not a natural characteristic. Observe what young children do. They squabble over who goes first, whose piece of cookie is bigger, and who plays with their toys. As adults, we struggle as well, especially when it comes to our finances. We demand to have our “rightful share” and keep what is ours. The choices we make with our finances—how much we hold, how much and how often we give—reveal where we place our trust.
God calls Christians to a lifestyle of generous giving, not of accumulating and hoarding. He tells us to find security in our relationship with Him rather than in our assets. Why? Because for most of us, no matter how much we have, it never feels like enough. Also, when we focus on money, we open the door to uncertainty and anxiety. What if we lose our job, miss the promotion, get a long-term illness, or witness a stock market decline? When our finances suffer, our sense of security decreases.
But if our security is in our relationship with God through Christ, then we’ll be thankful for what we have and will trust Him for the future. We’ll keep finances in their proper perspective: They are given to us by God to be used for His purposes, not ours.
One of God’s purposes is that we support the local church. How generously do you contribute to your congregation? Do you look for additional opportunities to give? Do you have a positive attitude when you hear financial appeals? Let your giving pattern reveal that you’ve placed your security in God rather than money.
Sometimes we want to pray for another person but aren’t sure what to say. If you’ve ever been confused about how to intercede for someone, Paul’s prayer in Colossians is appropriate for every person and every situation. Because it aligns perfectly with God’s will, you can ask these requests with confidence—both for yourself and for others:
To be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Not only do we need to know God’s plan for our lives; we also require discernment to distinguish His guiding voice from our own self-directed notions.
To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all ways. Our lives should be patterned after the One we follow, with a goal of glorifying Him.
To bear fruit in every good work. Instead of being wrapped up in our own jobs, possessions, pleasures, and plans, we should be contributing to others’ lives.
To increase in the knowledge of God. By reading His Word and applying it to our lives, we will gain a deeper understanding of the Lord.
To be strengthened with His power so we remain steadfast. The Christian life can be lived only with the Holy Spirit’s power.
To joyously give thanks for all God has done for us. Believers should be characterized by joy and gratitude.
Too often we focus our requests on temporal needs and miss the deeper spiritual work God wants to do. Imagine how effective your prayers will be if you’ll shift the emphasis of your petitions to the Lord’s desires. He will transform you and the people for whom you intercede.
Since praying is such a common practice for believers, over time it’s easy to fall into habits that result in a lifeless and empty prayer life. Instead of a dynamic conversation with thoughtful requests and active listening for God’s response, our prayers can seem more like grocery lists. Because communication with the Lord is such a vital part of the Christian life, we occasionally need to examine how we’re doing. Begin by asking yourself these questions:
- How effective are my prayers? Is the Lord answering your petitions, or does it seem as if they never go past the ceiling?
- Who am I praying for? Are most of your requests for yourself or are they for others?
- What am I asking God to do? Have you looked in the Word to see what He wants, or are you praying according to your plans and desires?
- When do I pray? Is it only when you need something?
If you discovered any selfishness in your answers, you’re not alone. Most of us struggle to enter God’s presence with our eyes focused on Him instead of our needs. But the only way we’ll be able to pray with impact is to fill our minds with Scripture so we can find out what the Lord wants to do.
Your prayer life can become effective and dynamic if you’ll approach the Lord with a clean heart (Ps. 66:18), align your requests with His will, and believe He will do what He says (Num. 23:19; John 14:13). Then you’ll be able to pray with absolute confidence, knowing that He will hear and answer your petitions.
The book of Proverbs has much to say about people who are lazy. They are regarded as sluggards who do not think beyond today (Proverbs 20:4), who wrongly consider themselves wise (Proverbs 26:16), and who are on a path leading to future poverty.
When people develop a habit of laziness, they tend to offer excuses—such as “I was too tired” or “I ran out of time” or “I wasn’t sure what you were asking for.” They’ll avoid doing something they don’t like, even if it’s their responsibility, and they won’t bother to seek clarification when a request isn’t clear. Instead, they do only what pleases them. Sadly, individuals who act this way have trouble recognizing what they are doing wrong, and they find criticism unreasonable. Though such men and women might think that nobody notices their attitude, it is usually very apparent to others.
People may fool themselves and even each other, but God, who sees poor attitudes and careless ways, is not pleased by shoddy efforts. He has prepared work for us to do and expects it to be handled conscientiously. The Lord knows that the consequences of laziness are serious: At work, there is the possibility of frequent criticism or even termination; at home, neglect can add tension to the atmosphere and build frustration; and in a trickle-down effect, children may start copying their parents’ undesirable work habits.
If you are already a disciplined worker but must interact with people who are not, continue to please the Lord with diligence in your work. In addition, pray for patience (Gal. 5:22), and be an example of Christ to those around you.
