Does God love His glory more than He loves us?

[johnthebaptist]

22 hours ago, Figure of eighty said:

I know this may be a controversial subject-- but its something ive thought about. 

Im having a hard time believing god genuinely loves us.

 

The reason the Lord has glory is that he loves us more than he loves his glory.

[Meerkat]

On 5/10/2019 at 9:56 AM, Figure of eighty said:

I know this may be a controversial subject-- but its something ive thought about. 

Im having a hard time believing god genuinely loves us.

 

Does God love God's glory more than God love's God's Creation? Why no, no God doesn't. 

[Neighbor]

On 5/9/2019 at 9:01 PM, Figure of eighty said:

Its hard for me to know when God can passively watch horrid things take place and not intervene. 

I just...idk if He loves us.. 

God is not passive. God does not sit and watch from afar. God is actively indwelling each of us that are His own. He is actively preparing a place for us at this very moment. God the Father hears, listens to Jesus His son as He Jesus intercedes with His Father regarding our prayers. When those that are of the fold of Jesus given to Jesus by His  Father pray but cannot find words or are in so great an anguish that we may not speak as we seek Him, God the Holy Spirit, who indwells each  of us that are  of the fold of Jesus, groans out to God the Father even as Jesus intercedes pleading for us. All the persons of triune God are active in  the life of each of us all the time. 

If one feels God is distant it is not God's fault. He has made full provision  for all that hear the call of the Holy Spirit and heed that call to turn about to Jesus as Lord God and personal savior.

God does chastise, He does correct , He does anger, He is also patient, and just, and merciful.  What He is not is anyone's doting grandfather. He is God to be worshipped, for He is Holy God. He is not a lucky charm, He is not a genie in a bottle. He is awesome God. 

God is triune, existing  as Holy Spirit Jesus and Father, I don't really understand how anyone thinking on that a bit might conclude that God passively watches from afar like that really irreverent and diabolically errant song from the album The Rose, by Bette Midler, proclaims.

The Idea of God watching from afar is so wrong it is hard to believe one can read  the Bible, or see the things of each day and not conclude that but by the Holy Spirit  comforting us the whole of this world would be aflame in  violent nuclear war this very moment. God is actively restraining evil right now for His own. I don't know how much more up close and personal  God can be  than to  be our very creator, our master, our provisioner, our restrainer of evil. Why there is nothing that is done that is not  under the active sovereign's hand. The hand of God is upon all that is.

If a person is feeling God is distant from them it is not God's fault. One might need, desperately need, to turn about from their own sin against God, and instead praise him giving thanks in all things.  Yep, thanks for that great parking space that opened up in a full shopping center, and thanks that one did not open up and thus  there was no accident that would have happened other wise. Give thanks means give thanks. It does not mean give me more stuff  thank you very much, for I want more stuff, I want easy  in my life and I want it now.

The created does not command the creator. The created does not judge the creator, nor make demands of Him that He prove himself to what He has created.

Instead; that which is created need be humble, very humble. Instead; that which is created need learn of it's own creator if the creator has given it that ability.  

All that have the Holy Spirit indwelling them have that ability, but it is work. Reading the word of God, praying, thinking upon the word, making  one's life be holy is work, hard work; though it is made light  under the yoke  of Jesus it is work none the less.  The yoke is a good fit not a harsh one, but it is not free reign to go Gee when God is commanding Haw.  Go as God commands is what God commands.

Being freed from the Law is not being free to sit and make demands of God. It is opportunity, duty, and privilege, to be willing servant, a bond-servant in the army of Jesus serving Him as He wills, not as the created chooses, when the created chooses, and how the created chooses.

[henok]

The Bible, clearly states that God is love but not is glory. thus, he gave us one and only begotten son because he loves human kind. having said that, we are redeemed to give glory to almighty God. 

[Pekoudah]

On 5/9/2019 at 8:56 PM, Figure of eighty said:

I know this may be a controversial subject-- but its something ive thought about. 

Im having a hard time believing god genuinely loves us.

 

It's a very human thing to make things one thing OR the other. That being said, it is a good question.

God loves us IN His glory. It isn't one or the other. It is who He is. He can't love us in what He is not. Eternal love and eternal glory are fully compatible...one cannot exist without the other. That is the nature of God and eternal things. What isn't compatible is a selfish love and eternal glory. That would be a selfish love and vainglory. God does not love us selfishly...He doesn't love as we do. So there is no compromise in His love. God will pay every cost for His love. The problem is that we would make God pay and pay...for ever....that is unless we get with the program.

God is selfless. He considers what is pure and eternal in nature. People who stand against all that is love, and pure, and eternal...will not be permitted to interfere with they who do. Anything that offends will be cut off. Otherwise eternity would just continue to be chaos and wars. A house divided cannot stand.

We have been given free will. God has laid out the parameters. If we want to live then we will heed God's warnings...and live. But if we are indifferent to God's will...and seek another way than God's....then that way will be cut off.

God is patient with us. He gives us time to get in tune with what brings life. But He has shown us both the way of life and the way of death. We are responsible for what we choose.

 

Taking responsibility for our actions is no longer seen as something important or necessary. But if we realize that every action we do has eternal repercussions....then we would have a different attitude.

Edited May 12, 2019 by Pekoudah

[Co - heir in Christ]

   The demons were revealed to me first (in dramatic fashion [I was actually possessed for a while, etc.]), and I was given a test. I chose God and He revealed His Holy Spirit to me, and came through for me in many ways.

   One of the things He did was teach me how to notice when I'm being attacked by demons, so I'd know when to rebuke them, etc., and so I'd never end up their slave again.

   They kept attacking, in a multitude of ways, in rapid succession, and I became quite overwhelmed (I'd been forced to give up all other physical obligations just to fight them, and I was exhausted, and in despair).

   I finally broke down and started crying uncontrollably. I called out to the Lord, I said, "God, I don't know what to do!"

   Instantly, every demonic presence around me was expelled, and I was held/enveloped by God's amazing love. That's how I usually describe it, but I'll never be able to put it in words.

   I felt absolute, perfect bliss, happiness, ecstasy and peace beyond imagining (and in every level of my being: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), and it was totally pure (no drug could ever compare).

   At this point I was still sobbing, but they were no longer tears of sorrow, but tears of perfect bliss.

   This is also when God implanted the knowledge into my soul that my brother was saved (he'd committed suicide a few years or so previously) as I've mentioned elsewhere), and He told me some things about my future.

   As I was sobbing, I kept saying, "Thank You, thank You...," over and over again.

   God wanted me to see that I can't do it alone (although, it was partially a test, too, to see how hard/long I'd persist in resisting the enemy, or if I'd give in to him) - that I have to always rely on Him, and that He'll always be faithful to deliver me.

   Before I came to know God (even during those periods of my life when I was trying to live for God [although nowhere near as well as I could've/should've been], and I believed His Word), I didn't understand how those Heavenly creatures that are permanently/eternally in God's presence (before His Throne, worshipping Him), could have a fulfilling existence; it seemed to my unenlightened mind like it would be a dull way to spend eternity.

   I was ashamed of these thoughts - I knew they were blasphemous - but try as I might to eradicate them, they were always hovering in the background.

   Due to the aforementioned experience, I now know that to be eternally in God's presence would be the absolute BEST way to spend eternity; there would be NOTHING lacking. I had just a tiny glimpse of what it would be like - I wasn't even truly in His actual presence, I was still in my cell - but my every need was fulfilled, and I no longer had any of my past worries, concerns or pain. I was as I was meant to be.

   God showed me how much He loves me. And I know He loves everyone just as much as me.

   God loves you w/ a pure and perfect love beyond what you could ever comprehend; you are PRECIOUS to Him - one of a kind, and it breaks His heart when you feel pain.

   But, God truly is the only One worthy of honor, glory and praise. God showed me (I've talked about this elsewhere, too) that ANYTHING good about a person (whether it be a personality trait, a talent or an achievement, etc.) is a gift from Him (and we can use these gifts for good - for Him - or we can waste them).

   God is the only Uncreated Being (and He's absolute perfection and love), and absolutely nothing good can exist that is separate from God.

   So, it's imperative that we acknowledge that God is the only One worthy of glory, and that we render this glory to God (He more than deserves it - both for His greatness alone, and for everything He's done for us [e.g., creating us, performing countless miracles and fulfilling a ton of prophecies, giving us His Word, saving us, giving us His Holy Spirit and eternal life/happiness, etc., etc.]).

   God is not some megalomaniac. He just wants us to rely on the only perfectly reliable foundation there is - Him. It's just the way it is; if we rely on anything else, we will falter.

   He keeps reminding us to give Him - and not ourselves/mankind - the glory because He knows that if we begin to lack appreciation for His glory, then we'll start trusting in our own ability (which is useless); we won't be resting firmly on the only Rock that can give us a secure foundation, and He doesn't want us to be lost or experience all of the pain that would lead to.

   I wanted to include this because of something else I saw you say in the thread. The reason bad things happen is because God loves us too much to ever take away our free will and turn us into robots. This life is a test. It wouldn't be much of a test if we never experienced pain, discomfort or doubt - if it were always fun and games. We'd never truly understand happiness and love if we'd never experienced sadness and hate.

   But, God doesn't just watch these tragedies happen. He feels all of the pain that we all experience (even the Scriptures say that when we neglect to feed the poor, etc., it's the same as if we've done it to Yeshua/jesus).

   God's Holy Spirit is everywhere. He's always calling to people, knocking, and hoping He'll be let in.

   And, He's always protecting us. All of those tragedies would be indescribably more tragic if it weren't for God protecting us (that old, anonymous 'Footprints in the Sand' poem/writing is 100% true; God showed me that He was always w/ me in my life - even during those times when I was cursing Him).

   God sees all of time, including the entire future, at the same time. His plans are way more complex than we know, and there's a reason for everything, even if we can't make sense of things as they're happening.

   All things work out for the good for those who love God. God can, and often does, use horrible events to save people's souls.

  I was hopeless in worldly terms, when the hour of my visitation came, but I chose God, so He delivered me from my enemies, got me out of prison early (when I would've been a lifer otherwise, due to things I was forced to do), and now He's using me to spread His healing and joy all over the place.

   When God revealed His Holy Spirit to me, I learned - once and for all - that there is NO cruelty in God, and stories in the Bible that used to be a little odd to me, finally made sense. But it's hard to explain it to someone else; one really has to experience it for oneself, so I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to impart this surety to you.

   

Edited May 13, 2019 by Co - heir in Christ
Wanted to add something because of another thing I saw in the thread.