Think Rightly About God

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Where do I get my concept of God?

In reading through The Knowledge of the Holy by AW Tozer's first chapter, I am challenged to think about how our concept of God is being shaped.  More specifically, how is my concept of God being shaped?

In my earlier years of following Jesus, I would say the physical local church that I attended fed my concept of God with small doses of the media.  They often competed, but I came out knowing God as a friend and forgiver.  But is that who God really is?

As I have been journeying through life and (hopefully) growing in my knowledge and relationship with God, I am realizing that I usually depend on other people's opinion and teaching to inform me of who God is.  Although this is not a bad idea in itself (after all, that is what pastors do for a living - tell others about who God is and those listening should be better for it), I do need to learn about God on my own.

But why do I need to know God on my own?

"Wrong ideas about God are not only the fountain from which the polluted waters of idolatry flow; they are themselves idolatrous. The idolater simply imagines things about God and acts if they were true." Tozer

My belief in God will influence how I live and represent Him.  In the past, I didn't think much of developing my personal, right thinking of who God is.  I have realized the error in that and trusting God know Him in the right way.

My plan is:

• read the Bible regularly - God has revealed himself in his Word.  I need to read the Bible through once every 2-3 years
• James 1:17 - thank God for every good and perfect gift.  This helps me to acknowledge the truth of God's blessing and takes my relationship with God to the realm of experiencing Him
• take faith steps that rely on God (i.e. I can't do it on my own).  Again, this takes my faith to the experience realm. 

What do you do to help you think and know God rightly?