Wonderful insight as to what it's all about!

mfblume · #1 10-09-2009, 09:47 PM

I read this in a book lately:

"Another common denominator is that all religions have as their primary focus the needs of the worshiper, not the needs of the worshiped. Religious people always serve their gods with the ulterior motive of expecting or hoping for something good in return. Their prayers are self centered, usually focused almost exclusively on personal needs and desires. No attention is given to the needs of the deity beyond that which is necessary to appease it and persuade it to act on their behalf. In the religion of man, the purpose of god is to fix things."

MYLES MUNROE,
APPLYING THE KINGDOM

Sadly, many circles of Christianity are guilty of that. Actually every group of Christianity has people who think like this. It's probably the majority concept since it's fleshly and flesh usually leads the sway.

Aquila · #2 10-09-2009, 09:54 PM

God doesn't have needs. God doesn't need man to provide him anything. God doesn't need man. Truth is... man needs God. Without God man is hopelessly lost to live in deep sorrow and despair. It is God, because of his infinite love, who chose to form a relationship with man for man's well being. It is God, because of his infinite love, who chose to give us commandments to live by that bring peace, joy, and happiness. It is God, who because of his infinite love, who chose to come to earth and die in every man's place to set us free from the bondage of sin and to offer eternal hope to all humanity. It isn't a "religion" of man that holds that God's purpose is to fix things... it is God, because of his infinite love, who plans to one day "make all things new".

mfblume · #3 10-09-2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila

God doesn't have needs. God doesn't need man to provide him anything. God doesn't need man. Truth is... man needs God. Without God man is hopelessly lost to live in deep sorrow and despair.

I disagree. God does indeed have needs. His kingdom needs to come to this earth. And He needs us to pray for this. He is not going to bypass the fact that we have a free will and we either choose His or not.

Yes, man needs God. However, God is not flesh and must manifest in our flesh to see His Kingdom work in the world now.

Michael The Disciple · #4 10-10-2009, 03:46 AM

Paul says we must believe God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Nothing wrong with that concept. Just keep in mind the phrase "diligently seek him".

Put him first in all things. He will bless you.

Seek first the kingdom of God all else will be added to you.

Our needs are important to the Lord.

shag · #5 10-10-2009, 08:48 AM

Heres my 3 cents. I think many do focus on fitting God into their will, and even serve him for "personal gain". But there are also some that realize God has a will and a purpose, and we are suppose to find what His will & purpose is, and see what manner of "role" we "play" in bringing His will to pass(even without personal gain). I believe He does in fact need us to perform this.

1 Cor. 5:15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

I believe we not only need Him, but I believe he needs us, and that is why he makes His appeal THRU us.

Myles Munroe puts out some good books concerning the Kingdom

I have his book "Rediscovering the Kingdom". Its a good book. I need to read his others.

mfblume · #6 10-10-2009, 10:13 AM

Good thoughts folks!

God has needs:

Matthew 21:3 KJV And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

We know the Lord does not need things for the same purpose we do. But due to HIS LOVE for us, He has needs in order to fulfill His will.

But this is missing the whole point. the point is that too many serve God only to find their carnal needs met, and do not consider the needs of others or the need to pray for something aside from meeting their personal needs.

I like something else that Munroe said: When we make His needs our priority, God will make our needs His priority!

IOW, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all these other things will be added unto you.

mfblume · #7 10-10-2009, 10:20 AM

How many folks would serve God if they never felt a shiver up their spine on Sunday, or never had a prophecy given to them every now and then? Or had to live a life threatened by martyrdom in nations where the gospel is prohibited? Makes one think.

Aquila · #8 10-10-2009, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfblume

I disagree. God does indeed have needs. His kingdom needs to come to this earth. And He needs us to pray for this. He is not going to bypass the fact that we have a free will and we either choose His or not.

Yes, man needs God. However, God is not flesh and must manifest in our flesh to see His Kingdom work in the world now.

God doesn't need us. He can raise up children from the stones if necessary. His Kingdom will come to this earth...nothing we do or don't do can stop it. Not praying for it will not prevent it. God doesn't need us to pray for it. Praying for it is for our benefit...it keeps us focused upon it that we might be part of it when it arrives. Yes, we have a free will...but God is all powerful and all knowing, therefore he effects our free will for his ultimate purpose in all things. God doesn't need us. We need him.

And God doesn't need flesh to effect his creation either. God is God and has need of nothing.

shag · #9 10-10-2009, 03:02 PM

Maybe the word "choses" would be more fitting, than the word "needs" concerning God's will coming to pass thru the working of His body of believers. He choses to use his church, but He could use "stones or donkeys", I suppose. And concerning Him needing us, if it is considered a "need" of His....how many billion times has He been let down by His body? That in mind, I dont really see Him as "needing" us like he is dependent on us, but rather, simply desiring to work thru us.

Aquila · #10 10-10-2009, 03:05 PM

I fear that when we insist that God needs us we imply that God relies on us to not not only advance his cause....but implies that we can also thwart his cause and render his will unfulfilled. Such a concept renders God a passive observer on the edge of his seat hoping we do the right thing for him to accomplish his will and desire. It makes man... God.