The Emotions of God Show us His Character
Ex 4:14 God got angry at Moses for wanting someone else to speak for him.
Nom 11:1 God was displeased at the children of Israel for complaining and He got angry
Num 12:8 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses and God got angry at them.
This is just a few of the many, many times The Lord got angry in the Old Testament.
In the Scriptures, God loves and hates. God has pleasure and displeasure. God has compassion, anger, and jealousy. God laughs, mourns and rejoices.
Quick question: If God is controlling every aspect and decision in our lives, why would he get angry about our choices? Why would He be displeased? Is He getting angry at His own choices? Or was He getting angry at Israel?
“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:5–6, NKJV)
Why must we believe God or believe in Him in order to find Him? Why is faith important, if God is controlling every choice we make?
Faith is the gift of God. Every person is given a measure of faith. It is possible for all to have faith because it is the gift of God. The Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh, so all can have faith, hope and love, but not all walk in faith, hope and love.
Is God controlling all that we do? Psalms says, “It is God who made us and not we ourselves.” We are made by God. Still, the age old argument exists. Does God control us or does He give us the ability to choose?
Maybe we spend too much time on that question. God controls what He controls, judges what He judges, gives choices to whom He gives choices, calls whom He calls, anoints whom He anoints, is merciful to whom He chooses. His ways are higher than our ways.
Can we know God’s ways? “Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.” (Psalm 25:4–10, NKJV)
“For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?” For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 11:32–12:2, NKJV)
“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:9–16, NKJV)
Instead of arguing whether or not God controls everything we do, let’s just obey God and make sure He is in control of us. Get in the word and do what He tells us to do. Don’t argue about God’s commands, do them, and do them in faith, hope and love. Do them from a place of relationship with Him.
Seek His face and get close to Him. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20, NKJV)
“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” (Philippians 3:7–10, NKJV)
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:3–6, NKJV)
“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” (1 John 3:18–23, NKJV)
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”” (John 8:31–32, NKJV)
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:7–11, NKJV)