Envisioning God… When you close your eyes, how do you imagine God? When you think of God, what images come to mind? “Take it with you” journal Doodle, take notes, sketch, color, acrylic painting Share your perceptions during coffee time

The last 2 weeks… God as creator An architect? A planner? A designer of intricate detail? A lonely being? A puppeteer?

The last 2 weeks… God as law-giver A being who inflicts fear? A being who displays power? A being who commands respect? A being who compassionately shows people how to live in freedom and security? A being who works against chaos to bring stability From Got Questions In Genesis, as Jacob blesses his children, he promises Judah that his brothers will praise him and that they will bow down to him. Jacob also tells Judah, “You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?” (Genesis 49:9). Jacob says that in the future the scepter and ruler’s staff will not depart from Judah “until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be His” (Genesis 49:10). This messianic prophecy points forward to the second coming of the Lord Jesus, the descendant of Judah who will rule the earth (Revelation 19:11–16). Based on Jacob’s blessing, the lion is a symbol of the tribe of Judah, which is known as the kingly tribe (King David was of the tribe of Judah). Lions symbolize power, fierceness, and majesty. Lions are the king of the beasts, and the Lion of the tribe of Judah is the king of everything. In the Old Testament, God is sometimes described as being like a lion. In Isaiah 31:4, just “as a lion growls, a great lion over its prey—and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts . . . so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.” The Lord is not afraid of His enemies.

16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

God always has “His people” Ancient history: Adam and Eve and family Noah and His family Abraham and His family 12 tribes Israel Jesus comes as fulfillment of Israel’s prophecies All who follow Jesus: Israelites and Gentiles Very important slide What God are we talking about? Only one God. God who is consistent throughout the Bible Standing on the side of Joshua as they overtook Canaan. Look at the practices of the people they overthrew Sacrifice of children Deut 18 9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.

Why a symbol of a lion? Is 31:3 But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God;     their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand,     those who help will stumble,     those who are helped will fall;     all will perish together. 4 This is what the Lord says to me:

All Scripture references NIV “As a lion growls,     a great lion over its prey— and though a whole band of shepherds     is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts     or disturbed by their clamor— so the Lord Almighty will come down     to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. 5 Like birds hovering overhead,     the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it,     he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it.” All Scripture references NIV From Got Questions In Genesis, as Jacob blesses his children, he promises Judah that his brothers will praise him and that they will bow down to him. Jacob also tells Judah, “You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?” (Genesis 49:9). Jacob says that in the future the scepter and ruler’s staff will not depart from Judah “until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be His” (Genesis 49:10). This messianic prophecy points forward to the second coming of the Lord Jesus, the descendant of Judah who will rule the earth (Revelation 19:11–16). Based on Jacob’s blessing, the lion is a symbol of the tribe of Judah, which is known as the kingly tribe (King David was of the tribe of Judah). Lions symbolize power, fierceness, and majesty. Lions are the king of the beasts, and the Lion of the tribe of Judah is the king of everything. In the Old Testament, God is sometimes described as being like a lion. In Isaiah 31:4, just “as a lion growls, a great lion over its prey—and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts . . . so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.” The Lord is not afraid of His enemies.

Like a Lion… Not fearful No amount of shouts rattle Him. Will come down to do battle Shield Jerusalem Deliver Jerusalem Pass over Jerusalem Rescue Jerusalem

Like a lion, God is a warrior God fights for His people that are wholly devoted to serving Him If we align with God, God aligns with us. Cannot ask God to align with us unless we have examined ourselves to make sure we are following in His ways. Beware of nationalistic religion

God “fights” for His people Stands on your side An advocate for you Causes details to work out so that you will not be overcome

God fights for His people Josh 23:1  After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, 2 summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. 3 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. 4 Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west.

God fights for His people 5 The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you. 6 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. 7 Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them.

God fights for His people 8 But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now. 9 “The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. 10 One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. 11 So be very careful to love the Lord your God.

God fights for His people Josh 23:12 “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, 13 then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.

God loves it when His people have pure hearts God continually warns us to stay away from those things that would drag us away from a close relationship with Him. The temptations of this world are visible God is not Temptations can be touched, smelled, heard, Don’t intermarry with those outside of our faith in God /Jehovah.

Look at the way(s) God has protected you! You came to Jesus Found yourself saying “no” to bad influences Over time they came back, you began to dabble You were raised in a Christian home Parents / God shielded you from bad influences “But” you reasoned, “I never got to…”

What is the remnant of bad influences in your life? “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, 13 then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you What remains of your overthrown life that is now a snare and trap for you?

If you want God to fight for you, put a plan in place to… limit your temptation(s) Surrender your heart Make sure the actions of your life align with Jesus’ teachings (a note about works) Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God fought for you Against the powers of darkness Against the devil that had people in his grip Rev 5:4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, “It is finished”

Are you… asking God to fight as part of your army with you as the commander? Aligning yourself with God as commander with you a soldier in His army?

So What? God loves all people God has a special place in His heart for His people; (those who have responded to Him through Jesus) Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8 Personal; not National Not fearful No amount of shouts rattle Him. Will come down to do battle Shields His people So What?