Do we put a limit on what God can do for us?

Question

Or does God determine how much He is willing to give us?

Your thoughts are welcome.

Answer 1

In the Bible, God tells us that if we, being evil, know how to give good gifts, how much more He wants to give good gifts to us. It also says he have not because we ask not. I especially agree with one response: we ask for the wrong things. When we ask anything according to God's will, if we believe, we will receive. But we limit God primarily because we don't bother to study to find out what His will is, and our little finite brains cannot truly grasp how huge God is, how truly powerful and loving and generous He is, and (especially) that we are the object of that love and He wants to give us everything! We also limit Him by not being obedient, not trusting Him and not "walking th walk" as He asks in His Word.

I don't think it's possible to rely "too much" on God.

Answer 2

To the first part of the question, I feel that the majority of us do put a limit on what God can do for us. As to the second part of the question, God does at times limit what He is willing to give us as His children for He wants what is best for us.

Answer 3

In some of the 3rd world country's people are being healed and set free. Remember Jesus could not do many miracles because of unbelief We listen to people trying to lead us away from God. Remember the Bible says (that the fool has said in his heart that there is no God. Yes I think we do limit God he is such a wonderful friend and someone we can go to no mater what time of the day or night I need him to be there for me. God Bless

Answer 4

We don't put limits, but thank God that He does.

Forgive me, but, I can't stand those seek it and claim preachers. For some it's all about what you can get out of God. That makes me sick to the core, when the real gospel is crying to be heard and when the real message for repentance is so lacking. It's all about building mega this and mega that. We need to wake up snoring saints and let them know that Jesus is at the door. If this is not the object of the messager than he is not from God, but a wolf in sheeps clothing.

Answer 5

I disagree, particularly among evangelical fundamentalist Christians, perhaps there is a tendency to expect too much from God. People do not get healed, people do not become millionnaires by sending "seed faith" monetary gifts to televangelists, some folk wind up giving their way to the brink of bankruptcy instead, loved ones die, people wind up having to look to themselves for answers and ways out of difficulties.

I think that God has a plan, and what He might, or might not be willing to do for a particular individual is based upon whether it fits into His plan. If it does, then He will give or help as He sees fit, and people generally think that they were blessed by doing or saying the right things. If it does not fit into the plan, then sadly, you are on your own, and no amount of tears, or fasting or praying or pouring your heart out to Him will help at all. He might get choked up, there might even be tears, but nothing more.

And they wind up gravely disappointed.

God, the "Father" is a being of infinate will, but also, infinate Self. Jesus is the caring, loving aspect of the Godhead, but even then ultimately subordinate to the Will.

As for the statement "God Is Love", I'm still trying to figure that out. Define "love"...

Thanks for your time.

I would point out Kenneth Copeland and his "prosperity theology" as an interesting example of teaching people to rely too much on God.

Answer 6

God doesn't determine how much He gives us. The Bible says He freely gives us all things. The limits we encounter are, I believe, a lack of faith on our part. "Nothing is impossible to Him who believes". Also, read Luke 18:1-8 !!!

Answer 7

We put limits on God. God gave us dominion in Gen 1:26-28. We limit God by our lack of operating in that dominion. Some people say that it is a lack of faith that limits God, but I believe that is only part of it. Yes, faith is a factor, but the words that come out of our mouths are another factor. The amount of unconfessed sin in our lives is another factor. Unforgiveness is still another factor.

Accepting a bad report from a doctor is a faith killer. Some church leader telling us the lie that it might not be God's will to heal is a faith killer.

Funny though, it seems that it is the person who tells us that it might not be God's will to heal who is usually the first person to tell us to go to the doctor.

Answer 8

Yes, I believe that we do limit the blessings! It has everything to do with that free will thing! Gets between us and God alot!

Plus, I believe that God loves us so much that if we were more centered on Him, we would be more receptive to these blessings.

I do not think for one moment that God determines who gets what blessings! That would be pre-destined! No, God gives us a choice and so, we, as His children, are capable of receiving much....problem is, we're too busy to see them and sometimes, to receive them!

Answer 9

A.W. Tozer (South Side Chicago minister and 20th century prophet) said:

Among the sins to which the human heart is prone, hardly any other is more hateful to God than idolatry, for idolatry is at bottom a libel on His character. The idolatrous heart assumes that God is other than He is - in itself a monstrous sin - and substitutes for the true God one made after its own likeness. Always this God will conform to the image of the one who created it and will be base or pure, cruel or kind, according to the moral state of the mind from which it emerges.

A god begotten in the shadows of a fallen heart will quite naturally be no true likeness of the true God. ”Thou thoughtest,” said the Lord to the wicked man in the psalm, ”that I was altogether such as one as thyself.” Surely this must be a serious affront to the Most High God before whom cherubim and seraphim continually do cry, ”Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth.”

Let us beware lest we in our pride accept the erroneous notion that idolatry consists only in kneeling before visible objects of adoration, and that civilized peoples are therefore free from it. The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him. It begins in the mind and may be present where no overt act of worship has taken place.

So yes, I am guilty of putting a limit on what God can do, whenever I do not "think rightly about God".

P.S. Dear "pissdownsatansback", please read Jude 9-11 and then reconsider your screen name.

Answer 10

I think we definately put a limit on what God can do for us because we think we know all the answers. We also doubt that we could be loved so unconditionally. If we let fear and pride go we would open up so many possibilities for ourselves. I believe His love is unlimited for us as His wishes for us.