God Hates Me

Have you ever gotten the feeling that God doesn't like you? It sure can feel that way sometimes. Just ask Job, the Old Testament man of faith. His wife told Job to "Curse God and die" - Job 2:9. But can God actually hate us? The answer is both yes and no.

The Old testament is filled with examples of an angry God. But if we look at those examples we can soon see why God got angry. Our disobedience.

In Job's case God wasn't angry with Job. It just seemed that way when God allowed Satan to test Job. God actually loved God and was confident of Job's faithfulness. At the end of the Book of Job God actually rewards Job. God loved Job.

God does actually hate things. Proverbs . . .

"16 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community." - Proverbs 6:16-19

If you have any of those characteristics in your makeup, life will not go well for you. But God loves His children and He rewards those who are faithful and obey Him.

"1See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" - 1 John 3:1

When Jesus was on the earth we can easily find examples of what HE hated. He overturned the money table in the synagogue. He also hated the religious leaders of the time. Why? Because they were hypocrites - professing faith but not showing it in their lives.

Hypocrisy is “the gap between public persona and private character. Hypocrisy is the failure to practice what you preach. Appearing outwardly righteous to others, while actually being full of uncleanness and self-indulgence—that’s the definition of hypocrisy.” - Kevin De Young

We can easily find reasons to think God hates us of is angry at us. Maybe He doesn't answer a particular prayer in a timely fashion or we are disobedient to His will in some area of our lives.

I believe that God does NOT hate us, but He can hate things ABOUT us. If you feel like God hates you or doesn't answer a particular prayer, chances are the problem is with you, not Him. Examine the prayer. Is it a righteous prayer in God's eyes? Or only ours?

"If we think God hates us, we don't know Him." - Dave Wager

Life can be frustrating at times, but if we are followers of Christ, if we truly believe in God and obey His commands, God will

“4You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. - Exodus 20:4-6

The key to God's unending love is . . . obedience. The question is, are we truly obedient?

Look, the best proof that God Loves us is in the death of His Son, Jesus. He died for us so that we might have life - eternal life! We can't earn a gift like that. There's nothing we can do get God's blessings. He gives them to us out of the abundance of His glorious grace. He does so, not because of who WE are but because of who HE is.

Television is full of hypocritical pastors. In the following video, watch one pastor (Matt Chandler) as he rebukes another (Steven Furtick) right to his face.  Worship is not about a church or an image its portrays. It is about, and for, God. Give HIM thanks and praise in ALL things. Amen.

God Is For God - Matt Chandler