What’s your own personal image of God the Father – the Sovereign Lord God Almighty – Abba Father – YHWH (with inserted vowels YAHWEH transliterated JEHOVAH commonly interpreted the LORD)? The Lord Jesus said that when we see Him, we see the likeness of the Father.  

  • “But Jesus boldly declared, The one who believes in Me does not [only] believe in and trust in and rely on Me but [in believing in Me he believes] in Him who sent Me. And whoever sees Me sees Him who sent Me.  I have come as a Light into the world, so that whoever believes in Me [whoever cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] may not continue to live in darkness.  If anyone hears My teachings and fails to observe them [does not keep them, but disregards them], it is not I who judges him. For I have not come to judge and to condemn and to pass sentence and to inflict penalty on the world, but to save the world.   Anyone who rejects Me and persistently sets Me at naught, refusing to accept My teachings, has his judge [however]; for the [very] message that I have spoken will itself judge and convict him at the last day.  This is because I have never spoken on My own authority or of My own accord or as self-appointed, but the Father Who sent Me has Himself given Me orders [concerning] what to say and what to tell. [Deut. 18:18,19.]  And I know that His commandment is [means] eternal life. So whatever I speak, I am saying [exactly] what My Father has told Me to say and in accordance with His instructions.” John 12:44-50 (AMPC [bold emphasis mine])  
  • “Who is the image of the invisible God . . . . . . For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell;” Colossians 1:15,19 (KJV [bold emphasis mine])  

This fullness would necessarily include every aspect of the love and grace of His Father with Whom we are reconciled as God’s children by the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. Words used in The Holy Bible to describe the only begotten Son of God – YESHUA/JESUS include: •The Word of God •the Word made flesh •Light •Son of Man •Healer •Advocate •the Vine •the narrow Gate •the Living One •Alpha and Omega •the First and the Last •the Beginning and the End •the faithful and trustworthy Witness •Firstborn of the dead •Prince (ruler) of the kings of the earth •the Almighty (ruler of all) •the precious Lamb of God •The Great Intercessor •High Priest •the Root and the Offspring of David •the bright Morning Star •the Rock •Emmanuel •the Overcomer •Prince of peace •Savior •Master •the Resurrection and the Life •the Cornerstone •Deliverer •KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

God is Love and though invisible, His characteristics are revealed to us through Christ Jesus Who is the Living Word. Yet a significant number of things may be obscured and/or lost via translations as well as versions of The Holy Bible. For example, when the WORD says to “fear” the LORD such pertains to the word revere in regard to reverence defined as: “a feeling of profound respect often mingled with awe  and affection; An act of respect; an obeisance.1  (And) to  show deference.2  

Information in God’s Word as revealed through the Teaching of the Holy Spirit, facilitates understanding that God is neither the author of sickness or maladies nor calamity or malfeasance. However, God will allow what we ourselves allow. For example, though the LORD told the first Adam not to eat from a particular tree because it would result in eternal death, God never interfered with Adam’s free-will decision to disobey God and partake of it. Nevertheless, whatever God speaks never returns void but must accomplish that for which it is sent. Hence, though the disobedience of the first Adam caused all humankind to be born in sin, the mystery of God’s plan to reconcile humankind to Himself was made manifest through the perfect obedience of the last Adam – Jesus the Anointed One and His Anointing. Therefore, the LORD is not to blame for maladies and malfeasance; He neither gives sickness to teach a lesson nor tempts.  

  • “. . . no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else either. Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires.  These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death.  So don’t be misled, my brothers and sisters.” James 1:13-16 (NLT)  
  • “The thief does not come except steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 (NKJV)  
  • “Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse]. And it was His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself].” James 1:17-18 (AMPC)  

Peace . . . Harriet  

1 Funk & Wagnalls. (1989). New International Dictionary of the English Language Comprehensive Edition. (p. 1078). J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company.

2 Vine, W.E. (1996; 1997). Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. (p. 965). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.