This week, we’re giving away THREE copies of my friend, John Bishop’s latest book, God Distorted: How Your Earthly Father Affects Your Perception of God and Why It Matters. John is the senior pastor of Living Hope Church and lives in Vancouver, Washington with his wife, Michelle, and their three kids.
When you hear the word “father,” do you think of someone who is loving…or angry? Someone who is pleased with you…or constantly disappointed? Someone who is always available…or someone who is too busy, preoccupied, or distant? When you think of “Father God,” what images come to mind?
Regardless of the type of father you grew up with—or without—it is likely that your view of God is influenced by the relationship you had with your father. John wants to help you discover that God is not just like your dad. Instead, God is the Father revealed in Scripture, where the truth is clear.
God Distorted will enable you to break free from the lies of the enemy and see your heavenly Father as He truly is.
Check out the book trailer for God Distorted:
(RSS Subscribers, click here to view.)
To win one of THREE copies of God Distorted, comment on this blog post. Winners will be announced Friday.
Congratulations to the winners: Ashley, Irma Franco, Kristin Frye-Gallagher
When you think of God as Father, what images come to mind?
This sounds amazing! I’d love to win a copy! Thank you.
Oh how I love my ABBA Father. I certainly am right in the midst of studying who he is and what his love means. I would love to read this book very much. Blessings.
Sounds like a fantastic read
Faithful, attentive, wise, available, playful, loving.
When I think of God the Father. He is someone you can run to in time of need, and will reassure you that everything will be alright. He is also a desplinarian, who will let you fall, so that you will learn from your mistakes. He is always here right by my side, for better or worse, in good timrs or bad. Thank you Father for accepting me, and make me stronger in Your ways. Amrn.
Sounds great!
When I think of God as Father, I think of the One who wraps His arms around me, comforts me, wipes my tears away, protects me, lifts worry and fear from my shoulders, corrects me, guides me, has a plan for me than is greater than I could ever imagine, forgives me, bestows mercy I don’t deserve, grace I am humbled to receive and loves me now exactly and because of who I am.
I agree that the most important thing about us is what we believe about God (and the second is what we think about ourselves). However, I also believe we can have one image of God in our minds and another in our hearts, i.e., we can believe that God is good and loves us in our minds, but have trouble trusting that in our hearts. At least, that is my experience.
The images that come to mind when I think of God the Father are a shield, fire, a sword, a blanket, strong loving arms, and the cross. I have been reading about being in deeper relationship with God and I think this book would be a wonderful resource!
When I think of God as my Father, I think of Him as my Protector!
This is certainly timely as God has been dealing with me re:allowing his love to shape me (Ps 119) and yet I’ve not been able to wrap my head around HIS LOVE and how it applies to me–until this week. I believe what I heard this author say0however briefly-underlines the WORD of the Lord to me. Thank you!
Sounds Awesome. My view of an earthly father is absent. Growing up I didn’t know my father, and never connected with a positive male role model.
Thanks for this great offer. Congratulations to whomever wins.
I would love a copy of this book, I am thankful that I never judged God by my earthly father.
Sounds interesting.
I had a very loving earthly father so thinking of God the Father as loving is not a stretch for me. My children grew up in a home with an alcoholic father and struggle with the God the Father image. I think that this book might be just what our family needs to reframe their experience.
Such a needed message – so needed for those (like me) who had a mistaken view of God based on earthly examples of fear, abandonment, abuse, and alcohol. The presence of a godly grandfather allowed me a glimpse of what a loving father image could be – and hope that God was more like my grandfather. This book is much needed to address mistaken views of God – in me and anyone who suffers from them.
Jon’s Tozer quote is one of my favorites – a life quote for me. Any book that enlarges the biblical view of God is an important find to me!
Sounds great! 🙂
This sounds great! I’d love to win a copy! Thank you.
I would love a copy of this book!
I would love a copy of this book. It looks like an interesting read.
I would love to read this book.
For years, I saw God as quick to punish. I saw Him as easily changing His mind about me depending on how I acted. I am only JUST starting to see God differently. This book looks so helpful!
Thanks for the chance to win!
I have heard the AW Tozer quote before. It made me think about what I think about God. Most days I think I have Biblical thoughts. But other days I think that God is holding on to the best things for Himself or someone He likes better like my dad did. Still working on that.
I think this sounds like a great book. I’d love to read it especially since I’m interested in how pastors and other Christian writers claim that how one has a relationship with their earthly father reflects how they view God. I have a loving relationship with my earthly father but many of my childhood issues and “issues with feeling unloved” actually evolved from my relationship with my mother. Definitely interesting.
If I don’t win this I will be buying it…
I’d heard sometime early on in my church-going life (pre-born again) that how you view you Dad/Father is how you intrinsically view God. I was the dutiful daughter and didn’t give it much thought until later on in my Christian walk. Now I can look back and see how the behavior of my father toward me did color my view of God and how He would behave. What does it say about me that even if I were to win a copy of this book I would feel the need to hide it from him? I don’t want to live that way.
Margaret
I just wanted to say how wonderful it is that you share so many giveaways with your tribe. It’s incredible your constant commitment to doing this, the variety of authors you feature and their stories. Thank you.
I’ve got this one from John in my TBR pile.
Ian
I would really LOVE to win a copy! I am really interested in reading this book!
God as my Father is a new concept for me. While my father is very loving and a wonderful man, as a child of divorce, I found it hard to understand. That God wouldn’t leave me. Clarity came when I found myself alone and in a desperate position. God revealed to me…I’m not alone and I’ve never been alone. He has seen me through the darkest times in my life and he has loved me every moment. And nothing can take that away…no one, no choice, no bad decision. I can’t earn it and therefore can’t lose it.
Thanks for the giveaway. Appreciate all your efforts you do for the kingdom of God.
For me, my father God is everything. By His grace i’m alive today. You know i was thinking of my father Agape love, that He loved me some much that He sent His son Lord Jesus to this wretched world to save me from all wordly ways. Colossians 1:13-14 is my favourite verse bcos my father God picked me from slush and brought me into the light of the kingdom of His son in whom I was redeemed, restored, revived, forgiven and made whole by the blood of Lord Jesus.
Thank you father for your outstanding mercies upon my life. Once again i’m alive bcos of His grace. When i think of Him, I see the image of friend, healer, restorer, lover, provider, big brother, redeemer, faithful God etc…..
Thank you for the opportunity to talk about our Father over here. God bless – PJ
In many ways my earthly father falls short ( but don’t we all?!) for me, knowing that he treasures and loves me gives me glimpses of my Heavenly Fathers love and care for me.
Thanks for the opportunity to win:)
Would love a chance to read this book! Growing up as a pastor’s kid it was very hard to differentiate between earthly and heavenly father. The honestly has been my biggest struggle over the last 5 years and I would love to hear someone else speak to that.
I would love a copy of this book. I know my relationship with my earthly father has greatly affected my relationship with God.
About 3 years ago I had know idea of the type of relationship I could have with God. My husband introduced me to who God really is. I grew up thinking that when I did something wrong, God was angry with me. Now I know that’s not true. My Father hears me and LOVES me unconditionally. I strive for a close relationship with my Father every day.
I teach a small ladies Bible study group and we were just discussing this Thursday night. All of the ladies agreed completely that our relationships with our earthly fathers have impacted our Godly relationship. We discussed the many ways some of us had to learn to receive God’s Fatherly love as many had never experienced it before and didn’t know where to start. I can’t wait to read this book and share with the group!
Crossing my fingers. It sounds like a good book.
I’d love to win this. The topic really resonates with me at the moment.
This is so very true! Would love to read this book.
Margaret, thank you for your friendship and being such a leading voice in this generation. You are a blessing to so many, including your extended ‘family’ at Living Hope. Cheers!!!!
I would so love to win a copy of this book. I would be honored to have the opportunity to read it. Ty and God Bless…….Pam
Thank YOU for speaking into the lives of many, John. Grateful for you and all our friends at Living Hope!