“Now, I know that someday I am going to come to what some people will say is the end of this life. They will probably put me in a box and roll me right down here in front of the church, and some people will gather around, and a few people will cry. But I have told them not to do that because I don’t want them to cry. I want them to begin the service with the Doxology and end with the Hallelujah chorus, because I am not going to be there, and I am not going to be dead. I will be more alive than I have ever been in my life, and I will be looking down upon you poor people who are still in the land of dying and have not yet joined me in the land of the living. And I will be alive forevermore, in greater health and vitality and joy than ever, ever, I or anyone has known before.”

D. James Kennedy, Ph.D.

Here are some actual and very important warning labels you need to know about just in case you weren't paying attention:

On Sears hairdryer:
Do not use while sleeping.

On Marks & Spencer Bread Pudding:
Product will be hot after heating.

On packaging for a Rowenta iron:
Do not iron clothes on body.

On Nytol sleep aid:
Warning: may cause drowsiness.

On a Korean kitchen knife:
Warning keep out of children.

On a string of Chinese-made Christmas lights:
For indoor or outdoor use only.

On Sainsbury's peanuts:
Warning: contains nuts.

On a child's Superman costume:
Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly.

Now, don't you feel smarter and better prepared for some of life's extreme dangers like peanuts in a peanut package and the Chinese Christmas lights that can only be used indoor and outdoor, but maybe not the frontdoor?

I have another warning label for you. This one is definitely important, and probably just as obvious as the ones you just read:

Warning: A wrong view of God leads to the wrong view of life.

Clear? Sure. Understandable? Absolutely! Common? Unfortunately, yes. There are a ton of Christians who have made God into the God they think is out there, but is only based on their opinions, which then leads to an attempt to connect with a God who isn't even there. This is key because if we have a mistaken view of who God really is, we will live a mistaken Christianity. We'll be praying for the wrong things, looking at life the wrong way, and generally walk through life going the wrong direction.

So let's follow the warning label and make sure we don't have the wrong view of God. To do that, we need to figure out what those views look like - and guess what? I've already done that for you! See if any of these sound familiar:

The Vending Machine God

That's right - just step right up, put in your money (and use exact change, please), push the button and presto! You have your heart's desire! Oops, did I say money? I meant, just step up to God, say the right prayer (use an exact prayer, please), say amen and presto! You have your heart's desire. The cool thing is that the Vending Machine God will stay right in the same place, plugged in, and always stocked with your favorite answers to prayer.

The Law Enforcement God

This is the God who sits on the side of the road of life with His 'fun-gun' sticking out the window. Any time you start to enjoy life, He is right there to pull you over and hand you a nice 'guilt' ticket. Even though you know you're forgiven, you don't feel it, because the Law Enforcement God is there to remind you that any joy and happiness in life comes straight from the devil.

The Old Man God

Eh? Speak up - I can't hear you! This is the God who is like the uber-old grandparent who sits in his rocker on the porch of heaven and loves to tell stories 'bout the good-ole-days. You know, like when He split the Red Sea and helped a little boy take out a giant and rally his nation. But those days are gone now, so He just reads the paper and waits for your occasional visit. I say occasional because, of course, He can't relate to what you're going through.

And if none of these fit you, I have a catch-all. How about the myspace.com God? This is the God that you personally design, and amazingly enough, ends up looking a lot like you! Your view of life, your plans for the future, and your wishes, wants, and desires.

My desire is that you have a proper view of God, because none of the above are even remotely close. The right view of God is the one that Jesus gave us:

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son."

But his father said to the servants, "Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found." So the party began.
(Luke 15:20-24)

This is the conclusion to a story about a rebellious son who took a bunch of his dad's cash and blew it on sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. You would think that his dad would disown him and never talk to him again, but instead he welcomed him home.

One reason Jesus told this story was to give us a picture of what God is like. In a word, He is like a Daddy. He is a perfect Father who loves, gives, and forgives over and over and over again. He loves you too much to be just a vending machine, He gives you too much to feel guilty over a life full of joy, and He forgives you again and again for thinking that the God who invented life can't relate to your life.

That's the proper view of God, but warning: A real view of God will lead to a real view of life...

And don't say I didn't warn you!

Head: What you need to know about this truth

A proper view of God is based on the truth that He is a perfect Heavenly Father who loves, gives, and forgives.

Heart: What you need to feel about this truth

You should feel incredibly accepted and loved...because you are! God isn't a vending machine, law enforcement officer, old man, or 'whatever' you make Him. He is God, and He is your Daddy.

Hands: What you need to do about this truth

There are two brothers in the story from Luke 15. One is the rebellious son, while the other is an obedient child who didn't leave home. They both serve the same father, and they both made mistakes. The rebellious one obviously shouldn't have rebelled, and the obedient one ended up being resentful that his father forgave his brother. If you are rebellious right now, come home. If you have been obedient, be thankful that you serve a forgiving God, and take your eyes off other Christians and keep them on the Father.

“The only thing Christianity cannot be is moderately important.”  - C.S. Lewis

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple...any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."  - Jesus

As pastors, we must help our congregations see that the state of our churches is primarily responsible for our culture’s perception of Christ. Our churches can give the gospel a black eye, or they can be used by the Holy Spirit with magnetic effect to draw people to Jesus. The believers we serve must understand that our churches were meant to powerfully reinforce and to attractively adorn our evangelistic message.

Think about what we want people to learn through evangelism. We want them to believe that Jesus was really sent by God. Well, Jesus prayed that Christians would be united, so "that the world may believe that you [God] have sent me" (John 17:21-23).

In evangelism, we want people to believe that we are really following Jesus, and not some cult leader. Well, Jesus says that "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34).

In evangelism, we want people to give glory to God. Well, Jesus told us "let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). Lives of sacrificial, loving good deeds will be used by the Holy Spirit to convert people into God glorifiers.

In evangelism, we want people to realize that they are in danger of hell. Well, Paul tells the church in Philippi that their fearless unity amidst persecution is "a clear sign to them [unbelievers] of their destruction" (Phil 1:28).

When our lives together are divisive, unloving, selfish, and fearful, Christ and Christians look about as believable as the tooth fairy. Yet when our lives are united, loving, sacrificial, and fearless, our verbal witness to the cross of Christ becomes weighty. For many, our witness will become believable.  We need to help our congregations make this link.