GETTING TO KNOW GOD:  THE EVER-PRESENT LORD

TEXT:  "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." - Hebrews 13:5

What would do if you knew that Jesus was going to visit your house tomorrow?  Would you dust the furniture and vacuum the floor?  Would you hide magazines and questionable books?  Would you act differently than you normally do?

The fact is that He is at your home right now!  Jesus promised His followers, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  Perhaps we need to emphasize the word, "never" in that verse.  Although He is not visible to our eyes, the Lord is with us right now.

God is omnipresent.  He is everywhere at once.  He is with me as I write this message.  He is also with you, even if you're in another state or country. 

Among the many attributes of God, His omnipresence is one that we should consider.  The omnipresence of God should bring caution and comfort to all of His children.

1.  CAUTION

First of all, the omnipresence of God should lead us to live with caution.  Far too many professing Christians act as if God isn't there with them.  They pretend that He is unaware of their thoughts, words and actions. 

By and large, Americans do not fear God.  Shamefully, many professing believers show little respect and honor for the Lord.  It is hypocritical to act worshipful for an hour on Sunday, then show no regard for the Lord the rest of the week.  Why do so many church members live so hypocritically?  First of all, I'm convinced that many church members are lost.  Secondly, those who are saved often forget about the omnipresence of God. 

Our beliefs motivate our actions.  Far too often, church members view life like unbelievers:  "I only believe what I can see."   For many, faith in an unseen God can't is not revealed by their character, conduct or conversations.

How would you act if Jesus visibly visited your home?  Would you act much different than you do now?  Would you be more kind?  Would you refrain from swearing and cursing?  Would you talk judgmentally about others? 

Since the Lord is there in your home, you should live like it!  Understanding the truth of God's omnipresence should cause us to live holy lives.  Living in the light of His omnipresence should motivate us to be honest and faithful.  Knowing that God is with us should prompt us to treat others correctly.  The omnipresence of God should stir us to good works.  Worldliness and compromise would vanish if we truly believed that God is here with us every moment.

2.  COMFORT

Secondly, the subject of omnipresence should bring us comfort.  Here are number of reasons His omnipresence should comfort us.

First of all, we ought to be comforted by the presence of God.  So many feel lonely and unloved.  When we truly appreciate the love of God and omnipresence of God, our loneliness fades quickly.

Secondly, the omnipresence of God comforts us because of the promises of God.  An active faith in the presence of God encourages us to keep serving.  Because Jesus has risen, Paul wrote, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."  Paul had such faith because Jesus has risen and the fact that the Lord was with him & saw everything he did.  Whether others see your sacrificial deeds or not, the omnipresent God sees them.  The promise of future rewards is precious to us because we know that God is here with us and sees everything that we do.  Such promises motivate us to keep on keeping on.

Third, His omnipresence comforts us when it comes to our prayers to God.  When we understand that God is near, prayer is no longer just a legalistic religious act.  Instead, we know that He hears every word we speak in prayer...even the silent prayers!

We serve an unseen, but ever-present Lord.  Reflect on this fact in the coming week and see how your life changes!

GETTING TO KNOW GOD:  THE ONE WHO KNOWS IT ALL

TEXT:  "O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me." - Psalm 139:1

I've met people who acted like they knew everything.  Cocky and arrogant, these people exude so much self-confidence and pride that it sickens those who get around them.  I have found that these "know it all" people aren't as smart as they pretend.  However, I have met Someone who really does know it all.  God is omniscient.  The word "omniscient," means that God knows everything.  God is not conceited or bragging when He claims to know all things, He is merely stating the truth.  God's omniscience terrifies some and comforts others.

Omniscience is an attribute possessed solely by God.  Often well meaning Christians believe that the devil and his demons are omniscient, but that is simply not true.  God is the only One who knows all things.

It may unnerve some to consider the omniscience of God.  Such a concept is difficult for us to grasp since we are accustomed to the finite understanding that we possess.  It is wrong to think of God as "just another guy."   When we try to think of God as a mere human, we are dishonoring God and denying the truth.

Think about the Bible for a moment.  How could prophecies be revealed unless there is a Supreme Being who knows the future & makes future events known to prophets?  How could God be confident in His ultimate triumph of the devil and evil unless He knew how everything would unfold?  In fact, if God had limited knowledge, He wouldn't be God, would He?

God knew that we'd need a Savior long before we even sinned.  God sent His Son to die for my sins long before I was even born.  The popular Gospel song is true:  "When He was on the cross, I was on His mind."  The opening line of the song's chorus states:  "He knew me ... yet He loved me."  The One who knows me best loves me most.

The Bible clearly teaches that every person will one day stand before God.  Each person will be accountable for the life he or she lived on earth.  How is that possible?  The answer is very simple.  God knows everything we do.  He knows our private thoughts and intensions as well as our public words and deeds.

To an unbeliever, the future is rather bleak.  The future of our nation, and mankind in general, seems so uncertain.  Christians draw hope and strength from the fact that God is in control.  He has solutions to problems that haven't even occurred yet. 

It is easy to worry and fret over the future.  We cannot see the future.  At best, we look at trends and plan accordingly.  Yet it bothers us to realize that tomorrow is not guaranteed.  Even for the optimist, looking into the future is like driving in dense fog.

As a Christian, I confess that there are many details about the future that are unclear to me.  Yet the One who knows the future has revealed the most important future events to me through His Word, the Bible. 

I can face the uncertainty of the future with great assurance because of the omniscience of the One who will lead me every step of the way. 

The late songwriter, Ira Stanphill, was right when he wrote,

"Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand;

But I know who holds tomorrow,

And I know who holds my hand."

I don't know everything about the future, but the One who knows tomorrow and the following tomorrows can be trusted with my future.

GETTING TO KNOW GOD:  THE TRIUNE GOD

Text:  "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." - 2 Corinthians 13:14

One of the great mysteries about God concerns the Trinity.  While the Bible strongly emphasizes that there is only one God, the Scriptures also teach that God is in three persons:  the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  The real question is this:  how can three also be one?

Many refute the doctrine of the Trinity.  Some refuse to believe that both Jesus and the Holy Spirit are God.  A few actually teach that only Jesus is God and that there is no Trinity. 

Since the Bible consistently states that there is only one God, many instantly dismiss the concept of the Trinity.  They say, "Do the math...if the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all God, then there are three Gods."

For those who deny that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all divine, I simply share the following Scriptures:

The Father is God:  Luke 10:21-22; Romans 15:6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 11:31; Ephesians 1:3, 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 3:13.

The Son (Jesus) is God:  Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23; Luke 7:16; John 1:1, 14; 8:58; 10:30; 20:28; Colossians 1:15-27; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:2-3, 8; Titus 2:13.

The Holy Spirit is God:  Psalm 139:7-10; Luke 12:10 (you can only blaspheme God); John 3:5-8; 14:16-18; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17.

This is not an exhaustive list of Scriptures, but it is obvious that the Bible teaches that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all God.  

The word, "Trinity," does not exist in the Bible, but the concept of the Trinity certainly exists.  The doctrine of the Trinity is a mystery, but a mystery that I have no problem embracing.  As I wrote in last week's blog message, God is incomprehensible.  I have no problem believing in one God in three persons.  Can I explain it?  No.  Neither can I explain how a brown cow can eat green grass and produce white milk.

Think about this for a moment.  Man is three-in-one.  No, I'm not suggesting that man is divine, but that man is three-in-one.  Each man has a body, soul and spirit --- three-in-one.  Think about the United States Government.  It is one entity, yet it has three parts:  the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch.  Our government is one, yet in three distinct parts.  We consider an automobile to be one object, yet it has more than one part:  it has tires, a motor and a chassis. Thus, the issue of three, yet one, is something that is factual of many things, including God.

The presence of the Trinity is clearly taught throughout the Scriptures.  The Bible teaches that the Trinity was clearly involved in creation.  Genesis 1:1 teaches us that God created the heaven and the earth.  John 1:3 reveals that Jesus created all things.  Genesis 1:2 reveals that the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  Look carefully at Genesis 1:26:  "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." (Emphasis added). How can you explain this verse apart from the doctrine of the Trinity?  The Trinity was also present at the baptism of Jesus.  Jesus (the Son) was in the water being baptized.  The Spirit came upon Jesus in the form of a dove.  The Father spoke and said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  When Jesus commanded believers to share the Gospel, He command that new believers be baptized, "... in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost..." (Matthew 28:19).   Notice that believers are to be baptized in the NAME (singular) of the Father, AND of the Son, AND of the Holy Ghost."  One Name...three persons. 

How is this all relevant for you and me?  Our salvation involves all three persons of the Trinity.  Look at Titus 3:4-7:  "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."  Notice all three persons of the Trinity are mentioned in this passage:  The Father (verse 4), the Spirit (verse 5) and the Son (verse 6).  Think about this:

1.  THE FATHER PLANNED OUR SALVATION.  God loved us and sent His Son to die for our sins.

2.  THE SON PURCHASED OUR SALVATION.  Jesus died on the cross for those who would believe.  His shed blood was sufficient payment for our sin debt.

3.  THE SPIRIT PROVIDES OUR SALVATION.  The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins, shows us our need for a Savior, makes us alive in Christ and baptizes us.  Furthermore, the Spirit abides in the new believer and is a guarantee that God, the Father, will fulfill His promises to the believer.  The Spirit seals believers.

In fact, think about our future.  One-day believers will be resurrected.  When Jesus (the Son) returns, we will quickened (made alive) by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:11).  Then we'll make our abode with the Father (John 14:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).

No, I can't fully explain the Trinity, but I am grateful for the Trinity.  Even at this moment, the Father is on the throne.  The Son is at His side, making intercession for me.  The Spirit abides in me.  The Spirit also intercedes for me.  The Spirit guides me, fills me, and teaches me. 

I serve one God in three persons:  the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The old hymn is true:

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

GETTING TO KNOW GOD:  KNOWING THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE GOD

Text:  "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?"

- Romans 11:33-34

In 2013, our church's theme was:  "Knowing God and Making Him Known."  In hindsight, I see that this should be the life-theme of every Christian.  We need to know God and introduce Him to others.  When we get saved, we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus.  We begin to know Him, but our desire to know Him better grows deeper day by day.

But can we really know God?  The real paradox of the Christian life is found in knowing God and yet realizing that we can never fully understand Him (in this life). 

Many unbelievers struggle with the concept of God.  They want God to be a person they can fully understand.  God Himself said, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 55:8).  God is not a "regular guy," He is God.  Humans always underestimate God. 

There's much about God that we can learn.  The Bible reveals its Author to us.  When we read the Bible, we learn about the Lord.  Often, the circumstances of life are used by the Lord to teach us about Himself.   God can be known.  In this life, we can never exhaust the vast information God has provided about Himself.

Yet God cannot be fully understood.  When a woman is married to a man long enough, she may feel that she can "read him like a book."  No one can say that about the Lord. 

Why is God incomprehensible?  The answer is simple:  He is God.  God is infinite.  It is impossible for finite men to fully understand the infinite God.  In a sermon, I once compared our understanding of God to be like taking a picture.  If you wanted to take a photo of a forest, you would be limited.  Perhaps from a distance you could take a photo of a forest, but you wouldn't capture many specific things in the picture, would you?  If you took a closer photo, you may get more specific imagery, but the camera would only be able to focus on a smaller area.  When we learn about God, we tend to focus on some specific things and yet there are some aspects of His existence that we can't see at the moment.

A second reason that God is incomprehensible to us is because we have limited mental faculties.  We can only grasp a certain amount of information.  Additionally, there are some things that are beyond the scope of our knowledge.  A scientist may specifically expound on a formula but that wouldn't help me very much since I am not a scientist.  In a similar fashion, my mind can only understand certain things.  God has graciously permitted me to understand many things about Him.  Many more aspects of His being may be known as I walk with Him and read His Word.

Am I bothered because I don't understand everything about God?  No.  In fact, if I could understand everything about God, I would be divine myself (and I'm not).  I'm glad I serve a God who is so great that mere mortal minds cannot begin to fully grasp the entirety of His divine perfection.

When I get to heaven, I'll certainly know more than I do now.  In the mean time, I'll continue to learn what I can about God, continue to trust Him and maintain my walk with Him. 

Although He's incomprehensible, there are some things we can know and need to know about Him.  He is worth knowing.  He is worth knowing better. 

Do you seek to know Him better yourself?

GETTING TO KNOW GOD

"That I may know him..." - Philippians 3:10

The subject of musical styles has created a lot of divisions among American Christians.  This message will not address the controversy about music styles.  However, I do want to mention that, personally, I love old-fashioned Southern Gospel music --- especially shape note convention music.  I also love the old hymns.  I must confess that some of the hymns may need a little improvement on the musical composition, but the lyrics are often theologically sound.  Here's one of the old hymns I grew up singing:

More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

There is a tendency for us to be self-centered.  Even as Christians, we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that the Christian life is all about ourselves.  The reality is that the Christian life is all about knowing God and walking with Him.  My last two blog messages have focused upon walking with the Lord.  One aspect of this journey is the experience of knowing God intimately. 

I believe that most Christians know God on a superficial level and never grow to know Him intimately.  We want God to work out our problems, but we never mature to the point of knowing more about Him.  There are some believers who simply want "an experience," but never show a desire to know truth.  Many want deliverance so they can live carefree, independent lives. 

We are commanded to love God.  To know Him is to love Him.  The more we know about Him, the better we love Him.  The better we know Him, the more we trust Him.  Thus, it is imperative for us to know Him better.

Although much could be written on this subject, I want to focus on the most important way we know Him better.  God has revealed Himself to us through His Word.  We learn more about God as we read His Book, the Bible.

While the Bible gives us insight about life and ourselves, it is also a book that reveals much about its Author.  God is the Author of the Bible.  Although the Bible may give us encouragement, help and inspiration, its primary purpose is to help us know the truth about God.

If you watch TV talk shows (and I don't), you'll find that individuals are not shy about sharing their beliefs and opinions --- even about God.  It is not uncommon to hear people say things like, "The God I believe in would never send anyone to hell..." or "The God I believe in is a God of love and never condemns anyone."  Such nonsense may impress an unbelieving audience but it really does nothing but reveal the ignorance of those who say such things.

How do we know who God is?  How do we separate truth from fiction?  How do we know who is right and who is wrong about spiritual matters?  The answer is simple.  We must go to the Bible. 

Sadly, sometimes preachers stray from the truth of God's Word, misleading many.  False doctrine and even heresy exists among those who claim allegiance to Christ. 

We need to read the Bible with an open mind and a sincere heart.  If we approach the Scriptures with a preconceived agenda, we risk falling into the trap of compromise.  It is often difficult to push aside the things we've heard and believed for years and simply read the Bible with integrity. 

The more we know about God, the less we'll trust in our own feeble efforts.  The more we know about Him, the less we'll be enticed by worldly influences. 

God, whose presence fills the pages of the Bible, will fill your heart as you sincerely learn of Him through His Word.

Open your Bible and open your heart.   

START YOUR DAY WITH GOD

"... early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)

                       

You are walking as close to God as you want to.   It is easy to say, "I want to walk close to the Lord," but it is another thing to actually draw close to Him.  Few believers dwell at the feet of Jesus and enjoy His presence daily.  While many professing Christians claim that they long for a close walk with God, they seem to pursue nearly everything else except the Lord.

The key to spiritual intimacy with God is found in your daily agenda.  David wrote, "... early will I seek thee..." David sought the Lord daily, not just on Sundays.  Communion with God is a daily experience, not just an event reserved for a "revival" meeting. 

Do you seek the Lord daily?  If so, when do you seek Him?  Sadly, many wait until catastrophe or desperation sets in before they seek the Lord.

If you REALLY want to walk with God, you must start your day with Him.  If God is supremely important to you, it will be obvious by the time you give Him. 

Let me share a few thoughts with you.

1.         MAKE AN APPOINTMENT DAILY

Make an appointment to spend time with the Lord each day.  This may sound rather strange, but this is vital.  If you had a doctor's appointment tomorrow, you'd arrange your schedule around that visit.  If you had an appointment to take your vehicle to the garage for repair, you'd make sure this appointment is kept.  If you had a job interview scheduled, you'd make the best effort possible to be there on time.  Yet what could be more important than meeting with God?  Sadly, many believers push aside their time with God as if He is unimportant.  Keep this in mind:  you have no greater appointment than the one you keep with God.

I have found that a person sets aside time for the things that he considers most important.  That is true of you.  If sports are important to you, you make time to watch ESPN.  If fishing is a hobby you love, you set aside time to go the river.  If God is important, you'll make time to meet with Him.

By the way, don't wait for "free time" before you meet with God.  Set a specific time and keep it.  Don't arrange your time with God so that it fits around your schedule.  Instead, make sure your schedule fits around your time with God.

2.         LET GOD SPEAK TO YOU

God has spoken through His Word.  During your daily appointment with God, read from your Bible.  I suggest that you use a Bible with easy-to-read print.  Personally, I use a giant print Bible. 

Read the Bible to learn about God, learn the truth, and find His guidance for your life.  If you want to hear from God, read His Word, because He has spoken to you through the pages of the Bible. 

What God has to say to you is more important than what you can say to Him.  In fact, what God has to say to you is far more important than what others may say to you. 

Also, let me recommend two more resources:  the Bible on DVD and the Bible on CD.  Personally, I have a copy of the Bible on DVD.  When I watch the DVD, the Word is read aloud as it is displayed on the screen.  This is an excellent resource.  Also, I have the Bible on CD, allowing me to hear the Word as I travel. 

When you dig into God's Word, you'll find that God's Word will dig into you.  Dig into the Word daily.

3.         TALK WITH GOD

Finally, spend some of your morning time talking with the Lord.  I am not suggesting a time limit on your prayer time, but make sure that your prayers are not mechanical or stale.  Many times, I use the PRAY acronym when I pray: 

P is for Praise.  I begin my prayer time worshiping and praising God.  It is important that I focus on Him rather than myself or my problems. 

R is for Repentance.  I confess my sins to the Lord and seek His cleansing.  Unconfessed sin hinders spiritual communion with God.

A is for Asking.  I make prayer requests known to the Lord.  Also, I make sure that I pray for others and not just for myself.

Y is for Yielding.  I close out my prayer time surrendering myself to the Lord.  Yielding to His will is a great way to close a time of prayer.

Whether you use the PRAY acronym or not, make sure you spent time talking with the Lord.  In fact, morning time with God will lead to more conversations with Him throughout the day.

Starting your day with God is the best way to begin the day.  Have you sought Him today?  

WALKING WITH GOD

"... Enoch walked with God..." (Genesis 5:22)

Enoch was a great man of faith.  Twice in Genesis chapter 5, the Bible says that Enoch "walked with God."  What a tremendous statement.  Enoch was a man who lived before the New Testament was written.  In fact, he lived before Moses or even Abraham.  The Scriptural testimony given of Enoch's life is powerful.  Enoch walked with God.

Are you walking with God?  It is one thing to believe in God but it is another thing to actually be walking with Him.  These days, people tend to categorize their lives.  In their schedule, they have Sunday morning carved out for God but the rest of the week is devoted to personal and professional interests.  Obviously, that was not the case with Enoch.  God was not part of Enoch's life; God was his life. 

Some would argue that Enoch lived during a different age and it is not possible to walk with God today.  That is rubbish!  It is true that life is more complex than ever before, but it is still possible for a person to walk with God.  There's no reason why you can't be that person!

One of my favorite Gospel songs is the old Stamps-Baxter song, "Hand In Hand With Jesus."  Look at the words of the chorus:

                                    Hand in hand we walk each day,

                                    Hand in hand along the way;                            

                                    Walking thus I cannot stray,

                                    Hand in hand with Jesus.

You can walk with God in 2015.  In fact, the most important thing you can do this year is walk with God.  Let me share a few thoughts about this subject.

1.            WALKING WITH GOD REQUIRES A RELATIONSHIP

In order for you to walk with God, you must know Him.  Walking with God requires that you have a relationship with Him.  In John 17:3, Jesus prayed to the Father, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."  The only way for a person to know God is through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Walking with God begins with an experience the Bible calls, "salvation."  When a person repents of his sins and places his faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, he is born again.  When the new birth occurs, a man may begin walking with the Lord.

2.               WALKING WITH GOD INDICATES A JOURNEY

If you are walking, you are going somewhere.  Life is a journey.  For the Christian, our walk is a journey of faith.  Every day we are on the move.  Our path sometimes leads to high mountain peaks.  At other times, we travel through deep valleys.  The journey of life is not always easy, but it is fulfilling.  No one can honestly say that walking with God is boring. 

3.            WALKING WITH GOD REQUIRES SURRENDER

If we are on a journey, who decides where we are going?  The fact is that God is the One who is leading this walk.  We must surrender daily to His Lordship.  Walking with God requires our loving obedience.  When we obey God, we find that He leads us in the right direction.  Sometimes the road gets rough & at times it gets so dark that we cannot see, but God knows where we are going and we can trust Him.  It is great to know that He is holding our hand every step of the way. 

4.            WALKING WITH GOD IS REWARDING

Walking with God is difficult at times, but it is the most rewarding experience of life.  Sometimes the journey gets scary, but God is in control.  If you ever go sightseeing, you know that you get much more out of the experience if you have an experienced travel guide leading the way.  An experienced travel guide will show you the notable scenes.  He'll also keep you from dangerous situations.  God is more than a tour guide.  He is our Lord.  He cares deeply about us.  He leads His children in the paths of righteousness. 

5.            WALKING WITH GOD ULTIMATELY LEADS US HOME

The journey of faith has an ultimate destination:  home.  No, I'm not referring to the house you live in, but the eternal home God has prepared.  Look at the lyrics to the final verse of the song, "Hand In Hand With Jesus":

                                   

                                    When the stars are backward rolled,

                                    And His home I shall behold;

                                    I will walk the street of gold,

                                    Hand in hand with Jesus.

Psalm 23:4 says, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me."  One day, we will walk THROUGH the valley of the shadow death, not just to the valley.  You will walk through the valley, but not alone.  The Bible says, "I will fear no evil, for thou are with me."  He will walk with us through the valley and out the other side.  God is leading us where we belong:  in heaven with Him.

Have you been walking with God?  Are you walking with Him right now?  If not, today would be a great day to begin.