Forty Five Below PT.2 Notes of Part 1 PERSONAL PROFILE OF GOD
A PERSONAL PROFILE OF GOD Pt. 1
Theme verse:
Phil 1:9-10 (NIV) “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best.”
AW. Tozer: “What we believe about God, is the most important thing about us.”
What we believe about God determines how each of us look at everyday life. It affects how we respond to good and evil. It effects what's going to happen to us for an eternity. It's extremely important!
So, the most important thing in life, isn't to "know yourself or to get into harmony with your inner self to find out who you are" No, the most important thing is to know God!
1. What a personal profile include?
· Physical Appearance - How a person looks
· Personality - How a person thinks and relates
· Nature and Character- How a person acts
· Name - How a person is distinctly identified.
A. So what does God look like?
When we see and know the real God it keeps us faithful and courageous...Who you think God is, is the foundation by which everything in your life rests upon.
So, what does God really "look" like? And how does God want us to view Him?
Well, that question is preceded by a greater question of "Gods existence." Does God really exist?
The bible says in,
Ps 14:1a (NKJ) " The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
There are some key truths to remember about God:
1) God is real...
2) God is revealed...
3) God is relational...
1. GOD IS REAL
So how do we know God is real? Well, first of all...
A. God says He exists
Isa. 43:10-13 (NLT) 10 “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord... “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God— there never has been, and there never will be. 11 I, yes I, am the Lord, and there is no other Savior. 12 First I predicted your rescue, then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world. No foreign god has ever done this. You are witnesses that I am the only God," says the Lord. 13 “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.”
Isa 41:21-24 (NLT) " 21 “Present the case for your idols,” says the Lord. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel.22 “Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what’s going to happen. 23 Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything—good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us. 24 But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves."
B. God's direct actions...
There's sufficient evidence in creation itself, to prove God exists...
Rom 1:19-21 (NKJ) " 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."
· Consider the Earth...its size is perfect.
· Earths location...
· Our moon...
Prov. 8:29a (NLT) "29 I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries."
· Water of the Earth...
· The Universe itself...
Astrophysicist Robert Jastrow, (a self-described agnostic), stated, "The seed of everything that has happened in the Universe was planted in that first instant; every star, every planet, and every living creature in the Universe, came into being as a result of events, that were set in motion, in the moment of the cosmic explosion. The Universe flashed into being, and we cannot find out what caused that to happen."
Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate in Physics, said, "at the moment of this explosion, the universe was about a hundred thousand million degrees Centigrade...and the universe was filled with light."
Gen. 1:1 (NKJ) "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
· The universe operates by uniform laws of nature.
Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner for quantum electrodynamics, said, "Why nature is mathematical is a mystery...The fact that there are rules at all, is miraculous."
· The Human Brain and it's processing power
· The Human eye
The human eye can distinguish among 7 million colors. It has automatic focusing, and handles about 1.5 million messages, simultaneously.
· The DNA code
In every cell of our bodies, there exists a very detailed instruction code, much like a miniature computer program?
It's made up of four chemicals, that scientists abbreviates as A, T, G, and C. There are 3 billion of these letters in every human cell! DNA is a 3-billion-lettered program, that tells the cells to act in a certain way. It's a full instruction manual that makes you, who you are.
2. Nature itself reveals the existence of God
Acts 14:16-17 (NLT) 16 In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, 17 but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.”
Rom. 1:19-20 (NLT) " 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God."
· Job says, ask the animals of God's existence.
· Study the stars (Ps. 19:1-6) “The heavens declare Gods glory.”
God measures with the span of His hand.” (Isa 40:12)
· Notice all of nature “All of creation testifies of God.” (Ps. 104:10-25)
3. Now Human history proves Gods existence
Acts 17:26-27 (NLT) " 26 From one man He created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. 27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.
So how does the reality of God, affect you in a personal way? As believers, recognizing who God is and that He's real is expressed through our worship of Him in our lives.
Worship is our response to this truth!
Is. 44:6,8 (NIV) “This is what the Lord says - Israel's king and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty I am the first and I am the last, apart from me there is no God... Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”
GOD'S APPEARANCE: "What does God look like?"
John 1:18 (NKJ) "18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."
· God is beautiful (Ps. 27:4, Is. 28:5).
· God is Spirit (Ps. 139:7-12, John 4:24).
· God is Invisible (John 1:18, Col. 1:15, Heb. 11:27)
· God is Creator (Gen.1:1)
Heb. 11:3 (NKJ) "3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."
Question: How can you and I know and see Him, who is invisible?
· We must see and know God by faith.
Heb. 11:1-3 (NKJ) "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."
Heb 11:27 (NKJ) "27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible."