This is teaching 2 of 10. These are the major doctrines that(LORD willing) I will be posting every week. In this study, we will basically learn about God. I will cover the four major subdivisions: Existence, Attributes, Sovereignty and Trinity. I hope and pray this study will give you a better understanding about God who He is. The first book of the Bible, Genesis, says in the first verse "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." How many of you came across a person who says there's no God? Maybe 90% of you. How many of you came across a person who says "my God from my religion is the same God from Christianity?" Maybe 75% of you. Maybe you have talked to people about God, but during your conversation they came up with this question "How do you know God exists?". That's what we are going to learn today! Some people think God is a big bully. Others envision Him as a green-eyed monster. And others think He is a God who is angry at sinners throwing lighting bolts on them. Sadly people also think God is so distant millions of miles somewhere in Heaven, who doesn't care about the earth or people. People make up different stories about God but none of those people don't know God. 1. Existence: DEFINITION: God exist Open your Bibles to Romans 1:20 let's read "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made" In this verse Paul is teaching us that humans, trees, birds, butterfiles and stars that shine at night all scream out--Hellooo...there is a Creator? Every person in this world knows a God exists--we only look around us and pondered at His creation. You know what trips me out? Are the organs in our bodies how they function properly. What is interesting is that God has put each one in the exact place. David said in Psalm 139 because as we developed in our mother's womb over the nine month period. Our mother suffered to bring us into this world--Give them a big hug and thank them for bringing you into this world. I think of our brains how God decided to fit the matter in our heads and the space they could take. Did you know our brains could hold over millions of Encycopedias? Neurologist say our brains can last for millions of years. And we only used 10% of our brains, ha! God gave each of us the ability to think, feel, smell, eat and see. Hmmm? Before coming to the LORD, some of us like looking up to the heavens and wondered if the "Man up stairs" even existed. As a teenager, each time there was a full lunar eclipse. I was very thrilled on such an event. It amazing seeing the 'big fire ball' turn black with a ring of fire. When the hour and minute came, I grabed my black box that I made and watched as the sun and the moon become as one. Later, I will do research why the sun covered the moon by reading articles and seeing pictures on the internet on NASA website. Then I thought, wait a minute, how could the sun cover the moon without something or Someone commanding them to merge together as one? There must be an explanation! I wanted to know but people will come up with different theories. I was still unsatisfied with the answers! There was Someone behind all this and I wanted answers! a. The existence of the universe is evidence that there is a God. ---There are three options for universe existence: 1. The universe has always been 2. The universe created itself 3. The universe was created This is a passage from "One minute Answers to Skeptics TOP FORTY QUESTIONS by Charlie H. Campbell." pg.27-28. You could purchase a copy at www.alwaysbeready.com Question number one: What evidence do you have that there is a God? "The very existence of the universe itself is evidence that there is a God. Let's think about this for a moment. There are only three options for the existence of the universe. One, that it has always been. Two, that it came into being by itself. Three, that it was created. The first option, that the universe is eternal, has been utterly rejected by the scientific community. The motion of the galaxies, the background radiation echo, and other evidences all overwhelmingly point to the fact that the universe sprang into existence at a particular point in time, something scientists call the Big Bang. Option two, that the universe created itself, is philosophically impossible. Of course, before the universe existed it would not have been around to do the creating. Obviously, a non-existent universe could not have done anything! It did not exist. We all know that nothing can not do anything. Nothing is nothing. It(if we could even call nothing an it!) cannot see, smell, act, think, or create. So option one and two can be thrown out on scientific and philosophical grounds. Option three, that something or someone outside the universe created the universe, is the only reasonable option. Let's imagine I am holding up a painting. When you see a painting, what proof do you need to establish the fact that a painter exists? Nothing else besides the painting itself. The painting is absolute proof that there was a painter. You do not need to see the painter to believe that he or she exists. The painting is all the evidence you need. It would not be there if the painter did not exist, and so it is with the universe. The existence of the universe itself proves absolutely that there is a Creator." On Atheism: "I am persuaded that men think there is no God because they wish there were none. They find it hard to believe in God, and to go on in sin, so they try to get an easy conscience by denying His existence" ---Charles H. Spurgeon(1834-1892), British preacher b. The heavens proclaim the majesty of God Turn your Bibles to Psalm 19:1-4 let's read: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world". In church, during worship, some of us might've heard the song "God of Wonders". In one line of the song, it says "universe declares Your majesty, you are Holy..Holy". Keep in mind about 3,000 years ago David didn't have a telescope like we do today. In these verses, David maybe was on the top of the roof of his castle, on the ground or top of a mountain looking at the beautiful celestrial night sky. Who knows what wonders he seen--musing what was up there. The word 'muse' means think deeply about something! For those of you who like to go to recreational events(for example, Knott's Berry Farm) are called amusement parks. The word 'amuse' means don't think deeply or at all. David was thinking deeply! Have you ever went outside at night looked at the stars and praise God? In your spare time, one night, go outside, stand still, and worship God, for putting each star in the heavens. Things to pounder about God's handiwork --God knows each star by name(Isaiah 40:26) --God created each star differently(1 Corinthians 15:41) --God numbered each star(Isaiah 40:26) --God made each star system(Job 9:9) There are prehaps billions and billions of stars in the known universe and expanding. About hundred years ago astronomers will try to number the stars. They will calculate there were about 1,000 stars in the our solar system, years passed, and another will say 1,005. People for thousands of years have searched the night sky for interesting things. The universe is endless!God numbers each star and names each one? That just makes me fall on my knees and worship Him. Imagine God saying "Number 1,987,345, your name is(use your imagination), next". We will never comprehend the vast universe but in the future the saved will get to explore each star and learn from them for all eternity. Wow! 2. Attributes. DEFINITION: The fundamental characterists of God. We can divided the basic attributes of God in two catagories: Divine and Personal. a. Divine Attributes: 1. God is Omnipoent. God is all-powerful. "I know that Thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of Thine can't be thwarted". (Job 42:2) 2. God is Omnipresent. God is present everywhere simultaneously. "If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in Sheol(the grave), behold, Thou are there."(Psalm 139:8) 3. God is Omniscient. God knows all things. "Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, Thou dost know it all". (Psalm 139:4) God knows every 'word' before it comes out of our mouths? That's what the verse teaches us. So that means God who knows all things, knew last week or yesterday before we got angry at someone, cussed or screamed at them and not glorifying Him with our tongues? Yes! Each time we cuss or scream at someone, the Holy Spirit grieves(Eph 4:29-30). Maybe a husband and wife got into an argument and exchanged words that caused separation and unforgiveness. Children, talked back to their parents--in the freeway someone cut us off and we flipped the bird. We have feelings and when somone tells something that brings sorrow to the heart in the inside, we grieve. The Spirit cries each time something offensive comes out of our mouth.He doesn't wants us to have bad fruit in our lives but good fruit to edify our brothers and sisters and show others God's love with every word we say. Jesus said in Matthew 12:35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his(what?) heart brings forth(what?)good things, an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." So which one do we want to be, the good man or the evil man? For the Christian, is the good man because he/she has the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do good. b. Personal Attributes. 1. Holiness: DEFINITION God is without evil and is only good. "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all".(1 John 1:5) I don't know the song(maybe someone in this forum does) but we have heard the words. Holiness..hoilness is what I long for...holiness..hoilness is what I need". God gave us the ability to be holy. I'm not talking about people in robes who spend their lifetime in a church or even someone doing 'holy things' outwardly. No, God wants to be holy inwardly in every aspect of our life. God says "Hoilness..holiness is what I have gave you...holiness...hoilness is what you need to practice". When we desire the sinful things of this world and sin against the LORD, we don't long or even practice hoilness in our lives. Turn to your Bibles to Hebrews 12:14, let's read "Pursue peace with all people, and (what?) hoilness, without which no one will(what?) see the LORD". Is the verse above teaches that if we're not peaceful with difficult people and be holy they won't see the LORD in us?. That's what the verse teaches. So now what we have to do? Be peaceful and holy with all people! It is not simple to do this because when someone tries to argue with us, we might 'flesh out' and not keep the peace. But when we are led by the Spirit---supernaturally will be peaceful "with all people" even the ones we can't get along with. Then when we are peaceful we will be holy and anyone will see the LORD in us. Isn't that wonderful? It sure is! 2. Love: God seeks the best for others. "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him".(1 John 4:16) You know what amazes me about God, is that He gave everyone on earth how to love not only Him but others as well. People might not know this but when God created us in His image He gave us His attribute---love. Imagine a world with hate without love? No, love didn't escape from pandora's box that is only an ancient myth. A loveless world will be scary place to live in because everyone will be hating each other. There will be no marriages, animals or kids to love! And 1 Cor 13, the love chapter will not exist, because the world is without love. But thanks be to God for giving us the gift of love to enable us to love people. 3. Justice: God appiles righteous justice equally to everyone. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life".(Galatians 6:7) Justice pleases the LORD. There's so much injustice in this world but on the Day of Judgment--God will judge every man for the deeds done on earth good or bad. It is going to be a righteous judgment and nobody is going to say that He was unfair with them. He will be equaled with everyone. And for the first time in ages, everyone who wasn't saved, will know that God time and time again, will send His children, to tell them about the Gospel but they refused Jesus christ. Their judgment: the lake of fire. For us Christans, we are going to be judged for rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. On that day, Jesus is going to tell each of the things we did from day one to our last day on earth, whether it was for Him, recognation of man or because we thought of ourselves more highly than others: from the usage of our spiritual gifts to giving money to the poor. * There are many more Attributes of God than these through out the Bible. These six were chosen because they were among the most striking and well-known. 4. Sovereignty: DEFINITION God can do whatever He wills. "For I know that the LORD is great, and that our LORD is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.(Psalm 135:5,6) Did God know before 9/11 two jet airliners with hundreds of people will crash into the twin towers killing over 3,000? We don't know! Did God cause the 9.0 earthquake casing a tsuami in Asia killing over 100,000 people? We don't know and even if we did know(which is impossible) we will never understand why. Did God know a mother giving birth to her child will die? Again, its too hard to explain! Did Job knew knew he would lose all his wealth, kids and health and later God will give him a two-fold blessing? No, but God did! We don't know why bad things happen in this world, but God is in control of this world. So when we hear about "THE RECESSION" or "FORECLOSURES" we shouldn't panic like the rest of this world because God has everything figure out. God is with us! Praise the LORD! There's a story I read in a letter I received from Grace to You a while back. I don't remember very much but I will try my best. In the letter was a story of a Christian family of four(two sons) who brought home two foreign gentlemen. The family and the two gentlemen were going on a trip and got on the freeway headeding to some place. As they were driving, suddenly, a truck hits the car and flips it over. The father, mother, son and the foreign men survived but the other son died on the scence. The parents of the son, reaction was calm. And said "The LORD permitted this to happen, so we could tell our friends about the Gospel". And that's what they did and both got saved! Now that is faith! God in His sovereignty knew before everyone got into the car who would survive and who would not then used the couple to give the two gentemen the Gospel to be saved! Did you ever wanted to know what God has planned for you next? If only we can go to Heaven and return back with a scroll of every event, date, time, people, place, will we be prepare for what's coming? No, that will ruin the surprises He has instored for us! a. God in His sovereignty before the foundation of the world chose us to be saved Turn with to Ephesians 1:4 lets read "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love" God knew the time and place where we will give our life to Him. He planned out Christian life before we were born and mapped out every single detail we were going to go through in our Christian life. From the day we got saved to the Spirit finishes His work in us! I tell this because I had so many close calls with death in my Christian life. This is what happened to me about four years ago. One day I forgot to put oil in my car--I was in a hurry to get to college. The car was doing fine as I headed to college. At night, college was over and it was about 10pm. When I got into the freeway everything seemed fine, then the interior lights shut off in the middle of the freeway as the steering wheel became hard. I cried out to the LORD to deliever from this peril for about five minutes, then all of sudden, three men come out from their cars and push my car on the shoulder. I thank the LORD to this day that a semitruck didn't crash behind me, paralysing me or even killing me. b. God in His sovereignty will be with us in each storm Turn to your Bible to Matthew 8:23-27. In this passage Jesus and the disciples get into a boat. Then a huge wave of water swollowed the boat, but Jesus was sleeping. The disciples freaked out and woke up Jesus, He calmed the sea and told them their faith was small. Jesus was with the disciples in the boat--they weren't alone. Jesus was near them but sleeping! When a wave of trials comes into our lives--like Jesus was with the disciples--God is with us. If God is with us we shouldn't panic saying "Where is God in all this?" but saying "LORD, what are you teaching in this storm?". We will not be like disciples saying "Lord, save us! We are perishing", but trusting and depending upon Him. Maybe your lost job. Maybe the parents of a teenager runned away from home and only God knows where they are. Maybe someone is going through a terminal disease and has months to live. Maybe someone is getting surgrey and are afraid of the outcome. Whatever the reason it is--Listen, God is with you 100% in your lost, fear, pain and suffering you're going through now. He has made you this promise: "Never will I leave, nor forsake you". Paul said "If God is for us who could be against us?" Is God for you? Yes! God says "I know what you're going through and I understand, but trust Me, I will be with you so I could bless you". 4. Trinity. DEFINITION: God is three persons, yet one. "Hear O Isreal! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!(Deuteronomy 6:4) "The grace of the LORD Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, with you all."(2 Corinthians 13:14) Like the Incarnation of Jesus Christ(which is next week's study) we cannot understand about the Trinity. The word 'trinity' is not found in the Bible but it doesn't mean the Bible doesn't teaches it. This doctrine has kept theogians busy for centuries trying to find out how God could be three persons in one: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Jehovah's Witness deny the doctrine of the Trinity, because they get taught God is a three-headed monster and that its pagan. No, not three Gods like Islam or Mormonism teaches! But does the Bible teach that about God? Let's read what the Bible says! a. The Trinity were present before Jesus birth. Turn your Bibles to Luke 1:35. Let's read "And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One is to be born will be called the Son of God" In this verse, we see the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Notice: All three were present! We don't understand how each member of the Trinity played an important part before Jesus birth we only could accept it! "The Holy Spirit will come upon you", the Spirit will fall upon Mary. The power of the Highest will overshadow you. The Highest is God and the word overshadow means a shadow touching someone or something. God's shadow was touching Mary; "that Holy One is to be born will be called the Son of God" Is Jesus in Mary's womb. This is why Christians call this the virgin birth because back in verse 34, Mary didn't have sexual relations with man yet--she was a virgin. b. The Trinity were present at Jesus resurrection. Who raised Jesus from the dead? --The Father(Romans 6:4) --The Son(John 2:19-21) --The Holy Spirit(Romans 8:11) 1. Verses to study about the Trinity: * Each member of the Trinity is called the Creator. --Father(Isaiah 64:8) --Son(John 1:3; Col. 1:15-17) --Holy Spirit(Job 33:4, 26:13) *These are only a few verses that support the Trinity but what has been presented is quite clear! We should want to know God, not as whom we think He should be, but simply as whom the Bible reveals Him to be. I hope and pray you enjoyed this basic study of God and will have understanding who He is in your life. LORD willing, next week, we will begin the basics of Jesus Christ. We will cover questions like: Was Jesus human like us? Did Jesus have emotions like us and Was Jesus God? and much more. Next week we will find out! If you don't have a relationship with God right now and would like to, pause for just a second. Listen, I don't know why you read this study but it might be that God brought you here. I don't know what is keeping you from repenting of all your sin and receiving Jesus Christ, as LORD and Savior. Pride might be the problem, let go and let God. You might say "I am fine I don't need Jesus right now" or "I go to church and read the Bible" or even "got baptized as an infant". That's good but you might not be 100% sure on the day you die will go to Heaven. It was hard for me and others to 'raise up the white flag' and tell God 'I surrender, I give up'. You have been trying all these years finding peace in wrong places but your search was fruitless. The only peace we could find is in God alone. Make peace with God while there'still time! What do you got to lose? Nothing more than an eternity separated from God forever and ever. If you decided to receive Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior, I would ask you now to close your eyes and bow your head down. And say this simple prayer and mean it from your heart: LORD Jesus, I repent of all my sin, thank you for dying on the cross me and resurrecting on the third day. LORD Jesus, come into my life as my LORD and Savior, filled me with Your Holy Spirit and write my name in the Book of Life, in Jesus name I pray, Amen and Amen. Welcome to the family! Love you all, God bless you!