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Friday, August 24, 2007

Where is GOD?

Where is God? The Ultimate Question

Where is God? Have you ever asked that question? Most of us have at one time or another. Its answer has more to do with His presence in our lives than with belief in His existence. We want to know -- where is God when I hurt, or where is God when something goes desperately wrong in my life? Our conclusions depend on what we rely on as a benchmark for truth in our lives.

Do you believe the Bible is true, and that it is what it claims to be? If you do, then you recognize that it is the very Word of God. What a great place to begin looking for His presence.

Where is God? How Can I Know He Exists?

Where is God? If this question still needs to be settled in your mind, consider the evidence for God in His creation. Genesis 1:1 says, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Do you believe it? Look around at the evidence. Psalm 19:1-2 tells us: The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. God wants us to know He exists. Where is God? We see Him in what He has created.

Do you believe that God wants you to see Him? The Bible says He does. He reveals Himself to us. Psalm 98:2 says, The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

God reveals Himself to us through His creation (see Romans 1:20) and through His Word: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Finally, God desires us to know Him so much that He took on the form of a man, in the person of His Son Jesus Christ. Consider these words from Paul in Philippians 2:6-8: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

John, another apostle, helps us understand that Jesus is the same God who created the universe when he says In John 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

We can see God in what He has created; we can see Him when we read His Word; we can see Him in the person and character of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to help us understand God, and to assure us that God understands us. John goes on to say: No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18). Jesus declares His existence and further reveals the truth about God.


Where is God? How Can I Relate to Him?


Where is God? There's a popular song that says God is watching from a distance. Or you may have heard Him referred to as a higher power, the man upstairs or a divine imminence. But the Bible tells us He is a person, and that He is near. James, a man history records as the brother of Jesus, tells us that if we draw near to God, He draws near to us (James 4:8). What more could we ask? Does that give you a picture of being cuddled? It should - God longs to cuddle you in His arms.

Have you believed God is waiting to judge you? The Bible says He longs to forgive you. Over and over throughout the pages of Scripture, we read of His longsuffering nature. From Genesis through Revelation, we see a consistent picture of a God who continues to offer forgiveness, up to the very end of time. He is not willing that any should perish, the Bible says, but that all should be saved. The reason He sent Jesus into the world is so that we could all be saved! (John 3:17). Religions teach us we need to earn God's favor. The Bible tells us God's favor is a gift. All He is waiting for is for us to admit our need. Once we confess our sin, His forgiveness is ours. (1 John 1:9)


Where is God? What Next?


Where is God? In today's world, it's easy for us to think that we suffer alone. But if you have wondered where God is, so has someone else. Now that you know who He is and where He is, you can help someone else know where God is, too.

Near the end of the Gospel of John, just before He was crucified, Jesus told His disciples about a comforter He would send, to remind them of all the things He had taught. That comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, came at Pentecost, just a short time after Jesus ascended into heaven. In the first chapter of Acts we read about that event as His disciples were filled with His Spirit and began declaring the Gospel message.

What this means for you and me is that once we confess our sins, receive God's forgiveness and accept the gift of salvation through Christ, we can know the presence of that Comforter, too. With His Holy Spirit living in us, His nature gradually overtakes our own. As that happens, others will begin to discover where God is by knowing you.

Who Is God?

Who Is God - Who Does He Claim to Be?

Who is God? He's been described as everything from an impersonal life-force to a benevolent, personal, almighty Creator. He has been called by many names, including: "Zeus," "Jupiter," "Brahma," "Allah," "Ra," "Odin," "Ashur," "Izanagi," "Viracocha," "Ahura Mazda," and "the Great Spirit" to name just a few. He's seen by some as "Mother Nature" and by others as "Father God." But who is He really? Who does He claim to be?

Who Is God - Father God or Mother Nature?

Who is God? What has He revealed about Himself? To begin with, whenever He refers to Himself in parental terms, He always addresses Himself as "Father," never "Mother." He calls Himself "a Father to Israel,"1 and in one instance, when His "children" were particularly disrespectful to Him, He said to them, "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?" 2

His prophets acknowledged Him as Father by saying, "You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand,"3 and "do we not all have one Father? Has not one God created us?"4 Never once does God refer to Himself as "Mother" and never once is He called such by the prophets to whom He spoke. Calling God "Mother Nature" is comparable to calling your earthly father "Mom."

Who Is God - What Does God Care About?

Who is God in terms of moral attributes? What does God have to say about Himself in this regard? He says that He delights in justice and righteousness: "…Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight."5 "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity…"6

Justice and equity are very important to God. But so are grace and mercy. And so, while God will hold everyone accountable, each for their own lives, He extends His grace to the repentant sinner. He promises that, "'If the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,' declares the Lord GOD, 'rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?…I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,' declares the Lord GOD. 'Therefore, repent and live.'"7

By "death" God is not referring to the physical death which we might have in mind. Rather, God is referring to something which will happen in eternity, after our physical deaths. The Scriptures refer to this event as the "second death."8 The first death separates us from our bodies and takes us from this world. The second death is different. It also entails a separation, but it's the separation of one group of people from another: the righteous and the forgiven on one hand and the wicked and the unrepentant on the other. The two groups will be judged separately.

The one group will be rewarded according to the good that they've done. Their evil deeds will be overlooked, forgiven by God. The other group will be judged according to the evil that they have done, and their good deeds will not keep them from their punishment. God says, "When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die." But "when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. …Therefore, repent and live."9 In this way, God will see that justice ultimately prevails, but that mercy is given to the humble and the repentant.

God has made a provision for those who want to repent, a provision to atone for the sins of those who want to be made right with Him. He sent a "Messiah," a Servant who willingly suffered and died a vicarious death in order to pay for the sins of those who would repent and trust in Him. The Scriptures say, "Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?…Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows…He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.…it was the LORD's will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the LORD makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in His hand. After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.…he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgresso
rs."

Thursday, August 23, 2007

The INTERVIEW With GOD

The Interview With God, its popularity propelled by millions of visitors from all parts of the world, has become a spiritual phenomenon.

The online presentation has spread like wildfire, and has touched hearts all around the world. People of all walks of life and of all faiths are fully embracing it. The subtle reminder of a caring and active God has become the focus of countless emails to loved ones, and conversations everywhere. To date, the beautiful message has reached millions.

A remarkable number of e-mails and letters come from those that have expressed how God has touched them and personally spoken to them through The Interview With God. Aching hearts healed, families touched, lives being blessed. The spirit of God's love truly brings meaning and hope -- what our world needs, and now receives with open arms.

Millions more are waiting for the simple and powerful message that God is with us... always. Whose life can you touch today by sharing The Interview With God?



I dreamed I had an interview with God.

“So you would like to interview me?” God asked.

“If you have the time” I said.

God smiled. “My time is eternity.”
“What questions do you have in mind for me?”

“What surprises you most about humankind?”

God answered...
“That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again.”

“That they lose their health to make money...
and then lose their money to restore their health.”

“That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future.”

"That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived.”

God’s hand took mine
and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked...
“As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons
you want your children to learn?”

“To learn they cannot make anyone
love them. All they can do
is let themselves be loved.”

“To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others.”

“To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness.”

“To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them.”

“To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least.”

“To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings.”

“To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently.”

“To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves.”

"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.

"Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?"

God smiled and said,
“Just know that I am here... always.”



Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Nature of GOD

Nature of God - Praising His Name

In nature, I sense the nature of God! With the chirping of birds, I am urged to sing songs of praise and worship for the Lord. As I worship God, He touches my heart and reveals Himself to me in a very special way - that is, in nature, our environment. Besides this pleasant park, that includes the forests and beaches, the sun that rises and sets everyday, the shining moon and twinkling stars at night, the rain -- and a lot more. I realize now why I feel a different kind of intensity inside every time I gaze on those things.

Furthermore, I am also reminded of God's goodness and faithfulness in my life. "God is good, all the time. He puts a song of praise in this heart of mine. God is good all the time!" Ever heard of that song?


Nature of God - Understanding His Love

This is the very nature of God. He is so good that He cares for us and loves us unconditionally. How? What do you think? "For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). This is one of the most familiar Bible verses known to man, but do we really understand what it implies in our own life? Imagine if you yourself had only one son, a son you cared for and loved so much. Would you be willing to sacrifice your son's life in order to save someone? Could you afford to risk his life for the sake of others? God could; that is why we have Jesus Christ. The book of John, chapter 14, verse 6, says that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.

In order for us to have an eternal life, all we have to do is receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, repent, and ask for forgiveness. It's our choice. It's the nature of God!