THE LOVE OF GOD

 

THE LOVE OF GOD

Everybody uses the word "love." Everybody loves the word "love." But it is used in so many different ways and with so many different definitions. Love is often thought of as primarily a feeling or an attraction but the Bible gives us a much more profound understanding of what love really is. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson says:

God’s love is the most awesome thing about Him. It is not His justice, His majesty or even His blazing holiness but the fact that He has made and keeps a covenant of personal commitment and love to His people.

Want to read some amazing verses? Try I John 4:7-12 and John 17:20-26

God’s love is a TRINITARIAN LOVE. God the Father loves you. God the Son loves you. God the Holy Spirit loves you. Read John 3:34-35; 17:26

God's love is INFINITE. It knows no boundaries and has no limitations. He really loves you to the moon and back!

God’s love is SACRIFICIAL. It is a true love that gives and keeps on giving and loving. Seen most powerfully in the giving of His Son for our sins. The shepherd gave His life for His sheep. John 10:11

God’s love is VOLITIONAL. That is to say that it was a choice that God made freely and willingly. He didn't have to love you. He chose to love you. Why? No other reason than this: He simply wanted to love you. See Deuteronomy 7:7 and I John 4:19

God’s love is ETERNAL. There is no beginning and no end to His love for His people. Jeremiah 33:3; Ephesians 1:4-5

Revel in His Love today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqbqjX2KRyY

 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

This truth and attribute is unquestionably one of the most exhilarating, liberating, comforting and thrilling attributes of God there is. The concept of sovereignty means that God is King, Boss, Lord and Ruler over all people and things. It is His universe. He created it and He controls it. His sovereignty transcends space and time and leaves nothing outside its scope and authority. A proper understanding of this doctrine will cause you to change your worldview, your understanding of history and all the circumstances in our lives!

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: Mine.”  Abraham Kuyper

Jonathan Edwards said this, “God’s sovereignty has ever appeared to me a great part of His glory. It has often been my delight to approach God and adore Him as a Sovereign God.”

Sovereignty = His right to rule, govern and preside over all things.

His sovereignty communicates His power over His enemies.

His sovereignty establishes His power over all circumstances.

His sovereignty is not limited to past or future events; it permeates our present reality.

His sovereignty is cosmic in scope. 

Take a minute and read Ephesians 1:11 and 3:20-21.

Read Psalm 33:6-11

Read Psalm 115:3

Read Daniel 4:35

Read Romans 8:27

If God is not sovereign, then who or what is?

“You are my Sovereign Lord”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jEjk2h0JU0

 THE WISDOM OF GOD

Wisdom is more than just the collection of knowledge and facts. It is the ability to take that knowledge and those facts and relate them to life and eternity. The Bible is very clear that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. That means that we respect, reverence, honor and acknowledge that the Lord is God!  Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10

Biblical wisdom is the pursuit of the highest purpose and the greatest good. That pursuit is the glory of God Himself. God alone is all wise and chooses the highest end and the best means for achieving that goal.

We see God’s wisdom in the beauty and order of creation! Psalm 19:1-6

Creation displays the wisdom of its Creator.

We see God’s wisdom in His providence, His governance of human affairs! Acts 17:26-27

God uses all the intricacies of our lives to draw us closer to Him.

We see God’s wisdom in salvation! Who could ever design a way of salvation as God has? It is simple enough to explain to a child and intricate enough to defy the brilliance of the most brilliant minds.

If you want to really see the wisdom of God, then look at the cross of Jesus! Study that cross and the Savior’s death. For there you will see the demonstration of God’s great wisdom. Read I Corinthians 1:18-25. The world may call it foolishness but the Bible calls it the wisdom of God!

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S59diW2U3q8

 THE TRUTHFULNESS OF GOD

The Bible claims that truth is objective and absolute because it comes from God. This reality stands in stark contrast to the world’s view of truth as being subjective to man’s feelings and circumstances and situations. God has spoken truth in sacred scripture and stands in total opposition to man’s definition of truth today!

A friend of mine who has gone on to be with the Lord, Dr. James M. Boice, Pastor of Tenth Avenue Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and author of many books, had this to say about truthfulness:

“Truth holds together. Therefore, there is no phase of truth that is not related to every other phase of truth. All things that are true are part of the truth and stand in a proper and inescapable relationship to God, who is Himself the truth.”

All truth finds its origins in God.

Biblical truth makes exclusive claims about reality.

God’s truth is objective and does not depend on human feelings and understanding.

Truth stands as a single body and exists in complete harmony with God.

Truth, like its Originator, never changes.

Truth transcends societies, cultures, centuries and continents.

God’s truth is utterly reliable and trustworthy.

All people need to know, hear and obey the truth!

Read: John 14:6, 15:26; 16:13; 18:37; Psalm 119:105, James 1:21-23; Romans 10:13-17

Can you hear the “Voice of Truth”?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d81w8I7EjA

 THE GOODNESS OF GOD

My Mom and Dad taught me to pray this and I have never forgotten it;

God is great, God is good

Let us thank Him for our food

By His hands we are fed

Thank you Lord for daily bread

God is good. All the time. All the time, God is good!

The Bible is filled with teachings about the goodness of God. For example,

God is good to all His creatures, to all His creation. His goodness permeates the entire created order.  Psalm 136:25; 145:9, 15-16.

God is good to unbelievers and that is a general goodness. This is sometimes referred to as common grace and is seen in many places. It is a grace that is not redemptive.  See Matthew 5:45

God is especially good to His children, His family of believers.

God delights in meeting the needs of His children.  Matthew 7:7

All good comes from God.  James 1:17

God is good in His plans for believers. Romans 12:2 and Jeremiah 29:11

God is good with respect to His providence.  Romans 8:28

God is good in His protection of believers.  Nahum 1:7

God is good in His patience toward believers.  Psalm 136

God is good in His forgiveness toward believers. I John 1:7-9

You should NEVER doubt God’s goodness!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=n0FBb6hnwTo

 THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD

Wow! Another big word. Yes, because we worship a BIG God!

Immutability means that God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Our God is an immovable rock, a mighty fortress, and the only sure anchor in an ever changing world! We are always changing; changing our emotions, our minds and our plans. God never changes and that is our subject for today.

A/.W.Pink argues:

“However unstable I may be; however fickle my friends may prove, God never changes. If he varied as we do, if He willed one thing today and then another thing tomorrow, if He were controlled by caprice ---who could confide in Him? But, all praise to His glorious name. He is ever the same. His purpose is fixed, His will is stable and His word is sure.”

God is unchangeable in His character! His personality is eternal and unalterable. He never decreases or increases. All of His attributes are constant and steadfast.  Psalm 102:26-27

God is unchangeable in His word! His word will remain true forever. What was true with God yesterday will be true with God tomorrow. His word cannot be bridged or altered. Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 40:8

God is unchangeable in His plans! His decrees and plans will never be altered. God doesn’t have a Plan B.  Psalm 33:10-11 and Proverbs 19:21

God is unchangeable in His salvation! Even though human history changes and advances, His plan of salvation will never change. All of His promises are given unconditionally and with absolute certainty.

Hold on to God’s Unchanging Hand!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=decSTDjXTf8

 THE GRACE OF GOD

What a subject we are about to look at. What a vast and incomparable truth as it relates to the grace of God. I love the old hymns that drip with the grace of God. The Bible makes much of the grace of God and I want to mention several aspects of those truths.

God’s grace is FREE. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a free gift that God offers to all sinners. Read Romans 3:21-26

God’s grace is ETERNAL. Before time began, God had planned to share His grace with His elect people. Ephesians 1:4-6; II Timothy 1:9; Revelation 13:8

God’s grace is SOVEREIGN. He did not have to choose to be gracious to anyone. It is given to all who are guilty and undeserving.  Exodus 33:19

God’s grace is FAR-REACHING. It is extended to all people all around the world. John 3:16 and Titus 2:11

God’s grace is MEDIATED! His redemptive grace comes to us only through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only Mediator between God and man. I Timothy 2:5. There is no salvation outside of Christ. Romans 5:15; Acts 4:12; John 14:6

God’s grace is SAVING! His grace saves us from ourselves, our sins and from the wrath and judgment of a holy God. There is no amount of sin that God’s grace cannot overcome. That grace is transformative. It changed my life and it can certainly change yours!

We are debtors of His grace! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LWyBcCH7Wg

 THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD

I hope that you are seeing by now --- that the more we study about God, the more we realize how little of God we know. If you were struck by the magnitude of His omnipresence and awed by the reality of His omniscience, how will you grasp the ultimate meaning of His omnipotence?

Divine omnipotence simply means that God is all powerful. His omnipotence is co-extensive with His being. There is no area of the universe where God is not exerting His power. From a simple blade of grass to the complicated orbits of the planets, God is large and in charge of it all.

We can do very little. God can do whatever He wills and wants to do. Psalm 115:3

We have narrow limits; God has absolutely no limits.

He simply said "let there be light" and there was light. By the mere power of a spoken word.  

See Psalm 33:6-9

Who can perform such things? Only God!

God possesses all power.

God’s power is without limits or bounds.

No one or nothing can thwart the power of God.

God never struggles to fulfill His will.

He does not depend on human action to achieve His plans and goals.

God’s battle with Satan is not a tug of war struggle.

God effortlessly prevails over human rebellion and satanic resistance.

God’s power does not diminish over time.

He never grows weary or old.

Divine omnipotence is so far beyond human capabilities that we simply cannot understand it fully and completely. What a God we serve and worship and pray to!!!!

Scriptures: Psalm 139:13-18; Isaiah 40:28-31; Isaiah 43:13; Jeremiah 32:27; Matthew 28:18; Luke 1:37; Ephesians 3:20-21; Philippians 4:13

How Great Thou Art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d7PWR8Ug9M

 THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD

Here we discover another attribute of God that, at the least, is difficult to fathom. Divine Omniscience means that God knows everything about everybody and everything perfectly.

He knows all about your past.

He knows all about your present.

He knows all about your future.

And He knows that about every single person to whom He has given life!

Stephen Charnock in his book, The Attributes of God, said:

“In public, in private; God knows all cases and He knows all remedies; He knows the seasons of bringing them and He knows the seasons of removing them; and all for His own glory. God knows all causes in themselves, and therefore, knows what every cause will produce and what will be the event of every counsel and action.”

God knows all things as they truly are, not just as they appear to be.

God never learns anything new.

Nothing ever catches God off guard or surprises God.

God is never prone to confusion and misunderstanding.

God knows all things instantly, simultaneously and eternally.

God has numbered and named the stars.  See Psalm 147:4

He never needs counsel and wisdom from others.

There are no gaps in God’s knowledge.

There is nothing you can do that God doesn’t already know.

Scriptures please? Thought you would never ask!

Psalm 139:1-6

Isaiah 40:13-14

Isaiah 46:8-10

Matthew 10:29-30

Matthew 11:22-23

John 2:23-25

Romans 11:33-36

Rejoice in His omniscience!

His Eye is on the Sparrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSulFAtu9u4

 THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD

What I believe about God comes from the truth as revealed in the Bible. I believe that God is omnipresent because the Bible teaches it.

Please read Psalm 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:23-25

By the way, if you are too lazy or too inconvenienced to study this subject with an open Bible, you probably are not really interested!

Divine Omnipresence means that God is ... at the same time ... present in every part of the universe! He has no spatial or geographical constraints and can never be barred from any location. Moreover, when He is present, He is present in the fullness of all His being.

God is in heaven; and yet God rules over Hell.

God is in heaven; and yet God is on earth.

God is in North America; God is in South America.

God is in my heart and life; and if you are a Christian, He is in yours as well.

There is no where you can go --- where God is not already there!

That is a mind boggling truth!

It transcends human power and understanding.

We are limited in our presence.

We cannot be in two places at the same time.

Relevance?

God is with us in all our good times; all our happy times.

God is present in every aspect of our lives --- suffering and affliction.

God is with us in all our trials and adversity.

God is with us in sickness and in health; in life and in death.

You cannot run and hide from God.

There is nowhere you can go and escape from God.

Every man and woman has to deal one day with this God!

Think about it!

He Already Sees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ryU9Jbt0Q

THE HOLINESS OF GOD

 THE HOLINESS OF GOD

It is one thing to sing God is holy but another thing to understand what it means. Holiness is one of God’s most prominent attributes. Holiness has to do with God’s separateness from His creation as the Superior One and His absolute moral purity! R. C. Sproul said that “when the Bible calls God holy, it means primarily that God is transcendentally separate from and other than man. He is so far above and beyond us that He seems almost entirely foreign.”

This holiness is often identified in Scripture with the chorus of the heavenly beings crying “holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.” These seraphim are saying that God is holy to a superlative degree and is to be honored and elevated above all else.  See Isaiah 6:1-7

God Himself is separate from and other than anything or anybody else in creation. He is distinctly and infinitely superior to His creation and all His creatures. After all,. He designed and made them! And He sustains them.

Relevance? 

It means he is morally perfect without sin or moral blemish.

It means that all His decisions and judgments are perfect.

It means that He takes delight in all that is good, true, worthy and upright.

It means that He cannot tolerate sin because His very nature is one of purity.

It means to ascribe to Him kingly majesty.  (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 22:3)

It means that if you are to understand Biblical salvation and the sacrifice of Jesus for sin, you must grasp something of the holiness of God.

“When I Look Into Your Holiness”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEdxYnl4UdI 

 THE MYSTERY OF GOD

When you begin to think about God in this fashion it creates a struggle of sorts. We do not like to think very much or very long about anything. We want everything in snippets and we want it fast and furious. The study of God is a lifelong task and journey. There is something about God that is mysterious and it is that mystery that heightens our sense of worship!

If we could figure everything about God completely we would not be drawn to worship Him.

Because He is beyond our full and total comprehension, He brings us to our knees in wonder and amazement. Since we can never know God completely, there is always room for us to grow and deepen in our relationship to Him.

Jesus Christ is the visible expression of this invisible God.

Read John 1:1-3, 14-18; 14:1-10; Hebrews 1:1-3; I Timothy 3:16

Meditate on those verses for a while.

He came to die for our sins but in His coming to do that, He also revealed the truth as to who God is and what God is like. If you want to know God, study Christ.

Study His life.

Study His ministry.

Study His truth.

Study His death on the cross.

Study His resurrection.

Study His promises!

Then and only then can you even begin to understand the greatness of God!

In Christ Alone, The Gettys and Allison Kraus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16KYvfIc2bE

 THE SPIRITUALITY OF GOD

The second question little children will often ask is: what is God like?

The Bible teaches that God--- in His essence --- is a spirit being. An invisible, eternal, immaterial and infinite being. He is distinct from visible, material and finite creatures.

Dr. Charles Hodge, former Princeton theologian stated that “everywhere in the Old and New Testament, God is represented as a spiritual being, without form, invisible, whom no man has seen or can see; a God who dwells in unapproachable light which no man can approach, and full of glory. As such, He is the Creator, Preserver and Governor of all things, and is everywhere present and everywhere imparting life and securing order.”

Heavy stuff? Oh yes, but God is heavy and complex and complicated. Understanding Him requires some thought and effort and mystery.

John 4:24: God is spirit and does not have a material body.

The Bible speaks of God’s hands in Jeremiah 18:6.

God’s eyes in II Chronicles 16:9. 

God’s arms in Isaiah 53:1

God’s ears in Psalm 130:2

Does God have real hands, eyes, arms and ears?

This type of language is used to help us better understand who God is and what God is like. The Bible is using language we humans can understand to discuss a God whom we cannot fully grasp. Because He has no body, God has no spatial constraints. He is omnipresent, everywhere, all at once. You can't escape God --- no matter where you go.

God has revealed Himself to us in and through:

Creation and nature

The Bible

The Lord Jesus Christ.

That is how we know God.

Read John 1:18; John 4:23-24; I Timothy 1:16-17

How Great Thou Art with Josh Turner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpyRCB7uy0o

 THE SELF EXISTENCE OF GOD

One of the things that separates God from man is His self existence, His aseity. God is eternally self existent. Nobody made God. God didn’t come from anywhere. He simply always was, is and will be. In the beginning God was present. God’s rule over the cosmos is everlasting.

Therefore, the universe owes its existence to the infinite God.

God created the universe not by necessity but for His own glory. 

Theologian Arthur Pink puts it this way:

“God was under no constraint to create. He was under no obligation to create. He did not have to create. There was no necessity to create. That He chose to do so was purely a sovereign act on His part caused by nothing outside of Himself and determined by His own mere good pleasure.”

God is the source of all life and we were created to live in fellowship with Him. As Augustine once said, “our hearts are restless until they find rest in God.” The greater our understanding of God, the more our own hearts become filled with contentment and satisfaction in Him. We understand that there is not a need in our lives that He cannot supply.

Read Genesis 1:1; Psalm 93:2; Acts 17:28-32; Romans 11:36

Why did God create you? Simple! Because He wanted to! 

Think about that for a minute. 

No other reason.

The Doxology- like you’ve never heard it before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQUTvMtUhw4

 THE ASEITY OF GOD

Aseity is a small but seldom used word and it means “the quality or state of being self-derived or self originated; the self sufficiency, independence and autonomy of God; a being who exists of himself and from himself and owes its existence to no one.” Of all the attributes of God this one is perhaps the most difficult to come to understand.

Children will ask their parents, who made God?”

The correct answer is “nobody” made God. Unlike us, God is self existent. He has no beginning and no end. He is not dependent upon anyone for anything.

Can you wrap your mind around that truth? God has just always been. Father, Son and Holy Spirit dwelling in total and complete existence and sufficiency. Dependent upon no one or no thing! That is why He is God!

Charles Spurgeon had this to say:

“There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, “Behold I am wise.” But when we come to this master-science, finding that our plumb-line cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away . . . with the solemn exclamation, “I am but of yesterday, and know nothing.” 

Read Psalm 90:14; Romans 11:33-36; Revelation 4:8

“All Glory Be to Christ”, The Petersens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EexEDzJ6zIY