Week 1 – The God Who Is Real

Nov 30, 2010 Gary Henry A - God's Existence

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

“By faith,” the Hebrew writer says, “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”(Hebrews 11:3). We believe that God is our Creator because His word tells us so, of course. But even if we had never heard of Genesis 1:1, there is no other reasonable explanation for the world. It must have been created by a Being wise and powerful enough to do so. So Paul says that God’s existence is not just seen in His creation, but it is clearly seen: “Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 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” (Romans 1:19,20).

The existence of God should be more than a “theory” we think about now and then. We need to believe that God is real. His actual presence needs to be something we’re conscious of many times throughout the day. Sadly, many who say they believe in God don’t live their daily lives as if He were real. For many others, God seems real only on certain special occasions. For all of us, it’s important to grow in our daily recognition of God.

If we want God to be more real to us, here are some lines of thought that can help. First, our own “nature” can tell us a good deal about God. If we are persons, then the God who created us can’t be anything less than a personal Being. Second, we need to spend more time with God’s world. The more we know of the creative works that God has done, the more real He will be to us. Third, we need to spend more time with God’s word. The more seriously we deal with what God has said, the more we will be sure that He is present in the world. Fourth, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the ultimate proof that God is real. If it is a historical fact that Jesus was raised from the dead, then there can be no doubt about God’s reality.

We should meditate on these points. And, even more important, we should pray about these things as we are meditating on them. If we are to learn that God is real, prayer is absolutely essential. This week, let’s deepen our faith in the God who created us. As we grow in reverence, we’ll also be growing in wisdom.

“For I know that the Lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods” (Psalm 135:5).

Monday: Psalm 111:10

Key Idea: The door to true wisdom is opened by reverence and respect for the reality of God.

1. What is the “fear of the Lord”? There are many kinds of fear, and not all of them are bad. How is the fear of the Lord different from the bad fears we may sometimes have?
2. What are some different ways the fear of the Lord might be the beginning of wisdom?
3. How is the person who has no fear of God described in Psalm 36:1-4?
4. In Ecclesiastes 12:1, what did Solomon say we should do in the days of our youth? What does it mean to “remember” God? In real day-to-day living, how do we do this?
5. In Ecclesiastes 12:13,14, what did Solomon say was the “conclusion of the whole matter”?

Tuesday: Psalm 95:6,7

Key Idea: What we know about our own nature leads us to the truth about God.

1. What are some ways a “personal” being is different from an “impersonal” being, such as a rock, an apple, or a horse?
2. Which is the best explanation for the fact that we exist as persons: (1) simply the natural processes of the universe, or (2) supernatural creation by a Being higher than nature, as in Gen. 1:27? Which is the most reasonable?
3. If we know ourselves to be personal beings, what must be true about the Being who created us? Consider Paul’s line of thought in Acts 17:24-29.
4. What concepts of the nature of God are prevalent in the Eastern religions and in the New Age movement? How are these different from the Christian concept of a personal God?
5. Consider the subject of “worship.” How would the worship of a personal God be different from the worship of an impersonal entity?

Wednesday: Psalm 145:4-7

Key Idea: We know that God is real because of the works that He has done in history.

1. Consider that God’s works fall into three groups: (1) works of creation (Hebrews 11:3), (2) works of providence (Acts 14:15-18), and (3) works of salvation or redemption (Psalm 98:1-3). Can you give examples of deeds God has actually done in each area? Think of observable events that could be recorded by a historian.
2. Are the records of God’s actions just imaginary “myths” or “legends,” or did these events take place in the real world?
3. When we “worship” God, should we not praise Him for the real deeds He has done? Consider Psalm 86:10 and 105:2.
4. Some people suppose that having created the world, God withdrew from it and is no longer actively present or involved with His creation. But what does the Bible teach in passages like Colossians 1:17 and Hebrews 1:3? If God “upholds” all things by the word of His power, doesn’t that mean He is very near us at all times?
5. What do you think David meant in Psalm 75:1: “Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near”? How does God become more “near” to us when we thoughtfully consider His works?
6. Give some thought to Psalm 78:4. What good things result when each generation tells the next about the wonderful things God has done in history?

Thursday: Psalm 119:151,152

Key Idea: We know that God is real because of the word that He has revealed to mankind.

1. Think carefully about this: what is the most important reason for studying the Bible? To get started, it may be helpful to imagine receiving a letter from someone you dearly love. Why would you “study” the letter: to learn about the letter itself, or to learn about the person who wrote the letter?
2. If we spend considerable time delving into the treasures of God’s word, doesn’t it stand to reason that God will be more real to us? According to Psalm 1:3, what happens in the life of the person whose “delight is in the law of the Lord”?
3. In Psalm 19:7-9, what good results did David experience from dealing with God’s word?
4. Can God’s word convince us that He is real if we don’t give it a serious try? What might David have meant when he said, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8)?
5. What are some of the “wondrous things” (Psalm 119:18) that can be seen if our eyes are open to God’s word?

Friday: Psalm 16:9-11

Key Idea: The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest proof that God is real.

1. Who was David talking about in v.10 when he said, “You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption”? What did Peter say about this statement in Acts 2:25-32?
2. How does the resurrection of Jesus Christ prove God’s existence? What did Peter say in 1 Peter 1:20,21?
3. In Acts 17:31, what did Paul say the resurrection gives “assurance” of to all mankind?

Putting It All Together

God is real. But how real He seems to each of us personally depends on how much attention we pay to Him. We need to think about God, and study His word, and pray to Him daily. We need to desire God and seek Him with all our hearts. And most important of all, we need to love God — the God who is really there!

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com

Week 2 – What Can We Learn from God’s Handiwork?

Nov 29, 2010 Gary Henry A - God's Existence

“. . . because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
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” (Romans 1:19,20).

There is much to be learned about God from the world that He has made. Having created the world, God “did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). The truth about our Creator is not hidden. He has left evidence of His power and His goodness everywhere we look in the realm of nature.

But just observing nature doesn’t teach us much. It’s the thoughtful observation of nature that deepens our understanding. Henry David Thoreau said, “Only that day dawns to which we are awake.” It’s important not only to see the world, but to catch the significance of what we’re seeing. We have to wake up and pay attention, actively engaging our minds in a consideration of what’s around us.

In our day, unfortunately, many people suffer from a lack of any real involvement with nature. The hectic pattern of modern life is such that there’s not much chance to feast our minds on the variety of wonders in God’s creation: the different seasons, the different kinds of weather, the different types of terrain, etc. We have to make a conscious choice to get out and get into contact with nature. But even though it takes extra effort, there’s a great benefit to getting outdoors. The more personal involvement we have with what God has made — engaging all five of our senses — the more we have a chance to learn about God Himself.

Many good things result naturally from the contemplation of God’s creation. Two of the most important results are gratitude and praise. “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land” (Psalm 95:1-5).

“All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You” (Psalm 145:10).

Monday: Psalm 8:3-5

Key Idea: When we think seriously about the world God has created, we are filled with awe and wonder.

1. Have you ever experienced the feeling David expresses in vv.3,4? Have you ever looked up at the stars and been (1) filled with awe at how small one human being is in all the vast universe, but also (2) amazed to remember that God lovingly cares for every person that He has ever created? What did Jesus say in Matthew 10:29-31?
2. In v.5, consider the “glory and honor” with which God has crowned human beings. What is our role or status in relation to everything else in the physical universe? See also vv.6-8. Consider Genesis 1:26-28.
3. Going back to Psalm 8:4,5, wasn’t Jesus Christ the ultimate fulfillment of this passage? Look at Hebrews 2:5-9. As the “Son of Man,” wasn’t Jesus the complete, perfect summation of everything God had intended the human race as a whole to be?
4. In a day when many people seem to think of God in such familiar terms that He becomes little more than a good friend, don’t we need to recover a sense of “awe” and “wonder” with respect to the majesty of God?

Tuesday: Psalm 19:1-6

Key Idea: The universe declares not only the existence of God but also His glory.

1. How do the heavens “declare” the glory of God? Since the heavens don’t literally “speak” to us about God, is there some conclusion about God that is “declared” to us when we thoughtfully observe the universe?
2. What conclusions can be drawn from the uniqueness of the planet earth in all of the universe? By all accounts, nothing has been found anywhere in all the vast stretches of the universe that comes close to being like our planet. Earth’s mind-boggling diversity of life and beauty are simply unique in the universe. What conclusions does this fact lead us to?
3. In his youth, David had been a shepherd. What opportunities would David have had during these years to be impressed with the handiwork of God?
4. How many different ways might we fill in the following blanks? If __________ is true about the universe, then __________ must be true about God.
5. What is meant by the saying “From nothing, nothing comes”? How does this principle apply to the origin of the universe? What does Hebrews 11:3 say about the fact that “something” exists where previously there was “nothing”? See also Psalm 33:6; 148:5,6; 2 Peter 3:5.
6. Doesn’t the marvelous design that we observe in the realm of nature argue that there must be a Designer of great wisdom and power? What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen in nature that moved you to say, “This could not have just ‘happened’?”

Wednesday: Psalm 89:11-18

Key Idea: The works of God’s creation exhibit the qualities of His personal nature.

1. In this passage, what attributes of God are said to be reflected in His creation?
2. When we observe the works of a craftsman, an artist, a writer, etc., don’t we often draw some conclusions about the kind of person the producer must be? Don’t the things we make give evidence of our own nature and character?
3. The question “What kind of God is God?” is an important question. What different things about God’s nature are suggested by the things around us that He has created?
4. In Romans 1:19,20, what does Paul mean when he says that God’s “power” and “Godhead” are shown in His creation?
5. In Genesis 1:31, we are told, “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” In what ways can we say that God’s creation is “good”? What does the goodness of creation tell us about God Himself? In what ways has sin marred the goodness of the creation?

Thursday: Psalm 75:1

Key Idea: When we consider the wondrous works of God, gratitude is the right response on our part.

1. In this verse, what reason is given for our thanksgiving to God?
2. In Romans 1:21, what two things did these people fail to do toward God even though they “knew” Him?
3. Look up the word “appreciate” in the dictionary. What do we mean when we say that someone has no “appreciation” for beauty, greatness, etc.? How can we develop a deeper appreciation for God’s creation?

Friday: Psalm 148:1-6

Key Idea: From the magnificence of God’s creation, we learn to worship and praise Him.

1. What different aspects of God’s creation are mentioned in this text?
2. How should we define “worship” and “praise”?
3. As we experience the joys of nature, shouldn’t we also express that joy to God and to others? If we understand God’s greatness, should we not also acknowledge that greatness? Is it important to acknowledge God in our deeds as well as our words? Consider Titus 1:16.
4. Slowly read the description given in Revelation 5:8-14. What is the main impression you receive from this reading?
5. In Psalm 9:1,2, what are we to do with our “whole heart”?

Putting It All Together

There are many powerful lessons to be learned about God from His creation. But these lessons will be lost on us if we don’t observe nature and think about what we’re observing. When we deal seriously with what God has made, the natural results are gratitude and praise.

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com

Week 3 – We Are Accountable to God

Nov 28, 2010 Gary Henry A - God's Existence

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked
and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).

Every day, we make decisions about what we’ll do and how we’ll live our lives. When we’re making these decisions, there is no truth more important for us to take into consideration than the truth about God. God not only exists, but He is the God “to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). We’re accountable to God for our actions. Some day, we’ll answer to Him for the lives we’ve lived.

If there were no God, there would be no such thing as objective “sin.” No action would be more “right” than any another, except from the standpoint of ever-changing human laws and customs. The law of the jungle (“might makes right”) would soon prevail. But, in fact, there is a God. He does have a will for us. We are accountable to Him, and we will be judged by Him. But we must not only grasp that these truths apply to the human race generally, we must see their importance to each of us personally. Not only is mankind accountable to God, we ourselves are accountable to Him. Every single one of us must deal with God!

God has created us as free moral agents: (1) We are agents in that we’re able to act. (2) We are moral agents in that we’re able to act either morally or immorally. (3) And we are free moral agents in that we’re able to decide whether our actions will be moral or not. As our Maker, God will one day call us to account for the choices we’ve made. We’ll be examined as to how we’ve used our freedom.

To the Athenians, Paul said, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30,31). This God to whom we are accountable is also the God who has made possible our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. Through Jesus Christ, it’s possible for us to look forward to God’s judgment with hope and love. But the first step we must take is to accept our personal responsibility as creatures of God. We must recognize that we’ll be judged by our Creator for the deeds we’ve done.

“The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling
He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works” (Psalm 33:13-15).

Monday: Psalm 14:1-3

Key Idea: Wisdom indicates that we should take the reality of God into very serious account in our daily activities.

1. What different ways might we describe the attitude of the “fool” in v.1? Consider also Psalm 10:4 and 36:1.
2. Which type of “atheist” do we encounter more often: the “theoretical” atheist (who intellectually denies God’s existence) or the “practical” atheist (who simply lives without taking God into account)? Is there any worse insult to God than simply to disregard Him?
3. What dangerous attitude toward God is reflected in Malachi 3:13-15?
4. In James 4:13-16, how does James warn us not to leave God out of our calculations? What is the “arrogance” and “boasting” he speaks of?

Tuesday: Psalm 139:1-12

Key Idea: God’s knowledge of everything we do is both sobering and comforting.

1. Why is it sobering to consider that God knows everything about us? Is there anywhere we can go to hide from God? What does Hebrews 4:12,13 say? See also Eccl. 12:14.
2. Is there any sin we can commit that God does not know about? What did Moses say in Psalm 90:8? In Acts 24:24,25, when Paul had a chance to talk about God to Felix, the Roman official, what topics were discussed?
3. Why is it comforting to know that we are always in God’s presence? Is there anywhere we can be that is beyond the reach of His help?
4. Since we’re accountable to God, what is one primary reason we should store up His word in our hearts, according to Psalm 119:11? What are some different ways God’s word protects us from sinning against Him?

Wednesday: Psalm 86:1-7

Key Idea: The God to whom we are accountable is a God of compassion and mercy.

1. How would we feel if we knew of our accountability to God but we didn’t know of His compassion? How will we live if we take into account both our accountability to God and His compassion toward us?
2. What is the thought expressed in Psalm 130:3,4? Consider that our knowledge of God’s holiness makes the knowledge of His forgiveness all the more joyful.
3. How would you summarize the thought of David’s prayer in Psalm 25:6-11? Which is our hope and confidence of salvation based upon: our own perfection or God’s mercy? In this Psalm, David’s confidence in God’s grace didn’t cause him to take the matter of sin any less seriously, did it?
4. Today, what are the conditions upon which we may enjoy God’s forgiveness?

Thursday: Psalm 51:14-17

Key Idea: What God seeks from us is a genuinely penitent heart.

1. In considering our accountability to God, it’s important to understand what it is that God seeks from us. What does David mean in v.17 when he says that the “sacrifices”God desires are “a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart”? On this point, read also Psalm 40:6-8.
2. What are some of the things that would be involved in a true attitude of repentance? Consider, for example, the importance of taking full personal responsibility for sin, without making excuses. What about the importance of recognizing that our sin is against God Himself? What can we learn from David’s confession of sin in 2 Samuel 12:13?
3. Carefully read Psalm 38:3-10. How seriously did David take the matter of sin? How deeply did he desire God’s forgiveness?
4. What is the difference between “godly sorrow” and the “sorrow of the world”? What is said about godly sorrow in 2 Corinthians 7:9-11?

Friday: Psalm 32:1-5

Key Idea: Nothing gives us greater joy than God’s forgiveness of our sins.

1. What does the word “blessed” mean in the Bible generally? In Psalm 32:1, who is the person who is “blessed”?
2. In vv.3-5, what had to happen before forgiveness could be enjoyed? What does 1 John 1:9 teach? What did David say happened when he “kept silent”? Consider Proverbs 28:13.
3. What longing is expressed in Psalm 80:3,7,19? When we’re forgiven by God, isn’t it true that our joy is in proportion to the depth of our sorrow before forgiveness? Without godly sorrow can we really appreciate forgiveness?
4. Think about this carefully: what are some of the good things we lose when we quit believing in the reality of sin? What about our society and civilization? What happens when people begin to drift away from the concept that certain actions are objectively sinful before God the Creator?
5. In practical terms, what should result in our lives from the joy and gratitude we feel for God’s forgiveness? In Titus 2:11-14, what does grace “teach” us to do? According to 1 Corinthians 15:9,10, what did Paul do as a result of his gratitude for God’s grace?

Putting It All Together

As beings created in God’s image, we’ve been given a free will, and we’re personally responsible for the actions we choose to engage in. In the end, every one of us will give account to God for the decisions we’ve made. We’ll answer for the times we’ve refused to do that which we knew to be God’s will. So before it’s too late, we need to seek God’s forgiveness for these sinful choices. Nothing in this life is more important or urgent. In Jesus Christ, God makes this forgiveness possible, but only for those who take seriously their accountability to Him.

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com