Reflections: On God (2022)
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Take time to consider
Take time to consider
Taking time to consider the scripture, the bible, then things we read, the things we believe about the Bible and the things in the Bible are important.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
You may hear these verses each week as we continue our study of “reflections”
As mentioned over the next few weeks we will be reflecting on various topics all surrounding the Bible and are good things to dwell on (Php4:8, NASB) or think about (ESV) or even to meditate on (NKJV).
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Taking time to consider, we all do that about various things and it is not wrong, but there are things that when we take time to consider can
(slide) Give you eternal life
(slide) Give you peace in lieu of present circumstances
(slide) Give you assurance of your final destination and your transportation plan there
I. Reflections on God
I. Reflections on God
For this series we are going to use the definition (v) to think deeply or carefully about something. And there are many topics we will cover, consider and reflect on. Today we start with reflecting on God.
He is the Lord of Heaven and Earth
When you reflect on this, what do you think of, what do you think about? (consider Act17:24-28)
24 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;
26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’
The unknown God being made known by Paul to those who were religious by nature and had many gods. How many people do we know are seekers and have gods in their life that are not God and need to learn to reflect on the true nature of God and come to know Him?
This is the God we have come to know through the Bible when we take time to read and reflect on it.
He is the Creator of all things, giver of life (Gen1:1, 24-27)
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so. 25 God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
And then there is the N.T. Update too (Col1:16)
16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.
We could spend all night looking just at that, reflecting just on that. The point of this series is for each of us to grasp some things for us to go and reflect on.
When you think of God’s creation, what blows your mind, or takes you in awe?
He is omnipotent (Amo5:8, 4:13)
Amos got it, he understood.
8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion And changes deep darkness into morning, Who also darkens day into night, Who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the surface of the earth, The Lord is His name.
13 For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The Lord God of hosts is His name.
God is all powerful, He knows all things, created all things and knows the thoughts man.
He is Omniscient (Ps139:1-6)
How about another scripture to ponder?
1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
He is Creator of all, He is all powerful, He is all knowing
He knows our every thought, knows every movement we make
All things were created by Him and for Him, it is to Him we will be held accountable to.
He is Omnipresent (Ps139:7-16)
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.
He is everywhere, we cannot hide from Him, we cannot flee from His presence; from the womb to the tomb
His glory is revealed in creation! (Ps19:1-3, Lk19:40; Rom1:20)
1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard.
Are you telling of the glory of God? The heavens are, and if we don’t even the stones will
40 But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”
How about this oe.
20 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, so that they are without excuse.
His creation makes his eternal power known and the Godhead known. No one has any excuse not to believe, the time for ignorance has passed and I will expand on that in a moment.
His will is revealed in His Word (Ps19:7-11, 2Tim3:16-17)
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.
But wait, how about a reminder about the word too.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
It is perfect, it is sure, it is right, it is pure, it is clean, it is true and it is righteous. His Word is complete, all sufficient to make the man of God complete!
His love is revealed in Jesus (have everyone turn to Rom5:8-11)
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
God demonstrated His love, how? Christ died for us (v.8)
God saved us from the wrath of God through blood of Christ (v.9)
God reconciled man through the death of His Son (v.10)
8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
God’s love manifested in us through Christ Jesus, now that is something to ponder, to think on, that should make you be in awe.
His judgment is promised to come (Act17:30-31)
30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
God made us to seek Him, He has made Himself known, made Himself available through Christ Jesus
God commands us - all to repent
God has told us who is going to judge - Jesus
God has assured us - by raising Christ from the dead
How about some quotable quotes from quotable people?
Abraham Lincoln “I can see how it might be possible for someone to look around earth and not believe in God, but I cannot conceive how anyone could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”
C.S. Lewis “we may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God.”
A.W. Tozer “You can see God from anywhere if your mind is set to love and obey Him.”
II. Conclusion
II. Conclusion
we have reflected on several things tonight regarding God and using the thing God gave us the Bible. We have seen:
God’s creativity
God’s omnipotence
God’s omniscience
God’s omnipresence
God’s glory revealed through creation
God’s will revealed through His Word
God’s love revealed through Jesus
God’s coming judgment that is promised to come
I want to close with this passage this morning, if you need to respond, choose to respond after that you will have an opportunity as we will stand and sing after this passage.
23 Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;
24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.
(Song) (Prayer) (exit)