STAGE ONE 2 UvING WITH Gop God the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest their starry host, the earth andall thats onit, the seas them. You givelife toeverything, and the multitudes ship you” Nehemiah 9:6, in the universe was created by God's hand (Colos- Hebrews 11:3). Thisisnot ust the stars, the sun and ludes you. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my ‘mother’s womb. I praise you because [am fearfully and wonderfully made...” Psalm 139:13-14 too great for us to fully understand. He has no and He has no end. But what is God like? The Bible reveals that God is: All-powerful “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm, Nothin Jeremiah 3 God's power is without limit. Buteven more than’ s, God has the right to use that power in any way He sees fit. This is what the Bible means when says God is sovereign (Isa.40:10-29).. Everywhere “You hem me in behind and before...Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I fee from your presence?” Psalm 139:5,7 (read also verses 8-10). LESSON TWO God is everywhere. His presence is not just limited to a church orcathedral. He is with youat home, at work, wherever youre. All-knowing 0 Lor, you have searched me and you know me. You know when Isitand when Irise; you perceive my thoughts femal. Youdhser ingoutand my lying down; youare familia with all my ways sy going oat and yy hl my wa, iden from God's sight. Everything is idbare before the eyes of him to whom we must give every sin I have committed. place! can escapeHis hand. If He and destroy me. 1 ‘xnow nothing of Hs nature, we have every te “our Gad isa consuming fre” Hebrews 12:29. The Nature of God The Bible reveals two special parts to God's character: God is holy ‘one holy like the Lé (ead also Isaiah 6: ‘everywhere, there is no |-powerful, He can judge eis no one besides you...” aSTAGE ONE Lavine wir Gop Gods absolutely holy. This doesnot ust mean that God cannot do Iso means that nothing evil is allowed to enter into presence (Exodus 33:20). God is love “For God so loved the world that he gave his one snd only S whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eteral life 3:16 (see also 1 John 4: God is not only perfect in holiness; He is also perfect in love. He.is moved by compassion for His ereation (Psalm 145:17- 18). He is a Person we can get to know (James 4:8). ““Andso we know and ely onthe love God has forus. Gods love...” ohn 4:16 A Balanced Nature» “And (God) passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding ‘inlove and faithfulness, maintaining love o thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the ‘unpunished; he punishes the children and their chi the fathers tothe third and fourth generation” Itis portant to see God’s whole nature, not just focus sively on one part. God is a God of love, but He a God of holiness. He is a God of compassion, but He is also a God of ustice (read Jeremiah 9:23-24), When mankind sinned, God was faced with a problem. He loved us, but His holiness demanded judgment be sentenced againstus. He could not turn a blind eye to our sin. So in His wisdom, God sent Jesus to die i ight to, God ur place. Instead of punishingus, as Hehas theright to, took on Hirnself the punishment is holiness demanded. The ‘Cross was where the love of God and the holiness of God met, this: While we were trates his own love for u ‘But God demonstrates his own ss sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5: Seeing the Unseen God God is unseen (1 Timothy }), but He has revealed Himself in two special ways to mankind: In His creation “Por since the creation ofthe world God's invisible q Clonal ower and divine nature ~ have ben clesy See om wbat has boen mde, 80 that men are witout excuse” Romans 1:20. Creation reveals the attributes and character of God. This is like a rough sketch of the image of God. In His Son “No one ha8 ever seen God, but God the only Son, who is at the Fathers side, has made him known” John 1:18 see also Col. 1:15). In Jesus, we see the nature of God expressed. He is the perfect image of God — not a rough sketch, but an exact likeness. In ‘Christ, we see everything that God is — His love, His hol His wisdom and His power ~ all in perfect balance, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,” made hi shine in our heats to gi ‘of Godinthe face of Christ” 2 Corinthians 46 (see also Hebrews 1:3). GoD LEsgON TWO