Who is God?

Happy Independence Day to each of you in the USA and to our friends in Canada—

Wow, the USA is 242 years young and much has happened in those years—In fact, as I get older the time, the day, and the years fly by—Someone said it best—time flies by and boy does it fly by.

Do you remember when you were in your teens and you just couldn’t wait till you were 18, then 19, then 20, and then the magic 21—the year of being emancipated and knowing everything. My how time flies as I look back – some good things, some bad things, and some things that I would rather forget than remember—Have you felt that way?

We have been studying Proverbs and Solomon has much to say about age, time, and gray hair— Open your Bible and look at Proverbs 16:31 —Gray hair is a crown of splendor, it is attained by a righteous life & Proverbs 20:29 says the glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old. These verses say that young people glory in their strength and old people rejoice in their years of experience, limited back problems, and practical wisdom. My wife loves my gray hair and says to me to leave it with no color and the Bible says it’s a crown of splendor. So, what is the morale of the story—As each of us deals with older people, older parents, or older relatives treat them with respect.

Before we begin with the subject matter, turn with me to James 5: 1-2—Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. As you read on the next three verses, Timothy addresses widows in need, family practices and how to please God. Take the time to read this chapter and think about any widows in your church or whom you have met who may be facing this same problem and unable to support themselves—what help can be provided to these folks?

Now, on to the subject of Who is God? I turned to Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language–College Edition and here is the definition: 1. any of various beings conceived of as supernatural, immortal, and having special powers over the lives and affairs of people and the course of nature; deity, especially a male deity. 2. an image that is worshipped; idol. 3. a person or thing defiled or excessively honored and admired. 4. in monotheistic religions, the creator and ruler of the universe, regarded as eternal, infinite, all-powerful, and all-knowing; Supreme Being; Almighty. Often used in exclamations, as, good God!, God Almighty!, my God!.

OK, we now have the definition, but who do you think God is? If you turn to the New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the word God is used 4,456 times as the Creator and Ruler of the world, Israel, and the church. Wow! Over 4 thousand times the word God is used which does not include Lord, I AM, Jesus, Father or other words that could be associated such as omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient as well as the alpha and the omega.

Do you consider God as the Father and Jesus as the Son? How personal is God to you? Let’s go back to the Old Testament and look at Genesis 26:24—I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and increase the number of descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham. Jesus, all thru the book of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John spoke about God as his father and the father of all people.

So, I think we can agree that God is our Heavenly Father—Example—The Lord’s or Disciples Prayer—Turn with me to Matthew 6—Praying to God, our Heavenly Father best be a daily habit beginning in the morning—He is our best friend and will never desert us—Never! Not even in our worst hour—It is essential that we never use God as a last resort or when we need him—

Now let’s learn how to pray – Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in Heaven so in Earth. Give us day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6: 9-15.

Please take time out of your schedule to talk to God—We talk daily to others—How about God? Why not talk to him when you awaken? You will find that prayer starts your day off perfectly and sets the tone for the rest of the day.

I hope you have enjoyed Who is God? These are my thoughts and welcome your thoughts.

May God Bless you each day!

Jeff