## God is…

## Acts 17:24-25

Last week we began a series of messages on knowing God. We looked at the wonderful truth of the Trinity. This morning I want us to continue to get to know our wonderful and glorious God. The goal is not just to know about Him, but to get to know Him in a more personal and intimate manner. If we asked you to finish the phrase "God is…", how would you do it? Obviously we could place any number of words in the phrase in our attempt to describe and identify God. God is often misunderstood by believers and unbelievers alike. Often this misunderstanding is a result of their view of God and His attributes. Note the illustration of blind men who were trying to describe an elephant. We must have a clear view of God and His works to have an accurate understanding of God. Let's purpose to know Him better today.

Read: Acts 17:24-25

God is...

I. Self-existent.

(Acts 17:24-25) "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; {25} Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;"

A. God is not dead!

1. He is alive, and He is characterized by life.

2. Not only does God have life, but He has a kind of life that is different from that of every other living being.

3. While all other beings have their life in God, He does not derive His life from any external source.

B. God doesn't need anything!

1. Every one of us have specific needs.

2. But God is self-existent!

3. We often speak of Him needing things, but that isn't really accurate.

4. He exists and the continuation of His existence doesn't depend upon anything outside of Him.

5. That means that He doesn't need us, but oh, how we need Him!

II. He is Omnipresent.

(Jer 23:23-24) "Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? {24} Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD."

A. Although God is separate from His creation…

B. His essence is present in every place.

C. This characteristic logically flows from the fact that God is pure spirit and, therefore, cannot be limited by space.

D. Listen to what David wrote about the omnipresence of the Lord.

(Psa 139:7-10) "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? {8} If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. {9} If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; {10} Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."

III. He is Omnipotent.

A. That simply means He is all-powerful.

1. When God told Sarah that she would give birth to a son, she laughed because she was too old.

2. According to the laws of nature, it was impossible for her to give birth to a child.

3. God asked the question, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" NO!

4. When God promised Abraham he would have many descendants, his response was one of faith.

(Rom 4:20-21) "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; {21} And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."

B. Nothing shall be impossible.

1. When the angel came to bring the news to Mary that she would give birth to the Savior, she asked how that was possible, since she was a virgin?

2. His answer was simply this.

(Luke 1:37) "For with God nothing shall be impossible."

3. Why? Because God is omnipotent!

4. What is it that we think is impossible?

5. Do you recall the little chorus…

Got any rivers you think are un-crossable? Got any mountains you can't tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible And He can do what no other one can do. By Oscar G. Eliason

C. We can draw upon a great resource of power.

1. Paul reminds us that through Christ we can do all things.

(Phil 4:13) "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

2. Jesus explained how this is possible.

(John 15:5) "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

3. How do we abide in Him? Through our obedience to His Word.

(John 15:7) "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

IV. He is Omniscient.

A. Omniscience means that God possesses all knowledge.

1. This includes knowledge of the past, the present, the future and the possible.

2. God knows all things equally well and perfectly.

3. He has never learned and cannot learn.

4. Has it ever occurred to you that nothing ever occurs to God?

B. Recognizing God's Omniscience is also recognition His Sovereignty.

1. That God is omniscient means that all things happen only by God's permission.

2. It is His will that either permits or determines what will occur, and this includes the free actions of men.

3. Isaiah 46:9-10 shows that God has knowledge of all events before they happen because He is God.

(Isa 46:9-10) "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, {10} Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:"

C. All things…

(Rom 8:28-29) "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. {29} For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."

1. God is behind the scenes, working all things together for good to those who love Him.

2. These "all things" must include the free choices of human beings...

3. As well as the circumstances of life.

4. How could a loving God allow this or that? Because He has a purpose for all things!

D. God's knowledge includes an intimate knowledge of each one of us

1. He knows everything there is to know about us.

2. He knows what no one else knows.

3. He knows our very thoughts and the intents of our hearts.

(Psa 139:1-4) "… O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. {2} Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. {3} Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. {4} For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether."

God is…

Self-Existent; Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Omniscient. Yet in all of His power and majesty, His desire that we might know Him more. To know Him personally. He is a source of unlimited power for us, if we will abide in Him.

Do you know Him today? Not just know about Him, but do you know Him personally? Have you placed your faith and trust in Him for salvation. He gave His only begotten Son to die in our place that we might know Him. You can know Him today…if you will be willing to come to Him in faith.

Whatever your need might be this morning, every one of us needs to know Him in a deeper way. Why not come this morning? He is waiting for you.