Series 3 - Getting to Really Know God

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Series 3 - Getting to Really Know God...

Hi, friends, and welcome to this lesson! People wonder and speculate about God but often neglect to go directly to Him and let Him introduce Himself! God reveals Himself through two great methods. The first is His written

revelation, the Bible. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible is the book by God and about God!

The second method is the evidence of creation, because it was "God who created all things through Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 3:9, emphasis added throughout). Not only is every creature evidence and proof of a genius Creator, every creature gives us insight into the mind and power of the Creator. That's what Paul meant when he said, "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse" (Romans 1:19-20, English Standard Version).

In this lesson, we focus on many of the wonderful things we learn about God by reading His written Word, the Bible, which is God's masterpiece of self-revelation. Hopefully it will whet your appetite to read the entire Bible so that you can learn much, much more about God.

Then as you get into the habit of studying the Bible and praying every day and putting God's Word into practice in your everyday life, you will be forming a deep, personal relationship with God. You will be going beyond getting to know about God. You will be getting to really know God as your Father and Friend.

Lesson 1: How Does God Identify Himself in the Bible?

This lesson focuses on key scriptures in the Bible where God reveals highly significant things about His nature and actions.

First, consider the story of the righteous man Job in the biblical book of Job. This story relates the spiritual transformation of Job from a man who knew a great deal about God to a man who really came to know God in a personal and intimate way.

This book is highly thought-provoking. For most of the book, Job and his friends are stating what they think they know about God, but their limited views fall far short of understanding the great mind, purposes and plan of God. After God talks with Job, Job has a major breakthrough in understanding.

Job said, "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my

eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5-6). Job came to see God in a deeper way with the eyes of faith and spiritual understanding. Job was ashamed of his cockiness,

thinking he understood more than he really did, and he deeply repented. When he said, "I abhor myself," he meant that he despised his self-justification and implications that God had been unjust.

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Job apparently came to realize more deeply that everyone's life includes suffering and that suffering is a necessary part of spiritual growth. Job surrendered to God's will, having come to understand that God is the sovereign Lord of the universe, He has perfect understanding, and He always does what is best for us in the long run. We must trust Him.

Has Anyone Ever Seen God?

Almighty God is Spirit and, in His usual glorified state, is invisible to the human eye (Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:27). That partly explains why John said, "No one has seen God at any time" (John 1:18).

But how should we interpret that since the Old Testament gives many accounts of God appearing to people?

Notice that the second half of John 1:18 shows that John was talking about God the Father, not God the Son, Jesus Christ. Also Jesus said, "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God [referring to Himself, Jesus]; He has seen the Father" (John 6:46).

These verses point to the fact that the God who appeared to people during Old Testament times was the One who

later became Jesus Christ!

Prior to Jesus' incarnation (birth) as a human being, John refers to Him as "the Word" and as "God": "In the

beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). Later John wrote, "And the Word became flesh [when He was born of Mary] and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (verse 14).

In Lesson 2 we will thoroughly prove that the God who appeared to people in the Old Testament was the Word who became Jesus Christ, not God the Father. In this lesson, we merely want to establish that fact to prevent any confusion.

However, when we discuss the nature or character of God, we make no distinction between God the Father and God the Son because They are identical in nature and character. When Jesus was praying for His disciples and His future disciples to be "one" (united and unified), He prayed, "that they may be one as We are" and "that they may be one just as We are one" (John 17:11, 22).

So although we don't literally see God with our eyes (and won't until Christ's return to earth), we canperceive and better understand His nature, character, purposes and goals. That is the purpose of this lesson.

What single word best defines God's character?

1 John 4:8

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Matthew 22:37-39

Jesus said to him, "‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Love defines God's nature, and love is what He most wants to see in the character of His children. Therefore, it's no surprise that His greatest commandments are to love—to love God and to love people.

What are other words that define God's character and nature?

Psalm 11:7

For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.

1 Peter 1:15-16

But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy,for I am holy."

http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-teachings/God-revealed-old-testament-was-the-one-who-became-Jesus-Christ.htm

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Psalm 119:172

My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.

God is righteous and holy. Even during Jesus' earthly life, He never sinned. God defines the absolute standards of righteous character, and He sets the perfect example. God's commandments and laws spell out God's righteousness, and by obeying those laws we are imitating Christ and becoming like Him. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).

What is one of God's roles that we need desperately?

1 John 4:14

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

1 Timothy 2:3-4

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

When you read the Bible, notice how often you see the words savior, save, saved and salvation. Notice also synonymous words like deliver, delivered and deliverer. When God began to announce the Ten Commandments, He introduced Himself as, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of

bondage" (Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 5:6). The miraculous liberation of the Israelites from Egypt illustrates God's plan to miraculously deliver us out of our slavery to sin. And every Sabbath day is a reminder of God's role as Savior (Deuteronomy 5:15).

The angel that appeared to Joseph told him that Mary's child should be called Jesus (meaning Savior) "for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

The word salvation is used to refer to the various steps that God takes to save us, but our ultimate salvation will be our resurrection from mortality to glorious immortality (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

What's another of God's important roles?

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Psalm 104:30

You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth."

Exodus 20:11

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Notice that every Sabbath day is a reminder that we are created beings and a reminder of who our Creator is! That has many implications, including the fact that God is the Owner and the supreme Ruler over His creation, and God is dedicated to providing the best possible care of His creation. We can also learn many things about God by observing His creation, as we are told in Roman 1:18-23.

Consider that God also created all the laws, including the laws of science and mathematics and the spiritual laws.

When did creation take place? There is often confusion over this question. God's original creation of the universe and planet earth was evidently many millions of years ago. But eventually the earth suffered a cataclysm and all

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life was destroyed. In Genesis 1:2, the Hebrew word translated "was" is translated in other places as "became." As a result of the cataclysm, this verse apparently should read, "The earthbecame without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep."

Then the rest of Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are describing God's re-creation of the world about 6,000 years ago. As Psalm 104:30 words it, God did "renew the face of the earth." These two phases of God's creation will be thoroughly explained and proved in Lesson 3 of this series on "Getting to Really Know God."

Is God the supreme example of grace, mercy and generosity?

Psalm 145:8

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

Psalm 103:2-4

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

Our gracious God not only provides all our needs, but also bestows on us the gift of grace. The apostle Paul often used the Greek word that we translate grace to refer to all the spiritual gifts that God offers humanity, including the forgiveness of sin and the offer of eternal life. God's grace is truly amazing and awesome—it is gracious generosity greater than our minds can comprehend!

The Old Testament writers often used the Hebrew word hesed (or chesed) when referring to a primary characteristic of God. There is no single English word that adequately translates the profound meaning of this word. It is often translated as "merciful kindness"or"lovingkindness" (which is how it is translated in Psalm 103:4).

Is our merciful God also a God of justice?

Psalm 33:5

He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 10:17-18

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no

partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.

We live in an unjust world, and often life isn't fair. That makes it all the more wonderful that we can rely on a God

who is completely just and fair. A central question is this: Since everyone sins and the penalty of sin is death, how can God save us and still be a God of perfect justice? It is because Jesus Christ took our place and suffered the death penalty for each of us. Jesus died to fulfill God's justice and thereby made it possible for God to offer mercy toward all humanity.

Is God omnipotent (all-powerful)?

Psalm 91:1-2

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust."

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Ephesians 1:19-20

And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty

power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.

The word Almighty literally means "all-powerful." One of God's names is El Shaddai, which is translated "God Almighty." All of Psalm 91 is inspiring, for it describes the complete confidence we have if we are trusting in God. After all, God can easily protect us no matter how great the dangers are. God also has supreme spiritual power to defeat Satan the devil, to transform the worst of sinners, and to resurrect mortal humans to become immortal glorified saints in the coming Kingdom of God.

Is God omniscient (all-knowing and all-wise)?

Psalm 139:1-4

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my

thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

Psalm 33:13-15

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.

Luke 12:6-7

"Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."

Jesus frequently shocked both His friends and His enemies by telling them what they were thinking. God not only knows everything that is taking place in all the seemingly endless universe, He has control over everything that is happening. How comforting to know we have a Creator and Provider who will never forget us or overlook our needs and prayers!

Is God omnipresent (ubiquitous, present everywhere at once)?

Psalm 139:7-10

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell [in the grave, or in the ground], behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.

Psalm 23:4

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

2 Chronicles 16:9

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."

God can be everywhere at once because He sends His Spirit everywhere. So the help and understanding that God sends by His Spirit are just as effective and perfect as if God were standing right beside us.

God's Holy Spirit also serves as His eyes and ears to bring back to God perfect and total awareness of everything in every place. Hence, God's Spirit provides two-way communication.

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Last but not least, does God claim all authority and lordship?

Psalm 47:2, 8

For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth... God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.

Exodus 20:3

"You shall have no other gods before Me."

Deuteronomy 13:4

"You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him."

God is the sovereign power over all the universe. Everything was created by Him. He expects complete loyalty,

reverence and obedience. We must not allow anything in our lives to rival God. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 spell out many blessings for obedience and many curses (punishments) for disobedience. Our obedience shows our love for God (1 John 5:3). And obedience is a major key to getting God's answers to our prayers (1 John 3:22).

Apply Now

What are other qualities and characteristics of God? Write down as many as you can think of. Think about what God is like, what He has done, what He is doing now and what He promises to do. While you're at it, try to think of God's many names and titles because they are descriptive of God's various virtues and roles. (After you have thought of as many as you can, you can find more about God's names at these links: "God's Many Names Reveal Much About Him" and "What is the correct name for God?")

Also take time to reflect on all that you have written down. And in your prayers in the days ahead, spend time thanking God for all that He is and for all that He does!

Next Lesson: The God Revealed in the Old Testament Was the One Who Became Jesus Christ!

http://www.ucg.org/booklets/TC/godsmanynames.asp

http://www.ucg.org/booklets/TC/godsmanynames.asp

http://www.ucg.org/bible-faq/sacred-name-god.htm


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Hi, friends, and welcome to this lesson! To keep learning more about God, we go right to the source, the Bible, which is God's revelation to humanity. It is His Word, His message, to mankind.

There is much confusion about this subject. It is fundamentally important to understand.

We truly want to help you learn all you can about God and Jesus Christ, plus we want to help you go beyond that. We want you to come to personally and intimately know God and Jesus Christ as your Father and Elder Brother. This will happen if you get into the habit of studying the Bible and praying every day, and putting the Bible into practice in your everyday life.

Lesson 2: The God Revealed in the Old Testament Was the One Who Became Jesus Christ!

This lesson focuses on key scriptures in the Bible where God reveals highly significant things about His nature and actions.

The following is a condensed popular story by the late Paul Harvey:

There was a nonreligious skeptical man who just couldn't swallow the

"Jesus story" about an Incarnation, about God coming to earth as a man. But one snowy evening he noticed a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow, not having any shelter. Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, and he thought about his barn. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it.

Quickly he went to the barn, opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, found some bread crumbs that he sprinkled on the snow, making a trail to the doorway of the barn. But to

his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them... He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms... Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.

And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me... That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, they just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

"If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe, warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand."

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That thought became an epiphany. Stunned, he remembered the fundamental message: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). Suddenly the gospel he had heard made complete sense! He dropped to his knees in the snow.

What Does the Bible Tell Us About the Father and the Son—the God Family?

There is much confusion about this subject. There is only one God, but God is a family, composed of God the

Father and God the Son. The Son is also called "the Word" who became Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14). They are also "one" in the sense that the Father and Son are identical in character.

Notice the plural pronouns in Genesis 1:26: "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness'" (emphasis added throughout).

The Bible clearly identifies two Beings who make up the one God. But what about the Holy Spirit? The Bible

doesn't describe the Holy Spirit as a separate divine Being. It is revealed as the Spirit of God the Father and Jesus Christ—the power that emanates from Them that They use for many different purposes.

The idea of God being a "Trinity" became popular centuries after Jesus Christ's time. It is not taught by the Bible. That idea originated in ancient paganism. The Bible is full of many, many proofs that God is not a Trinity. However, disproving the Trinity is not the subject of this lesson.

One widespread misconception is that there was a difference—in fact, a major difference—in the character of the God of the Old Testament (primarily strict and harsh) and Jesus Christ in the New Testament (merciful and loving). This lesson will show the surprising biblical truth.

First, can we prove that Jesus existed prior to His human birth?

John 17:5

"And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was."

John 17:24, Contemporary English Version

"Father... you loved me before the world was created."

Luke 10:18

And He [Jesus] said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."

In Luke 10, Jesus refers to the fall of Satan that occurred before the creation of Adam and Eve. Many other scriptures could be quoted to prove that Jesus existed prior to His human birth. For example, Luke 10:22 shows that Jesus, and only Jesus, had firsthand, intimate knowledge of God the Father. The next section further proves Jesus' preexistence.

Was Jesus Christ also God before and after His incarnation?

Matthew 1:23

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

John 1:1-2, 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God...

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

http://www.ucg.org/booklets/WG/isgodatrinity.htm

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John 10:30

"I [Jesus] and My Father are one."

In John 1, we learn that "in the beginning" there were two Beings who both were God. The rest of the chapter clearly shows that the One called the Word was the One who became Jesus Christ. He was incarnated—"became flesh"—at His human birth, but He existed forever prior to that.

The New Testament is full of proof that Jesus was God. Jesus did what only God could do: forgive sins and raise the dead. Jesus allowed people to worship Him. Paul refers to Jesus in Titus 1:3 and 2:10 as "God our Savior." And since Jesus was and is God, that means He has existed for all eternity!

What passage most clearly shows that Jesus was the God of the Old Testament?

1 Corinthians 10:1-4

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through

the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

Plainly, the God who was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, through the Red Sea and into the Promised Land was Christ! Christ provided manna to eat (Exodus 16:4, 31, 35) and water to drink, sometimes from solid rock (Exodus 17:6). Calling the food and drink "spiritual" has a dual meaning: It was supernaturally provided, plus it also represented the spiritual sustenance Christ was providing as the bread of life and the water of life (John 4:14; 6:30-35).

What does the New Testament and Jesus Himself say about God the Father that prove the Father was not the God of the Old Testament?

John 1:18

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

John 5:37

"And the Father Himself, who sent Me [Jesus], has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form."

John 6:46

"Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He [Jesus] who is from God; He has seen the Father."

The God of the Old Testament many times visibly appeared to people and audibly spoke to people, which proves He was not God the Father.

Who was the actual Creator of the universe, the earth and all things?

Colossians 1:16-17

For by Him [Jesus Christ] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Ephesians 3:9

...God who created all things through Jesus Christ.

John 1:3

All things were made through Him [the Word], and without Him nothing was made that was made.

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God the Father authorized the creation, but it was Christ who actually did the creating. John 1:3 is clearly referring to the Word, the One who became Jesus Christ, as the rest of the chapter shows. Colossians 1:17 verifies that He had to exist "before all things," since He created all things.

Who originally made the Sabbath a holy day?

Genesis 2:2-3

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Mark 2:27-28

And He [Jesus] said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of

Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

The word sanctify means to set something apart as sacred or holy. When God rested on the seventh day, He made it holy. Mark 2:28 clearly implies that Jesus Christ is the One who made it holy.

How does the name "I AM" help prove that Jesus was the God of the Old Testament?

Exodus 3:13-14

Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?"

And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

John 8:58-59

Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

For what reason did the Jewish adversaries try to stone Jesus? Because He referred to Himself with one of the names of God, the name by which God revealed Himself to Moses. It would have angered the Jews if Jesus had said, "Before Abraham, I was" or "Before Abraham, I existed." But by Jesus referring to Himself as "I AM," they were angered even more because He was clearly and pointedly identifying Himself as God.

Some other places where Jesus referred to Himself as "I AM" are John 8:24, 28; 13:19; 18:5, 8. Notice in John 18:6 that when Jesus identified Himself as "I AM" to the arresting party, they were miraculously knocked to the ground.

Notice how "I am" is included when Jesus identifies Himself as "the bread of life" (John 6:48), "the light of the world" (John 8:12), "the door" (John 10:9), "the good shepherd" (John 10:11), "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6) and "the true vine" (John 15:1). These are often referred to as the seven great "I AMs." Significantly, in the Old Testament, God identifies Himself in some of the same ways, such as being our shepherd, our light and our life.

What can we learn from studying the subject of Melchizedek?

Genesis 14:18

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.

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Hebrews 7:3

[Melchizedek, who was] without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

Hebrews 5:9-10

And having been perfected, He [Jesus] became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek."

Melchizedek appeared to Abraham as both a king and priest. In fact, He was "king of righteousness" and "king of peace" (Hebrews 7:1-2). Verse 3 reveals that he was an eternal divine being, having no "beginning of days nor end of life." A careful reading of Hebrews 7 proves that Melchizedek was the Word, the One who became Jesus Christ.

Knowing that the God of the Old Testament was the One who became Jesus Christ shows how totally false the idea is that there was a difference in the character of the God of the Old Testament and Jesus Christ in the New

Testament! They are one and the same. Knowing this also supports the fact that there is perfect continuity and harmony between the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament serves as the foundation for the further revelations in the New Testament.

As we've seen, Jesus Christ came to reveal the Father. So contrary to popular belief, the Old Testament reveals the Word, and the New Testament reveals the Father!

Apply Now

If previous to this lesson you thought that the God who spoke and appeared in the Old Testament was God the Father, you may now have quite a challenge in changing your perspective. To get you started, jot down three or

more main things you remember about God from the Old Testament, and then substitute "the Word" where you previously thought of "the Father." Next, jot down three or more main things you remember about Jesus Christ from the New Testament, and focus on how that same Jesus Christ was also the divine being who spoke to and interacted with human beings throughout the Old Testament. Once you get used to this perspective, the whole Bible will make more sense to you.

Next Lesson: Understanding Genesis 1 and 2 and God's Work of Creation

http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-teachings/God-understanding-genesis-1-2-work-of-creation.htm

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Hi, friends, and welcome to this lesson! When a person carefully reads the first two chapters of Genesis, he or she often thinks of many questions. God hasn't revealed the answers to everything we might like to know, but we can help you understand the answers to many of the common questions.

The primary purpose of this lesson is not to show the many things wrong with the theory of evolution, although this lesson does refute that theory. This study is addressed primarily to those who already believe that God created all things. We hope this lesson will not only be beneficial to you personally but also help prepare you to answer the questions and arguments of others who may be skeptical or confused.

Lesson 3: Understanding Genesis 1 and 2 and God's Work of Creation

What does the Bible reveal about how, when and why God created the universe?

The following story from Revelation 4 is part of the vision that God gave

the apostle John of God's temple in heaven. It emphasizes how God deserves our utmost reverence and worship for being the Creator of all things.

John wrote, "Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One [God] sat on the throne" (Revelation 4:2).

"In the Spirit" means receiving divinely inspired visions by which John was transported in his mind's eye. John saw a vision of God in all His glory!

John then described the awesome angelic beings that are in attendance at God's throne. John saw "twenty-four elders" and "seven Spirits of God" and "four living creatures," all worshipping God.

Notice what the 24 elders say as to why they are worshipping God: "The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 'You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power;for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created'" (Revelation 4:10-11, emphasis added throughout).

Controversy Between "Young Earth Theory" and "Ancient Earth Theory"

According to many scientific dating methods, this planet earth is many millions of years old. However, from biblical

chronology we can calculate that the span of time from the creation of Adam and Eve to the present is about 6,000 years.

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As a result, most people who believe the Bible is divinely inspired are divided into two main groups based on their explanation for the apparent contradiction. The "young earth" group generally believes that all of God's creation took place only 6,000 years ago. Many of them believe that God made things to appear to be older but that one must believe in a 6,000-year-old earth if he or she believes that the Bible is the infallible Word of God.

Many "ancient earth" theorists believe that some parts of the creation account weren't meant to be taken literally. Many believe that the "days" in Genesis 1 are symbolic of long eras of time.

But there are unanswered questions with both main theories. But for nearly 2,000 years, various scholars and other Bible students have proposed another explanation that is in harmony with both the Bible as a whole and the

predominant view of scientists of an ancient age of the earth. This explanation involves what some people call, sometimes disparagingly, the "gap theory," which shows that the Bible allows for a long time interval between verse 1 and verse 2 of Genesis 1. In the New King James Version, verse 2 says, "The earth was without form, and void." However, the Hebrew word translated "was" (hayah) is translated "became" in Genesis 2:7, 9:15 and 19:26. Translating hayah as "became" in Genesis 1:2 puts the Bible in harmony with science and history.

You see, Genesis 1:1 is speaking of God's original creation of the earth many millions of years ago. Genesis 1:3 begins the account of God's re-creation of the earth after it had experienced great destruction.

It's not logical to think that God would create the earth "formless and desolate" as the Good News Translation translates Genesis 1:2. We would expect God to create everything with beauty and perfection. "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33).

In fact, Isaiah 45:18 tells us, "For the LORD is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos" (New Living Translation). The Hebrew word here translated "empty chaos" is tohu, the same word translated "without form" in Genesis 1:2.

So what happened? Long after the original creation, a violent cataclysm occurred that caused the chaos.

The event that caused the surface of the earth to be largely destroyed is explained in our bookletCreation or Evolution: Does It Really Matter What You Believe? You can access it online or request a free copy.

To summarize, God created the earth with exquisite perfection, but a cataclysm brought destruction. We don't know how many years there were between the time of God's creation and that cataclysm, nor do we know how many years there might have been between that cataclysm and the re-creation described in Genesis 1.

Notice Psalm 104:30: "You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth." What is described beginning with Genesis 1:3 is God's renewal of the earth and its creatures.

So, Genesis 1 and 2 should be understood as literally true. This planet is indeed very old, but most of the flora and fauna we have today, as referred to in Genesis 1, was created about 6,000 years ago. And human beings began at that time with God's creation of Adam and Eve.

Which did God create first—man or the animals?

Genesis 1:25-26

And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

Genesis 2:19

Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.

Some people have thought that the creation accounts in Genesis 1 and 2 contradict each other. For example, Genesis 1 describes animals being created before Adam, while Genesis 2:19 could be read as if Adam had been created before the animals. But the Bible never contradicts itself, because it was inspired by God. Genesis 2:19 doesn't mean that God created Adam first and then the animals. The correct chronological (day-to-day) sequence

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of events is stated in chapter 1 but not in chapter 2. The content of chapter 2 is a complement and supplement to chapter 1. God means for us to combine the content of the two chapters to get a more complete picture of what happened and why.

When did God create the angels?

Job 38:4, 6-7

"Where were you when I [God] laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding…

"To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

In this context, "stars" and "sons of God" refer to angels (Job 1:6; Isaiah 14:12-13; Revelation 1:20). They had to be created before the earth was created, because they were celebrating at the time of earth's creation. What about the demons? The demons were originally angels. When they later rebelled against God and became evil, they became known as demons. They are led by Satan.

When did the dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures live?

Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was [became] without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

The age of the dinosaurs was pre-Adamic. As explained above, a cataclysm apparently destroyed the animals and vegetation on the earth, including the dinosaurs, long after God first created the earth (see "What does the Bible say about dinosaurs?").

How can we know if the "days" in Genesis 1 are 24 hours in length?

Genesis 1:5

God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

Exodus 20:11

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

First, Genesis 1:5 defines a day as consisting of a daylight portion and a dark portion. It also defines a day as

being composed of an evening and a morning. (Stating "evening" before "morning" is consistent with the rest of the Bible, which defines a day as beginning with sundown.)

Exodus 20:11 obviously means literal 24-hour days, not eras of thousands or millions of years.

Furthermore, biological interdependence (including countless examples of a symbiotic relationship between two

life-forms) necessitates plants and animals being created at approximately the same time. For example, plants were created on the third day, while insects were created on the sixth day. Flowering plants require pollinators (insects, including bees) to carry out pollination, which is essential to the production of fruit and seeds, which are necessary for reproduction. These plants would not have survived beyond one growing season without pollination.

How could there be light on the first day when the sun, moon and stars were not created until the fourth day?

Genesis 1:2-3

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

http://www.ucg.org/bible-faq/bible-say-about-dinosaurs.htm

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Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

Genesis 1:14-18

Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

The Bible never contradicts itself, although we humans often lack total understanding of it. The sun had to exist long before the creation week described in Genesis 1. The solar light and heat would have been necessary for the existence of the flora and fauna during the age of dinosaurs. In Genesis 1:16, the Hebrew word translated "made"

(asah) can be translated several different ways, including "had made," "appointed," and "set." We can't be sure which translation conveys the exact meaning that God intended.

To reconcile these scriptures, here is one logical explanation: The earth was in darkness apparently because of a thick cover of fog and clouds, which is implied in Genesis 1:6-7. By clearing away some of the cloud cover on the first day, God let the light shine through to the earth. Apparently, on the fourth day, the atmosphere was cleared even more, so the sun, moon and stars were visible and humanity could use them to mark seasons, days and years.

Here are additional details from a sidebar on this question from Vertical Thought magazine:

"It's important to understand that of all the galaxies and planets God created, it is the earth that is the focus of God's greatest creative works, and therefore the events of the six-day account are described from the perspective of the earth itself, specifically from the vantage point of its surface (where all life-forms will be brought into existence). R.K. Harrison's Introduction to the Old Testament says: 'In explaining this phenomenon it must first be noted that the standpoint of the first chapter of Genesis is an ideal geocentric one, as though the writer were

actually upon the earth at that time and in a position to record the developing phases of created life as he experienced them. From such a standpoint the heavenly bodies would only become visible when the dense cloud-covering of the earth had dispersed to a large extent' (p. 554)…

"Now we come to the fourth day: 'Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night"' (verse 14). On this day the atmosphere is further cleared so that from the observation point of the earth's surface, the sun, moon and stars are now clearly distinguishable in the sky. 'Let there be' is not a statement of the initial creation, but a statement ofappearance. This passage tells us that these celestial objects were allowed to be visible so that they could serve people as markers of signs, seasons, days and years."

What happened on the seventh day of creation?

Genesis 2:2-3

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Mark 2:27

And He [Jesus] said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."

God "sanctified" the seventh day by resting on it. Sanctify means "to set something apart as sacred or holy." In doing this, God made the seventh day of every week, throughout time, a weekly holy day. Later on, it became

known specifically as the "Sabbath" (Exodus 16:23-30). Since God defines a day as extending from sundown to sundown, the Sabbath extends from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. He made it for the benefit of "man"—all humanity—not just for the Jews, as some people claim. It is a day for all humanity to worship our Creator and celebrate His creation (Exodus 20:8-11).

http://www.verticalthought.org/issues/vt28/creation-week-light-day-1-sun-day-4.htm

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The weekly cycle of seven days has continued ever since. Sabbath keepers, including the Jews, have not been confused about which day is the seventh day, just as Sunday-keeping churches are not confused about which day is the first day of the week.

Did God create human beings with a soul inside them?

Genesis 2:7, King James Version

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

A human being is a soul; he does not have a soul residing inside him. The Hebrew word translated "soul" is nephesh, which refers to any air-breathing creature. It is translated "creature" in Genesis 1:24; 2:19; 9:10, 12, 15 and 16. Notice that in the New King James Version of Genesis 2:7, it is translated "being."

The idea of an immortal soul inside each person is not biblical, but is actually of pagan origin. A soul is mortal—it can die and does die (Ezekiel 18:4). Not until the resurrection will we have immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52-54).

Why did God make Eve from one of Adam's ribs?

Genesis 2:21-24

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

God made Eve from Adam's side so they would think of their marriage as being united as "one flesh" and strive for marital unity, harmony and love (Genesis 2:23-24). And God intended for marital relations to enhance and strengthen that oneness (1 Corinthians 6:16; 7:1-5).

What is meant by God creating man "in His own image"?

Genesis 1:26-27


So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

"Likeness" and "image" literally mean resemblance. However, greater meanings are implied, since man was made to be far superior to all other creatures, having Godlike qualities, even being able to have "dominion," or rule, over all other creatures.

As we progress through the Bible, we learn more and more about humanity's awesome potential and purpose. In the New Testament, we learn that God's purpose for us is to be conformed to the spiritual character image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:49). For a much more thorough explanation about what it means to be created in God's image, please read our inspiring booklet What Is Your Destiny? It's free of charge.

Apply Now

The first and second chapters of Genesis 1 are jam-packed with important information. Please carefully read these

chapters and see what other questions come to your mind that are not answered in this lesson. Some may be answered in our reprint series Answers From Genesis. If not, feel free towrite to us with your questions, and we'll do our best to answer them.

Next Lesson: Crucial Lessons From Knowing God Is Our Creator

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Hi, friends, and welcome to this lesson! We hope this Bible study will be of help to you in several ways. Most of all we hope you will have greater understanding, awareness and adoration for our awesome God!

This lesson is not designed to convince readers that all of nature was created by God and not the product of evolution. We have other material that covers that (see Creation or Evolution: Does It Really Matter What You

Believe?). This lesson is addressed to students who already believe and know that God is our Creator. It is written to help you build on that foundation of understanding and learn some profound lessons.

Lesson 4: Crucial Lessons From Knowing God Is Our Creator

What insights can those who believe God is our Creator learn from His incredible creation?

The invisible spirit world includes not only God the Father and Jesus Christ, but also millions of angels and demons. In 2 Kings 6 is a fascinating story that illustrates the reality of the spirit world that surrounds us.

"When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, 'We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.'

"But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, 'Do not go near that place, for the Arameans are planning to mobilize their troops there.'

"So the king of Israel would send word to the place indicated by the man of God, warning the people there to be on their guard. This happened several times.

"The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called in his officers and demanded, 'Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?'

"'It's not us, my lord,' one of the officers replied. 'Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!'

"The king commanded, 'Go and find out where Elisha is, and we will send troops to seize him.' And the report came back: 'Elisha is at Dothan.'

"So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.

"When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. 'Ah, my lord, what will we do now?' he cried out to Elisha.



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"'Don't be afraid!' Elisha told him. 'For there are more on our side than on theirs!'

"Then Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!' The Lord opened his servant's eyes, and when he

looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire" (2 Kings 6:8-17, New Living Translation).

How God Reveals Himself

God reveals Himself in two ways. The first is His written revelation, the Bible. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16).

The second is the evidence of creation, because it was "God who created all things through Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 3:9, emphasis added throughout). Every creature is evidence and proof of a genius Creator. There is always cause and effect, and the cause of creation is God!

It's not necessary for every person to make a formal study of creation, but it's important that in our thoughts we continually make the connection between the creation and the Creator.

We can be impressed with visible things and fail to give due credit to the invisible Creator of those things. We must be far more impressed with the Creator than the creation. The apostle Paul spoke of those who "worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator" (Romans 1:25). That we must never do!

Do even angels worship God because He is the Creator?

Revelation 4:11

[The 24 elders say], "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."

Revelation 14:7

[An angel said] with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."

If even the angels reverence, adore and worship God because of His role as the Creator, how much more should we do the same?

Does every Sabbath day remind us to worship our Creator?

Exodus 20:8-11

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

"Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work...

"For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."

God wants His people to rest and refrain from normal work activities each Sabbath day (see Sunset to Sunset: God's Sabbath Rest). While we are more relaxed each Sabbath, one of the most valuable things we can do is reflect on God's creation. When we're able, it's inspiring to go outdoors, examine the things God has created and rejoice in the wonders we see.

Think about these lines from the hymn by Isaac Watts "I Sing the Mighty Power of God":"Lord, how Thy wonders

are displayed, where-e'er I turn my eye, / If I survey the ground I tread or gaze upon the sky. / There's not a plant or flow'r below, but makes Thy glories known."

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Does our Creator expect us to learn about Him from His creation?

Romans 1:20-21, New International Version

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

The evidence of an all-powerful Creator and many of His attributes are clearly seen by those who are willing to see! But many do "not like to retain God in their knowledge" (Romans 1:28). That is mainly because they don't want anyone to tell them what they can and cannot do, including God.

Once we know that God created everything, that knowledge should shape our thinking and guide our actions. In other words, we should ask ourselves, what implications should I draw from that conclusion?

Seven Important Lessons

Let's consider seven great lessons that God's creation teaches us. When we are highly aware of these lessons, we are glorifying God as our Creator.

Lesson 1: The creation should teach us constant awareness of our Creator and reverence for Him.

Psalm 121:1-2

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 123:1-2

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.

Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things [the heavenly bodies], who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name.

Psalm 147:4 reaffirms that God named all the stars.

It's not enough for us to occasionally acknowledge God as Creator. We should regularly look beyond the visible

creation to the invisible God. The invisible spirit world is more real, more powerful and more permanent than the material world that we see. May everything we see remind us of Him whom we don't see!

Indeed, God is the Designer, Artist, Architect, Engineer, Creator, Lifegiver, Lawgiver and Sustainer. Meditate daily about your Maker.

Lesson 2: The Bible and creation teach us many things about God.

Genesis 1:31

Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.

Psalm 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

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Psalm 148:7-12

Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all the depths; fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy

wind, fulfilling His word; mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl; kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth; both young men and maidens; old men and children.

Creation teaches us that our Creator never does shoddy work. Every creature is a masterpiece, because that's the Creator's nature! Clearly, God loves beauty, harmony, careful attention to detail, precision, accuracy, symmetry, balance and humor. So we should appreciate and practice these virtues.

God is the role model for Ecclesiastes 9:10—whatever God does, He does it with His might and does His best.

Obviously, God loves variety. Someone said that God must love beetles because He made so many of them. God made great variety in every species! The whole world is God's zoo and circus with fascinating creatures and comical animal acts. One of the thrills of travel is seeing the different flora and fauna and topography in every part of the earth. Doesn't this tell us that we should appreciate variety, including the variety of people's personalities?

We also see that God is practical: Everything works! Everything has its purpose and fits harmoniously into earth's web of life. Many pairs of creatures have a symbiotic relationship. This teaches us cooperation, teamwork and interdependence.

Lesson 3: The Bible and creation teach us of God's great love for us.

Genesis 1:26


Psalm 8:4-6

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?... You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.

Luke 12:24

"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?"

What an incomparable honor—to be created in God's image! And what love and generosity in giving us the earth and everything on it to use and enjoy! As undeserving as we are, God takes very good care of us.

Our gratitude should forever compel us to love God in return. "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

Lesson 4: The Bible and creation teach us to take care of God's property.

Genesis 2:15

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.


Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Philippians 2:4

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

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The Creator of everything is the Owner of everything. Therefore, as stewards and caretakers of God's property, we should "tend and keep it" very carefully. God would have us conserve our resources rather than be wasteful or unnecessarily destructive.

"A righteous man regards the life of his animal" (Proverbs 12:10). We should have the heart of a good shepherd, not the attitude of a "hireling" who "does not care about the sheep" (John 10:11-13). A caring shepherd tries to rescue every sheep that goes astray (Matthew 18:11-13). We must dutifully provide for those under our care (1 Timothy 5:8).

Keep in mind that people are much more important to God than animals. It's sinful to be a pantheist or to worship "the creature rather than the Creator" (Romans 1:25).

Lesson 5: The Bible and creation teach us to look to the Maker for instructions.

Deuteronomy 6:1

"Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess."

Deuteronomy 17:19

"And it [a copy of the Scriptures] shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes."

Psalm 119:68, 98, 105

You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes...

You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies...

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Who best understands a product? The inventor or manufacturer. Similarly, our Heavenly Father knows best. He is the expert, with perfect understanding of His creation. He understands us much better than we understand ourselves, so we need to trust His guidance.

God supplied us with the Manual, the Instruction Book, so we need to read the Book! In fact, it is only through God's Word that we can learn the reason for our existence. For a clear explanation of why we were born, please see our free booklet What Is Your Destiny?

Lesson 6: The Bible and creation teach us to rely on our Maker for help and healing to solve every problem.

Matthew 7:7

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

Philippians 4:6, NIV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

James 5:14-15

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him

with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Since God made everything, He knows how to repair everything and solve every problem. He gave us a lifetime guarantee in the sense that we can go to God for help and healing at any time with no charge.

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When people get into trouble, they tend to try everything else before trying God. When no cures work, people will say "You are in God's hands." Well, how about relying on God from the start for His guidance, help and healing? This does not mean we should not then do what we can, such as seeking treatment. See our lesson "Dealing With Health Problems" for more about this.

God has given us a marvelous immune system; our bodies automatically try to heal themselves. In addition, God often miraculously heals those who pray for His healing. David summed up God's love and mercy, saying it is God "who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases" (Psalm 103:3).

Of course, we also need God to heal us of all kinds of spiritual and emotional problems. God "heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).

Lesson 7: The Bible and creation teach us who the Boss is and who we must obey.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

"And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His

ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?"

Deuteronomy 12:28

"Observe and obey all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God."

Luke 6:46

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?"

Who's in charge? The Creator and Owner! The Builder is automatically the Boss. The Master defines what is right

and wrong and commands us to do what is right. Our attitude toward God's authority should be a positive "Yes, Sir!"

We are God's servants and children. God makes the rules. We are to obey our Father—out of love and loyalty and for our own good.

God's instructions must be applied. God commands us to use His instructions.

God's laws reveal the nature and character of God. By obeying His laws, we are learning to think and act like God.

God's generosity, mercy and willingness to forgive whenever we are sincerely sorry for our sins can be summed up in the biblical concept of grace. But grace is not permission to sin. God expects us to keep trying our best to obey Him.

God's laws include huge rewards for obedience and huge penalties for disobedience. One of the greatest penalties is the absence of God's blessings. The ultimate penalty for those who stubbornly refuse to obey is eternal death rather than eternal life.

Never Forget

We are "creatures," meaning created beings. We must be constantly aware that we must give account to God for all our thoughts, words and actions. We must never feel so independent and self-reliant that we fail to depend on and rely on God. As Jesus told His disciples, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

The prophet Hosea wrote, "For Israel has forgotten his Maker" (Hosea 8:14). We must never do that, not even for a day. Awareness of our Creator should be the foundation of our worldview, outlook and daily thoughts. Let's do our best to remember these crucial lessons from knowing God is our Creator!

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Apply Now

We see so many different kinds of plants, trees, flowers, animals, birds, fish, insects, etc., that in our prayers we

tend to speak only of God's creation in general. We tend to lose the childlike fascination and awe at God's

wonderful creatures. We suggest that quite often when you look at flora and fauna around you, you thank God for individual creatures.

Each prayer can be silent or spoken, simple and reverent, like, "Thank you, Father, for that lovely flower!" In fact, we suggest you start right now with a walk outside. Walk and talk with your Creator!

Next Lesson: The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ

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Hi, friends, and welcome to this lesson! Any retelling of the life of Jesus Christ—especially a short one like this—falls far short of doing it justice. But if you are not familiar with the facts of Jesus' life and ministry, this lesson will

be an introduction that hopefully will whet your appetite to learn more. Understanding Christ is the foundation for understanding true Christianity, which is believing and living by Christ's teachings and striving to imitate His perfect life.

If you already have a good understanding of Christ's life and teachings, this lesson should be an inspiring review and overview of that most precious understanding. It may also help prepare you to know how to explain to others our purpose in life and what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

For modern-day disciples of Christ who love Him above all else, it's always a joy to read and meditate on His wonderful life and teachings.

Lesson 5: The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ

To be a true disciple of Christ means not only to be an admirer and follower, but also to obey and imitate Him. May this lesson help you toward that goal.

The following account from John 20:19-21, 24-29 about "doubting Thomas" has a great lesson for all of us:

"Then, the same day [the day after Jesus rose from the dead] at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came

and stood in the midst, and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' When He

had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you…'

"Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, 'We have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.'

"And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, 'Peace to you!'

"Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.'

"And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'

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"Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"

The Sources of Information About Jesus' Life and Ministry

The primary sources of information about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ are the first four books of the New Testament, which are called the Gospels. Other sources are the many prophecies in the Old Testament about the

future Messiah and the New Testament books in which the apostles explain many things about Christ and His teachings.

Why are there four Gospels instead of just one? First, the Gospels are not purely biographies. Each of the four authors are describing what he considers the most spiritually significant elements of Jesus' life and teachings. Of course, each author was inspired by God through His Holy Spirit.

There are no real contradictions among the four accounts. The four different perspectives complement each other and help to fill out the whole picture of His perfect life. Therefore, there is harmony, continuity and unity among the four accounts. It's profitable to combine the perspectives into an overall view, but it's also interesting and profitable to focus on one perspective at a time.

Summarizing the particular focus of each author can be challenging, but here is one simplified approach: Matthew announces Jesus as King, Mark presents Him as Servant, Luke focuses on Him as Man and John highlights Him as God. Jesus is our perfect model in each of those roles.

What are the meanings of Jesus' primary names and titles?

Matthew 1:21

"And she [Mary] will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

Matthew 1:23

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

John 1:41

He [Andrew] first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).

Luke 6:46

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?"

Matthew 16:13

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"

We can understand a lot about Jesus and His mission by understanding His names and titles. Jesusmeans "savior." Jesus is derived from the Greek Iesous, which is derived from the Hebrew Yehoshua(from which we get the English name Joshua).

Jesus truly was and is "God with us." He was and is the Son of God and therefore God. He was God in the flesh (Luke 1:35; John 20:28).

Messiah (from Hebrew mashiach) means "anointed" or "anointed one." Although the specific word appears in the

Old Testament only in Daniel 9:25-26, many other prophecies promised a Messiah to be sent by God as a deliverer and liberator. Jesus came to earth the first time to deliver us from our sins and will come the second time to deliver us from mortality to immortality. The Greek for Messiah is Christos, from which we get Christ.

Lord means master. Yet sadly, most who called Him Master would not obey Him as their master.

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Jesus usually referred to Himself as "the Son of Man." The reasons for this have been controversial among scholars, but we can state some likely reasons. Jesus used the definite article—He was the[unique] Son of Man, not a son of man. Jesus wanted all to know that He was human, but a very special human.

This idiomatic designation sounded reverential, but it was ambiguous in meaning. That may pinpoint why Jesus used it, because for most of His ministry, Jesus avoided referring to Himself as the Son of God or the Messiah or the son of David. He avoided what might sound political or blasphemous because He didn't want to stir up violent opposition prematurely.

Perhaps Paul was elaborating on this title when he referred to Jesus as "the last Adam," since adam is a Hebrew

word for man (1 Corinthians 15:45). "The first man [Adam] was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man [Jesus Christ] is the Lord from heaven" (verse 47).

Did Jesus exist before His human birth?

John 1:1, 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

To learn more about Jesus' preexistence, see Lesson 2 in this series of Free Bible Study Guides: "The God Revealed in the Old Testament Was the One Who Became Jesus Christ!"

How was Jesus conceived as a human child?

Matthew 1:18

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

God the Father used the Holy Spirit to bring about the conception of Jesus in the womb of the Jewish virgin named Mary. For further description, see Matthew 1:19-23 and Luke 1:26-35. And for a description of the Word voluntarily giving up His divine power and glory to temporarily become a human being, see Philippians 2:6-8.

What were the circumstances of Jesus' birth?

Luke 2:1, 4-7

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered [for a census]…

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who

was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The events that followed Jesus' birth are described in the remainder of Luke 2 and in Matthew 2. The exact date of Jesus' birth is unknown, for God does not want people to celebrate Jesus' birth. To understand why and for thorough proof that most of the traditions involved in Christmas celebrations are not from the Bible, see our free booklet Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe?

What was Jesus' childhood like?

Luke 2:39-40

So when they [Joseph and Mary] had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to

Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.



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Matthew 13:55-56

"Is this [Jesus] not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?"

Jesus grew up with His mother, stepfather and several younger siblings, the natural children of Mary and Joseph. Jesus certainly was precocious, being able at 12 years old to discuss Scripture with scholars at the temple (Luke 2:41-52). And in order to later be the perfect sacrifice and Savior, He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15).

When, where and how did Jesus begin His ministry?

Luke 3:23

Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age.

Matthew 3:13

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John [the Baptist] at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

Matthew 4:1

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:12

Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.

After His baptism and His 40-day fast and temptation by Satan, Jesus returned to Galilee to begin His ministry. Galilee is the area around the Sea of Galilee, north of Jerusalem.

What was the message that Jesus preached?

Mark 1:14-15

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

The word gospel means "good news." Jesus' message was about God's plan to offer the opportunity for salvation to all humanity, which means eternal life in the Kingdom of God!

What else was remarkable and astonishing about Jesus' ministry?

Matthew 4:23

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

Jesus healed people everywhere He went, which reveals several important things. His miracles proved that He was

sent by God (Acts 2:22). They showed that He cares for our physical needs as well as our spiritual needs. He loved and respected all people, regardless of gender, race, age or status, demonstrating a degree of love the world had never seen and which serves as a role model for all His future followers (John 13:34-35). He also used miracles to prove that He had the authority to forgive sins and to heal us of our spiritual problems (Matthew 9:6).

Is Jesus the foundation and Head of the Church?

Ephesians 2:19-20

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the

household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.

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Colossians 1:18

And He [Christ] is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Did Jesus die and rise from the dead exactly as He foretold?

Matthew 12:40

"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

At the close of Jesus' 3½-year ministry, Jesus willingly allowed Himself to be arrested, tortured, crucified and

killed. Jesus' last and most important sign was His prophecy that He would rise from the dead in three days and would be in the tomb exactly three days and three nights (Matthew 12:38-40). That was precisely fulfilled!

Careful study of all the accounts shows He was crucified on a Wednesday afternoon and was put in the tomb

before sundown. He rose from the dead and then left the tomb exactly three full days later, in the afternoon of the weekly Sabbath (Saturday). See "The Chronology of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection" for more details.

After His resurrection Jesus ascended to heaven and returned to appear to His followers several times. Then 40 days after His resurrection, He again ascended to heaven to be at the right hand of God the Father (Acts 1:1-11). As Jesus repeatedly promised, He will one day return to earth (verse 11). And this next time, it will be "with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26).

What was the main reason for the life and death of Jesus Christ?

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

John 20:30-31

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

Christ lived His earthly life to set us an example and to build His Church. He died for each and every one of us to

pay the penalty of our sins so we can be forgiven of those sins. And He lives again to serve as our Savior, High Priest and Master (Hebrews 4:14-15).

So what shall we do?

Acts 2:36-38

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

After Christ's disciples received the Holy Spirit, the apostle Peter preached a sermon about Jesus being the prophesied Christ and how He had been raised from the dead and "exalted to the right hand of God" (Acts 2:33).

He told the assembled people, "You crucified" Jesus (verse 36). Of course, most of that crowd had no direct part in

getting Jesus condemned to death. But we all are guilty indirectly because "all have sinned" and "Christ died for our sins" (Romans 3:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3).

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When the people were convinced that Jesus was "both Lord and Christ" (verse 36) and that the guilt for His death lay on everyone, many of them asked, "What shall we do?" They knew they needed to take action. Peter then told them what each person must do to be forgiven of his or her sins and to receive the awesome gift of God's Holy Spirit (verse 38). Peter's instruction to repent and be baptized is just as true today as it was at that time. This is

explained in more detail in our booklet Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion.

Apply Now

Knowing about our Lord and Savior isn't enough. We must, like those who heard Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost, ask, "What shall we do?"

Read through the answers in Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion and write down a plan of personal action in response to the perfect life and sacrifice of our Savior.

Next Lesson: How to Build a Close Relationship With God

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Hi, friends, and welcome to this lesson! In this series of lessons, you've learned many things about God. This lesson is a step beyond, showing you how to really know God by developing a close personal and intimate relationship with Him.

This lesson explains several practical and specific things you can do and will want to do to draw closer to God. If you are not already doing these things, it is our hope and prayer that you will want to start right away.

Lesson 6: How to Build a Close Relationship With God

Although God is invisible to us mortals, He can become the most reliable, trusted and loving reality in your life!

King David poetically described His experience of God's greatness and nearness to us:

"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell [the grave], behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely

the darkness shall fall on me,' even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.

"For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's

womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well" (Psalm 139:7-14).

David was inspired by God's omnipresence (He is everywhere present) and His omniscience (He is all-knowing and all-wise). When people are not close to God, they like to think it—whatever "it" may be—is God's fault. Not true. People forget about God, but God never forgets about us. He is always available to you if you "seek Him with all your heart" (Deuteronomy 4:29).

Draw Near to God, and He Will Draw Near to You

The psalmist wrote, "It is good for me to draw near to God" (Psalm 73:28), and hopefully you are learning how

good it is for you. A relationship with God begins when God calls us or draws us. Jesus said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up [resurrect him] at the last day" (John 6:44).

After God calls us, He expects us from then on to exercise initiative in seeking to draw near to Him. If we do, we have this very encouraging promise: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

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The promise of a resurrection to life after death becomes a primary motivator. It is that "better hope, through which we draw near to God" (Hebrews 7:19).

This lesson will cover some specific ways to develop and maintain a close relationship with God.

How valuable is it to read and study the Bible?

2 Timothy 3:14-17

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have

learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Proverbs 3:13-15, New International Version

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she [wisdom] is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

The Bible is more valuable than all the rest of the books in the world, combined; it is priceless! It is the Creator's

revelation to His creation regarding His plan and how we should live our lives to fulfill our purpose and to obtain, by far, the best results. Even kings were commanded to read the Scriptures daily (Deuteronomy 17:18-20). The Bible is God's Word—God speaking to each of us. We must listen, and listen carefully!

To make one's Bible study personally "profitable," what is a major key?

Joshua 1:8, God's Word Translation

Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed.

1 Timothy 4:13, 15

Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine...

Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.

It's important to not read the Bible in a rush. Take time to really think about what you are reading and you will get a lot more out of it. Meditate and reflect deeply on the meaning of the scriptures and their application to your life. Meditating on God's laws helps immensely to write them on your heart (Hebrews 8:10).

Can we talk to God at any time and know that He hears us?

1 John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

John 16:23

[Jesus said], "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you."

Sincere prayer is powerful because the Creator of all the universe loves to hear our prayers and loves to answer

them. The Bible has many scriptures that exhort us to pray and many that give pointers on howto pray. God

expects us to maintain daily two-way communication with Him—reading His messages in the Bible and talking to Himin prayer. And the more you pray, the more natural it will be for you. The Bible compares the "prayers of the saints" with sweet-smelling incense, because they please God (Revelation 5:8).

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Can we walk with God? And what exactly does that mean?

1 John 2:6

He who says he abides in Him [Christ] ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

2 John 1:6

This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

1 John 2:3

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

In the Bible, the word walk is often used to refer to one's lifestyle—how we live our life. To walk according to God's

Word means to apply it, to put it into action. To walk with God means to obey His commandments and to follow—imitate—Jesus' example. This includes keeping the Fourth Commandment as Jesus did. Observing God's Sabbath day provides a whole day to focus on drawing close to God.

As you see, we must talk and walk with God.

Does spiritual fasting also help in drawing close to God?

Ezra 8:21, 23

Then I [Ezra] proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions...

So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.

Matthew 6:17-18

"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

Joel 2:12

"Now, therefore," says the LORD, "turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning."

Among the spiritual tools for drawing closer to God, fasting is a real power tool! Fasting is valuable when we are

faced with a big problem and we urgently need God's help. Even when we aren't faced with big problems, we should fast occasionally as a special form of worship and to draw closer to God. When you sincerely fast, God is pleased and will help you grow spiritually.

When we meditate on God's ways and His creation, can we learn valuable lessons?

Romans 1:20

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.

Psalm 143:5

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands.

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Psalm 145:5

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works.

As we discussed in Lesson 4 in this series, God has two primary means of revealing Himself to humanity: His written revelation—the Bible—and the evidence of creation. Creation is fascinating, because we never cease to learn from it and be inspired by it. From creation we learn many things about the Creator.

Will we be much closer to God if we stay away from bad influences?

1 Corinthians 15:33

Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."

Proverbs 12:26

The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.


... As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people." Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."

"I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

We are continually faced with choices. We often must choose between exposing ourselves to bad influences or surrounding ourselves with good influences (including other believers). God is very displeased when we choose evil or what will lead us toward evil. The mind is like a sponge that will soak up whatever you expose it to, whether good or evil, and what goes in stays in, to a great extent.

A computer is a good comparison. A computer's output depends on what was input. Garbage in, garbage out. God knows our every thought. Don't allow experiences and thoughts in that you will be ashamed of when you face God.

Do materialism and an overly-busy life interfere with relationships?

Luke 16:13

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, materialism]."

Mark 4:18-19

"Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."

1 Timothy 6:9-10

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Money is not evil, but the love of money is a major root of evil. So, yes, materialism and a super-busy life interfere with all our relationships and especially our relationship with God. They can choke to death our spiritual

life like weeds choke to death the life of garden plants. When money and things become overly important to us, they are becoming our gods, which means we are breaking the first of the Ten Commandments (by prioritizing them over God).

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Are satanic and demonic influences a significant danger?

1 Peter 5:8-9

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith...

James 4:7

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Ephesians 6:11-12

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Satan "deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9), so even followers of Christ can be deceived by Satan or a demon when we aren't continually on guard. Satan hates all people, but he especially wants to deceive and destroy anyone trying to obey God. We attract Satan and the demons and become vulnerable to them if we are

sinning, dabbling in spiritism or the occult, or letting down spiritually in some other way. And when one walks in the way of the devil, he or she is alienating himself or herself from God.

What is the ultimate, most powerful way to stay close to God?

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 8:6-9

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

How is it possible for a mortal human to have an intimate and ongoing relationship with the divine God? The most important key is God's gift of His Spirit to dwell in one's heart and mind! God's Spirit works to transform human

nature to a godly nature and the mind of Christ, so instead of being inclined to selfishness and sin, we become inclined toward love and godliness (Philippians 2:1-5). To receive the Holy Spirit, we must repent of our sins and be baptized.

God desires a close relationship with everyone. In fact, He wants all people to eventually be His "sons and daughters" (2 Corinthians 6:18).

Apply Now

Daily prayer is a principle key explained above, and a major part of our prayers should be thanking and praising God for His many blessings. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6, New International Version, emphasis added). Many, many scriptures throughout the Bible exhort us to thank and praise God in prayer and in song. Psalms 69:30; 106:1; 107:8; and 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 are just a few examples.

God loves the attitude of gratitude! When God answers a prayer, protects us or blesses us in some other way, He's

not expecting much in return except our obedience and our thanksgiving. Make it a habit to count your many blessings and praise God for them!

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Stop and think about many of the blessings and benefits that God has given you, and make a list of them. You probably will be pleasantly surprised at how many you can quickly think of. And God will be well pleased that you immediately took this wonderful action and step forward.

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Series 3 - Getting to Really Know God