John 1:18
Is God Real?
Is God real? We have never seen Him. We can not touch Him. He does
not do as we command. Is God real? Of course He is. How do we know?
There are many ways that we can know that God is real.
1. Science proves God is real. That will probably surprise some,
but there is NOTHING in science that contradicts the Biblical
existence of God. In fact, everything in science argues for
an intelligent Creator. Science is merely the study of how
God creates and controls His creation.
2. History proves God is real. History is HIS STORY. You can
see God's hand throughout. Study Israel's history, their
very existence, their beliefs. Study the church's history,
beliefs, and very existence. You will see God.
3. Prophecy proves God is real. From ancient prophecies to the
ones being fulfilled before our very eyes.
4. God's Word proves God is real. The Bible is not just a book.
It is a Source of God's power. Read it, believe it, live it
and you will know that God is real.
5. Salvation proves God is real. Salvation brings a changed
life, a permanent, powerful, passionate change that demands
the hand of God.
But we want more. We need more than intellectual proofs, we need to
feel God. We are a carnal, fleshly people. We need to touch and to
feel God. At present, we cannot touch Him, but we can certainly feel
God. Let me explain.
I. We can feel God's conviction.
A. The first and perhaps the most important feeling that God
gives to a human being is the feeling of conviction.
1. Conviction is us feeling God's displeasure over our sin.
2. It happens when we, sinners, get close to God. (A magnet
has an effect on metal not because it chosses to but
because of its nature!)
3. Conviction is the natural response of sinful flesh coming
into a holy God's presence.
B. We are able to feel conviction because of the work of the Holy
Ghost.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove
the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of
judgment:
C. Both the lost and the saved can feel conviction.
1. No unsaved person can be saved without feeling conviction.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the
Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will
raise him up at the last day.
2. No saved person with sin in his life can draw close to God
without feeling conviction.
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,
and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
D. What does conviction feel like? The Bible does not describe
it but gives examples of it.
1. There is fear and trembling.
a. Moses
Acts 7:31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the
sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the
voice of the Lord came unto him,
32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God
of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
b. Philippian jailer
Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas
prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the
prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so
that the foundations of the prison were shaken:
and immediately all the doors were opened, and
every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of
his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he
drew out his sword, and would have killed
himself, supposing that the prisoners had been
fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do
thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in,
and came trembling, and fell down before Paul
and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what
must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
c. Felix, the governor
Acts 24:24 And after certain days, when Felix
came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess,
he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the
faith in Christ.
25 And as he reasoned of righteousness,
temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled,
and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I
have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
d. And why should we not tremble when coming into the
presence of a holy God?
(1) God's very nature is offended, grieved, and
repulsed by our sinfulness.
(2) It is my belief that God must make a conscious
decision to be merciful the sinner for His
nature would want to judge and destroy it.
(3) Conviction is the most gentle response the sinner
can receive when coming into God's presence.
e. I do not trust the salvation that does not tremble at
God's presence.
2. There is a strong feeling of unworthiness.
Is 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone;
because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell
in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for
mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
3. There is an overwhelming sense of sorrow.
2Cor 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made
sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye
were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye
might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to
salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow
of the world worketh death.
E. These three "feelings" from God is what breaks the sinner,
placing him in the position where he will completely and
totally surrender himself to God. We call this repentance.
F. That with faith in what Jesus has done produces salvation.
II. The second feeling from God is peace.
A. Both the saved and the lost can feel conviction, but only the
saved can feel peace.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I
give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I
unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid.
B. What is peace?
1. Peace is a God's calmness that comes WHEN we know the
problems we face and in spite of knowing the problems
we face.
2. Thoughts:
a. This is not a peace that man naturally has or can
connive.
(1) Some walk oblivious to their sinful plight and
think their ignorance is peace.
(2) No, just because you cannot see that you are
about to drive off a cliff doesn't mean you
shouldn't be concerned.
(3) God's peace works best when the problems are
KNOWN.
(4) The human life is a life filled with problems
and so it is a peaceless life.
(a) The Bible compares it to a sea
\\#Is 57:20-21\\.
(b) God's peace works then.
b. This peace is God's gifts to us.
(1) Notice that Jesus calls it "my peace."
(2) He is the Source and Giver of this peace.
(3) God is never disturbed about anything. God is
always calm.
(4) God's peace is God unplugging your stirred up
emotions from the problems you face and
plugging them into His calmness.
c. God's peace does not guarantee a solution to the
problems. God's peace is God's gift regardless of the
outcome.
C. The first time you will feel God's peace is at the moment of
your salvation. You will go from a state of utter
conviction (fear, worthlessness, sorrow) to peace instantly.
D. But you can have God's peace every day of your life after
your salvation.
1. If God has given you peace over your sinfulness, why would
God not give you peace over every other problem you
face?
2. Now, on some days and in some situations, we will have to
focus on God's peace more.
a. Some problems will get "in our face" and force
themselves on us.
b. If we are not careful, they can pull the plug on our
peace.
c. When that happens, we will have to draw closer to God
and remind ourselves that God has got it all
covered.
III. We can feel God's joy.
Ne 8:10 ???for this day is holy unto our Lord:
neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is
your strength.
A. Joy is a step beyond peace.
1. Peace is experiencing God's calmness despite our problems.
2. . Joy is celebrating God's goodness despite our sorrows.
B. Like God's peace???
1. Joy is a God's and He gives it to us.
2. God's joy shines brightest when we are aware of our
problems and sorrows.
C. There is always something to be discouraged, grieved,
depressed, hurt, or angry over.
1. If you want to find it, you always can. Some do.
2. However, God has given us a joy, a spirit of celebration
and joy, so that regardless of how bad the circumstances,
we can feel Him.
D. Notice the phrase from Nehemiah:
"for the joy of the Lord is my strength"
1. Notice the word "is."
2. That is a being verb and it means either a predicate
adjective or a predicate nominative is on the other side
of it.
a. If it is a predicate adjective, strength will describe
joy.
b. If it is a predicate nominative, strength will rename
joy.
c. This is a predicate nominative. Strength renames
joy. That means strength and joy are interchangeable.
They are pretty much the same thing.
3. That means if I have one, I can always get the other.
a. If, in my troubles, I have joy, I can also have
strength.
(1) What that means is that, in your problems, if you
will find a way to rejoice, it will give you
spiritual strength.
(2) Force yourself if you must, but rejoice. Praise
God. Thank Him. Exalt Him. As you do, you
will feel God's peace and joy strengthen you.
(3) That does not mean the problem will go away. It
just means God will take your turmoil and give
you peace, power, and joy.
b. If you have strength to pray, to read your Bible, to
believe in God, God will give you joy.
IV. We can feel God's burden.
A. Feeling a burden is feeling the concern, the hurt that God
has over a people or need.
1. Feeling a burden does not always precede a calling to
help, but it is usually does.
2.
B. Have you ever noticed how the Old Testament prophets often
began their message by describing what they felt?
Mal 1:1 The burden of the word of the LORD to
Israel by Malachi.
Hab 1:1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet
did see.
Isa 15:1 The burden of Moab???
Isa 17:1 The burden of Damascus???
Isa 19:1 The burden of Egypt???.
C. They caught God's concern for the people they were to preach
to. That's why they preached.
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