GOODNEWS LETTER
Number 371 May 11, 2011
GOD'S PRESENCE
"If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there;
If I make my bed in Sheol (hell), behold, Thou art there,"
Psalms 139:8
God is Omiscience (all knowing), Omnipotent (all powerful) and Omnipresent (present everywhere) - in all places at the same time; heaven, Sheol or anywhere! When it comes to being in all places at the same time, David's Psalm is right on! So, the question is: 'What makes man feel God? What makes man worship Him; even, if he does it incorrectly?
The answer is that God is present everywhere in His creation. He's even within man's spirit, testifying to His Being. The amazing thing about this is, man feels the Lord and His attributes no matter where he lives or, when he lives. Man's spirit tells him that God is. Man feels God. He knows that the Lord made him this way. Thus, man testifies to God. He can't help it!
Romans declares God's power (1:16). And, Paul tells us more; that God's power is seen in the creation "revealed from faith to faith" (1:17). But, there's more. God's wrath is also revealed. In fact, Paul tells us "...that which is know about God is evident" (1:19). Clearly, man may know God's wrath or, His righteousness, depending upon his faith in God. He just has to look at the earth, sky and himself. But, it's man's spirit that testifies that God created him.
Romans 1:20 states, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood be the things made, so that they are without excuse."
Thus, historically, every society has had a form of worship. Man cannot help it because man's spirit tells him that someone greater exists. Man feels this way because God is present everywhere and, within man's spirit, testifying. While, man's thoughts aren't always within truth, nevertheless, man has to respond.
And, clearly, not all men know the Lord in truth. Yet, the feeling is so strong that mankind goes his way, making up what he doesn't know. Hence, there have always been false gods created by man. Today, false teachings have replaced, for the most part, false gods. Man may not get to God so, he tries to make God come to where man lives. Nothing new, here. Paul told Timothy that some had gone so far as to say, "...the resurrection has already taken place, and thus they upset the faith of some" (2:18).
However, God warns man about false ideas. The prophet Amos told Israel that man cannot go where God is; even, if he could. So, Amos tells about God changing their positions; placing man where he is to be. "Though they dig into Sheol, From there my hand shall take them;" Amos 9:2. The prophet tells of those "ascending to heaven" only to be brought down (9:2); or, "...hide in Carmel," only to be taken from there (9:3).
Of course, Amos is writing to Israel. Chapter 1, verse 1 says, "...he envisioned visions concerning Israel..." The nation may try to "...conceal in the floor of the sea, a serpent shall bite them" (9:3). The Lord God will show people their sinful place; even, if they think everything is okay.
TODAY, MAN THINKS HE IS WITH THE LORD, USING WORDS DIRECTLY FROM THE LORD
Again, nothing new. Men have always lived for their day. Paul had to instruct the Thessalonians about changing the Second Coming to their own time, writing that they should not be shaken, "...in mind...neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand" (2:2).
Before Christ comes the second time, things have to occur. "... a falling away first" then, "the man of sin revealed, the son of perdition" (2nd Thess. 2:4). Therefore, it doesn't matter how much one may feel he is right about God; feelings must match Scripture. And, Scripture will give man's faith a desire to read, read and read some more of God's Book, the Bible. We must allow the Word of God to put man in his place; or, the Lord shall, according to Amos. The Word instructs man not to lean on his own understanding, feelings or calculations.
Like Paul's day, many predictions have been made concerning the return of Jesus. The Seventh Day Adventists prophesied the second coming to be in 1844. The Jehovah Witnesses said it was in 1874. Many others have given certain days. They were wrong. All of them!
In our day, Jesus is suppose to rapture His people home on May 21st of this year. That's only a little over a week. It will not happen, of course, because the Bible doen't support such teaching. The rapture will not occur then.
And, while I am sure that most are honest and they truly FEEL their thoughts, they are just on false ground. The only truth that is seen by neo-prophets is what Romans, 1:21 records; that is, "For even when they knew God, they did not honor Him as God...but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened."
And, so we close this article with the word "WOW." It is so wonderful that man knows of God and feels God; that He is and exists. In every age, man has testified to this truth. But, many have not had the truth to testify to their teachings. Man starts to change God, making up dates; rather than, simply read the Book. Indeed, too many are led astray.
What man must do is listen to Paul in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-5. "...for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction...exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worhship..." Doesn't it stand to reason that a temple has to be built before son of destruction can "...take his seat in the temple of God..."? Not only does it stand to reason, that's what Scripture says must happen before the day of Christ's Second Coming can take place.
Until that day, those of the truth enjoy God's presence in spirit. A new body soon but, until then, Jesus taught that "... true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth," John 4:23.