Paul description of
God:
a.He is
the God who made the world and everything in it.
What that means
to us today:
a.There
is only one God. He is all-powerful. He planned and created the universe.
Paul description of
God:
b.Since
He is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human
hands can’t serve his needs-for he has no needs.
What that means
to us today:
b.He
is ruler of all that there is both physically and spiritually. God is
self-existent and doesn’t live in a physical realm. You can’t contain him.
Rather, God exists everywhere at once.
Paul description of
God:
c.He
himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need there
is.
What that means
to us today:
c.God
is the source of all life. He provides for our needs day by day.
Paul description of
God:
d.From
one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided
beforehand which should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
What that means
to us today:
d.God
created human life. Your ancestors didn’t evolve from a monkey or climb from
the slime. All the events in history are God’s hands. He controls them and
nothing takes him by surprise. Nothing happens by chance in the universe. God
is in control.
Paul description of
God:
e.His
purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps
feel their way toward him and find him-though he is not far from any one of us.
What that means
to us today:
e.There
is purpose to the universe. God’s plan all along has been for human beings to
seek him. That what his purpose in creation, civilization and history. God is
within the reach of every heart.
Paul description of
God:
f.For in
him we live and move and exist. As one of your own poets says, ‘We are his
offspring.’
What that means
to us today:
f.We
depend on God to preserve our lives, to give us existence and meaning.
Paul description of
God:
g.And
since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen
from gold or silver or stone.
What that means
to us today:
g.We
shouldn’t pretend that we can create our own “god” the way we want. We don’t
tell God the way it is-he tells us!
Paul description of
God:
h.God
overlooked people’s former ignorance about these things, but now he commands
everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him.
What that means
to us today:
h.Now
that Christ has come, God holds everyone accountable for his or her life,
choices, and sins. God commands people to turn from their sins and turn to him.
Whatever you desire more than God is an idol to you.
Paul description of
God:
i.For he
has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed,
and he proved to everyone who is this by raising him from the dead.
What that means
to us today:
i.One
day Jesus will return to judge people. And God is fair, he doesn’t grade on a
curve. Those who have turned to him will be pardoned. Those who have not, will
be sentenced. The proof of God’s plan was Jesus’ resurrection.
Paul description of
God:
j.When
they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of a person who had been dead, some
laughed, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” That ended
Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them where Dionysius, a member of the
Council, a woman named Damarias, and others.” (Acts 17:24-34)
What that means
to us today:
j.People
respond differently when they hear about the resurrection. Some laugh. Some put
off making a commitment to Christ. And some become believers. Which one will
you be?
From the Book:
How to Smell like God
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