Something to think about: Is God a 1- Question Mark 2- Exclamation Point or a 3- period in your life?
3 Sections of Believe (10 Weeks Each)
Think - What Do I Believe?
Act – What Should I do?
Be – Who Am I Becoming?
Key Idea:
I believe God is involved in and cares about my daily life.
Key Verse:
Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV) 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
We know that God created the heavens and the earth – but does God care about the affairs of my life? Does He love us? Does He have a plan for our lives? Is He interceding and intervening to move the events of our life and world toward his intended purpose?
The BIGNESS Of Our God
Psalm 8:1-9 (NIV) 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Think about this…God created the heavens with the span of his hand.
Nobody knows just how big the universe is. Scientist can only see so far.
The Whirlpool Galaxy - get picture - Called the Darling Of Astronomy. The reason why is that is sitting completely perpendicular to us on earth. When you look up - you get this great view.
It is 31 million light years from where you are sitting right now. So... travel 186,000 miles per second for 31 million years and you can reach this.
Genesis 1:1-3 (ESV) 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Light came out of the mouth of God travelling 186,000 miles per second. That's how fast light is travelling through the universe.
A light year is how far light travels in a year - it is 5.88 trillion miles
So... multiply 5.88 trillion miles times 31 million light years - and that's the distance you've got to cover to get to this galaxy.
It contains 300 billion stars in that one galaxy. It is one of hundreds of billions of other galaxies in the universe.
Our God is big.
Here’s another thing – The Hubble satellite is circling earth at 360 miles above the earth taking all sorts of images.
As they looked into this light - they found a dark hole. Here’s the picture that NASA uncovered...
LET ME TALK ABOUT FOUR STARS
1ST STAR - there is only one star in our solar system - it is called THE SUN
10,000 degrees Fahrenheit on the surface.
It is 93 million miles away. It only takes light 8 minutes to reach the earth.
It's a million times the size of earth.
Think about this – Going at the speed of sound (767 mph) it would take us almost 14 years to reach the sun – which is 93 million miles away from the earth.
With the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) – it would only take 8.3 minutes to reach the sun.
Sizes: If the sun was an orange:
The earth would be a piece of sand 30 feet away,
Pluto would be a piece of sand 10 blocks away,
The closest stars would be oranges about 1,000 miles away
Distances: The earth travels around the Sun at an average distance of 93 million miles
(It would take 163 years to get there at 65 miles per hour)
The Solar system is about 8 billion miles in diameter (It would take 6857 years to reach Pluto at 65mph).
If the earth is traveling at the speed of light – 186,000,000 miles per sec – it would take 100,000 years to reach the other side of our solar system. There are an estimated 10 billion galaxies all separated by at least 100,00 light years.
Psalm 33:6 (ESV) 6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
God just spoke it into being.
If we were any closer than 93 million miles away - we'd burn up. If it were further away than 93 million miles – we would freeze.
If the earth was a size of a golf ball - the sun would be 15 feet in diameter. You could put 960,000 earths inside the sun.
2ND STAR – Betelgeuse or Beetlejuice - 427 light years away.
It is twice the size of the earth's orbit around the sun.
If the earth was a golf ball - Beetlejuice would be the height of 6 Empire State buildings on top of each other.
You could put 262 trillion earths inside of Beetlejuice.
I dare you to go to the bottom of the Empire State building an put a golf ball on the side walk and then go to top of the Empire State Building and look down and see if you can see your ball.
3rd Star - Herchels Garnet Star or Mu cephi
If the earth is a golf ball - this planet would be the size of two golden gate brides.
It's so big that you could put 2.7 quadrillion earths inside this star.
Perspective - 1 million seconds ago - 12 days ago.
Billion seconds ago - May 1975
Trillion seconds ago - 29,700 b.c.
Quadrillion seconds ago - (30 million, 800 years ago)
You could put 2.7 quadrillions earths in this one star.
4th star - Canis majores
Biggest star that has just been found. We could say that it is the “big dog” in the sky.
If the earth was a golf ball - Canis Majores would be the height of Mt. Everest.
6 miles above sea level. Get that high and see if you can see the earth down below.
You could put 7 quadrillion earths inside Canis Majores.
That's enough golf balls that you could cover the entire state of texas in golf balls 22" deep.
Show pictures of the different planets and their sizes in our galaxy.
Are you starting to feel a little small right now?
But here's the thing - sin brings God down to our size and puffs us up.
But our God is big and there is none like him in all creation.
Here's the big miracle - though we are as vapour - tiny and frail - we are marked by majesty. We have been created in the very image of the God who breathes and put the stars and universe in place.
You and I are fashioned and formed by the God of all creation.
We are fearfully and wonderfully made - you and I.
We are all miracles today.
Isaiah 40:25-26 (NIV) 25 "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. 26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
The Smallness Of Our God
Five Miracles Of The Atom
Miracle of Minute Size - Everything we observe is made up of atoms.
Example – One grain of sand – take all of the atoms in that grain and expand them to the size of that grain. It would then be an amount to fill one cubic square.
Suppose you string atoms like pearls. If a someone strung a 25 inch string at 1 atom per second – it would take her over 200 years.
Miracle of Tremendous speed – The speed of electrons around the nucleus. The actual material (electrons, protons, etc.) take up only 1 trillionth of the atoms volume.
Bohr estimates that the electrons move around the nucleus at the rate of 7 million billion times per second.
Miracle of empty space – This is the distance represented between the nucleus and the orbit of electrons.
Example – have 2” diameter object – the nearest object would be 2 miles away (meaning everything is empty space). It’s kind of like a propeller. It goes so fast that it looks like something solid.
If the motion of the electrons stopped then we would be able to go through solids.
I think of the story of the upper room where Jesus just walked through the walls and showed up. He has that type of power in him.
Hebrews 11:3 (ESV) 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
If you were to take 5,000 battle ships and carriers and took all the emptiness out of the – it would fill the space of a baseball and weigh the same.
Miracle of electronic charge – there is always the same amount of negative charge as positive charge.
Miracle of immense cohesive force in the nucleus of each atom – unlike charges are held together.
Example of a magnet. Opposite sides close together whereas same sides repel against one another.
In the atom – when the positive is together or the negative is together – it should repel but it doesn’t.
Colossians 1:15-17 (ESV) 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Everything is held together by Christ and the Word of His power.
But Is God Personal? Does God Care For Me?
Philippians 2:13 (AMP) 13 [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
One of the names given to Jesus is Immanuel – “God with us.”
Psalm 145:20 (NIV) 20 The LORD watches over all who love him…
Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV) 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Psalm 33:6-9 (ESV) 6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
Psalm 33:13-15 (ESV) 13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; 14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, 15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.
Psalm 33:18-22 (ESV) 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19 that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. 22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Albert Einstein (one of the smartest men in the universe) was quoted over and over – “I have no need for a personal God.”
I contend that it is just the opposite. When we look at How Big God Is And How Small God is – how can I not say that I need Him in my life.
I cannot reduce God down to my size. That’s what sin does to us.
When I get Christ in my heart – I can’t help but worship Him in all His glory and splendor – that He is Big and in charge.
Someone might say, But… Do I Need God To Be Happy?
Someone else might say, “I’ve already found happiness in my life – why do I need a personal Savior?”
Yes, you might find happiness in life without having a need of God in your life. Many people enjoy financial wealth, a loving family, and just a few problems in life.
However, no matter how much happiness you have right now, your life would be so much more fulfilling with God in it.
Look at this sacrifice God made for each of you today…
John 3:16 (ESV) 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
God Reveals Himself Personally In How He Named Himself
Psalm 145:1-2 (NIV) 1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
Jehovah-Raah is 'the Lord my shepherd'. What is a shepherd, but someone who looks after and protects the flock? God is always watching over us.
Jehovah-Jireh is 'the Lord that sees and provides'.
Jehovah-Rapha is 'the Lord that heals', and restores our soul.
Jehovah-Tsidkenu is 'the Lord our righteousness'.\Jehovah-Shalom is 'the Lord my Peace'. If we have peace, we will never fear any evil.
Jehovah-Shammah is 'the Lord is Present' ('for thou art with me').
Jehovah-Nissi is 'the Lord my Banner” (canopy)
God has a plan for your life today.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Israel was in Babylonian captivity for 70 years for their rebellion toward God. It was bleak. It was dismal. In the midst of this – God speaks to Jeremiah about the fact that God has a great plan for them.
Notice the promise from God…
Jeremiah 29:12-14 (NIV) 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."
God not only knows us but we can come to know Him.
When God gets a hold of our hearts – He changes us. Abram became Abraham. Cephas became Peter., etc.
God changes us. He gives us a new purpose.
Example of Zacchaeus NT –Zacchaeus was a scoundrel, a thief, etc. But when God got a hold of his heart – he became to a child of God.
You and I need a personal God. You and I need to accept Him into our hearts today.
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