Winter Meltdown 2015

ENCOUNTERSESSION 2 – WHO IS GOD?The heart of all encounters

What kind of encounter with God?

. . . define your terms . . .

“I DON’T BELIEVE IN GOD.”

“WELL, WHAT GOD DON’T YOU BELIEVE IN?..MAYBE I DON’T BELIEBE IN HIM EITHER . . . “

DEFINE YOUR TERMS

SO . . . WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT GOD?

DID YOU KNOW?

• Romans 9:13 (Mal. 1:2-3)• Exodus 32:14 (KJV)• I Kings 22:20-23; 2 Thessalonians

2:11-12• Psalm 5:5; Psalm 11:5• Isaiah 45:7 (KJV)

Who thinks God is love?Romans 9:13 (Mal. 1:2-3)13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I

hatedhated.”

2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have I have hatedhated.

Who thinks God doesn’t make mistakes?

Exodus 32:14 (KJV)

14 And the Lord repentedrepented of the evilevil which he thought to do unto his people.

Who thinks God is True and not the “Author of confusion”?

I Kings 22:20-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”

11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is falsebelieve what is false,

Who thinks God hates the sin, but loves the sinner?

Psalm 5:5; Psalm 11:5

5:5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you you hatehate all all evildoersevildoers.

11:5 The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul his soul hateshates the the wickedwicked and the one

who loves violence.

Who thinks everything God does is good?

Isaiah 45:7 (KJV)

7 I form the light, and create darkness:

I make peace, and create evilcreate evil: I the Lord do all these things.

HOW YOU DOING?

RELAX A LITTLE . . .

LET ME TRY AND HELP . . .

It depends on how you say it• 3 guys traveling• Hotel room $25• “I don’t want to divide $25 by 3, let’s do $30, so they

pay an even $10 each – and I’ll keep $5.”• “Take back the extra $5 . . .”• “I don’t want to divide $5 by 3, lets give $1 back each,

so they only pay an even $9 each – and I’ll keep $2.”• So, they originally paid $30 ($10 each), then got

refunded $1 each (now $9 each), and the bellhop kept $2.

• 9X3 = 27 + 2 = 29 . . . Where did the other $1 go?

LET’S GO BACK A BIT . . .

• Romans 9:13 (Mal. 1:2-3)• Exodus 32:14 (KJV)• I Kings 22:20-23; 2 Thessalonians

2:11-12• Psalm 5:5; Psalm 11:5• Isaiah 45:7 (KJV)

IF I CAN UNDO YOUR CONFIDENCE IN

YOUR VIEW OF GOD IN 5 MINUTES OR

LESS . . . THERE MIGHT BE A

PROBLEM.

AND . . .YOU GET THE SENSE THAT HE IS NOT THE PINK-DRESS WEARING HIPPY IN THE SKY . . . THE PASTIC BLINKING LAWN BABY . . . ETC.

What comes into our minds when we think about God is

the most important thing about us.

-A. W. Tozer

Attributes?What about HisWhat about HisGod is not:

A Holy GodA Just God

A Loving God

Attributes?What about HisWhat about HisHE ISIS:HolinessJusticeLove

“Were we able to [get] from any man a complete answer to the question, ‘What comes into your mind when you think about God?’, we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man” -A. W. Tozer

 . . . YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING . . . TRULY . . . 

KNOW GODKNOW GOD

WHO is God?

CreatorSovereign

JudgeCOLOSSIANS 1:15-23

HE IS

• IMAGE OF INVISIBLE GOD• PREEMINENT IN CREATION• EVERYTHING MADE BY HIM – CREATOR• EVRYTHING MADE FOR HIM – JUDGE• EVERYTHING HELD IN HIM – SOVEREIGN• HE IS:– OUR SOURCE– OUR SUBSTANCE– OUR STANDARD

WHAT is God?

A TRINITY: FATHER, SON AND SPIRIT“We worship One God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity;

neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance . . . “

-Athanasian Creed

God is . . .

The Creator, Sovereign and Judge• He MadeMade all reality as we know it• He SustainsSustains all reality as we know it• He RelatesRelates to all reality as we know

it

God Created/Creates

• Genesis 1-2• Deut. 4:32• Psalm 139– Old and New Creation

• Isaiah 43:7, 65:17-18• Ezekiel 28:13-15 –

Satan• Mal. 2:10

• Matt. 19:4• Mk. 13:19• Eph. 2:10, 3:9, 4:24• Col. 1:16-17• Heb. 1:2• Heb. 11:3 – ex nihilo• Rev. 4:11

God is Sovereign

• 1 Chronicles 29:10-13• Job 38-42*• Ps. 83:18, 86:10, 115:3• Isaiah 37:16• Acts 4:24• 1 Tim. 6:15• Rev. 6:10, 15:4

God is Judge

• Ezekiel 18:4-9• Psalm 2• Romans 3:26, 11:33-36• 2 Thess. 4:8• Heb. 9:27• 1 Peter 2:23

Winter Meltdown 2015

ENCOUNTERSESSION 2 – WHO IS GOD?The heart of all encounters