Some thoughts that were Some thoughts that were introduced last week: introduced last week:

We have two natures: spirit and We have two natures: spirit and matter, soul and bodymatter, soul and body

Body- mortal; soul – eternalBody- mortal; soul – eternal We are made in the image and We are made in the image and

likeness of Godlikeness of God We need to find our true selves.We need to find our true selves. God made us and God made us for a God made us and God made us for a

purpose and God has revealed that purpose and God has revealed that purpose. purpose.

The journey has begun.The journey has begun.

GodGodDo you need proof of God?Do you need proof of God?Does one light a torch to Does one light a torch to

see the sun?see the sun?

Lao Tze 6Lao Tze 6thth Century BCE Century BCE Chinese PhilosopherChinese Philosopher

GOD – A DEFINITIONGOD – A DEFINITION

The supreme being who is to be The supreme being who is to be worshipped and served and who, in worshipped and served and who, in the monotheistic tradition, is the monotheistic tradition, is acknowledged as unique: the acknowledged as unique: the personal, eternal, immutable, all-personal, eternal, immutable, all-knowing and all-powerful creator.knowing and all-powerful creator.

A Concise Dictionary of TheologyA Concise Dictionary of Theology

What are some of God's characteristics?What are some of God's characteristics?– God is a personal being (not an impersonal God is a personal being (not an impersonal

force). God is immaterial, omnipresent force). God is immaterial, omnipresent (everywhere), omniscient (all knowing), (everywhere), omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent (all powerful), omnibenevolent (all omnipotent (all powerful), omnibenevolent (all good), immutable (unchanging), sovereign good), immutable (unchanging), sovereign (supreme in authority), free, perfect, and (supreme in authority), free, perfect, and eternal (without beginning or end). eternal (without beginning or end).

– As the creator and sustainer of the universe it As the creator and sustainer of the universe it is understandable that there are some is understandable that there are some characteristics of God that are beyond our characteristics of God that are beyond our ability to comprehend. For instance God is one ability to comprehend. For instance God is one divine being in three distinct persons, Father, divine being in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each are equally and Son, and Holy Spirit. Each are equally and eternally the one true God.eternally the one true God.

““I AM WHO I AM”I AM WHO I AM”

The name is mysterious and tells The name is mysterious and tells us that God is a mystery. It is at us that God is a mystery. It is at once a name yet not a name once a name yet not a name hence it better expresses God as hence it better expresses God as what God is – infinitely beyond what God is – infinitely beyond everything that we can everything that we can understand or say. understand or say.

“ “I AM WHO I AM”I AM WHO I AM”

God is the fullness of Being and of God is the fullness of Being and of every perfection, without origin every perfection, without origin and without end. All creatures and without end. All creatures receive all that they are and receive all that they are and have from him: but he alone is have from him: but he alone is his very being, and he is of his very being, and he is of himself everything that he is.himself everything that he is.

The best way to know GodThe best way to know God Is through Is through numinousnuminous experiences: a sense experiences: a sense

of the presence of God.of the presence of God.

These are moments when we are sure in These are moments when we are sure in our innermost being that there is our innermost being that there is something beyond ourselves which fills us something beyond ourselves which fills us with awe and wonder, something which with awe and wonder, something which might makes our tears flow, an might makes our tears flow, an overwhelming sense of mystery, overwhelming sense of mystery, something which humbles us with an something which humbles us with an incomparable, totally unexpected feeling incomparable, totally unexpected feeling of being unconditionally loved and of being unconditionally loved and accepted. accepted.

Describing the experienceDescribing the experience

The poet James Russell Lowell wrote of such The poet James Russell Lowell wrote of such a moment:a moment:“I remember the night, and almost the “I remember the night, and almost the very spot on the hilltop, where my soul very spot on the hilltop, where my soul opened out, as it were, into the Infinite, opened out, as it were, into the Infinite, and there was a rushing together of the and there was a rushing together of the two worlds, the inner and the outer. I could two worlds, the inner and the outer. I could not any more have doubted that He was not any more have doubted that He was there than that I was. I felt myself to be, if there than that I was. I felt myself to be, if possible, the less real of the two.”possible, the less real of the two.”

Have we experienced Have we experienced God in our lives?God in our lives?

Written reflection.Written reflection.

The Implications of Faith in One The Implications of Faith in One God God

It means coming to know God’s It means coming to know God’s greatness and majestygreatness and majesty

It means living in thanksgivingIt means living in thanksgiving It means knowing the unity and true It means knowing the unity and true

dignity of all human beingsdignity of all human beings It means making good use of created It means making good use of created

things.things.

GOD IS TRUTHGOD IS TRUTH

God is TRUTH itself, whose words God is TRUTH itself, whose words cannot deceive. This is why one can cannot deceive. This is why one can abandon oneself in full trust to the abandon oneself in full trust to the truth and faithfulness of God’s word truth and faithfulness of God’s word in all things.in all things.

God is truthful when God reveals God is truthful when God reveals himself. himself.

GOD IS LOVEGOD IS LOVE

God is love. God’s very being is God is love. God’s very being is love.love.

God created us out of love. God’s God created us out of love. God’s single motive is love.single motive is love.

We are called to be like God in loving We are called to be like God in loving God and our fellow human beings. God and our fellow human beings.

God’s perfect plan…God’s perfect plan…

To fulfil God’s To fulfil God’s perfect plan God perfect plan God mademade man. man.

To restore God’s To restore God’s perfect plan God perfect plan God becamebecame man. man.

In order to restore what In order to restore what we had lost …we had lost …

““For God so loved the For God so loved the world that he gave his world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may who believes in him may not perish but have not perish but have eternal life.”eternal life.”John 3:16John 3:16

““I am the Way, the Truth I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”and the Life”John 14:6John 14:6

The “danger”….The “danger”….

We are in danger of telling you a We are in danger of telling you a whole lot of what we think you need whole lot of what we think you need to to know about Godknow about God when in actuality when in actuality all you need is to all you need is to know Godknow God. .

““Because I believe in God, I Because I believe in God, I believe in prayer. It is the surest believe in prayer. It is the surest means of becoming conscious of means of becoming conscious of His presence; that is the real His presence; that is the real meaning of prayer, its strength meaning of prayer, its strength and its reward.”and its reward.”

Mahatma Ghandi.Mahatma Ghandi.

Our prayer…Our prayer…My Lord and my God,My Lord and my God,take from me everything that take from me everything that

distances me from you.distances me from you.My Lord and my God,My Lord and my God,give me everything that brings me give me everything that brings me

closer to you.closer to you.My Lord and my God,My Lord and my God,May my mind know you,May my mind know you,My will serve you,My will serve you,And my heart love you.And my heart love you.AmenAmen