Week 8 - Omnipresence

Definition: God is fully present in all places at once, yet works differently in different places. He is not limited by size or spatial dimensions.

Scriptures: Psalm 139:7-12; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Colossians 1:17

Study: When you wish to do something evil, you retire from the public into your house where no enemy may see you; from those places of your house which are open and visible to the eyes of men you remove yourself into your room; even in your room you fear some witness from another quarter; you retire into your heart, there you meditate: He is more inward than your heart. Wherever, therefore, you shall have fled, there is He. From yourself, [where] will you flee? Will you not follow yourself wherever you shall flee? But since there is One more inward even than yourself, there is no place where you may flee from God angry but to God reconciled. There is no place at all [where] you may flee. Will you flee from Him? Flee unto Him. –Herman Bavinck, The Doctrine of God

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- If God is omnipresent, what, then, does it mean to experience the presence of God?

- Where is God in relation to you?

- How does one “seek” or “find” God?

Week 7 - Omniscience

Omniscience

Definition: God knows Himself and all things both possible and actual. This knowledge is innate and immediate, not a result of observation or logical deduction. God knows all of human history from the end to the beginning and has a perfect knowledge and understanding of all people. There is nothing that can come as a surprise or shock to God.

Scriptures: Isaiah 46:9-10; Romans 11:33-36; Hebrews 4:13

Study: God knows everything! While this truth should certainly astound and amaze us when we consider God’s knowledge of deep mysteries, Scripture places special emphasis on God’s intimate knowledge of individuals. God doesn’t just know abstract information; He knows us! Have you ever wished that there was someone who really “got” you? God knows all your deepest desires, hopes, fears, and dreams. God also sees our hidden sins and struggles, and yet He still loves us and seeks to draw us into closer fellowship with Him

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Does your belief that God knows everything comfort or frighten you? Why?

- Who in your life understands you? How does that affect your relationship?

- Reflect on the fact that God both fully knows and fully loves you. What does that stir in your heart?

Week 6 - Sovereignty / Omnipotence

Definition: As the sovereign ruler of the universe, God has both the power and authority to do all He wills. He does not rule the world as a benevolent dictator; rather, He is lovingly guiding all of human history to conform to His divine plan for the redemption and restoration of all creation.

Scriptures:   Psalm 115:3 ; Genesis 50:2; Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 1:11

 Study: God’s sovereignty is not limited to the high-level movements of history alone; He is also sovereignly directing our lives. Though we may not know it now, we will one day

recognize God’s hand providentially working for our good. However, men do not live as divine puppets. We make free and rational choices in accordance with our nature. We cannot blame God when our poor choices result in poor outcomes, nor can we claim sole credit when His grace results in our success. Likewise, we are to trust His good character in the midst of challenging circumstances. We live in the tension of our total responsibility and God’s total sovereignty

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Why does it matter that God has both the power and authority to work His will?

- What are times in your life you can reflect on and see God’s direction?

- What is God’s ultimate goal for both you and the world?

Week 5 - Goodness / Omnibenevolence

Definition: God is always good. His character is the basis for evaluating what is good. Goodness is that which conforms to God's character, and evil is that which does not conform to His character. Because God is good, He can be trusted to always act in accordance with His good character.

Scriptures: Psalm 31:19-22 ; Mark 10:18; Romans 8:32

Study: A.W. Tozer has said “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Nowhere is this more true than in thinking about the moral and ethical character of God. If God were only all-powerful and all-knowing, He would be terrifying indeed, for what would prevent Him from using these powers to harm us? However, because God is also all-good we can trust that He is always working to our highest good. Even in the midst of intense suffering or tribulation, we know that God is good and only does good.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- How do we know that God is good?

- How does God determine good from evil?

- How can our lives reflect God’s goodness?

- Can we be as good as God?

Week 4 - Eternality

Definition: Eternality is one of God’s core character traits. As an eternal being, He had no beginning and has no ending. In addition, He has always been Who He is; He is unchanging and unchangeable. He exists outside of time, seeing all of it at once, and yet He acts in time and on time.

Scriptures: Psalm 102:25-27; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Psalm 90:2

Study: The eternality of God is at once both confusing and comforting. It is beyond comprehension for finite beings to consider a being who has no beginning and who has already seen all of time, indeed who is always seeing all of time, and yet that is Who God is. This is a doctrine of great comfort to Christians, to know that nothing will come to pass that God has not already seen and is able to prepare us for and strengthen us in. Furthermore, we can trust our future to the One who has never tasted death and guarantees us a share in eternal life.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- How long is eternity?

- What is comforting about a God who is outside of time?

- Take a moment and consider the beginningless-ness and endlessness of God. Allow yourself to be overwhelmed by His greatness.

Week 3 - Aseity / Self-Sufficiency

Definition: As the Creator of all things, God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything. He is fully satisfied in Himself and is not dependent on anyone else for joy, provision, or being. Yet we and the rest of creation can glorify Him and bring Him joy.

Scriptures:  Acts 17:24-27; John 5:26; Romans 11:36

Study: There is a prevalent line of thought among American Christians that presents humanity as a solution to divine loneliness—God wanted companions among creation so He created mankind. Cute though it may be, this idea results in a thin, insecure God who needs humanity to enjoy true joy and satisfaction because He does not possess it. Scripture presents a far better vision- the Triune Godhead fully satisfied in perfect, loving fellowship with Himself Who creates humanity out of the overflow of this fellowship and invites them to share in His joy and love.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- How does God’s self-sufficiency define His relationship with us?

- How do God’s joy and our joy relate to each other?

- Where is ultimate joy found?

Week 2 - Holiness

Definition: God’s glory is the display of His greatness, Holiness is the quality of being set apart. God is holy because He is like no other, and He exists eternally as the Holy Spirit. God’s holiness includes His moral perfection and righteousness. Persons, places, and things set apart for God are holy rather than common.

Scriptures: 1 Samuel 2:2, Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:16

Study: God’s glory gives way to God’s holiness. Because in His perfection He is so much greater than all created things, there is a certain separation He has from the rest of the world, including sinful men and women. How can we stand before a holy God? This truth makes the work of Christ incredible—the infinitely holy Son of God stepped into sinful, broken humanity in order to make us holy as well. Because of Jesus, we possess the same holiness as God! In turn, our Lord commands us to be holy as He is holy. Just as God is set apart from the fallen world, so too ought we to set ourselves apart from sinful attitudes, behaviors, and influences.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- In what circumstances have you learned the most about God’s holiness?

- What are the personal implications in your life for God’s Command, “Be holy?”

- Is it possible for us to become as holy as God?

Week 1 - Glory

Glory

Definition: God’s glory is the display of His greatness, goodness, and beauty so that people are aware of Him through sensory experiences such as sight and sound. To glorify God means to respond to and proclaim His revealed glory in the ways Scripture teaches, such as praise, love, joy, and obedience.

Scriptures: Ezekiel 43:2,5; Isaiah 42:8; 1 Corinthians 10:31

Study: Although there is an innate human longing for glory and greatness, only God is truly worthy of glory, and He is worthy in such a way that to give glory to anyone or anything else over Him is incredibly wicked. We ought to give God all the glory we possibly can. If this is true, then it sparks another question—how to best glorify God. The best summary of Scripture's teaching on this point is to say that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. If we are to truly ascribe to God the praise, honor, and worth He is due, then we ought to find total, perfect, and permanent satisfaction in Him alone. While we do not do this perfectly, it ought to be a daily striving within us to do all things for the glory of God.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Which displays of God’s greatness, goodness, and beauty have moved you the most?

- How can you be more intentional about glorifying God day-by-day?

- Do you enjoy God? How?