John 1:18 – Is God Real? – Bible study

John 1:18 Is God Real? Is God real? We have never seen Him. We can not touch Him. He does not do as we command. Is God real? Of course He is. How do we know? There are many ways that we can know that God is real. 1. Science proves God is real. That will probably surprise some, but there is NOTHING in science that contradicts the Biblical existence of God. In fact, everything in science argues for an intelligent Creator. Science is merely the study of how God creates and controls His creation. 2. History proves God is real. History is HIS STORY. You can see God’s hand throughout. Study Israel’s history, their very existence, their beliefs. Study the church’s history, beliefs, and very existence. You will see God. 3. Prophecy proves God is real. From ancient prophecies to the ones being fulfilled before our very eyes. 4. God’s Word proves God is real. The Bible is not just a book. It is a Source of God’s power. Read it, believe it, live it and you will know that God is real. 5. Salvation proves God is real. Salvation brings a changed life, a permanent, powerful, passionate change that demands the hand of God. But we want more. We need more than intellectual proofs, we need to feel God. We are a carnal, fleshly people. We need to touch and to feel God. At present, we cannot touch Him, but we can certainly feel God. Let me explain. I. We can feel God’s conviction. A. The first and perhaps the most important feeling that God gives to a human being is the feeling of conviction. 1. Conviction is us feeling God’s displeasure over our sin. 2. It happens when we, sinners, get close to God. (A magnet has an effect on metal not because it chosses to but because of its nature!) 3. Conviction is the natural response of sinful flesh coming into a holy God’s presence. B. We are able to feel conviction because of the work of the Holy Ghost. Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: C. Both the lost and the saved can feel conviction. 1. No unsaved person can be saved without feeling conviction. John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 2. No saved person with sin in his life can draw close to God without feeling conviction. Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. D. What does conviction feel like? The Bible does not describe it but gives examples of it. 1. There is fear and trembling. a. Moses Acts 7:31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, 32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. b. Philippian jailer Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. c. Felix, the governor Acts 24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. d. And why should we not tremble when coming into the presence of a holy God? (1) God’s very nature is offended, grieved, and repulsed by our sinfulness. (2) It is my belief that God must make a conscious decision to be merciful the sinner for His nature would want to judge and destroy it. (3) Conviction is the most gentle response the sinner can receive when coming into God’s presence. e. I do not trust the salvation that does not tremble at God’s presence. 2. There is a strong feeling of unworthiness. Is 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 3. There is an overwhelming sense of sorrow. 2Cor 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. E. These three "feelings" from God is what breaks the sinner, placing him in the position where he will completely and totally surrender himself to God. We call this repentance. F. That with faith in what Jesus has done produces salvation. II. The second feeling from God is peace. A. Both the saved and the lost can feel conviction, but only the saved can feel peace. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. B. What is peace? 1. Peace is a God’s calmness that comes WHEN we know the problems we face and in spite of knowing the problems we face. 2. Thoughts: a. This is not a peace that man naturally has or can connive. (1) Some walk oblivious to their sinful plight and think their ignorance is peace. (2) No, just because you cannot see that you are about to drive off a cliff doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be concerned. (3) God’s peace works best when the problems are KNOWN. (4) The human life is a life filled with problems and so it is a peaceless life. (a) The Bible compares it to a sea \#Is 57:20-21\. (b) God’s peace works then. b. This peace is God’s gifts to us. (1) Notice that Jesus calls it "my peace." (2) He is the Source and Giver of this peace. (3) God is never disturbed about anything. God is always calm. (4) God’s peace is God unplugging your stirred up emotions from the problems you face and plugging them into His calmness. c. God’s peace does not guarantee a solution to the problems. God’s peace is God’s gift regardless of the outcome. C. The first time you will feel God’s peace is at the moment of your salvation. You will go from a state of utter conviction (fear, worthlessness, sorrow) to peace instantly. D. But you can have God’s peace every day of your life after your salvation. 1. If God has given you peace over your sinfulness, why would God not give you peace over every other problem you face? 2. Now, on some days and in some situations, we will have to focus on God’s peace more. a. Some problems will get "in our face" and force themselves on us. b. If we are not careful, they can pull the plug on our peace. c. When that happens, we will have to draw closer to God and remind ourselves that God has got it all covered. III. We can feel God’s joy. Ne 8:10 ???for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. A. Joy is a step beyond peace. 1. Peace is experiencing God’s calmness despite our problems. 2. . Joy is celebrating God’s goodness despite our sorrows. B. Like God’s peace??? 1. Joy is a God’s and He gives it to us. 2. God’s joy shines brightest when we are aware of our problems and sorrows. C. There is always something to be discouraged, grieved, depressed, hurt, or angry over. 1. If you want to find it, you always can. Some do. 2. However, God has given us a joy, a spirit of celebration and joy, so that regardless of how bad the circumstances, we can feel Him. D. Notice the phrase from Nehemiah: "for the joy of the Lord is my strength" 1. Notice the word "is." 2. That is a being verb and it means either a predicate adjective or a predicate nominative is on the other side of it. a. If it is a predicate adjective, strength will describe joy. b. If it is a predicate nominative, strength will rename joy. c. This is a predicate nominative. Strength renames joy. That means strength and joy are interchangeable. They are pretty much the same thing. 3. That means if I have one, I can always get the other. a. If, in my troubles, I have joy, I can also have strength. (1) What that means is that, in your problems, if you will find a way to rejoice, it will give you spiritual strength. (2) Force yourself if you must, but rejoice. Praise God. Thank Him. Exalt Him. As you do, you will feel God’s peace and joy strengthen you. (3) That does not mean the problem will go away. It just means God will take your turmoil and give you peace, power, and joy. b. If you have strength to pray, to read your Bible, to believe in God, God will give you joy. IV. We can feel God’s burden. A. Feeling a burden is feeling the concern, the hurt that God has over a people or need. 1. Feeling a burden does not always precede a calling to help, but it is usually does. 2. B. Have you ever noticed how the Old Testament prophets often began their message by describing what they felt? Mal 1:1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. Hab 1:1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. Isa 15:1 The burden of Moab??? Isa 17:1 The burden of Damascus??? Isa 19:1 The burden of Egypt???. C. They caught God’s concern for the people they were to preach to. That’s why they preached.