Have you ever wondered why we believe in a God, or should I say “THE GOD”? And did you know that every culture, country, tribe, race, and peoples ALL believe in a god? Why is that? How does God, THE GOD, manifest Himself to each individual and woo us to Him? These are all important questions to ask. Today we will just skim the surface of understanding HOW ALL PEOPLE KNOW THERE IS A GOD.
Our “Around The Big Table” group is studying the book of Romans. It’s a magnificent book… a deep book… a book that tackles topics like, salvation, sin, election, justification, sanctification, redemption, righteous, judgment, glorification and so much more. It is my very favorite book of the Bible (at least at this time).
Romans was written by God through the apostle Paul, a brilliant Jew who the risen Jesus knocked off a horse to introduced Himself . Paul became a great disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ and a missionary to the non-Jewish world.
Here is what Paul says about the gospel… death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus…
FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO (for) SALVATION TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES, TO THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.
FOR IN IT (the Gospel) THE RIGHTEOUS OF GOD IS REVEALED (made know, shown) FROM FAITH TO FAITH AS IT IS WRITTEN (in the old testament) “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH”. Romans 1:16-17
Paul tells us that he is not ashamed of the good news that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, God in the flesh, our Redeemer and Savior.
That IT is the gospel that has the power to save. To take every person in the world past, present, and future from the family of sin and death and Satan into the state of purity, no sin and the family of God. And that this gospel that saves us is offered to everyone. That Jesus Himself was born into the Jewish nation and preached salvation to them by His life and death and resurrection. But salvation is not just for the Jew, it also offered to all men. Salvation is offered as a gift to the whole world.
In the gospel, the written and oral news about Jesus, God’s righteousness is shown. And it is what leads us to saving faith from the first time we believe. And the gospel continues to show us God’s righteousness as we continue in our faith. From old, God has told us that the righteous (in right standing with God, not self-righteous) man lives by faith (believing in Jesus and bowing to His authority in our lives).
WOW! No wonder I love the book of Romans. Just in two verses God reveals so much about Himself!
In the same chapter, God also tells us why we all believe in Him. Even people who deny God still believe. They make themselves to be a god. The ultimate ruler of their lives.
But since ages old God tells us…
BECAUSE THAT WHICH IS KNOW ABOUT GOD IS EVIDENT WITHIN THEM: FOR GOD MADE IT EVIDENT TO THEM. Romans 1:18b
Right there in Romans chapter one we see that God Himself, when he created us, put the knowledge of Him in us. We were made to seek God. There is something hot wired in our conscience that makes God known.
God loves us so much that He puts the desire to have a relationship with Him inside us. God is all about a relationship. When we accept God’s free gift of salvation He actually comes and resides inside us to help us. Amazing!
God also says…
FOR SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD HIS INVISIBLE ATTRIBUTES, HIS ETERNAL POWER AND DIVINE NATURE, HAVE BEEN CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD THROUGH WHAT HAS BEEN MADE SO THAT WE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE. Romans 1:19
Since God created the world He has shown us who He is. EVERYONE can clearly see the spiritual reality of who God is and His amazing power, His creative power,by what He has made. That includes EVERYTHING in and of ourselves, living and non living things, homes, communities, towns, counties, countries, continents, world, air, water, universe and beyond. Everything He created and shows us who He is and His magnificent power!
You might ask me, “Then why don’t all people believe in the God of the Bible”. Great and very deep question. God answers that perfectly as only God can. He says…
FOR EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW GOD THEY DID NOT HONOR HIM AS GOD OR GIVE THANKS: BUT THEY BECAME FUTILE IN THEIR OWN SPECULATIONS, AND THEIR FOOLISH HEARTS WERE DARKENED. Romans 1:20
God clearly tells us that everyone knows there is a God and who God is because He put that knowledge inside us and all around us. The problem is pride. Our own broken nature wants to have it’s own way and does not want or acknowledge or submit to God. So we don’t honor God for who He is or give Him thanks for all He has done.
Did you know that a fully functioning 747 jet has a better chance being produced by a tornado going through a town than creation happening by accident?
Or the chance of a ribozyme, a catalyst and carrier of genetic information in cells, being assembled by chance are so huge that in the 13 billion years science estimates the age of the earth it is a total impossibility.
There are thousands and thousands of facts that point to God as Creator! But, man in his foolishness prefers his own speculation!
So, because of us not wanting to submit to God we think up our own reasons for creation and our own ideas about who and what God is. And because of this, we don’t move closer and closer to the real God, but farther and farther away. We move away from the truth and light of God. And when we move further away from God we move more and more into the darkness of speculation and sin.
The rest of Romans 1 tells us what happens when people and society move away from believing in the true God. It is a downward spiral. Read it… it is amazingly true!
It is clear from Romans 1 that we all really know there is a God and that our great God boldly shows us who He is. What an amazing God we serve! God’s creation, including you, is like a big love poem to us letting us know who He.
He’s calling you, do you hear Him?
Next week let’s discuss HOW GOD DRAWS US TO HIMSELF. It fits perfectly with what we have talked about today.
Scripture Memorization for this week…
This is a well-written post and I so enjoyed reading it. When I look at all He created for us, I can’t help but marvel…every flower, every creature, untold beauty everywhere, the verse, “Be still and know that I am God” always comes to mind! Thank you for sharing the Word!
Thank you for this excellent lesson. Romans is my favorite letter from Paul also. I recommend it as a first read to anyone who is studying the Bible for the first time.
I’m studying through Romans in my personal devotional time. What a treat to read today’s post. Thank you!
I look forward to daily inspiration. My daughter does not know God and His love. This may help me to guide her.
Thank you so very much for this series about our faith and salvation through Christ!
I accepted Jesus as my Savior as a fairly young child, being raised in church.
I will be 59 years old late this year and I am still a work in progress in my relationship with God.
Theses will help me as I share God with those around me!
Thank you for posting. I appreciate it ❤️
Yvonne, thank you! I just finished reading “The God Who Weeps” by Terryl and Fiona Givens. It is a longer version of this beautiful post. I love Young’s Literal Translation from Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary of Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has put eternity in their hearts, without which man cannot discover God.”
Janna, I love that verse too!
It is found in Acts 17:28-29
We are Gods offspring. We are his children and have a divine nature because he created us in his image. Romans 8:16-17 also refers to this.
But these verses are talking about the saved.
God bless you for your fervor for our Lord and wanting all to know Him better. We are all blessed because of it. Amy
I am a new subscriber and what a delightful surprise to get this post from you. I only expected decorating tips and pictures of your house but this is a lovely bonus. Thank you.
Welcome to the StoneGable family Carole!
Thank you!
Lovely lesson from Romans. Enjoyed reading this on a Sunday afternoon. Jean
Yvonne, I am so grateful for your posts on Sunday. You are so gifted in putting scripture in layman’s terms and making it applicable to my life! Thank you & God Bless!
When I had the privilege of Romans Bible Study, I learned so much! A sermon could be told of each verse. I look forward to reading your Sunday posts, thanks!
GOD Bless
I love reading your comments. The knowledge you say he puts in us is actually the light of Christ, which all mankind has when they are born. We are spirit sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. We all have a divine nature and that is what draws us to Him.
Not sure where you can find those scriptures in the Bible.
Love all your posts, but this one especially! God is so faithful and loving that He makes it simple! Our job is to be aware of our “enemy” and how to stay strong and full of faith, joy and peace in the midst of the battles we are faced with in this world. Our victory is in Him…do not worry but trust Him in everything…stay strong…do not faint. Peace that passes all understanding comes! God is good!
Yvonne, any advice for a mom who’s heart is heavy due to adult children raised as believers now rejecting the truth?
Love your podcast!
Carolyn, I would say just keep praying! The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.James 5:16 Clain all the verses about salvation for your child. And love that child unconditionally!
I luv reading your religious posts. Enjoyed reading your posts of your trip to Israel. What a dream trip! I lived it vicariously through you!
Thank you Youvonne!
In Christ,
Kathleen
I love your Sunday posts! I also love the book of Romans and I thank you for the way you share God’s word and explain it’s meaning.
AMEN TO YOUR POST!!! Romans is my favorite too.
I feel compelled to thank you. You have answered a life long question of mine.
I really needed this right now. I’m afraid my faith has wavered in a trying time Im experiencing.
So your post came at the right time.
You helped me today and again I thank you.
Lisa, when we go through trials we must be in God’s word and we must pray. Be honest to God about how you are feeling…He knows anyway. Cling to Him and look for the work He will do in your life.
I too love your blog, you are a wonderful teacher and I ENJOY Sunday’s and reading your post. We truly have an awesome God!
Thank you for your beautiful post! We have an awesome Creator!
I am sitting on a cruise ship mesmerized by the vastness of the ocean and realizing how we are just a drop in it compared to the immeasurable fullness of God’s creation. Yet scripture tells us “every hair on our head is numbered” (forget what verse this is from). Our God is truly an awesome God. Thank you for using your gifts of teaching, decorating and so forth to share with us…love your blog and website!
Beautiful thought Shawn! Enjoy your cruise!
What an awesome post! Letting others know the love our God has for us and how He allows us to see that through the Bible is a blessing.
Today is the first day I have been on your blog and I love what I see.
If I can only get some of my house to look like these photos!
Welcome to the StoneGable family, Marilyn!
Love this word! Thank you for sharing!!! We serve an amazing God!!!!!
This is my very first newsletter. Such a blessing! I share your love for The Lord and His
Word. Thank you for sharing.
So glad you are getting the newsletter!
I’m so grateful to KNOW that GOD lives and that He is One!
Thank you Yvonne for this wonderful lesson from Romans. You always bring such peace to us on Sunday. Your blog is beautiful and so are you. Blessings,
Dear Yvonne, I share your passion for all things related to homemaking although your skills and projects have certainly surpassed mine. I also share your love and passion for Jesus! Your simple and profound explanation of this passage in Romans is right on!! Thank you for all the inspiration you have provided me.
This speaks to me today because I have a family member who says they do not believe in God and it is such a comfort for me to know that yes they really do know that God exists they just are not yet ready to let their pride go ! Xoxo thank you ! Wishing you God’s richest blessings!
Yvonne
Thank you for sharing!
Be Safe !!
Blessings
Paula
Great post today! I’m new to your site, but love the Lord and wanted to share something with you. This morning my husband came to show me the full moon going down. I told him to hurry and get a picture of it. As he was looking for the camera, the moon just kept settling a bit lower and lower as I watched. He came back quickly, but it was halfway gone already. I told my husband I had never really thought of the rotation of the earth and the motion that is going on all the time that we don’t even feel, and for some reason it was such a revelation to me that I suddenly thought, “How can people NOT believe there is a GOD when we see these things?”Nature is a wondrous creation, and to imagine it was all an accident is simply impossible!
I don’t know if I commented how much I enjoy your Sunday commentary regarding our LORD and his word or not in your survey but I look forward to it every week. Thank you for sharing.
Amen. Romans is one of my favorite books too! What a challenge for us to be a witness because of what we know and WHO we know..thank you, Yvonne.
Sherry
Thank you, hubby and I are in Romans 8. Wow, so awesome to stand in His Righteousness! Thank you for sharing the good news every Sunday!
Love your Sunday posts. Thank you for sharing.
Excellent post! You’ve explained this wonderfully and given much food for thought. Thank you for your Sunday Scripture posts. God has given you such a talent in this area (not to mention your many others as evidenced on this blog) and I appreciate your sharing it/them with us.
So beautifully and succinctly written. Thank you for posting! Praise the Lord for people like you who strive to be “salt and light.”
Awesome word.
Be Blessed ,, stay warm and safe,
Love ya
Hugs
Amen! What an AWESOME message. I’m a newbie to this blog and I’m glad I chose to follow.
Welcome to the StoneGable family, Patricia!
Beautifully put. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome post!! Thank you
As always your Sunday message is so touching and beautiful. The Lord has truly given you the gift of teaching. I enjoy your daily blogs but I LOVE the Sunday messages. You truly bless me !!
Thank you for sharing the truth each Sunday. Enjoy your day!
Thank you so much for sharing this today! You are an inspiration to me!
I absolutely love this post. Thank you so much for sharing your studies on Paul. Love your beautiful blog, too.
Blessings,
Yaya