{"id":649,"date":"2014-12-12T16:56:31","date_gmt":"2014-12-12T23:56:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/?page_id=649"},"modified":"2014-12-12T16:56:31","modified_gmt":"2014-12-12T23:56:31","slug":"god-holy-sovereign-personal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/god-holy-sovereign-personal\/","title":{"rendered":"God &#8211; Holy, Sovereign, Personal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"center\"><strong>God &#8211; Holy, Sovereign, Personal<\/strong><br \/>\n  <strong>Exodus 15:11<\/strong> <br \/>\n  11  &quot;Who is like Thee among the gods, O LORD?\u00a0  Who is like Thee,<br \/>\n  majestic  in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders? NASB\n<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>God<\/u> \u2013<\/strong> There is only one true God who exists in  three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are equal in divine  perfection, coeternal, and execute distinct but harmonious offices. <strong><u>God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is  Holy, sovereign, and personal.<\/u><\/strong> God knows all things, is everywhere  present, and is all-powerful. God is love, gracious and merciful, and in  everyway good. God is spirit, self-existent, and transcendent. Being the  Creator of all things, it is in Him that we live and move and exist. <strong>(Gen 1:1,26-27,  Ex 34:6-7, Lev 11:44, Isaiah 9:6, 44:8, 45:5, Jer 23:23-24, Dan 4:35, Matt 3:16-17,  John 4:24, Acts 17:24-28, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Tim 1:15-16, 1 John 3:20, 4:8,  Rev 4:11)<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n<p><strong><u>God (Father, Son  and Holy Spirit) is Holy, sovereign, and personal<\/u> &#8211;\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><u><span class=\"highlight\">God is Holy<\/span><\/u><\/strong> \u2013 When we speak of the holiness of God we refer primarily to the fact that He  is <strong><em>&ldquo;other&rdquo;<\/em><\/strong> or <strong><em>&ldquo;set  apart&rdquo;<\/em><\/strong> from all of His creation. There is no one like Him. He being the  creator of all things, is infinitely transcendent, greater, and more powerful  than everything He has created. Further, when we speak of the holiness of God we  refer to the fact that He is <strong><em>&ldquo;sanctified, sinless and completely pure,&rdquo;<\/em><\/strong> that He is <strong><em>&ldquo;morally excellent&rdquo;<\/em><\/strong> and <strong><em>&ldquo;without the slightest imperfection.&rdquo;<\/em><\/strong> Indeed God is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all! (1 John 1:5). <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Exodus 15:11<\/strong> &#8211; 11 &quot;<strong><span class=\"highlight\">Who is like Thee<\/span><\/strong> among the gods, O LORD?\u00a0 Who is like  Thee, <strong><span class=\"highlight\">majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders<\/span><\/strong>?  NASB<\/p>\n<p><strong>Job 15:14-16<\/strong> &#8211; 14 &quot;What is man, that he should be pure, Or he  who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? 15 &quot;Behold, He puts  no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight; 16 How  much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like  water! NASB<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong><u><span class=\"highlight\">God is  Sovereign<\/span><\/u><\/strong> \u2013 And so the scripture says,<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>1  Chronicles 29:11-12<\/strong> &ldquo;Yours, O LORD,  is the kingdom; you are <strong><span class=\"highlight\">exalted  as head over all<\/span><\/strong>.12 Wealth and honor come from you; <strong><span class=\"highlight\">you are the ruler of all things<\/span><\/strong>.  In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The bible says that <strong><u>God is Sovereign<\/u><\/strong>. He  possesses absolute dominion and authority over all things. So He is said to sit  on a &ldquo;throne&rdquo; in heaven! Just think how ridiculous it would be to say that God  created the universe, but He is not in control of what takes place in it. Well the truth is  God not only controls nature and history, but He literally sustains the entire  universe by his power, and orders the events of his entire creation to  accomplish his purposes and plans. Friends, we must understand that what  is happening in the world is happening at the express purpose and will of God,  who rules the world and all who are in it. He is<strong><em> &quot;the Lord of Heaven and  Earth&quot; <\/em><\/strong>(Acts 17:24) and whatsoever happens in the world,  happens because God has permitted, indeed He has decreed it to happen. Although  there is much evil in the world, which God hates, He is allowing these things  to achieve His eternal purposes which will, without a doubt, comes to pass. God  not only permits the events of human history, but has ordained them from  eternity past, and is furthermore actively involved in seeing that they all  come to pass, fulfilling all of His plans and purposes.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Psalms 103:19 &#8211; <\/strong>19 The LORD has  established His throne in the heavens; And <strong><span class=\"highlight\">His sovereignty rules over all<\/span>.<\/strong> NASB<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ephesians  1:11-12 &#8211; <\/strong>11  also we have obtained an inheritance, <strong><span class=\"highlight\">having been predestined according to His purpose who  works all things after the counsel of His will<\/span><\/strong>, NASB<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Even Satan was created by God to achieve the very purpose  for which God made him.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Isaiah 10:15<\/strong> &#8211; 15 <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it<\/span><\/strong>, or the saw  boast against him who uses it? As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up,  or a club brandish him who is not wood!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Isaiah 54:16<\/strong> &#8211; 16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth  the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; <strong><span class=\"highlight\">and I have created the waster to  destroy<\/span>.<\/strong> KJV<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He has in mind a  very definite purpose for everything that happens under the sun. That the  divine purpose could meet with frustration is unthinkable, for then it could  not be the divine purpose! Failure of God&rsquo;s purpose is failure of His  sovereignty. <strong><em>To sum it up  generally, whatsoever happens is all for the express purpose of the glory of  God!<\/em><\/strong> If the righteous praise  Him, He is glorified. If the wicked curse Him, He is glorified. He is glorified  in the reward of the righteous, and in the eternal damnation of the wicked!  Everything that God does ultimately reflects the Glory which He possesses. <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Isaiah 43:7 &#8211; <\/strong>7 Everyone who is  called by My name, And <strong><span class=\"highlight\">whom  I have created for My glory<\/span><\/strong>, Whom I have formed, even  whom I have made. &quot; NASB<\/p>\n<p><strong>Acts 17:24-31<\/strong> &#8211; 24 &quot;The God who made the world and everything in it is <strong><span class=\"highlight\">the Lord of heaven and earth<\/span><\/strong> and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human  hands, as if he needed anything, because <strong><span class=\"highlight\">he himself gives all men life and breath and everything  else<\/span><\/strong>. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they  should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and  the exact places where they should live. 27 <em><u>God did this so that men  would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him<\/u><\/em>, though he is not far from each one of us.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Man&rsquo;s days are  determined by God, He has set the limit and they cannot be exceeded. No one  lives unless God decrees it and no one dies unless God decrees it. <strong><em>He is the Author, Giver, and the  Sustainer of every living thing. He holds in His hand the lives of His beloved  ones and that of His enemies also!<\/em><\/strong> Even Satan the father of lies, the destroyer, owes his next breathe to  the Almighty! <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Isaiah 42:5 &#8211; <\/strong>5 Thus says God the LORD, Who  created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its  offspring, <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those  who walk in it<\/span><\/strong>, <strong>NASB<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Job 34:14-15 &#8211;  14 &quot;<\/strong>If  He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His  breath, 15 All <strong><span class=\"highlight\">flesh would perish together, And man would return  to dust<\/span><\/strong>. NASB<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Job 14:5 &#8211; <\/strong>&quot;Since his days are  determined, The number of his months is with Thee, And <strong><span class=\"highlight\">his limits Thou  hast set so that he cannot pass<\/span><\/strong>. NASB<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>God arranges the circumstances  of history according to his purpose and plan- <strong><em>God is very diligently governing this creation He has made. It is  all coming to pass exactly like He planned it, He will be sure to see that it  does<\/em>.<\/strong> The rain falls on the good and the bad, both  peace and calamity come from God. Every authority which is on the earth has  been established by God. All the events of human history had the divine  approval before one of them ever came to pass. God rules on the Throne in  heaven! He is Sovereign!<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Lamentations 3:37-40 &#8211; <\/strong>37  Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it?  38 <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Is it not from the  mouth of the Most High\u00a0 That both good  and ill go forth<\/span><\/strong>? 39 Why should any living mortal, or any man, Offer  complaint in view of his sins? 40 Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us  return to the LORD. NASB<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 &#8211; <\/strong>13  Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent? 14 In  the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider- <strong><span class=\"highlight\">God has made the one as well as  the other<\/span><\/strong> So that man may not discover anything that will be after  him. NASB<\/p>\n<p><strong>Isaiah 25:1 &#8211; <\/strong>O LORD, Thou art my  God; I will exalt Thee, I will give thanks to Thy name; For Thou hast worked  wonders, <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Plans formed  long ago<\/span><\/strong>, with perfect faithfulness. NASB<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Isaiah 46:11 &#8211; <\/strong>11 Calling a bird  of prey from the east,\u00a0 The man of My  purpose from a far country. <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it,  surely I will do it<\/span><\/strong>. NASB<\/p>\n<p><strong>Acts 4:27-28<\/strong> &#8211; 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together  with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire  against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 <strong><span class=\"highlight\">They did what your power and  will had decided beforehand should happen<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong><u>God is Personal<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 This communicable attribute of God is to say that He has a sense of  personality. He has a personality which is unique and interrelational. This is  to say that we can have personal relationship with him. He is not some  abstract, cosmic force out in the expanse of heaven without personal attributes  whereby He communicates with His creatures. In fact, the reason why we have an  interrelational capability is because we were created in the image of God, with  an intelligent and interpersonal capacity. God, very much like us is an emotional,  intelligent, and interpersonal being. The heart of God can rejoice, become  angry, be grieved and experience all the emotions that we as humans do. This is  crystal clear in the scripture. <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Ephesians 4:30-31<\/strong> &#8211; 30 And do not <strong><span class=\"highlight\">grieve the Holy Spirit of God<\/span><\/strong>,  by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. NASB<\/p>\n<p><strong>John 11:35<\/strong> &#8211;\u00a0 35 <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Jesus wept<\/span><\/strong> .NASB<\/p>\n<p><strong>Isaiah 62:4-5 &#8211;<\/strong>4 It will no longer be said to you,  &quot;Forsaken,&quot; Nor to your land will it any\u00a0 longer be said, &quot;Desolate&quot;; But you  will be called, &quot;My delight is in her,&quot;And your land,  &quot;Married&quot;; For <strong><span class=\"highlight\">the LORD delights in you<\/span><\/strong>,  And to Him your land will be married. 5  For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you; And as the  bridegroom rejoices over the bride, <strong><span class=\"highlight\">So your God will rejoice over  you<\/span>.<\/strong> NASB <br \/>\n    Therefore, God, being personal can be known, loved, and  enjoyed by mankind! What greater privilege could anyone have then this, to know  the living and true God! <\/p>\n<p><strong>John 14:17<\/strong> &#8211; 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept  him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. <strong><span class=\"highlight\">But you know him, for he lives with you and will  be in you<\/span><\/strong>. NIV<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Seeing that we have such a high calling as this, we must  therefore live for the purpose for which we were made. It is imperative to  focus our hearts and minds upon the priority of Life. As the great catechisms  state;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><em>&ldquo;The chief end of man is to  glorify God and enjoy Him forever!&rdquo;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Friend, do you enjoy God? Does it bring fulfillment to your  heart to commune with God? This is vital for Christian life, that we come to  enjoy the presence of God, to be fulfilled in our relationship to Him, to  hunger and thirst for Him. It is imperative that we make God the priority of  our lives. Consider how this is expressed in the greatest commandment. <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Matthew 22:36-38<\/strong> &#8211; 36 &quot;Teacher, which is the greatest  commandment in the Law?&quot; 37 Jesus replied: &quot;<strong><span class=\"highlight\">&#8216;Love the Lord your God with all  your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.&#8217;<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 38 This is the first and greatest  commandment. NIV<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>God &#8211; Holy, Sovereign, Personal Exodus 15:11 11 &quot;Who is like Thee among the gods, O LORD?\u00a0 Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders? NASB God \u2013 There is only one true God who exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are equal in divine perfection, coeternal, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/god-holy-sovereign-personal\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">God &#8211; Holy, Sovereign, Personal<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-649","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=649"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/649\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}