INTRODUCTION: These will be short, to the point articles to equip this upcoming generation (this means you, my young friend!): all our valued youth who desire to “live godly in Christ Jesus” (2 TIMOTHY 3:12).
For this particular series, there are Eight Topics (divided into parts). Feel free to print these out, along with information provided at the links!
Author’s note: I was a teenager in the 70s and 80s, and being a Christian then had its challenges, but nothing like today! The world is a darker, more openly sinful place than it ever was, and so this generation of Christians needs to be all the more ready (and you can be!!) to meet these challenges with confidence, power, and humility.
TTUF TOPIC # 1: What About GOD?
Atheism is at an all-time high these days. Can we truly know that GOD exists? Because we can’t see Him, we can’t hear Him – how do we know He’s real?
A painting has a painter, a building has an architect. They don’t just happen – there is a mind that created them. Those things are proof that a mind exists and that it's just as real as the painting and the building.
This world – the universe consisting of billions of galaxies (5 min 43 video) as well as the microscopic world of atoms, and sub-atomic particles, as well as the genetics of DNA (22 mins) show mind blowing, incredible patterns of order in something like a single cell and its astounding complexity (5 min video) - that couldn’t have just happened. There is a Mind that created them, and He is just as real as they are!
“You can’t see the wind with your eyes, you can only see the effects of the wind as it blows through the trees, kicks up dust and makes your kite fly. Likewise, we can’t see GOD with our eyes, but we can see how He effects things like a person’s heart, how He changes lives, how He brings things to pass that prophecy reveals!”“In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth.” GENESIS 1:1.
Here we have time mentioned: “In the beginning...” and space mentioned: “...the heavens...” and matter here: “...the earth” and that they were all created.
In Hebrew (the language of the Old Testament) the word for “created” is barah, which means, “to make from nothing”. We can’t make something from nothing – we need something to work with like wood or clay or a computer. But GOD can, and He did.
He created time, which means He had to exist outside of time in order to create it: He isn’t restricted by time, He’s eternal. We exist within time, having a beginning in this world and an end.
He created space; He had to exist outside of space, not bound by height, width, or length. We are bound within space and can’t exist outside of these dimensions.
He created matter, He isn’t made up of matter. GOD is spirit, and not observable with our five senses.
The fact that GOD created all of this with just His spoken word tells us He possesses all power, all knowledge, and all wisdom.
So all of creation was made by Someone Who exists outside of time, matter, and space, and Who possesses all power, knowledge, and wisdom – that sounds like I’m describing GOD doesn’t it?
Check out Ken Hovind in this brief video (3 mins) on this!
... AND WHERE DID GOD COME FROM?
Many people say that they “believe in GOD” – they admit GOD the Creator is real. Does this count for something? Not too much really. The fool declares “There is no GOD!” (PSALM 14:1; 53:1). But even demons “believe in GOD” and freak out (JAMES 2:19).
Truth is GOD loves you personally – He made you as special; one of a kind that way - that even though you’re a sinner (so, join the human race! See JOHN 3:16-21; ROM 3:19-24):
1) He loved you enough to send His Son to take your sin upon Himself on the Cross (JOHN 3:16; 2 COR 5:21)!
2) And He also accepted the punishment for all of your sin on Himself (instead of you; ISA 53) that a just and holy GOD must hand out to the guilty (like you and me! EZEK 18:21) who refuse GOD’s free gift of salvation. By faith in Christ we can have our slate wiped clean and pronounced “not guilty”!
JOHN 3:18
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (See also ROM 3:19-20).
3) But it doesn’t stop there! All who accept His invitation, and believe, trust Him and His Word, rely on His salvation - we’re granted a new heart (not the physical organ) or s new spirit: a proper dwelling place for the Holy Spirit Who resides in us when we receive Christ, becoming children of GOD (born again; JOHN 1:12-13; 3:3; 1 PET 1:23). GOD becomes your Heavenly Father!
4) But wait – it gets even better than this! Amazing! You also become a citizen in GOD’s eternal kingdom or heaven and are promised to one day (either at death or when Christ comes for His church in “the rapture”) come Home to our Father’s House (JOHN 14:1-2), to enjoy fellowship with Him, the LORD Jesus, the Holy Spirit and all the saints and angels of heaven, in His Forever Kingdom – mind blowing!
EPHESIANS 2:18-19
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
He’ll be ever faithful to you in good times and bad, through your struggles and fears, in all of your tragedies and triumphs, and at the end of this life, He will be waiting for you with His almighty, open arms to give you the biggest hug of your life!For more about GOD as Creator, LORD, Judge and Savior, check out this Four Part TTUF series! Got questions? Email me! KNYHTF1RE@gmail.com
Put in the subject box: “Questions about TTUF”!
Wanna see more? Continue this series by checking out Part 1 of Topic #2 - WHAT ABOUT The BIBLE!
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