Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. A musician can't speak a symphony into existence. A builder cannot speak a house into existence. A world-class chef cannot speak a five-course meal into existence. But God is so great.
God is so powerful that He speaks and is done. He speaks things into existence. Welcome to the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. Did God create everything? That's the question we're exploring today on the verdict as we continue a brand new series called What Would You Ask God?
What are the consequences of everything being created by God? What do we learn? And how does this impact our life and our faith? Let's join Pastor John Monroe for today's message. Did God create everything?
What is your view of God? Does he exist? Is He the Creator of everything? Does it make any difference? We're continuing our new series on God and thinking today of God as the Creator.
Last time we saw that God created everything out of nothing. That is, God is so powerful He doesn't need any tools or materials for His creation. In the beginning, God said, Let there be light. And there was light. Think of it.
God spoke and the universe took place. That's awesome power. the power of Almighty God in creation. And through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, He makes us new creations. Listen today as we continue to think.
Through some of the implications of everything being created by God. The Bible tells us. That God created. Everything. with the spoken Words.
Let's open our Bibles to the first page, Genesis 1. Genesis 1, verse 1 again, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then God Sad. Let there be light. And There What right?
I like that. That is power. The psalmist says in Psalm 33 verse 9 that he speaks And it's done. He commands and it stands First. He speaks And it's done.
I can't even achieve that in my own home. Right. God speaks. It's done. He commands and it holds Yeah.
His spoken word. Brings everything into existence. That's power, that's majesty, that's our creator at work. And in the New Testament, when the writer of Hebrews in chapter one is telling us about our Lord Jesus Christ, one of the things that he says about God's Son, that he he upholds all things. God sustains all things.
God holds everything together, the planets, the molecules of our body. He holds it all together. How does He hold it all together? He upholds all things by the word of his power. How wonderful.
Moses writes in Psalm 90, verse 2, before the mountains were born, or you did give birth to the earth and the world. What was there before there was a physical creation, Moses is asking? Here it is. Even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. What was there before the world in the universe?
Before there was anything visible, there was the invisible God who is from everlasting to everlasting. No, there is no eternally existing matter prior to God's creation. Only God is eternal. Only God is from everlasting to everlasting. And He creates this eternal God who's always existent.
He creates everything out of nothing.
Now let's consider some consequences of everything being created by God. You say to all of this, so what? Number one. God is distinct from his creation. It's very important that we grasp this basic fact because it's one where there's tremendous confusion in our society.
God is the creator, God is not the creation. Paganism, a new age. New Age thought is really paganism, presents God as nature. We are bombarded with that kind of message, Andway. In paganism, there is no creator.
God is in all things, and all things are part of God. I was witnessing to one of our neighbors in Kalamazoo standing in the yard. Talking about spiritual things and about Christ and his need for salvation. And he points to a flower and says, Yeah, but I believe that God is in that flower. And I said no.
God is not the flower. The flower is not God. God created the flower, but God is distinct from the flower. But in paganism, in New Age thought, the creation and the creator of course are confused. Paganism says that we all share the same substance as God.
Shirley Maclean publicly defending our New Age doctrine in New York. was challenged by one of our audience with all due respect. says the questioner. I don't think you're God. Charlotte McLean immediately responded.
If you don't see me as a God, it's because you don't see yourself. as God. That's paganism. Everything in creation becoming the same importance. I am God, God is me.
We're all of the same substance. No. But in this paganism, this new way thought, then animals and plants are just as important as people. In fact, in some cases it seems we get more excited about a A dolphin or something beached up, and of course, we should care for the animals, but as a society, we can get more excited about that than Thousands. of unborn children being slaughtered.
In the movie Lion King, Everything in the universe becomes part of a mass of energy. There is the circle of life. Pagans love circles. The circle of life swallows up God. That's paganism.
In Star Wars which George Lucas said was made to introduce Buddhism to the West, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi master, explains to young Luke Skywalker The force The force. Hmm. The force is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, it penetrates us, it binds us together, it's all powerful and controls everything. That's paganism.
The biblical truth reminds us that a clear distinction must be drawn between God and his creation. God is greater than his creation. He's beyond the universe. He is above the universe. The theological word for that is transcendent.
God is a transcendent. God. He is the majestic God. And Paul. Writes scathingly of those who exchange the truth of God for a lie and worship and serve the creature rather than the creator.
And that's what's happening in our society.
So many. In practice, serving And worshiping the creature rather than the true creator God. Paganism is a worship of nature. the worship of creation. the worship of the goddess, the Mother Earth.
We don't worship nature. We don't worship the creation. We don't worship Mother Earth, of course not. We worship the Creator, God. He alone is Almighty God.
There is none like him. God is distinct from his creation. That's the first consequence. God is distinct from his creation. Secondly, all creation is dependent On God.
Because all things are created by God, everything is dependent upon God for its existence. Do you understand that? You Are totally dependent upon God. For your very existence. Only God is self-existent.
When we say that God is self-existent, we mean that God does not derive His being from anyone else. He's independent of any other being or cause. He is the One through whom everything else exists. The Bible describes them as the eternal I am. the ever-present God.
Says Paul in that wonderful doxology at the end of Romans 11: For from him, and through him, and to him are all things, to him be the glory forever and ever. That's it. Everything comes from God, is upheld by God. Everything has its goal in God. All of creation is dependent upon the Creator, God.
God doesn't need us for His existence? Of course not. We are totally however, dependent upon God for our existence.
So Paul talking to the pagans in Athens in Acts chapter 17 quotes from one of their own poets. He says In God we live and move and have our being. Our very existence is in God, that's true. Your existence is totally dependent upon God. Your heart.
Beat. every beat of your heart. is given to you. Thank God. It's going to beat.
On average, we're told one hundred eight hundred times. today. Don't try to count it, but it's beating. It's sustained. By God.
totally dependent upon God. He gives life He takes wife. Blessed be the name. of the Lord. is the truth.
Of the Bible. He is the Creator. He is the sustainer of life. If that is true, and it is, I am to accept each day this day as a beautiful gift from God. That should bring us in a humble attitude of thankfulness, not just giving thanks for our fruit, but for life itself, our family, for the blessings of life, the ability to.
to see and to hear and to admire the creation And all of the blessings that we enjoy from God. to be thankful. Why? Because we're totally dependent on God for everything. First, God is distinct from his creation.
Secondly, all creation is dependent on God. Thirdly, everything belongs to God. Not you. Everything, all creation belongs to God, not you. The psalmist says: The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it.
Psalmist says, The cattle upon a thousand hills are yours, all the birds. Of the forests, the stars, the planets, the seas, the animals, the plants, all of them belong. To God.
Now the fact That God created everything not only implies that God owns everything, God has authority over everything. Isn't that right? He's the Creator. He owns everything. He has authority over us.
over the whole creation. But we know from Genesis 1 That this God has made us human beings in His image and has made us stewards of His creation. We are therefore to rule over the earth. We're to take care of the earth. We are to exercise our stewardship responsibly.
So we should be concerned about the environment. We should be concerned about natural resources and clean rivers and skies and and seas and unpolluted skies. We should take care of the animals and be kind to the animals, as Scripture itself tells us. Why? Because we're God's vice-regents.
on this earth. God has given us this planet to us. Not to be used in a self-indulgent way, but to look over. over it and to take care of it and to preserve it. But all belongs to him.
Have you come to that point? where you understand that in your own life. everything that you are Everything that you have belongs. To God.
You say, wait a minute, John, I I've I've worked very hard for what I've got.
Well, some of you didn't, some of you just inherited it. Guess that's the easiest way to be rich. But let's assume you did work hard for everything you have. Who gave you the energy? Who gave you the skill?
Who gave you the abilities? God Himself. Everything that you are, everything that you have comes from God. He is the Creator. He gives you the strength.
the ability, the opportunity. And so you think of your life Your possessions, your resources, your talents, your abilities. All belongs to God. That's the teaching of the New Testament. You say that's really radical.
That's really scary. No, it's not scary at all. Remember the rich young ruler who came to Jesus? Jesus says, Go, Salah, you have and give to the poor an income and follow me. Then you can be my disciple.
It says, The rich man, young ruler, went away. Because He was very rich. How hard it is then. For a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. But with God, All things Are possible Everything we have belongs to God.
Let's acknowledge that. He is the owner. Corey Tenboom says, when you hold something, hold it in the palm of your hand because it can be very painful when God opens your fingers. Hold it like this. Take my life and let it be wholly consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my silver and my gold, not a might would I behold. We sing that and we think, really? Yes, really. Everything. belongs.
to God and our giving is an act of faith, is a demonstration. Of God, and we will never. My dad used to tell me, you will never, ever outgive God. Here is the fourth consequence that everything is created by God. Our God made us creative people.
The God who made us made us in His image, and God is a creative God. Think of the beauty of our universe. Think of the false colours. On Monday night I was with Pastor Hathaway and we were looking at spider webs. Do you think these guys, these pastors have got too little to do?
Need to give them more work. They're looking at spider webs.
Well, we're looking at spider webs, and there's a whole row of them. And we were marveling at them, these little ugly spiders producing such beautiful spiders' webs. And Tim said to me, Do you understand that? I've read that there are no two spider webs the same. I said, Well, I've never read that, but I can believe it.
And a tiny little spider. Never in a thousand years could I make that kind of web. The beauty In creation the sounds of the birds, the songs of the birds. The fall of the rain, the God is a beautiful God, isn't He? And He gives us the capacity to appreciate beauty and music and the arts and language.
Our creativity is expressed in a multitude of ways. I sometimes hear of someone saying, Well, this is a creative child, or this individual is creative, and it's used in such a restricted way. It means that they're a musician, or an artist, or a poet. Let me tell you. Theologically, every single one of us.
Is Creative. Why? Because we're all made by a creative God in His image. Think of a stonemason or a carpenter or a builder using creativity in his work. Think of a homemaker using her creativity, not only cooking a meal, but Presenting it in a creative way.
Think of a surgeon using her skills and performing a delicate surgery. What creativity, our God-given gifts, and talents, and training, and resources are all to be brought in a creative act of worship to this great God who made us in His image and who is greatly changed. Don't let anyone quench. your creativity, young person. Don't allow a teacher or a coach or a parent.
Or a so-called friend to tell you that you won't amount to anything, to say that you're not talented, that you're not creative. Let me tell you, you are. You're made by a Creator, God. You're to express your individuality. God did not make us clones.
Our fingerprints are unique. Our DNA structure is unique to us, of course. were different. We are to Affirm and appreciate the diversity that there is. We are made in the image of the Creator God.
Therefore, use that creativity for the glory of God. Here's the last one as we finish. Our Creator God Number five can do anything. The Number one, God is distinct from his creation. Number two, all creation is dependent on God.
Number three, everything belongs to God, not you. Number four, our Creator made us creative people. Number five, our Creator God can do anything. Turn to Jeremiah chapter thirty two. If you can find it, about the middle of your Bible, just after Isaiah.
Jeremiah Lamentations and then Ezekiel.
So if you find Ezekiel, you've gone too far. If you're into Isaiah, you haven't gone far enough. Jeremiah 32. There's Seventeen. Listen to this.
We are thinking that God created everything. And you're saying so what? Here is a so what. Jeremiah 32, verse 17: Our Lord God, behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by thy great power. and by your outstretched arm, that's what we've been thinking about.
End of verse 17. Nothing. is too difficult. for you. Did you get that?
Nothing. is too difficult. For you. Verse 26, and the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah saying, Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for me?
Here's a question I ask you. Is anything too difficult for the Lord? Of course not. The argument in these verses is this: that if the Lord God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth, If he did that Ex nihilo. If he did that by the power of his spoken word, can you imagine?
That there is any situation that is too difficult for God? Of course not. He said, Well, you don't know my problems. Perhaps I don't know your problems. I don't know your problems, but I know my God.
And there is nothing. Nothing. Nothing too difficult. For God.
Some problem you're struggling with? Let me remind you. That our great Creator, who in the beginning made everything out of nothing, can do all things. Nothing is too difficult for him. You're to cast that problem, that fear, that anxiety onto the all-powerful God.
In Luke chapter 1, there is a young girl, young woman, she is a virgin, and she's told by the angel that you're going to conceive. And we say impossible. Virgins. can become pregnant That's ridiculous. The word of God is for nothing.
Look One verse thirty-seven. For nothing will be impossible with God, nor the Virgin will conceive. Because nothing Nothing. Will be impossible with God.
So, in your difficulties of life now. The problem that you have now, which seem to be huge like big mountains, don't resent God. Don't be angry at God. Submit to Him. Humble yourself before the great Lord of the universe.
He is the creator of everything. He can handle every situation in your life and much, much more. Commit it to Him. Ask Him to guide you. To give you the wisdom and the strength.
And the clarity to see what you would do, and ask him to do what you can't do. It's to work. And impossible. Situations. What is God really like?
He's an all-powerful, awesome Creator who in the beginning made the heavens and the earth. and who now upholds all things by the word of his power. That's what God is like. Therefore, Will you surrender your life, your plans, all of your resources to Him? Will you do that?
And since God is our Creator, let us live by faith. Trusting our God each step of the way. He's all-powerful. He will watch over you. He'll guide you.
He'll protect you. He'll bless you. And he will lead you into eternal life. Life. If you know his son, Jesus Christ, who's the only way.
To the Father. The psalmist asks, as we sang from Psalm 121, where does my help come from? Where does your help come from? Here's the majestic answer: My help comes from the Lord. Who made heaven?
And there, that's it. The psalmist understood that God is so great that He made the heavens and the earth. that his help is not going to come from the hills. It's not going to come from his friends or his family. It's certainly not going to come by his own ingenuity.
It's going to come from the Lord who made heaven. And earth. And this great God, who has designed all of creation, is so powerful that not only has He created all of the stars, He gave names to all of them. And this God is not only so great in power, but he's so great in love and has such care for you personally that the very hairs of your head are numbered. He knows you, he cares for you, he hears you when you call.
And today, Call upon him for salvation. Call upon him for help. He loves you, he will save you. He is your creator, yes, but he's also your helper. He's also your savior.
He loves you. He knows your name. This is the verdict featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us. From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever.
but to find truth and certainty about who we are and find peace, we must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God. To help you do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World. Through this special resource, John shares his personal testimony, along with a careful examination of Scripture, to offer us clarity on matters of eternity. Get your copy today by visiting our website at theverdict.org. While you're there, consider making an investment in this Bible teaching ministry.
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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Do you have a correct view of God? In some ways, today's culture leans towards mysticism. where it is thought everything is God and God is everything. But there's a huge difference between the Creator and that which is created.
If you're wise, you'll put your trust in this great God. Everything we are and have is totally dependent upon Him. Therefore love and trust him with all of your heart. Join me next time as we think of whether we have a purpose or Is everything random? Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict.
I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
