Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. God is infinite as to space. He is immense. How big is God? God is so big.
That he is. everywhere. The great Saint Augustine said: God is an infinite circle whose center is everywhere. and whose circumference is nowhere. That blows the mind, doesn't it?
Welcome to the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. Is God everywhere? That's the question we're exploring today as we near the end of our current series called What Would You Ask God? Last time, we learned that God is omnipresent. everywhere.
unconfined to any place or time. And today we'll explore some practical implications of this incredible truth.
So now, let's join Pastor John Monroe for today's lesson. Over the last few weeks we've been asking some questions about God. These are huge questions. And I certainly don't have all of the answers. Yet God has revealed much of himself in his word, the Holy Scriptures.
Last time we learned that God is so big, so immense, that He transcends all spatial limitations. You may try to get away from God, to wish there was no God, but you can't escape God. God is everywhere.
So this is a convicting truth and a challenging one. But it is also a truth which comforts us. Part of the reason we're asking these questions about God is to realize that often our idea of God is too small.
So let's continue to think of this very important question. Is God everywhere? Now, let's draw two applications from the truth that God is everywhere, that God is omnipresent. First of all, As you think of this truth that God is everywhere, as you think of the omnipresence of God, It is a great challenge, isn't it? The omnipresence of God challenges us.
In particular, as I thought about this, God's omnipresence challenges us Certainly challenges me, I trust you, to live a holy clean life. We learned that David can't run from God. You can't run from God. Jonah couldn't run from God. You will never outrun God.
You'll never get away from God. When you gossip. God is there. When you lie, God is there. When you're cheating, student on that test, God is there.
When you're doing that business deal, When you're shading the truth a little bit. When you're so eager to get the deal, so eager to get that promotion. That you're compromising your integrity. Remember, God is there. When you're out of town, And you book into that room in the hotel, or go to the restaurant, and you think it's kind of nice here.
No one knows me, I can do what I like. I'm on my own, I'm free from all restraint. No one will ever find out. Remember, remember this. that gods Is there?
And God. is watching and you will never ever get away from From God. This great truth, then, that God is everywhere, challenges us to live pure and holy lives.
So the omnipresence of God challenges us, but secondly, the omnipresence of God comforts us. It's a great comfort to us, isn't it? Let me give you four examples of that very quickly. First, from Psalm 46, where we will learn that in the midst of crisis and dangers, God is always with us. Listen to the psalmist.
God is our refuge and strength. a very present help in trouble. Aren't you glad the psalmist put in that word present? It's one thing to help people. It's one thing to know.
That you have a friend, that you have a relative, you have a colleague to whom you can turn in times of trouble and ask for help. But let's face it, they are sometimes not there. They may say well, I'll be over in an hour. They may say, I'll be with you in a day or two, or they may say to you, listen, I'm too busy, or they may not even answer the phone or the email. And you wonder, where are they?
God is never ever like that. In your time of trouble. In your time of danger, God is a present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling. Yeah.
There's Six, the nations make an uproar, the kingdoms tottered. Verse seven: The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. The psalmist is saying, in the midst of crisis and dangers, God is always with you. When natural disasters come, The mountain Falling into the sea.
An earthquake, a since a hurricane, some terrible natural disaster, a mudslide, or whatever. coming on us. or a national disaster, the nations Arrayed against the people of Israel. And in either case, Says the psalmist, Don't fear, God is your refuge, God is your strength, He is your present help in trouble, and He is the Lord of hosts who is. With you.
Therefore, Do not fear. There's some people here this morning and your world has been turned upside down in the last week, the last month, the last few months. And you wondered how you can go on. I want to tell you. in the midst of your crisis, God Is with you.
Or think of your greatest fear. Think of that which keeps you awake at night. Think of your most anxious worry. Whether it's your health or your business or your family or your future, some relationship, even if the worst thing imaginable happened to you. If I lost my job, if I lost my family, if I was deserted by all my friends and my.
All of my resources go. This I do know. that God is always with me. Natural disasters They may come. Wars they may come.
Nuclear war is a real possibility, let's face it. The threat of militant Islam is increasing. Terrorism is alive and well in our crazy world. Not one person here knows the future. The most brilliant diplomat and politician doesn't know what's going to happen tomorrow.
Our world is very, very unsafe. There's much we don't know. But we do know this. But God is always with us. Therefore, verse ten stop striving, be still, and know that I am God'.
Why be still? Why not worry? Why not fear? Because God is with us. And if God is with us, and if God is for us, who can stand against us?
When I was at elementary school, every free moment we had before school, the break after school, weekends and so on, we played football or soccer. All you needed was a a ball. A couple of sweaters to use as goalposts, and you're off. Two sides, however many wanted to play. Boys only, of course, in those days.
We divided it into two. And of course and any team sport You're concerned not with your own ability solely, but you're also concerned who's on your side. And when we at this particular school that I attended, when we played soccer, We quickly find out. that if Alan Campbell was on your side, you're almost certainly going to win. We didn't know then, but Alan Campbell was.
going to become a great professional Soccer player. He was going to play for Scotland's under-21 side. He was going to be a professional soccer player in Birmingham City in England. We didn't know that at the time. All we did know was that Alan Campbell was pretty good and what he could do with a ball was absolutely amazing.
And we all wanted him on our side. If he was on your side, if Alan Campbell was on your side, you're almost certainly going to win. You got a problem? You've got that crisis in your life. You feel alone.
Bereavement, ill health, some crisis.
some unimaginable Difficult situation has blown into your world. Remember this? God is with you. And God is on Your side. In the midst of crises and dangers, God Is always with you.
Secondly, Hebrews chapter 13, verses 5 and 6: In the midst of material need, God is always with you. Hebrews thirteen Verse five The writer says, Let your character be free from the love of money. This morning, I quickly looked at the Charlotte Observer and saw that they were going to tell you the salaries, I think, of the top. Fifty CEOs in the city, so I quickly looked at it and saw that the top one earns nineteen million dollars a year. Typical not to feel a little envious, isn't it?
I mean, I said to Goodney, even I'm not worth $19 million a year. You know, maybe $5 million a year, but not $19 million a year. There's people who do that. And then some earn three and some two, and some of these poor ones only earn a million. Can you believe it?
It must be tough. And you read figures like that, and it's a little difficult not to be a little bit envious, isn't it? And say, whoa. Imagine Having all that kind of money. And that's just for one year.
And then we read this. Let your character be free. From the love of money. Being content with what you have. For he himself said I will never desert you, nor will I ever Forsake you so that we confidently say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What shall man do to me? There it is. In the midst of material need, God Is always with you. You're struggling financially, concerned about Your education, concerned about your child's education, concerned about all these mounting medical bills, concerned about your retirement. Newly married and wondering if you're going to make it?
Don't worry. God will never ever desert you. God is always with you. Don't focus on what you don't have. Don't focus on what others have.
Don't focus on the earnings of the CEOs. If you focus on what others have, That will breed envy. Says the rider, No. The reason You are not to be characterized by envy, but to be contented is that you have God on your side. Focus on what you have, on who you have, and that is God who is with you and who's always with you.
Don't panic, don't worry. God the Almighty. God, who owns everything. Is on your side. He is with you.
First, in the midst of crisis and dangers, God is with you. In the midst of material need, God is always with you. Third, As you serve God, God is always with you. Matthew 28, verses 18 through 20, where Jesus says to his disciples, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.
You see, that's a pretty tough assignment, it is. But it's a command, isn't it? Go. We don't have an option. You are to share Christ.
You say, well, wait a minute, John. The people in my house don't want to listen to it. The people in my office are actually antagonistic.
Well, obey Christ and remember this. He says, law. I am with you always in the world. even to the end of the age. Remember that Jesus is with you.
That not only has He commanded you to do it, He is with you as you do it. As you sung in the choir. God. is with you. As you teach Sunday school, Jesus is with you.
As you look after the babies in the nursery, Jesus is with you. As you share Christ, Jesus is with you. As you go on a missions trip, Jesus is with you. As we serve God, we have this wonderful assurance that Jesus is always with us. He will never desert us.
He is with us to the very end of the age, and the end of the age has not yet come. He is with us. The final one. In the midst of suffering and death God is always with us. in the midst of suffering and death.
God Is always with us. That's Psalm 23, isn't it? The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. You say, John, but I've got this terrible illness. Easy for you to say when you've got health.
Here's the promise of Scripture. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want Verse four. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil. And you say, come on. Who isn't going to be afraid when they're walking through the valley of the shadow of death?
says David. I fear no evil. Yes, it's a shadow. It's dark, it's cold, I'm alone. It's not a position, a walk I would ever choose myself, but I'm in that valley.
Praise God, I know it is just a valley, and I'm going through it. And I fear no evil. Why? For you are What? With me.
And your rod And your staff, they Comfort me. Isn't this wonderful? Even when we go through the valley of the shadow of death. God guides provides, restores and comforts, He is always with us. He will be with us through death and into our eternal home.
Why is that? Why are we so certain of this? Because Christ has entered into death. He has died our death. He has gone ahead of us.
He has conquered death, rising from the dead. Shattering the gates of death, opening the gates of heaven, so that as we receive Christ, we receive His new life. His unending life, his eternal life, and he has promised. But even As we walk. And sometimes it's a long walk.
And sometimes it's a short walk. But however long it is or however short it is, As we go through the valley of the shadow of death. He is with us. The Lord is with us. And He always, always.
is with us. to the other side. And I want to tell you, brothers and sisters, this works. This is not just pages. This is not just word words on pages.
As a pastor, as a friend, as a relative, I've been on many bath deathbeds. I've ministered to many people. who have been terminally ill my own younger brother dying. of a brain tumor. Friend of mine who I served on staff with as a he was a youth pastor.
Cancer. or the liver. Dying And he's early. forties, leaving a thirteen-year-old and a 11-year-old. Girl.
Many others. People who knew. Unless there was A dramatic, miraculous intervention by God Himself, and they believed that that was possible. that they were soon going to be From time into eternity. People who have been in the valley of the shadow of death.
Whether sustained them Some positive thinking.
Some psychological trick? No, the presence of God, that God will not abandon them and has not abandoned them in the crossing from time into eternity. He is with us all of the way, right into the Father's house. A father and his little boy go for a walk, and when they leave home, The sun is shining, there's not a cloud in the sky. And they're having a wonderful time as they're enjoying one another's company.
They come to a beautiful River goes over a little bridge. And they are so engrossed in their conversation that they don't notice the approach of a storm.
Soon, the blue sky has been replaced by dark clouds. The wind arises and a terrible storm. comes and they, of course, turn and begin to walk towards home. But as the storm increases, they begin to run. But very soon the father realizes that his little boy is never ever going to keep up with him.
And so after running a little part, he picks up the little boy, puts him in his his arms and begins to run. from home. The little boy is soon fast asleep. With the warmth of the father, The motion Of the running of the father, and the little boy is asleep. He's safe.
The father, however, is in the storm, and the storm gets fiercer and fiercer. As he comes. Right to the river, he realizes a little bridge. has been washed away. And so carrying his son.
he's to wade across the raging torrent. Makes it to the safe to the other side, makes it safely home. Little boy is still asleep. Takes off the boys Clause. Dries him, puts on warm pajamas, tucks him in bed, little lad still fast asleep.
When the little boy wakes up in the morning, the storm is over. The last thing he remembers is the noise of the thunder. And the dark clouds and the lashing rain and coldness and being miserable and being tired as he tried to run. But he wakes. To warm.
To the sunshine. Why? He's at home. He's in the father's house. And my dear friend, you may be at the moment in the storm.
And you may be in a place which is Very, very naturally. Fearful. But when they tell you the Lord Jesus Is with you. He will not abandon you. He will take you safely to the other side.
And when you can't run, as it were, he will pick you up in his powerful arms and carry you safely to the Father's house. He says, In my father's house there are many mansions. Don't let your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also. In me.
Because the grace that saves us is the grace that keeps us and is the grace that leads us safely home. And God is always watching. over us. Because God is Everywhere. He's not a remote god.
With all due respect to Beth Middler, he's not watching us from a distance. No, God doesn't watch us from a distance, He's with us, He's Emmanuel. God with us. Our Lord Jesus Christ coming to this earth to be with us so that we may be with Him in heaven forever. He comes to earth, dies our death, pays the price for our sins, conquers death and is alive and opens his arms and says, Now come to me and I will give you rest and forgiveness of sins and eternal life when you come to him.
and receive them. As your Saviour. And Lord. In the United Kingdom, the monarch traditionally gives an address at Christmastime every year. It was at the end of World War II, after World War II.
The monarch was King George VI. The father of the present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. And he gave this address to the nation at a very difficult time. It was shortly after World War Two, and although the country didn't know it, King George the Sixth. was dying of cancer.
And he closed his address with this quotation. I said to the man at the gate of the year Give me a light. that I may safely walk into the unknown. He said to me, Go out into the darkness. And put your hand into the hand of God.
and it shall be to you better than the light. and safer than the known. Today will you put your hand in the hand. of God. God has never promised the absence of storms in this life, but He has promised His presence in the middle of the storm.
Put your hand in the hand of the living Christ. He will never fail you, he will never let you go, he will never abandon you. This God, our God, the living God. Our Saviour, our Christ, our Redeemer, our Friend, this God is always with us. This God is always for us.
And if this God is always with us, And if this God is always for us, who? Who? Can stand. against us. 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. Whether it's $5, $50, or more. Your gift today helps cover the cost of sharing these gospel messages to listeners around the world.
And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to the Verdict Podcast, featuring John's weekly podcast exclusive called Avizandam. It's available wherever you get your podcasts, or simply go to our website. Again, that's theverdict.org. The verdict is a ministry of Calvary Church in South Charlotte. We're located on the corner of Highway 51 and Ray Road.
If you've been looking for a church home or a community to help you grow in your walk with Christ, We invite you to join us for our Sunday services. For more details about Calvary and our service times, visit theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Does the truth that God is everywhere convict you, challenge you, or comfort you? One of the beautiful descriptions given to our Lord Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, God with us. God is not a remote God. God is transcendent, but He is also a God who is with us.
And the only way to know God is through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, Believe in the Lord Jesus and you'll be saved.
Next time we continue our series on God, our question is: Is God all-powerful? 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. M
