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By Rev Don Rivers
Welcome back to the Winter Bible Study, it’s time to wrap up our time in God’s Word. The passage we looked at this year was short but had so much for us to reflect on. We looked at three areas; Be still, Know, and God. This week we finish up our look at the big subject, I Am God. What does it mean to be God? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Psalm 46:10a; NLT; Be still, and know that I am God.
As we challenge ourselves to learn how to be still and know God, what do we need to know about God? We have explored God as Creator and God’s existence as the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Last week we looked at the love God has for His creation, the passion that carried Jesus to the cross. This week we conclude that thought as we look at God’s provision for forgiveness and restoration of our relationship with Him. The sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sin and the restoration of our relationship with God that cannot be separated.
John 3:16-17; NLT; “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge (condemn) the world, but to save the world through him.
Romans 10:9; NLT; If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
It is always interesting to me how drivers react to situations in the race, only to review it later and have to make apologies. I remember a race where a certain veteran driver was frustrated with the lack of respect, the beating and banging, he received from the younger drivers. He didn’t learn to race that way. He decided to take matters into his own hands and spun one of them into the wall.
Upon further review, he spun out the wrong white car. Too many white cars was his excuse. No matter, he had to make it right. Meanwhile the grandfather and father of the young driver had ideas about how they were going to make it right and proceeded to execute their plan when we intercepted them. Grandad agreed to put down the wrench and I walked with the father over to the offending driver.
As we arrived the situation was defused by the veteran driver taking responsibility for his actions and offering to repair the damage to the racecar. I’m sure there was still some cooling off that needed to take place but the repentance of the driver went a long way to forgiving his actions.
There is a two-step process to forgiveness; acknowledgement and repentance. We first have to acknowledge we have made mistakes, fell short, transgressed, and sinned. Without that understanding there is no forgiveness.
When we realize we have sinned, we must have a desire to make things right, that is a repentant heart. We need to humble ourselves before God and ask for forgiveness.
1 John 1:8-8; NLT; If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Psalm 51:17b; NLT; You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Let’s see if we can bring this into focus. God is a gracious and merciful God who desires to have a relationship with us. We corrupted His creation, us, and that sin separates us from Him. He made a provision through Christ, His death on the cross and resurrection to life, to cover our sin and restore our relationship with Him to dwell for eternity with Him.
Jesus revealed to His disciples that the way to the Father is through Him at the Last Supper. While they shared their last meal before His crucifixion Jesus explained this truth to them.
John 14:6; NLT; Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
Forgiveness is available from God through His Son, Jesus Christ. We first must acknowledge our transgressions. When we become aware of them we need to come before God and repent, ask for His forgiveness. He will forgive us and restore our relationship. The same relationship He intended at creation, that we corrupted.
Know that I am God. God created us, he revealed Himself to us in the three persons of the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He loves us and He has made a provision to forgive us and restore the relationship we choose to turn away from.
Love is lavished on us from a gracious and merciful God. He made provision for restoration of the relationship he wants to have with us. Don’t be confused, it was because God loved us, not the other way around.
1 John 4:9-10; God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
I hope you have enjoyed our Winter Bible Study. I encourage you to dig deeper, get to know the God of the Bible. It is a wonderful journey to a rich and satisfying life.
Psalm 46:10a; NLT; Be still, and know that I am God.
Run the race in such a way as to win, throw off everything that hinders and focus on Jesus. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations help us continue this ministry. Thank You.
