What We All Know About God, Part 2

Today on Summit life career.

If God's wisdom is as high above mine as his power is above mine. Do I really think that I can immediately perceive every purpose and all wise God might have for everything we imagine a God of omnipotent power with a brain no bigger than ours. Legend JD, as always, I'm your host Molly made a batch notice that sometimes deism is portrayed as the intelligent approach to life and faith is presented as just a comforting fairytale for those who are too weak to embrace a more rational approach we as Christians just living in a fantasy world and ignoring the facts truly need to live by faith.

Pastor JD answers those questions today on Summit life as he continues our new teaching series called unknown God.

He argues that our own hearts in evidence of God's existence house and stick around for the answer. Pastor Jenny titled today's message we all know about that. Let's jump right in the last decade or so new set of articulate, hip pool, aggressive spokesmen have emerged, often calling themselves the new atheist. They consist of people that we call the four Horsemen of the apostles, the Apocalypse, people like Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, Daniel Bennett also include more on cultural icons and talkshow host like Bill Marr Bill Nye the science Guy and Ricky Gervais's but here is where the sociological analysis gets interesting. The popularity of this stuff has not led to a surge in believe in atheism and our country that number. Statistically, has not really changed on the last two years. What have surged, however, listen to this is the number of people began to disconnect from any and all religion back so many people have done this, that there's actually a new name for this group. Now they're called nines ride on the census when you're asked to identify your religious affiliation is a large of a people that choose not to know any currently at about 23% of our Arab Americans that up. By the way, from 16% in 2007 and up from 7% in the mid-1990s. In other words, in 25 years they tripled and statistically that is unheard of. Most nuns would say they were not hostile toward a spiritual faith in God. But we're just done with organized religion. Another way of saying that is it is not based on atheism.

All that intellectually attractive, just that they find any kind of organized religion or religious confession unattractive for today for today go through Romans one where Paul explains, were unbelief comes from both can explain where unbelief comes from. Here's what he says, Romans 118 for God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteous of the people watch this here comes, who by their unrighteousness to work suppress the truth because sense. What can be known about God is already evident among the because God has already shown it to them. Verse 20 here for his invisible attributes of things we cannot see, that is, his eternal power and his divine nature. We can see that we can't touch it yet being clearly understood, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world and they've been understood. These invisible things have been understood and undeniable through what he is made as a result, people are without excuse goes on to explain what people did is they exchange the truth of God for a lie and they worship and serve what is been created instead of the create server is really the one that ought to be praise forever.

There are three points that Paul makes here in these verses about belief and unbelief. Number one he says may be known about God is self evident. Number two. He says our belief problems ultimately are going to go back our problems in the number three he's going to explain that the opposite of faith in God is not actually atheism.

The opposite of faith in God is idolatry right Paul says number one, if you're taking notes what may be known about God is evident to give you a few of these ways of God is evident. Here's a handful of them.

If there is no God, there's no you even if there's nothing more than biology, chemistry and physics, and there's no you in their you have a brain yes, but there's no real mind. No self, no consciousness within the brain. Here's a second idea if there's no God, there's no free will. There's no free will of OER's biology chemistry that our behavior in any situation is solely due to what our genes are chemicals in us, compel us to choose your here's 1/3 problem in the atheism runs into if there is no God but something came from nothing. This may be the most basic question of all in God delusion, Richard Dawkins admits this is a problem. Here's what he said you read behind the words because he nerds them up a little bit but it was a pretty clear cosmology is waiting on its darling, what he means by that is, basically, we think that Darwinian evolution reduce explain how life has developed on earth, but we admit that we don't know where life itself or the original materials for life where they actually came from because it's self-evident that nothing that nobody can equal everything and so he says cosmology. The ultimate origins needed sneezes owned and then he says this in God delusion, but found much of the worry worry will figure it out eventually. That's what a blind faith like I don't know it but I'm still believe it's out there. You add to that what scientists have pointed out about the sheer improbability of the complexities of life. Warning even the most basic molecules are DNA strands are incredibly complex enough so that you wonder how could a cosmic accident ever result in the digital elegance of the DNA strand like they can an explosion in any factory accidentally produce the collected works of Shakespeare in recent years scientists have made a really big deal out of how finely tuned our universe seems to be the same life they caught the anthropic principle.

I also heard referred to as the Goldilocks principle go to watching her not to war not to go just right that our universe is just right for our solar system. Our planet is just right because there are multiple factors that are so precise that if any one of these is like 200 of them. Any one of them were off by even a hair life would cease to exist. For example, Mrs. is one out of now you just a handful at a mini or the makeup of our atmosphere.

The gases and rhymes are a business to play then there's the tilt of our planet with 23 1/2�.

They say this is a really big deal because it was unique and and how it rotates and if it was all any then life would be impossible water molecules enough when I thought about fascinate the water molecule is the only only molecule who solid form ice is less dense than its liquid form. The only molecule that will big deal right war that Mina means that ice floats which is really good because of ice floating about in the ocean gradually freezes from the bottom up in life would become impossible to opposite of the blown up thing it's turning to ice cube.

I give you one more time. Jupiter just happens to shield us from 99% of asteroids astronomer save Jupiter didn't exist in the what and the exact placement in orbit.

It's in their predicted to reach 10,000 times the number of asteroid strike right here on earth right in their lives and their there are many, many other scientists that the odds of a planet like Earth existing are so heart stopping the astronomical that the notion that all just happen defies common sense once it will be like tossing a coin mathematically every second and having it come up heads for 10 billion years in a row. One of the dead that the scientists of the greatest miracle of all time. If you believe in miracles. The greatest miracle of all time without any close second is the existence of life on our planet. Just so you know these are not the conclusions of a bunch of pastors to double as amateur scientists from Stephen Hawking. I read his book, a brief history of time. Several years ago. These are the laws of science as we note in the present. Today many precise ratios I got give you a sample of size electric charge electron. The ratio of the masses of the proton and electron is letting you show us the understanding right.

The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finally adjusted very finely tuned to make possible the development of life. The apostle Paul's way of saying that is what can be known about God is evident among them, because God showed it to them. Factors like this have driven many entrenched atheist to conclude that there's just no way to avoid the conclusion that an intelligent creator stands behind life in his late 70s Anthony flew out of the know his name and but he was on the 20th century's most famous agnostics piece diamond. The philosophical world. By the mid-70s announcing that he is starting to believe in God, not here, not in the philosophy that you will realize what a big deal. That is, but that will be like Rush Limbaugh, not saying he was a Democrat, or might success you say in the whole time he's been a secret Carolina fantasist is just just unheard-of but flu said. He said I just can't see any other compelling explanation for the complexities of design and creation, she sees it. For years I've tried to make peace with it, but it can't be that the wonderful beautiful complexity and intelligence of life emerge from a mute chaos.

There had to have been. He said as Thomas Edison said there had been a captain on the bridge.

These things are self-evident.

They function like a voice that is constantly speaking to us, pointing us toward the voice of our Creator. You listen here this. Don't think of them as logical proof that's not the category you put them in. Think of them as indicators as indicators in this thing like this if you heard a voice speaking to you from a behind the door and you couldn't see whoever was speaking but they called your name and ask you something personal about your life you would conclude that it's a person behind the door. Who knew you, and it wasn't just the wind was blowing through a special way making various sound even if you couldn't prove it scientifically. That's what these things are there evidence their voices that are calling out the simple courses and read a behind the message titled all know about God. Be sure to visit us online@jing.com to take a look at all of our resources.

Charles Spurgeon went said whenever I get a hold of the text, myself.

There is a road from here to Jesus Christ and I need to keep on his track till I get to our goal is to bring dilated Bible teaching strata homes and cars everywhere so that no one misses the opportunity to know Jesus personally when you get to Summit life commission your supporting your helping us reach out and bring the gospel message to your neighbors and other fellow listeners investment we are inviting you to join our gospel partner program. The monthly giver.

You can find all the information about joining our gospel partner family by visiting our website@jdgreer.com. We look forward to having you join the team. Now let's get back to today's teaching sale of all these things are true and that should be enough to convince people there's a God behind the voice then why is it that some people deny it. Great question, Paul answers a number to our belief problems.

He says our deafness to the voice ultimately goes back to our problem.

This read this passage again and I'll show you where he says that for God's wrath.

He says, is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth consider ignorance as they suppress to see what can be known about God is evident among them is Scott. He showed plainly to our problem. Paul says, is not that the evidence for God is insufficient for a normal person to with common sense conclude that a series of the problem that something is off with our hearts, our hearts are bent. Paul says, listen to this. Our hearts are bent on exalting themselves rather than God which blinds us to obvious truths about God when we give you a couple of examples where I've seen this I was once an audience over you and see where Dr. Herman Barker money was on the famous agnostics over there was in a debate and a student from the floor asked him.

Is there anything Dr. Herman that would cause you to regain your faith in God and in response he quoted a passage out of his book, God's problem and here's the passage that he quoted output of 40 he said I think that if in fact God Almighty appeared to me and gave me an explanation for all evil in the world and the explanation was so overpowering that I actually could understand that I would be the first to fall on my knees in humble submission and admiration.

Now initial question. What is assumed in that statement something assumed you see it.

The explanation was so overpowering that I could actually understand what is assumed is that if God had a purpose for a situation that Dr. Herman would be smart enough to immediately perceive it, and that if he can't perceive it. And there's not one. There let me ask you to consider this. However, now that she this before. Just consider for a minute how much greater need for God's wisdom is than yours. Well, let's try to figure that out.

By comparison, let's compare first, how much greater is God's power, then your own what you believe in God or not, was just what we did is mental exercise. If there really is a God behind the universe. That means that he created everything there is. Including the 3000 billion trillion stars, each of which puts out the same energy is a trillion megaton bombs every single second. He created all that little word right now. Told you my personal ability to generate energy is not nearly quite as impressive. I bought a rowing machine. I put it downstairs and sometimes I can row it home and I will set it on there where you can measure your wattage output, which I don't have any idea why they will put that on their I turned it off. I wonder how many watts I can produce for two minutes if I just give it everything I have company watching what three 2012. That's what my wife told me when she revived me how you did 320 now once you compare that okay that is 3000 billion trillion stars each putting out the same energy is a trillion megaton bombs of the wattage God puts out in word right versus five energy efficient household lightbulbs for two minutes. I feel like his edges mine out by just attached right and not only did he create all that power he sustains at all and he holds all that the company is and I can barely lift the corner of my mattress over my head ever tried that you try to flip it to the other side and I try to EMI what is going on the back brace and take off the rest of the day because it just as I'm doing and I'm thinking God hold another universe, and I can't let my mattress now what you think about this. Listen, if God's wisdom is as high above mine as his power is above mine. Do I really think that I can immediately perceive every purpose and all wise God might have for everything you know it's kind of ridiculous when you think about it we imagine a God of omnipotent power but with a brain no bigger than ours. God with huge universe moving muscles and attaining tiny head. It's ridiculous. The problem with skeptics like Herman, is that they have exalted themselves and their wisdom and they have diminished the wisdom of God. Sometimes the suppression is more self-conscious than that. This is that our hearts are disposed to self-glorification and self-rule. So we resist anything that challenges that it think of it the way that people's biases affect how they interpret evidence that you ever notice how Republicans and Democrats can look at the exact same evidence exact same situation come up with two totally different interpretations meant entertaining as well.

Click networking, MSNBC and CNN and Fox news. Just watching you know so you got got some happens and you got pressing clear evidence of Republican corruption and Republicans in clear evidence of media bias and you decide how they will do the same thing.

This is how we interpret evidence is usually related to the biases of art will get what Paul says in Romans 118 to 19. He says our hearts are inclined to suppress the truth and to rule ourselves and we want to get glory for ourselves. So we resist anything that challenges that which makes us blind to clear and compelling evidence for creator Tim Keller Bastrop New York City says that when he is college students come home after being away to college because she was a group in their church in the come home and say all I can stop believing in God ecologies in my first question them is always how you been sleeping with your boyfriend or girlfriend is, as always, throws them off a little bit. He said, but through almost always go together is is what I explained to them is one that you had an intellectual crisis good believing in God.

You had a moral crisis and that change your mind about God so that you can be comfortable with the lifestyle you preferred it is not that our mind changes our heart is that her heart usually changes our mind that Jesus made the same statement on a different drive also� Fascinating. Your life is for them to meditate on it for a few weeks. John 544 Jesus was talking a bunch of people didn't believe that how can you believe when you receive glory from one another Nozick the glory that comes from the only God knows I got to do with intellectual understanding the issue. He said the reason you can't believe it's because you put value on the wrong things and your love of the praise of people actually keeps you from seeing the truth.

It's not a mind problem.

Paul says and Jesus says as much as it is a heart problem and a cloud heart, is to miss the obvious things about God that he is written into the universe. Number three the opposite of faith in God.

The opposite of faith in God is not atheism. Paul says it's idolatry. Let's go back to verse 25 really quickly for 25 exchange the truth of God for a lie exchange is a key word there underline it exchange the truth of God for a lot and they worship and serve what is been created again. Maybe your mind. Maybe some mouse instead of the create score who is praise the one you ought to be praise forever. No person Paul says ever quit believing in God.

They just substitute something into God's place.

You see, were created were created so that we exalt something in our lives. There is something we will find that we will begin to treat like God.

Something we will magnify multitude to fulfill loss and sustain us guys like Dr. Herman and Sam Harris replace the majesty of God's intellect replace that with the majesty of their own.

Others may be less intellectual neglect God and they look to money or their power or career or family to provide security in meaning and permanence of them and if so what happens God becomes uninteresting or irrelevant to them that she was that is happening to you. If not that there's been this moment where you just that I quit believing in God is that over the last few years God becomes increasingly uninteresting and irrelevant because his place in your life is been pushed out by your love for all these other things. That's what happens to people.

It's been happening. I think some of you before says all these gods are gods or false gods that can either sustain or satisfy you money disappoints her money money sprouts wings and flies away relationships disappoint you, your self image is gonna let you down. You get old and die. Your analects fails you listen when people are so confident in what academics are science tells them how is Ashley and was and what you hear this, please don't misinterpret his hear this from somebody who has a PhD I'm in the academics. I love the Korean nerd and I love that whole sphere and I think we ought have a lot more people wanted to but I here's a question I asked Mike okay is there ever been a generation that you know of that look back on the previous generations and admired them for their sophistication was you look back at your grandparents and your embarrassed by some of things they believe can you believe it. All that you believe that thought they did this so asked him as I do you really believe you really believe that our generation is can be the first one where everybody from our looks back is that us and says how mean they had together man. They were wise men. They had understanding your grandkids and great grandkids organist sit around the Thanksgiving table and make money on things. Can you believe I thought that all outside edits, but we don't like that that's what they're going to say on the table right so so all I'm saying is I'm not been any elections, a little humility is in order and understanding that our intellect is not always the best way to figure out ultimate things are true, there is another way and there is another way and that is a God who is speaking, a God who is never been silent, a God who is there in a God who says on the way the truth and the life. All God's will ultimately disappoint us and fail us because we were created by God for God for his glory and his purposes, and when you realize that you realize that you turn your attention toward God and what happens is you begin to realize that his voice has always been there.

It's been speaking to you. It's never been quiet, it's always been calling out to you one of those riveting movie scenes I've ever seen is from an old 1997 movie called contact stars Jodie Foster and Matthew McConnaughhay Jodie Foster plays Dr. Ellie Haraway who is an astronomer.

She spent her years are up for three years, searching for signs of extraterrestrial life after years and years and years of endless silence. She turns her sensor toward a dark unexplored sector of deep space, and then suddenly out of nowhere she hears the unmistakable sound patterns of communication. The message was focused.

It was deliberate and it was personal.

Coming to believe in God is a little bit like that. Not in the I hear the voices of aliens cents but in the understanding that a personal intelligent God is speaking and that he is speaking to you, and I'm telling you that realization is a heart stopping life defining moment it changes everything.

That's the moment when you realize that God is always been there, and specifically in Jesus, you see that he was coming to earth to rescue you really ministry and asked her legend 80 career to learn more about Pastor JD and this nonprofit ministry, you can visit us online@jeanniegreer.com Janie in your new teaching series unknown God is it that you hope will walk away with IBM get Molly an unknown God will show you that there are certain truths about God what you believe in him or not. There are certain things that the two possible says are undeniable right to be able to talk. I think to give you some tools. In talking with others about some things that they cannot know to be true if if the Bible's room robs you believe it, that it is what you're doing is not yet convincing somebody to believe in God, your showing up at it but they already do.

And that's what we are back in unknown God from Romans one and in other places this month on Summit life. Our aim is to set you up for success with shareable teaching and resource to help you reach out to others.

We packaged together a set of green cards sometimes get all the good intentions in the world are reaching people be like I don't what's the first step.

This is to help you with the first step in inspirational versus on theme on the front on the blank in the inside and become the use of Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays to be able to start the conversation worse than 20 inspirational today financial $35 parking. Call 8665 24. Give online events. Be sure to listen tomorrow and Friday night clear career ministry