What do you believe God does?

[cuja1]

I don't mean this thread in an accusatory, or in a critical way. I'm just interested in what people believe as to what extent God plays a role in our universe.

What do you think God does? I know He created the universe, sent Jesus to die for our sins, and forgives. But what do you believe He does on a regular basis?

Here's a few examples, "He wakes me up in the morning", "He reminds me when I start going astray" You can even go into more depth such as "He communicates via my thoughts" Or He is directly responsible for every living cell in every living organism to divide and copy itself correctly.

Some people have said that He gives us our breath. I take that to mean that every breath we take is somehow caused by God.

You can be as detailed as you wish

 

[dysert]

This is a great topic, and one that I hope gets a lot of replies. There was a time in my life when I called myself a "Christian Deist" because I didn't think God was all that active in the world today. I based that belief on the fact that there's so much senseless suffering in the world. To be honest, I still struggle with how active He is in the world even though all my life I've heard that He's a "personal God" and is very active in all our lives even though we may not realize it.

I'd say that at a minimum the Holy Spirit convicts people of sin and calls them to repentance. I also suppose that God's continuous power is necessary for the continued existence of the world and that without it things would immediately come apart.

I'm eager to hear what others have to say.

 

[cuja1]

Thank you for your reply dysert!
I'll go ahead and talk about what I think God does in our reality, though I probably won't be able to supply an exhaustive list.

I believe that God has an immense amount of control on what goes on here on earth by merely being able to communicate with us via our thoughts. Without God's wisdom in our own personal thoughts, we would all be converted into mindless animals. He keeps us from making horrible decisions by reminding us what is important to us. For example, we might be on the verge of "going postal", or screaming or lashing out at someone in some way, but with a mere thought interjected by God about how that would be detrimental to our well being or someone else's well being we are able to contain ourselves. God's speaking via our minds also affects us when He acts through other people. When God is silent, this may be what the scripture has referred to as God "hardening someone's heart"; though it is actually just God not providing power to someone that He is not obligated to give. Most of what goes on in our world can be attributed to God speaking or not speaking to someone. Why and when He choses to speak I don't know.

I would imagine that He exerts some form of control on the weather but I'm not sure how much He affects it on a regular basis. Natural processes such as pressure, temperature, seasons, probably regularly just run their courses, but I have no doubt that He is capable of altering the course of weather if He deems it necessary.

I think He exerts some control of things on an atomic level perhaps, causing one thing to move in a certain way though it may appear random. Which leads to another thought. Let's talk about sports. I'm not much of a sports person, I think God specifically gave some people athletic abilities and others not so much. I think physically and perhaps through some amount of mental push, God is capable of affecting the out comes of games. Not that He's a fan of any particular team, but I think He might use sports to teach people something. Perhaps it is to teach them about sportsmanship, perhaps it is a gift to people who enjoy sports (which leads me to think of another thing God does), perhaps it is to help people realize Who is the one that gives them their talents. The possibilities are many.

Back to what people enjoy. I believe that God gives each person something that they enjoy. Some enjoy gardening, some enjoy walking, some enjoy model trains, some enjoy sports, some enjoy, computers, some enjoy etc... The list is endless. These things that people enjoy help determine their lives and the lives of others. He can even change what people enjoy. One year, out of the blue I started to like the Spanish language. The urge to learn it was over whelming. When God gives you these desires it is difficult (dare I say impossible) to alter your destiny unless God wills it.

O.k. so this is getting long. I'll leave off there. Feel free to comment on or criticize what I've mentioned.

 

[kidwboro]

Back to what people enjoy. I believe that God gives each person something that they enjoy. Some enjoy gardening, some enjoy walking, some enjoy model trains, some enjoy sports, some enjoy, computers, some enjoy etc... The list is endless. These things that people enjoy help determine their lives and the lives of others. He can even change what people enjoy. One year, out of the blue I started to like the Spanish language. The urge to learn it was over whelming. When God gives you these desires it is difficult (dare I say impossible) to alter your destiny unless God wills it.

Amen. God gives us richly all things to enjoy. These things come and go, but the Lord who provided them lives for ever and ever. If He so clothe us which are but a vapour of time on earth, how much more so shall He clothe us in the eternal places in Christ Jesus?

 

[miamited]

Hi cuja,

Well, to start with, it's all His! He engineered it, designed it and created it all. According to the Scriptures, He actually and actively works in it according to His will. In other words, when He decides that He wants to do something in this realm that He created, He has the authority and power to do so, and has done so at various times.

However, I am not one who agrees that God is so active that He leads us to the job that He wants us to have, although He can. I don't understand Him as leading us to the wife we should marry, although He can. In other words, I don't see Him as fretting and wringing His hands day in and day out moving us here and there in all the various and sundry choices that we make in life. I see Him as teaching us right from wrong. The ways of righteousness and the ways of sin. Then He leaves it up to us individually, for the most part, to make the choices that we make.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[Soyeong]

God keeps the universe in existence at every moment in which it exists.

 

[cuja1]

Hi cuja,

Well, to start with, it's all His! He engineered it, designed it and created it all. According to the Scriptures, He actually and actively works in it according to His will. In other words, when He decides that He wants to do something in this realm that He created, He has the authority and power to do so, and has done so at various times.

However, I am not one who agrees that God is so active that He leads us to the job that He wants us to have, although He can. I don't understand Him as leading us to the wife we should marry, although He can. In other words, I don't see Him as fretting and wringing His hands day in and day out moving us here and there in all the various and sundry choices that we make in life. I see Him as teaching us right from wrong. The ways of righteousness and the ways of sin. Then He leaves it up to us individually, for the most part, to make the choices that we make.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

In what ways do you believe that He teaches us right from wrong?

 

[cuja1]

God keeps the universe in existence at every moment in which it exists.

So you believe that if He were to stop exerting whatever force it is that He exerts on the universe, it would cease to exist?

 

[Soyeong]

So you believe that if He were to stop exerting whatever force it is that He exerts on the universe, it would cease to exist?

Indeed, if God were to stop actualizing the universe, then it would cease to exist.

 

[miamited]

In what ways do you believe that He teaches us right from wrong?

Hi cuja,

Through His Scriptures. At one point in the old covenant He says to Israel, "Stop doing wrong and learn to do right". His Scriptures are where we learn to do right.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[cuja1]

Hi cuja,

Through His Scriptures. At one point in the old covenant He says to Israel, "Stop doing wrong and learn to do right". His Scriptures are where we learn to do right.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

That's us reading the Bible then that teaches us wrong and right.
What part do you believe that God plays in teaching us wrong and right?

 

[cuja1]

Indeed, if God were to stop actualizing the universe, then it would cease to exist.

I've considered that before, I'm not sure if I believe that, but it's possible.

 

[Soyeong]

I've considered that before, I'm not sure if I believe that, but it's possible.

You might be interested in this:

 

[zippy2]

I believe God gave His eternal laws to teach us right from wrong.

But, God is very busy, not only on earth but with all creation: stars, planets, moons, etc. I am not prideful enough to believe there is only life here on this tiny corner of the universe. God's creation is unimaginally vast....too big for us to contemplate with much accuracy. So, He is very busy and He is very BIG.

I don't think He wrings His hands over us either. He hears our prayers and He acts as His will dictates, He gave us His laws and He gave us His Son so we should be able to figure most of it out on our own. He loves His creation immensely; more than we can ever realize with our puny brains. Just think about your own child if you are so blessed.
Imagine giving that child over to someone who is going to harm him and torture him and kill him...for what? For some creatures who will not obey you, will not trust you, and will not follow you! Yet you give your precious child to them, for them, because of them. That is love i do not understand. Not in a million years because I know how much i love my own child. Maybe in heaven i will understand better.

so on all these other worlds does the same thing happen or does it change? Are there new twists and turns to the eternal life of our Lord and our God? So much to wonder. Does He speak the Word and they are formed as we were; does He speak and they are gone? He has to be so very busy. It seems He would not have time to hear my little prayers...yet He tells me He does. He tells me in His great message to us that He loves and cares and the proof of the matter is: JESUS.

I wonder if those other worlds have Jesus? I pity them if they do not.
Zippy2

 

[miamited]

That's us reading the Bible then that teaches us wrong and right.
What part do you believe that God plays in teaching us wrong and right?

Hi cuja,

Well, I would add that today we have the Holy Spirit -- if we are born again. Of course, after the Exodus God spoke through His prophets to deliver the law which is the explanation of the start of His teaching. In the new covenant we have, today, the written words that Jesus spoke regarding right and wrong and, of course, the letters of the first disciples regarding the subject.

As far as I'm aware, that's about it.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[Kevin W]

I believe that God spends his time creating through us to build his kingdom.

 

[cuja1]

Hi cuja,

Well, I would add that today we have the Holy Spirit -- if we are born again. Of course, after the Exodus God spoke through His prophets to deliver the law which is the explanation of the start of His teaching. In the new covenant we have, today, the written words that Jesus spoke regarding right and wrong and, of course, the letters of the first disciples regarding the subject.

As far as I'm aware, that's about it.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

So the Holy Spirit is VERY busy I would imagine helping us choose to do the right thing.

 

[cuja1]

I believe God gave His eternal laws to teach us right from wrong.

But, God is very busy, not only on earth but with all creation: stars, planets, moons, etc. I am not prideful enough to believe there is only life here on this tiny corner of the universe. God's creation is unimaginally vast....too big for us to contemplate with much accuracy. So, He is very busy and He is very BIG.

I don't think He wrings His hands over us either. He hears our prayers and He acts as His will dictates, He gave us His laws and He gave us His Son so we should be able to figure most of it out on our own. He loves His creation immensely; more than we can ever realize with our puny brains. Just think about your own child if you are so blessed.
Imagine giving that child over to someone who is going to harm him and torture him and kill him...for what? For some creatures who will not obey you, will not trust you, and will not follow you! Yet you give your precious child to them, for them, because of them. That is love i do not understand. Not in a million years because I know how much i love my own child. Maybe in heaven i will understand better.

so on all these other worlds does the same thing happen or does it change? Are there new twists and turns to the eternal life of our Lord and our God? So much to wonder. Does He speak the Word and they are formed as we were; does He speak and they are gone? He has to be so very busy. It seems He would not have time to hear my little prayers...yet He tells me He does. He tells me in His great message to us that He loves and cares and the proof of the matter is: JESUS.

I wonder if those other worlds have Jesus? I pity them if they do not.
Zippy2

I would have to think that if people on earth can be saved without actually having the gospel preached to them, then people on other planets (if they exist) can also be saved.

Who knows, maybe life there is totally different. Maybe they know there is life on other planets and they know what happened on our planet. I'm just conjecturing, but it could be a possibility.

The gospel would probably sound a little like scientology to them I bet.

The narrative would go "Many years ago on a planet far away the Son of God came to the planet earth and was crucified for our sins...", you never know.

 

[miamited]

So the Holy Spirit is VERY busy I would imagine helping us choose to do the right thing.

Hi cuja,

Friend, the Holy Spirit is our link. If we don't have him we don't have anything. Yes, Jesus told us that his job was to give us all knowledge of the things of God. His job is to convict us of both righteousness and sin. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit that Paul referred to as our 'deposit' from God that makes us who we are. If we haven't been born again, born of the Spirit, then we will not be going to be with Jesus. My name will not be found in the Lamb's book of life, if I don't have the indwelling Holy Spirit. I just won't be there!

I can proclaim that I am a Christian all I like. I can stand on the street corners of my town yelling at people that I'm a Christian. I can attend worship services seven days a week and I can lead ministries for the glory of Christ all over the world. I can drive out demons and perform mighty miracles in the name of the Son of God. I can pound on a pulpit as a teacher of the truth of God -- but if I don't have the indwelling Holy Spirit, I'm not going. Yes, he's very busy.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[zippy2]

Hi cuja,

Friend, the Holy Spirit is our link. If we don't have him we don't have anything. Yes, Jesus told us that his job was to give us all knowledge of the things of God. His job is to convict us of both righteousness and sin. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit that Paul referred to as our 'deposit' from God that makes us who we are. If we haven't been born again, born of the Spirit, then we will not be going to be with Jesus. My name will not be found in the Lamb's book of life, if I don't have the indwelling Holy Spirit. I just won't be there!

I can proclaim that I am a Christian all I like. I can stand on the street corners of my town yelling at people that I'm a Christian. I can attend worship services seven days a week and I can lead ministries for the glory of Christ all over the world. I can drive out demons and perform mighty miracles in the name of the Son of God. I can pound on a pulpit as a teacher of the truth of God -- but if I don't have the indwelling Holy Spirit, I'm not going. Yes, he's very busy.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Have you considered that one can not even confess the Name of Jesus without the Holy Spirit? Yes, He is very busy.