Join Charles Stanley as he explores the profound truth that God reveals Himself in numerous ways, particularly in our darkest moments. Through natural creation, the conscience of man, the scriptures, and the living word of Jesus Christ, we are invited to deepen our understanding of His divine presence. This episode challenges misconceptions about God and provides insights into how His revelations guide us towards truth and redemption.
Welcome to the In Touch Podcast with Charles Stanley for Thursday, December 11th. The scriptures show that God reveals himself most powerfully in our darkest moments. Join us as we begin a new series of messages to discover the God who cares enough to reveal himself.
SPEAKER 01 :
People have all kinds of distorted views about God. Sometimes there are those who feel that God is some kind of an indulgent father who just gives you whatever you ask. There are others who believe that God, rather than being an indulgent father, is some kind of an impersonal force out yonder floating around in the atmosphere somewhere. God is not either of those. But God gives us a very clear picture of what He’s like. One of the first ways that God chose to reveal himself to man is to reveal himself to man through the natural creation or the material world. There is a God that is the God who created that. But I want to tell you this. That worship of creation isn’t sufficient enough. to be accepted in the eyes of God, and nowhere in the Bible does it even indicate that it’s true. So stay with me. The second way that God chose to reveal Himself is He chose to reveal Himself in the conscience of man. God has given to every man and woman a conscience. We are born with it. A person is not born an atheist, born an agnostic, born with a conscience. God, he says, that which is known about God is evident within them, for God made it evident to them. He has written upon the table of every man and woman’s conscience, there is a God. And therefore, men who say that there is no God are inexcusable. You see, unbelief does not make me no longer responsible to God and accountable to Him. You see, unbelief and doubt and disobedience doesn’t make me unaccountable. I am accountable while He says, first of all, that God has revealed enough of Himself in the material universe, the natural universe, that man has to know if he’s honest with himself, there is a being, somebody above and beyond all this who’s put it together. Now, he says man’s response has been… To choose not to believe that. It’s a choice he makes. Choose not to believe that. And then to create himself some God. And so he worships something in the form of stone or gold or silver or wood or the sun or the stars or something in the natural universe. What is it? It is man on the inside acknowledging there is a God. but creating his own God, and oftentimes so futile. Somebody says, wait a minute, what I’m concerned about is those folks who’ve never heard about Jesus Christ. What about them? Well, let me say, first of all, several things. Number one, one of the attributes of God is that He’s just. Another is that He’s holy, that He’s righteous, that He is true. You never have to worry about a God who is holy, just, truth, and righteous being unfair. Three things by which he will judge every individual. The light of truth that we have heard and received. The opportunity we had and what we did with the opportunity. The light of truth we heard, how much? The opportunity we had to do with that truth and what we did with it. And that makes it all fair and just. You never have to worry about God being unfair. The issue is this, that written upon the tablet, the heart, the conscience of every man and woman, there is the evidence of God. The moral law of God is written there. All of it, no. But enough to render men and women inexcusable. None of us have lived up to all the light we have. I wish I could tell you I’ve lived up to all the light that I have. I have not. I want to and I’m working at it and I’m trusting God, but I’m not there yet. And I have a sneaking suspicion I’ll never get there until Jesus comes. But you see, God will judge us on the basis of light of the truth that we’ve had, the opportunity we have and what we do with it. So you don’t have to worry about that. God is fair and just. The question is this. In your conscience, God has written the table of His law. Not all of it, but enough of it. That a man knows whether he’s doing good or evil. It is when men turn away from the truth and turn away and turn away, and they give themselves over to absolute evil, satanic evil, that they do the bizarre, horrible things that we see men doing. You know what that shows us? That shows us the capacity of evil in its fullest expression. Well, there’s a third way that this loving Father who cares for us has revealed Himself, and that’s in His Word. You see, I want you to turn to two or three passages, and if you’ll turn to 2 Peter for just a moment. Verse 20 of chapter 1, 2 Peter. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit Spoke from God. What we’re saying here is this. That God revealed Himself not only in the material universe. He revealed Himself to the conscience of man. And now He’s given to you and to me this book, the Bible. And He began it by speaking to men in those Old Testament days. And what did He do? He overpowered them, guarded them and guided them through the Holy Spirit so that men inspired by God, through the Holy Spirit, those men wrote what God dictated them to write. And out of their personality, out of their being, governed by the Holy Spirit, they gave to us what we have in the Old Testament of the law and the prophets and all the scriptures and so forth. So God in His revelation has given us this book. Turn to 2 Timothy and look, if you will, at the third chapter. 2 Timothy chapter 3. He says in verse 16, “…all Scripture is inspired by God.” And profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. In order that men and women of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. That is, this book has a purpose. This is God’s instruction book. Now I want you to think about something. Would God, who has the power to create this universe and set every single law in motion, who governs in God’s every star, the moon, the sun, all that he’s placed in this universe, all the natural laws that take place moment by moment while we’re sleeping and while we awake, God’s great universe is at work. cannot a God who can keep all of that in perfect order, can He not also speak to human individuals and so guide and govern and guard them that they will write exactly what God says right? Is it even consistent with thinking about God that this holy, righteous God of truth would give me a book with errors in it to guide my living? That’s not even reasonable. You see, people who believe all that stuff, and that’s what it is, They don’t know God. This God who revealed himself in nature, this God who revealed himself in our conscience has given us an instruction book worthy of our following. And listen, every time I’ve ever come to this book looking for an answer, without fail, God always has an answer in his book. You know what? You can go to philosophy books, poetry books, history books, science books, geography books, you name the books, and you’re going to come away thinking, now what shall I do? You can go to this book and say, God, what shall I do? And God’s going to give you an answer. There isn’t anything outdated in this book. Not a single thing. Because it’s one of the ways God has revealed himself to man. Well, the fourth way is the living word of God. Now, back to Hebrews chapter 1. This is what he’s saying in that second verse. He says, Now I want you to turn to Colossians chapter 1. He says here he is the exact representation of his nature. In Colossians chapter 1, in verse 15. And he, that is Christ, is the image of the invisible God. Now… Think about how God cares for you and me. Not only would He reveal Himself in nature and in our conscience and give us this written word, but He’s given to us the living word. That is, God chose to come to earth and walk among men so that you and I would really know what God is like. Now, there are three passages of Scripture I want us to look at. Go to John chapter 1. John chapter 1. When John begins his gospel, he says, he wrote it that you and I might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and believing in Him that we might be saved. But John chapter 1, verse 1, he begins his gospel in this fashion. In the beginning was the Word. The word he uses there is a word which means that in the beginning… Before the creation, in the beginning was the Word. That is, from the beginning back into the endless time of eternity past, in the beginning was the Word, Christ was. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That is, Jesus Christ, who is the living Word, was with the Father before creation. He himself is a part of the creation, created man, and then everything that happens, that is creation. He says, Jesus Christ is the Word, the living Word. That’s what he’s referring to in this passage. Now, go to the 14th verse, if you will. And he says, Do you remember what he said to the woman at the well when he was talking about God? He says, And God is what? God is spirit. And they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Now, look at this verse. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. That is the glory of Christ. Glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. When Jesus Christ came, here’s what happened. God assumed human flesh. That is Jesus Christ who was with the Father. The Word was with God and the Word was God in the past. He assumed human flesh and lived among men, born of a virgin Mary, born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the Trinity involved in the birth. Jesus Christ came into this world… And He came ultimately to reveal the Father and the Father’s love and the Father’s grace and the Father’s plan to redeem mankind. That is, God took upon Himself human flesh. Jesus came to give us the full revelation. That is, the full and final revelation of who God is and what He’s like. Now look, if you will, in verse 18, same chapter, John 1, 18. He says, no man has seen God at any time. The only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained it. Now look at that. No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten God. The Bible says in John 3, 16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only what? Begotten Son. That’s what we’re talking about, Jesus. The only begotten God is Christ, who is in the bosom of the Father. He, look at this, He that is Christ has explained God, the Father. That is, He’s explained God. The coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh explained the true, full nature of God. So when somebody says, well, I believe in God, but I don’t believe in this Jesus bit, my friend, the only way you can know God is to know him in Christ. That’s the only way you can know him. And what he’s saying in this passage is, he says, he is God. Now I want you to turn to the 14th chapter of John. Fourteenth chapter of John. We’re talking about the fact that He cares enough for us to reveal Himself and He cares enough for us to come and show us in human flesh. Look at this. Verse 7, this is a real important passage about the Father and the Son. Verse 7 says of John 14, If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you know him and have seen him. Well, what do you mean by that? Philip said to him, Lord, show us the Father, and it’s enough for us. And Jesus said to him, Have I been so long with you, and yet you’ve not come to know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, sure is the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father abiding in me does His works. Here’s what He’s saying. He says, you want to see the Father? Jesus said, you want to see the Father? Look at me. He says, if you have seen me, you’ve seen the Father. Now, either Jesus Christ is God or He’s the world’s greatest liar, counterfeit, and fraud. He can’t be both. He’s either God or he’s a fraud. Now watch this. Have you ever been guilty of this? Somebody says, you know, look, I believe in God. Don’t give me a hard time about this Jesus, but I believe in God. But I don’t believe in Jesus. Now, I believe there’s a God and I believe there’s a heaven and hell and all that, but you know, I just don’t believe in Jesus. And if you’re not careful, you’re going to say, well, you know, He is a good man, she’s a good lady, and I mean, they believe in God, they just don’t believe in Jesus. Wait a minute. If you agree with that, listen to me carefully, you compromise the basic underlying foundational truth of your whole relationship to God. If Jesus Christ isn’t God, the whole Christian faith is a fraud. Because it is based on a person, Jesus Christ, whose life in his resurrection verified that he’s dead and that he’s God. And those of us who’ve been saved by his grace and his goodness and love and mercy, we’ve lived with him long enough and served him long enough and followed him long enough that he has never given us one single solitary indication in all of these years that I’ve lived for him that he’s anything less than God. Don’t let the world intimidate you. My friend, He is our God. And He is our only hope of redemption. And Jesus said in the verse before, verse 7 there in the 14th chapter, He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man… Listen to this. This is why I want you to understand it. No man comes to the Father but by Me. Why? Because I’m God. Jesus says, I’m God. How can you come to God and avoid God? You say, well, aren’t there three gods? Never is there three gods. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are the three persons of the Trinity that make up the Godhead, which is one. Each one has a different role. But there’s only one God. God the Father has his part. God the Son has his part. God the Holy Spirit has his part. All three different persons of the Trinity that make up the Godhead, which is one. How can a person avoid God and get to God? You can’t do it. They say, oh, that’s a bunch of semantics. Well, I believe in God, but I don’t believe in Jesus. Well, I understand that, but I want to tell you, my friend, and I tell you this in love because I care. Not to be ugly, not to be narrow-minded, but to be truthful. And if I told you anything but this, I would not be telling you the truth. Jesus said he was God. Jesus is God, God the Son, and all redemption, all salvation comes through Him. Otherwise, let me ask you a question. If you don’t believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you believe in God, let me ask you a question. If you think that you can get to God without Christ, how are you going to get to Him? How are you going to get to Him? Listen to this. Now, wait a minute. God is holy, righteous, just. How are you going to get to him if you avoid Christ? Well, the only way you can get to him is by being good. How good are you going to have to be? I’m not sure. How long are you going to have to be good? Well, I don’t know about that. Well, how will you ever know when you’re good enough? Well, I don’t guess anybody knows that. You mean to tell me that one of these days you’re going to stand before God and He’s going to weigh, and if the good outweighs the bad, that you’re going to get to heaven, and if the bad outweighs the good, you’re going to be lost? Well, I guess so. That’s not what the Bible teaches, but that’s the way some people feel. Let me ask you a question. Is it not true that in the mind of a holy God that many things that you and I think are good are not good in His eyes? My friend, apart from Jesus Christ, and I tell you this because I love you. Listen, apart from Jesus Christ, you cannot be accepted in the eyes of God because the only way you’re going to be accepted is by your conduct and your behavior. And you’ve sinned against God and disobeyed God and sin separates you from God. And what you have to ask is, can I do enough good things to get me back in the graces of God? And the answer is no, because he is a holy God and holiness separates us from God. And the only way you can be made acceptable in the eyes of God is God’s way. And you know what God’s way is? He came to earth. in the person of Jesus Christ, laid down his life at Calvary in order that all of us, every single solitary one of us, has sinned against him and been separated from him. And all of us who are willing to say, Lord Jesus, I do trust you as my personal Savior. I confess my sins to acknowledge that you are the Son of God and you’re my only hope. In that moment, you are made acceptable in the eyes of God. In that moment, you can know for certain for the rest of your life that you belong to God and you’re a child of God and you don’t have to go through life wondering whether you are or not. My friend, think about it. He paid the full price for your sin. And if you’re willing to acknowledge Him as your personal Savior, and trust him for the forgiveness of your sins. You can be saved, forgiven, and forever a child of God. How much does he love us? How much does he care? He cares enough to reveal himself in nature, in my conscience, in his word, and through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And I want to say this one more time. Listen carefully. If you allow someone to convince you and persuade you that Jesus Christ was a good man of philosophy, a great teacher, and a great benefactor of human life, but that He was not God, you have compromised the basic tenet, the solid foundational principle of the whole Christian faith, and you have made life’s worst compromise. But you don’t have to do that. You can simply say Jesus Christ is now the Son of God, Jesus Christ is God, and I trust Him enough to rest my whole eternal future on that factor.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you for listening to The God Who Cares Enough to Reveal Himself. If you’d like to know more about Charles Stanley or InTouch Ministries, stop by intouch.org. This podcast is a presentation of InTouch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia.
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