SermonRecognizing God Around Us
An all-creatures Bible Message

Recognizing God Around Us
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
24 June 2018
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Psalm 21:1-13
Mark 4:35-41
Romans 1:20
2 Corinthians 6:1-15

Recognizing God around us should be an everyday occurrence, because we should be able to see His presence in every aspect of His creation.
 
It’s just as we are told in Romans 1:20…

20. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
NASB

So, if we can recognize God around us in His creation, then we should also understand His heavenly will, and how He desires us to live.
 
Unfortunately, most people, including professing Christians don’t live like they recognize this fact or understand it, for they continue to further corrupt creation rather than help free it from its present corruption.
 
In Psalm 21:1-13, King David seems to be referring to himself in the third person…

1. O LORD, in Thy strength the king will be glad,
And in Thy salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
 
2. Thou hast given him his heart's desire,
And Thou hast not withheld the request of his lips.
Selah.

This can be true for any of us, if we are truly recognizing God around us and living in the heavenly will of God, but as we know, David did many things that were not in the heavenly will of God; so, what David is writing here is not always true; thus, we need to qualify the words of this psalm, and seriously analyze our own motives and lifestyle when we pray for something.

3. For Thou dost meet him with the blessings of good things;
Thou dost set a crown of fine gold on his head.
 
4. He asked life of Thee,
Thou didst give it to him,
Length of days forever and ever.

None of us live forever in the earthly abode, but all who are truly children of God can live forever in heaven.
 
And we also need to remember that a vital part of being children of God is helping to free creation (humans, animals, and the environment we all live in) from its present corruption.
 
If we are contributing to the corruption of creation, such as through the eating and wearing of animal products, we cannot also be children of God, for the two oppose one another; we cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in heaven.
 
We can only serve one master, and if we want the blessings of God, we need to be living in His heavenly will.

5. His glory is great through Thy salvation,
Splendor and majesty Thou dost place upon him.
 
6. For Thou dost make him most blessed forever;
Thou dost make him joyful with gladness in Thy presence.

Remember, this can only be true if we are living in God’s heavenly will.

7. For the king trusts in the LORD,
And through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken.
 
8. Your hand will find out all your enemies;
Your right hand will find out those who hate you.

The Holy Spirit will guide each and every one of us to discern the same things, that is, if we listen to Him.
 
Unfortunately, most people don’t do this, including most professing Christians, which in our opinion is the reason that there is so much violence in the world, and why millions of humans and billions of other animals suffer and die every year.

9. You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger;
The LORD will swallow them up in His wrath,
And fire will devour them.
 
10. Their offspring Thou wilt destroy from the earth,
And their descendants from among the sons of men.

Think about it...aren’t human beings really the main cause of destroying both the world and ourselves?
 
And, the Lord is allowing us to do it; we are suffering because of our own evil intent.

11. Though they intended evil against Thee,
And devised a plot,
They will not succeed.
 
12. For Thou wilt make them turn their back;
Thou wilt aim with Thy bowstrings at their faces.
 
13. Be Thou exalted, O LORD, in Thy strength;
We will sing and praise Thy power.
NASB

We all should be doing this, but it means very little, if we don’t also become peacemaking children of God who do everything they can to help free creation from its present corruption.
 
Today, we know who Jesus is, but what about the people in Jesus’ day as we are told in Mark 4:35-41…

35. And on that day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee]." 
 
36. And leaving the multitude, they took Him along with them, just as He was, in the boat; and other boats were with Him.
 
37. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.
 
38. And He Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"

What did they think that Jesus was going to do?
 
They must have thought something, or they wouldn’t have awakened Him.

39. And being aroused, He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.
 
40. And He said to them, "Why are you so timid? How is it that you have no faith?" 

What did Jesus think they should have done?
 
Did He expect them to use the power that Jesus had given them to do exactly what He did?
 
That sure seems to be the case.

41. And they became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"
NASB

Were they afraid, because they were recognizing God among them, and they failed to acknowledge it?
 
We believe that they did recognize Jesus as being Lord, for no one else could do the things that Jesus did.
 
In 2 Corinthians 4:1-15, Paul is telling the people that they should be recognizing God around us…

1. Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,
 
2. but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

The only way any of us could have this kind of ministry is if we were recognizing God around us and within us, because we would need the power to speak with authority so that others would also realize that God was speaking through us.
 
We have all seen the results of people, including many clergy, who are so caught up in the corrupt ways of this world, that they actually promote their worldly ways instead of the heavenly will of God.
 
And we strongly believe that this is the reason that we have so much violence in the world around us, which leads to millions of humans and billions of other animals to suffer and die every year.

3. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
 
4. in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

This seems to be the reason that we have so much violence in the world, and why so many people are not recognizing God around us.
 
This also is why people are so indifferent to the pain and violence that causes millions of humans and billions of animals to suffer and die every year.

5. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.
 
6. For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

We hope that we all have received this light and power within our hearts and souls.

7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;

In other words, the Holy Spirit who indwells all children of God guides us in our understanding in such a heavenly way that we don’t become affected by the corrupt ways of this world.

8. we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
 
9. persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
 
10. always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

This is what happens with all true born again believers who live in the heavenly will of God.
 
These are the true children of God who have empathy for the whole of God’s creation.

11. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

This death is from the world that also causes so much pain and suffering.

12. So death works in us, but life in you.
 
13. But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed, therefore I spoke, "we also believe, therefore also we speak;
 
14. knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.

This is the promise of salvation and resurrection, which we believe is also for all the animals.

15. For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.
NASB

We sure hope this will come to pass very soon for the sake of all the humans and other animals who suffer and die every year.
 
The people who follow the corrupt and evil ways of this world greatly outnumber us who follow the heavenly will of God, and this is the reason that we must constantly speak forth the truth to counter the evil in the world.
 
We cannot afford to be timid or shy; we must be strong in the Lord, and our assurance comes from recognizing God around us.
 
Amen.

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