Character of God: Exploring the Nature and Character of God

Tune in as we explore the most important question in faith: What is God really like? The way we understand God’s character shapes how we see the world, how we relate to Him and how we live our lives daily. 

Key Characteristics: Patient, holy, gracious, forgiving, faithful, compassionate, loving, wise and merciful 

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:13

Welcome back, everybody. Today we will be going over nine names that are God's character. There you go. Yeah. There's a lot more, obviously, but um we're excited just to get into this and to share just these nine characteristics that we feel are. I mean, all of his characteristics, of course, are important. But I think we just went through a list of like a lot of them and we chose these ones because some of them impacted us in our lives, or it's just good to kind of be able to share about that. So we're gonna get oh, this is saved and sanctified. Yeah, this is Alyssa. We've got Janae and Mike. And yeah, Mikey's gonna get us started with one of the names.

SPEAKER_01 1:00

Yeah. Well, you want to open us up in prayer?

SPEAKER_04 1:04

Yeah. Yeah, let's do that. Okay. Lord, we just thank you for this time that we get to gather before you and just um learn about who you are and how that applies to us and how that affects our lives and our relationship with you, God. And um, I just pray that they would be your words that are spoken forth through these microphones, God. Um, as we just dive into your core characteristics and just learn about you and dive into your word in Jesus' name, amen.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Amen. So um for me a little bit about the characteristics. I just want to say that these are some things that we as followers should be practicing. Um, you know, when God talks about we are created in his image, there's a word that's also used that also means character. So when God's talking about how we are created in his image, he's also talking about his character. So when we're talking about his characteristics, we should be mindful to what we're talking about because these are things that we should be exercising with our faith, and um especially as believers of Christ, we should be um mimicking these things, not just to do them, but to actually live by them, right? Uh my first one is my first characteristic is forgiving. Um so I went to first John uh chapter one verse nine, where I'll read that for us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Um I picked this. Honestly, I don't even know why I picked this scripture because I have scriptures written down in my notes that I don't remember writing, but obviously it it ties in. So um, yeah, so he gives us a way to understand how we are forgiven by him is when we confess our sins. And sometimes we think that maybe if we're not confessing our sins, that we are not forgiven. Um, and that's not true, that's not fully true. I mean, if we accept Christ as our as our savior, uh, we are forgiven by the the sacrifice of him. But um this is just another thing that God teaches us and and helps us to live our daily lives. It's like, well, why should I even confess my sins if I'm already forgiven by Christ, right? But it shows us that or it shows God that we are actually um we're confessing to him that we have made a mistake and that we need a way out, right? So this is why he gives us this scripture is to help us to be humble and come to him for help when we do need it. I know sometimes it's like even for me, it's hard to confess what's going on in my life because I feel ashamed, and I think that's what's great about this characteristic about God is that even though you know sometimes we get into that part of our lives where it's shameful and hard to talk about, he's still there and willing to um listen to us and forgive us. You know, he doesn't take um he there's not like a scoreboard on um how many things we do and uh what w how many times we've wronged him, and he's he's gonna forgive us if we come to him in all honesty and and being open and just really confessing that we are not um perfect and that we need him.

SPEAKER_04 5:17

Yeah, I always think of like when people say like he keeps no records of wrongs. And I think that just shows like his forgiveness, like he provides us with a clean slate. It's not just like when you do something wrong and you're like, oh, I'm sorry, mom, and she's like, Oh, it's okay, honey. It's like he almost just like forgets about it. It's just like once we repent, it's like okay, it's gone. Like it, he's not gonna bring it up again. Like the enemy's the one that like will bring it up again and try to torment us with it. But it's like God's like a clean slate. He's like, nope, you're forgiven. Like, I already sent my son to die for that. Like it's covered.

SPEAKER_06 6:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:04

And it makes me think of Psalms 130 in verse four. It says, But with you there is forgiveness so that we can with reverence serve you. It's like he forgives us for our sake so that we can continue to do his work, so we can continue to go about our lives in alignment with him. You know, it's like we realign ourselves when we fall out of line. It's like, no, no, no, just come back to me. Okay, don't worry about it. It's gone. Never happened. Like, let's just keep moving forward. And I just think it's amazing that we get to have that. You know, it's like I we need it. Where would we be without God and we need forgiveness to have God?

SPEAKER_01 6:57

Yeah, because I we'd we'd probably like we'd continue to do good works to try to gain that forgiveness. But I think that's that's another thing that we forget a lot of times is like because Jesus came and was sacrificed, we don't have to do that anymore. I mean, we do have to live a life that glorifies God and you know, and that comes with the fruit, so like doing good things, but not just like let me do this good thing so I can gain something so I get something out of it, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 7:36

Yeah, it's because we want like when we're remembering that he's forgiving and we're being led to repentance, then we're being brought back into our relationship with him again. Yeah. Beyond who wants us to forget that we're forgiven for everything that we've ever done and we ever will do. Um and yeah, he wants us to just feel shame and all that, but we have to remember that God is for a forgiving God. And it's good to know that. It gives assurance for sure.

SPEAKER_05 8:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:13

I think it reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13, I think, too. So we've been going through that, and it's talking about love um doesn't keep a record of wrongs at all, like, and that's how we're called to love. And the people are always saying, like, they always use that and in at weddings and stuff, you know, and it's like but like the wedding and marriage or husband and wife is literally a reflection of Jesus and his church.

SPEAKER_04 8:37

So it's like it we're supposed to resemble God's divine love. And because like his love is rooted in his nature, and if forgiveness is part of his nature, then yeah, they go hand in hand. They do, they do. But I mean, I like the example you brought up because I think a lot of times the world defines love. But if we take a step back and we look at, well, how does God love us? What does it look like to say that God is loving? And one of the verses that I first thought of is also in 1 John. Um, chapter 4, verse 10, it talks about how true love originates from God. It's not based on our efforts. We can't earn God's love. He just loves us. That's why he created us. And he wants to dwell with us. That's why he made a way for us to be forgiven for our sins. Because he wanted to dwell with us, he wants to be in relationship with us. And, you know, if you know the story of Adam and Eve, that's how we got sin in the world. And that's what caused that separation, but he never wanted that separation there.

SPEAKER_06 9:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:51

You know, he wanted us with him. And, you know, it's like he's not trying to get something in return for it. He's not like, I think the world has a way of being like, well, I love you, so you have to do this for me because I love you. And God's not like that. He simply just loves us. Like he just wants to love on us. He wants to delight us. You know, the Bible talks about he wants to give us the desires of our heart. Like he wants to do these things not for personal gain, you know, and there's no limits to God in general, but there's no limits to his love either.

SPEAKER_03 10:32

That's true.

SPEAKER_04 10:33

Which I think is something that I always encourage myself on, because human love is based off of return and emotions and it's self-centered. But God is eternal, his love is unconditional, it's sacrificial, it's beautiful. You know, anyone who knows John 3.16, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. I mean, that's the definition of love right here. It's like, you can't tell me that you're standing at an altar about to marry someone and you're looking at them and saying, I love you with the same words that God tells us. It's like, there's no way. I'm so sorry. I could love you with all my heart, but I probably will not sacrifice myself for you. Let's be real. You know, if it comes down to it, um, you can take your own bullet. Thank you. I'm not Bruno Mars. I will not take a bullet for you. Or jump in front of a train for you. Like, it's not happening, boo-boo. So sorry. But God will. God's like, I literally brought my son into existence so that he could die for you. So that you could be with me. I'm like, I'm sorry, there's nothing better than that. If that's true. Can't tell me otherwise.

SPEAKER_03 12:00

Yeah. And he calls us to love like that too, but it's hard at times. But I think it there is sacrifice and love for sure. Like just like how God sacrifices or sacrificed his son, literally, like for us. And yeah, but I think that's a hard it's hard to be loving to everyone at times, but he calls us to do it too. Like in Corinthians. I think that's why we're going over those like five verses, and it's been like weeks, like every it's patient, it's kind, it's long suffering, it's all this. Like, yeah, love isn't just like a feeling, like the world would say. I think it's it's a lot more than that.

SPEAKER_04 12:43

Yeah. Well, even like Colossians in chapter three, verse 12 through 13, it says how loving others is an intentional decision that we have to make daily. It's not just like a one and done thing. It's like you have to be intentional about it. You have to deliberately choose to love someone. You know, and it's like, as Christians, you know, we hear a lot like, oh, love like Christ, love in the same way that Jesus loved you. And that's showing respect. It's through your actions, you know, acts of kindness, it's being patient with others, it's being understanding, it's being forgiving. You know, it's like reflecting all these characteristics that we're gonna get deep into today and more, you know, because there's just there's so much to God's character. We're just going through the core ones. But I think I forgot what my point was. I don't know, it's just a daily decision that we have to make. We have to choose to be patient, we have to choose to be kind, we have to choose to be loving to people.

SPEAKER_03 13:58

Yeah. Well, when you think of the command where Jesus is like, if you if you could sum up any of the commands, what would it be? Or like the whole Bible, right? It's like love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and love others as yourself. So it's love, loving, it's always like I feel like I don't know if that's as like core one, but I just feel like No, Paul talks about it, how like of all these things, like faith, hope, love is the most important. Like love is always the one, like it's always like just love. But like loving, like that agape love, they say, like in that that that's the way God loves. There's other types of love that we see in the Bible, but most of it is the agape love, like his sacrificial love.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Yeah. Yeah. That's good.

SPEAKER_03 14:50

So my word, I mean, I have a couple, but let's go to pay. We'll do patient. God is patient. Um, because I feel like it ties into the loving and like how he is patient. I have a couple verses as well. Um in 2 Peter 3 9, it says the Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, said he's patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. And I feel like that ties in a lot to even the forgiveness as well, too, because I think when we learn that God is so patient, I feel like I was reading this book to the one that it's like 10 ways God calls us to reflect his character. Um, and when I'm reading through that chapter, it's talking about God's patience and it's talking about how he's so patient with us that he like this verse is saying, like he wants us to eventually be come to repentance. Like he could easily, like, I mean, he is just and he, you know, is perfect. He could easily just put judgment on all of us for the sins we've done. And but he wants to give us like time to really, I think, understand um the importance of repentance, but also so we could be led to repentance. Even like in Romans 2, verse 4, it says how his kindness is intended to lead us to repentance as well, too. So it's just talking about how, you know, understanding like how kind and caring and loving he is, it leads us to want to repent. It leads us to want to go to him. And I've seen that in my own life as well, too. Um, because I think sometimes the enemy wants us to forget like that God is patient and that he loves us and he already knows everything. Um that God knows everything, not Satan. Um but because he's just kind of waiting for us to to be like led to to repent and to um to feel his to do to feel his like patience as well too, or to like to know that he's like right there with you, like even if you're yeah repenting for the same thing over and over again. Right. He is still like, I am he still shows his patience and his love towards us because he he doesn't want anyone to perish, like it's saying in Second Peter, like he wants us all to be able to be with him in heaven, and I think that's why he's so he's just so patient. Like you I think even like with um it's Lot, it was it Lot when Abraham was it Abraham and was Lot his like brother-in-law, the Sodom and Gomorrah story where like or was it was it or was that Moses? No, it wasn't who's the guy? I feel like it was Abraham. I could be wrong. I think so, right? Story of Lot. That sounds weird. Yeah, because his wife turned to Saul. But the thing is, is okay, so this is Sodom and Gomorrah. God is talking to someone, I think it's Abraham, Mikey's figuring out what exact who exactly it was. Um and he's like, okay, if there's only 20 people that are right while you like save the city, is there only if there's only one, if there's only this, like it was it Abraham?

SPEAKER_01 18:27

Lot is Abraham's nephew.

SPEAKER_03 18:29

Oh what is the It is, it's in Genesis. Genesis.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

Genesis nine, I mean Genesis 11 through 19.

SPEAKER_03 18:38

Oh, eleven through nineteen. In there, he's talking to God and he's like saying, like, oh well, if there's only one person, if there's only 15 people, like, will you save them? Will you save them? And God's like, Yes, like I will, I will. Like, not saving the whole city, but he ends up saving um Lot's family, but then he tells him, Don't turn back, because you'll turn to salt, and then the wife, the wife turns back, you know. But I just think it's showing like God's patience because he already knew how Sodom and Gomorra was just so like evil, and he just he just wanted to be done. But I think maybe because of how Abraham was like, Oh, like, come on, God, like maybe we shouldn't do this, or something like that. Like, I think God just showed his patience where he's like, you know, I'll let them go. Or he's done that in the past too, even with like Rahab, like, where he's like, this whole city is horror is like bad, but then when they turn to him, that's the thing is when you turn to him into to repentance, or you turn to him and you believe that who he says he is, like at least the old testament was like he is the God, the true God. Um, and when they're turning to him, then he's like, Okay, now you will be, you will deal, you'll get my patience instead of my my wrath.

SPEAKER_04 19:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:50

And it's just I don't know, it's beautiful to like see that.

SPEAKER_04 19:54

Well, and I love that last point you made because when I think of, you know, God is patient, you know, when I think of that, I think of like him withholding his anger. I mean, there's you know, you think of there's the flood in is that an Exodus where you know everybody knows Noah's Ark. It was why was there a flood? God sent a flood to wipe them out because he was just done. He's like, Y'all are some bad sinners, like you just gotta go. We gotta start over. You know, and that's why he's in the flood to wipe them out. But there's so many other moments in scripture where God withheld his anger because, like you were saying, there were people that stepped in, there were the prophets, and you know, whoever that stepped in and were like, God have mercy on us. You know, and it was like he listened, he's like, Okay, you're right, you're right. Hey, I'm getting a little crazy. But you know, it's it's those moments that God shows his patience, he shows that little moment of kindness, and I mean most people would not. I'm not a very patient person for certain things, but other things I can be. But I think it just shows, like through our faith, through our belief, like God is patient with us, he's willing to be patient with us to a certain extent. That's true. But it's like he just wants that relationship with us so much that he's willing to wait for it until we're ready. I mean, you think about like unbelievers, yeah. He's just sitting there waiting for them to come to him. He's giving them every opportunity he can for them to turn to him because he's like, it's okay, I'll I'll wait. No, you didn't want to talk to that person, you didn't want to hear about my son. Okay, it's fine. It's fine. I'll give you a day and then I'll send someone else. You know, it's like those those times when it really shows like he's willing to wait. Yeah, that's true. Because he knows that what we're

SPEAKER_03 22:13

Yeah. And like I think even in the Second Peter, it's talking about how like it's says like a day is like a thousand years to the Lord and a thousand years is like a day. Like God knows who's gonna come to repentance. He knows who are his children and who are not, like who really are never gonna choose him. And so I think he's patient in knowing, like, okay, it takes time. Like eventually you will want you'll want a new heart. You'll be to a point where I know even myself, I was to that point where I all I could go to was God. And then if I think now after being a believer, um, or really like following him, there's always that piece of like, man, I should have done it sooner. Just imagine. But I'm like, nope, I can't get into that. I think I needed to go through it regardless. But I think it just shows his patience because he knew like that we like all of us would come to him eventually. And he knows that. And we also have to be ready because he is patient, but also like he's gonna come back. Like the world is gonna end one day. There's gonna be a second coming. And if we're not being led to repentance, we don't know. Tomorrow's not always promised. But yeah. I think one other verse I have was just Psalm 145, verse 8. It's funny because it it ties into all the three characteristics I have um that we'll be going over. Uh but because it says the Lord is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in love. So it's just like a mixture of all of it. But yeah. I think it talks about that a lot though, in other just other verses too. Like they they I don't know, copy it. Well, I don't know if it's you know, it's just said a lot. Yeah. It's simple.

SPEAKER_04 23:54

Instead of patient.

SPEAKER_03 23:55

Yeah, because it's mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 23:57

Yeah. I just I think it's such a good description or example, whatever word you want to use. But I think it just explains it so well. Yeah. Of like, yeah, there's moments. I mean, I've had conversations with people that, you know, you're trying to like get them to come to church and they're like, oh, well, why would I but God's so angry? It's like, no, it's actually not. They just want to pull out the one to few moments in the Bible where God just released his anger. But it's like there's so many other beautiful moments where he was slow to anger. Yeah. Where he even just withheld and just swallowed that anger and was like, okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

But even then, if people are really reading their Bible and they're trying to call God this God who's angry, if you read. Did you look at what the people did? Exactly. He's made him angry. He's given them time and time again, like people, prophets, judges, like he's given them like, hey, turn around, turn, turn back to me, turn back to me. Like, yeah. And then he's he just did it count, he always, like in the old testament, done it countless times. That's why he had to send Jesus because he's like.

SPEAKER_04 25:09

Yeah. I had a student that was like, why didn't he just give the Israelites the promised land? Well, I was like, to answer your question, I like went into it and I was like, it was not like everybody just wants to blame God, but did you look at what the people did? Exactly. Sometimes we make him angry. It's the things we do. But it's always like built up over decades.

SPEAKER_03 25:34

Yes, it is. Yeah. That'll be another podcast topic. Man, God's anger. His wrath.

SPEAKER_06 25:45

Yeah. Yeah, that's good.

SPEAKER_01 25:48

Well, my next one ties in kind of. I think it ties in great, but it's c it's funny because like a lot of the scriptures that I picked are like tied into each other. But this one is uh lamentate lamentation lamentations. My bad. Oh, I think I know what uh chapter three, verse twenty-two and twenty-three. So it is because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassion never fail. His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. Like the patient part is like even like in his promises, like he there's a lot of times where God is waiting, but he continues to fulfill those promises for you know the prophets, um, for his people, you know, every time he's made a promise to us, it is f fulfilled. And if it hasn't been, it it will be. So it just shows like how, you know, even like you were talking about like the people, a lot of times the people are they forget God. Like there's a good there's a period where they're loving him, worshiping him, and then there's a period where they're just like they completely forget what he's done, where he's brought them out of. Even like the people um that he had, I believe was the Israelites, but they're like, Why would you take us out? No, it's the Jews, my bad. Where he they were slaves, and then he takes them out, and then they're like, We we would have better food over there, we would have you know water, we'd have a place to sleep, and we're here wandering in the forest, and it's like God just took you out of slavery, and you're gonna, you know, and then it's like but God was still faithful to them, saying that he's gonna take them to the promised land. He didn't have to do all that, you know, like especially like why did he have him water for 40 years? Because they didn't know how to worship God, they didn't know how to be grateful for all the things that he had done for them. They were just, you know, expecting, like, oh, God's gonna take care of us and it's gonna be all milk and honey, and like, yeah, that's the promised land, but you know, not that we had to earn it or they had to earn it, but they sh they should have been the faithful ones to the Lord in that moment, too, because it's like he just took you out of something that was, you know, gonna last forever, pretty much, unless they rebelled and they weren't even strong enough to do that. They had to rely on the Lord to take them out. And it's very similar for us, too. I mean, like you said, we go back and forth with repentance, and God can just let go, you know, just like we're uh when um we went over uh Samson the other day, like the Lord left Samson and he did not know. He could do the same thing to us. You know, it's like because we've known God for so long and we we you know have relied on him, like sometimes we can forget that God can take himself away from us and let us continue to live and then live on that that path that's gonna lead us to destruction. We're he can harden our hearts, he can do anything pretty much, but he's still faithful to us, especially, you know, a lot of times uh we do struggle as Christians, but it's for his glory, but also it's for our growth. Like we forget that we can't grow if say if you know I do say a prayer and God just answers it without, you know, me. Let's just say, for instance, uh God, I want a new car. Boom, as soon as we walk out of here, I get a new car. And it's like, how did I even learn anything from that? I mean, yeah, I'm gonna be grateful for the Lord, but then also I'm gonna think, well, I could just continue to pray these prayers and I'm gonna continue to get what I want. I don't even have to do anything. You know, I don't have to worship the Lord, I don't have to rely on Him daily. I could just, you know, say these magic words and it'll appear. Um, but I think the the good the important thing about God's characteristic of faithfulness is that no matter what we do, I'm not gonna say not no matter what we do. I feel like there are some things that we can do that can, like we were talking about God does get angry, but I feel like when we keep running back to him, he's gonna continue to be faithful to us. When we keep relying on him, or the I think the most important thing is to have him as the center of our life, and God will continue to be faithful to us. Um, because and then that ties into my second one or my third one, but I'm not gonna go into that yet. But it talks about his compassion, you know, in this scripture that I was talking about. It says, Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. Um that's why I was saying, like, I like how these scriptures tie into each other. Because they all they all do, I think every single characteristic of God ties into each other is like you know, like that's what makes God so amazing is that he can have all these characteristics and they all come they all together come are like wholeness, like what he tells us he's our shalom, our peace, our wholeness, you know?

SPEAKER_04 31:32

Yeah, yeah, because his faithfulness is demonstrated through his unwavering love, his mercy, and his forgiveness, and his ability to provide us stability, and you know, we trust in him and we're able to seek him when we're suffering or when we're having moments of weakness. It's like that all ties in together, and it's because it that is God, that's who he is. That's why we're talking about the characteristics. But I love what you were saying because it's like God is faithful, and in the Bible it talks about like he's faithful, and because of that, he'll keep his promises. Like it's what makes him trustworthy. Yeah, I feel like is his faithfulness. We're able to see him as something that's consistent, something that will always be there. We can trust in it, it will never, it's unchanging, you know. We don't have to worry because everything in the world is moving and growing and you know, developing at rapid pace, but it's like God is consistent. This is who he says he is, and this is all that he's gonna be. Yeah. You know, nothing more, nothing less. It's just he's all he's laid it all out there for us, and that's what we get to trust in. And I think that's something that's so beautiful, is like we can draw strength from that.

SPEAKER_02 32:59

That's true.

SPEAKER_03 33:00

Yeah, because there's verses that I was looking up, and it's talking about how like he's faithful in 1 Corinthians 10, 13, it says he's faithful and he won't allow temptation to be more than you can handle. As well as like in 2 Thessalonians 3, says the Lord is faithful, he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. Because he's just so faithful in keeping his promises, but also in in just being true to his word, like being true to the word and what he says. Like, so I think we we have to continue to remember that he is faithful to us, and when we know him, then we can even be reminded of who he says he is, so that we're not falling into like the devil schemes, we're not falling into hopelessness or forgetting his promises or forgetting like what he says in his word. Um, because he's not gonna contradict himself ever. And yeah, man, he's just trying to deceive us any way he can.

SPEAKER_02 34:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 34:03

Love it. Good points. Um the second characteristic I have is wisdom. God is wise. We serve a wise God, do we not? Yeah. But in when we say wisdom, it's like God possesses all knowledge and understanding of all things and actions. And he displays this wisdom through the way he creates and governs the world, the universe, all the things surrounding us, you know. And because of that, like complexity of it and the order that it takes to do all that. I mean, to me, it's like no human could ever do that. Whatever the big bang is. I don't even remember learning about that in school, but it's in my head. It just seems so false to me. Like, how can a universe just poof itself out of a random explosion? Like, y'all cannot make that make sense to me, okay? Because it's so intricate, there's so much that went into it that it's like why wouldn't we believe that there's a God out there that did that? You know? But that's a whole other topic. Totally. Um but I mean, God has perfect knowledge, and He has set before us a plan for each and every one of our lives, and it's all different because everyone's different, everyone has a different path, you know, and He's able to like guide us and direct us on all those paths all at the same time. Like, how cool is that for one, but two, that just shows like the level of wisdom that he has to be able to know where we're going, what we're gonna do, and that it's all gonna benefit us for the best. You know, and I was looking through 1 Corinthians in chapter one, and in verse 25, it says, For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. So God is just automatically wiser than us. Like it just straight up says that. Like, even if God, even though he's not, it's like, even if God was foolish, he would still be wiser than any human. Even Albert Einstein. It's like we in Coldrew, we hold up these people, we learn about these people in history who created the light bulb and discovered electricity. And didn't someone like discover lightning?

SPEAKER_01 37:01

I don't think you could discover like I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 37:06

I don't know how I graduated, but I that's the only thing I remember from school. But there's there's things in history and there's moments that we learn about these people that we think are just like the smartest men on the planet or women or whatever, and it's like but just because you have knowledge doesn't mean that you're wise.

SPEAKER_01 37:28

Well, it's interesting because like I'm in Bible Institute, we're learning about that, and it's like God's wisdom is purposeful. So Yeah, God only does things that has purpose, He doesn't, and we as humans always do random things like you know, some people invented those things by accident, not by their own knowledge, but like by doing something wrong and be like, oh my gosh, this works. The thing about God is he has so much wisdom that he knows how to use it, and it's always gonna be effective, especially in our lives. I mean, it it's according to his will for his kingdom, and everything that happens around us that God does is because it's part of his plan. And a lot of times, like we do us as humans just do things that really don't matter. Not that our lives don't matter, not that our actions don't matter, but some of the things that we do is just like there's no purpose to it, it's just things that we want to do, that we desire to do, and the Lord is always using his wisdom to to strengthen and grow his kingdom, to strengthen and grow his people, to to fulfill the prophecies that he and promises that he's made. Like those are all the reasons, those are all the things that he does with his wisdom. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 38:53

Yeah. I mean, God is our source of understanding. He's the one that directs us. And I feel like Psalms 32, 8 just like wraps it up so beautifully. It says, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. And it's like that's this is why God is wise. So that He can instruct us, so He can teach us, so He can lead us.

SPEAKER_02 39:25

That's true.

SPEAKER_03 39:27

And we can be wise as well by following Him and fearing Him and just listening to what He wants us to do.

SPEAKER_06 39:35

Yeah. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03 39:40

Well, my next characteristic is holy. God is holy. Um It says that it appears like almost 700 times in the Bible, like being God being holy. Uh-huh. And there's other times that it like they talk about him, like there's some something about him, like his character distinguished as like holy. But it's also like showing his purity of character and like what distinguishes him from all other rivals, from all other gods. Um, lowercase g, you because they're obviously they talk about other well, not really talk about other gods in the Bible, but they do talk about like they mention them at least. Um but he's characterized as like holy. Like Isaiah 6.3 says, holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory. Um, I was reading in my book at least where it was saying like how God will um things will be repeated um for a purpose. Like I think there's other words that are repeated, like what like what even Jesus, when he's talking to like Martha, I think it's like Martha, Martha, or like he like he'll mention stuff, but holy, holy, holy. That's the only um word in the Bible that's repeated three times, and obviously it has this significance, but it also calls us to be um on Isaiah. I think this verse was talking like about what the angels, how the angels were calling God holy, and like they were like worshiping him. So the first thing they do is mention his holiness and just how like holy he is. Um, and in Leviticus 19, verse 2, it also says, Be holy because I the Lord your God am holy. It's repeated many times in the Bible where he's constantly calling us to be holy, so because God is holy, like of course, like we have to we we should be a reflection of his holiness as well, too. I mean, but only through the Holy Spirit. Um and in 1 Peter 1, 15 through 16, I'm d these are like paraphrases, I'm pretty sure, that I'm reading because I didn't like write the whole thing. Um, but it also says, like, let me see.

SPEAKER_02 42:00

Where is it? I want to read it fully.

SPEAKER_03 42:03

Um but just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. Like he's just I think in the New Testament and the Old Testament, it's constantly reminding us to be holy, be called a call to living holy. Prepare your minds and actions, exercise your self-control, put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So he's like, we have to live as God's children, don't slip back into our old ways, but we have to be holy in everything we do, just as God who chose you is holy, because he's calling us to be holy, and it's just a constant reminder to be like reminded of who we should be, not like who we want to be or who we used to be, even I think. Um yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 42:59

Well, and his holiness is the foundation of his righteousness, which we won't get into his righteousness today, because there's not enough minutes for that. Um but I think of like when we say holy, I think of like set apart. Yes. Like he's different from the rest. Like you were talking about, like, I mean, in the Bible, and even now there's so many other lowercase G gods. You know, people they have different religions and they have their own deity that they worship, and you know, we know that God, the Father of the Trinity, is the only living God. He's the only one that actually will come through for you. All the other ones are just statues or paintings or whatever they are. You know, they're just items, they're not an actual divine being like our God. And I think that just encapsulates like his holiness. He is holy. That's why in Revelation 4 8, it talks. About the angels cry out, holy, holy, holy, you know, because they're singing of his unparalleled nature. They're in his full presence, basking in his glory, and they're just like, He is the holy one. Yes. You know, it's it's one of those things that like I don't think we'll ever fully grasp God's holiness, but it's such a beautiful picture, you know, and you brought up the first Peter verse, how it's like, we're called to be holy, and it's like we're we're not called to be perfect. I think a lot of people think of holiness as perfection, and it's not. I mean, God is pure and perfect and morally intact, like he's free of sin, but we're not, and he knows that, and he's not calling us to perfection. We're called to be set apart, we're called to look different, to act different, to basically do our best to reflect this holy God, you know, because Jesus was a perfect image of a holy man, but listen, I we have all tried that and it has not worked. It's just how it is. But I think knowing that I mean, we've talked about like knowing God's forgiveness and his love and all these other attributes, it's like we're able to strive for that, and we still should strive for that. But also it's like this is why he's worthy of our praise, he's worthy of worship because he is holy and he's the only one that ever will be, ever was.

SPEAKER_03 46:02

Yeah, and even in um Hebrews, Hebrews 10, 10, it talks about how um says his God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. Because in Hebrews it's talking about it mentions like the Old Testament and how people have were only um forgiven and holy by, I don't even know if they were holy actually, but by like the priests and like them, the sacrifices they had to do. But Jesus, like he's got, or I don't know who wrote Hebrews, um is reminding us, I think it's Paul, that like we are holy only by Jesus and rem believing that he died for us because we're covered by his blood. And it's just a matter of us, I guess, remembering that, but also like leaning on Jesus and the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, um to know that like we had that sacrifice already, like the sacrifice was already made. Um yeah, and then we just live day by day, you know, trying to reflect his character as best as we can. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:17

Yeah. Uh my final characteristic of God is compassionate. So I went to Psalm 103. Uh verse eight says The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our inequities. And then if you go down to verse thirteen, it talks a little bit more about God as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him, for he knows how he formed how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like flowers of the field, the wind blows over it, and it is gone, and in its place remembers that it is no more. Um he really sees the struggle in our lives that he's so gracious to us to continue to love us and guide us. Like he he realizes that we are so weak, like like it says, like he remembers how he formed us. We were dust. He see he knows us from the beginning. So of course he's able to have compassion on us because he realizes that without him we are nothing, you know, and he he sees the hurt that we go through, he sees how the enemy tries to manipulate us, and like he sees all the noise that's around us and what we s we go through, that he's just a loving father, and he continues to to you know show that through his compassion for us, and I think that's just the greatest thing ever, because I know it's even like as I'm a parent, and sometimes it's hard for me to be compassionate towards my son because I'm like, you should have known this, you should have done this. Like, how many times have I told you? You know, like and we fall into that, and that's why he calls us to have those characteristics like him, because it's like the more we are like him, the more we can show his love towards others, and they're more willing to seek comfort, guidance, um, seek God in all the ways that he asks us to. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04 50:27

So well, and I even think of like Psalms 145, verse nine, where it says, The Lord is good to all, he has compassion on all he has made. It's not the select few, it's not the ones that he deems worthy all.

SPEAKER_00 50:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 50:46

He's good to all, he has compassion on all. Yeah, you know, even his create it says all he has created. So it's humans, the world, the everything, especially us, you know, and it I think it goes to show like he is kind, he is compassionate, he's it's unwavering, it's part of his character that isn't gonna change, it's not gonna falter. Like he he is good to all and he will never stray from that.

unknown 51:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 51:22

You know, and that's something that we get to stand on, you know, it's not like a rare once-in-a-lifetime, you know, every once in a while thing, he'll show compassion for us. It's like it's it's a constant. Like it's always gonna be there. He's always gonna have compassion on his people and on his creation.

SPEAKER_01 51:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 51:44

Yeah, that's true.

SPEAKER_01 51:45

Just shows his faithfulness, you know, right there. That's what I was saying. Like mine tied into each other so well that only God could do that. Yeah. And I yeah, but it's just it's just awesome to to even know these truths as well. It helps us to to go each day and live, you know, try to be a lot, try to be better because it's like of course we're gonna feel some kind of guilt and shame for, you know, the sins that we commit, and then especially the ones that we repetitively commit, and we're like, Lord, if if you just do this for me one more time, I'm gonna do this. And God's like, He I could just imagine him like laughing a little, like, yeah, I already know you're gonna mess up again. But I'm still gonna continue to love you. I'm still gonna continue to be here. I'm gonna walk with you in that dark place and and be here for you, you know?

SPEAKER_04 52:43

Yeah. Well, and one of the things like when I was studying about how God is merciful, one of the things I found was mercy is deep-seated compassion. So if God wasn't compassionate, he can't be merciful. And I was like, that it was such something that was just so cool to realize of like they you need one to have the other. And I think with a lot of these characteristics, it's the same way. You know, it's like this deep-seated compassion allows us to receive his love and his grace instead of the punishment that we deserve. You know, how we've been talking about sin. It it all ties together, it all works for the good of those who love him, you know? And what is it like something according to his purposes and will. Yeah, you guys can look up the verse yourself. I'm paraphrasing the verse, but you know, and I just think it's so cool to like for God to withhold that punishment from us for us in order to show his compassion, to show all these things, his mercy, his grace, his faithfulness, his forgiveness. Like he's showing all these things in one moment, in one action. And I think that's so cool. And um, one of the verses I'm reminded of is Deuteronomy 431, where it says, For the Lord your God is merciful, he will not abandon or destroy you. And I, I'll be honest, I sat with that one for a moment. Cause I was like, to say God is merciful is him withholding this punishment that I deserved, and he's offering me forgiveness and compassion instead. And it's like, who else, who on earth would do that? Probably no one. Yeah. Like, let's be honest here, you know, but God, he does, and he does it time and time again, and he focuses on giving us grace rather than passing harsh judgment that I'm sure we deserve. You know, it's like through the forgiving of our sins, he's demonstrating all of these characteristics that we've been talking about. He's showing us love, he's showing us compassion, he's showing us all these things so that we can receive something that's undeserved. It's not based on our efforts, it's not based on, you know, how many scriptures we have memorized and how many Bible studies we've attended or even taught. Like none of that matters. Like, yes, those are amazing things. Please keep doing those things. But it's it's not, you don't do it to earn his mercy, to earn his forgiveness. Like you don't have to earn these things. And I think that's just something that's so beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 55:52

Yeah, because he's just like, This is what you guys, this is how you guys limit me. And you put this is how you guys put me in this box, is you think that you have to do this, but watch, I'm God. I'm gonna forgive you anyways. I'm gonna continue to bless you even though you don't deserve it. And I think that's what throws some people off too, is like because they can't understand it, that it's it's scary for them to believe and follow. And I think that's what even just in your Christian faith, it's hard at times because of those things that you're like, I can't understand it, and God's like, Well, I'm God. Like you're not supposed to understand me, you're supposed to not fear me because he does say fear in our word, but in that word really means like respect, the reverence, you know, and I think some people that's how some people get scripture mixed up too, is like, oh, it says that we have to fear God in order to do this. It it's I mean, yes, it says the word, but if you dig deeper into the true meaning of what that word was or what it meant in the context it was written, it means to respect him in all ways and to know that he is on a different level than us. We even though we are created in his image, we have his characteristics, we cannot be God, we cannot come near that, you know? And so I know sometimes that can get a little confusing when you talk about that word. Um, but yeah. That's how good he is right there.

SPEAKER_03 57:43

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. When we could show mercy to others um by remembering the mercy that he's given us.

SPEAKER_01 57:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 57:52

But yeah.

SPEAKER_01 57:53

And that's the hard part too, because sometimes we we because we're human, we don't have that. I mean, we have the ability because God gives it to us. We just it's hard for us, it's harder for us to exercise because it's like, I don't want to forgive that person. They just did me wrong. Like this person hurt me or you know.

SPEAKER_03 58:17

But then we when when he brings us back to what he's done for us, then it like it's kind of like we would contradict God if we we think this person isn't worth having mercy or compassion or forgiveness. Because he's like, just like you're saying, he's like, I already gave it to you, you guys already got it, like you have it. It's free, it's a free gift. Like salvation is a free gift, it's nothing we can earn, nothing we can boast about. Like, I think he did it for that reason because then we know it's given to everyone, then who are we to hold that oh back? You know, it's like convicting at the same time right now. Yeah. Um, you know, it's hard. Um, so my last one is God being gracious. So some of the verses or some that you guys like we already mentioned. Um, I have one though, it says, well, grace is God giving us the gift we do not, did not earn, right? So mercy is him withholding like his wrath and kind of like us getting that punishment. Grace is something that he gives us, even though we do not deserve it at all. Um, in Ephesians 2.8, it says, For it is by grace you have been saved through faith that is not from yourself, it is a gift from God. Like it's literally God's so gracious towards us. It's a gift that he gives us um to be saved, to be able to have salvation, to be able to be in relationship with him. Um it's through our faith in Jesus Christ that we're able to um under just understand or in Jesus Christ and like what he did on the cross, how he died for us, how he's our sacrif like a sacrifice for us. Like that's what saves us. It's us believing that. It's literally a belief or us believing in God and believing that. Um, grace is really big. I have a couple more. Let me see.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:25

Yeah. Um well, and I think of like Isaiah 30, 18, where it says, Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you. Therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion. But it's just that word longing. Like he longs to be gracious to us. He wants to give us what we don't deserve. You know, it's like he wants, it's just such a blessing. Like when God is gracious to us, it's because he's blessing us, he's giving us something that we didn't work for. We didn't, you know, we didn't have to do all these things and, you know, sacrifice all these animals just to get it. He's like, no, here it is. It's for you. You know, and we're like, oh, wow. It's like those little tiny delights. And it's like he longs to give that to us. It's so good.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:24

It is so good. Mm-hmm. Um, I feel like I have another, let me see.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:34

I see. As God generously provides all you need, then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. I feel like it's just showing just the great, like what he gives us always. Um that's in 2 Corinthians 9, 8. But I don't know. I think that when we think, I mean, with any of these with any of these characteristics, there's just so much that you can learn about God and dive into. I think even with just understanding his grace and mercy, I don't really think we fully can understand all his character and everything that he says he is and just who he is and like what he it he embodies because he's all these things all at once. Like just like how um we were talking about his names, like he's all those names, he does all those things all at once. Um and it's just so cool to like remember, and it's important to to come to him boldly in and reminding him. I mean, of course, he doesn't need the reminder, but in reminding him of his character and who he says he is, because we're gonna mess up. We're going to be led to repentance time and time again till the day that he comes back, till the day that we die, like one of those. And um it's important for us to to know these things about him because you think about it like we I know for myself, like I prayed it's probably a couple of I don't know how long it's been. Um, but always just praying to like get to know God more and to know him more. And I think knowing his character and seeing who he is, it it makes you trust him and lean on him even more and believe he says well he does what he's going to do, he says what he's gonna say, like that his word is true. Um he will always fulfill his promises. Yeah, and just like it's so good. And we're I'm so thankful. Thank you, God. Like I'm really thankful for all these.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:34

He is so uh I know God is so good and he's so perfect, and this is just scratching the surface of who he is, and when the Bible talks about, you know, when he says, I am who I am, this is just the I in that statement. Like there's so much more to who God is. Um, so definitely encourage everyone to go and continue to discover his attributes and dive into his character and really kind of sit with that and see what that means for your life. And you know, even how can you be more gracious to people? How can you be more patient in your everyday life? You know, how can you be more forgiving? Because I think we can all grow in these areas. Um, but definitely just leaving you with that and encouraging you with that. And thank you guys for hanging in there with us and learning about the names and the character of God and just dissecting it and diving deep with us. And yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:43

Thanks for joining you guys. See you later. Yes, bye.