CAN I BELIEVE IN A GOD I CANNOT PROVE?

BIG AND INTERESTING QUESTIONS SERIES

– PART 1

JANUARY 3, 2016

…these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing

you may have life in his name. –John 20:31

The biggest question ever: _______________?

Napoleon to scientist Pierre Simon Laplace: “Why do you make no reference to the Creator in your book?” Laplace: “I have no need for that hypothesis.”

Affluenza: An infection of the heart that tempts some

to believe that they have no need for God.

DOES GOD EXIST

Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."

Genesis 1:1 With wisdom God

created the heavens and the earth.

Proverbs 8:22 The LORD brought me (Wisdom) forth as the first of

his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was appointed from eternity,

from the beginning, before the world began.

Proverbs 8:35 For whoever finds me (Wisdom) finds life and receives favor from the LORD. 36 But whoever fails to find me

harms himself; all who hate me love death.

Don’t be mistaken – ____________________. EVERYBODY HAS FAITH

But also, believing in God is not without serious questions:

Even the Bible has a

____________________. DOUBTING THOMAS

C.S. Lewis, an atheist until well into his adult years addresses his change of mind: “My argument against

God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man

does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line…Of course I could give up my idea of

justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my argument against God

collapsed too.” -in Mere Christianity

Who gets to determine or define God?

The Bible makes no argument for God. The Bible along with most people ___________. A 2016 challenge for you: strive toward ____________. Is God a matter of _____ or a matter of ______?

ASSUMES IT

GREAT FAITH

FACT FAITH

When real life meets the real God… Matthew 15:21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." 24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."

25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. 26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." 27 "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see…6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Answering the title question: Can I?...