Three Important Things in the Bible.

By Late Rev. Elisha James.

Three Things of God’s Grace:

Our Salvation

Ephesians 2:8  

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Our stand and Access to God.

Romans 5:8  

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Our Spiritual Growth.

2 Peter 3:18  

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Three Things of Faith

Belief in God’s Word.

1 John 5:9  

We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.

Receiving Jesus Christ.

John 1:12  

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Entrusting our Soul to God.

2 Timothy 1:12  

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Three Deaths Related to Sin.

Sinners die in sin

Ephesians 2:1  

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Savior who died to save sinners.

1 Peter 3:18  

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

Believers who die to sin.

Romans 6:2  

By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

Things That Are Truth.

God:

Deuteronomy 32:4  

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Christ:

John 14:6  

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The Holy Spirit:

1 John 5:6  

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

The Scriptures:

Daniel 10:21  

But first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.)

The Church:

1Timothy 3:15  

If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

THINGS TO LOVE.

God:

Deuteronomy 6:5  

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 10:12  

And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 11:1  

Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.

Matthew 22:37  

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

Neighbors:

Leviticus 19:18  

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Matthew 22:39  

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Strangers:

Deuteronomy 10:19  

And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.

Community is God's answer to defeat

By Rick Warren

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4.

"You need a community of people who are saying to you: 'We'll be with you when you're going through the tough times. We're not going to let you get discouraged or depressed.'"

Each one of us needs other people to watch out for us - to defend us, protect us, and help us stay on track. In the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul tells us that we should look out for each other's interests, not just our own. What a counterculture verse! In America today, it's all about me - my needs, my interests, my wants, and my ambitions.

But Paul teaches us to look out for others too.

Did you know you have an enemy far more destructive than any terrorists? You have a personal enemy who wants to defeat you. His name is Satan. He wants to bring problems into your life, to ruin your relationships, and to hurt you as badly as he can.

Why does he want to hurt you? Because he wants to hurt God, but he can't - so he goes after God's children. On your own, you will never win against Satan. But when you have other people to watch out for you and help you, you can be victorious.

Here's good advice from Ecclesiastes 4:12: "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves" (NIV).

Does anyone have your back? Is anyone defending you - watching out for your spiritual welfare? You need a community of people who are saying to you: "We'll be with you when you're going through the tough times. We're not going to let you get discouraged or depressed."

Community is God's answer to defeat. Ecclesiastes 4:10 says, "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him" (NIV).

Remember: You can try, but you can't live life well on your own. We all need other people - to walk with us, to work with us, and to watch out for us.

Salvation

Is of God:

Psalms 3:8  

From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

Psalms 37:39  

The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; ¶he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

Jeremiah 3:23  

Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills and mountains is a deception; surely in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.

Is of the purpose of God:

2 Timothy 1:9  

Who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

Is of the appointment of God:

1 Thessalonians 1:9  

For they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

Is by Christ:

Isaiah 63:9  

In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Ephesians 5:23  

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

Off the Gentiles, predicted:

Isaiah 45:22  

“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

Isaiah 49:6  

He says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 52:10  

The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

Revealed in the Gospel:

Ephesians 1:13  

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

2 Timothy 1:10  

But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Came to the Gentiles through the fall of the Jews:

Romans 11:11  

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.

Is God In Everything?

By Dr. Charles Stanley

Read: Romans 8:28-29

Is God involved in everything that happens throughout the world? How you answer that question is important. What people believe about the Lord’s sovereignty affects both their trust in Him and their reactions to struggles. Moreover, believers’ thoughts on God’s dominion influence their compliance with His requirements. For instance, “in everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) would be an impossible standard if God were only partially in control of what’s going on.

Believing God is present in the positive aspects of our lives is easy. Reconciling hardship to His promises of provision and love is tougher. But think about this: If the Lord has reason to provide a job promotion, might He not also have reason to orchestrate a job loss? If He gives good health, might He not also allow sickness, as He permitted in Job’s life (Job 2:6-7)?

The Bible says that the Lord’s ways are not like our ways (Isa. 55:8) He has a master purpose for involving Himself in every aspect of believers’ lives—namely, conforming them to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). Jesus’ life was not easy or sweet. He suffered shame, abuse, ill will, and persecution even before He faced the cross. If we are to be like Him, then we must expect that God’s loving hand will sometimes hold a tool for reshaping us.

Every believer is encircled by God’s protection (Psalm 34:7), so nothing touches our lives unless He permits or directs it. Bitterness and blame cannot take root if we accept that every good and bad thing comes with God’s knowledge and permission. We can trust Him to do right by us (Rom. 8:28).

Resentment

 “This is my command: Love each other.”  John 15:17

Resentment is when you let your hurt become hate. Resentment is when you allow what is eating you to eat you up. Resentment is when you poke, stoke, feed, and fan the fire, stirring the flames and reliving the pain . . .

Revenge is the raging fire . . . Bitterness is the trap that snares . . . And mercy is the choice that can set them all free.

Evangelism

"It is in the field of prayer that life's critical battles are lost or won. We must conquer all our circumstances there. We must first of all bring them there. We must survey them there. We must master them there. 

Blessings we may expect from God

Luke 1:78  

Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

Luke 10:37  

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Romans 9:23

What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—

Romans 11:31  

So they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you.

Luke 1:50  

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

Luke 1:54  

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful

Luke 1:58  

Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

Luke 1:72

To show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,

Jude 1:21  

Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Exodus 34:6-7  

6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,

7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

One Step Beyond

By Jon Walker

“Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:11)

“Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me.” (Psalm 51:11)

Do you ever fear that God will banish you from his presence? That you’ve gone one step beyond God’s patience and grace?

The ancient king of Israel, David – a man after God’s own heart – expressed a similar concern, but he ran full-throttle into God’s grace, a grace rooted in a perfect love that casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).

David understood that it is God who brings holiness to our lives, and because of his grace – flowing from the blood of Jesus Christ – we can approach the throne of God boldly (Hebrews 4:16), no longer fearing banishment or abandonment. As believers in Christ, we are accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6), now and forever (Romans 8:35, 39).

David found a grace so infinite and powerful that it did violence to his grief, guilt, and sin – transforming his life into one of holy purpose and pursuit. That grace still does violence to all our false notions and self-centered ways.

Father, do not take your presence from us or cast us away from you. Lord, we ask that instead you help us understand how rock solid, cornerstone-based your love is – and that we can never do anything that will cause you to abandon us.

We not only confess our sin, we also confess that you love us with a height and depth we can never fully understand until we see you face-to-face. (Romans 8:39)

Breathe your holiness into us (Psalms 51:11), and help us breathe it in deeply so that it sinks into every fiber of our being. And when we feel like you’ve banished us from your presence, remind us that “the only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.” (Romans 12:3b)

So what?

· Equal to the fall – There’s a wonderful song by the group Satellite Soul that says, “And if your story doesn’t wind up ending happy after all, there’s a grace that’s there, it’s everywhere, and it’s equal to the fall.” Do you believe God’s grace is greater than your sins? If not, pray, “Lord, I (want to) believe; help my unbelief.”

· Interpreting yourself – Is your view of yourself consistent with God’s view of you? “Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.” (Romans 12:3b)

Names, Titles, and Offices of the Trinity.

The everlasting God

Genesis 21:33  

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.

The God of heaven

Genesis 24:3  

I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,

The God of earth

Revelation 11:4  

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

The Lord God of heaven

Genesis 24:7  

“The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.

God Almighty

Genesis 28:3  

May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.

Genesis 43:14  

And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin comes back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

Genesis 48:3  

Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me

The Mighty God

Genesis 49:24  

But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

The God of Abraham

Exodus 3:6  

Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The God of Jacob

2 Samuel 23:1  

These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel's singer of songs:

I AM

Exodus 3:13-15  

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

The Sufficiency of God’s Grace.

By Dr. Charles Stanley.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

The Lord pledges to give us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). It’s a promise He always keeps. Yet when life hits us hard, we may be tempted to doubt and give up. If our faith starts to waiver, we need to think about what He’s already given us and then look for evidence of Him at work.

We should remember that our Father has freed us from sin’s penalty. Because Jesus died in our place, we owe nothing for our wrongdoing. He paid the entire price, so we now have righteous standing in God’s sight. At salvation, we each became a new creation and were given Christ’s righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30). Originally, we were headed toward permanent separation from the Lord, but now our eternal destiny has been changed to a heavenly home with Him. And God’s Holy Spirit lives within us as our constant companion and source of strength.

We also should keep in mind that even in the worst of situations, our Father works to accomplish His will. Joseph experienced betrayal when his brothers sold him into slavery; later, he suffered injustice when imprisoned for doing the right thing. In the end, he realized that God, in His grace, had used those circumstances to rescue his family from a life-threatening famine (Gen. 45:5). Likewise, the Lord uses adversity to develop our character and dependence upon Him. And He works through our trials to bless us and others.

Because of the Lord’s sustaining grace; we have access to His power, wisdom, and guidance. When we ask, God’s Spirit will help us fight doubt and provide the strength to persevere.

When you think, you speak, when you read, when you write,

When you think, you speak, when you read, when you write,

When you sing, when you walk, when you seek for delight.

To be kept from all harm when at home or abroad,

Live always as under the eyes of the Lord.

Whatever you think, never think what you feel

You would blush in the presence of God to revel;

Whatever you say in a whisper or clear,

Say nothing you would not like Jesus to hear.

Whatever you read, though the page may allure,

Read nothing of which you are perfectly sure

Consternation at once would be seen in your look

If God should say solemnly, “Show Me that book.”

Whatever your write, though with haste or with heed,

Write nothing you would not like Jesus to read,

Whatever you sing in the midst of your glees

Sing nothing that His listening ears would displease.

Wherever you go, never go where you fear

Lest the great God should say, “How camest thou here?”

Turn away from each pleasure you would shrink from pursuing

If God should look down and say, “What are you doing?” In all the ways

Acknowledge Him and He shall direct the paths. 

THANKSGIVING.

Thanksgiving – Christ set an example of:

Matthew 11:25

 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Matthew 26:27  

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.

Thanksgiving – the heavenly host engaged in:

Revelation 4:9

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,

Revelation 7:11-12  

11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

12 saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

Thanksgiving – commanded:

Psalms 50:14

Sacrifice thanks offerings to God; fulfill your vows to the Most High,

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

 Thanksgiving – is a good thing:

Psalms 92:1  

A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:

Thanksgiving – should be offered:

To God –

Psalms 50:14  

Sacrifice thanks offerings to God; fulfill your vows to the Most High,

To Christ –

1 Timothy 1:12  

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.

Through Christ –

Romans 1:8  

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

Thanksgiving – in the name of Christ:

Ephesians 5:20  

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving – in behalf of ministers.

2 Corinthians 1:11  

As you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Let me forget, O God, let me forget…

Let me forget, O God, let me forget,

The past I cannot change, and then let it die;

But let me claim the present, and rely

Upon the future, and I’ll conquer yet.

Let me forget the scenes of other days,

The hallowed dreams that never can come true,

But let me live this day my life anew,

And for the future build with joy and praise.

Let me forget the visions of the past,

The wreck of blighted hopes, the years of pain;

Let me forget the pledges made in vain,

The promises to which I anchored fast.

Let me forget, O God, the sin, the stain,

Forget my love of self, forget my pride;

But let me keep my eyes, whate’er betide,

Upon the future, Lord, and live again.

Let me forget the heart-wounds of regret,

Nor open them afresh in this new day;

To bury what is dead, and turn away,

Is best; so then, dear Lord, let me forget.

                                                              

Consider that life is only just now beginning so far as you are concerned. If you have failed, confess it, and then forever put away the scenes that have haunted your memory for so long. Live for the future. Build your life anew. Let the sad experiences of the past make you just that much stronger for the present. Set life’s goal before you and begin again. Achieve once more. If ambition has died, revive it.

Do you remember the vessel that was marred? It was not thrown away. The Bible says, “So he made it again.” And so will it be with you. The bird with the broken pinion, by the grace of God, may soar as high again. He can reconstruct and recondition your life. If you will bury your past, both good and bad, lovely and unlovely, successes and failures, if you will turn from the beautiful dreams and the hallowed memories of other days, and set your face towards the future, life will still be worth while. God will not fail you. Soon the gloom will pass away. Hope never born to die. Trouble cannot always last. Love is bound to triumph yet. God will turn your night to day. Life can never be in vain. Happy days will come again.

And so, dear one, as you turn off my voice and go to your rest, go with a lighter heart , a firmer trust and a brighter hope, and I will be praying for you. Some day, please God, we shall meet, if not here, and then up there. And so until day break and all the shadows flee away, Good night. God bless you! Good night!

                                               

                                                                                                                                   …Oswald J Smith.

Ways we are to be like JESUS.

Righteousness:

1 John 3:7

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.  

John 15: 10-14

 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.

1 Corinthians 1:30

 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Ephesians 1:4

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Freedom from the world:

John 17:14-16

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

James 4:4

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

1 John 2:15

 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The Lord is my portion.

Scripture: Lamentation 3:21-36

Having stated his distress and temptation, the prophet shows how he was raised above it. Bad as things are, it is owing to the mercy of God that they are not worse. We should observe what makes for us, as well as what is against us.

God's compassions fail not; of this we have fresh instances every morning. Portions on earth are perishing things, but God is a portion for ever. It is our duty, and will be our comfort and satisfaction, to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. Afflictions do and will work very much for good: many have found it good to bear this yoke in their youth; it has made many humble and serious, and has weaned them from the world, who otherwise would have been proud and unruly.

If tribulation works patience, that patience will work experience, and that experience a hope that makes not ashamed. Due thoughts of the evil of sin, and of our own sinfulness, will convince us that it is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed. If we cannot say with unwavering voice, The Lord is my portion; may we not say, I desire to have Him for my portion and salvation, and in his word do I hope? Happy shall we be, if we learn to receive affliction as laid upon us by the hand of God.

Unchanging Jesus.

He is the same unchanging Jesus,

Unchanging Jesus, unchanging Jesus,

He is the same unchanging Jesus

Now and through Eternity.

Hallelujah…

How to Handle Conflict

by Rick Warren

My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. James 1:19.

I’ll tell you how to deal with conflict quickly, but you’re not going to like it. The solution to conflict resolution is one word: confrontation.

If you’re going to resolve conflict, you must confront. But, you don’t have to confront in anger. In fact, you should try not to confront in anger. Lovingly go to the person and, then speaking the truth in love, deal with the problem immediately.

Very few of us enjoy confrontation. The only people who really do are troublemakers who seem to delight in confrontation. They love to go to people and say, “You’re blowing it!” That’s their thrill.

Because it’s risky and uncomfortable, most people don’t like confrontation, but it’s the only way to resolve conflict.

What’s the best way to confront? James 1:19 teaches three rules for confrontation. Everyone should be:

· Quick to listen,

· Slow to speak, and

· Slow to become angry.

If you’re quick to listen and if you’re slow to speak, you’ll automatically be slow to anger.

What are you listening for? You are listening for the hurt in that person. Hurting people always hurt other people. When someone is being a jerk, more than likely it’s because that person is hurting. When you understand their hurt a bit, you have a better understanding of why they do what they do, and you’re a little more patient with them.

Understanding always brings patience. When we don’t understand things, we’re impatient. When we understand them, we’re much more patient.

In Stillness Listen: - Psalm 46:10

Turn off the alarm and get up-early.

Turn off the TV,

The VCR,

The Computer

The telephone,

The Oven.

Tune out all worldly cares.

Close the door,

Bend your knees,

Listen.

“Be still, and know that I am God”

He speaks to those who listen…

In silence, waiting.

Listen

For insight.

Answers.

Blessings.

Conviction.

Encouragement.

Love

 His still, small voice speaks to those who listen.

Changes happen.

Love is renewed.

Blessings are bestowed.

Joy replaces tears.

Miracles occur…daily.

Lives are touched.

The spirit makes us whole.

Those who bend their knees

And in stillness listen

Know that

He is God.