[By Ron Halbrook, adapted from Evidences for God and His Creation]

Psalm 19:1

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• Introduction

1. Ps. 19:1 The universe: God exists!

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

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• Introduction

2. Many ask, “How may I know God exists?”3. Some things known by evidence without sight & touch

Not by telescope or microscope The atom, intelligence, love Ancient people left evidence Overwhelming evidence God exists!

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• Introduction

4. Ps. 19 Undeniable evidence for God Vv. 1-6 God’s glory in His creation Vv. 1-4 (a) Message to all men

Vv. 1-4 (a) Message to all men

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

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• Introduction

4. Ps. 19 Undeniable evidence for God Vv. 1-6 God’s glory in His creation Vv. 4 (b) -6 Majestic sun: evidence for God

Vv. 4 (b) -6 Majestic sun: evidence for God

4 …In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

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• Introduction

4. Ps. 19 Undeniable evidence for God Vv. 7-11 God’s glory in His Word

Vv. 7-11 God’s glory in His Word 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

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• Introduction

4. Ps. 19 Undeniable evidence for God Vv. 12-14 Prayer for right relaltionship with God

Vv. 12-14 Prayer for right relaltionship with God

12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

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• Introduction

5. Summary of evidence for God Cause & effect: Creator & creation Intelligent design: Intelligent Designer Man’s capacity to worship God: God exists Why men deny God

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I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation A. Cosmological Argument: The Universe Must Have an Adequate Cause

Cosmology: Greek kosmos (order, form, the world as an ordered whole) + logia (study)

Every effect has an adequate cause: something comes from something, nothing comes from nothing The cosmos exists: what is the adequate cause?

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I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation A. Cosmological Argument: The Universe Must Have an Adequate Cause

Heb. 3:3-4 The architect or builder of a house, family, or nation is greater than itself

Heb. 3:3-4 The architect or builder of a house, family, or nation is greater than itself

3 For this man [Christ] was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. 4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

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I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation A. Cosmological Argument: The Universe Must Have an Adequate Cause

If a watch is evidence of a maker, how much more is the cosmos evidence of God!

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I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation B. God: First Cause, Uncaused Cause

Gen. 1:1 God, uncreated Creator

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

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I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation B. God: First Cause, Uncaused Cause

Which is the more reasonable First Cause: Eternal God OR eternal matter?

Which is the more reasonable First Cause: Eternal God OR Eternal Matter?

ETERNAL GOD ETERNAL MATTER

Intelligent Non-intelligentPower to will,

planNo power to will,

planAll-wise No wisdom

Infinite power to fulfill His plan

No power to fulfill its no-plan

Infinite love, good will

No love,no good will

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I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation B. God: First Cause, Uncaused Cause

Matter & energy are finite 2nd law of thermodynamics: “The universe is…

growing old, wearing down, running down, due ultimately to burn itself out….”

2 Pet. 3:10 God will destroy the universe when its purpose is finished— it cannot perpetuate itself

2 Pet. 3:10 God will destroy the universe when its purpose is finished— it cannot perpetuate itself 10 But the day of the Lord will come

as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer A. Teleological Argument: The Design & Order

of the Universe Require an Intelligent Designer Teleology: Greek telos (end, purpose, design)

+ logia (study) The universe reflects order & design, not random chance—it is cosmos, not chaos

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

Gen. 1:11, 21, 24, 27-28 Plant, animal, & human life reproduce after their kind: why?

Gen. 1:11, 21, 24, 27-28 Plant, animal, & human life reproduce after their kind: why?

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.---------- ---------- --------- --------- ---------- --------- --------- --------- ----------

21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.---------- ---------- --------- --------- ---------- --------- --------- --------- ----------

24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Gen. 1:11, 21, 24, 27-28 Plant, animal, & human life reproduce after their kind: why?

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

Gen. 8:22 Cycles & seasons of nature sustain life: why?

22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

Ps. 147:7-9 Nature functions in a sequence to sustain life: why?

Ps. 147:7-9 Nature functions in a sequence to sustain life: why?

7 Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: 8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. 9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

The earth is tilted at the right angle (23 degrees) to sustain life: why?

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

The earth rotates once per day on its axis the right speed (1040 miles/hr; 1670 km/hr ) & orbits the sun once per yr. at the right speed (18.5 miles/sec; 30 km/sec) to sustain life: why?

The earth rotates once per day on its axis the right speed (1040 miles/hr; 1670 km/hr ) & orbits the sun once per yr. at the right speed (18.5 miles/sec; 30 km/sec) to sustain life: why?

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

The sun is the right temperature (surface 10,000° F/ 5,600° C; core 27,000,000° F/ 15,000,000° C) & distance (93,000,000 miles/ 150,000,000 km) from earth to sustain life: why?

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

The moon is the right distance from earth (elliptical, oval orbit: 221,463 miles/ 356,334 km to 251,968 miles/ 405,503 km) to sustain life: why?

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

The earth’s atmosphere (bubble of air, affects temperature & weather)

is the right thickness (248 miles/ 400 km) to sustain life: why?

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

The earth’s crust is the right thickness (6 miles/ 9.6 km oceanic; 35 miles/ 56 km continental) to sustain life: why?

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

The oceans are the right depth (ave. 2.6 miles/ 4.3 km; deepest 7 mi/ 11 km) to sustain life: why?

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II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, & Productive Way

Animal instincts sustain life: young herring gulls tap a red spot on the parent’s beak to be fed: why?

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III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists A. Ontological Argument: Man’s Capacity to Worship God Is Evidence for God’s Existence

Ontology: Greek on, ontos (being, existence, what exists) + logia (study)

Evidence of God’s existence: man’s unique capacity to seek, love, & worship God

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III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts)

Gen. 1:27-28 The existence of males implies females

Gen. 1:27-28 The existence of males implies females

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

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III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts)

1 Cor. 6:13 The existence of the belly implies food

13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

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III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts)

1 Cor. 6:13 The existence of the body implies God has a purpose for it

13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

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III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence

of Corresponding Things (Counterparts) Eccl. 3:11 God gave man an innate capacity

to contemplate & seek eternity: God is there!

11 He has made every thing beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (NIV)

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III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts)

Man’s uniquely religious nature (seeking God, good, & right) correspond to the existence of God

B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts)

THIS THATCORRESPONDS

Male Female

Our body God’s purpose

Belly Food

We seek eternity God is there

Our capacity for God God exists

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IV. Why Men Deny God A. Historically Men Knew God But Rejected Him

Rom. 1:21 Ingratitude & pride led them astray

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

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IV. Why Men Deny God A. Historically Men Knew God But Rejected Him

Rom. 1:21 Ingratitude & pride led them astray Their descendants are ignorant: we must teach!

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IV. Why Men Deny God B. Some Men Have Not Considered the Evidence

Ps. 19:1 Evidence is always available!

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

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IV. Why Men Deny God B. Some Men Have Not Considered the Evidence

2 Pet. 3:5 Some close their eyes to evidence

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

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IV. Why Men Deny God C. Love of Sin Is the Root Cause

Ps. 14:1-3 Denying God eases the conscience

Ps. 14:1-3 Denying God eases the conscience

1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. 2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

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• Conclusion

1. Ps. 19:1 The universe: God exists!

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

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• Conclusion

2. Summary of evidence for God Cause & effect: Creator & creation Intelligent design: Intelligent Designer Man’s capacity to worship God: God exists Why men deny God

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• Conclusion

3. God patiently awaits sinners to seek Him! Mk. 16:15-16 God sent the Savior!

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.