When considering the existence of God, the law of excluded middle says that either something exists or does not exist, there is no middle ground. It would be illogical to say that God exists and does not exist at the same time. Either God exists or He does not exist. The arguments that can be made for the existence of God are additional evidence that can be used with the atheists, agnostics, skeptics, or any who will not turn to the Bible. While in sermons and articles, reference has been made regarding two classical arguments, The Cosmological Argument (cause and effect) and The Teleological Argument (design demands a Designer), consider with me 3 additional arguments for the existence of God:

The Ontological Argument: There is nothing greater than God that can be conceived, man is incapable of creating God himself, therefore, God must exist. If man can have the idea of a perfect God then He must exist. If God only existed in the mind of man, he would be an imperfect being. What kind of God would man invent? Wouldn’t man conceive a God closer to man’s liking? Would man create a God that 1) Would impose regulations that were contrary to the impulses of the flesh, 2) Who seemingly robs man of his freedom to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, in whatever way he wants, 3) Would judge violators of His law and bring punishment on man if he violated that law, etc.? Would man invent a God like the God of the Bible? No! God did not come from the mind of man, man knows of God because God exists.

The Anthropological Argument: The existence of morals implies that God is. Man is a moral being, whence does this morality come from. Morals occur only in man. Morals are not found in nor did they originate from lower animals. For example, does a dog feel guilty when it steals a bone from another dog? No. So morals did not come from the lower animals. It did not originate from amoral lifeless matter. Yet morality implies an absolute standard of authority of right and wrong. If there are no absolute values then one act would not differ from another. Even the most avowed atheists would not affirm that. Man needs moral law outside himself, from the moral person – God. This the Bible affirms. Jeremiah 10:23 says, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” Then in Romans 7:7 the Bible says, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Therefore the absolute authority of right and wrong is God, therefore God does exist.

The Aesthetical Argument: This has to do with the beauty found in the universe. While this is one of the weaker arguments it is still a valid argument. When one is flying in an airplane and looking down on the magnificence of the earth, or when one considers the beauty of a snowflake or the color of the sky in the fall as the sun sets in the west, one must wonder, where did this aesthetic appreciation come from? Man has response to beauty found in art and other works of men’s hands and the evolutionist would say it came from the lower forms of man’s evolution. However, we can know this appreciation for beauty did not come from lower forms of life for they have no artistic abilities. The only rational conclusion to draw is that such aesthetic appreciation came from our Creator, God.

These arguments taken together point to the undeniable conclusion that Yes Indeed, God Does Exist!

– Jerry D. Sturgill
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth… And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” Genesis 1:1, 26a.

When God restored their border, the people who inhabited Jerusalem and Samaria during the reign of Jereboam II were lifted up with pride as high as the mountains of Zion and Samaria in which they lived (2 Kings 14; Amos 6:1, 8). Because they lived in well-fortified cities atop mountains they thought they were invincible to any military threat, and in their minds they put far away the thought of a day of judgment (Amos 6:3).

Because the judgment of God was so far from their minds, they refused to be concerned about the poor and afflicted among their brethren (Amos 6:6 cf. Mt. 24:42-51). They preferred instead to lay upon luxurious beds of ivory, stretch out on their expensive furniture, eat lamb chops and steak, hum along to the best music, drink wine out of bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest of sweet smelling ointments (Amos 6:4-6). Instead of providing for the poor and needy, they would purchase a second house, one for the summer and another for the winter (Amos 3:15).

These Israelites became too comfortable and thought only about themselves. For neglecting their responsibility before God, they would be the first to go into captivity (Amos 6:7). According to the truth of Proverbs 16:18, their pride would lead to destruction. An earthquake would rock their world in just two years and they would run for their lives (Amos 1:1; Zech. 14:5). The Assyrians would come and destroy their homes, both small and great, and they would be led away as prisoners with metal hooks in their noses (Amos 3:15-4:2; 6:9-11).

We pray that God will continue to bless us with prosperity, but perhaps we are not always thinking about our soul’s prosperity when we offer these prayers. The rich Israelites in Amos’ day are just one of the many Bible examples of people forgetting God and others when He blesses them with peace and prosperity. Have we today become too comfortable for our own good? While there is nothing wrong with wealth in and of itself, it can cause us to be blind to the needs of others and neglect our duty to them (Gal. 2:10; 6:10; James 2:5-8).

Instead of standing up and speaking out against sin or giving themselves to help others in both physical and spiritual need, some members of the church today are “at ease in Zion” (Amos 6:1; cf. Heb. 12:22). Let us pray, as John did for Gaius, that we may prosper physically and materially only as well as we prosper spiritually, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2). Are you richer spiritually or materially? Do you use the blessings God has given you only on yourself, or do you in turn bless others?

-Mark Day

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate” 1 Timothy 6:17-18

We are first introduced to the ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus in John 3, when he came to the Lord by night. Many have speculated as to why he came by night, and the Bible does not say. However, from later incidents it seems that Nicodemus may have secretly believed in Jesus. John 12:42 says, “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue,” and perhaps Nicodemus was one of this number. In John 7:50-52 he made a veiled attempt to stand up for Jesus in the presence of the chief priests and Pharisees who were trying to seize and destroy Christ, “Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.”

It is interesting that the last time we read of Nicodemus is in his connection with Joseph of Arimathea, (described as “a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews,”) as they buried Christ (John 19:38-40). Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes according to the prophecy of Psalm 45:8 and the normal custom of the Jews to do the courtesy of putting spices in the sheets that were wrapped around the body of the deceased. John 19:39 describes the quantity of these spices about a hundred pounds, which would be around 70 lbs. according to our measures. The large quantity of spices is mentioned here because it was a mark of royal burials (2 Chronicles 16:14). When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus during that night meeting, He talked to him of entering the kingdom (John 3:3-5). Nicodemus was now honoring Jesus as a king.

What can we gain from this? At the time when the disciples such as Peter, James, John etc., who were numbered with the Lord during His life, fled, men like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, who had been more secretive about their allegiance, stepped out into the light and gave honor to the light of the world who had died for them. There was no advantage regarding popularity or politics that Nicodemus would gain through a connection with Christ. Jesus was dead, but Nicodemus finally made the move to come out in the open and honor Christ.

Perhaps you act like a secret disciple at work or out in public. Maybe you are not as bold as you think you should be or as you see others are. It’s not too late to come out in the open and decide to courageously stand for Christ. Like Nicodemus, your secret allegiance does not have to stay secret forever. You can do better and decide to be more courageous in the future than you have been in the past.

-Mark Day

One of the most common needs in the world is to be loved. We can see a multitude of ways people act, dress, speak, etc. to try to get attention, gain a following, or be respected, in other words: be loved. As Christians, we realize this need as well. Even among our number there is often behavior exhibited that shows the aspiration to be loved. But when the world is unkind to us, and our friends do not seem to be as loyal as we thought, when at times we feel unloved, we can always go back to the simple yet profound truth of that famous song we learned as children: “Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so….”
John the son of Zebedee wanted a place of prominence. He, like us, wanted to be respected and placed in a position of honor. His mother, Salome, wanting this as well for her sons, asked Jesus that her boys, James and John, sit on His right and left when He came into His kingdom (Matthew 20:20-21; Mark 10:35-37; cf. Matthew 4:21). Jesus showed that she didn’t know what she was asking, and when the other disciples heard of it they were angered and envious of the move to become prominent (Matthew 20:22-24; Mark 10:41).
Christ changed James and John. These brothers, whom Jesus named the “sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17), on one occasion recommended that Jesus send fire down from heaven to consume the disrespectful Samaritans (Luke 9:52-56). When we read John’s inspired writings that make up 5 books of the New Testament, he is known as the apostle of love because love for God and one another is so prominent in his books. In writing his gospel account, instead of trying to place himself in a prominent position, he never even names himself, but rather uses the “other disciple” (John 18:16; 20:2-8) or simply “the disciple” or “that disciple” (John 19:27). His mother, Salome, is probably the one mentioned in relation to Jesus as “his mother’s sister” (John 19:25; cf. Matthew 27:56). Instead of a family movement to become prominent as was displayed when Christ was on earth, when Christ sat on His throne as king, this family of Zebedee chose to be unnamed. John’s habit is not to name himself nor any of his family members in his gospel account.
His most exalted reference to himself is “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 19:26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20). John learned from Jesus’ death that it was enough for him to be loved by Jesus. He did not need fame or a following. If Jesus loved him, that was all that mattered. I hope and pray that you and I can learn the lessons that “the disciple whom Jesus loved” learned. Christ loved us enough to die for us even we were sinners (Romans 5:8). We too can turn from being vengeful to being loving, from seeking prominence to being satisfied by serving humbly in anonymity. Because Jesus loves us, and that’s all that matters.

–Mark Day

Ecclesiastes 12:1, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while
the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no
pleasure in them.”
Ah, to be young. A time of great opportunities and challenges, but also a time of great danger. The books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes have more to say to youth than any other book in the Bible. Someone may ask, “Why should I remember my Creator while I am young?
Because Of The Strength That Comes From Being Young. Proverbs 20:29, “The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.” Youth will often stand up for their convictions when others sit down. This is seen in the lives of Daniel and his friends. Though they were young and strangers in a foreign land, they stood up for their beliefs and overcame their trials, Daniel 1:5f.
Because Of The Weakness That Come From Being Young. Psalm 25:7, “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.” It is easy, especially in youth, to get caught up in the “here and now” and not be concerned with the “there and then”.
Because There Are Great Blessing In Being On God’s Side. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” God through His word can guide youth through the pitfalls and traps, trial and temptations, of life. It has been said that “practice makes permanent.” What that is saying is, the way we are training our minds and hearts to think today is the way we will always think. Remembering God in youth means that good habits are formed early, allowing His word to shape attitudes, thoughts, words, and deeds into what God wants them to be. How do I remember God in my youth? Consider the following:
Delight In Studying and Meditating on God’s Word. Psalm 119:97, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” Study and meditation of God’s word should be a daily practice for the child of God.
Spend Time In Prayer To Our Heavenly Father. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” A regular prayer life should be a daily practice for the child of God.
Do Not Be Ashamed Of The Gospel. Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Spreading the Gospel to friends, family, teachers, and acquaintances should be a daily practice for the child of God.
What a blessing it is to be young! However, with great blessings comes great responsibility.
Solomon warns that “that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment” (Ecclesiastes 11:9). Remembering God now will save you from the worst heartaches both in this life and certainly in eternity.

-Jerry Sturgill