Faith on the Go: Ep 2: Creation Speaks: Recognizing God's Presence

0:00 Welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman. I'm your host, Connie Morris, and I'm glad you're joining me today for the second episode in our series, The Downward Spiral, Understanding Humanity's Rejection of God. Last week, we discussed how suppressing the truth begins a dangerous descent into moral and spiritual darkness. Today, we're going to take the conversation a step further as we explore God's revealed wrath when God's creation testifies against us. So we'll be diving into Romans 1, 19 verses 19 through 20 to understand how God has made his presence known through the world around us and what that means for us as believers and for humanity as a whole.

0:50 So go with me to Romans 1, verses 19 to 20. I'll be reading from the New King James Version today. And it reads, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Wow. God's revelation through creation, verses Romans 1, 19 to 20.

1:34 Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes have been clearly seen and understood by the things that are made. God has made himself known to all people through his creation. His invisible attributes, his eternal power, and his divine nature are clearly visible in the world around us. When we look at the world, the complexity of life, the beauty of nature, the vastness of the universe, these are all reflections of God's character.

2:22 Creation itself is a testimony to God's existence and his power. It leaves us without any excuse to deny Him. The accountability of humanity, even His eternal power in Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Because God has revealed Himself through creation, humanity is held accountable for recognizing His existence. We are without excuse when it comes to acknowledging God because his attributes are evident in everything he has made. This is a sobering truth. We can't claim ignorance of God when his presence is so clearly manifested in creation.

3:11 Instead of ignoring or explaining away his evidence, explaining away this evidence, we We are called to respond, to seek him, to acknowledge him, and to live accordance to his will. God said there is no excuse. So when you stand before him in the end of days, he's already like a lawyer. He's saying, I've already put my case together, and I made sure there was no loopholes. There will be no excuse. Let's go to point three. The consequences of ignoring God's revelation.

3:54 Ignoring God's revelation through creation leads to spiritual blindness and a hardened heart. When we refuse to acknowledge God, we begin the downward spiral into sin and righteousness, as described in Romans 1, 18 to 32. I mean, the whole Romans 1. So take a moment to consider. How often do we overlook the ways in which God reveals himself to us daily? Whether it's through a beauty of nature, the intricacies of human body, or the vastness of the universe.

4:38 God's handiwork is everywhere. Ignoring these signs hardens our heart and distances us from him. Let's go with Psalms 119 verses 9 to 11. Now let's connect this back to another powerful passage of scripture. Psalms 119 9 to 11, which says, How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your word. With my whole heart have I sought you. Oh, let me not wander from your commandments. Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.

5:18 The key here is that the word is hidden in his heart. This psalm emphasizes the importance of emerging ourselves in God's word and holding his commandments close to our heart. When we do this, it not only prevents us from straying into sin, but also keeps us attuned to the evidence of God in creation. By grounding ourselves in his word, we develop the spiritual sensitivity needed to recognize his presence in all things. I like spiritual sensitivity, but I also like discernment. In the last episode, we talked about when we ignore God and we start that downward spiral, our discernment gets off too.

6:08 And our discernment is pretty much what keep us alive, keep us from falling off that bridge or taking that wrong turn. We want that discernment. We want that light of God in our life so that we can know that the word of God lights our path. We want to know so that we won't stumble and fall. So when we ignore God, we get darkness. We don't want that. We want that light of God's word to light our path, to give us that warning. So we want to always do that. So also Psalms 119 reminds us that we are called to actively seek God and his truth, not just in scripture, but in the world around us.

6:54 The seeking keeps us on the right path and ensures that we don't fall into the trap of ignoring or suppressing the truth about God. That's powerful. the word of God is a light to us. It keeps us from falling into that trap. So what do we do with this knowledge? First, we need to recognize that God's revelation through creation is a call to action. It's not enough to acknowledge that God exists. We must respond by seeking him, learning about his character, living in a way that honors him.

7:34 So here's my challenge for this week. Look at the details of creation, the flowers, the stars, the ocean, the mountains. Even look at your body, how you are beautifully and wonderfully made and see them as a reflection of God's power and nature. Then ask yourself, how is God revealing himself to me today? What is he calling me to do in response to this revelation? You know what? When you're breathing, remember, it's the breath of God that breathes through us. Everything that we are is of God. If he takes our breath away, we are no more.

8:19 Our mentality, our brains to think is of God. So what is he calling us to do with what we know today? I believe he's calling us back to a relationship with him, a closer relationship with him, a relationship of truth. And don't just stop there. Immerse yourself in God's word. I will go back to Romans and read that. You know, let his commandments guide you and allow his truth to take root in your heart. By doing this, you will not only strengthen your relationship with God, but you will also become more aware of his presence in every aspect of your life.

9:04 Next week, we will continue to explore Romans 1, looking at the consequences of failing to glorify God and the frutility that follows. It's going to be a deep and challenging discussion, so I encourage you to prepare your hearts. and minds. Thank you for joining me on this journey. This is Diary of Black Women, and I'm your host, Connie Morris. Let's continue to seek this truth, embrace God's revelation, and live out our faith with boldness. Stay blessed, stay vigilant, and keep seeking God in all things. Until next time, take care.