Understanding God’s Power

Understanding God’s power: God is eternal

When I was a child, I sometimes lay in bed trying to comprehend how everything came into existence, wondering what there was before anything existed, puzzling over how something could come out of nothing, and thinking about other questions of that sort. I always ended up completely confused.

Related: Online Bible studies on how to grow closer to God and find your purpose

The Bible addresses these questions by letting us know that God is immortal. In Exodus 3:14 God identified himself as “I AM WHO I AM” and then followed up by saying “I AM.” In 1 Timothy 6:16 we read that God “alone is immortal” (1 Timothy 6:16). In Psalm 90 we read:

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2)

What do you think?

1. What does “I AM” mean?

2. Psalm 90:2 says God is “from everlasting to everlasting.” What does that mean?

When we try to think backwards, trying to figure out what existed before the universe was created, we run into an impossible roadblock. We were not created with the ability to comprehend such things.

But that’s okay. God comprehends everything, so we can rest content in the knowledge that he understands.

Make it personal

3. Have you run into roadblocks in your brain, trying to “think backwards” into what existed before the universe was created?

4. Does knowing that “I AM” has existed “from everlasting to everlasting” help?

Understanding God’s power: God created the heavens and earth

We can’t begin to comprehend God’s power and creativity. For example, the Bible tells us God created light by simply saying, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). It goes on to describe how he created the heavens and the earth in a similar way, the total project taking six days.

Sincere Christians agree that God is powerful, but they have different ideas about the literal length of time God took to create the heavens and the earth, or about how old the earth is. Some think he created everything in six twenty-four-hour days. Others think the six “days” refer to longer units of time. They point to a verse in the Bible that says:

With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (2 Peter 3:8)

In either case, God did the creating, and it was awesome. God is powerful!

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:3-4)

He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. (Psalm 147:4)

It’s wonderful to enjoy God’s handiwork, but we would be making a giant mistake if we started to worship the creation instead of the Creator.

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. (Romans 1:25)

Make it personal

5. What are some reasons we should have a sense of reverence and awe for God?

6. Do you have a sense of reverence and awe for God as you go through life, or do you take him for granted? Explain your answer.

7. Describe one time you were inspired by the mountains, a beautiful flower, the stars, or something else created by God. How did this affect you?

8. Why is it important to worship the Creator, not the creation?

Understanding God’s power: God created you

The Bible tells us that God created life, and that the first humans, Adam and Eve, were a very special type of life, for God created them “in his own image.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

God did more than create Adam and Eve by his might power. He also created you. It’s easy to take being alive for granted, but when you think about it, it’s awesome to be alive. It’s amazing.

From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. (Psalm 33:13-15)

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:3)

This is what the LORD says—he who made you, who formed you in the womb… (Isaiah 44:2)

Make it personal

9. Do you take the miracle of your life for granted too often? Why or why not?

10. How can thinking about the fact that God created you change the way you think about life and about yourself?

11. Do you consciously seek to do God’s will as you go through the day? What changes do you think you should make, if any?

Understanding God’s power: God knows everything

Most of us have fooled our parents, friends, spouse, or someone else at one time or another. But we cannot keep secrets from God. He knows everything we think and do.

You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you. (Psalm 69:5)

For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:20)

Make it personal

12. Have you ever felt really smart when you did something wrong and you weren’t caught? Describe one time this happened.

13. When you think about the fact that God was there, how smart does it make you feel?

14. If you remind yourself that God is always with you, how will that make it easier to resist temptation?

Memory verse

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2)

Make it personal

1. Do you have a sense of reverence and awe for God as you go through life, or do you take him for granted? Explain your answer.

2. What does the name “I AM” signify?

3. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” What does that mean? How do the heavens declare the work of God’s hands?

4. Read Romans 1:25. Why is it important to worship the Creator, not the creation?

5. How can thinking about the fact that God created you change the way you think about life?

6. Do you think reminding yourself that God knows everything could help you resist temptation? If so, how would this help?

7. Do you think reminding yourself that God is powerful and knows everything would motivate you to do things you know you should do? If so, what are some of these things?