I Am, Therefore I Know: What Brings Peace, Joy, Happiness and Hope?

by R. W. Mills

Overview

What brings peace, joy, happiness and hope? They are all available and more. The God of this universe has determined the when and where each of us would live. He knows each of our lives in detail. He has perfect love for us. His greatest desire is to have a real intimate relationship with you where you call him “Daddy.” He will use His infinite knowledge and power so that “PERHAPS” you choose to enter into a relationship that will bring new spiritual life, along with inner transformation. To know the truth that brings freedom and a life-time of exciting spiritual growth is His offer. God is there for each of us who want peace, joy, happiness and hope. It can begin today. I share what many have experienced. Read and answer why not me?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781524689995
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	04/29/2017
Pages:	140
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.33(d)

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

I AM

WHO IS GOD AS REVEALED BY GOD?

Who and what is God? The definition found in the Westminster Catechism: "God is Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth." The scriptural definition can be developed from a study of the names of God.

->Elohim is the Creator-God; translated "God."

->Jehovah is the covenant God; which means He who was, is, and is to come; in other words the Eternal One. He reveals himself as follows:

* Jehovah-Rapha, "the Lord that healeth."

* Jehovah-Nissi, "the Lord our Banner."

* Jehovah-Shalom, "the Lord our Peace."

* Jehovah-Ra'ah, "the Lord my Shepherd."

* Jehovah-Tsidkenu, "the Lord our Righteous."

* Jehovah-Jireh, "the Lord who provides."

* Jehovah-Shammah, "the Lord is there."

->Adonai means literally "Lord" or "Master" and conveys the idea of rulership and dominion.

->Father is employed in both the Old and New Testaments. However, the word Abba (Daddy), found in Galatians 4:6, indicates a much more personal level of relationship.

* Galatians 4:6: "Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'"

The Attributes of God as revealed in Scripture:

As God is infinite in His being, it is impossible for any creature to know Him exactly as He is. Yet, He has graciously willed to reveal Himself to us. The names of God express His whole being, while His attributes indicate various aspects of His character.

->God is Spirit. He thinks, feels, speaks, and can therefore have direct communication with His creatures made in His image.

->God is Infinite. That is, not subject to human limitations.

->God is One. A perfect unity with three Divine Persons united in eternal and essential unity.

->God is Omnipotent. This signifies two things: first, His freedom and power to do all that is consistent with His nature; second, His control and sovereignty over all that is or can be done.

->God is Omnipresent. That is, unlimited by space. While God is everywhere, He does not dwell everywhere. He only enters into a personal relationship based on a personal invitation.

->God is Wise. He has the power to supply His knowledge so that the best possible purposes are realized by the best possible means. God always does the right thing, in the right way, and at the right time.

->God is Sovereign. That is, He has an absolute right to govern and dispose of His creatures as He pleases. Therefore, it is both foolish and wicked to criticize His ways.

->God is Holy. The holiness of God means His absolute moral purity. He can neither sin nor tolerate sin.

->God is Love. Love is the attribute by reason of which He desires a personal relationship with those who bear His image (His Word tells us that we are all made in His image). His love towards us is limitless/ endless and desires all to come to Him.

->God is Good. The goodness of God is that attribute by reason of which He imparts life and other blessings to His creatures.

The God of the Bible is a God on whom we can depend. He is unique, eternal, holy, powerful, majestic, compassionate, gracious, faithful, true, unchangeable and is actively present with His people. He is not a God who is arbitrary or capricious. His attributes ensure His expression towards us. He declares He is the "I AM" and worthy of our trust. He is master of all events, forces, and outcomes since He is totally sovereign. He has decided how history will play out. He is the one who can raise up one nation and bring destruction upon another. All is subject to his will and plans. He has created the universe that we are a part of, and our existence is dependent on him, even if we do not acknowledge him. Listen to the following verse:

• Romans 1:18-20: "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal powerand divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

God has placed knowledge of Him in us. We see His invisible qualities, His power and divine nature. Why? So we would seek Him and we would be without excuse. God's wrath for disobedience of his laws, godlessness, wickedness, etc. has been built into the very structure of His universe. It is not capricious, impulsive, or an arbitrary outburst of anger. No, it is a settled determined response of a holy God. What God has shared to his offspring and children in His Holy Word is found in:

• Galatians 6:7: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."

Many people refer to this as karma. God could have created a completely different universe without free will, eternal laws designed to punish those who break them. If God is the Alpha and Omega, He is the Creator of all."

• Isaiah 45:7: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things."

Since God is the Creator of all and evil exists, then God created evil. When God decided to make man in His image with free will, then the possibility of disobedience, sin, and evil was available. It was the same when God created light; darkness also was created.

• Genesis 2:15-16: "And the LORD God commanded them, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.'"

This verse is the acknowledgement that evil exists. Anyone who lives long enough will encounter it and any review of human history can quickly provide enough examples of the working of evil.

I AM, Therefore I know. God's word tells us that before time as we know it began, there was only God in three distinct persons. God the Father, Christ His son and the Holy Spirit. All three are involved in creation. This means that when God decided what kind of universe there would be, He knew the ultimate cost. He knew there would be disobedience, sin, evil and death. He knew that His only Son would be sacrificed and die on the cross! The role of the Holy Spirit would dramatically change. Namely, the Holy Spirit's chief purpose now is to draw humans back to their loving Father through His gift of love to us – Jesus! As a parent, God knew that by giving us free will He would not be able to save all. Many would reject His love and His free gift of salvation.

People with hyperthymesia can remember almost everything that happened to them during their lives. They can remember things that happened to them in the crib, and can often recall in great detail every single event they've experienced, no matter how minor. They can remember that in March 2003 the U.S. invaded Iraq and it was a Wednesday. They can remember what they had for breakfast, lunch and dinner that day, too, and what they wore. For the parents of these children, it is a nightmare. Why? Because every misspoken word, every hurt that a parent inflicted, is remembered in detail forever. As I thought about this, I became overwhelmed with grief by the burden that God accepted with his creation of humankind: to know everything about each individual who turned away, to know you did everything in your power to save him or her, and then to remember every detail of your lost child perfectly and forever. The Holy Spirit showed me that only omnipotence can bear the burden of omniscience. God's shoulders were more than sufficient to carry the weight of infinite knowledge without losing joy. His Word tells us His love and mercy endure forever.

Our loving God – according to Acts 17:26 – selects our date of birth, our family and where we live. Here is how God chose for me: I was born a little over five pounds due to the fact that my mother was an alcoholic and a chain smoker (she died later in life of esophageal cancer). My father was an abusive alcoholic who had mental and emotional issues as a result of serving in the marines during WWII. His idea of communication involved physical beatings. I was one of four boys who was not to receive any real moral and religious training. My Dad's view of God was that whoever put the food on the table was your God. We had no parental training, let alone loving support or encouragement. This led me to becoming a hardened individual who trusted no one. I did not believe there was a God and lived like it.

I quickly learned to do whatever was necessary to survive. I started stealing from whatever resource I could find – stores, cars, trains, you name it. I remember my older brother taking me to steal my first bike. We rode for about two miles to a shopping center where people actually left their bikes unlocked. I still remember the rush I got from doing it. We then started stealing them so we could repaint them and sell them for cash. My father didn't know it, but I learned this philosophy from him, whose motto was to do unto others before they did it to you.

Our street had multiple drug operations, including my younger brother's drug business with many of my cousins who were from the next state over. The Warlocks and Pagans both would move in about two blocks from our home. Everything in our home was purchased from the underground economy. My Dad's car was a stolen car that was retitled and made legitimate by folks in the state transportation department who had their hands out. Everything from food, furniture, appliances, electronics, etc. was purchased illegally. I observed that, if you wanted something, it was available for much less on the underground economy. My Dad ran an illegal gambling operation, along with a bootleg alcohol business. I still remember my brother being arrested by the police for underage drinking and the police asking my Dad if he knew where the bootleg alcohol came from. He answered them with a confident "NO" without even flinching. Our home was visited many times by the local police, state police, and even the FBI stopped by a few times.

When I was ten I came home to find my older half-brother was no longer living at home. I was told that my older brother quit school, while he was in ninth grade, and went to live with our cousins in the next state. Later, I found out the truth. My brother was kicked out by my father. What do you think happened when I turned sixteen? I, too, was kicked out and started living anywhere I could. I was homeless for a short period of time. My mom already lost one son and threatened to shoot my father if I was not allowed back. My father took this seriously, since she had previously unloaded her 25 automatic clip at him. It was a good thing she was not a good shot. However, their bedroom wall did not fare as well!

All my friends were going nowhere. My best friend was into huffing. I remember him asking me why I would not huff, or do drugs like the rest of them. I told him that I hated my life which included my father, my home, my street, my poverty, basically everything. I said my only way out was to use every ounce of my brain, so I could not risk destroying it.

That brings me to school. School was a place where I wanted no one to know about my home situation. From the day I got my working papers in high school, I worked as a bus boy anywhere from twenty-four to thirty-two hours per week. Every Friday night I would take a trolley, then a bus, so I could work from 5:00 pm to 5:00 am after going to school that day. I would go get some sleep so I could return and do that same twelve hour shift again on Saturday night. Sunday was just four or eight hours depending on school or sports.

I still remember dozing in class when my ninth grade math teacher hit me in the chest with an eraser from his desk, which was over twenty-five feet away. Impressive, I thought. He then gave me the desk closest to him, but only after he called me a loser in front of the whole class. The midterm was coming up and I had a solid F so far. My verbal response was that he could not make a test on which I could not get an A, if I wanted. His response was a repeated "Loser"! I got A's on every test for the rest of the year. What I did not know was that he reached out to the 10th grade Math and Biology teachers who would become my teachers the next year. They turned a lost and hopeless kid into one with a plan to go to college. I even told my parents that I wanted to go to college. I was told no one in this family including extended family had ever gone to college. When I turned eighteen, I was expected to pay rent or I would be kicked out. My father wasn't finished. He said I was too stupid and would not make it. I responded to my father that I would either get a scholarship or work two jobs if that is what it would take.

High school went fast. I attended many funerals of friends. They were due to car wrecks, drug overdoses, shootings - even one by police during a robbery and another returning from Vietnam in a box. A neighbor was the one who took me for my driver's license test. When I took my SAT's I scored really well. The school counselor thought I had cheated, so I was told I needed to retake them at another school where they could ensure that I did not cheat. I scored even higher. To the surprise of everyone I knew (except a few teachers), I started engineering school completely paid for by scholarship and government grants. I finished one year when I received my draft notice in the summer before my second year was to start. This meant I would lose my scholarship, grants and opportunity for completing Engineering School. I decided to enlist in the Air Force and proceeded to basic training followed by technical school. It was early 1973 and I'm waiting for orders. Well, thirty-eight out of forty air-to-air missile airmen would get orders for Vietnam and Thailand.

If someone had told me that an all loving God in His infinite wisdom decided that my life and all the circumstances would ultimately be for my benefit, my response at that time would have been: "He's doing a Really Shitty Job"! We all have a story and millions had it better than I did. However, many more millions had it a lot worse. It is natural for humans to ask the question as to whether or not God is unjust or unfair. I, too, had that thought. Raising the question of unfairness assumes that I know what fairness is in its final, absolute sense. Since I do not know the mind of God, or what His plans are - except for what He would one day reveal to me from His Word - I see and experience only pieces. God sees the whole. When things seem to go sideways, I have to learn to trust Him. I would have to give up my right to know why. I was not there yet.

SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

How does God's Sovereignty work according to God's Word?

Each of us had no say in being born. The how, where, why of our birth is not in our control. God's Word states that God is sovereign and is in control of everything. God's providence exists due to His sovereignty. He directs, regulates and governs every action in His universe, which includes every creature, by His completely wise and holy providence. He has the right to create or dispose of His creatures as He sees fit or pleases. He has the power to apply His knowledge so that the best possible purposes and outcomes are realized. God always does the right thing, at the right time and in the right way. God's general providence has to deal with the running of the universe. God's particular providence deals with the details of man's life. Since God knows all things, He then knows how to help His creatures to, as it says in Acts 17:27, PERHAPS seek Him, choose Him and - most importantly - know and serve Him. D.S Clarke states it this way: "The doctrine of God's sovereignty is a most helpful and encouraging doctrine. If we had our choice, which should we choose – to be governed by blind fate, or capricious chance, or irrevocable natural law, or a shortsighted and perverted self, or a mighty God infinitely wise, holy, loving and powerful? He who rejects God's sovereignty may take his choice with what is left."

Sovereignty means God uses the acts of men to accomplish His Will. It also means that God uses His natural laws to accomplish His will. Some illustrations of God's Sovereignty will help us understand His power and control whether it is a person, a nation or His people.

Great Britain needed God's Providence in 1588

Listen to the details of this famous battle that our generation's history books no longer include. In 1588, Phillip II of Spain sent the Spanish Armada to bring England back under the domination of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. England, being the first nation to break from the yoke of deception, would become the papacy's first example of the price paid for rebellion. The united power of the Papacy could easily crush England.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "I Am, Therefore I Know"
by .
Copyright © 2017 R. W. Mills.
Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents

Introduction, vii,
Chapter 1 I AM, 1,
Chapter 2 PREDESTINED, 13,
Chapter 3 FREE WILL, 17,
Chapter 4 WHOSOEVER, 31,
Chapter 5 UNDERSTAND, 40,
Chapter 6 TRANSFORMATION, 47,
Chapter 7 DISCIPLESHIP, 54,
Chapter 8 DIFFERENCES, 72,
Chapter 9 MORE THAN A FAN, 108,
Chapter 10 CONCLUSION, 119,
Appendix, 125,