“After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Thus he became so far better than the angels as he has inherited a name superior to theirs.”

Hebrews 1:1-4, NET

God is Our Sustainer

Talk to God: Ask God to soften your heart and open your mind to reveal who He is and who you are with and without Him.

Encounter God and Humanity

Make two columns with “God” over the left and “Humanity” over the right. Write down all the attributes of each that you find in the passage. Once you’re done (or you get stuck), read this:

Let’s face it, we don’t all know God as well as we could. So, really diving into the text and finding out who He is and who you are when you’re in relationship with Him is very important for your life. Everything you find out about who God is and write in the left-hand column of your TEXTing table reveals to you the attributes of God. An attribute of God is something that’s always true about Him. And if one thing is true about Him in a passage, it will always be true about Him. We know this because He is unchanging and so are all His attributes. You can know God by knowing these attributes. The more you TEXT the text, the more you will build your understanding of who God is through His attributes.

Anyone who believes in God has to understand He created the world through His Son, Jesus Christ. Not meaning He created your house and your stuff, but He created every organic and living thing. He created the universe, the world, the weather, the plants, and the animals. He created it all. And He created it all at the beginning of human time. You’ve heard of the creation story in Genesis 1? Well, after that, God didn’t create anymore. He made everything so that it could produce more of its kind. Animals have baby animals, and plants grow from seeds that fall from existing plants. That means God no longer creates, but He also sustains. So we call Him the sustainer of all things by His powerful Word. Without Him, the world would fall apart. He didn’t create us and then walk away. He isn’t distant and uninvolved. He is actively involved in the world by keeping it going and caring for it and all its people. He is God. Hebrews 1:3 says that “the Son is the radiance of His glory and the representation of His essence.” That means that God the Father and the Son are the same in substance and equal in power and glory. And here we see that the Son sustains all things and cleanses our sins.

Examine Your Heart

Ask yourself, “Do I see the Father and the Son as equal in power and glory? In what ways have I forgotten He is a sustaining God and not a distant Creator?”

Knowing who God is, who He really is, will change your life. You find out who God is by reading the Bible, having the Spirit illuminate it in your mind and heart, and being in community and on mission with the people of God. The more you read and find out who God is, and the more the Spirit tenders your heart, the more your life will change. Psalm 86:8-10 tells us that there is no one like Him, no one you can compare Him to. So, find out who He is by staying in the text and asking His Spirit to illuminate your understanding. Spend time with other believers, talking about what you’re learning about Him. Learn all you can about God as we study who He is and why He has done what He has done in the world.

Talk to Others

Ask yourself, “How can I help others to see who God is? Is there anyone that comes to mind who has a misconception about God’s presence on Earth?”

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Content in this article is taken from The TEXT Bible.

Experience The TEXT Bible — like a conversation between you, a friend teaching you about the faith, and the God of the Universe. It gives you a method of Bible study that’s easy to remember and use for any passage of scripture: Talk to God; Encounter God and humanity; eXamine your heart; Talk to others.

Click here to learn more about the TEXT Bible.