ELOHIM: OUR CREATOR GOD

THE ALL-ENCOMPASSING GOD

Worship Songs:
1. You are God Alone
2. Perfect Wisdom of our God

Meditation:

ALL-ENCOMPASSING – including everything or everyone (Meriam Webster)

Synonyms – all-embracing, extensive, complete, comprehensive, all-inclusive,
everything (Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus)

As Creator God, being All-Encompassing, it includes being All-Powerful, Ever-

Present and All-Knowing God. However, we will focus on the last 2 because we
already have covered last Wednesday God’s All-Powerful nature under His being
Majestic Creator God.

1. THE EVER-PRESENT GOD [GOD: Discover His Character by Bill Bright]

God is present everywhere at the same time. He is present in the fullest sense
everywhere at once. How does He do it? This is how God explains His presence:

23 “Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away?
24 Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:23-24 NIV

God’s ability to be present everywhere is called omnipresence. It means that

there is not a sliver of space anywhere in the universe where He is not
dynamically and powerfully present with all of His wonderful personal attributes.
Everywhere throughout the world, to the utmost reaches of the universe and in
heaven, God is always and immediately present with all of who He is!

a. God’s Spirit-Presence
God is not limited by a body, but is a Spirit who moves wherever He wishes. He is
literally every place in the entire universe at the same time. Not a single atom in
any galaxy is hidden from His sight.

King Solomon who was given unparalleled wisdom from God, built a temple for
our majestic God. Awed by the holy task, Solomon asks,

“But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain
you. How much less this Temple I have built!” I Kings 8:27 NLT

b. God’s Presence Sustains the Universe

There is no place within all of creation that is not supported by the divine
presence of God.

“For in him we live and move and exist.” Acts 17:28 NLT

16 Because all things were created by him: both in the heavens and on the earth,
the things that are visible and the things that are invisible.
Whether they are thrones or powers, or rulers or authorities, all things were
created through him and for him.
17 He existed before all things, and all things are held together in him.
Colossians 1:16-17 CEB

God was present when we were fashioned in the womb. We are the result of
God’s marvelous workmanship. He designed us. He made our bodies wonderfully
complex. He was present from the moment of conception, is present every
moment we live, and will be present when we die.

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are
wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when
I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in
your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:13-16 NIV

Let us think for a moment about what God sustains for each of us.

Some of you are familiar with “laminin.” It is known as a cell adhesion molecule in
all animals which holds cells to other cells or other molecules. One rule in
biochemistry is the shape of a molecule determines its function. For laminin to
bind cells and molecules together, it has to be in the shape of a cross. Laminin is
actually a protein, and the human DNA encodes 11 genetically distinct laminin
chains. From being a fertilized egg planted in the womb, the laminins are critically
important in the development of the different cells and organs- such as brain,
nerve, kidneys, muscles; the laminins promote tissue survival while an organism is
growing in the womb. When the body cannot produce laminins because of
genetic defects, the organism is prone to develop some diseases. (COLOGNATO H
& YURCHENCO PD, 2000. Form and Function: The Laminin Family of
Heterotrimers. Developmental Dynamics 218:213–234)

These are pictures and illustrations of the protein laminin as perceived by

scientists.

Laminin viewed using an electron microscope. It is in the shape of a cross.

(YURCHENCO PD et al, 1997. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94, 10189–10194)

Laminin assembly.
This illustrates laminin holding together the skin, which is the largest organ of the
body.
(COLOGNATO H & YURCHENCO PD, 2000. Form and Function: The Laminin Family
of Heterotrimers. Developmental Dynamics 218:213–234)

Even our very cells and molecules testify of

Col. 1:17 NIV He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Acts 17:28 NKJV for in Him we live and move and have our being.

c. God is Present with Us in All Places and in All Our Circumstances

God’s omnipresence means that we cannot go anywhere that God is not beside
us.

God sees us walks with us, and cares for us no matter where we are.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are
there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalm 139:7-10 NIV

d. Nothing We Do is Hidden from God

When we privately do something good that no one else knows about, God still
sees it and rewards us accordingly.

“Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew
6:4 NIV

On the other hand, God also sees the wrong things we commit in secret. We only
fool ourselves by thinking that no one will ever know.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and
laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13
NIV
There is no place we can hide when we do wrong. God sees us. As believers, we
may break our fellowship with God when we sin, but He does not leave our
presence. He is still dwelling within us, convicting us, helping us to do what is right
through His loving discipline, and waiting for us to repent of our wrongdoing.

So, what does God expect of us?

God Wants Us to Consciously Live in His Presence

God’s omnipresence enables us to be in constant communion with Him and to

depend on Him in every situation. But at times we ignore His presence because
we are too preoccupied with our lives and focused on material concerns (food,
clothing, shelter, finances, and jobs). Sometimes we even forget that He is with us
while we are busy serving Him.

God wants us to “consciously” live in His presence every day.

In the book, Practice the Presence of God, the author Brother Lawrence said,
“The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God.
That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly
and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the
conversation in any way.”

We have to recognize God as being intimately present within us. Then we may
speak directly to Him every time we need to ask for help, to know His will in
moments of uncertainty, and to do whatever He wants us to do in a way that
pleases Him. We should offer our work to Him before we begin, and thank Him
afterwards for the privilege of having done them for His sake. The continuous
conversation would also include praising and loving God incessantly for His
infinite goodness and perfection.”

Living in God’s presence means realizing that God is with us and is vitally
concerned about every part of our lives.
Every day, let us ask the Lord to live His life in and through us throughout the day.
Let us ask Him that He will walk around in our bodies, speak with our lips, use our
hands and feet for His glory, and control our thoughts so they honor Him.

Reflection Time:

Reflect on the following verses:

Psalm 139:7-12
Isaiah 43:1-3
Joshua 1:9

What is God speaking to you?

Knowing that my Ever-Present God is in me, how should I live my life?

Is there anything that God is convicting you of?

2. THE ALL-KNOWING GOD

God is Omniscient. He is All-Knowing. God is the only source of all knowledge,

understanding, and wisdom; everything we know and understand originated with
Him.

13 Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him
advice or teach him?
14 Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about
what is good?
Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice?
Isaiah 40:13-14 NLT

Our Creator God not only knows everything but also is the source of all
knowledge. His knowledge is absolutely pure, totally true and accurate, and
undefiled by distortions or wrong perspectives. Unlike man’s knowledge, God’s
knowledge is never superseded or made obsolete by new discoveries.
Because God knows absolutely everything that can be known, He has never had
to learn anything. He remembers all things at all times. He is never bewildered or
confused or perplexed. He never has to figure something out; everything is always
absolutely clear to Him. Nothing ever surprises God. He is always completely
aware of all events because He sees everything. Nothing ever turns out differently
than He expected or planned.

a. Only God Knows Everything About Himself

God knows His own essence and infinite perfections. He knows what is
unknowable to anyone else.

No one but God is capable of truly understanding His divine magnificence and His
many attributes.

“No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no
one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.” I Corinthians 2:11 NLT

What we know about God is possible only because He has revealed Himself
through creation, the Bible, and Jesus Christ.

“No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to
reveal Him.”
Matthew 11:27 NIV

b. Only God Knows Everything About His Creation Including Us

13 The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.
14 From his throne he observes all who live on the earth.
15 He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.
Psalm 33:13-15 NLT

There is neither a thought in your mind nor a motive in your heart that God does
not know.

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m
far away.
3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!
Psalm 139:1-6 NLT

Only God knows us perfectly and intimately. He understands our desires, motives,
and thoughts. Nothing about us escapes His notice. In fact, God knows infinitely
more about us than we will ever know about ourselves.

God not only knows all about us, but He will never forget us. He even keeps an
account of the number of hairs on our heads.

“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30 NIV
[Already in slide. Don’t read]

15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the
child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands”
Isaiah 49:15-16 NIV

The reference to the engraving on the palms of God’s hands is a prophecy about
the death of Christ on the cross when the Roman soldiers drove nails through His
hands. Christ submitted to death because of His love for us; the nail holes are
eternal reminders of that love. No wonder we can have assurance that God will
never forget about us!

c. God Knows Everything About Our Past

God is aware of everything we have ever done – both good and bad.

9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?
10 But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT

Despite our sinfulness, He has not left us in a hopeless condition. God loves us
unconditionally in spite of our past sin. He will forgive us when we sincerely
confess it to Him. We never have to fear that He will discover something in our
past that will change His mind about loving us.

d. God Knows Everything We Face in the Present

When we face challenges or difficulties, the fact that God knows all things is
encouraging.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.”
Psalm 34:15

Our God knows what we are going through. He knows our pain and suffering. He
knows about our hurt, rejection, and pressures. Our feelings and struggles are not
unknown to Him, but He also knows the purposes for our trials.

He wants to help us accomplish those purposes and to experience His joy through
them. In Him there is hope for a way out and a better tomorrow.

e. God Knows the Future He Wants for Us

9 Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God,
and there is none like me.
10 Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will
come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.
Isaiah 46:9-10 NLT

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can
do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:10 NLT

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

God knew what He had planned for our lives before we were even conceived. He
understands our capabilities, opportunities, and life mission. We can trust Him
with every moment of our future.

So, what does God expect of us?

God Wants for Us to Ask Him for Wisdom

Because God’s Spirit resides within us, we can rely on Him as our Teacher,
Counselor, and Guide into all truth. He is willing to share His great knowledge
with us. God promises:

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without
reproach, and it will be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave
of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
James 1:5-6 ESV

God is never surprised when we have problems, and He is always with us to help
us.

God Wants for Us to Acknowledge His Wisdom and Trust Him Completely

God wants us to consciously acknowledge His divine wisdom in the affairs of our
lives – from our simplest decisions to our career choices or our retirement plans.

God has a much greater agenda than ours. As we make plans through the power
of the Holy Spirit, we must allow God to change those plans at a moment’s notice.
We must seriously seek God’s will rather than our own, and trust all our
circumstances to His control.

5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him…”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
And God promises these to those who trusts in Him:

“…He shall direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:6 NKJV

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on
wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 NLT

7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope
and confidence.
8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into
the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT

God knows all about us and loves us unconditionally. Let us open our heart to Him
and determine to walk with Him regardless of the cost. Let us be reminded every
day of the truth of our All-Knowing God. We will never again feel the same way
about out daily personal fellowship with our wonderful God.

Reflection Time:

Reflect on the following verses:

Psalm 139:1-6
Romans 11:33-36
Isaiah 55:8-9

What is God speaking to you?

If you are in a difficult situation right now, are you willing to surrender the control
of your life and your situation to Him?

Reflection Song: Already All I Need

Prayer Time:

Pray that:
1. I will understand God’s purpose for my life and fulfill it.
2. I will patiently endure the path that God is allowing me to walk at this time
of uncertainties and unexpected circumstances.
3. I will embrace the greater healing that God desires for me (e.g. inner
healing) first, then the healing of physical ailments will follow.
4. I will choose God’s perspective over my life or circumstances over my own
point of view or understanding.
5. I will grow in my intimate walk with God, experiencing more and more of
His presence and character in my everyday life.

Pray for:
1. People you know who are aimless and lost (e.g. those who are struggling
with their identity and purpose, those depressed and who easily give up)
2. Christians you know who have lost their passion for God or those who are
running away from God
3. Those in our church who are sick and isolated due to COVID
4. Our church to level up, as a corporate body, in knowing God and making
Him known
5. Our church, as a corporate body, to be willing to fulfill our commitments
with consistency, and to be willing to move in the direction where God
leads us

Thanksgiving

God has revealed a lot about His Name Elohim. We believe that each one has
experienced God as Elohim through the circumstances we encountered in the
past days, and we will still encounter. So, it is but fitting that we give thanks and
praise our Creator God.

Pause for a moment and let us just thank our Elohim, our Creator God for all that
He has revealed to us and all that He has done in and through our lives.

Conclusion
Why is the name Elohim the first revealed name of God? One answer is that: It is
the Name that started it all.

God being our Creator, He is the beginning. And He is also the end.
He existed before everything and everything finds completion in Him.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega [the Beginning and the End],” says the Lord God,
“Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who
is to come, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all].”
Revelation 1:8 AMP

God’s name Elohim encompasses all His other names. We have such an Amazing
God!

There is also a reminder in the Bible for each one of us, not just for the youth but
for all ages – that is we should not forget our Creator. In everything we do, let us
acknowledge Him and live in His Presence.

1 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him
in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”
2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old
eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky.
3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble;
and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your
teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the
women looking through the windows—see dimly.
4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound
of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their
sounds will grow faint.
5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in
the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you
drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer
inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting
home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.
6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of
life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed
at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well.
7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who
gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 NLT

Let us remember Him just as He always remembers us. And let us always rejoice
and celebrate that we have our Elohim: Creator God – the Only True God, the
Majestic God, and the All-Encompassing God.

Closing Song: Creator God