By Bill Bright, Founder Of Cru Discover God’s Character

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By Bill Bright, founder of CruDiscoverGod’sCharacter:13 KEY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD 1. God Is a Personal Spirit2. God Is All-Powerful3. God Is Present Everywhere4. God Knows Everything5. God Is Sovereign6. God Is Holy7. God Is Absolute Truth8. God Is Righteous9. God Is Just10. God Is Love11. God Is Merciful12. God Is Faithful13. God Never Changes1

Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of GodIntroductionDo you find yourself doubting God when youare faced with a difficult situation? Are you oftenfrustrated by negative circumstances? Is it hard foryou to trust God with the challenges of life?People have many different perceptions ofwhat God is like. Some see Him as an indulgentgrandfather or a divine Santa Claus. Others seeHim as a vengeful dictator. Many people fear Godbecause they have a distorted understanding ofHis character. God not only wants you to view Himcorrectly, He wants you to know Him intimately.How you view God and His involvement in yourlife touches every facet of who you are. Everythingabout your life — your desires, motives, attitudes,words and actions — is influenced by yourperception of who God is.God’s character is of the highest integrity. He ismorally perfect in every way, so He will always do theright thing. He is holy, absolutely truthful, righteousand just. He will never betray your confidence.And God is totally committed to His relationshipwith you, so you can experience the many blessingsof His gracious goodness. He is loving, merciful andfaithful, and He never changes. He will always dowhat is best for you.Are you in the midst of difficult circumstances? Areyou facing challenges that seem beyond your abilityto cope? Do not despair, because God is with you,and He wants to help you.Allow the truth about Him and His marvelouscharacter to transform you. Only then will youexperience God’s best and become all He wantsyou to be.Your self-image will improve once you realize theawesome greatness of God and the value He placeson you. The more accurate your understanding ofwho God really is and how He is involved in your life,the more highly motivated you will become to excelin the use of your time, talents and abilities.God is completely trustworthy. God has unlimitedabilities, so He can do anything. He is all-powerful,ever-present, all-knowing and sovereign. Nothing istoo difficult for Him. However, despite all this, youcan trust Him only to the degree that you know Him.2

Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God1God Is a PersonalSpirit so you can have intimatefellowship with Him.Our awesome God is gloriously incomprehensible.The following are four of the many ways He is beyondour understanding.“Friendship with Godis reserved for thosewho reverence Him.”(Psalm 25:14, LivingBible)God is infinite. Unlikeus, God has no limitsor boundaries. He isnot confined to thedimension of space. Hislove, holiness, mercy and all His other qualities areunlimited in their scope and expression.God is self-existent. Unlike everything else in theentire universe, He had no beginning. Because He isthe Creator, He is the only One who exists outside ofthe created order.of being involved with Him in the fulfillment of Hispurposes.God is gloriously incomprehensible, but He is alsoa personal Spirit. Through His infinite love andgoodness, He has provided a way for us to have anauthentic, personal relationship with Him.First, God revealed Himself to us in His Word,the Bible. The Scriptures provide us with aclear description of what God is like and what isimportant to Him.Second, God came down from heaven to live onearth. For 33 years, human beings could observe theincarnate God through their senses as they walkedand talked with His Son, Jesus.Third, God destroyed the barrier of sin and selfcenteredness that separated us from our holy God.His perfect Son, Jesus, died on the cross to pay thepenalty for our sins.Fourth, God sent the Holy Spirit to dwell inChristians with His presence.God is eternal. He is not bound by the dimension oftime. He created time as a temporary context for Hiscreation. With God, everything that has ever happenedor will ever happen has already occurred within Hisawareness. God encompasses all of eternity!Our Creator God did all this so we could go beyondjust knowing about Him. We can actually enter into awarm friendship and intimate family relationship withHim. What a gracious offer and an awesome privilege!God is self-sufficient. All creation relies on God forexistence, but He has no need for anything. He doesnot need our help. He only offers us the privilege“You will seek Me and find Me when you seekMe with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13, NewInternational Version)3

2Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of GodGod Is AllPowerful so He can help you with anything.God merely spoke“O Sovereign LORD!the universe intoYou have made thebeing — a universe thatheavens and earthastronomers estimateby Your strong handcontains more thanand powerful arm.100 billion galaxies.Nothing is too hardBut all the powerfor You!” (Jeremiahcontained in this entire32:17, New Livinguniverse is but a smallTranslation)representation of theunlimited power of God. The combined energy of allearth’s storms, winds, ocean waves and other forcesof nature do not equal even a fraction of God’salmighty power.God’s power is inherent in His nature. All powerhas always been His and will continue to be His forall eternity. Any power that we have is given to usby God.Because God is all-powerful, He has the ability andstrength to do whatever He pleases. His power is notrestrained or inhibited by any of His created beings.People and nations are powerless when confrontedby His might.long as it does not violate any of His other attributes.No task is too big for Him. He never fails. And He isnever tired, frustrated or discouraged.Yet our all-powerful Creator cares for us, and Helongs to exhibit His power in our lives.David writes, “When I look at the night sky and seethe work of Your fingers — the moon and the starsYou have set in place — what are mere mortals thatYou should think about them, human beings thatYou should care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4, NLT).No matter what you might be facing, God canhelp you. Nothing is too hard for Him. No needis too great for Him to meet. No problem is toocomplicated for Him to solve. No foe is too strongfor Him to conquer. No prayer is too difficult for Himto answer.The Bible promises, “By His mighty power at workwithin us [He] is able to accomplish infinitely morethan we would ever dare to ask or even dream”(Ephesians 3:20, Living Bible).If our hearts and motives are pure and we truly seekto do God’s will, then there is nothing too difficultfor us as we depend on His strength.“I can do everything through Christ, who gives mestrength.” (Philippians 4:13, NLT)Our amazing God is capable of doing anything — as4

3Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of GodGod Is PresentEverywhere He also sees the bad things we do in secret.Hebrews 4:13 states, “Nothing in all creation ishidden from God. Everything is naked and exposedbefore His eyes, and He is the one to whom we areaccountable” (NLT).so He is always with you.“Where can I go from Your Spirit?Where can I flee from Yourpresence? If I go up to the heavens,You are there; if I make my bed inthe depths, You are there. If I rise onthe wings of the dawn, if I settle onthe far side of the sea, even thereYour hand will guide me, Your righthand will hold me fast.”(Psalm 139:7-10, New InternationalVersion)We actually have the presence of Almighty Godliving inside us. The apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t youknow that you yourselves are God’s temple and thatGod’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, NIV).God wants us to “consciously” live in His presenceeach day. His ever-presence makes it possible forus to be in constant communication with Him andto depend on Him in every situation. But often weignore His presence because we are so preoccupiedwith our lives. Sometimes we even forget He is withus while we are busy serving Him.God is always with us. Because He is an infiniteSpirit, He is not restricted to being in one location ata time. He fills every inch of space throughout theuniverse with all His wonderful personal attributes.Although God is distinct from His creation, all Hiscreation exists within Him. In Acts 17:28 we are told,“In Him we live and move and exist” (New LivingTranslation).Yet God’s magnificent presence is all we need forany challenge that may come our way. No person orcircumstance can ever remove us from the presenceof our loving God. He is always with us, hearing ourcries for help. He is always with us, protecting usfrom danger. He is always with us, watching whatwe do. He is our ever-present God, Savior, Lord andMaster — our dearest friend.We live in His glorious presence every moment ofevery day. When we are alone, God watches whatwe do. When we do something good that nobodyelse knows about, God sees it and will reward usaccordingly.[Jesus said,] “I am with you always.” (Matthew28:20, NIV)5

4Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of GodGod KnowsEverything so go to Him with all your questions andconcerns.“Oh, what a wonderful God wehave! How great are His wisdomand knowledge and riches! Howimpossible it is for us to understandHis decisions and His methods!For who can know what the Lord isthinking? Who knows enough to beHis counselor and guide?” (Romans11:33-34, Living Bible)Our magnificent Creator God knows everything andis the source of all true knowledge, understandingand wisdom. His knowledge is undefiled by anydistortions or wrong perspectives. It is totally trueand accurate.God knows the answers to all of life’s questions.Unlike us, God is never surprised or bewildered,because He is always completely aware of all eventspast, present and future.He also knows everything about you — your desires,motives and thoughts. God knows more about youthan you will ever know about yourself.heart and know everything about me. You knowwhen I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughtseven when I’m far away. You see me when I traveland when I rest at home. You know everything Ido. You know what I am going to say even before Isay it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. Youplace Your hand of blessing on my head. Suchknowledge is too wonderful for me, too great forme to understand!” (Psalm 139:1-6, New LivingTranslation).When you face challenges or difficulties, you canbe encouraged that God understands what you aregoing through. He knows about your pressures andproblems, and He also knows the purpose for yourtrials. God promises, “I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to giveyou a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT).Whatever your circumstances, whatever your need,God has the answer. He knows everything aboutyour situation and wants to help you.“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,who gives generously to all without finding fault,and it will be given to you. But when you ask, youmust believe and not doubt, because the one whodoubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossedby the wind. That person should not expect toreceive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:5-6, NewInternational Version)King David writes, “O Lord, You have examined my6

5God IsSovereign so joyfully submit to His will.“Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; Youare exalted as head over all. Wealthand honor come from You; You arethe ruler of all things. In Your handsare strength and power to exalt andgive strength to all.”(1 Chronicles 29:11-12, NewInternational Version)God is the sovereign ruler of the universe. Thereis no higher authority. Our great God possessesevery ability He needs to be in absolute control ofeverything. He is all-powerful, so no one can forceHim to do anything against His will. He is presenteverywhere, so no one can hide from Him or escapeHis scrutiny. He is all-knowing, so there is nothingabout which He is unaware.Nothing occurs without His divine permission. Godcommands the forces of nature and uses them toachieve His divine purposes. He established thescientific laws that regulate the universe, and onlyHe can overrule their effect. Even Satan and hislegions of evil spirits can operate only within limitsprescribed by God.Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of Godand events. Daniel explains, “[God] determinesthe course of world events; He removes kingsand sets up other kings” (Daniel 2:21, New LivingTranslation). Without God’s sustaining providence,none of us could live another day. “The life of everyliving thing is in His hand, and the breath of everyhuman being” (Job 12:10, NLT).Do you feel overwhelmed by circumstances? Beencouraged: Your loving God is still in control, andHe is sovereignly directing your life. Proverbs 19:21states, “You can make many plans, but the LORD’spurpose will prevail” (NLT).In fact, difficulties and suffering are tools in God’ssovereign hands with which He shapes you into theimage of Jesus Christ. The Bible promises, “Godcauses everything to work together for the good ofthose who love God and are called according to Hispurpose for them” (Romans 8:28, NLT).Our sovereign God is actively directing His creationon a course that has been charted before thebeginning of time. But within the context of Hismaster plan, He gives all of us the freedom tochoose how we will participate. Will you choose tocooperate with Him?“Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own;it is not for them to direct their steps.” (Jeremiah10:23, NIV)God also sovereignly directs people, circumstances7

6Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of GodGod Is Holy so devote yourself to Him in purity,worship and service.Our God is holy. Hischaracter is perfect inevery way. His moralexcellence is theabsolute standard ofintegrity and ethicalpurity. God’s supremeholiness infinitely setsHim apart from Hiscreation.“Who else amongthe gods is like You,LORD? Who is likeYou — majestic inholiness, awesomein glory, workingwonders?”(Exodus 15:11, NewInternational Version)As we meditate on God’s supreme holiness, wecannot help being overcome with a sense of awe.The psalmist tells us, “Worship the LORD in thesplendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all theearth” (Psalm 96:9, NIV).sinful world, you are to reflect the beauty of Hisholiness. But you can be holy only by placing yourfaith in Jesus Christ. As the holiness of God worksinto the fabric of your being, you will becomesensitive to sin and learn to abhor it as God does.God’s holiness demands your devotion. The apostleJohn strongly warns, “Dear children, keep awayfrom anything that might take God’s place in yourhearts” (1 John 5:21, New Living Translation). Whereis your heart? Are you remaining pure and faithful toyour holy God? Holy living involves a daily decisionto surrender to the lordship of Christ.Sin brings death and destruction, while holinessbrings health and well-being. God wants your mindand heart to be filled with His holy qualities. As yourlife is transformed, you will project the light of Hisholiness into the darkness of this evil world. Thenyou shall be holy as He is holy.“But now you must be holy in everything you do, justas God who chose you is holy.” (1 Peter 1:15, NLT)Solomon writes, “The fear of the LORD is thebeginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the HolyOne is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10, NIV). To fearGod does not mean to be afraid of Him but to havea reverential respect for His magnificent greatnessand unlimited authority. The Bible instructs us,“Serve the LORD with fear, and celebrate His rulewith trembling” (Psalm 2:11, NIV).You have been set apart by God to be holy. Ratherthan reflecting the opinions and attitudes of this8

7Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of GodGod Is AbsoluteTruth so believe what He says and liveaccordingly.[Jesus said,] “I was born and cameinto the world to testify to the truth.All who love the truth recognize thatwhat I say is true.” (John 18:37, NewLiving Translation)International Version). The Bible helps us know andunderstand the truth about Him, about ourselvesand about life.God also manifested truth to us in the person ofJesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truthand the life” (John 14:6, NIV). While many peopleclaim to know the truth, only Jesus could honestlyclaim to be the truth.God also guides us into truth through the workingof His Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples, “I will askthe Father, and He will give you another advocateto help you and be with you forever — the Spirit oftruth” (John 14:16-17, NIV).Our God is absolute truth. It is impossible for Him tobe otherwise. In fact, God is the source of all truth.Our God, who is present everywhere and knowsall things, has total understanding of what is real,what is right and what is true. Whatever He says iscompletely accurate.Jesus promises, “You are truly My disciples if youremain faithful to My teachings. And you will knowthe truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:3132, NLT). God’s truth frees us to live as He intended.When God gave the prophet Balaam a message todeliver to the king of Moab, Balaam said, “God is nota man, so he does not lie. He is not a human, so hedoes not change his mind. Has He ever spoken andfailed to act? Has He ever promised and not carriedit through?” (Numbers 23:19, NLT).God is our anchor of truth in a society of relativismand falsehood. Do your decisions and lifestyledemonstrate that you are listening to Jesus? Orhave you bought into the lies of popular culture?Are you consistently spending time discoveringtruth in God’s Word?Whatever God says is absolutely right. Whatever Hepromises will always be fulfilled.Truth will be found only by those who diligently seekit in the right places. Commit yourself daily to walkin the light of God’s truth.God wants us to know the truth. Jesus prayedfor His disciples, asking God to “sanctify them bythe truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17, New“Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may liveaccording to Your truth!” (Psalm 86:11, NLT)9

8Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of GodGod IsRighteous so live by His standards.God is righteous, and“The LORD isall the righteousness inrighteous in all Histhe entire universe hasways and faithfulits origin in Him. Thein all He does.”psalmist exclaims, “Your (Psalm 145:17, Newrighteousness, O God,International Version)reaches to the highestheavens. . Who can compare with You, O God?”(Psalm 71:19, New Living Translation).We live in an age when the distinction betweenright and wrong is becoming increasingly blurred.Our culture has adopted the principle of situationalethics, which proposes that what is morally rightvaries from person to person and situation tosituation. Yet God’s standards do not change; theyare timeless.are” (Romans 3:22, NLT). When we place our trust inJesus, God no longer sees our sinfulness but only theperfect righteousness of Christ that now clothes us.God wants you to display His righteousness in yournew life. You can do this through faith as you daily“throw off your old sinful nature and your formerway of life. . Instead, let the Spirit renew yourthoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature,created to be like God — truly righteous and holy”(Ephesians 4:22–24, NLT). This is possible only asyou consistently submit your will to the Holy Spiritand depend on Him to empower you.As Christians, we must hold fast to the righteousstandards set forth by the sovereign Ruler of theuniverse. Regardless of the beliefs and behavior ofsociety, God will hold every person accountableaccording to His biblical decrees. Whose standardsof right are you following?“Surely, LORD, You bless the righteous; Yousurround them with Your favor as with a shield.”(Psalm 5:12, NIV)God’s laws are a reflection of His own righteousnature. If we break God’s laws, we will pay theconsequences. But we cannot keep God’s perfectstandard on our own. Only by receiving Jesus as ourSavior and Lo

God’s Character: 13 KEY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD 1. God Is a Personal Spirit 2. God Is All-Powerful 3. God Is Present Everywhere 4. God Knows Everything 5. . problems, and He also knows the purpose for your trials. God promises, “I know the plans I have for you. . They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give

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