God, Who is There, is always present, deeply involved in His people's lives with sovereign control and omniscience. He sees all, ensuring no circumstance is beyond His design or His children's ability to endure. His profound love, equal to that for His Son, is shown in His sacrifice for humanity's sins and in drawing each to Christ. He guides as a constant presence, like the cloud and fire for Israel, and remains a jealous, protective God. Even in trials, He promises never to forsake His people, inscribing them on His hands, calling them His jewels, and living within them through Christ, ensuring comfort and access to His throne.

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God Is Aware

Sermonette by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Unlike human beings, who are very limited in their awareness, God knows all of our secret desires and urges, which are continually open to Him for inspection.

How Much Does God Love You?

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

God is the God Who is There, always present and deeply involved in the lives of His people. He is sovereign, ruling over all things, and omniscient, aware of every detail across the vastness of creation. He sees everything happening, from one corner of the world to another, ensuring that no random occurrence affects His children. Every circumstance is within His control, designed to be within their capabilities to handle, as He never withholds what is necessary for their salvation. His love for us is profound and equal to the love He has for His Son, Jesus Christ. This is evident in the immense sacrifice He made, giving up the One He loved most to pay for the sins of all humanity. He demonstrates this love by personally selecting and drawing each of us to Christ, granting repentance, and providing His Spirit as a free gift. This love enables us to keep His commandments and endure trials, pushing us to develop qualities and characteristics like His own, always trusting in His unwavering care. Even when situations appear dire, as they did for Abraham when called to sacrifice Isaac, God is there. He intervened at the crucial moment, shielding Abraham from the ultimate loss, proving Himself as a sun and shield. He promises to give grace and glory, withholding no good thing from those who walk uprightly. Trials, though painful, are gifts from Him, designed for our growth, as seen in the life of Job, who emerged stronger through suffering. God, in His sovereignty and omniscience, knows what we endure and often designs these challenges, ensuring that if we continue to believe in His love, something far better will result. He is always the God Who is There, steadfast in His presence and purpose.

Do You See God in Deuteronomy?

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

In the journey of the Israelites, God reveals Himself as the ever-present guide, symbolized by the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, covering both daylight and darkness. He is the God Who is always there, yet the Israelites struggled to keep Him in their minds, often living as if He did not exist despite daily witnesses of His presence. He is a jealous God, a consuming fire, fiercely protective of His relationship with His people and His name, tolerating no rival for their affection. His mercy, justice, and generosity shine through in His dealings with Israel, as He prospers them even during punishment, demonstrating His complex nature. Above all, He is supremely sovereign over His creation, controlling events with absolute authority, as seen in the Deuteronomy narrative where He dictates outcomes to Israel's benefit, opening and shutting doors as He wills. His sovereignty is evident as He determines who resides where, commanding Israel not to meddle with Edom, Moab, and Ammon, lands He has given to others, ensuring peace through His control over tempers and minds. In contrast, He ordains battles against Sihon and Og, delivering them into Israel's hands, showing His power to decide the fate of nations. Through these acts, He reveals the seriousness of sin and its devastating consequences, using Israel as an instrument of His justice. His wisdom and love are further displayed in the allocation of land to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, cutting off potential disputes and fostering unity by requiring their men of valor to fight alongside the other tribes until all inherit their portions. In His final interaction with Moses, He firmly denies the request to enter the Promised Land, considering the broader impact on Joshua's leadership and the people's tendency toward idolatry, demonstrating that His decisions encompass the needs of all involved. Thus, He remains the God Who is there, guiding, controlling, and protecting His purpose with unerring sovereignty.

He Will Never Forsake Us!

Sermonette by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

In times of discouragement and distraction, when it feels as though God has turned away, remember His unwavering promise. As expressed in Isaiah 49:14-16, even if a mother could forget her nursing child, God declares, "I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me." This signifies a permanent bond, an unbreakable connection, as if God has etched His people into His very being, ensuring He can never overlook them. Further, in Zechariah 2:7-8, God calls Zion the apple of His eye, a cherished treasure, indicating that any harm to His people is felt as a personal affront, like a strike to the most sensitive part of His being. He takes such pain personally and vows to respond. In Malachi 3:17, He refers to those who fear Him as His jewels, His special treasure, held close in the palm of His hand, impossible to forget. Hebrews 13:5 reinforces this with profound emphasis, as God Himself declares, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." This promise is so resolute that it is expressed with multiple negatives in the original language, underscoring that He will by no means abandon His people. Psalm 23:4 echoes this assurance, stating, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." This reflects the name Yahweh Shammah, meaning the Lord is there, always present. Finally, Galatians 2:20 reveals an even deeper closeness: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." With Christ within, through the Holy Spirit, God is only a thought away, granting access to His throne room for comfort and help in times of need. Thus, God's presence is constant, both with and within His people, ensuring He will never forsake them.

Trial by Fire

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Like a loving parent, God brings just the right pressures to bear to bring about necessary change in His children. Each trial has a place in His purpose.

How Satan Destroys Faith

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Because we act on what we believe, any affront to our belief system will alter our choices and behavior, placing us on a destructive trajectory.

Could You Stand Alone?

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Would we have the same courage to stand spiritually as the brave unarmed man who resisted the tanks of the Chinese Red Army in Tiananmen Square?

The Commandments (Part Four)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

The prohibition against taking God's name in vain is the least understood commandment. When we bear God's name, we are to bear His character and nature.

Jesus in the Feasts (Part Three): Divine King

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The trumpet blast is both a memorial and a proclamation that Almighty God is present, powerful, and personal, reminding us how we must respond.

Deuteronomy (Part 5) (1994)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Paradoxically, humble obedience and dependency upon God strengthens us, while prideful self-sufficiency weakens us.