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Romans 1:20

20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

I find "invisible qualities" to be very interesting. It makes me wonder if nature is His invisible qualities. I know it's His creation. Maybe we're looking at proof of Him when we observe nature itself?

One thing I keep wondering lately is if it's arrogant to expect proof of God apart from nature. Is that like saying to God, "Prove yourself," when He has told us that He already has through His invisible qualities? I don't know. It's just something I've been thinking about a lot as I've read more and more of these threads.

Is that like saying to God, "Prove yourself," when He has told us that He already has through His invisible qualities?

I don't know, but there ARE instances in the bible where people do just that!

NIV Judges 6:36-40
36. Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised--
37. look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said."
38. And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew--a bowlful of water.
39. Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew."
40. That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

NIV Malachi 3:10
   Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

NIV Romans 12:2
   Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

NIV 1 Thessalonians 5:21
   Test everything. Hold on to the good.

NIV 1 John 4:1
   Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Now the about have to do with obedience. There are many OTHER instances recorded where God was 'tested' out of DISobedience, and He was not pleased!

Thanks for the scripture reference. I often struggle to remember exact references.

Also, I found it interesting in college I had a discussion with a physics major. He stated that although physics formulas could explain nearly everything regarding time and space one dilemma still remained. The causation for energy flow from one form to another (i.e. the growth and decay of an apple).

In considering God's invisible qualities - He being all-seeing, all-knowing, and all-powerful. Power being energy, I contemplated some years later that if you take these qualities universally then you begin to see how nothing exists w/o Him. God is the one who is always actively at work maintaining the balance of the universe. Miracles are nothing for God but transmogrifying the sub-atomic structure of the atoms (i.e. making water gush forth from solid rock).

Comforting then to know that He is with all of us always just in the very act of sustaining our lives.

Interesting too that my chiropractor pointed out how all our lives every cell and organ of our bodies are constantly being regenerated. That within a years time every cell in your body has been replaced - some faster than others. God makes all thing new.