₦airaland Forum

Is God Everywhere, Omnipresent?

God is able to see everything and to act anywhere he chooses. (Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13)

However, the Bible does not teach that God is omnipresent​—that is, present everywhere, in all things. Instead, it shows that he is a person and that he resides in a dwelling place.

God’s form:

God is a spirit person. (John 4:​24)
He is invisible to humans. (John 1:​18)

Visions of God recorded in the Bible consistently portray him as having a distinct location.

He is never depicted as existing everywhere.​—Isaiah 6:​1, 2; Revelation 4:​2, 3, 8.

God’s dwelling place:

God resides in the spirit realm, which is distinct from physical creation.

Within that realm, God has a “dwelling place in the heavens.” (1 Kings 8:​30)

The Bible mentions an occasion when spirit creatures “entered to take their station before Jehovah,” a showing that in a sense, God resides at a specific location.​—Job 1:6.

If God is not omnipresent, can he really care for me personally?

Yes. God cares deeply about individuals.

Although he lives in the spirit realm, God notices those on earth who truly want to please him, and he acts in their behalf. (1 Kings 8:​39; 2 Chronicles 16:9)

Consider how Jehovah demonstrates his concern for sincere worshippers:

When you pray:

Jehovah can hear your prayer the moment you say it.​—2 Chronicles 18:31.

When you are depressed:

“Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; he saves those who are crushed in spirit.”​—Psalm 34:18.

When you need direction:

Jehovah “will give you insight and instruct you” by means of his Word, the Bible.​—Psalm 32:8.

Misconceptions about omnipresence

1) Misconception: God is present everywhere in creation.

Fact:
God dwells neither on the earth nor elsewhere in the physical universe. (1 Kings 8:​27)

It is true that the stars and other creative works “are declaring the glory of God.” (Psalm 19:1)

However, God does not inhabit his creation any more than an artist lives in his painting.

Still, a painting can tell us something about the artist who made it.

Similarly, the visible world tells us about the Creator’s “invisible qualities,” such as his power, wisdom, and love.​—Romans 1:​20.

2) Misconception: God must be omnipresent in order to know all things and be all-powerful.

Fact:
God’s holy spirit, or active force, is God’s power in action. Through his holy spirit, God can perceive and do anything, anywhere, at any time, without being present in person.​—Psalm 139:7.

3) Misconception: Psalm 139:8 teaches that God is omnipresent by saying: “If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there, and if I were to make my bed in the Grave, look! you would be there.”

Fact:
This scripture is not talking about God’s location. It poetically teaches that no place is too remote for God to act in our behalf.

What Does the Bible Say About Free Will? Is God in Control?

God dignifies us with free will, the power to make decisions of our own rather than having God or fate predetermine what we do. Consider what the Bible teaches.

God created humans in his image. (Genesis 1:26)

Unlike animals, which act mainly on instinct, we resemble our Creator in our capacity to display such qualities as love and justice. And like our Creator, we have free will.

To a great extent, we can determine our future. The Bible encourages us to “choose life . . . by listening to [God’s] voice,” that is, by choosing to obey his commands. (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20)

This offer would be meaningless, even cruel, if we lacked free will. Instead of forcing us to do what he says, God warmly appeals to us: “O if only you would actually pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river.”—Isaiah 48:18.

Our success or failure is not determined by fate. If we want to succeed at an endeavor, we must work hard. “All that your hand finds to do,” says the Bible, “do with your very power.”(Ecclesiastes 9:10)

It also says: “The plans of the diligent one surely make for advantage.”—Proverbs 21:5.

Free will is a precious gift from God, for it lets us love him with our “whole heart”—because we want to.—Matthew 22:37.

Doesn’t God control all things?

The Bible does teach that God is Almighty, that his power is not limited by anyone other than himself. (Job 37:23; Isaiah 40:26)

However, he does not use his power to control everything. For example, the Bible says that God was “exercising self-control” toward ancient Babylon, an enemy of his people. (Isaiah 42:14)

Similarly, for now, he chooses to tolerate those who misuse their free will to harm others. But God will not do so indefinitely.—Psalm 37:10, 11.

It’s natural to wonder why people die, especially when we lose someone close to us. The Bible says: “The sting producing death is sin.”​—1 Corinthians 15:56.

Why do all people sin and die?

The first humans, Adam and Eve, lost their lives because they sinned against God. (Genesis 3:17-19) Death was the only possible outcome of their rebellion against God, for with him is “the source of life.”​—Psalm 36:9; Genesis 2:17.

Adam passed on the defect of sin to all his descendants. The Bible says: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) All people die because they all sin.​—Romans 3:23.

How death will be eliminated

God promises a time when “he will actually swallow up death forever.” (Isaiah 25:8 )

To remove death, he must eliminate its root cause, which is sin. God will do this through Jesus Christ, who “takes away the sin of the world.”​—John 1:29; 1 John 1:7

OAM4J, prof800(m), UjSizzle(f), Mynd44, lalasticlala(m), Seun(m)

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When Disaster Strikes​—Steps That Can Save Lives


Earthquake, Fire Outbreak, hurricane, Cyclone, terrorist attack, school shooting.

Those terms appear in the headlines too often. Of course, it is one thing to read about a disaster; it is another to live through one. What can you do before, during, and after a disaster to improve the likelihood of your survival?

a. BEFORE - PREPARE!

NO ONE is immune to disaster. Preparation is your most important key to survival. But what does preparation involve?

1. Prepare mentally.

Acknowledge the fact that disasters happen and that you and your loved ones are potentially at risk. It is too late to prepare after disaster strikes.

2. Learn about disasters that can happen in your area.

Know where shelters are. Consider whether the construction of your home and its location are as safe as possible. Remove fire hazards. Install smoke detectors, and change their batteries at least once a year, if not more often.

3. Prepare emergency supplies.

Power, water, phone, and transportation services can fail. If you own a car, try to keep the fuel tank at least half full, and always have food, water, and an emergency kit in your home.​

4. Have access to the phone numbers of friends, both near and far.

5. Make and rehearse an escape plan.

Know the nearest exits in your building, as well as the emergency plan of your children’s school. Set up family meeting places​—such as a school or a library—​one nearby and another outside your neighborhood. Authorities recommend that you practice walking with your family to those meeting points.


b. DURING - ACT QUICKLY

1. In a fire.

Stay close to the floor, and move quickly to the nearest exit. Smoke makes it hard to see, and most fire deaths are caused by smoke inhalation. Leave behind personal items. Seconds can make the difference between life and death.

2. In an earthquake.

Get under sturdy furniture or next to an inside wall. Expect aftershocks, and get outside and away from buildings as soon as you can. Trained rescuers may not arrive for hours, so try to rescue others if you can.

3. In a tsunami.

If the water suddenly rushes away from the shore, move quickly to higher ground. Expect more and larger waves.

5. In a tornado or a hurricane.

Go to a storm shelter without delay.

6. In a flood.

Stay out of flooded buildings. Avoid wading in or driving through water. Floodwater can contain sewage and conceal dangers, including debris, open manholes, and downed power lines.

Did you know?
Two feet [0.6 m] of moving water can carry a car away. Most deaths in a flood result when people try to drive through moving water.

If the authorities order evacuation, leave immediately! Let friends know where you are, or they may risk their lives looking for you.



Did you know?
Text messaging may be more reliable than telephone voice service.

If the authorities direct residents to remain at home or shelter in place, stay inside.

In case of an outdoor chemical, biological, or nuclear accident or attack, stay indoors, turn off ventilation, and seal all doors and windows.

In a nuclear event, go to the lowest internal part of your building to reduce exposure to radiation.

Listen to local TV or radio news. Stay indoors until authorities announce that the threat has passed.

c. AFTER - STAYY SAFE!

To avoid disease and danger, consider the following recommendations:

1. Stay with friends, if possible, rather than in a camp.

2. Keep your living space sanitary.

3. Use personal protective equipment when cleaning up debris. If possible, wear gloves, sturdy shoes, a hard hat, and a dust mask. Beware of electrical wires and hidden embers.

4. Keep your daily routine as normal as possible. Your children need to see that you are calm and hopeful. Do school lessons, play, and worship as a family.

5. Do not dwell on news coverage of the tragedy, and do not take out your anxiety or frustration on family members.

6. Accept help, and help others.

7. Acknowledge that disasters cause loss. Government and other relief efforts focus on helping people to survive, not on replacing everything that was lost.

To survive, we need clean water, food, clothing, and shelter from the weather.

8. Recognize and address emotional injury. This often surfaces after the initial shock has passed. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, and mood swings, as well as difficulty thinking, working, and sleeping. Talk to caring friends.

Disasters assault our very sense of justice. In response, some people mistakenly blame God.

Stay Well, Stay Save !!!

Seun

When Disaster Strikes​—Steps That Can Save Lives


Earthquake, Fire Outbreak, hurricane, Cyclone, terrorist attack, school shooting.

Those terms appear in the headlines too often. Of course, it is one thing to read about a disaster; it is another to live through one. What can you do before, during, and after a disaster to improve the likelihood of your survival?

a. BEFORE - PREPARE!

NO ONE is immune to disaster. Preparation is your most important key to survival. But what does preparation involve?

1. Prepare mentally.

Acknowledge the fact that disasters happen and that you and your loved ones are potentially at risk. It is too late to prepare after disaster strikes.

2. Learn about disasters that can happen in your area.

Know where shelters are. Consider whether the construction of your home and its location are as safe as possible. Remove fire hazards. Install smoke detectors, and change their batteries at least once a year, if not more often.

3. Prepare emergency supplies.

Power, water, phone, and transportation services can fail. If you own a car, try to keep the fuel tank at least half full, and always have food, water, and an emergency kit in your home.​

4. Have access to the phone numbers of friends, both near and far.

5. Make and rehearse an escape plan.

Know the nearest exits in your building, as well as the emergency plan of your children’s school. Set up family meeting places​—such as a school or a library—​one nearby and another outside your neighborhood. Authorities recommend that you practice walking with your family to those meeting points.


b. DURING - ACT QUICKLY

1. In a fire.

Stay close to the floor, and move quickly to the nearest exit. Smoke makes it hard to see, and most fire deaths are caused by smoke inhalation. Leave behind personal items. Seconds can make the difference between life and death.

2. In an earthquake.

Get under sturdy furniture or next to an inside wall. Expect aftershocks, and get outside and away from buildings as soon as you can. Trained rescuers may not arrive for hours, so try to rescue others if you can.

3. In a tsunami.

If the water suddenly rushes away from the shore, move quickly to higher ground. Expect more and larger waves.

5. In a tornado or a hurricane.

Go to a storm shelter without delay.

6. In a flood.

Stay out of flooded buildings. Avoid wading in or driving through water. Floodwater can contain sewage and conceal dangers, including debris, open manholes, and downed power lines.

Did you know?
Two feet [0.6 m] of moving water can carry a car away. Most deaths in a flood result when people try to drive through moving water.

If the authorities order evacuation, leave immediately! Let friends know where you are, or they may risk their lives looking for you.



Did you know?
Text messaging may be more reliable than telephone voice service.

If the authorities direct residents to remain at home or shelter in place, stay inside.

In case of an outdoor chemical, biological, or nuclear accident or attack, stay indoors, turn off ventilation, and seal all doors and windows.

In a nuclear event, go to the lowest internal part of your building to reduce exposure to radiation.

Listen to local TV or radio news. Stay indoors until authorities announce that the threat has passed.

c. AFTER - STAYY SAFE!

To avoid disease and danger, consider the following recommendations:

1. Stay with friends, if possible, rather than in a camp.

2. Keep your living space sanitary.

3. Use personal protective equipment when cleaning up debris. If possible, wear gloves, sturdy shoes, a hard hat, and a dust mask. Beware of electrical wires and hidden embers.

4. Keep your daily routine as normal as possible. Your children need to see that you are calm and hopeful. Do school lessons, play, and worship as a family.

5. Do not dwell on news coverage of the tragedy, and do not take out your anxiety or frustration on family members.

6. Accept help, and help others.

7. Acknowledge that disasters cause loss. Government and other relief efforts focus on helping people to survive, not on replacing everything that was lost.

To survive, we need clean water, food, clothing, and shelter from the weather.

8. Recognize and address emotional injury. This often surfaces after the initial shock has passed. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, and mood swings, as well as difficulty thinking, working, and sleeping. Talk to caring friends.

Disasters assault our very sense of justice. In response, some people mistakenly blame God.

Stay Well, Stay Save !!!

Do your own responsibility, if they failed to do theirs, God will judge them.

Federalis:
What if your papa, or mama nah bad person?

Am from Akwa Ibom. You don't expect much vehicles in villages especially those ones that don't link towns.
Akwa Ibom Ayaya 🥰

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