Have you ever considered that, when you pick up a telephone and talk to the party on the other end, perhaps others too are listening in to your conversation? Not only this - it may be recorded and analyzed as well!

The biggest Government security agency in the U.S. today screens and then destroys nearly forty tons of recorded phone calls and other messages each day. This agency is neither the CIA nor the FBI, but the NSA (National Security Agency). The NSA's budget is double that of the CIA and its headquarters is in Fort Meade, Maryland. It has no official spokesman and issues no press releases. Its 24,000 employees are forbidden to tell anyone where they work. Created by President Truman in 1952, its existence was not made public until five years later.

Working in secrecy, the NSA electronically records every international phone call and telegram - then analyzes them by computers which check for calls or messages placed by subjects under NSA surveillance. So if you ever leave the U.S. and phone home, or friends in other countries - mind your words - the NSA may be listening!

OMNISCIENCE

While the NSA may know partially the activities and conversations of people in a given area, yet there is a Government that knows all about every individual! The Person occupying the throne of this Government is characterized by three things; (1) Omnipresence - He is everywhere at once! You can't hide from Him or avoid Him. (2) Omniscience - He knows all; all your movements, words and even your thoughts! You can't deceive Him. (3) Omnipotence - He is all-powerful and able to execute anything He desires. You can't dictate to Him or foil His purposes. The Holy Bible speaks of this Person as "The God in whose hand thy breath is" (Dan. 5:23) and "Him with whom we have to do" (Heb. 4:13). He is not far from every one of us, "for in Him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

Humans have many strange ideas about God, His character and His ways. Some turn to nature in an effort to know Him, but this only reveals His handiwork; it certainly doesn't reveal God Himself, or His government and purposes regarding us. However, God has written a Book and He speaks in and through it. This Divine revelation, known as The Holy Bible, has stood the test of twenty centuries and has brought light and salvation to countless souls. Other writings propagating theories have come and gone, having no value, but the Holy Scriptures remain a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Ps. 119:105). Using the Scriptures, let me shed a little light on the subject of God and your true relationship to Him.

We all have hidden things in our lives, but nothing is hidden from God - "For His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings" (Job 34:21). "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good" (Prov. 15:3). Not one person is overlooked! Moses confessed, "Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance" (Ps. 90:8). Imagine - every deed in your life is displayed before the face of a holy God!

David exclaimed, "For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether" (Ps. 139:4). Thus every word that you have uttered - God knows! The Lord Jesus educates us further stating, "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matt. 12:36). God also declares His omniscience saying, "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man" (Ps. 94:11). He said about Ephraim, "I have heard him, and observed him" (Hos. 14:8), and He can say the same about you! All your thoughts are known to God!

Daniel exclaimed, "There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets" (Dan 2:28). The apostle Paul speaks of a "day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ" (Rom. 2:16). Thus every secret of your life - secret deeds, words and thoughts, will be revealed and righteously judged in the day of judgment. This judgment will determine your eternal punishment for your many sins, in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15).

OPPORTUNITY

Even though God's government has proclaimed you "guilty" before God (Rom. 3:19), and "condemned already" (Jn. 3:18), God has provided a means of escape from the guilt and penalty of your sins. God can righteously free you from coming punishment, and give you an eternal home in heaven. How? - the answer is found in God's Word! Genuine Christians can say about Christ, "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Pet. 2:24). "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities" (Isa. 53:5). Thus, "He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Heb. 9:26). The apostle Paul could exclaim, "The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). Consequently, if Christ died for my sins, paying my debt, then I don't have to pay it - for payment God will not twice demand, first at my bleeding Surety's hand, and then again at mine. Since "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 Jn. 1:7) - by resting on Christ for the cleansing of your soul, God will impart cleansing and salvation to you. Why not take God at His word and be saved? God Himself guarantees that "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life" (Jn. 3:36). If God says it - it must be true!