Is Jesus really God?

A couple years ago while at theology camp a pastor with a doc. degree ask us how many people recite   the Nicene Creed in church.  He was raised a catholic, but later converted to Methodist.  I suppose the reason why he is so knowledgeable is because he ask questions and challenges what other world views have to say about religion. I  do not ever remember the creed being read at any church I attended.  As I took the time to read it, I remember a part of it that said; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the virgin Mary and was made man.  Then I thought of all the people who have challenged me through out the years  stating the question; How can Jesus be God when He was there with God in the beginning?  Jesus can not be God, they are two different beings?  I just don't understand the whole incarnate thing, it sounds impossible, because God is suppose to be all powerful and knowing?  Lets look at John 1:16-18, Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.  17) For the law was given through Moses; ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.  Wow!  What a powerful reading!  Did I read this right?  The bible states "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God.   The bible is God breathed, therefore it is telling me that Jesus is Himself God!  I know there is a God and as Christians you should know the same thing also!  Lets face it, people are motivated into cult's that seem to have the answers to all these questions, by putting a spiritual face on, so not to show their falsehood.  These religions do not believe in all of the bible, or that Jesus is divine, but merely a prophet or a man with incredible intelligence that was well versed.  How can these people then say that they support salvation through Christ Jesus?  The Nicene Creed which I gave you part of, explicitly states that Christ is God, and affirms this full in the deity of Jesus Christ.  Anyone who teaches contrary is teaching heresy.  I do not say tis lightly, but knowing with a heavy heart that there are a lot of loss souls on earth.  Let us begin by revealing several places in the bible which shows us that Jesus is in fact God, which I feel we have already established in  John 1:18.  Unless you believe that I Am, you will indeed die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. John 8:24.  Jesus said these works.  He is stating here, that those who have not heard, will surely die in their sins.  They will not die because they did not hear the gospel, but rather because they are sinners.  Unless you believe that I Am; If you do not believe that I Am.  He is the Messiah, the truth, He is God.  He is telling the people that He is the I Am.  2 Thessalonians 2:13 - But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through believ in the truth.  It is through His love that we are elected to be saved, from eternity.  This is a part of the salvation that is reserved for every Chrsitian.  It is not His intent for anyone to perish, but come to repentance.  John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  God shows us His love as Christ died for the ungodly, undeserving ones.  People are often receptive to hearing the truth, which is that our kindness to others and our giving His truth, this truth  is part of  His design plan and is pleasing to Him.  John 20:28 = Thomas is addressing an answer.  He replies this way; "My Lord and my God."  Notice, he is calling Jesus God.  Jesus did not correct him.   Thomas knew who He was.  Let us take a look at another verse, John 1:1, 14  1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  14)  The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory the glory of the One and Only, who came fro the Father, full of grace and truth.  Now if we go back to the literal Greek, the word "Word" - "Jesus" was their in the beginning.  The word "logos" refers to the pre-incarnate Logos of God - the living word.  Jesus was and is our Living Word, our Logos our God.  The Word was God.  Johns purpose was to establish for all the fact that Jesus is God in the flesh.  There are many verses to establish what the truth is, which is that Jesus is God, but we will finish with Matthew 2:23 - The virgin will be with Child and give birth to a Son, they will call Him Immanuel, which means "God with us.  This references to Jesus, being God with us.  The Greek word "ho Theo's" in this definite article, represents "God", which God is "Theo's" - so "Ho Theo's" means that Jesus is "The Almighty God with us."  As Christians we need to take this information that the bible gives to us and use our extraordinary gifts to enlighten others that  in fact and in truth Jesus is God.  He is our Lord God.  God bless, Deaconess Barb