Luminous Student Ministries - Amelia Church of Christ

Hey guys,
It’s time for another installment of Leftovers from our Home Skillet Bible Study.

1) HOW CAN WE SEE GOD?

Can we even see God? In the Old Testament, Hebrew tradition held that if you looked at God or you were to somehow see God, you would die.

1st Kings 19:11-13 - “Go out and stand on the mountain,” the LORD replied. “I want you to see me when I pass by.” All at once, a strong wind shook the mountain and shattered the rocks. But the LORD was not in the wind. Next, there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. Then there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. Finally, there was a gentle breeze, and when Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat. He went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.

Elijah was in the presence of God, but may not have actually seen God, as he covered his face with the cloak he was wearing because he did not want to die.

Most of us will never see God with our own eyes in our lifetime. But we can “see” God all over the place when we look for his impact on the world and people around us.

THE BALLOON
You cannot see air, but when you blow up a balloon, you notice that something inside the balloon alters it’s shape and size. Something affects how the balloon acts. You can’t see it, but you know that the air inside the balloon is causing the balloon to alter its physical appearance.

It’s the same with God. We can see him affecting and changing things around us, not only in their physical appearance, but also in the way they think and act. God affects people’s lives even though we may not see him with our eyes. We can still perceive the effects of God on people around us.

* Who is someone that you think is “Full” of God?

* What makes you able to see God in that person’s life?

2) WHERE CAN WE SEE GOD?

God is everywhere and we can see him all the time if we pay attention and we know where to look.

a) We can see God in Scripture. 2nd Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Anytime we pick up the Bible, we make a connection with God.

b) We can see God in nature. Not the new-age, weirdo stuff. God made nature and we can see him and learn about him through his beautiful craftsmanship. Let me ask you:
* What do the sunsets tell you about God?
* How about a beautiful mountain setting with trees, a river, and wildlife? What does that tell you about God?
* How about the ocean? Do you think you can see God there?

Psalm 29:3 - The voice of the LORD echoes over the oceans. The glorious LORD God thunders above the roar of the raging sea

c) We can see God in our culture. Sometimes music and movies can show us things about God even from people who don’t know him. Think of the song “Higher” by Creed. You can read the lyrics here. Or, you might consider the Chronicles of Narnia films. what do those tell you about God?

d) We can see God in other believers. He shapes them like air in a balloon.

So, pay attention because you never know. You may just see God when you least expect it. You just have to make sure you’re looking for him. Just like an easter egg hunt. So go now, and find him.

-Brian

Hey guys, welcome to the first ever installment of Leftovers. After Home Skillet, each week, we’ll remind each and every one of you exactly what we talked about and what your challenge is for the week.

To recap, here’s what we discussed:

God’s Word - Remember your three “R’s”

1) Read God’s Word - Joshua 1:8

You have to crack open the cover on the Bible. Sometimes that’s the toughest thing to do. Be encouraged to ponder the Word daily. Use your three “T’s”

1) Time: When will you spend your time reading? You need to choose a consistent time of the day - morning or evening.

2) Territory: Where will you spend your time reading? Make sure you get away from distractions.

3) Translation: What will you read? Make sure you get a Bible translation that you can understand easily enough to apply to your own life. (I’m currently reading the CEV “Contemporary English Version.”)

Make time to read God’s Word and stick to it!

2) Remember God’s Word - Psalm 119:11

More than just reading God’s Word, you need to reflect upon it! You need to think about what it says and ask the question, “What does it mean for my life?” Remember to “hide the word in your heart”. You can do that by Treasuring the Word, Thinking about the Word, and Memorizing the Word. As you spend time reflecting upon God’s Word, it will transform the way you think and how you see things around you. You will begin to see things from God’s perspective. The Holy Spirit, who lives in you will bring the scripture back to your memory and as you think and reflect upon it, God will speak to you.

3) Respond to God’s Word - James 1:22-25

There’s more than just reading, reflecting and remembering it - we need to put into action what we find within the pages. Like soap, the power of God’s word is released only when we apply what we are reading - i.e. “we do what it says.” Don’t look in a mirror and then walk away and forget what you look like, act upon what you see and read, and you will be blessed and find true joy and fulfillment in life.

And finally, how are you doing on your challenge for this week? As a reminder:

Your challenge - Read God’s Word at least 15 minutes every day.

Have a great week