Recognizing the Presence of God
This page is a resource that we use for Christian bible study. We have developed some of the information on this page and we have borrowed information from other studies which are freely available. Our intent is to provide a study resource that we can access when traveling. We do not disagree with anyone's personal interpretation of scripture and our thoughts are not offered as an argument for the perspective from our understanding of this revelation. Please feel free to read or use the study material if it is of help. Thank you
The goal for our study of this revelation is to consider scripture within a context that the presence of God is not defined by any formula which can be built into a formalized liturgy ... though we do not discount the need for liturgy as one form of our collective worship of God and certainly the presence of God is often encountered during liturgy ... the gifts of the Spirit ( 1 Cor. 12; 1 - 11 ) are manifestations of the presence of God though there are certainly many other examples.
Within our understanding, we are all constantly within the presence of God ... so this study of the presence of God is actually a study of when that presence becomes tangible to us as individuals or a collective group - this occurs sometimes as an anticipated event and sometimes not expected ... There is a passage in Ecclesiastes which is helpful to frame this study:
From Ecclesiastes - Chapter 5: 1 - 2
To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools ... be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God ... let your words be few ...
| Gal 4, 9 | After you have known God or rather are known of God |
| Is 59, 1 - 2 | It is not that we have lost God but that we close a curtain that keeps him away |
| James 4, 8 | Draw near to God and he will draw near to you |
| Gen 28, 16 | Jacob's Ladder (frame is v 10 - 22) ... surly the Lord is in this place and I did not know it |
| Is 57, 15 | Frame is v 4 - 21 ... I dwell in the high and holy place and also with him who is of a contrite and humble heart |
| Acts 17, 24 | God dwells not in temples made with hands |
| Exodus 20, 24 | In all places where I record my name, I will come to thee and I will bless thee |
| Luke 17, 20 - 21 | The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed ... The Kingdom of God is in the midst of you |
| Haggi 2, 5 | My Spirit abides among you, fear not |
| 1 Kings 19, 11 - 12 | Elijah ... the Lord passed and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice |