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El Roi, “The God Who sees”

Leader Edition

Bible Study based on the Josh McDowell book,

“See Yourself as God sees you”

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Session 1- YOU

“Imagine answering the doorbell and

being handed a special delivery

letter. As you open it and begin

to read, your eyes bug out with

excitement.” *See Yourself as God Sees You, Josh McDowell

This letter could change your life!! The letter was a job offer,

but not just any job, it’s your dream job. From the sounds of

it, someone thinks you’d be perfect for the job. All you

need to do is complete a routine identity check to confirm

you are who they think you are. Go ahead…

Describe yourself in detail:

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Days have passed since you sent in your reply letter

describing yourself. You’ve spent the time dreaming of your

new life, the things you’ll do! Then one day a reply arrives in

the mail. This is it!! You tear the letter open and read…

Sorry. It’s bad news. Your identity check was returned

marked “Application incomplete”. Sadly, the job has been

offered to another. How?! Why?! What could possibly have

been wrong?

Your identity check reported what you looked like, what

you’re into, how well you perform, and what you have

achieved, but it didn’t say much about WHO you are. It

said almost nothing about what makes you who you are.

If you’re serious about ID, start with the external stuff, but

don’t stop there. “A tree is known by its fruit” Luke 6:44, but fruit lasts for a season.

Wanna really know yourself? Look deeper than your outer

layers of identity.

Have you been working so hard on the outer layers that

you’ve forgotten what makes you what and who you are?

You are priceless; a person of great value and worth, one

made in the image of your Creator!

“What are mortals that You should think of

us, mere humans that You should care for

us? You have made us a little lower than

God, and you crowned us with glory and

honor. You put us in charge of everything

You made…” Psalm 8:4-6

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“People need to know that they are loved and valued by

God. A personal relationship with Jesus sets a person

free to be all that they were created to be. When

people respond to Christ they establish a personal

relationship with their loving Creator, the One who

knows them and loves them completely. They are

eternally identified as children of the King of kings.

Who could be happier and more fulfilled in life than

someone with such an identity? Sadly, many people-

even Christians- are stressed out, unhappy, unfulfilled

and even despondent. Why? Because so many are unsure

about their true identity. Once you begin to identify

yourself with the King, you will begin to live like a

prince or princess- which is who you are. Your

identity as a child of God will make a world of

difference in how you view your life, your struggles,

your relationships with others, and your relationship

with God.” * See Yourself as God Sees You- Josh McDowell

Image is everything.

“People judge by outward appearance, but the

Lord looks at the persons thoughts and

intentions” 1 Samuel 16:7

If God judged us by outward appearance, none

could ever be known as anything other than wretched.

“O Lord, You have examined my heart and know

everything about me… You both precede and

follow me. You place Your hand of blessing on my

head.” Ps. 139:1,5

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You are what you do.

“Jesus selected twelve of them to BE His regular

companions, calling them apostles. Then He sent

them out to preach.” Mark 3:14

We were human BE-ings before we were human Do-ings.

“So God created people in His own image, God

patterned them after Himself; male and female He

created them.” Genesis 1:27

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us

anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good

things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

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Session 2- YOU part 2

You’re only great if others think you are.

“The greatest among you must be a servant. But

those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and

those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Matthew 23:11-12

Who you are will never be free from who you were.

Psalm 103:1-18

Creation’s identity is found in the Creator’s identity. He is El

Roi, the God that sees. He sees it all, past, present and

future.

Consider Hagar… “She [Hagar] gave this name to the

LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees

me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees

me." Genesis 16:13-14

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God is

love and

you are

loved.

Period.

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Session 3- The Window

People with a cloudy view of their own identity have

difficulty relating with other people.

People with a poor sense of identity look to others to

determine how they view themselves.

People with a negative perception of their identity

struggle with negative expectations.

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“The Johari window was created by two American psychologists in 1955

and is a technique used to help people better understand their relationship

with themselves as well as others.” Thanks Widipedia! Play Youtube by leader Logic

Using this list of 55 adjectives, complete your own Johari

window with a peer.

Able Dependable Intelligent Patient Sensible

Accepting Dignified Introverted Powerful Sentimental

Adaptable Energetic Kind Proud Shy

Bold Extroverted Knowledgeable Quiet Silly

Brave Friendly Logical Reflective Spontaneous

Calm Giving Loving Relaxed Sympathetic

Caring Happy Mature Religious Tense

Cheerful Helpful Modest Responsive Trustworthy

Clever Idealistic Nervous Searching Warm

Complex Independent Observant Self-

assertive

Wise

Confident Ingenious Organized Self-

conscious

Witty

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The Arena- Open Self: (include common words from self/peer)

Blind Spot- Blind Self:

(only include words from peer)

The Façade- Hidden Self: (only include the words on your list)

The Unknown- information about

yourself that neither you nor

others know.

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Want something to smile about? Heaven! In

Heaven you’ll know others and be known yourself

completely! No more misunderstandings, no prejudice, no

drama, no problems! Heaven is a new set of eyes.

Till then, if we want to see, we’ve got to use glasses…

The Bible

“Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a

light for my path." Psalms 119:105

Believers

“You are the light of the world- like a city

on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to

see.” Matthew 5:14

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a

friend.” Proverbs 27:17

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Session 3- Need

Met need affects identity.

Encourage positivity Keep balance

Unmet need affects identity.

Creates instability

Promotes selfishness

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final

thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and

honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and

admirable. Think about things that are excellent

and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8. When needs are met

this command is easy to keep. When they aren’t it seems

nearly impossible.

With every need there is a choice- Who will fill it?

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need

for living a godly life. We have received all of this by

coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by

means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3

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God saw our need for cover-

Genesis 3:8-24

What was God willing to do to cover the sin of His children?

How did His solution to their need change Adam and Eves reality

forever?

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Session 3- Want

Sometimes wants feel even more important than needs.

After all, God chose want over need when He made us. He

certainly didn’t need to make us. He wanted to.

So which is more important, wants or needs?

List some of yours here:

Wants Needs

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Needs are necessary and wants are important!

In Matthew 20:29-33 Jesus asks two blind men what they

wanted from Him. They didn’t need to see. I mean, they

were alive! Still, they wanted to see. “Lord, they said, we

want to see!” After hearing their want, Jesus mercifully

opened their eyes. The blind could see! What happened

next made all the difference in WHAT they saw. After

receiving their sight, with the whole world to see, they chose

to look at One. “Instantly they could see! Then they

followed Him.”

Just as we can choose where and how to fill our needs,

God gives us the right to choose where and how we will fill

our wants. The book of Ecclesiastes is an unbridled

account of want gone wild. You want it? Do it! But in the

end, “everything is meaningless”. There is a better way.

“Godliness with contentment is great gain.”

1 Timothy. 6:6

“After all, we didn’t bring anything with us when

we came into the world, and we certainly

cannot carry anything with us when we die. So if

we have enough food and clothing, let us be

content. But people who long to be rich fall into

temptation and are trapped by many foolish and

harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and

destruction. For the love of money is at the root

of all kinds of evil. And some people craving

money, have wandered from the faith and pierced

themselves with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:7-10

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Session 4- Solutions

Sometimes life’s a jigsaw puzzle.

When it’s incomplete it’s over whelming.

Experts say the first thing you should do when you open up

a jigsaw puzzle and spread it out on the table is to turn every single

piece over so the picture side is facing upward.

If each puzzle piece is a life decision, ask- How would God see this

problem? What’s it look like from the top?

Turning each piece over, over to God that is, sounds tedious, and it

is, but believe me, it will make putting the puzzle together much

easier! While you're turning pieces over, start sorting them.

Get into the habit of prayer. Go to God all the time with everything.

Sooner rather than later, you’ll start picking up patterns. You’ll see

His leading as you look at each life decision. Some will come easy,

some won’t. Every piece, every decision matters. It’s all a part of

the picture.

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God’s solutions are always the same. But we’ve got to:

Know what He says

Believe what He says

Confess our sins and shortcomings

Come to Him, don’t hide

Abide- let what you know guide what you don’t

Abound- don’t live in fear, life with joy

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Session 5- Dare to Believe, Dare to Hope

El Roi means “The God who sees”

God saw Hagar. What if Hagar and God filled out the Johari Window

together?

Known to God and Hagar:

A short list comparatively

limited by Hagar’s limited

knowledge of herself

Known only by God:

What does God know

about Hagar that she

doesn’t? Everything she

doesn’t… a list that would

include sins and God’s

total love

Known only by Hagar:

NOTHING!

Romans 2:16

Unknown to God or Hagar:

El Roi sees all

What did God see when He saw Hagar? Did he see her sin?

God saw her sin, all of it, past present and future. God even saw her

deepest darkest most hidden sins. The ones we would never let

anyone else see, God sees them.

What did God see when He saw Hagar? God saw the object of His

affection. He saw someone He loved.

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When Adam and Eve sinned their response was to hide from God.

Genesis 3:8-11

When we run and hide our sin from God, it’s

because we don’t understand. Either we don’t

understand that God already knows, or we don’t

understand just how loved we are. As a Christian

you cannot fully know who you are without

knowing what God sees when He sees you.

What does God see when He sees you? Tim Keller says it this way:

““The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than

we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more

loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”

God sees you; He sees all of you. God knows the deepest darkest

parts of you. The parts that are so secret that you would never tell

another soul. God fully sees and yet fully loves.

Don’t run from God, don’t hide your sin. You cannot hide from God,

He is El Roi. Run to God, He knows you and He LOVES you. This is why

the scriptures say:

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive

us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness”. 1 John 1:9

How sinful are you? Dare to believe it; completely. There

is no part of your life, no relationship that

isn’t affected by sin.

How loved are you? Dare to believe it; completely. The

you that He created is totally loved by God. See

Romans 5:8.