Genesis 1:27 – So, God created man “in His own image”, in the image of God he
created him; male and female He created them.
Let’s quickly back up to Genesis 1:26:
Then God said, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; let them
(male and female) have dominion over everything.
- So, God created man in His image (emphasis 3x)
Question: What is the image of God?
(When you hear Gods image, what comes to your mind?)
Physical attributes of God
God is powerful (He kills and make alive).
God is limitless (not bound by space or time; He is spirit).
God can do all things (nothing is impossible with God).
God is knowledgeable (He knows all things; Bible says darkness is light to
him).
God is wise (The only wise God).
God is understanding (He understands with us that we are flesh).
God is a problem solver (opened the red sea, problem of salvation).
God is righteous (His eyes cannot behold iniquity).
God is merciful (Micah 7:18 – You do not stay angry forever but show
mercy).
God is trustworthy (You can trust Him with your secrets and life).
God is reasonable (Come let’s reason together – God thinks before doing
somethings i.e. Abraham’s dialogue).
God is beautiful (for all situation).
Great, ok, Let’s look at some of His Spiritual attributes
God is love (John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave…)
God is giving (He gave His only begotten son)
God is kind (1 Samuel 20:14 says show me unfailing kindness like the lord’s
kindness).
God is faithful (Deutronomy 7:9 -The Lord your God is God, the faithful
God who keeps covenant).
God is forgiving (He forgives us all our sins).
God never bears grudge (Never holds us to our previous sins; it’s like we
never committed any sin once he forgives us.
God is holy (1 Peter 1:16 You shall be holy for I am holy; Habakkuk 1:13;
God is Holy, His eyes cannot behold iniquity).
God is protective (Psalm 91; talks about He that dwelleth).
God is compassionate (For the Lord your God is gracious and
compassionate- 2 Chronicles 30:9b).
God is humble (We see that in the life of Jesus).
God is patient, in fact longsuffering).
- NOW, when we say God created us in His image, we already have a little
idea of God’s image from above. I want us to begin to X-ray ourselves and
locate ourselves in God’s image. Where are you in the physical attributes or
spiritual attribute? This message can go in diverse ways but we will try to
narrow it down to our everyday life; how our thoughts (cognition) and
actions (behavior) can promote the image of God in us or demote the image
of God in us.
Looking at our everyday way of life, that we are not conscious that we exhibit as
God’s image.
I want you to take a good look at yourself. Let’s do mirror therapy now and be
honest.
- What do you see? Do you look like Him?
- Do you manifest His image and attributes?
- Do you see His image in you?
- Can people describe you as looking, acting or behaving like Jesus? Talking,
thinking. - Do you do what Jesus would do in certain situation you find yourself?
How do you represent God in your office? - Remember, People judge you by what you do, not what you say It doesn’t
matter if you say you’re a Christian… - Do you falsify figures in your office?
- Do you doctor your business books because of tax purpose? (People are
watching). I remember someone telling me his experience with a big banking
Christian M.D in the past. He said they will cook the books, falsify figures,
then pour anointing oil and pray over them before submitting to CBN. Can
you imagine the testimony?
This in itself can debar people from receiving Christ. - Do you take bribe or give on behalf of your office? The same people you do
it on their behalf for fear of losing your job, will come back and say and they
call themselves Christians. laugh at you. The day they are looking for
someone to trust, they will not call you. - Story – I remember another person who works in Alausa (lands) precisely,
she takes bribe and says, “It’s what they are asking for the job to be done.”
Yet she calls herself a Christian, in fact, she just got ordained in this
convention as an assistant pastor.
Who are we fooling? Certainly not God.
Yoruba people say (Excuse me) eyan meji ko ni yin padanu iro.
If the one that is being lied to doesn’t know, the liar will know his lying - Do you cheat your establishment, steal their time, steal their resources, pen,
notebooks, surf the net when you are supposed to be doing their work? - Or are you a solution provider or problem solver in your office?
Daniel 5:12 — says
Daniel solves difficult problems. It then say, call for Daniel and he will solve
your problem. - Do people say “Oh! I wish Yetunde was here, this issue would have been
resolved.” -No problem solver is ignored round the world, but ability to solve
problem resides in God. - A problem solver is a great thinker, he dwells on his thoughts before coming
up with a rational action.
2) How do you represent God in your home? What are you called? Margaret
Thatcher? Iron lady or what? - How do you relate with your husband? Do you honor and respect him or you
confront him on every occasion possible.
Story – Are you like Mary wiggles worth who laughed off her husband’s
foolishness or you are like the foolish woman who uses her hands to tear
down the house she built. If your husband wasn’t born again, can he give his
life to Christ because of you?
- How do you relate with your house help, driver, security men or washman?
What name do they call you behind your back? Kind of wicked? Is God’s
image portrayed through you. I know domestic staff can be off sometimes but
how do you keep a balance?
3) How do you represent God with your children? Do they call you a hypocrite
or what they see is what you get. Do they see Godly character in you, they
can emulate? Are you moderate in all things or your thinking is wild and
demanding?
4) How do you represent God with your in-laws? Never want to see them
around or despite their excuses, you still show them the love of God.
- Are you forgiving when they offend you or do you still bear grudge against
them never really forgiving them in fact blocking your husband from being a
blessing to them (forgetting that seedtime and harvest is certain).
5) How do you represent God with your friends? Are you so giving of your time
and resources, Are you selfless like Jesus? Do you display understanding
when people wrong you? Or
- Do you say I am done with them and move on. What if God says to you, I am
done with you when u wrong him. - Do you fast and pray with them, when they have issues or you basically
think, serves them right.
6) How do you represent God even in the church.
- Are you real or pretentious?
- It’s amazing how women especially will “sir” pastor a hundred times but
vehemently disrespect their own husbands. - Are you compassionate towards the poor or in your mind, you always think,
let me quickly enter my car and leave. - Jesus fed the poor.
- Jesus met the needs of the people
- If truly you are in his image, are you doing same?
There’s a relation between our thinking and our doing, if we are convinced in
our thoughts that we are like him, then it wouldn’t be difficult for us to
behave or act like him.
Question: How can we look like him?
1) Give your life to him if you haven’t, “Eni bini lanjo”, you cannot look like
him if you don’t know him.
2) God already created you like him in the very beginning (then man fell, but
was restored through the sacrifice of Jesus). All you need to do is align with
him in your thoughts, renew your mind with his word (the Bible) daily and
you will see changes occur in your life step by step. What you think of God
will determine how you relate with God and that doesn’t change who God
really is. God is good, are you enjoying his goodness. God is kind, is he kind
to you?
Finally, I think the whole purpose of this message to you and myself, is to
bring to our consciousness that we are created by God in his image. We
cannot be limited by our thoughts, what we think of God doesn’t change him.
Once the consciousness is there, it will help us check:
- What we do i.e. how we communicate with people around us.
- How we do it- the time, shout, scream.
- Why we do it – focus on what you want.
- Who we do it with- unbelieving friends.
- When we do it – odd hours , on Sundays when we should be in church or
clubs, hotels and places that the Holy spirit wouldn’t go with you. Dibia’s
place, Babalawo, mallams.
b) And also, to remember we might be the “only bible” someone will read.
They will conclude, if this is how a Christian looks like or behaves, then I
don’t want to be a Christian.
The Bible says such a soul would be required of you Ezekiel 33:8.
We need to live a conscious Christian life.
know we ought to be the image of God.
Thereby his ambassador here on earth, his representative.
Guess what, when we do it right it comes with fringe benefits.
Any ambassador representing his nation in another country enjoys fringe
benefit.
Psalm 103:2-6 talks about such:
– Forgives all our iniquities.
– Heals all your diseases.
– Redeems your life from destruction.
– Crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies.
– Satisfies your mouth with good things.
– Renews your youth like that of the eagle.
– Executes righteousness and justice on your behalf whenever you are
oppressed.
Praise the Lord!!!
Prayer- Father we want to say thank you, thank you for making us in your image
after your likeness. Please accept our thanks in Jesus’ name. Lord, help us to live a
conscious Christian life at all times in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Written By: Yetunde Oriolowo