OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 16/06/2014 - REFLECTING GOD’S IMAGE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

REFLECTING GOD’S IMAGE

MEMORISE

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 1:27

READ

Psalm 8:3-6

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

MESSAGE

The work of creation as recorded in the book of Genesis reveals God’s great variety, beauty, exactness, accuracy, power and order. Man was the epitome of God’s creation. He was made last of all the creatures and as soon as he was made, he had the whole visible creation before him to enjoy. It is also interesting to note that man was made in the image of God and after his likeness. God gave him authority over other creatures and made man His representative on earth.

“Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou has put all things under his feet.”

Psalm 8:8

In spite of all this, many people are living in ignorance. They roam about the surface of the earth without fulfilling their destiny. As God’s representative on earth, you have been honoured with an open cheque. You have the right to exercise authority over God’s creatures. It is your duty to reflect the image of God. In what ways should you reflect the image of God? Taking a cursory look at Genesis 1:26, it is logical to conclude that the soul of man bears the image of God. The soul is no doubt the seat of knowledge, emotion and instinct. These faculties can be described as the brightest and clearest looking-glass in nature through which we see God. Since like begets like, the soul of man should be God-like to reflect the image of God. In effect, your soul must be regenerated. One way to reflect the image of God is by being born-again and by living in holiness on a daily basis (1 Peter 1:14-16). God is holy and we can reflect His image by living holy. In His purity and rectitude, God’s image upon man consists in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness. A true child of God should reflect God’s image in his or her discussion. Again we should ensure that our righteousness is intact in Christ and we should abstain from all appearances of evil. Another way to reflect the image of God is by walking in love. As Christians, we should love one another. You reflect the image of God when you put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy communication out of your mouth. You reflect the image of God when you do not allow your decisions and actions to be clouded by tribalism, racism and nepotism. You reflect the image of God when, if any man has a quarrel with you, you forgive the person even as Christ forgave you. Finally, you reflect the image of God when you are thankful and allow the word of God to dwell in you in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16).

KEY POINT

The soul of a regenerated person bears the image of God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Leviticus 14;

Psalm 125-126