“…as He is, so are we in this world.” I John 4:17
When Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth and began to preach, teach, and work wonders, the people were astonished. They began to say, “Where’s this coming from? Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Where does He get off doing all these things?” The truth is that they had an image of who Jesus was as a child, and they were not ready to accept Him as anything else.
He even took their own Book of the prophets and opened to Isaiah 61:1, and read it to them, saying, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” (Luke 4:17-18)
Jesus began studying the Word of God as a child right there in Nazareth. That’s where He began to find His identity in the Word of God. He learned to see Himself as the Father saw Him. But the people of His hometown didn’t see Him that way. In Matthew’s account of this event, it says that, “… He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” (Mt. 13:58) Jesus didn’t miss it. They did!
Our title scripture is one of the many astounding verses in the Bible that we need to take seriously, especially in the days ahead. It says, “…as He is, so are we in this world.” (I John 4:17)
As Jesus learned how to let the Word of God define Him, rather than His surroundings, we also need to do the same by accepting what God says about us. We have not only been encouraged by Jesus to do just that, but we have also been authorized by Jesus to live by the Word of God. After all, He did say, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Those very words are the authorization to us, encouraging us to live by every Word of God – every PROMISE, every BLESSING and every BENEFIT that is contained in the greatest legal document ever written… the NEW COVENANT!
I hope this opens your mind up a little wider about the reality of how God looks at you. Your perceptions, opinions, or self-imposed images of yourself can never come close to who God says you are! It’s time to replace all those old images with His Truth concerning you! Let Him reveal how He sees you; that YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST, which strengthens you, that YOU ARE A NEW CREATION. That the fruit of the Spirit and power of the Spirit are living and active inside of you – And He has said, “…as He is – so are you in this world!”
With Love,
Pastor Tom
Kingdom Business is Eternal, as are the rewards that come from God. If this ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider partnering with us in prayer, as the Lord leads you, or in financial support. Please visit our website at www.testamentoflove.org to learn more about this ministry! Luke 6:38