Worth: Your View of God.

Everyone I know would like to live life to the fullest! Even those who have little hope of doing so, still dream of what it must be like to really enjoy life in abundance. This certainly isn’t a negative trait, on the contrary, I believe it is part of the DNA of humans. Created in the image of God we have a definite inclination to abundant living! Jesus declared that He came so that all who believe Him will enjoy life more abundantly! [See John 10:10]

How then can we really live the maximized life? I believe there are three questions that you must answer if you want to live life to the fullest:

1. First, what is your view of God?

2. Second, what is God’s view of you?

3. Third, what is your view of you?

These questions are at the heart of understanding the worth of the individual and learning how to truly live life.

First, let’s look at how we see God? How do you view Him? Is He elusive? Hard to please? Constantly nitpicking? Do you see Him as being quick to point out your faults and remind you of how messed up you are? Do you believe that He is reluctant to give you anything good? Is He hard on sin and hard on you? Or do you see Him as a doting old grandfather who never corrects? Always looks the other way? Never challenges you to change because He doesn’t want to hurt your feelings? Freely giving you everything you want just because you want it?  Easy on you, easy on sin?

The way you view God is the absolute key to the way you live your life. Who is God and what is He like? You may say, “But how can I really know what God is like?” That is a great question and thankfully we have a great answer! JESUS! In John’s gospel, Jesus says, “To see Me is to see the Father.” [John 14:9 Message] Jesus is God in action!  If you want to know how God views sin, look at Jesus! If you want to know how God views sinners, look at Jesus! If you want to know how God views sickness, look at Jesus! Jesus is the visible expression of the invisible God!

So to get an accurate view of who God really is, we need to look to Jesus! When we see Him deal with the woman “caught in the very act of adultery” we catch a glimpse of who God is and how he thinks. Three truths emerge from the narrative that deserve our attention: First, it is evident that God is not OK with sin! Jesus’ instructs the little woman who was caught in sin, to go and sin no more. Second, the story shows that God is not OK with religious hypocrisy! Jesus forcibly rebukes the religious group of men who came with rocks in hand, willing to execute a sinner while pretending their own holiness. Third, Jesus proves that while God is never OK with sin or religious pretension, He is more than OK with the sinner!

Jesus’ love shot through the darkness like a bolt of brilliant lightning striking the earth with a jolt of magnanimous power, “Neither do I condemn you. Go…” [See Jn 8:1-12] She was worthy of death in everyone’s eyes who knew what she had done. Even those who only thought they knew her sin agreed that if Jesus commanded her stoning, it would be what she deserved. But Jesus saw worth in her that not even she could see or dare believe.

The law demanded that she be stoned. It was indeed what she deserved. God had said, “The soul who sins shall die.” [Ezekiel 18:20]  Yet, God stood there before her in the person of Jesus Christ and released her from what she deserved. Why? Is it because the God of the Old Testament is a different God than the God of the New Testament? Some seem to think so. But the Bible is clear that “He is always the same.” There is no differing between the God of Sinai and the God of Calvary.

His releasing her from the due death penalty wasn’t because He had changed. God had not recently fallen in love with people whom He used to hate. No indeed. He released her because He had come to take her place in death. He said, “Do not begin to suppose that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” [Matthew 5:17 Wuest] She went home with a new lease on life because Jesus came to take her place in death. And not only her place but our place also.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” [John 15:13] He voluntarily gave His life for you and me. Wow! Religion teaches that we are unworthy. Yet Jesus declares us to be “TO DIE FOR!” By HIs actions, He has made us worthy! Now you need to take it to heart! Believe His love and live like someone valued greatly by the Almighty God!

Things to Ponder: Why do you think we humans struggle so much with self-worth issues? What is the solution to becoming truly confidant?

KEITHNIX.ORG

Keith Nix is the founding lead pastor of a thriving congregation, The Lift Church in Sevierville, Tennessee. [Visit www.TheLiftChurch.tv] He has traveled internationally since 1993 carrying a unique prophetic message of awakening to this generation. He and his wife, Margie, have one daughter, Isabella.