Seeing through God's eyes

(The following is an outline of the message that was preached by Michael Larsen on February 2, 2020.)

Today we’re going to start a new related series on “Seeing Through God’s Eyes” or “Seeing Life From God’s Point of View.” The Bible says in Matthew 6:22, "Your eyes are windows into your body.  If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief your body fills up with light.” The Apostle Paul calls it seeing with the eyes of your heart.  Seeing from God’s perspective.  In fact, Paul prays this prayer for us in Ephesians 1:18-19 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened  [That’s where the song “Open the Eyes of My Heart” comes from] in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints and His incomparable great power for us who believe.” 

Today as we begin this series of Seeing From God’s Point of View we’re going to look at seeing yourself as God sees you.  That’s so important because the Bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.”  Jesus said, “You know the truth and the truth will set you free.”  So when we learn to see ourselves the way God truly sees us it makes all the difference in the world.  

Today we’re going to look at five things that God says about you because of His grace.  

1.  God sees you as acceptable.

Titus 3:7 says “Jesus treated us much better than we deserve.  He made us acceptable to God and He gave us the hope of eternal life.”  This desire to be accepted and approved of is so profound it drives everything in your life. There’s a myth about acceptance and it’s this.  If I can just get everybody to think I’m perfect, they will all accept me, but it’s a lie.  Three things: One, nobody believes it.  Two, you aren’t ever going to be it (perfect).  And three, even if you were they still wouldn’t accept you.  Because acceptance is not based on how perfect you are.  It’s based on the other person’s maturity and love.  The Bible says Jesus was perfect and yet it says He was despised and rejected by men.  

2.  God sees you as valuable.  

What makes something valuable?  Two things:

1. Who owns it?  So who do you belong to?  1 John 4:4 “You belong to God.”  

2.  What is somebody willing to pay for it?  1 Corinthians 7:23 “You have been bought and paid for by Christ, [by the way, with His life.]  so you belong to Him.”

3.  God sees you as lovable.

 John 3:16 “For God so loved the world He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   There are two characteristics of God’s love you need to never, ever forget.

1.  It is consistent.  

2.  His love is unconditional.  

4.  God sees you as forgivable.  

Ephesians 1:4 “Long ago, even before He made the world, God chose us to be His very own through what Christ would do for us.  He decided then to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault.  We who stand before Him covered by His love.”  Before God made you He knew everything you were going to do in your life.  He knew all the mistakes, all the sins.  And God who sees it all says in advance “I’m willing to forgive you, no matter what.  No matter what I am willing to forgive you.”  God is not mad at you.  Isaiah 43:25 “I am the God who forgives your sins.  I do this because of who I am.  I will not hold your sins against you.”  God doesn’t carry grudges.  You might.  I might.  But God does not hold grudges.  Romans 8:1 says “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  

5.  God sees you as capable.

2 Corinthians 3:5-6 talks about this, “The capacity that we have comes from God.  It is He who made us capable of serving the new covenant.”  

There are two reasons why every one of us is capable.

1.  We are all capable because we have God’s word for insight and wisdom.

2 Timothy 3:17 “Using the scriptures, the person who serves God will be capable having all that is needed to do every good work.”  

2.  He’s given us Himself to make us capable.  

Philippians 4:13 when it says, “I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me.  I am ready for anything and equal to anything though Him who infuses inner strength into me.  That is I am self sufficient through Christ’s sufficiency.”  Through God’s word, through God Himself you are capable.

Who are you going to live for?  The approval of other people?  Who aren’t going to give it, they’ll be inconsistent.  Or will you live the rest of your life for a God who says you’re lovable, valuable, capable, forgivable and acceptable?