Picture This!

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. —Colossians 3:10

Here is how the new man is put on: through the knowledge of God and after the image of Him who created him. Who is it that created the new creation? It was God Himself. As you read and meditate on the Word of God, it will start to paint a picture of who you have been made into. You will start to see yourself as righteous, holy, born of God, more than a conqueror, powerful, victorious; as He is, so are you. The words of the Bible will paint pictures in your imagination of who you really are now. Soon you will discover that you are the person who never gets sick, who is never discouraged, who is always on top, who rules and reigns in Christ (Romans 5:17). When you think this way, you will be this way and live this way: “As [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7 nkjv). If you think you are weak, if you think you are a sinner, if you see yourself as the same old creature, you will live that way. But if you think you are strong in the Lord, if you think you are righteous, if you think you are the new creature, you will live that way! Notice that these are all truths from the Word of God; you are basing your thoughts on God’s unchanging and effectual Word. You need to start to paint the picture of who God, through His grace and mercy, has made you to be, according to the eternal truth of His Word. Put on the new man, who is after the image of God.

Pastor Tom Kehres

Like Father, Like Son

Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. —Ephesians 4:24

This is your responsibility! You must “put on” the new man. Where are you going to put him on? In the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4:23). You must allow the Word of God to daily change or daily cleanse your mind from old-man thoughts. This new man—who you are—is born of the Word of God, is as He is, is after God, created in righteousness and true holiness. You were born after God! You should take after God just like a child in the natural takes after his parents. You were created not to become righteous and holy, but in righteousness and true holiness. That is who you are! Anything in your life that is not in line with righteousness and holiness is abnormal to you. Sin is abnormal to you. Sickness is abnormal and not part of you. Anger, impatience, unforgiveness, offense—not part of your new nature. That is not who you are now! Do not claim the old man and his traits, but put them off (Ephesians 4:22). Renew your mind to who you are now by the blood of Jesus and the grace of God, and put on the new man, who is made in the image of Christ. This is a daily process; it will take time invested in the Word of God. But start today! Put off the old man and put on the new man, who is created after God.

Pastor Tom Kehres

In God’s Likeness

Because as he is, so are we in this world. —1 John 4:17

When you were born again—born of God and His Word—you became spiritually like Him. As He is now, at the right hand of the Father, raised in glory and power, “so are we in this world” (emphasis added). Notice: this is not after you die and go to heaven, but right now, in this world, you are like He is! How would this revelation change the normal Christian’s lifestyle? How would a revelation of you being born of God, in His image and likeness, an as-He-is-so- are-you-now revelation, change your lifestyle? The little problems that you face daily would be little problems in your life. You would take your place with your authority to rule and reign on the earth. You would start to talk to your problems, rather than talk about them. You would take your place as a son of God and go about to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). This is who you really are! This is who God chose to create you to be. Start to take your place today! When thoughts of weakness, sin, and failure start to come into your mind, cast them down and replace them with thoughts of you being born of God, full of His Spirit, as He is. Do not waste your time meditating on the lies of the devil, but meditate on God’s Word and your new identity—day and night. Soon a transformation will start to take place in your life, and you will start to think like He thinks, talk like He talks, and live like He lives.

Pastor Tom Kehres

The God-Seed

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
—1 Peter 1:23

Everything on earth has a beginning. Every plant, every animal, every person came from a seed. Every seed will produce after its own kind. An apple seed will produce an apple tree; a dog seed will reproduce another dog. An apple seed cannot produce an orange tree; the seed of a dog cannot produce a cat. Every seed produces after its own kind. When you were born again, you were born of a seed. That seed was not a failure seed, a sick seed, or a weak seed, but the incorruptible seed—the Word of God! God and His Word are one (John 1:1). Therefore, we can conclude that you were born of God (John 1:13). The seed of God Himself reproduced you as a brand-new creation spiritually at the new birth. What kind of seed is the seed of God? Sick seed? Insecure seed? Sin seed? No! This seed of God is a seed that contains the life and nature of almighty God! That which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of Spirit is spirit, and that which is born of God is God—you have been born into the image and likeness of almighty God, with His divine nature in you (John 3:6). You can now claim that nature and your new identity and live in the victory that belongs to you! You are born of God!

Pastor Tom Kehres