Keep Seeking Things Above

James 4:4 … Don’t you know that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God?
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Do not conform to the pattern of this world
But be transformed
Renew your mind –Rom 12:2
Think on these things –Phil 4:8-9
The greatness of the Lord Jesus
None can fathom –Ps 145:3
How high-wide-deep is the love of Christ
=>beyond measure. –Eph 3:14-21
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Set your mind on things above
Not on things on the earth
For your life is now hidden with Christ in God. –Col 3:1-3
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Word Study . From NetBible Rom 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. conform[4964] = comply with, fashion one’s self according to transform[3339] = to change into another form, to transfigure *like Christ’s appearance on the mount of transfiguration ** He was transfigured[3339] before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. –Mt 17:2 renewing[342] = renovation, complete change for the better *from [341] = to cause to grow up-strengthen, to be changed into a new kind of life as opposed to the former corrupt state test/approve[1381] = examine, discern, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not) . From NetBible Col 3:1-3 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. seeking[2212] = to seek in order to find out – by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into, strive after, crave, worship God set your mind[5426] = have understanding, be wise, same mind i.e. agreed together

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Wonderful – Beautiful

Psalm 97:9  … For You, LORD, are Most High{Sovereign King} above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.

Psalm 34:3  … Oh, magnify the LORD{let us tell of His greatness} with me, and let us exalt{lift up-praise} His name together.

A Song:
Wonderful
Beautiful –Song 5:16
Wonderful Savior
Beautiful LORD of all –Song 5:10
Jesus You are glorious –Ps 96:6-9
High and lifted up
Exalted
High above all
There is none like You! –1Sam 2:2;2Sam 7:22;1Ch 16:25

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Psalm 96:6-9 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
6 Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, O you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Give to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come [before Him] into His courts.
9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; tremble before and reverently fear Him, all the earth.

In One Accord

Psalm 133 New King James Version (NKJV)
Blessed Unity of the People of God
A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.
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Dwelling in unity as the people of God
In one accord –Acts 2:1-3,46-47
The precious oil “runs down” from the head
Down Aaron’s beard{The high priest}
Down the rest of the body
Down off the edge of his garments.
=> a testimony of the Lord’s commanded blessing=eternal life through Jesus Christ!
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So how do you get this oil to run down covering the body of Christ creating a testimony that goes out and adds to the body?
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So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 praising God and having favor{grace} with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. –Acts 2:46-47
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As you wholeheartedly seek Me in prayer and worship
You will find Me available to you! –Jeremiah 29:13
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Word Study . From NetBible Ps 133:1 dwell[03427] = remain, sit, abide -to cause (cities) to be inhabited unity[03162] = altogether, side by side, as a unit . From NetBible Ps 133:2 edge[06310] = mouth (as organ of speech-means of blowing) -mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river) -testimony . From NetBible Acts 2:1-3 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord[3661] in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting[2521] 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat[2523] upon each of them. one accord[3661] = gathered together, in unison, in chorus * Homothumadon is a compound of two words meaning to “rush along” and “in unison”. The image is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different, harmonise in pitch and tone. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ’s church. sitting[2521] = to have a fixed abode, to dwell sat[2523] = to have fixed one’s abode, rest, to settle(hover, dwell) From NetBible Acts 2:46-47 So continuing daily with one accord[3661] in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 praising God and having favor{grace} with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. . From NetBible Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek[01245] Me{in prayer and worship} and find Me when you search for [01875] Me with all your heart. seek[01245] His face{presence} = require, desire, exact, request -to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer seek[01875] His strength = seek with care, diligently inquire, require -seek deity in prayer and worship -usually to follow (for pursuit or search) .

 

Protection from Deception=Preach His Word

2Corinthians 11:2-4 NLT … For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 4 You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.
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Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing  –Matthew 7:15
They distort the truth to draw away disciples –Acts 20:30
From pure undivided devotion to Christ. –2Corinthians 11:3
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The protection from this deception?
=>The whole counsel of God –Acts 20:27
=>His word is truth. –John 17:17
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Know God’s word and the Spirit of truth –John 16:13;15:26-27 =>you’ll know when it’s being twisted and/or manipulated. –Matthew 22:29

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Watch your life and doctrine closely
Persevere in them
=>Save both yourself and your hearers.  –1Timothy 4:16
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All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness that a person of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  –2Timothy 3:16-17
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Preach His word in and out of season! –2Timothy 4:2
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Acts 20:25-31 … Now I[Paul] know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will(counsel) of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.  
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Matthew 22:29 … Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know(understand) the Scriptures or the power of God”.
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Deep Calls

A Song:
No eye has seen
No ear has heard –1Corinthians 2
The beauty revealed –Psalm 27:4
By the Spirit
To His own …
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As Deep calls out to deep
Tho billows roar –Psalm 42:7
Not by might nor by power –Zechariah 4:6
Lord Your voice is heard –Psalm 29:3
King above the flood! –Psalm 29:10
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Psalm 42:7-8 AMPC … [Roaring] deep calls to [roaring] deep at the thunder of Your waterspouts; all Your breakers and Your rolling waves have gone over me.
8 Yet the Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

Prayer:
Lord when the “billows roar” and I am overwhelmed, help me to hear Your voice above the noise through prayer and worship. Help me to praise the beauty of holiness. Praise You LORD, Your mercy endures forever! –Psalm 42:6-8; 29:3,10; 2Chronicles 20:21

Wise and Innocent-Serpents and Doves

Matthew 10:16 AMPC … Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves.

This imagery of being sent out like sheep in the midst of wolves is also found here in Paul’s warning:
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Acts 20:27-31 … For I[Paul] have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will(counsel) of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
=>Be on your guard against those who distort the truth = be EQUIPPED WITH the whole counsel of God!
=>Wary and wise as serpents = EQUIPPED WITH the whole counsel of God!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 Amplified Bible (AMP) … All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 Amplified Bible (AMP) … The servant of the Lord must not participate in quarrels, but must be kind to everyone [even-tempered, preserving peace, and he must be], skilled in teaching, patient and tolerant when wronged. 25 He must correct those who are in opposition with courtesy and gentleness in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and be led to the knowledge of the truth [accurately understanding and welcoming it], 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
=>Innocent as doves(gentle, patient able to apply God’s word, no deceit)
=>Innocent as doves in evil, but mature in thinking

1Corinthians 14:20 Amplified Bible (AMP) … Brothers and sisters, do not be children [immature, childlike] in your thinking; be infants in [matters of] evil [completely innocent and inexperienced], but in your minds be mature [adults].
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