Write My Answer On A Billboard Large And Clear

~ I'll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I'll wait to see what God says ~ Habakkuk 2:1-2
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Jan 20, 2014

Day 1 Extended Focus ~ Develop His Mind





CHUCK's NOTES...

Read Philippians 2 and Romans 8.

 DEVELOP HIS MIND!

Don't lean on your own understanding. You will never make the right choice with your limited knowledge. Philippians 2:5-8 says,"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus...who made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant...He humbled Himself and became obedient."

Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Don't let satan's scheme fashion you into one who thinks like the world. Don't let outward appearances deceive you, causing you to miss what God is doing. We must prove the voice of God, and practice in everyday life what God's will from Heaven is declaring to us.

Romans 8:7 says, "The carnal mind is in enmity with God."

Declare that the Lord will put His finger on every area of carnality in your thinking."

~ CHUCK PIERCE
 http://www.glory-of-zion.org


MY  EXTENDED  FOCUS.

gotquestions.org says..."The word bondservant comes from the Greek word doulos, meaning “one who is subservient to, and entirely at the disposal of, his master; a slave.”

biblestudytools.com says..."a slave, bondman, man of servile condition; one who gives himself up to another's will - those devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests; a servant, attendant "

THE DIVINE FORM OF CHRIST

It is important to understand Jesus' Form or as other translations read...His NATURE. Christ has two natures....His Divine nature, and His human nature. The whole nature of Christ rests on verse 6 which cannot be separated from the other verses, because it shows His Divine nature. The NIV translates verses 6 -7 ..." Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." The NLT reads..."Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being."

A few verses that further show His Divine nature...
which qualifies Him for the work of our redemption and salvation....

John 1:1 -2    
1 In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God,
 and the Word was God. 
2 He was in the beginning with God.…
John 1:14   
The Word became flesh 
and made his dwelling among us. 
We have seen his glory, 
the glory of the one and only Son, 
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth

Colossians 1:19   
For it was the Father's gracious will 
that the whole of the divine perfections should dwell in Him
Proverbs 8:23   
I was formed long ages ago, 
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
John 8:58   
Very truly I tell you," 
Jesus answered, 
"before Abraham was born, I am!
Colossians 1:17   
He is before all things, 
and in him all things hold together.
Colossians 2:9    
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity
 lives in bodily form,
Revelation 22:13   
I am Alpha and Omega, 
the beginning and the end, 
the first and the last.

I love how Matthew Henry expounds on Christ being called the WORD from the beginning..."The plainest reason why the Son of God is called the Word, seems to be, that as our words explain our minds to others, so was the Son of God sent in order to reveal his Father's mind to the world." It helps me see that Christ in His Divine nature...is likened to the MIND of God the Father. Remember in Phil 2:5 it reads .." Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.". We are not only taught about the mind of God...through Christ Jesus...but Jesus walked in the flesh upon this earth in His human nature...to demonstrate the MIND of God.

THE HUMAN FORM OF CHRIST

He became like us in all things except sin. Christ not only took upon himself the likeness or FORM of a man, but of one in a low state. He was born in a barn - a common stable. His whole life was a life of poverty and suffering. But the lowest step was his dying on the cross, the death of a slave or a common criminal - exposed to public humiliation, hatred and scorn.  Christ's attitude towards His Heavenly Father was one of total - absolute RESPECT and OBEDIENCE. 
He did not lean on His human understanding....

John 5:19    
Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; 
he can do only what he sees his Father doing,
 because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Matthew 26:39   
 Going a little farther, 
he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 
"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. 
Yet not as I will, but as you will.
John 5:30   
By myself I can do nothing;
 I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, 
for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
John 6:38   
For I have come down from heaven 
not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
John 8:28    
So Jesus said, 
"When you have lifted up the Son of Man, 
then you will know that I am he 
and that I do nothing on my own 
but speak just what the Father has taught me.
John 12:49-50   
For I did not speak on my own, 
but the Father who sent me 
commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 
I know that his command leads to eternal life. 
So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.
John 14:10   
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, 
and that the Father is in me? 
The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. 
Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

THE MIND OF CHRIST

So what does it mean to have or develop the MIND/ ATTITUDE or NATURE of Christ...as stated in Phil 2:5 ..."Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus".  According to the example of the Lord Jesus, kindness is the law of Christ's kingdom. Be diligent to develop like-mindedness and lowly-mindedness, Christ came in humility...to teach us humility. that we might develop a mind and heart of compassion for one another. that we might recognize the spirit of PRIDE in our lives and put it to death. Pride seeks to exalt self. Matthew Henry says..."Neither inward nor outward peace can be enjoyed, without lowliness of mind."


Romans 8:5-8    Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

THE OBEDIENCE AND HUMILITY OF CHRIST

Christ's attitude towards YOU and ME as wretched defiled human flesh...was that of humble service. His LOVE is WIDE and HIGH and LONG and DEEP. He validated His Love by submitting to death on the cross - laying aside His Divinity - exposed to public humiliation, hatred and scorn.... to ransom us back from the curse of sin...to live as intended for eternity with the HOLY Heavenly Father.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary on Phil 2:7..."He emptied Himself," His divine self, viewed in respect to what He had heretofore been; in Php 2:8 the emphasis is on "humbled"; He not only "emptied Himself" of His previous "form of God," but submitted to positive HUMILIATION. He "became obedient," namely, to God, as His "servant" (Ro 5:19; Heb 5:8).Therefore "God" is said to "exalt" Him (Php 2:9), even as it was God to whom He became voluntarily "obedient." "Even unto death" expresses the climax of His obedience (Joh 10:18).

THAT WE BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE

2 Peter 1:3-8    According as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who has called us to glory and virtue: ​4 By which are given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And for this reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge self control; and to self control patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:26-28    And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8:35-39 35    Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.


THEREFORE....SEARCH ME O LORD....

Psalm 139:1   
O lord, you have searched me, and known me.
Psalm 139: 23-24   
 Search me, O God, and know my heart; 
Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 
And see if there be any hurtful way in me, 
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 19:12   
 But who can discern their own errors?
 Forgive my hidden faults.
Psalm 26:2   
Test me, LORD, and try me, 
examine my heart and my mind;
Psalm 64:6  
 Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.
Psalm 7:14   
Whoever is pregnant with evil 
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
Proverbs 17:3   
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, 
but the LORD tests the heart.

TEACH ME TO TRUST ...TEACH ME YOUR WAYS

Isaiah 55: 8 -9    
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
neither are your ways my ways,” 
declares the Lord. 
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
so are my ways higher than your ways 
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Proverbs 3:5   
Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
And do not lean on your own understanding. 
In all your ways acknowledge Him, 
And He will make your paths straight.…




May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and the love of God, 
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.

~ Patrina

2 comments:

  1. Amen. Thank you for taking the time to post this Blessings.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks JBR for visiting....
    blessings to you too

    patrina <")>><

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for picking up the pencil...

May the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit ...
be with you all.


Patrina
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