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"Kid's Wisdom" in Cartoon format
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SETTING OUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE....Col. 3:1-4
Introduction
A. This text is a discussion of life after death.
1. However, this does not mean to say that it is speaking
of our final death, wherein shall then come
judgment...Heb. 9:27, but rather it is speaking of the
life that we ought to live once we have died to sins
in the waters of baptism.
a) When one is baptized into Christ he is baptized into
His death...Rom. 6:4 and buried with Him...Col. 2:12.
b) But, we are also raised with Him...Col.3:1 and since
we are raised we thus have a NEW LIFE, and therefore
we should study how we ought to act accordingly.
2. Thus this text is an exhortation to those who are
"called out" of the world known simply as Christians.
B. The text indicates that we are to ---"seek things that
are above where Christ is"...that is to say, heavenly
things.
1. Here we are to set our minds above --- not on earth --
- but rather we are to be spiritually minded people
rather than physically minded people.
2. Thus the question that needs to be asked --- WHAT IS
INVOLVED IN SEEKING HEAVENLY THINGS? and WHAT ARE
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SPIRITUALLY MINDED PEOPLE?
C. This study will hopefully answer these two
very important questions.
1. It is also intended to be an inward
self examination:
a) Not against other members or against human standards.
b) But rather against the standard of God set forth for
us in His word.
D. A Spiritually minded person is:
I. ONE WHO HAS A CONSTANT AWARENESS OF GOD'S PRESENCE.
A. The child of God needs to have thoughts of God through
out the whole day....God is to be our first thought in
the morning when we awake and our last thought in the
evening when we slump into blissful sleep.
1. Everywhere we go or look we should see the hand of our
Father in it....cf Acts 17:27-28 ; Psa. 139:7-12, 17.
2. look carefully at those men of the O.T. of whom it is
said "they walked with God":
a) Noah walked with God...Gen 6:9.
b) Enoch walked with God..Gen.5:24.
c) David is said to have walked with God in all ways but
one....I Kings 15:3-5.
3. The question to ask ourselves is whether I walk with
God?
a) Do you live with God in your mind? or is God the
furtherest thought from your mind?
b) Does God live in your Home? both physical and
Spiritual....I Cor. 6:19-20.
B. How does keeping God in our minds constantly help us in
everyday life?
1. Firstly it keeps us from sinning....Heb. 4:13 ;
Prov. 15:3..
a) I firmly believe that the reason we sin is because we
temporary forget that God is with us each and every
waking hour and that He does see all that we do.
b) The omni-presence of God should be felt in our daily
lives and it will keep us out of harms way.
2. By keeping God before our eyes each and every day it
encourages us to pray.....cf Phil. 4:6-7.
a) We fail to pray because our minds are consumed with
earthly things and we forget God.
1) Israel often forgot their God and they where punished
severely.
2) Just because we are not punished right away, many
constantly forget their God in heaven.
3) Can you imagine if your child only spoke to you three
or four minutes every 2-3 weeks....would you say they
loved You???
b) If we are constantly aware of God's presence we would
be more mindful to talk to Him more.
3. Keeps us mindful that God determines our life.
a) This does not imply that we are predestinated to do
anything, nor that everything that we achieve or that
happens to us is directly reacted to God helping us.
b) But rather as scripture says....James 4:15 compared
against Luke 12:17-21.
4. Gives us freedom from fear:
a) During natural calamities.....Psa. 46:1-3.
b) Of hateful men, and those who persecute us...
Heb. 13:5-6 ; II Thess. 1:6-7.
c) We may die in natural calamities or by the hand of
godless men, but nothing can permanently harm our
souls if God is before us always...Matt. 10:28 ;
Rom. 8:31 , 37-39.
II. THE SPIRITUALLY MINDED PERSON IS ONE WHO HAS A LOVE AND A
DEEP RESPECT FOR GOD'S WORD.
A. The spiritually minded person respects and recognizes
that the word of God is the COMPLETE REVELATION OF
GOD'S WILL....II Tim. 3:16-17.
B. He accepts it as it is in TRUTH THE WORD of God....
I Thess. 2:13.
1. What if God said out aloud here today..."Ye who
believes and is baptized shall be saved", would anyone
dare say that it is unnecessary?
a) And yet God has said that thru His inspired
Word...Mk. 16:16.
2. Spiritually minded people appreciate truth even when it
hits home.
a) They pray that the teacher, or in their daily study
might say something that will help them in becoming
better children of God.
b) It is only the weak in spirit that use statements as
"The preacher is always picking on me." ; "Somebody
must have told him something about me, thats why he is
preaching on this subject!"
1) This might well be the case but many times the Word
of God has already spoken out against things that you
might be engaged in, and preaching in it's true form
will step on your toes when they are sticking out.
3. The spiritual meditate on the word of God daily...
Psa. 1 ; 119:97.
a) The Bible comes into use in solving many of everyday
life problems...Rom. 15:4
b) The Word of God is able to build us up and to give us
an inheritance...Acts 20:32 ; II Tim. 3:15 ;
II Tim. 2:15.
III. THE SPIRITUALLY MINDED PERSON HAS HIS HEART SET ON HEAVEN.
A. The spiritually minded not only thinks on heavenly or
spiritually matters now, but thinks often about "going
home."....the Apostle John looked forward to Christ's
return...Rev. 22:20, so should also be our attitude.
1. Like Abraham the spiritually minded person says..."This
world is not my home, I'm just passing through"...
Heb. 11:9-10 ; 13-16.
a) One of my favorite songs that we sing is based upon
this scripture...."Just a Cottage below."
2. The material things of this life are immaterial to
those who are spiritually minded.
a) He has learned the secret to ...Matt. 6:33-34.
b) And learnt from the example of Job...Job 1:21.
3. The spiritually minded person has learned to be content
with the inadequitcies of life realizing that there
awaits him the promise of eternal rest with the Father
in Heaven...Phil. 4:11 ; II Cor. 4:16-17.
IV. BY HAVING OUR MINDS SET ON THINGS ABOVE IT HELPS US IN
TIMES OF TEMPTATIONS AND IN THE MIDST OF TRAILS.
A. The church everywhere will
undergo tests and trails, yet by keeping our
minds focused upon Christ and His Word the churches will come
thru.
1. I believe that the trails that we face are
God's way of putting us to the test...cf
I Peter 1:6-7..
a) We are not to be weary in these trails but rather we
are to rejoice...cf I Peter 4:12-13.
2. We have to realize that some are destroyed by such
trails....Matt. 13:21.
a) While others are made stronger...James 1:2-4.
B. Let us continually give God the thanks that we are
worthy to suffer and be tried for His cause...
Phil. 4:4.
V. THE SPIRITUALLY MINDED PERSON SEEKS FIRST THE KINGDOM OF
GOD.
A. They seek peace...Phil.4:6 ; I Peter 3:12.
B. Those who do so receive spiritual as well as physical
blessing from God...Eph. 1:3 ; Matt. 6:33 ;
Luke 12:22-31.
1. They have a good life while on this earth...
Prov. 3:1-10.
a) I have never seen a Christian go hungry, nor go without shelter,
nor without clothing.
2. They not only have it good here but also in the life to
come...Col. 3:4.
Conclusion
A. Spiritual mindness comes with time, not overnight.
1. As one grows spiritually strong so does his spiritual mindness.
2. As Christians we should strive toward such a goal.
B. The only way that this is accomplished is by, prayer,
Bible study ; meditation ; assembly with other saints,
and the constant encouragement of the brethren.
C. Let us seek to be more spiritually minded, so we can
enjoy this life here, as well as the life to come.
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