Becoming

So Heavenly Minded

We become Earthly Good

Pastor Susan Fochler!November 29, 2014

Becoming so Heavenly Minded

we become Earthly Good

Maintaining our Focus on Heavenly things is an ongoing choice

It can feel like a battle

You may have to contend

It may not come automatically

Our Drive-through, immediate gratification world contradicts this reality

This Tension of being between Heaven and earth:

IS: Being honest about your struggle and pain, while believing Gods goodness and grace is at work for you

IS NOT: Denying you have fears, doubts, frustrations, anger.

Real Faith allows room for Real Feelings.

We became a New Creation in an Instant

We Mature into Christlikeness over a lifetime

We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 2 Cor 4:7

Your job is to steward the wonderful new you God has given you!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor 5:17 NKJV

Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new one burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and Him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. 2Cor 5:17,18 MSG

We have already been Re-created, !Perfect and New

Pollyanna Dream

Pollyanna: To be absurdly optimistic and good-hearted, believing in a good world where everything works out for the best all the time. Being God-fearing and on a higher moral ground.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes...For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall lived by faith.” Romans 1:16 NKJV

You’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on these things:

True, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious; the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me (Paul), what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Phil. 4:8,9 MSG

The War is Over, and We have Won!

But the enemy has refused to acknowledge defeat, and there will continue to be skirmishes that we must engage in for the rest of our lives.

Saul: God’s first choice to become KingGiven a Taste of what it was to become a“New Man”1 Sam. 10:6-10

But decided doing what seemed good to him and the people around him was more important than obeying God.

Believed the World System over the Word of God

Saul did not put his incredible !“new man” experience into practice

Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know Gods will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

David: Man after God’s Own Heart!

Believed Gods Word over the World System

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Sam 16:7 NIV David was rejected by his own family, but the Lord looked at the integrity of his heart.

David: The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. 1 Sam 17:37

David: Man after God’s Own Heart!

Believed Gods Word over the World System

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Sam 16:7 NIV David was rejected by his own family, but the Lord looked at the integrity of his heart.

David: The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. 1 Sam 17:37

We are human, but we do not wage war as humans do, waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Cor 10:3-6

David Understood Spiritual Warfare: He knew God as his Deliverer

2 Cor. 4:7-12 The Mirror

We have discovered this treasure where it was hidden all along, in these frail skin-suits made of clay. We take no credit for finding it there! It took the enormous power of God in the achievement of Christ to rescue our minds from the lies it believed.

We often feel completely hemmed in on every side but our inner space remains unrestricted; when there seems to be no way out, we escape within!

At times we are persecuted to the extreme but we are never abandoned. We are knocked down but not knocked out. Wherever we go, whatever we encounter in our bodies, we bear witness within us of the fact that Jesus died our death; in this same body, we now exhibit his life. The fact that we co-died in his death confirms that we now co-live in his resurrection!

2 Cor. 4:7-12 The Mirror

Our day-to-day experience continues to exhibit that even in the face of death, our association with the death Jesus already died remains the inspiration of his life made so clearly visible within us. This is in such contrast to the circumstances that we are often faced with.

Living aware of our co-crucifixion with Christ in the face of death threatening circumstance inspires life in you!

Who Do You Need

God to be for you?

El Shaddai: Lord God Almighty, the All-sufficient One. The all-sufficient source of all our blessings; God who completely nourishes, satisfies and supplies His people with all their needs; our sustainer.

El Elyon: The Most High God; the extreme sovereignty and majesty of God and His Highest preeminence.

Adonai: The Lord, My Great Lord. God is the Master and Majestic Lord; he is total authority.

Jehovah Nissi: The Lord My Banner: The Lord my miracle; my refuge. He is our banner of encouragement to give hope and a focal point. In battle opposing nations would fly their own flags to give hope to their soldiers.

Elohim: The All Powerful One, Creator of the universe who knows all, creates all, and is everywhere.

Jehovah-Raah: The Lord My Shepherd. He reveals Himself unceasingly; he comforts, feeds and leads his flock to pasture. He desires intimate connection with us, his people.

Jehovah Shammah: The Lord is There: God has not, nor will ever abandon us, but will ever restore and seek the habitation of our hearts.

Jehovah Jireh: The Lord will Provide; God intervened by providing a sacrifice when Abraham prepared to sacrifice his own son, Isaac. When we have nothing to give, He is there.

Jehovah Shalom: The Lord is our peace; absence of all strife and anxiety. Rest.

Jehovah Rapha: The Lord Who Heals; God has provided the final cure for spiritual, physical and emotional sickness in Jesus Christ.