SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST - PART 1 "THE HISTORICAL JESUS"

The profane and those bound for perdition use His Name in Blasphemy.
The pagan and the politician use His Words to create ungodly policy.
The professing and the prosperity pretender fool themselves and millions others into sure eternal separation....and all of this in His Name.
The professors and media promote Him only as some moral teacher.

The real story of Jesus is not just the one which the western world pays attention to around Christmas and Easter. 
The real story of Jesus is not just the Famous Verse (John 3:16) we see in the end zone at football games.
The real story of Jesus is not just found in His Sacrifice and Atonement for all sin for all time at the Cross of Calvary. 
But the continuing real story of Jesus can be found in the FRUIT of that Sacrifice over the past 2000 years!

There is NO other belief system in the World which has benefited mankind than Christianity. In the next post on the Superiority of Christianity to any other so-called "belief" system in the world. You will see the power of God vs the corruption of man's systems, which are designed only to keep other men and women in bondage.

Therefore, which this full look into the Historical Jesus, from the Beginning, as we lay out the Foundation to show the world, WHY and HOW Christianity is the only belief system designed by the REAL GOD of Heaven!

HOW DO I THINK ON THESE THINGS

.......WHATEVER'S LOVELY........

All week, we have been discussing the methodology to a certain mindset when it comes to our view of how God wants us to live our daily lives. We looked at the "Think Positive" movements of Dale Carnegie and Norman Vincent Peale (who are the predecessors to Joel Osteen) and then camped on Philippians 4 in the past few days.


We examined the Foundational Truths which MUST undergird us and yesterday, we looked at three factors in the Formula towards a more Biblical mindset, based on Philippians 4:8. The Bible instructs us to "Think on These Things"...why and how? 


Here now are the final three qualities we must embed into every fiber of our being, in order to accomplish that which we were commissioned to do. Here is the REST of the Story, or Formula...to THINK ON THESE THINGS:

SO LET'S GET TO IT RIGHT NOW - THE FORMULA (Section A)

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Whatever is lovely - This one is self-explanatory! Behold the beauty of Creation all around you; behold the birth of a new baby; behold the bold colors of the sky at noon and then sundown; behold the beauty of His Majesty...Just BEHOLD THE LAMB of GOD - JESUS! WOW!

One benefit of behold all of this - you get the focus off yourself and your problems and see things HIS Way, man, it makes the day so much better to live and enjoy!

Whatever is commendable - Basically and in the literal sense, this has a powerful punch. Commendable means worthy of HIGH PRAISE! Can you think of anything or ANYONE who is worthier of HIGH PRAISE than Almighty God, Abba? NO! The other meaning is meritorious! This means God has earned it by what He has done for us: from giving us physical life and all its blessings to ETERNAL LIFE, through Christ our Lord. 

Therefore Praise, Worship, Adore and Love Him, for He alone is worthy! Now THAT, my friends, is commendable!

IF THERE IS ANY EXCELLENCE, IF THERE IS ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE - These two phrases cannot be separated, because Abba Father, by being the Most Perfect Being from eternity past, present and future, is EXCELLENCE PERSONIFIED! There is no one else like Him! 

Therefore, in light of the Attribute of Perfection, which could take a book to describe, He is worthy not just of Praise- but ADORATION, APPRECIATION, WORSHIP, HONOR, OBEDIENCE AND MINISTERING UNTO HIM!

Again, the chief end of man, is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

If you think on these things we looked at briefly the past couple of days, we are way ahead of the majority - not just of the world, but of christians! We are therefore, one step further along the way to being the kind of worshippers which the Father in Heaven is looking for!

Amen

(image by google images)

HOW DO I THINK ON THESE THINGS?

PART 4.....MODUS OPERANDI.....
The Formula, (A)

Since Sunday, we have been examining, not just how to have a positive attitude and frame of mind about life or things in general, but the foundational mechanisms. We showed how we must have a fix foundation to build off from, and that cornerstone is the Word of God.

The foundation has to be the Bible or the Word of God. From the Foundational Truths of the Bible, we derive the final step - the Formula! 

The dictionary meaning of the word "FORMULA" is "a set form of words, as for stating or declaring something definitely or authoritatively, for indicating procedure to be followed, or for prescribed use on some ceremonial occasion". (Dictionary.com)

SO LET'S GET TO IT RIGHT NOW - THE FORMULA (Section A)

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

We have been looking at the Word of God, to 'think on these things', with methodical precision. There are several meanings for being reasonable and methodical. God is a God of reason....He said so "Come let us reason together...." He said so in Isaiah 1:18

Therefore, here are following brief items - all attributes we must develop, if we wish to have the MINDSET or the worldview of a son or daughter of the Living Christ. I will break down Philippians 4:8 phrase by phrase, with a brief explanation:

Whatever is True -  Read the Book of 1 John and know what the Truth is. The Truth is the Gospel. The Truth is Jesus - He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Anything else is a counterfeit....and to be rejected.

Whatever is Honorable - Honor is in short supply today. Daily in the news, we read of some public official who has fallen due to moral failure or law-breaking. But it is not just that. Honor can be something as simple as returning a valuable item you found, or giving the change back when the cashier gives you too much back at the store etc. While the big things matter, God looks at the little things to see how well you did them!

Whatever is Just - Love justice, my friends.  Believe in it. God sent prophets against Israel or this or that evil King in the Old Testament because they were unjust to the poor, widows and orphans. But not just them. Today we see the evil and the crooked apparently getting away with everything short of murder, while the honest God-fearing person is struggling. 

Let not your heart be troubled. Their day is coming. Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, declares the Lord. He will not let sin or corruption slide. Therefore, YOU, as much as it depends on YOU - do your part!

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW!.....

(image by google images)