Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Daily Encouragement (10/15/13) "Seeking The Things Above"

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Rehoboth Beach boardwalk benches
Benches along Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk
(Notice the hinged back that allows people watching or wave watching)

"Seeking The Things Above"

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"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1,2).

The last several days we've been enjoying walks up and down the boardwalk at Rehoboth Beach. Being at the shore for a couple of days each year we try to get our fill of ocean scenery, which of course is such a contrast to our normal Lancaster County rural scenery! This year was an exception with a brief visit pre-season and our brief visit post-season ending today.

It's certainly not as busy here at the shore as the summer months but even on a weekday there's still plenty of people walking along the boardwalk. (Of course yesterday was Columbus Day so there were many familes at the shore for a long weekend.)

In Rehoboth Beach they have benches along the boardwalk with an interesting feature. The bench backs are hinged so you can either sit looking out at the beach and ocean or you can face the boardwalk without turning the entire bench around. You just flip the bench back!

It occurs to me that's how our mind can work as well. We can move from being spiritually-minded to worldly-minded in just a matter of seconds. Our thoughts can go from the sacred to the profane quicker than I can flip that bench back on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk!

This morning we both walked along the boardwalk prior to sunrise. Although it was not as pronounced as yesterday's view due to clouds on the horizon it was a beautiful morning. We prayed together and discussed the wonder of God's creation. Yet walking back to the house we are staying we passed a store entirely devoted to a perverted lifestyle.
 
Modern technology can further facilitate this. The pastor made this very point in the church we attended on Sunday. He said to the congregation: "Some of you could be surfing the internet even as you sit out there since we have wireless internet. You could even be viewing pornography while sitting in a church service."

Since we have been raised with Christ we are to set our hearts and minds on things above. This is an act of the will and must be an ongoing attitude in the life of the believer. The NASV catches the continual tense with the phrase, "keep seeking the things above." I'm so thankful for the continual presence of the Holy Spirit that prompts us when we begin to pursue that which is earth based and gets us off track from our "high calling of God in Christ Jesus".

We must seek to live with a heavenly perspective as we daily sort through any setbacks, losses or luring temptations that line our earthly path. Many years ago I committed the daily Scripture portion to memory. Today I want to keep this heavenly perspective and do so by personalizing the verse, "Since, then, I have been raised with Christ, I set my heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  I set my mind on things above, not on earthly things. For I died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God."  Will you join me today?


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber


Praying manDaily prayer: Father, I thank You for deliverance from the dominion of darkness and being transferred into the kingdom of Your Son where I find redemption, the forgiveness for my sins.  It is in Your holy Kingdom that my heart is transformed from an earthly nature to that of a heavenly nature.  As I walk in newness of life I must deny myself of any sinful craving for that which was familiar to my earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed. "I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world's desires. Things that are higher, things that are nobler; these have allured my sight." Remind me of this lifelong resolve when I am tempted to give up that which brings lasting joy for that which brings momentary pleasure. In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

See Colossians 1:13; 3:5, lyrics to "I am Resolved"



Rehoboth Beach 10/14/13
We have been at the Delaware shore the last couple of days and will be returning to Lancaster County this morning. Yesterday we had a beautiful day and walked over 10 miles!



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

Last night we attended a concert with "Indelible Grace". Matthew Smith is the composer and lead singer in the middle.

Indelible Grace

"Come Ye Sinners"  Video  Indelible Grace

"On Jordan's Stormy Banks"  Video  Indelible Grace

"All I Owe"  Video   Indelible Grace

Indelible Grace takes older hymns and sings them to a newer arrangement while maintaining the rich lyrics. Indelible Grace Music was begun to help the church recover the tradition of putting old hymns to new music for each generation, and to enrich our worship with a huge view of God and His indelible grace. "Indelible" means that which is impossible to remove or forget. For information about Indelible Grace see here.

"I Am Resolved"  Video  Acapella group (Song used in prayer)

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
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