The Seed Blog: Note To Self

We see about Jesus' early life...Something simply AMAZING... That we seldom contemplate! We have Studied of how Jesus EMPTIED HIMSELF...Of all of His Attributes of Deity...And walked this earth fully HUMAN!
 
That Incomprehensible Little Babe in a feeding trough...Was 100% a Human Baby! With no knowledge of Who He Was at that Moment...No Knowledge of Why He Came...No Knowledge of the Scriptures or the Will of God!
 
So... How did He Learn these Things?! These few Verses we have about His Childhood tell us clearly!

Luke 2:46-47, 52 (HCSB)
46  After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47  And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers... 52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.
 
Mary's Song of Praise to God... For her Wonderful Gift! The Gift... Of being Chosen to be the mother of her Savior... The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55)
 
Shows that she had a deep understanding of OT Scriptures & God! Even at her young age!
So, no doubt... Jesus was raised in a home where the Scriptures were taught...And at least some…
Of the Ancient Writings were accessible to Him!
 
Having a hand-written copy of the Scriptures then...Was much more rare... And much more expensive!...And we can fairly assume that Mary & Joseph...Had a good portion of the OT in their home...Through family before them!
 
Potentially… Only having to purchase or copy…Portions of the Scriptures to complete their Treasure! Maybe copying portions back and forth…Between family & neighbors!...OR… MAYBE THEY ALREADY HAD ALL!...But it can be strongly assumed... They would do all in their power...To make the Word accessible to Jesus...Knowing all that the Angel Gabriel had revealed to them!
 
Scholars estimate that a complete copy of the OT in those days...Held the worth of as much as 7% of a years wages! To put that into perspective for the average home today...That would be roughly $4000!
 
One can assume... That anyone who had such a Copy...Dearly treasured and USED It!  Saw It as the Priceless Truth that It IS!
 
Our Advent Reading today... Is SO AMAZING...Because It reveals how Jesus...Had to sit with the teachers in the Temple...Ask questions...Study the Word for Himself... He had to Learn and Grow in Wisdom!!!
 
So... Stop a moment... And contemplate this wonderful Truth!
 
Jesus Guided the minds and hands who wrote these Words!
Jesus Became the Living Word!
The Word was Written ABOUT Him!
But listen now... It was also WRITTEN FOR HIM! Every Page... Every Word...For Him to one day Ponder and Contemplate...Through the Guidance of the Spirit!...As He Learned Who He Was in this Universe that HE CREATED!...As He Learned... Who He Came to BE... By His Own Word!
 
WOW! Adds new meaning to, "Note to Self!"
 
How Jesus Loved With His Whole Mind! Listen closely to this statement: Of all of the ways Jesus told us to love as He Loves...Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength! Loving with the MIND... Is of the utmost importance! WHY?!  Why is Loving with the Mind so important?!
 
Your MIND... Set upon Truth in Christ... Or the thoughts of the world...Determines whether you will love in any of the other ways!
 
Your mind determines who and what is worthy of your love!
Your mind determines what showing love truly means!
Your mind determines your own worthiness to love and be loved!
Your mind determines your perspective on all of life...
Your mind controls your every emotion and reaction…
 
If you cannot love with your MIND... All else will be false love!
 
We are living in an amazing time of Information and knowledge! With more resources, more facts, more history, more philosophy... More reference material on any subject...Available within seconds...Than anyone in history had in a lifetime! But most of us know LESS about Our God...
Than almost anyone who believed in Jesus' Day!...Because we want HIM... LESS than we want the world! PLAIN AND SIMPLE!
 
That's why we spend hours watching pointless video clips...Hours playing games online...Hours researching countless topics of interest...BUT... CAN'T FIND TIME TO STUDY ABOUT CHRIST!
 
STOP SAYING it is too hard... Too complicated... Or too boring! Many of you know…Every rule, and every player in your favorite sport! Many know…Every actor and music artist, with every detail of their lives! Every detail of complicated imaginary worlds! Many know…Every intricate rule of complicated games & hobbies! Every detail of a very involved jobs or crafts!...But you have NOT been able to find the interest or ability...To be one tenth as knowledgeable in God's Words!
 
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?!
 
What would you do with $100 million dollars, tax free?! Suppose you were told that you would be awarded a $100 million...In prize money! Tax Free! If you could just score above average...In a Bible Trivia Test two weeks from now! How much time would you MAKE to study?
 
Would it be more important than being online...Watching videos, playing sports? Would you say “No” to some of your friends’ plans? Would it be an easy choice of what to do with all of your free time?
How many other things would you say "No" to?!
 
WHY?!!  WHAT CHANGED?
 
THE WORTH YOU PLACED ON LEARNING GOD'S WORD!
THE VALUE YOU SAW IN... WHAT IT WOULD DO FOR YOUR LIFE! IN HOW IT WOULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
 
God's Word is NOT… Too hard... Or too boring! We just don't truly believe there is any value in learning It! We just don't have any real hunger or thirst to know It...Because it holds nothing we are longing for!
 
Now listen close... And we will learn something profound here:
 
Many don't Study God's Word any more than some of you...Because in your current level of study and knowledge...And the sermons or study groups you are a part of...You feel like you know It pretty well...Much better than most know It! Well, my friend... You are completely blind and ignorant...In your perceived wisdom!
 
ONE: You don't just read God's Word...To get more HEAD KNOWLEDGE! But to see Him... To Experience Him!  To Let Him Speak to you... Show you things new and wonderful!  To devote yourself heart and spirit, To touching Him! To learning WHO HE IS... Intimately!
 
 
TWO: THIS is a PERFECT EXAMPLE... Of where many really are! It's like going to the ocean once or twice a year...Sitting by the shore and looking out over the coast...Paddling around the 100 feet of shallow water in front of you...And saying how familiar you are with the Ocean...Saying how much you love it!
 
When the reality is...You don't have the first clue...Of it's magnitude! It's depth... It's Width!
It's wonders contained within! It's power and fierceness! You simply love how it makes you feel!
Love the joy you get from being near it!
 
God's Masterpiece Of His Word!
 
God has Masterfully... Purposefully...Placed every Word of His Eternal Book together...Every Priceless, Intimate Thought from His Own Heart and Mind...In such a way...That you can easily meet Him at the seashore...Gaze at His Magnificence and Wonder...And enjoy Him immediately!
 
He has ALSO... Masterfully and Purposefully Designed It...To have deeper hidden truths about Him...Proofs of His Existence and Power! Mind-bending connections of prophecy and history...
Stories and parables to reveal secrets of His Love and Will...Amazing "Ah Ha!" moments as we discover parts of Him...Reserved for those who are hungry and passionate enough... To delve into His Word in search of Who He really IS! Depths of Him… We will be discovering for Eternity!
 
Great Rewards for those willing to spend time with Him...In the Spirit... Eager to know Him more!
Because He Wants us to Seek Him... Search for Him...Have the intimacy...To walk through His Mind and Heart with Him!
 
Listen closely to Jesus' Words here:
 
Matthew 13:10-13, 16 (HCSB)
10  Then the disciples came up and asked Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11  He answered them, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, BUT it has not been given to them. 12  For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13  For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand... 16  “But your eyes are blessed because they do see, and your ears because they do hear!
 
If you are not getting anything from Scriptures…Maybe… YOU… ARE NOT READING WITH THE RIGHT HEART!
 
Luke 24:27 (HCSB)
27  Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He (Jesus) interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
 
So how are we to understand these Deep Secrets without Jesus...To explain them to us?!
 
1 Corinthians 2:10-13, 16 (NLT)

10  But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11  No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12  And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so WE CAN KNOW the wonderful things God has freely given us. 13  When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths... 16  For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for WE HAVE THE MIND of Christ.
 
The Spirit... For Whom… Jesus Died horribly...To make us Holy enough to Join with... Intimately as One! Is there to walk us through every Word...Just as Jesus opened the
prophecies...To the disciples on the road to Emmaus...Just as Jesus opened the parables...
To His disciples when He Taught the multitudes!
 
There are precious, intimate Truths about Our Jesus...Open to be discovered…To those who search in DESIRE of Him...But easily missed…By those who are legalistic or uninterested!
 
These Words... Driven by His Spirit within us...Searched diligently… With earnestness and excitement...Will shape our understanding of Who He is at a deeper level...RESERVED… For only His true beloveds!...And will shape our view...Of every other person we meet!
 
Giving you a new sense of value and love...For those around you... Lost and Saved!...And giving you a new sense of value and love...For yourself... IN THE FATHER'S EYES!
 
LISTEN TO HOW JESUS LOVED THE FATHER...WITH HIS WHOLE MIND!
 
John 11:41-42 (HCSB)
41  So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You heard Me. 42  I know that You always hear Me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so they may believe You sent Me.”
 
John 17:10 (HCSB)
10  Everything I have is Yours, and everything You have is Mine, and I have been glorified in them.
 
Jesus Loves the Father with All of His Mind...By knowing, and truly believing...He is treasured and heard by His Father…And by knowing and accepting...That everything the Father has is His...
And all that He has... Belongs to God!
 
DID YOU REALIZE… THAT REJECTING THESE TRUTHS…IS CHOOSING NOT TO LOVE WHO HE REALLY IS?!
 
John 5:30 (HCSB)
30  “I can do nothing on My own. I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
 
Jesus Loves the Father with all of His Mind...By CHOOSING to trust the Will and Heart of the Father...And CHOOSING to shape His Life upon those Truths!
 
John 5:20 (HCSB)
20  For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these so that you will be amazed.
 
Jesus Loves the Father with His whole Mind...By accepting that He is Loved by the Father!...And by accepting that He will do great works through Him!
 
How did Jesus overcome every temptation of Satan? By answering every temptation with..."It is Written!!" Knowing God's Word...And Trusting God's Word…MORE than circumstances, desires, or consequences!
 
Jesus Loved the Father with His Whole Mind...By diligently learning everything in God's Word to US...Just as you and I would learn it! Wanting to KNOW more of Him! By ACCEPTING how deeply He is Loved by the Father...And believing it with His Mind!
 
By seeing the worth of everyone around Him through that Word...And CHOOSING to see them the same way! By plotting the course of His Whole Life...Based upon Who He discovered God Truly IS!
 
How does HE Love you and I with His Whole MIND? By Sharing His every thought and desire with us openly! Through His Word and His Spirit! Will you Love Him back the same way?...By searching for, and accepting His thoughts and desires?...By showing us our worth... And the worth of others!
 
Will you believe with your mind, what He Says?...Or judge others, and yourself... By the world?
Believing Him… IS LOVING HIM WITH YOUR WHOLE MIND! He Loves us with His Whole Mind…
By showing us a better way to live... A better way to love...That looks NOTHING like the world's thoughts!
 
Will you truly embrace HIS WAYS of LIFE AND LOVE?...Or will you trust the ways of the world?
 
BUT HOW DO YOU LOVE SOMEONE...YOU DON'T KNOW INTIMATELY? SOMEONE YOU DON'T CHASE AFTER?...AND SPEND TIME WITH?...IF YOU LOVE… WHO YOU THINK HE IS...
WHO YOU… WANT HIM TO BE...IT IS A FALSE LOVE...AND IT IS ACTUALLY... A CHOICE TO LOVE SELF!...A CHOICE TO PLEASE SELF!
 
Romans 1:25 (HCSB)
25  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.
 
JESUS LEFT, "A NOTE TO SELF"...TO TEACH HIMSELF…HOW TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF HIS MIND! HE LEFT THAT NOTE… FOR YOU AND I, AS WELL!...ARE YOU FILLING YOUR MIND...WITH KNOWLEDGE OF HIM... OVER THE WORLD... That is loving with your MIND!
 
ARE YOU CHOOSING TO ACCEPT HIS TRUTHS…ABOUT WHO YOU ARE? HOW YOU ARE LOVED? That is loving with your MIND!
 
ARE YOU LETTING HIS WORD BE THAT..."NOTE TO SELF!"?! WITH TRUE PASSION!
BECAUSE HIS WORD IS WORTH MORE...Than $100 MILLION DOLLARS!...AND CHOOSING... IN YOUR MIND...TO BELIEVE WHO YOU ARE IN HIM!TO BELIEVE WHAT HE WILL DO THROUGH YOU!
TO LIVE A LIFE... AGAINST THE WORLD... AT ANY COST... BELIEVING THAT HIS WAY IS BEST!...AND EMBRACING THAT LIFE WITH ZEST AND JOY!...ARE THE ONLY WAY TO LOVE HIM WITH YOUR WHOLE MIND!
 
AND WHAT... RIGHT THIS MINUTE...DO YOU KNOW YOUR MIND...IS IT OUTSIDE OF HIS WILL?
AND YET... YOU HAVE EMBRACED IT ANYWAY?
 
Your view of yourself?
Your view of others?
Your embrace of the world’s ways?
Your neglect of His Priceless Word… Revealing Himself?
 
CHOOSE TO LOVE HIM... RIGHT NOW...BY CONSCIOUSLY SAYING, "NO MORE!"
 
AND GIVING ALL TO HIM!
AND GIVE HIM THE SAME WORTH...IN YOUR MIND…HE HAS GIVEN TO YOU!