You Look Marvelous

2 Corinthians 10:7–9 NKJV

Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s. For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed— lest I seem to terrify you by letters.

QUESTION: How many times do we here declarations or praises of how we look? Everyone wants to look good.

ANSWER: God wants us to look like him. IMAGE OF GOD A phrase found several times in the book of Genesis (Genesis 1:7–27; 5:1–3; 9:6). Distinguishes humankind from the animal and plant kingdoms. Elevates humankind above all terrestrial created things so as to exercise benevolent and ethical stewardship over creation. Image of God language is found in the New Testament as part of the Christian’s responsibility to imitate Christ, who is the image(r) of God par excellence.

We had no instructions for the pursuit of perfection. Then came Jesus his work resulted in our redemption and a deposit on our eternal life known as the Holy Spirit.

THEREFORE JUST AS THE SON WAS SENT WE ARE SENT.

John 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

We have the ability!

Genesis 1:28

28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

fruitful: paw-raw (produce)

God want us to be productive

Be prepared to mentor if not your seed

multiply: raw-baw (Increase)

take your territory

JABEZ (יַעְבֵּץ, ya'bets). Head of a clan descended from Judah. His mother gave him a name connoting pain, though the reason for this is unstated (1 Chr 4:9–10)

dominion: raw-daw (prevail)

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I also prevail because of the power of his image

Philippians 2:9–11 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We have a teacher!

John 14:15–18 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

HOLY SPIRIT The Holy Spirit (or Spirit of God) transforms and empowers God’s people.

John 15:26–27 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

We have the opportunity!

Time

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

God created the paradise and time for us

Genesis 2:15–17 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Paradise is a goal time is for teaching

2 Timothy 4:1–3 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

The lessons of the bible are not just for preachers and bible scholars.

We have the DNA!

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (/diːˈɒksɪˌraɪboʊnjuːˌkliːɪk,_-ˌkleɪ-/;[1] DNA) is a molecule composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses. DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are nucleic acids. Alongside proteins, lipids and complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides), nucleic acids are one of the four major types of macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life.

The Apostle Paul is clarifying his purpose according to the will of God.

The first thing we look at is appearance.

1 Samuel 16:6–11

6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”

9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”

10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.”

11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.”