Colossians 3:2, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." The focus of a believer needs to be on the things of heaven. This doesn't mean that I sit around dreaming of heaven, or holding on till Jesus comes. It is a deliberate setting of the mind on kingdom principles.
2 Corinthians 4:18 puts it this way: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Everything in the natural is temporary. Jobs, possessions, etc. are all things that fade away. The things of this earth is what the world pursues. There is a focus on having the right job, building/buying a nice home, riding around in the best vehicles, having the latest fashions, or talking on the newest phone. What we discover in this type of life is that it is an empty pursuit. Our focus in not on earthly gain but in heavenly influence in the earth.
When I set my mind on heavenly things, I learn to live by heaven's values. Jesus told us to pray "Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The will of God was to reveal Himself to us through Jesus. Now He reveals the Son through us. For Jesus to be made manifest in our lives means that we have the same exact mindset that He possessed. We learn to live from Heaven's provision, love from the Father's heart, do the things that Father is doing, and display His goodness throughout the earth. But when we are focused on earthly things, we struggle to carry the joy and peace that the kingdom of Heaven provides.
Consider this with me: You can have an amazing week until a hot water heater goes out or you have to pull the pump out of the well. Ever been there? All of a sudden, money becomes an issue. Or how about when the car goes down or an unexpected bill comes in? This is where the struggle begins. Are we going to be earthly focused or heavenly minded? Will we continue to trust in the Lord's provision or are we going to try to bail ourselves out of a situation?
I know...I know...we were raised in this world's system. And in this world's system, we know how to get things done. There is credit available, loans we can sign up for, and even "cash for titles" (YIKES!!!). What or Who am I going to trust in these situations? Am I going to bank on my ability to pull myself out of a hole or will I have the faith to believe that God is my Heavenly Father with all the provision I need?
FOCUS!!! Live from the resources of Heaven. Learn to claim the inheritance that we have in Christ. Find out what it means to live from God's value system. Trust me when I say that He will allow us to make our own decisions and learn from our own mistakes. The good news is that He never condemns us but chooses to walk with us even when our focus is all out of whack.
Matthew 6:33 from the Contemporary English Version: "But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well." God has not abandoned us to a worldly system. He has promised that when the Kingdom of God is our focus, He takes care of the rest.
No comments:
Post a Comment