GOD’S WORD FOR AUGUST 30~ ~ Colossians 3:1-2~ ~ “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Continuing with  Ron Rhode’s book, “The Wonder of Heaven”  (again, I want to remind you that these things apply only to born again believers.   Those who have not repented, and accepted  forgiveness only through the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah, will not receive these promises, nor be able to understand the Word,  but will live eternally in the fires of hell. Salvation is a free gift that must be humbly received.    Have you made that decision?)

RON RHODES:

(Referring to today’s verse above) 

The original Greek of this passage is intense:  “Diligently, actively, single-mindedly pursue the things above.”  It is also a present tense, carrying the idea, “Perpetually keep on seeking the things above…Make it an ONGOING PROCESS.

Strong words!  I love this passage, and I can tell you that putting the passage into practice can make all the difference in how we live our lives on this temporal earth.

It is highly revealing that the apostle Paul found it necessary to issue this instruction.  The implication is that he did so because setting our minds on the things above is not something that happens naturally or all by itself.  It is not an automatic process for Christians.  In fact, it is quite common in Scripture for commands to be issued SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE we, as humans, have a tendency to gravitate toward the precise opposite behavior – in this case, focusing our attention on things below (earth).  Because we are unaccustomed to setting our minds on things above, we need to commit anew to it every day.

When you think about it, setting our minds on things above makes good sense.  After all, the earth is TEMPORAL.  It is passing away.  Heaven is ETERNAL, and it lasts forever.  Why set our minds on that which is fleeting?  It is such an unwise thing to do and yet so many Christians today seem focused only on the things this world has to offer.

One of the reasons we ought to be setting our minds on things above is that this is where our true citizenship is.   As Philippians 3:20 puts it, “Our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

We are citizens of heaven.  That is where we truly belong.  That is where we are ultimately headed.  Meanwhile, we are “strangers and exiles on the earth (Hebrews 11:13).  We are pilgrims en route to the heavenly country (vs 16).  This in itself can be a source of strength when life gets tough.  Christian scholar Arnold Fruchtenbaum urges;

“What that means is that all trials in this life do not need to be taken to the point of defeat or despair.  Rather, believers can look upon them and say, “This, too, will pass;  I am only a temporary resident on this earth.  This, too, will pass;  My citizenship is in heaven.  I will some day know the full joy of the Lord.”

Our hope in the future glory of the afterlife fuels our faith in the present.  Hope and faith – these are closely tied to each other in the pages of Scripture.  The apostle Paul tells us that faith involves “being sure of what we hope for”  (Hebrews 11:1)

So, then, walking by sight we behold disease, decay and death as regular features of our world.  Walking by faith, however, enables us to see the reality beyond the physical senses into the world of the eternal.  Walking by faith enables us to be sure of our future destiny.  And, the destiny of those who believe in Jesus Christ is a wonderful destiny indeed.  For we will live forever with Christ in resurrected bodies that will never again be susceptible to disease, decay, and death.  Let our faith cause us to rejoice in this!

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, “A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul.”

One of the ways faith brings heaven to our souls relates to the realization of a heavenly destiny with Christ.  Such faith rests in the  assurance that regardless of what happens on this puny speck-of-a-planet, our destiny is the eternal city, the heavenly country, at the very side of Christ.  So, like Peter on the water, let us look more steadily at Jesus, and less at the waves and wind in our lives.  Scripture says that God “will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You”  (Isaiah 26:3)  Let us keep our steadfast gaze heavenward.

***  ***

2 Corinthians 6:17

Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord….

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

1 Corinthians 1:20-21

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

1 Corinthians 2:12

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

James 4:4

…..Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Revelation 11:15

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Published by liveinthelightofourlord

View all posts by liveinthelightofourlord