July 29th
Colossians 3:1-3 and other verses
Wow...these verses really hit me today and hit me again when studying them. Have you ever had your heart set on something...maybe it was a job, goal, trip, relationship, activity, etc. We have all heard the term "I had my heart set on that." What happens when plans fall through? Usually we are disappointed.
In looking up these verses, it's easy to come to the conclusion of "Oh we need to set our hearts and minds on things above." However, how often are we actually putting that into practice? I read where one person said we basically have to leave this world or quit it.
So does that mean we have to be dead? Well I hope not. I think it can tie into a little bit of yesterday's challenge of opening the eyes of our hearts. Here, we have to shut our worldly eyes and our worldly thoughts. We have to try and place ourselves above our normal thoughts and in Christ. Say what? Lets look at another verse maybe that can help us all understand more of what I mean or what God is telling me.
In Philippians 3, we find the same thought in verse 20 where he says, "For our citizenship," or our manner of living, or our life if you will, or our existence, "is in heaven." You say, "Well what are you talking about, we are not there yet?" No, but though our bodies aren't there, that is to be the occupation of our mind--the heavenlies. Remember when Jesus tells us that His kingdom is not of this world? In Romans 12, remember we are not to be transformed to this world. We must leave the world and set our eyes and minds on things above. Christ is seated in the heavens above. Our real home is above.
Now you might be thinking "What about the verses that say we need to 'Go into the world and make disciples' or 1 John 4:17, which reminds us that we are to live like Christ in the world?" Ok now we are all really confused right? How do we do both? How do we set our minds and hearts on Christ in heaven but live like Christ in the world? Your inside lives in heaven, your outside lives on earth.
I saw this comment and found it interesting... "Until a Christian in his heart and his soul and his mind has learned to live his spiritual life in the heavenlies, he will never be able to touch the earth with the truth of God. It won't happen." Think about it...when you notice a change in someone, how many times is it because they found Christ? We can only be effective if we set our hearts and minds on things above and let Christ flow through our bodies here on earth.
In looking up these verses, it's easy to come to the conclusion of "Oh we need to set our hearts and minds on things above." However, how often are we actually putting that into practice? I read where one person said we basically have to leave this world or quit it.
So does that mean we have to be dead? Well I hope not. I think it can tie into a little bit of yesterday's challenge of opening the eyes of our hearts. Here, we have to shut our worldly eyes and our worldly thoughts. We have to try and place ourselves above our normal thoughts and in Christ. Say what? Lets look at another verse maybe that can help us all understand more of what I mean or what God is telling me.
In Philippians 3, we find the same thought in verse 20 where he says, "For our citizenship," or our manner of living, or our life if you will, or our existence, "is in heaven." You say, "Well what are you talking about, we are not there yet?" No, but though our bodies aren't there, that is to be the occupation of our mind--the heavenlies. Remember when Jesus tells us that His kingdom is not of this world? In Romans 12, remember we are not to be transformed to this world. We must leave the world and set our eyes and minds on things above. Christ is seated in the heavens above. Our real home is above.
Now you might be thinking "What about the verses that say we need to 'Go into the world and make disciples' or 1 John 4:17, which reminds us that we are to live like Christ in the world?" Ok now we are all really confused right? How do we do both? How do we set our minds and hearts on Christ in heaven but live like Christ in the world? Your inside lives in heaven, your outside lives on earth.
I saw this comment and found it interesting... "Until a Christian in his heart and his soul and his mind has learned to live his spiritual life in the heavenlies, he will never be able to touch the earth with the truth of God. It won't happen." Think about it...when you notice a change in someone, how many times is it because they found Christ? We can only be effective if we set our hearts and minds on things above and let Christ flow through our bodies here on earth.
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