Are you risen with
Christ? Are you seeking those things which are above where Christ sits on the
right hand of God? Are your affections on things above not on things on earth?
I need to ask myself
these questions, and do so daily if not more often- especially lately. Where
are my affections? When my heart is overwhelmed with sadness for things on
earth isn't that where my heart is? I ask myself- doesn't God want my heart
filled with love for others, and I know He does. Maybe I need to believe He wants my heart
filled with others for their ETERNAL lives, not just because they exist. What
do I mean? Jesus loves us all, yet we know not all will be saved, this is a
fact.
Mat_7:23 And
then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work
iniquity.
That is Jesus
speaking - telling people to depart from Him because they are workers of
iniquity. There will be many who are NOT Jesus' when He returns all because
they choose iniquity over His Love. Could it be that all the while they are
believing they are doing God's will they are in truth doing their own will?
Getting back to what
I was saying earlier, Jesus' entire ministry after His baptism was spent
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. Everything He did, every miracle
He performed was done to bring people closer to the kingdom of heaven and for
no other reason. The eternal life of people is what concerned Jesus most. He
did not say that He came to rid the world of heartache and pain right then and
there. In fact He said stuff like this--
Joh_16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the
world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the
world.
And this--
Mar_14:7 For
ye have the poor with you always…
And His Apostle said
this--
2Co 11:23 … I
am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more
frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24 Of
the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2Co 11:25
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck,
a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Co 11:26 In
journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine
own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in
the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2Co 11:27 In
weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in
fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Co 11:28
Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care
of all the churches.
2Co 11:29 Who
is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
2Co 11:30 If I
must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine
infirmities.
2Co 11:31 The
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth
that I lie not.
And Jesus said
this--
Joh 17:9 I
pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me;
for they are thine.
Joh 17:10 And
all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
Joh 17:11 And
now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee.
Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that
they may be one, as we are.
Joh 17:12
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou
gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that
the scripture might be fulfilled.
Joh 17:13 And
now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have
my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Joh 17:14 I
have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not
of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:15 I
pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou
shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16 They
are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As
thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the
world.
Joh 17:19 And
for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through
the truth.
Joh 17:20
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me
through their word;
And this--
Mat 10:16
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise
as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Mat 10:17 But
beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will
scourge you in their synagogues;
Mat 10:18 And
ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony
against them and the Gentiles.
Mat 10:19 But
when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it
shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
Mat 10:20 For
it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in
you.
Mat 10:21 And
the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child:
and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put
to death.
Mat 10:22 And
ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the
end shall be saved.
Mat 10:23 But
when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say
unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man
be come.
Mat 10:24 The
disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
Jesus comprehended
that NOT all would belong to Him by their own choosing, by their own will. Jesus knew there would be A LOT of pain and
heartache in this world, A LOT. He didn't sugar-coat Christianity. What He did
was give us the HOPE and PEACE found only in HIM, a hope and peace we could
find NO WHERE else! We know this world
will give us heartache after heartache in ways we probably can't even fully
imagine. Yet if we are RISEN with CHRIST we need to SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE
ABOVE. We aren't seeking those things which are above when we aren't seeking
the hope of eternal life for all we ever come in contact with. Jesus wants our affections heavenward. And
Jesus comprehended how hard that would be. He told a rich young ruler that he
was very close to eternal life- but he had one thing left to do- give up all
his worldly possessions. The ruler went
away SAD, why? Because he wasn't willing to give up the things of this world.
Anyone who holds fast to the things of this earth and not Christ will go away
sad.
Satan would use our
affection for things of this earth to turn our hearts away from Christ. Christ
will use any attempt on Satan's part to turn our hearts from Him to strengthen
us in Him if we choose HIM and HIS will over our own will.
May God keep our
minds and hearts on HIM and on Christ and the things above not the things
below! All through Jesus Christ our LORD and His sacrifice, may we be saved in
Him, through Him, by Him and be His for eternity!
Col 3:1 If ye
then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ
sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set
your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye
are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in
glory.
Col 3:5
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication,
uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which
is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For
which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of
disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the
which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8 But
now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy
communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 Lie
not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his
deeds;
Col 3:10 And
have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him
that created him:
Col 3:11 Where
there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian,
Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Col 3:12 Put
on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies,
kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel
against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And
above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15 And
let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in
one body; and be ye thankful.
Col 3:16 Let
the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing
one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your
hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:17 And
whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God and the Father by him.
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