Day 190 "Set Your Mind and Heart On the Things Above"(Colossians: Chapter Three)

In Christ, we are called to be one family in God. Each of us, as brothers and sisters in the Lord, play an important and vital role as members of God's family. Such grafting into the family of God did not come easily nor did it come about without cost. We were made spiritual alive through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross- a life given so that many others could be redeemed. It is only fitting that Paul here in chapter three of Colossians should encourage the believer to look heavenward, eternal by nature, and to seek to live a lifestyle befitting a child of God.

Colossians: Chapter Three

:1-2 "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."

If you read over the life of Christ through the four gospels-Matthew, Mark, Luke and John-you will find very little of Christ encouraging his followers to

make the most out of their lives for themselves here on Earth, to aim at accumulating as much in assets as possible, to prepare their lives for retirement so that they could be comfortable and secure. Instead, Jesus spoke of the heavenly kingdom to come, that the things on Earth will pass and pass by quickly, and that the most important command to know and implement is to love. God's kingdom is eternal. Therefore, set your mind and actions upon those things which are lasting.

:3 "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

It is through Christ that our lives as believers have been redeemed. Nothing on our part, by our own actions, could have made this possible. Upon the cross, Jesus took our sinful nature upon him and in exchange, we received Jesus righteousness and holiness as if we have never sinned before God. We have

been made spiritually alive through Christ. Without Christ, we remain spiritually dead. The only reason that we have spiritual life is because of

Christ.

:5 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:"

Let the old selfish nature die away as you embrace the new spiritual

nature and allow the Spirit within you to transform your understanding

and mindset. You are no longer simple a child of the world, you are now

a child of God and a member of God's family.

:8 "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these"

As truth be told, love takes the focus off of ourselves and places our

attention upon others. All of the sins that we ever commit stem from the root cause of placing our interest ahead and of greater importance than the interests and needs of others. As believers in Christ, we are called to be

children of light and instruments of love.

"Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become

children of light.” John 12:36

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as

children of light." Ephesians 5:8

"You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness." 1 Thessalonians 5:5

:10 "and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the

image of its Creator."

The old ways are no longer for the life of a believer. As Paul would encourage, "forgetting the past, I press on to take hold of all that which Christ took hold of me." What is truly remarkable is that for many of us

we will go forward struggling and kicking, finding it very difficult to let go of the old ways because we still want them and think they are what is best for us, only to discover years later looking back, that God's ways were the

best ways after all. It simply took awhile to let go of our selfishness and self-

centeredness.

:11 "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."

In Christ, we are one family bonded together by one powerful factor-love.

:12-13 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

What an amazing set of verses for the life of the believer. We are holy and dearly loved. By faith, the believer believes that one's spiritual life has been made holy and complete before God. And, really, the only one that our holiness matters to is God. If we have been made holy before God, then we

have nothing to fear when standing before God after this life. Take notice of

the many characteristics, virtues, in these verses that we are to clothe ourselves with. Do they not all put the interest of others before our own? All of these are characteristics of love and a loving heart. To what will you give your life away to here while you are on this Earth?

:14 "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect

unity."

It cannot be made any more clearly than love is the greatest factor in unifying

people together. It is what most of us search after for in this lifetime- to be loved for who we are. It is within the unconditional love of God that we begin

to really understand what love is and to know what it is like to be loved apart from our achievements, our accomplishments, and failures. Only when we really understand and are secure in such love, can we know how to give it away to others and relish the freedom in doing so.

:15 "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you

were called to peace."

If God is for us, who can be against us? Such understanding brings a sweet peace to the believer's mindset. If Christ has done everything for us that we

could not do for ourselves, then I can't screw this up! No matter what I do, God

unconditional love is unaffected! It is within such acceptance that our spirits

find the freedom and peace within our souls to more positively forward.

"I will never leave nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Father through him."

Here, Paul gives us a simple reminder. Nothing was possible spiritually without Christ. This should be a simple task for any believer, to include Christ in whatever we do. But it is not. We are creatures who desire to navigate our own course of action in life. We seek to maintain control over our own lives. and destiny. It is tough to yield when we have our foot pushing

down upon the peddle.

:18 "Wives, submit to your husbands."

:19 "Husbands, love your wives."

:20 "Children, obey your parents."

Simple instructions for the spiritual authority within the home. I contend that it is the love shown by the father in the home that sets the stage properly for everything else to flourish well in the home.

:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not

for men."

:24 "It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

It's been said that discipline forms habit and habit forms character. That being said, one can only do best when one gives of one's best. This is a mindset thing. For the believer who is seeking maturity and growing deeper in one's walk with the Lord, comes an understanding and an awareness that Christ gave his best for all of us. To want to become Christ-like in our own lifestyle and nature, it behooves us to take on the same attitude as Christ.

"Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus: Who, being

in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something

to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of

a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:5-8

As long as we are on the Earth, we as believers, have an understanding that

this world will pass away. This is not our permanent home. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to remain vigilant and to continue to focus through this life with spiritual eyes. Let us continue to be mindful of Christ's presence in our lives and to seek to live out our lives through love as servants to Christ.

Key verses for me:

:1-2 "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."

:12-13 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

:14 "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect

unity."

Love reigns supremely and sufficiently. Our problem is that our own selfishness and self-

centeredness stands monumentally in the way. Christ shows us a world greater than ourselves and a pathway to discover it. It is only when we allow love to direct our steps, will

we find new understanding for altering our ways. "Set you hearts on things above." It is here where you will truly discover love.

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May God become the God of all your days. In his love, see you tomorrow...

"Carpe Momentum in Love" (Seize the moment in love)