3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed,which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Verse two stands out to me in a whole new way. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. I always thought this was talking about "stuff" that we desire. But this morning the Lord pointed out to me that it can also mean disappointments on this earth. Sometimes it gets discouraging in ministry when you try so hard to love on someone with the love of the Lord only to be rejected. It's disappointing to put so much time into someone only for them to reject the Lord. It's also disappointing to see believers walk away from a relationship with the Lord or even to not be walking in His fullness. If I allow my thoughts to focus on these things, I will miss the Lord's direction. If I dwell on the negatives, the enemy will have a foothold into my life.
The last section of this passage gives me the key on what will happen when I follow verse two...
- there will be peace in my heart
- the Lord will dwell in and through me
- I will be grateful to the Lord no matter what
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the revelation this morning from these verses. Thank You for giving me the insight on how to not allow the enemy an open door into my life. Father, I won't ask for You to take away the disappointments because I know it is through the disappointments that I grow in You. But I will ask for Your wisdom as I deal with them. I pray for more of You and less of me so I will be enabled to understand the disappointments better. Lord, bless my efforts in all I do. I pray for people to see You in me. Adjust my attitude. Make my words be Your words. Thank You Jesus for loving me. Thank You for being My Enlightener! Amen.
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