Set your Affection on Things Above

 

I woke up this morning with the words, "Colossians 3:2" repeating in my head.  This lasted for several hours until I got out of bed.  I knew God wanted me to look up this scripture, so as soon as I got up I opened my Bible and read, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

My theme this month has been humility, and let me tell you, I was humbled by this verse!  Just yesterday I was complaining to my husband that it seems as if we are always struggling, nothing is ever easy, and blah, blah, blah, whine, whine, whine!

I know God was gently chastising me for my grumbling and reminding me to be thankful, number one, for my salvation and His amazing love! And then for my precious husband, and all the necessities of life that we do have.  My perception of lack and God's reality of lack are two entirely different things!  Materialism is not important, God's love and the love of family are what matter most! 

To add to this message of learning to be grateful for my spiritual life and not to focus on the world, when I went to Bible Gateway a few minutes ago to copy and paste Colossians 3:2, Matthew 6:19-21 were their verses of the day, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Wow! That is no coincidence!

And here is a third confirmation from God on where He wants my focus to be.  When I logged into Facebook about an hour ago, the first thing that showed up in the home page was a post by my mom listing the lyrics, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." And I just happened to be listening to Shane and Shane at that exact same moment singing that exact same song!  I am not making this up!  God is beyond amazing!  

I realize I could easily turn this into a holiness message on not having affection for the world and its sinful pleasures but for Christ alone.  This is also very, very true, but for now, that is all I will say on that angle.  However, please read the first 17 verses of Colossians chapter 3 posted at the end of this writing and you can read a good holiness message written by the apostle Paul!

Short message today but I just want to dwell on praising God for His goodness!  As well as to encourage any of you who are also struggling to keep your eyes on Jesus because of circumstances or worldly distractions. To me and to you, let's shift our affections off of materialism and off all that is happening in the world right now and just praise the Lord for the beauty of His holiness! It is always only about the love of Jesus and not about what He can do for you. Love Him no matter what and no matter where.  Our treasures lie in eternity with Jesus and that means more than anything or anyone.

I am so so deeply grateful to God for speaking to me today and reminding me to shift my focus off of what I do not have!  I love You, Lord, You are all I need, the air I breathe, the strength for my weakness, the light in the dark corners, and the joy in all things! 

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 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. 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.  Colossians 3:1-17