by David Brenneman
"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Colossians 3:1-17.
In one of the devotionals that I had read the other day it really applied to walking with Jesus in a way I really hadn't understood for a while. There's always those things you 'know' but then forget that you 'know'.
There's times when you'll see far ahead and there's times when you'll only see what's in front of your foot.
There's times when the road turns to one side or the other yet you can't see over it but know that's the direction that the Lord's taking you.
Long ago I had dreams of that nature. Dreams where I was driving on a road with an endless horizon where I knew it WAS a road but could never see beyone the curve of the road to what was coming.
There's always going to be times like this as well as times when Jesus does show us more of what's coming. As Dr. Stanley often had said...obey God and leave the consequences to Him. If he says step out with Him then step out with Him. If He says to stand where we are then we stand where we are. If He says leave this or that behind then we leave this or that behind. If He says we now need to be doing this or that then we need to begin doing this or that.
The thing is don't be surprised by what coming to the point where you shut down and panic. I used to say it a lot to people, if Jesus brought you to it, He will see you through it.
Joseph knew years before it occurred what was coming yet didn't understand the wonder of what his dreams meant. I have no doubt during his being thrown in jail and his times in jail that he remembered those dreams as well as thought long and hard about his family. His reactions upon seeing his brothers shows that he had a heart of forgiveness for them all because it was part of who he was.
Don't be resistant to letting go of whatever it is the Spirit tells you to let go of. As the hymn says "trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey".
Take a good look at those things of this world that has your attention, your heart and your mind. Take a good look at these things and whether or not you agree is irrelavant but you must look at everything in your life and see if they are necessary to your growing in Christ, into the character of Christ. If you see yourself being drawn away from quality time with Jesus...you'd better do something about it. If you see what you are doing impacting your witness in ANY negative way before men then you'd beter do something about it.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way." Psalms 139:23-24.
King David might have written that passage but you can see it in the life of Joseph, of Daniel, of Samuel and others who actually did walk closely with the Lord.
There's times when we will have things put before us to see if we'll go after them or not. By the world's standards they might be wonderous things. By the Spirit, they will be a hinderance to our life in Christ. They will take up our time, energy, and efforts on things that do nothing of eternal value.
Be honest with yourself.
How often do you neglect to pray?
How often do you neglect to read your Bible?
How often are your prayers falling flat because there's no heart behind the words?
How often do days go by before you remember you hadn't once stopped to talk to Jesus?
How often while in a church service is your mind elsewhere in the day rather than being there in that moment worshipping Jesus?
We walk with Jesus and are supposed to be taking up our own cross and following Him.
We are to run patiently with Him as it says in Hebrews.
We are to not get ahead of Him.
As the old Jewish saying is, so it should be "May you be covered in the dust of your Master". Follow so closely with Jesus that His dust covers you.
Hobbies, sports, side-hustles, even family, aren't necessarily bad things in our lives but we MUST stay committed to taking time to be with Jesus with our whole heart, whole mind and whole soul.
Evaluate your choices and make sure they are RIGHT choices by the Word of God and through prayer.
Jesus couldn't go through His day without spending time in prayer with His Father in Heaven...we should never ever get off thinking we can do any less.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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