- Oct 23, 2023
- 3 min read
“So if you were raised along with the Messiah, then seek the things above, where the Messiah is sitting at the right hand of God. Focus your minds on the things above, not on things here on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. When the Messiah, who is our life, appears, then you too will appear with him in glory!
Therefore, put to death the earthly parts of your nature — sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed (which is a form of idolatry); for it is because of these things that God’s anger is coming on those who disobey him. True enough, you used to practice these things in the life you once lived; but now, put them all away — anger, exasperation, meanness, slander and obscene talk. Never lie to one another; because you have stripped away the old self, with its ways, and have put on the new self, which is continually being renewed in fuller and fuller knowledge, closer and closer to the image of its Creator. The new self allows no room for discriminating between Gentile and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, foreigner, savage, slave, free man; on the contrary, in all, the Messiah is everything” (Colossians (Col) 3:1-11). It isn’t enough to say that something is true. I have to live my life like it is true. And too often we like to say that we believe in Jesus. We like to identify ourselves as one of His people because that is much easier than living a life like Jesus. Living a life like Jesus is thankless and difficult. Living a life like Jesus involves doing things we don’t like. Living a life like Jesus means our own death. It’s so much easier to not change anything in your life and just say you believe.
“Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. Instead, store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal. For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also” (Mattityahu (Mat) 6:19-21).
“As for those who do have riches in this present world, charge them not to be proud and not to let their hopes rest on the uncertainties of riches but to rest their hopes on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Charge them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and ready to share. In this way they will treasure up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may lay hold of the real life” (1 Timothy (1 Ti) 6:17-19).
Some of us are still grinding away for money. The funny thing is that money today in America has no innate value. It has an abstract value based on make believe. Wealth is a game that we can choose to play or not. It is a delusion that we can share in playing. In days past money was propped up with materials like gold and silver BUT today it is supported by oil and blood. It’s a charade. And so many of us are chasing our tails for this dream when we can have something better. We can live like we believe what Jesus said. We can live out His Kingdom. We can “. . . do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and ready to share” or we can say that we believe.
Seek first His Kingdom which rests on the foundation of love.Grace and Shalom to your home. The Kingdom of God is now!
I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!