Friday June 10, 2011

Read Philippians 3:10-21;  1 John 2:15-17

There were two camps of people. Those who lived according to the pattern that Paul encouraged which was probably in line with Romans 12:1-4 and those who lived according to the pattern of this world – which is a world of self—self indulgence, self protection, self promotion and so on.

Paul sums up the key issue when he says  in vs 19b, ‘Their mind is on earthly things. When the Scripture talks about earthly things or the world in a negative sense it’s not talking about trees and creation and such. It’s talking about the cravings of sinful man, the lusts of his eyes and the boastings of what he has and does (1 John 2:15-17). Some people set their mind on such earthly things. They continually think about or worry about where their next drink will come from, who’ll they date over the next weekend, what sporting match they’ll go to next time and so on.

But as believers in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ we are not to set our minds on such things. We are to set our eyes, our minds (Colossians 3:1-4) on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father. We are to focus on the love of Christ, the goodness of God towards us and the grace/mercy we have received from Him. We are to fill our mind with Jesus things, with God pleasing things rather than with fantasies, lusts, covetings, revenge, unforgiveness etc.

What have you set your mind on? What captures your thoughts day by day? What issues or fantasies repeatedly run through your head? Are they earthly things or heavenly things? Are they God pleasing things or self pleasing things? Would you be embarrassed if another believer could read your thoughts?

In Christ Jesus you have everything you need to be victorious both outward and inward. You have been given a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline (2 Timothy 1:7) so that you can be outwardly victorious.  Also you have been filled with the Holy Spirit so that you can be inwardly victorious.

Prayer:-

V Pray for the new believers in Christ, that they will be encouraged and supported to grow emotionally and spiritually in their new found faith.

V Pray for those people you know are yet to make a commitment to Christ that God will reveal His desire to have a personal relationship with them.