email : Webview : Duane Brooks - Every Day with Jesus

January 26, 2017

Colossians 3:1-3

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

New International Version (NIV)

What was the decisive moment in your life? Was it your birth? Some athletic or academic achievement? Graduation? Marriage? Parenthood? Career attainment? Paul took all of his presumed credentials and counted them as nothing compared with the moment he came to know Christ.

Paul explained relationship with God using the phrase, “in Christ.” Watchman Nee said to be in Christ means that we experience all that he experienced. If a bookmark is in a book and the book falls in a lake, then the bookmark is also in the lake. Everything that happens to the book happens to the bookmark.

For Paul, the defining moment in history was the resurrection. Christ’s emergence from death was not only an historical fact but an existential reality for Paul. “Since you have been raised with Christ . . .” If we are really risen from spiritual death, then there is nothing better to do than to set our hearts and minds on things above. Let our heart’s affection and mind’s attention be centered in Christ.

But what if we become so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good? Not possible. I know what we mean by that phrase, but it is simply not possible. On the other hand, we must guard against being so earthly minded that we are no heavenly good. Our old nature died and our new life has been hidden with Christ in God. Let this truth shape your reality today.

Pray with me:

Father, how we thank you today for including us in Christ. Focus our feelings and our thoughts today on Christ alone. Let our relationship with you be the strong center from which we live and decide and act. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I want to invite you to join me in memorizing 52 passages this year from the 2017 set of Fighter Verses. You can find the Fighter Verses App at the App Store on your phones

or via this link http://fighterverses.com/the-verses/fighter-verses/.
As we study the Bible this year, let's look at each text and learn what it says about God.
Joyfully,

Duane

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