Set Your Mind On Jesus Christ!


We live in times that are filled with a lot of distractions. These distractions either good or bad are set towards taking over our hearts if we allow them. As we increase in God, the more we see the world twisted by the god of this age. We are not to lose sight of God but must set our hearts upon Him no matter the happenings around us. The Bible encourages us to do this because: “You (GOD) will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3). Thus, what position should our hearts be then? Because of these happenings, and many more will happen as the Day of the Lord draws near, God expects us to be committed and resolved in our walk with Him. As we patiently with endurance go through this time, we must come out stronger and matured in our knowledge of the Lord.The Psalmist in Psalm 84 tells us that no matter the circumstances, those that make the Presence of God their habitation will continually praise the Lord as they experience His goodness and faithfulness in a world riddled with evil and falsehood. As children of God, we are not to set our hearts upon the things of the world for they are not our treasure, what we must treasure is God Himself, for He is our inheritance! This can be seen as hard, after all things have been put on the earth for us to enjoy, you may argue. You are right, but we must not fall into the trap the enemy set for the woman in the garden in Genesis 3.The enemy made suggestions that turned the woman’s attention away from the Creator to the creature, and great was the fall! It is not in dispute that these things are set for us to enjoy, but they must be enjoyed as “things” not for them to become the object of our pursuit and worship. No wonder, to such that has made the things objects of pursuit, Heaven declares: “It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the Lord provides for those He loves while they are asleep” (Psalm 127:2, GNT). This Scripture does not mean we should not work hard or not work at all, what it means is that it is foolhardy to work anxiously because of what you would get at the end. But a man that trusts in God works hard (to please God) knowing that his sustenance is not the job but God Himself! Friend may be you have set certain time for you to make something of yourself leaving God out of the picture. Heaven is asking you, since you embarked on the journey, how have you fared? The blessings of God do not add burden or sorrow to a man but it grants him peace.
It is time to re-jig our mind settings. You may say you are going through so much and serving God is increasingly difficult. We reason in this manner because we have a mindset of how God should be served. He is not man nor made by man that man should determine how He should be served. No, that should not be the case. It is in such moments that our love for God should burn the brightest. Friend, our strength for the journey (life is a journey) is not in us or of us but the strength is the LORD: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring” (Psalm 84:3-4). For us to end this journey well, our hearts must be set on pilgrimage: this means realizing that this world and the things of this world is not home and we are passing through. We are equally to understand that no matter how dry the circumstances we must pass through and not remain in them. This mindset turns the ‘valley of Baca’ to a stream. Do you know that these circumstances are designed by God to refine us for what He has in store for us? If we do not know and believe this, then our walk with God is in vain. God did not just put us on this earth to enjoy the things He has provided but they are a means for us to desire to be like Him as we eschew flesh and all the desires that come with it. Therefore, as children of God, we must not allow the temporary challenges we face in life weigh us down or turn our hearts and minds away from God rather they should be used as stepping stones to maturity and to know God better. My friend, the path of joy in Christ is actually determined by our mindsets and how we respond to these temporary challenges. May your heart and mind be continually set on Jesus Christ, and may He keep you in perfect peace as He has promised (Isaiah, 26:4). God bless you.

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