Tuesday, April 25, 2017

SETTING OUR AFFECTIONS ON GOD

Colossians 3:1-2 KJV
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Dearest Sisters,
HAPPY TUESDAY!!!
Be encouraged! Today is a great day to be alive! Today is a great day to be happy and content! Today is an awesome day to smile and make someone else smile! Today may even be a great day to cry or else offer a shoulder for someone else to cry on. I challenge us all to do whatever God has called us to do. He whispers daily. Let's tune out the voices of the world so that we can clearly hear the Lord.
Food for Thought:
Nothing on earth was made to single-handedly fulfill us or to make us whole. We were created to find our fulfillment in God. We are made complete, or whole, in God alone. There is no identity greater than our identity in Christ. It's a blessing to be called Daughter of the most High. Once we are fulfilled and made whole in our identity as children of God then we can live peaceably and also effectively serve the Lord in other capacities. 
Earth is our temporary home; God put longings for Him and Heaven in our hearts. The highs and lows of our lives are supposed to point us to Christ and eternity with Him. Our lives are not filled with good or bad experiences that are void of purpose. The good moments are wonderful but fleeting; they should remind us that earthly goodness is a taste of something greater that is yet to come. We can be reminded that true goodness is being forever with Christ in eternity. The bad moments of our lives are tough and seemingly long; they can remind us that Christ has overcome the world. And, that Heaven is void of sorrow, pain, and tears. During bad times, our faith can be strengthen and the fruit of the Spirit can be increased in our lives. 
Sisters, don't be hard on yourselves when you feel unfilled and unsatisfied. Don't feel odd or strange when you long for more than the things of this life. You're not crazy for realizing that even the best things on earth don't complete you. 
Even so, don't miss an opportunity to mourn for those loved ones that have passed on. Don't forget to grieve dreams that have shriveled up and died. Strive for new dreams. The pleasantries of the here and now are but minuscule glimpses of eternity. The earth shall one day pass away (Matthew 24: 35) but eternity with God is good and it is forever. 
The Lord God has blessed us with myriad joys and wonders to pleasure us on our pilgrim journeys. But, none of our earthly pleasures were supposed to replace or distract us from our true treasure: the Lord God and dwelling with Him in eternity. Keeping a correct focus is wise and full of blessings.
Relationships were created by God to draw us to Him. Within the bounds of relationships, we learn life's greatest lessons, we partake of love, and undoubtedly, we learn of hate. In relationships, it seems, we come the closet to hell on earth or heaven on earth. Relationships unearth our shortcomings, imperfections, and needs that can be remedied by our Lord and Savior only. 
The Lord has allowed setbacks and challenges to loosen our grips on "things" or to curb our fleshly appetite for power and control. Our security is in God alone. The Lord is our rock; all other ground is sinking sand. 
Our Heavenly Father wants our total submission without fear, worry, or anxiety. He wants our affection, admiration, and adoration. Sometimes, the accumulation of "stuff" can distract us from serving God with a perfect heart. Sometimes, the idolization of certain people and relationships can make us stray from God. 
Dearest Sisters, keep your affections on God. He will NOT fail you!
Love, blessings, and hugs

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