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Things What are we hoping for? If we made a list of our 10 greatest desires, what or who would be included? If our desires are fastened upon earthly things, it is certain that our interests in the things of the Kingdom of God are comparatively small. Col 3:1-3 (KJV) “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. {2} Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. {3} For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” We must understand that there is an insatiable desire in our old fleshly nature to have things of this life, and that nature must be put to death. In the natural we think we must acquire great earthly things to have a good life. That could not be further from the truth, but it takes dying to the old mindsets to find the true life that has no relevance to earthly riches. God does not have a desire to see His children live in poverty, but He definitely does not want us to live in bondage to the riches of this world. The true riches have to be sought after just as diligently as the worldly ones. The quest for things causes people to put God on auto-pilot, just assuming He will do what He wants with us. But that is faulty thinking; in fact that is actually presumption and leads us away from our relationship with Him. Jesus gave us His Holy Spirit to come along side us, counsel us, and lead us into all truth. Only through the Spirit of God can we have the mind of Christ, but that only comes with setting our minds upon what He is saying. To do that we must seek, and ask, and knock; and we must stop presuming. 3 John 1:2-4 (KJV) “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. {3} For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. {4} I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” The truth opens our understanding to the real condition of our hearts, and the truth is that we can be breathing naturally, while at the same time letting things choke the love of the kingdom of God out of us. We can be seeing clearly in the natural, but blind to what is happening in the spirit. What opens our eyes and ears? Truth! If we want truth we must buy gold tried in the fire and keep our lamps filled with oil. Only then can we see and know what our Lord, the bridegroom is saying and doing. Song 7:10 (KJV) “I [am] my beloved's, and his desire [is] toward me.” In this hour, so many people wonder where God has gone and what is going on. If we ever wonder where God has gone, we need to understand that He does not leave us, nor does He forsake us, so it is we who have gone. We must realize that it is our responsibility to move closer to the Lord, not letting any object or idol steal our desire for knowing, loving, and obeying Him. Hos 10:12 (KJV) “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for [it is] time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” -Kurt Thurston October Newsletter 2003 | Cleansing Ourselves | Things | 20/20 Faith Pastor's Journal October 2002 | Thankfulness part 2 of 2 | A People Plundered part 1 of 3 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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