Events in April 2025
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Live by the Spirit - Guided by the Spirit Live by the Spirit - Guided by the Spirit
April 1, 2025
Galatians 5:13 You were called to freedom. Only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity to gratify your flesh, but through love make it your habit to serve one another.
vs. 16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never fulfill the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh wants is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to the flesh.
vs. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit, let us also be guided.The good news is that the corrupt nature which remains in us shall not have dominion over us. But there should be a desire after holiness.
The fruits of the Spirit, or of the renewed nature, which we are to do, are named in verse 22
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.Since we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit, let us also be guided. (vs 25)
In my search for joy and happiness, I will add that the fruit of the Spirit will make me agreeable and happy if I cherish and cultivate them.Romans 6:12 Don't let sin rule your mortal bodie so that you obey their desires. Stop offering the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness. Instead, offer yourselves to God as people who have been brought from death to life and the parts of your body as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin will not have mastery over you, because you are not under Law but under grace.
So, I may be saved, but I must be careful to resist the sins that are not entirely rooted out in this life and strive through Divine grace so that they will not prevail in my mortal state.
Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To focus our minds on human nature leads to death, but to focus our minds on the Spirit leads to life and peace.
vs. 8 Indeed, those who are under the control of human nature cannot please God.What is the principle of my walk: the flesh or the Spirit, the old or the new nature, corruption or grace?
By the Spirit, the Law of love is written upon my heart, and though I do not fulfill the righteousness of the Law, yet, bless be to God, it is fulfilled in me.Seeking to bring forth more abundantly those good fruits, which are, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God.
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A Happy End A Happy End
April 2, 2025
James 5:7-11 So be patient brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious crop from his land, being patient with it until it receives the fall and the spring rains. You, too, must be patient. Strengthen your hearts because the coming of the Lord is near. Do not complain about each other, brothers, or you will be condemned. Look! The Judge is standing at the door! As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord. We consider those who endured to be blessed. You have heard about Job's endurance and have seen the purpose of the Lord - that the Lord is compassionate an merciful.
Let me serve my God and bear my trials as those who believe that the end will crown all. My eternal happiness is safe if I trust to Him: all else is mere vanity, which soon will be done with for ever.
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Like a Tree Planted by Streams Like a Tree Planted by Streams
April 3, 2025
Psalm 1:1 How happy is the person, who does not take the advice of the wicked, who does not stand on the path with sinners, and who does not sit in the seat of mockers. But He delights in the Lord's instruction, and meditates in His instruction day and night. he will be like a tree planted by streams of water yielding its fruit in its season.
The psalmist speaks more directly about true happiness in this short Psalm than any philosopher, or even all of them together. While the philosophers only beat around the bush, God has placed the answer right into our hands.
To meditate on God's word means to engage in thoughtful self-reflection about the profound truths it contains, focusing our minds and being fully attentive. We should consistently view the word of God as our guiding principle for behavior and the source of our comfort, keeping it in our thoughts at all times, day and night. For this purpose, any time is suitable..
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Finding Happiness Finding Happiness
April 4, 2025
We are happiest when we are delighting in God's promises and commandments.
Psalm 112:1 How happy is the person who fears the Lord, who truly delights in His commandments.
"Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee." Augustine of Hippo - Confessions,
The truth, is there is a void in the heart of every person, and that void can only be filled by God through Jesus Christ, not by any created thing. Happiness is a gift from God that can be fully known only in a proper relationship with Him.
2 Peter 1:2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance through the full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
Philippians 4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in any need, for I have learned to be content in whatever situation I am in. I know how to be humble, and I know how to prosper. In every situation, I have learned the secret of being full and going hungry, of having too much and too little. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
2 Corinthians 4:17 This light, temporary nature of our suffering is producing for us an everlasting weight of glory, far beyond any comparison.
He has designed the human heart to experience its most incredible ecstasy in worship, its most profound satisfaction in serving, and its greatest love through the power of the Holy Spirit. When we are living in fellowship with Him, we can expect to be happy regardless of our temporary circumstances.
When joy and hope are based on that which cannot be taken away, true happiness is found, and God is pleased.
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Happy Are They Whose God is Jehovah Happy Are They Whose God is Jehovah
April 6, 2025
Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I'll be with you; through the rivers, they won't sweep over you. When you walk through fire, you won't be scorched, and the flame won't set you ablaze.
The Grace of God a Constant Comfort
True believers are valued in God's sight; He delights in them. Although their trials may feel like walking through fire and deep waters, they need not fear any evil as long as God is with them. Stay faithful and be encouraged. Do not let anxious fears overwhelm you.
Psalm 61:2-3 From the end of the earth, I will cry to You whenever my heart is overwhelmed. Place me on the rock that's too high for me, for you have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength before the enemy.
Psalm 124: 4 (If the Lord had not been on our side), then the flood waters would have overwhelmed us; the torrent would have flooded over us; the swollen waters would have swept us away.
Happy are the people whose God is Jehovah, a God all-sufficient.
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Another Helper Another Helper
April 7, 2025
John 14:16 I will ask the Father to give you another Helper, to be with you always. He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor recognizes Him. You recognize Him because He lives with you and will be in you.
Advocate, Counsellor, Monitor, and Comforter.
His gifts and graces would encourage their hearts. The expressions used here and elsewhere denote a person, and the office includes all the Divine perfection. The gift of the Holy Spirit is bestowed upon the disciples of Jesus Christ and not on the world. This is the favor God bears for those who believe in His Son and His work on the cross. The Holy Spirit will abide with every believer forever as the source of holiness and happiness.
John 14:26 The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything that I have told you.
John 15:26 When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, He will testify on my behalf.
The Holy Spirit will uphold the cause of Jesus in the world, despite the opposition it encounters. Believers, inspired and encouraged by His influence, will bear witness to Jesus the Messiah and His salvation.
John 16:7 I am telling you the truth. It is for your advantage that I am going away because if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment - of sin, because they do not believe in me; of righteousness because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; and of judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
Jesus' departure was necessary for the Comforter's coming. Sending the Spirit was to be the fruit of Jesus' death, which was His going away. His bodily presence could be only in one place at one time, but His Spirit is everywhere, in all places.
If you are depressed, the Holy Spirit can help you with encouragement.
If you are discouraged, He can help you with new strength.
If you are afraid, He can help you by calming your fears.
If you are struggling, He can even ease the struggle.
If you are alone, the Holy Spirit can be your friend.This Helper given is God's provision in Jesus' place to meet you at your point of need.
If the Holy Spirit is in me, that means He is with me all the time and walks alongside me, so when I feel alone, the reality of the Holy Spirit's closeness to me, both near and within, means I am never truly alone.
You receive the companionship of the Holy Spirit when you trust in Jesus Christ for salvation from your sins.
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To Be With You *Always* To Be With You *Always*
April 8, 2025
John 14:16 I will ask the Father to give you another Helper, to be with you always. He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor recognizes Him. But you recognize Him because He lives (abides) with you and will be in you.
The Holy Spirit's help is not transient, offered for only a short time, but is available forever.
John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. Just as the branch cannot produce fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me.
Abiding with the Spirit means you are involved with Him all the time. Bring the Spirit of God to bear in all we do.
Consider Him a constant friend and companion who is always at hand to talk with, ask of, and hear from. If we intentionally abide with Him, we are serious about His work in all life circumstances.Galatians 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never fulfill the desires of the flesh.
Prioritize your relationship with the Holy Spirit. Abide in Him, and He will provide you with strength while enhancing your motivation and desire to persevere. Move toward the Spirit and observe the wonders He can achieve.
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All We Need All We Need
April 9, 2025
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
Knowing that the Holy Spirit has come to offer us help in so many ways should increase our interest in and focus on Him. He is a gift from God sent from above so that we will have all we need to live out the victorious kingdom life fully.Exploring the ability of the Holy Spirit to help in a person's life:
Romans 15:13 Now may God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace as you believe, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In believing what? In believing the great truths set forth here in Romans, we see the tremendous realities of our most holy faith - setting man's ruin by sin and his redemption through Jesus Christbefore us. When we believe this, we are filled with joy and peace as we look on in hope to the fulfillment of it all at our Lord's return, walking before God in the power of the indwelling Spirit who alone makes these precious things real to us.All sorts of true joy and peace subdue doubts and fears through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them that ability.
A rushing, mighty wind came with great force. This was to signify the powerful influences and working of the Spirit of God upon people's minds and, thereby, upon the world. Thus, the convictions of the Spirit make way for His comforts, and the rough blasts of that blessed wind prepare the soul for its soft and gentle breeze. There was an appearance of something like flaming fire, lighting on every one of them. According to John Baptist's saying concerning Christ, "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire." The Spirit, like fire, melts the heart, burns up the dross, and kindles holy affections in the soul, in which spiritual sacrifices are offered up as in the fire on the altar. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, more than before. They were filled with the graces of the Spirit and, more than ever under His sanctifying influences, more weaned from this world and better acquainted with heaven. They were more filled with the comforts of the Spirit and rejoiced more than ever in the love of Jesus and the hope of eternal life: All their griefs and fears were overcome. They were filled with His holy gifts, possessing miraculous powers to further the gospel. They spoke not from prior contemplation, but as the Spirit dictated.
Acts 4:31 When they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken, and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak messages from God boldly.
God gave them greater degrees of His Spirit, and they were all filled with Him, more than ever, by which they were encouraged and enabled to speak the Word of God boldly.
I know I shall not be confounded when I find that the Lord God helps me by His Spirit.
The Holy Spirit helps me get through each day. He reminds me of the hope set before me, that I am known and loved by Him and that He will never change or abandon me.
Lord, give me Your grace to go on steadfastly in my work and not to fear the face of man.
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Remembering God in Times of Trouble Remembering God in Times of Trouble
April 10, 2025
Psalm 77:1-3 I cry out to God! I cry out to God and He hears me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; my hands were raised at night and they did not grow weary. I refused to be comforted. I remember God, and I groan; I mediate, while my spirit grows faint.
Doubts and fears arise from the lack and weakness of faith.
Psalm 77:11-13 I will remember the Lord's deeds; indeed, I will remember Your awesome deeds from long ago. As I meditate on all Your works, I will consider Your awesome deeds. God, Your way is holy. What god is like our great God?
The remembrance of God's works serves as a powerful remedy against distrust of His promises and goodness, for He is unchanging.
Psalm 77:16-19 The waters say You, God; the waters saw You and writhed. Indeed, the depths of the sea quaked. the clouds poured rain; the skied rumbled. Indeed, your lightning bold flashed. Your thunderous sound was in a whirlwind; Your lightning lights up the world; the earth becomes agitated and quakes. Your way was through the sea, and your path through mighty waters, but Your footprints cannot be traced.
If I have entertained doubts, I should immediately redirect my thoughts to meditate on God, who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, so that with Him He might freely give us all things.
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Light Shining in Darkness Light Shining in Darkness
April 12, 2025
James 1:19-25 You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. For human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls.
Keep on being obedient to the word, and not merely being hearers who deceive themselves. For if anyone hearts the word but is not obedient to it, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror and studies himself carefully, and then goes off and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks at the perfect law of freedom and remains committed to it - thereby demonstrating that he is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of what that law requires - will be blessed in what he does.Instead of blaming God during our trials, we should open our hearts to learn from what He teaches us through them. If we want to manage our speech, we must also manage our emotions. The worst thing we can bring to any conflict is anger. We are encouraged to set aside and cast off all sinful behaviors like a soiled garment. This applies not only to our words and actions but also to our thoughts and feelings—everything that is corrupt and sinful. We must submit ourselves to the word of God with humble and teachable hearts. We need to be willing to acknowledge our faults and accept correction patiently and gratefully. The purpose of the word of God is to make us wise for salvation.
The word of truth bears upon our conscience, leading us to confess our sins and trust the Savior He provided
James 1:17 Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father who made the heavenly lights in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow.
Daniel 2:22 He reveals what is profoundly mysterious and knows what is in the darkness; with Him dwells light.
We owe every blessing for time and eternity to grace's unfailing goodness and unalterable purpose.
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Make My Lamp Shine! Make My Lamp Shine!
April 13, 2025
Psalm 18:28-30 For You, Lord, make my lamp shine; my God enlightens my darkness. With Your help, I will run through an army; with help from my God, I leap over walls. As for God, His way is upright; the word of God is pure; He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him.
Comfort for the humble and dread for the proud:
revival and renewal for a sorrowful spirit,
guidance to help me avoid the traps set for me,
a candle to illuminate my work, and an opportunity to serve Him.
Let those who walk in darkness and carry discouragement take heart; God Himself will be a light to you.2 Sam 22:29 For You are my lamp, O Lord, the Lord who illuminates my darkness.
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Renewed Strength Renewed Strength
April 14, 2025
Isaiah 40:6-8 All humanity is grass, and all its loyalty is like the flowers of the field. Grass withers and flowers fade away when the Lord's breath blows on them; surely, the people are like grass.
Grass withers and flowers fade away when the Lord's breath blows on them, but the word of our God will stand forever.vs 9 Behold your God!
Look! The Lord God comes with strength, and His arm rules for Him.
Look! His reward is with Him, and His payment accompanies Him.
Like a shepherd, He tends His flock. He gathers the lambs in His arms, carries them close to His heart, and gently leads the mother sheep.May the Lord prepare our hearts through the teaching of His Word and the guidance of His Spirit. Let us humble our proud thoughts, cultivate good desires, smooth out our rough and stubborn tempers, and remove every obstacle in our path. This way, we can be ready to follow His will here on earth and be prepared for His heavenly kingdom.
What belongs to fallen humanity, or what they do, is like the grass and its flowers—temporary and fleeting. What value do the titles and possessions of a dying sinner have when they ultimately leave him condemned? The word of the Lord can provide what no human effort can. The joyful message of Christ's coming must be shared to the ends of the earth.
Satan is the strong man armed, but our Lord Jesus is even stronger, and He will accomplish all that He intends to do. Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd; He cares tenderly for young converts, weak believers, and those who are feeling sorrowful. Through His word, He requires no more service from us than we can give, and through His providence, He does not bring more trouble than we can bear. May we recognize our Shepherd's voice and follow Him, proving ourselves to be His sheep.
John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me.
God's love for the world is shown in His redemption of it by giving His only begotten Son. John 3:16
Be encouraged, for God will help those who depend humbly on Him, those who wait on Him, and those who find strength in His divine grace.
Isaiah 40:31 They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
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Redemption Redemption
April 15, 2025
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, each of us, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He didn't open His mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. From detention and judgment, He was taken away, and who can even think about His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living,
He was stricken for the transgression of my people. Then they made His grave with the wicked and with rich people in His death, although He had committed no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.These verses account for Jesus Christ's sufferings and the design of His sufferings. It was for our sins and in our stead that our Lord Jesus suffered.
Romans 3:23 All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Sinners have their vices, their evil way, of which they love. Our sins deserve all griefs and sorrows, even the most severe. We are saved from ruin, to which by sin we become liable, by laying our sins on Christ. This atonement was to be made for our sins. And this is the only way of salvation. Our sins were the thorns in Christ's head, the nails in His hands and feet, the spear in His side. He was delivered to death for our offenses. Through His sufferings, He obtained for us the Spirit and grace of God to subdue our corruptions, which are the ailments of our souls. We can endure our lighter sufferings if He has taught us to value all things as loss for Him and to love Him who first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
The Prophet Isaiah gives a graphic written portrait of the suffering Savior. He tells us of the glorious work He was to undertake so that the sin question might be settled forever to the perfect satisfaction of God. This prophecy of the Messiah, written seven hundred years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, is referred to many times in the New Testament and is applied directly to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 8:17 This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "It was He who took our illnesses away and removed our diseases."
Acts 8:32-35 This was the passage of Scripture he was reading: "Like a sheep He was led away to be slaughtered, and like a lamb is silent before its shearer, so He does not open His mouth. In His humiliation, justice was denied Him. Who can describe His descendants? For His life is taken away from the earth." The eunuch asked Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet talking about? Himself? or someone else?" Then Philip began to speak, and, based on this Scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus.
1 Peter 2:21-25 This is what you were called to do because The Messiah also suffered for you and left an example for you to follow in His steps. He never sinned, and He never told a lie. When He was insulted, He did not retaliate. When He suffered, He did not threaten. It was His habit to commit the matter to the one who judges fairly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree so that we might die to those sins and live righteously. By His wounds, you have been healed. You were like sheep that kept going astray, but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.
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To Preserve Your Own Peace. To Preserve Your Own Peace.
April 16, 2025
Romans 12:14-21 Bless those who persecute you. Keep on blessing them, and never curse them.
Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Cry with those who are crying.
Live in harmony with each other. Do not be arrogant, but associate with humble people. Do not think that you are wiser than you really are.
Do not pay anyone back evil for evil, but focus your thoughts on what is right in the sight of all people.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people.
Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord.
But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. For if he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will pile burning coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.It is a hard lesson to corrupt natures not to avenge ourselves. Those that revenge are conquered, and those that forgive are conquerors. Be not overcome by evil. Learn to defeat betrayals against you to preserve your own peace. He who has this rule over his spirit is better than the mighty. It will be more sweet to you than all earthly good that God so enables you by His Spirit to feel and act.
Despite the pain, there is a way we can overcome betrayal. the power comes directly from God and the strength of forgiveness.
Psalm 55:16-17 I call upon God, and the Lord will deliver me. Morning, noon, and night, I mulled over these things and cried out in my distress, and He heard my voice.
Cry out to God - Though I may want to strike out at the betrayer I need to take my cause to the Lord 1 Peter 3:9 Do not pay others back evil for evil or insult for insult, Instead, keep blessing them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.
Remember Jesus' example. Pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:39, 44) 1 Peter 2:23 - when Jesus was abused He did not return abuse. Conform to His example by not repaying abuse for abuse, including the abuse of betrayal. I am to do good even to those who harm me.
Forgive. When I choose to forgive I am actually giving that person a gift - the freedom from personal retaliation. I am also giving myself a gift - a "grudge-free" life. Trade my bitterness and anger for the love of God - a wonderful life-giving exchange.
Pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44) It is extremely difficult to forgive a person who has betrayed our trust. it is only possible with God - Luke 18:27 The things that are impossible for people are possible for God.
I have experienced God's love and understand what it means to be loved unconditionally and undeservedly. Only with the help of God's Spirit can I love and pray for those who seek to do me harm.
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How Beautiful are Those Who Bring the Good News How Beautiful are Those Who Bring the Good News
April 17, 2025
Romans 10:13-17 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can people call on someone they have not believed? And how can they believe in someone they have not heard about? And how can they hear without someone preaching? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are those who bring the good news!" (Isaiah 52:7) But not everyone has obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah asks, "Lord, who has believed our message?" Consequently, faith results from listening and listening results through the word of the Messiah.
To call upon the name of the Lord means to invoke His name with faith. His name reflects His nature. When someone calls upon the name of the Lord, they place their trust in Him. As it is written, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe." (Proverbs 18:10) Grace is offered through Jesus Christ to all who acknowledge their guilt and confess His name.
The gospel is meant not just to be understood and believed but also to be obeyed. It is not merely a collection of ideas; it serves as a guide for how to live. The foundation, growth, and strength of faith come from listening. However, it is essential to hear the word as the word of God to truly strengthen one's faith.
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Focus: A Key to Happiness Focus: A Key to Happiness
April 18, 2025
Colossians 3:1-4 If you have been raised with the Messiah, keep focusing on the things that are above, where the Messiah is seated at the right hand of God. Keep your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. For you have died, and your life has been safely guarded by the Messiah in God. When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you, too, will be revealed with Him in glory.
When it says, "you have died," it means that those born again are dead to sin because its dominion is broken, its power gradually subdued by the operation of grace, and the perfection of glory shall at length extinguish it. To be dead, then, means that those who have the Holy Spirit, mortifying within them the lusts of the flesh, are able to despise earthly things and to desire those that are heavenly. Our comfort and happiness are found in our life being safe with Him. The streams of this living water flow into the soul through faith and the influences of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ lives in the believer by His Spirit, and the believer lives to Him in all He does.
Walk more closely with God in gospel obedience. Heaven and earth are contrary to each other; both cannot be followed together, and affection for the one will weaken and decrease affection for the other.
Keeping your mind on things above, with Jesus risen in the energy of the Holy Spirit, is the power for holiness. We are called to seek those things above, where Jesus, the Messiah, sits on the right hand of God. An honest, true, and best life is there. Being identified with Him brings heavenly-mindedness as a spiritual outcome of this realization. As the heart is taken up with Him, we will be concerned about representing Him right in this world where He is still rejected, and His claims are refused.
Focus on the Messiah for this happiness, and set your affections upon heaven instead of the earth. We are now free to glorify God as we walk in the newness of life.
Further Study:
Ephesians 2:6
Matthew 6:33
Galatians 2:20
John 3:16
1 John 3:2
John 11:25
1 Cor 15:43 -
Focus: Rule of Right Reason and Conscience Focus: Rule of Right Reason and Conscience
April 19, 2025
Do worldly impulses destroy our joy and happiness?
Colossians 3:5 So put to death your worldly impulses: sexual sin, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry. It is because of these thing that the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. You used to behave like them as you lived among them. But now you must also get rid of anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene speech, and all such sins. Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old nature with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new nature, which is being renewed in full knowledge, consistent with the image of the one who created it. In Him, there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved person, or free person. Instead, the Messiah is all and in all.
Is it possible that if we can put these worldly impulses to death, we might find happiness? I think so!
It is necessary to subdue sins because they will conquer us if we do not conquer them. There must be a rule of right reason and conscience over appetite and passion.
What I am when alone in the presence of God is what I am. What I am before my friends should be the outcome; otherwise, my public life will be primarily a sham. If I am right toward others, I must be right in my inner life.
Proverbs 4:23 Above everything else guard your heart, because from it flow the springs of life.
The heart is the center of the physical system, out of which flow the issues of life. The heart, or soul, is also the moral and spiritual center. It must be jealously guarded so only that which is edifying comes forth.
Galatians 5:24 Now those who belong to the Messiah Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in the Messiah, he is a new creation. Old things have disappeared, and look! All things have become new!
"What you are speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you say." Ralph Waldo Emerson