Set Your Affection On Things Above! :By James Lantz
The simple command to set our affection on the things of heaven is a major key to walking close to our Lord and Master Jesus! The Complete Jewish Bible says to focus your mind on the things above. Col. 3:2&3 CJB Focus your minds on the things above, not on things here on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. The King James says to set your affection on things above. Other translations say to set your mind, think about, and give your mind to things above. This is a vital part of abiding in Jesus and receiving from Him! John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Jesus said, If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, then you may ask anything and it will be done for you. The reason Jesus said if, is because we have the responsibility to set and keep our love on Him so that we can receive that which has become ours through this new life in Christ Jesus. We are to set our affection on things above because we have died to our old life that was upon the earth. Col. 3:3 BBE For your life on earth is done, and you have a secret life with Christ in God. We set things every day. We set the thermostat to our desired temperature. We set the TV to our desired channel. We set the lawnmower to full choke when we go to start it. We set our automatic transmission to drive when we start out in our car. God has commanded us to set our thoughts on His things from above so that we will accomplish His purpose and fulfill all His will. Mt. 6:10 . . . Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. We set our minds on what God said (God’s word) because we have purposed to be about
We Pursue What We Love!
our Father’s business. If our desires are for the things of this world we will not pursue those things which are above. Romans 8:5 WNT For if men are controlled by their earthly natures, they give their minds to earthly things. If they are controlled by their spiritual natures,they give their minds to spiritual things. We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. Peter exhorts wives to place a greater emphasis on adorning and beautifying the hidden person of the of the heart rather than on their body which grows old and decays. 1 Pet. 3:4 AMPC But let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.
Our biggest obstacle to going all in for God and His things is our own plans and desires. The rich young ruler wasn’t willing to die to his fleshly desires and give up his plan for God’s plan and so he went his way sad. Unwillingness to yield to God’s plan blocks us from the joy of the Lord! Mark 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. The cross speaks of death and we must die to self before we can enter into the great things God has for us. This rich young rulers response to Jesus life altering instructions show that his affections were more set on the things of this temporal life than on receiving eternal life. Many have a zeal for God but not according to the knowledge of God’s word. Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. We are made right with God by hearing His word, believing His word, and doing what He says! Joshua received the word of the Lord to keep His words in his mouth, meditating them day and night that he might do everything God had said so that he would prosper and have good success. Joshua successfully led the children of Israel into the land that flowed with milk and honey! Joshua 23:14 NKJV Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed. If we want to be able to say, like Joshua, every good thing that God has promised us has come to pass, we must set our affection on God’s word and speak it continually. Jos. 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Don’t let the tempter get you off God’s word!
Everyday we add to the reservoir of our heart through the eye gate and the ear gate either that which is good or that which is evil. We speak from that which is in our heart in abundance! Matthew 12:34&35 . . . for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. God’s words are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh so the wise fill their hearts with God’s word. Pro. 4:23 NIV Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. A couple of modern translations speak of guarding our thoughts because what we think shapes our life. Pro. 4:23 GNT Be careful how you think; your life is shaped
Our Life Will Follow Our Most Dominate Thoughts!
by your thoughts. Jesus taught that the eye is the lamp of the body. Matthew 6:22 NKJV The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. How we see or perceive things will affect our whole being. Pro. 29:18 NIV Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction. Jesus said that the things that proceed out of our mouth come forth from the heart. Understanding the connection between what we think and what we say allows us to take in the good and keep the evil out. God gave us a life sustaining list of what we are to think, talk, and sing. Phil. 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. All of us will have times when we see, hear, and have to deal with things that are unpleasant and evil but that must not become our meditation and our focus. Worry is simply keeping negative thoughts in your mind expecting them to come to pass. This is faith in that which is evil or you could say faith in reverse. We are to cast down every evil thought or image that satan brings to our minds eye. 2 Cor. 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
God’s command that we set our affection on things above is not just about our wonderful future, but that His glory might be seen in the earth through us. Now that we are a new creature in Christ we are to take up God’s thoughts. Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts . . . 1 Cor. 2:16 . . . But we have the mind of Christ. We are not our own, we have been made righteous and purchased by His blood! We have been set free from the power of sin and death through the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus! (Rom. 8:2) Jesus became sin for us! (2 Cor. 5:21) Jesus bore our sicknesses and carried our diseases! (Mt. 8:17) Jesus became poor that we might become rich! (2 Cor. 8:9) We are born into royalty and called to rule and reign in this life! (Rom. 5:17) We are on assignment taking this glorious gospel of Christ to the world! Think on these things! Hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm until the end!
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
