Blessed Christian Fellowship

We may have heard the quote:  If you don't know where you are going,
you'll end up someplace else.? Some of us have been taught that goal-setting is very important and truly it is. It has been said as well that having no goals is like a ship setting to sail with no direction.

What are your goals in life? How do we set it? 

As believers, we must return to God?s Word and listen to how we must set our life?s goals and what to seek for. We are taught to set Heavenly Goals and enjoy its lifetime rewards.

Colossians 3:1-4
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

1. Seek those things which are above.

Foundation: You have been raised up with Christ. Christ?s resurrection means new life in the Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 6:11 says we are alive to God in Christ Jesus. Eph. 2:5-6- we are dead in trespasses and was made alive/ raised up with Him for by His grace we are saved.

Goal: Focus or in other translations KEEP SEEKING on the above, not on the past, not on the what ifs, not even on the NOW but on the ABOVE.

What are you seeking in your life right now? What glorifies the Lord? What do you focused on? What are your priorities? In every are of your life, is everything done for God?s glory?

Keep seeking on heavenly things not earthly things. Let?s jump to verse 5 which says : ?Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.? (NIV Version)

Priorities: You are always given a choice. For instance, you know you have to read His Word and you?re distracted with a lot of things. You know the Lord is calling you to attend the Prayer Meeting but you got so many excuses. You know you have to share His Word to your neighbour but you?d rather follow the multitude than make a stand for Christ. Everything is made up of choices.

We are like a sponge and it?s better to be absorbed in God?s Word rather than be absorbed in earthly endeavours. 

Phil 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Keep on seeking the Lord Jesus and His will. Mt. 6:33 Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

The REWARD: Heavenly prize in the Lord Jesus Christ, ALL THINGS shall be added.


2. Set your mind on things above, not on the things of the earth.

Set your mind indicates your MINDSET. Mindset is your life?s orientation/ perspective, your thought patterns which include your affections. How do you view things?

This is now your existing MINDSET as believers. The things above which means GODLY LIVING. We are now citizens of heaven and living dual citizenship. 

Set your mind (5426) (phroneo from phren = mind) denotes the whole action of the affections and will as well as the reason.

Phroneo refers to the basic orientation, bent, and thought patterns of the mind, rather than to the mind or intellect itself, and refers more to inner disposition, while keep seeking is rather practical pursuit. The sure safeguard against seeking things below, is not to set the mind upon them.

Setting one's minds on things above involves an act of one's will (active voice) and is something we must do (imperative mood = command) continually (present tense = habitual). Kenneth Wuest picks up on this tense and mood rendering it...

The things above be constantly setting your mind upon, not the things on the earth

Joni Eraeckson Tada writes: 

Why all the verbs in the present tense? Because God wants to get your heart beating with a present-tense excitement, a right-around-the-corner anticipation of Heaven. Isn?t that the way strangers on foreign soil are supposed to feel about their homeland?

How are we to constantly set our minds in the Lord if we are bombarded with earthly things day in and day out?

We are to ?practice? His presence every moment of our lives.

Analogy: Being in love for the first time. You keep on thinking of that person. You never tire of talking to him even until the wee hours of the morning. You wanna spend the eternity with him. ?Honeymoon stage? then emotions die down. What do you do? I was once told that keep practicing and keep doing the actions of being ?in love? which means, even if emotions are gone, stay ?bein in love?.

In following the Lord Jesus and in pursuit of the heavenly call, keep reading His Word. Remember His goodness to you in the past and what He will be doing to you today and in the future. We have an amazing God! 

3. THE REWARD

v. 3-4 We are dead to sin and therefore CHRIST IS OUR LIFE!

Gal. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the {life} which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.