Bible Reading: Isaiah 37 & 38: Colossians 3
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth”. Colossians 3:2 (KJV)
Christianity, unlike most religion, is built on love, faith and hope. It is more of hope in God and on His eternal promises. What are the things above? These are promises of a place where God Himself has prepared for His children while meeting the necessary requirements and practices that can guarantee us a place there. Jesus stated it clearly in John 14: 2-3(KJV), “In my father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”. This is a promise which the Christian faith is built upon. This is the principal ‘thing above’ that our affection should be set upon.
However, there are necessary intangible actions and written instruction we must abide with or set our mind on to be able to inherit the principal thing above which is the kingdom of God. Those attitudes, believes, lifestyle and faith we must exercise are incorporated among the things above we should set our minds on. When we set our minds on heavenly things we are being spiritual and our lifestyle and living will reflect heavenly standard, but when we set our mind on earthly things we are carnal and our lifestyle and living will be earthly. Earthly pursuit such as inordinate ambition, wealth acquisition, quest for power and materialism are associated with the works of the flesh which are greed, selfishness, self-centeredness, jealousy, envy, strife, revelling, murder etc. These are things on the earth that we should not set our mind upon. The associated attributes for a heavenly pursuit are encompassed in the fruit of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering(patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance, these are the things we are admonished to set our minds on as Christians.
Before the coming of Christ it was almost impossible to exercise the Fruit of the Spirit, but with the advent of Christ He empowered us through the Holy Spirit to be able to have a lifestyle that practices this godly attributes. All of the fruit of the Spirit revolves around Christ, because at new birth we are endued with His righteousness.
Prayer: Father, give me the grace to have a lifestyle that manifest the fruit of the Spirit.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo