Christian Living

Focus on Our Lord

by Thomas Kirkpatrick
10/26/21
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

As it has always been, we find a life of distractions from what our hearts want to do. It may be a simple thing, as when I am preparing for my day, the phone rings and carries me down a different path than planned. It could be a serious event that destroys the day, like a flat tire or an accident. It could be an all-consuming thing that we have no solution at hand to attend quickly. It is life in the usual that begins all prep and is thrown off course by the distractions of the day. For life in general, it is a nuisance, and for Christians, it can be detrimental to our purpose. I am not to be bold and say the reason is the same in all life’s experiences, but it certainly is if our heart is set on serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Much of the distractions of life are brought on by our actions or lack of action. Maybe even that of others is a true statement, I am sure. When I look at the goal of each of my days to work in His ministry, I am convinced the root of all distractions is not of my own making. One in this world is bigger than all of us, and if we are serving his enemy, he will distract us with any means. The Apostle Paul has made it very clear if we serve the one who is bigger than our enemy, the Lord Jesus Christ, he will set the evil spiritual forces against us at every move. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Having lived only in my lifetime, it seems the times are growing worse quicker than before in time past. That may be true or an illusion, or the passing of time has dimmed the impact of recent troubles. If that is true or not, it is true as time draws near to the coming of the Lord. Satan and his forces will struggle ever harder to distract people away from their only hope. I must hand it to the adversary, as he is waging a good fight before his final demise. Much of the world today do not even know the truth of what is happening today. They have never bothered to hear the truth, as it is inconvenient and brings discomfort.

Christ’s Church is partially responsible for this lack of knowledge the people of today have. On the night of Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus said to His disciples to watch and pray (Matthew 26:41), and then the Lord went to pray. When He returned to them, He found them asleep. If His disciples and we as His disciples are told to watch and pray that we do not fall into temptation, then went to sleep, have we His Church today fallen asleep? Are we comfortable letting the few amongst us do the ministry work, or are we all distracted by the events in the world?

Has the Church lost their excitement of resurrection and think it would happen, or do they live in faith that resurrection has already happened to them? The Church cannot allow itself to be entangled in this passing world’s foolishness but, in faith, live as citizens of the Kingdom we are in. Since we accepted Jesus to live in us, we were transferred from this world of wickedness to His Kingdom of Light. If the Church has been raised up with Christ, we should live our lives knowing we are in His presence. I have done many things in my life I would never have done in the presence of my father, and so many in the Church do things they would never do in the presence of Jesus. If they have been raised up with Jesus, they are in His presence, and they had better wake up and repent. “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection.” (Romans 6:4-5)

When we decided to follow Jesus, we chose not to be of the worldly way but the Kingdom’s way. It was a choice of forsaking the wickedness of this realm for the righteousness of the Heavenly realm. The old life and desires have passed away, and the heart desires a new way. As Paul explains in (2 Corinthians 5:17). This radical transformation of our minds means we no longer depend on humanity’s foolishness but the perfect wisdom of our Lord. We have been given the counselor, the Holy Spirit, and by our obedience, He will restore us to the person we were created to be. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

The Christian no longer seeks after the tribulation of material desires but lives for future peace in a Heavenly abode. Our minds are set on a life in the Spirit, which is life itself. “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6) Solomon writes the wise seek the upward call and escape the second death the worldly will suffer. “The path of life leads upward for the wise That he may keep away from Sheol below.” (Proverbs 15:24) Nothing forsaken will be missed compared to the gain of His righteousness and the riches of His Kingdom. God is the provider of all, and He will care for His children who seek Him. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

God gives any authority that humanity has. He appoints the kings of this world, and He takes them down. God’s will shall be done according to His plan and purpose, as it has been before the beginning. When after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to Heaven and sat at the Father’s right where He rules with absolute power and authority. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18)

The Pharisees, who were the Jewish faith leaders, tried throughout His earthly ministry to get Him to claim He was the Messiah. If they could do that, they could charge Him with blasphemy and kill Him under Jewish law. The Pharisees asked Jesus straight out at His trial if He was the Messiah. Jesus answered that they had said it. He will sit at God’s right hand of power, and He will return again. “Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64)

When Jesus returns on the clouds, He will call His Church out, and life in this wicked world will have passed and be finished for those who are here. For those who have gone on before, we shall greet them. How amazing it will be to see our Lord and talk to those we have studied. The destiny of Christian followers is seated with Him at His throne, always in that eternal day. “Seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6-7)

Amid the world’s distractions, we must stay focused on the destiny we have as followers of Jesus. Satan, as he will, along with evil spiritual forces, will mount distractions to keep us away from the prize. The best way I have found is to take those distracting blows of Satan and find scriptural words of God that point me to His perfect way of righteousness. “Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:2-5) When we place understanding into daily use, we gain the wisdom to stay the course and focus on the goal of life. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

The god of this world continues putting distractions in our lives, our families, our government, and across the globe. His purpose is to seek, kill, and destroy anything righteous. Satan is not an agent of good and hates God, you and me, and all of God’s creation. He operates in deceit and is the father of lies. There is a destiny for Him, and we want to see no one join him there. The one good thing Satan has to do is obey God’s Word. God’s Word is the power to defeat Satan forever. “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:6-8)

Thomas N Kirkpatrick

First Baptist Church of Durant, July 15, 2020