Set Your Hearts and Minds on Things Above

August 1, 2010

Since, then, you have been raise with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. -- Colossians 3:1-2

I do not claim to understand all there is to this scripture, but some time last summer God began to reveal some things to me. Some of the key phrases here are: "set your hearts on things above", "set your minds on things above", "where Christ is seated at the right hand of God".

That tells me that my heart and my mind need to be pondering, thinking about and praying about things from a heavenly perspective. There is so much happening around us in this world that can be absolutely distracting to our daily walk. We become burdened by events, news articles, news reports, disasters, wars, lack of peace and the list could go on and on. I am not saying we are to stick our head in the sand and ignore national and world events but our perspective on those national and world events should be viewed "against the background of eternity".* We so often (and this is a natural thing to do) view our life and this world through only our natural eyes. I believe that Paul is encouraging us that there is more than meets our natural eyes. Our hearts and our minds need to view things from a heavenly perspective. That's not easy but we need to try and do it daily.

Jesus himself states in John 14:33 -- In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

BOTTOM LINE: Ask for a spiritual heart and a spiritual mind so that you may view events, circumstances, situations (national and worldly) from a heavenly perspective and not just your natural eyes.

MG

* William Barclay, The Daily Bible Study Series, Colossians, p. 147

"Reflect On What I Am Saying"

“Reflect On What I Am Saying”
July 2010

“Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all things.” – 2 Timothy 2:7

The month of July usually brings about a time of reflecting and remembering the foundation of our great country, reflecting and remembering the founding Fathers (Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Franklin, even Abraham Baldwin (Georgia), etc.). It is a time to reflect not only on the resources sacrificed for this country’s independence but also the lives sacrificed for our independence. I hope you all will take time to not just look at The Fourth of July as a holiday and a time off of work but as a truly tremendous moment in the history of the United States of America. And, I hope you will gain insight into the making of our great nation as you reflect.

Paul, too, calls on us to reflect as we just read in 2 Timothy 2:7. So, what is it that we are reflecting on? Let’s look very briefly at the verses leading up to this statement by Paul.

-- Fan into flame the gift of God – I Tim. 1:6
-- Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord – 2 Tim. 1:8
-- Keep to the pattern of sound teaching – 2 Tim. 1:13
-- Guard the good deposit – 2 Tim. 1:14
-- Be strong in the grace of Christ Jesus – 2 Tim. 2:1
-- Teach others – 2 Tim. 2:2
-- Endure hardships – 2 Tim. 2:3
-- Compete according to the rules – 2 Tim. 2:5

A lot to reflect on and that is just looking through about 22 verses in the Bible.

Bottom Line: May we come to realize that reflecting on God’s Word is a good thing and ask Him to give us insight as we do reflect.



MG

A Now Word -- I AM

A Now Word for CCC
Given on May 2, 2010


I AM


Do not forget My Love for you
Do not forget My Faithfulness to you
Do not forget My Word deposited in you
Do not forget My Name established
within you and before you.

No one will ever love you more than, I AM
No one will be more faithful to you than, I AM
No one will ever deposit more in you than, I AM
No one will ever establish a name more worthy
within and before you than, I AM

I AM – your Friend
I AM – your Advocate
I AM – your Sword
I AM – your Refuge
I AM – your Security
I AM – your Hope
I AM – your Promise
I AM – your Purpose
I AM – your Source of everything
I AM – your All in All
I AM – your connection to a Glorious Eternity

A Now Word -- Prepare Your Hearts for Plowing

A Now Word for CCC
Given March 7, 2010

Prepare Your Hearts for Plowing

"Prepare your hearts for plowing! Prepare your hearts for plowing! Prepare your hearts to receive My Word that it may take root. That it may multiply and bring forth My desired fruit in your life. Prepare your hearts for plowing. See those rocks and stones -- those hard places? Remove the rocks and stones. Allow My Holy Spirit within you (My Indwelling Presence) to soften any hardness and plow up the fallow ground of your heart that My Word may be planted, that My Word may be watered, that My Word may break forth, that My Word may establish strong roots and good fruit in your heart. Prepare your hearts for plowing!"

A Now Word - I Have Given You Gifts

A Now Word for CCC
Given November 12, 2009

I Have Given You Gifts

"I have provided you -- given you gifts freely. It is time to open your gifts, to embrace them. For each one has a purpose and a use. Each one has a place among you. Do not keep staring at the wrapping and wonder and admire the wrapping. Do not stare at the gifts and wonder what they are. It is time to open the gifts I have given you and begin to see how they will add to you. It is time to open your gifts and put them to proper use in My kingdom and for My kingdom purposes. It is time to let your gifts properly and orderly edify My body -- the Body of Christ. Unwrap your gifts. Unwrap your gifts. Unwrap your gifts."

A Now Word -- A Fresh Wind

A Now Word for CCC
Given June 16, 2009

A Fresh Wind

"A fresh wind is coming to CCC -- for the people of CCC. A fresh wind blowing in new opportunities for work in the natural and the spiritual. You will be praying and the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit will begin revealing new life giving things to you. His Word will take on new meaning in your life as you read and meditate. Your conversations with others in and outside the church will be seasoned with the salt (flavor) of the Lord. People you come in contact with will witness a newness and a freshness about you and wonder, "What is this?" People will seek you out and ask how to get the freshness you have. When they do --- do not be afraid to reveal God to them. The Triune God -- The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit."

Now Words

From time to time as the Lord directs I will post Now Words. This came to me last June during a worship service as I was attending the CFN (Church Foundational Network) Conference in Carrollton, Georgia.

During the Wednesday morning meeting on June 10, 2009 the Lord began to speak to my spirit the following (which I immediately wrote down): Morris it is important that you tune yourself to hear My voice. Listen carefully -- be attentive to My instructions. You will begin to speak into new situations and circumstances as you hear from Me. Listen - listen - listen - listen - listen - listen - listen very carefully. In the midst of storms I will be speaking. In the coolness and calmness of the evening I will be speaking. I will give you a "Now Word" for your family, your city, your nation. I will speak to you as I do to a friend.

The next night (Thursday, June 11, 2009) Apostle L.A. Joiner was giving the evening message. He spoke out of Acts 27 concerning Paul's journey by ship to Rome after he had appealed his case to Caesar (Acts 26:32). As the ship followed the shore line of Crete a hurricane force wind came and the ship was caught in it. L.A. pointed out that in Acts 27:23-26 Paul had a "Now Word" for the men on the ship. L.A. went on to share that as pastors we need "Now Words" today. To hear the truth in the midst of the storms. And that if we are not receiving "Now Words" we are probably not spending enough time with Jesus. Sometimes we have to step out of the comfort of the crowd and lead. And to begin declaring what you hear from God.

I'm sitting there at this Thursday night meeting listening to L.A. and saying to myself, "Wow!" I elbow my wife, Sarah, who is sitting beside me and turn back to what I had written down Wednesday morning. And, I am whispering in her ear, "The Lord told me the same thing yesterday morning. Look at what I wrote down that the Lord gave me."

Since then I have received four "Now Words" for the people I pastor at Christian Covenant Church (CCC). I believe they are indeed words for us as a congregational "family" and for us to claim individually in our lives.

What I would like to do is to begin sharing those "Now Words" with all who would want to hear. So I will begin posting them on my blog page for those who wish to read them and claim them within your own life or the lives of others. The first will be published on Monday, June 21 and will continue weekly on every Monday until all four have been published. From then on as the Lord releases new "Now Words" for us at CCC I will post them shortly there after on my blog page.

The scriptures clearly state that, "For we know in part and we prophesy in part." -- I Corinthians 13:9. I ask you to please keep that in mind as you read and claim or not claim these "Now Words".

What we as a church (the body of Believers at CCC) have seen is that as we claim these words they keep on being fertile "Now Words". That is we continue to see His fruit come forth and great manifestation of His Presence in the life of the church.


God Bless,



MG