What are you thinking concerning Christ?

What are you thinking concerning Christ?

by David Brenneman 

"for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.”  Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every person according to his deeds." Matthew 16:23b-27.

What are you thinking concerning Christ? What motivation do you wrap your mind around in regards to living life?

Last night it really hit me that last portion of verse 23 does indeed fit with the parts we read that follow. 

Are you setting your mind on His purposes rather than your own?  Are you more concerned about what offends you or others more than what is offensive to your Savior?  To your God?

Setting our minds on things above rather than the things of this world is not just for those we consider "in the ministry".  News flash for everyone...we come to Christ for salvation, we all enter into the ministry.  You don't come to Christ for salvation and then treat life after coming to Christ like a trip on a cruise line.  This new life in Christ isn't Disneyland either.  It's not about you all the sudden winning the lottery, getting a Genie to grant your every wish. 

We come to Christ for salvation and His work begins in making us like Himself. 

We also are not to think we choose what our position in the body of Christ is either.  The Bible says that the Spirit sets each person in the body as He sees fit, as He desires, depending on your translation. 

The plans of God for you will never be known by you if you're intent on living life your way after coming to Christ to be saved. 

Do you really want to stand before Jesus to give an account of your life only to have nothing to show for it that He had wanted of you?

How would such a life show that you had denied yourself and taken up your own cross and followed Him?

When you actually do stop to think about your relationship with Jesus, what comes to mind?  

My Dear Reader, get rid of those thoughts and feelings, ideas even, of Jesus being anything but a Holy God.  Of Him being in effect your new butler.  He's not ever going to be.  He will do as He always has...convict the world concerning sin. He will not give up pointing out the sinful paths people take that lead to judgment. 

King David was referred to...by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself...as a man after God's own heart.  Have you put in any efforts to become one yourself?

Are you more interested in your job, your desires, your entertainment, yPhPhillour happiness, than what is of interest to God concerning you?

The work of sanctification begins when you came to Christ Jesus to be saved.  We read in Philippians 1:6 "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

Take a moment today and sit to ponder yourself.  Your thoughts and intentions concerning living the life granted to you by your Savior.   

How deep is your love for Jesus? 

How deep is it really?  Superficial?  Growing? Vibrant? 

My Dear Reader are you setting your mind on God’s purposes rather than your own?

Sad to say many will only get it that their life in Christ was only lived for themselves when they stand before Jesus to give an account and that account will be empty. 

If you are sure of your salvation in Christ, live like it.  Store up treasure in Heaven where moth and rust do not destroy. The only treasure in Heaven are people who have come to Christ for salvation.  Who are you investing in?  Who is investing in you?  

That day of accounting is rapidly approaching.  What will your life show?

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.