Thursday, June 4, 2015

"Set Your Minds On Things Above, Not On Earthly Things!"

The man with the muck-rake!
(J. R. Miller, "Life's Byways and Waysides")

"Only one thing is needed. 

Mary has chosen what is better." 
Luke 10:42

Paul prayed that his friends "

may be able to discern what is best." 
Philippians 1:10

We must be always making choices 

in this world. We cannot take up 
everything that lies in our path--
and we ought to choose the best things. 
Even among 'right things' there is room 
for choice, for some right things are 
better than others.

There are many Christians, however, 
who 
do not habitually choose the best things--
but second-rate things. They labor 
for the food that perishes--
when they might labor for the food
that endures unto everlasting life. 
Even in their prayers, they ask 
for temporal blessings--
when they might ask for 
spiritual treasures!

They are like "the man with 

the muck-rake" in Bunyan's 
'Pilgrim's Progress'--
who only looks 'down' 
and drags his rake among 
the weeds and worthless rubbish--
while over his head are crowns which 
he might take into his hands! 

They are like Esau, who sold his 
valuable birthright for some lentil stew. 
They toil for this world's vain things--
when they might have been laying 
up treasures in Heaven!

We only have one life to live--

and we ought therefore to do 
the best we possibly can with it. 
We pass through this world only once--
and we ought to gather up and take with 
us the things that will truly enrich us--
things we can keep forever!

It is not worth our while, to toil 

and moil, and strive and struggle--
to do things that will leave no lasting 
results when our life is done--
while there are things we can do 
which have eternal significance!

"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

   ~  ~  ~  ~

GraceGems has published J.R. Miller's helpful short article, 
"Coming to the End!"

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