Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.² Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.³ For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.⁴ When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

Dear Reader,

When we focus on Christ and what He is doing, everything else will fall into place as it should. I know this from experience. Once when I focused upon all my “questions and concerns” that was where my mind would constantly travel resulting in a life constantly sin-focused, self-absorbed and wandering in circles. It seemed impossible to travel consistently toward  a good goal and accomplish it.

When I let go of trying to solve immediate issues and  employing my own winning strategy  things changed. Letting go of my won wisdom (Proverbs 3) trusted in Christ to resolve them. Eventually (it wasn't easy to do), my focus  left my immediate circumstances as I disciplined my soul to focus upward toward Christ. When I did that I discovered a greater goal, that of the Kingdom of God and it’s administration over small matters as well as large concerns. I discovered again, that  where I set my focus affected greatly the decisions I made so that they were in line with Him. For me it was a   victorious moment of realization. It freed me from constant worry and anxiety. When tragedy did arrive at my doorstep, I was able to overcome because I had been trained over the years where to keep my focus. Drowning in my emotions and regret was not an option. Those emotions had no foothold on which to land.

Regarding those with whom we walk and fellowship with , either in agreement or passing in contrast, I have learned to be wise. We need fellowship. We are not meant to be islands unto ourselves. We cannot measure life by our own experiences alone. And we are not alone as members of the Church Jesus is building and as citizens of the Kingdom of God.  God places us in fellowship and as we walk in obedience, being trained by Him, relationship can be built with those walking in agreement.

Looking  to the right or to the left, nor looking behind, does not help the process. Experience and feelings can inform , but they are often poor decision-makers apart from Christ. How long can we truly walk with those not in agreement with the same focus? While we may enjoy the company and gain some understanding, it will be difficult to maintain a relationship while advancing toward the Kingdom assignments we have been created to fulfill. When two are yoked together but have different end goals, how successfully or comfortably will the yoke which connects them be carried? One will always be pulling on the other and instead of advancing, they wander in contention without completing any task successfully.

As HIS workmanship, (not an employer's, not a friend's, or even a family member's creation), our ultimate obligation and accountability is to God alone. We have been His workmanship from before we were introduced into the womb in our family of origin.

Think about that. (Psalm 139)

From the time of conception, God put all the ability and  personality traits required of us, within us, to complete our Kingdom Assignments here upon the earth. In HIM we can trust the Grace process of retraining our soul from dysfunctional behavior and thought patters and instead, to reflect Him in all things. As we embrace the reality of being His workmanship, cleansed of sin and compromise we discover we are not helpless to the cycles of thoughts and behavior as we may have thought and that may have influenced us BEFORE full initiation into the Kingdom of God (Christian conversion). God pronounced a sentence upon us when we repented : FORGIVEN. With baptism, we identified with the resurrected Christ and became a new creation in him. With the infilling of the Holy Spirit, we became able to choose to live that new life in Him.

So as the nation’s leaders work out the consequences, fires and failures of past years, pray for them. May they respond to the message of Christ or be removed from their place of power and influence. May we trust God's timing and revelation regarding this.

May the people of God keep the focus on Christ and His Kingdom, faithfully responding to current events as citizens of that Kingdom through peaceful means as we align our votes, and our words, and or actions with the Kingdom administration and assignments in mind***.

 
Thoughts and prayers go out to those still recovering from the Hurricane, the fires and the influx of individuals bent on destruction. May NOTHING be stolen from those who trust in Christ for all that is precious to them. For God cares deeply for all and will deal justly and righteously regarding this. May wise council be available to those who will hear, both spiritual and natural. May ears be open, and hearts be tender, may motives be rightly discerned regarding those in power and influence.

Grace and Peace,

Anne

***for understanding of what the Kingdom of God is, and what I mean about the administration of the Kingdom, Go to the Gospels, the book of Acts and the letters of the New Testament and as you read ask yourself,

what does the Kingdom of God look like?

What does the Kingdom of God sound like?

For example, the Sermon on the Mount contrasts the letter of the law with the spirit of the law: you have heard it said...I say statements reveal characteristics of the Kingdom.

But there are other examples.

 How did the Apostles respond to events and accusations?

What was taught in the sermons of Peter and Paul?

How did Paul and the apostles apply Kingdom teaching in the letters they wrote?

The Old testament also has many things to describe The Kingdom....

When you know the Character of God, you know the Kingdom principles and that is what the people of God want to administrate,by what we abide by in our own lives and how we relate to others.