'Rise Up, My Love'
To truly live for God, we must understand our heavenly position and abide above, trusting in God's safekeeping.
Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of setting our affection on heavenly things rather than earthly matters, pointing out the Church's tendency to focus on worldly concerns instead of Jesus. He highlights the significance of holding on to the teachings of Paul, who represents heavenly truths. Stanford stresses the necessity for believers to understand their position in Christ, which brings peace, joy, strength, and power for service. He reminds listeners that our standing before God is a gift that showcases the richness of God's grace, not based on our worth but on the greatness of the Giver.
Text
"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).
It is sad to have to say that the present-day Church is so earthy that it is of little earthly good. "Sir, we would see Jesus"! (John 12:21).
"The great failure of the Church was in giving up Paul. 'All. . . in Asia' did not give up evangelical truth but they gave up Paul; anything popular you may have, but not Paul. Why? Because Paul is heavenly." -J.B.S.
"It is essential that a believer have a clear understanding of his position before the Father-his place in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. This alone will give true peace of mind, joy and comfort of heart, strength for conflict and power for service. We will never be able to properly understand or fill our place for God on earth if we do not realize our God-given standing before Him in heaven.
"And never forget that our place before the Father is His gift, and a gift worthy of the Giver; not a gift according to the measure of our worth but a gift intended to display the exceeding riches of the grace of the Giver. The greatness of the Giver then is the measure of the blessings that are mine in the Lord Jesus Christ, not what I am or what I deserve."
"When you see and stand on your heavenly ground, you come to rest, just as the Father rests. You need not worry-only keep on that ground by your attitude of heart. If you are going to worry-if you must worry-worry lest you get down on earthly ground, for that is the ground of worry. Abide above! Heavenly things are in safe keeping-in the keeping of One who is 'far above all.'" -T. A-S.
"For ye have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3, ASV.).
Sermon Outline
- The Earthly Church
- The Heavenly Perspective
- Abiding Above
- Resting on heavenly ground
- Worrying about earthly things
- Heavenly things in safe keeping
Key Quotes
“It is essential that a believer have a clear understanding of his position before the Father-his place in the risen Lord Jesus Christ.” — Miles J. Stanford
“When you see and stand on your heavenly ground, you come to rest, just as the Father rests.” — Miles J. Stanford
“Heavenly things are in safe keeping-in the keeping of One who is 'far above all.'” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- Take time to understand your position before God and how it affects your life.
- Trust in God's safekeeping and rest on heavenly ground to avoid worry.
- Recognize that your blessings come from God's exceeding riches of grace, not from your worth or deserving.