Lord Jesus, You Are My Only Portion

I want to read from Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3, 1 through 4. Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. The chapter starts with, if you have been raised with Christ. Who are those who have been raised with Christ? Anyone who's born again. If you're born again, what we're saying is that we were dead, all of us were dead in sin, not sleeping in sin, we were dead in sin and God raised us with the same power with which God raised Jesus from the dead, with that same Holy Spirit power, with that same power God has raised us and seated us with Christ in the heavenly places. And so he says here, if you have been raised with Christ, if you've been born again, if you say you've been born again, if that's the very first step you've taken, then we must seek the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. I have to set my mind on the things in heaven, not on the things on earth. So the Lord is telling me, I cannot have set my mind on my promotions, my career, my job interests and ambitions, nicer things, bonuses. I can't set my mind on those things. I have to set my mind on the things above where Christ is. And the Lord is also warning me, because that's all the things of the earth, right? And the Lord is also warning me, don't set your mind, don't set your mind on the sicknesses and the viruses and the hardships that you deal with in this life. Those two are the things on this earth. If you are born again, we set our minds on the things that are above. It's very clear. So I fear that I'm in danger of setting my mind on earthly things, that I'm in danger of continuing to set my mind, if I look at the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep, what has my mind been set on? And I'm in danger of not evidencing a born-again life. I'm not taking care of this born-again new life that God gave me, because I keep getting pulled into the things of this earth. The Living Bible says it this way, let heaven fill your thoughts. Don't spend your time worrying about things down here. Don't spend your time worrying about things down here. Your real life is in heaven with Christ and in God. So if I'm born again, then my real life is in heaven and I will increasingly be thinking about my life with Christ in heaven. So let's use the analogy that we've heard about the rubber band. The rubber band has to be secured in heaven, in the heavenly places and we stretch to do things on the earth, but the natural desires of us as spiritual beings is to snap back to heaven. And I get so anxious and worried about so many other things like Martha, because I don't set my mind on the things above. So all of us, when we are tempted by all the things that come with what this world tempts us with, I'm not smart enough, I'm not thin enough, I'm not rich enough, I'm not tall enough, I'm not pretty enough, my children are not nice enough, my life is not comfortable enough. All of these things that come with the desires of what my eyes see and the desires of what my feelings tells me and the pride of life saying I deserve this more than that other co-worker. All of these things are coming into us and we're being tempted from morning to night. That is when we have to remind ourselves that we have to be people who are born again. And if we are born again, we set our minds, we choose to set our minds on things that are above. It's an active choice we have to make. You know in the Old Testament when God made a covenant with Abraham, he sealed the covenant with a physical act and it was the act of circumcision. And we don't have to circumcise ourselves physically in the new covenant, but Paul tells me something in Philippians chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3 is a one of the most special chapters in the Bible. It talks about a special relationship that Paul has with God. All that I've considered gain, I consider it as loss for the sake of knowing God. But the chapter starts by talking about the circumcision and Paul is telling me I need to have a circumcised heart. So when I say I'm going to set my mind on the things above, there's a circumcision that needs to happen. And Paul talks about it in Philippians chapter 3 verse 2. He says beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision for we are the true circumcision who worship in the spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. And Paul says look I more than anyone had any reason to be put confidence in my flesh. The circumcision that we have comes with a painful act. It happened in the old covenant and it happens in the new covenant. Just because we think we don't have to physically circumcise ourselves, let us not mistakenly think that there's no physical and there's no pain in the circumcision that we have. We have a true circumcision and he says here the circumcision that we have is worship and worship is not in the body, it's not in the soul, it is in the spirit and we glory in Jesus Christ. Not in our bloodline like the Jews did, not of anything else except that we are Jesus Christ and we put no confidence in the flesh. So in the old testament the Jews had to suffer physically when they were circumcised. What about us in the new covenant? Our circumcision is much deeper. It's physical, body, soul and spirit. It's all three. So we can't fool ourselves into thinking just because we're in the old covenant we don't have to have any pain anymore. Our pain is going to get worse, our pain is going to get all the way deeper all the way to our spirit. The circumcision must, the sword, the flaming sword has to go all the way to where it separates between bone and marrow, separate between soul and spirit. That's how deep the word of God now has to go in painfully circumcising us of everything that is of this world. So when we say set your mind on things above it sounds beautiful but it is extremely painful because in order for me to set my mind on things above I have to take a sword to every thought that the world tells me about how my identity is based on my bank account, my job title, how I look, how my friends think I look, what my degree says about me, what my house says about me, what my bank account says about me. Ask yourself if our identity is in Christ or is our identity in one of many things including our health, including our health. We say we don't believe in the prosperity gospel, well the prosperity gospel is health, wealth, health and wealth. So we can say no no no I'm not going to be a wealth prosperity gospel what about the health part about it and I find that it's easier for me to lose a little bit of money than it is for me to lose a little bit of my health and I find that it's even tougher than for me to lose well for my children to lose some of their their health. So if I'm going to say that I don't believe in the prosperity gospel what I'm saying is I don't believe in health or wealth gospel which means that I say Lord let the circumcising sword of God go all the way through all the way down to my spirit. God tested Job where he didn't have the Holy Spirit living in us. How much more is he going to test us. Abraham was given the command to circumcise himself when when he was 99 years old. He'd been told for at least 20 years or so you're going to have a son for 20 years he'd been told you're going to have a son. No son, no son of promise, no son of promise for 20 years and bad become worse after 20 years of waiting waiting waiting plus 20 plus years of waiting and nothing coming through. God then says I'm going to make it even tougher for you now you have to go and circumcise yourself physically. Still no son. Sarah still hasn't conceived and God says now you have to go and circumcise yourself. It's going to get more painful and God is asking us to set your mind on things above and there's so many things from morning to night that the Lord is that the devil is going to try to tempt us to say you're not born again because born again people set their minds on things above and they are constantly looking for the circumcising sword of the word of God and the spirit to chop off all the things that are off this earth and Paul says that we cannot think like in the old covenant that the sword is a one time sword that's how it was in the old covenant but in the new covenant it's a perpetual sword and we read that in Philippians chapter 3. I put no confidence in my flesh for the rest of my life even though I'm doing good works I'm continuing to do good works the swords constantly chopping off any confidence I have in the flesh because of that I consider everything as loss constantly perpetual circumcising sword and forgetting what lies behind I press forward to the goal of the prize of God in Christ Jesus a perpetual sword to set my mind on the things above we're called to always be soldiers and I was thinking of that in the context of our memory verse psalm chapter 17 we can turn there psalm chapter 17 verse 13 through 15 we were memorizing verse 15 but it is interesting to read verse 15 in the context of verse 13 and 14 psalm 17 verse 15 sounds very nice until we start to read psalm 17 verse 13 and 14 arise oh lord confront him bring him low deliver my soul from the wicked underline that word wicked don't mean you don't have underline just think about that word wicked because look who's the wicked here from men with your hand oh lord from men of the world whose portion is in this life and whose belly you fill with your treasure he's talking to God and he's saying God deliver me from these wicked people who are these wicked people these people whose belly has been filled with God's treasure these people who are satisfied with children and these people who leave their wealth their retirement to their babes to their children and grandchildren these are the wicked people that David is saying deliver me from them as for me I shall behold your face and righteousness he's contrasting him to these other wicked people who are filling their belly with good food what's wrong with that no sin in that who are preparing their children are satisfied with their children they are not caught up with the world they're not caught up with their career they're saying I want to raise good children and they've been good stewards of their money they're saving up enough money for their children and grandchildren or maybe grandchildren but they are wicked because their portion is in this life they don't want horrible things they just want good food good children surplus money to save for their grandchildren and David's prayer is deliver me oh lord from such people because their portion is in this life you can't serve God and mammon what is the reward we seek and God is saying you can't have both and when you choose the rewards of this earth you are saying you don't want my rewards and if you're saying you want my reward you're going to have to reject all other rewards it's like the baby that was put in front of Solomon the reward from God and what do we say because we're not completely embracing this baby of ours we say God cut the baby in half let's have your reward but let's add a little bit of my reward too so Lord I want your favor I want you to bless me and make me a little bit more like Jesus I want to be kind and good but also give me good health give my children good health give me the promotion give me your divine nature but also a body that looks good give me more of you but also give me a little bit more money so that I can also be a little bit more comfortable in my life just a nicer job just a little bit more of a salary and God's saying you're trying to cut the baby deliver me Lord from these wicked people whose portion is in this earth the living Bible says this in verse 15 as for me my contentment is in seeing you and knowing all is well between us there's only one portion for me there's only one portion for the one who's born again and that is to look at you to look at Jesus and his righteousness and to marvel at what Jesus did to become righteous he spent 33 years and never sinned for me I will behold your face and your righteousness and I will think about Lord what made you righteous and I will see that what he did to become righteous was that he was faithful for 33 plus years tempted in all points as I am yet without sin and I will long for that beauty the beauty of his righteousness which says Lord you were pure after 33 years of being tested in every single way so I'm not just going to sit there and marvel at your beauty and say you're amazing no I'm going to prove that I mean that you're amazing by saying Lord I crave for purity that same righteousness to be mine and that's the only thing I long for all other all other aspirations are wickedness deliver me Lord from people who fill themselves up with good food good children want their children to be good kind sweet people and want to have a retirement for our children and our grandchildren ask myself ask yourself family of God what are your aspirations and the Lord's asking me I'm going to shake everything that needs to be shaken and God is saying the bridegroom is coming the bride makes her dress ready pure and spotless no stain of the world no dust of the world can be on the bride's garment and so God must be calling us to become more and more pure to make our goals to make our portion more and more single singular it can't be placed for more than one God's God's constantly checking my spirit constantly asking me where's where's your mindset where's your mindset set your mind on the things above do your work do your work as best as you can work hard make your boss proud of you take care of your family do take every health care for health precaution you can take to make sure we stay safe all of these are true but set your mind on me set your eyes and your fancy on my righteousness and how I became righteous back to Colossians chapter 3 the living bible says let heaven fill your thoughts let heaven fill your thoughts don't spend time worrying about things down here family listen to this living bible paraphrase of this you should have as little desire for this world as a dead person has you should have as little desire for this world as a dead person has your real life is in heaven your you should have as little desire for this world as a dead person has what does Jesus Christ mean to me he's my life that's what it says here you read that in verse 2 is it no verse 3 for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ and God then verse 4 when Christ who is our life what is your life what does your life consist of Christ Jesus Christ is my life and my life only has meaning if Jesus Christ is with me I am so dead to the world that I have no desires for anything in this world and I'm hidden with Christ that's what it says here too I'm hidden with Christ I don't desire any glory God's constantly asking me you want some glory you want some recognition you want some validation you have to be hidden with him when Christ is revealed then you'll be revealed with him in glory so Lord I'm hid with you I desire no glory not the glory of my health not the glory of my house not the glory of my looks not the glory of my job I'm hid with Christ and where's Christ Christ is seated on the right hand of God so I have nothing to worry about I'm seated in the most powerful throne that there is in the universe that's where my place is I have left behind all of this world when Jesus stood before Pilate and he saw Pilate with all of his authority what was his eyes fixed on his eyes was fixed on the father his eyes were set on heavenly things even though he was beat up already even though he had been scourged he set his eyes on the father and said you have no authority over me Pilate ruler of the land has no authority over me no sickness can touch me no job if it's reserved for me I'm going to have it but my eyes are fixed on the beauty of Jesus Christ I was blessed it was one of my favorite hymns I have heard it from a child but I didn't realize it how beautiful it is be thou my vision be thou my vision O Lord of my heart not be all else to me save that thou art nothing matters except that you are Lord Jesus I fix my eyes on you it is impossible to please God without faith because he who comes to God must believe that he is Hebrews 11 6 he who comes to God must believe thou art that's it nothing be all else to me save that thou art he thou my wisdom and thou my true word I ever with thee and thou with me Lord thou my great father and I thy true son Lord Jesus I want to be a true son of yours I want to be truly born again and I'm going to prove that I'm born again by setting my mind on things above by allowing the sword to cut off all earthly connections all earthly validations I want that sword to cut it off and Lord let any situation let any trial let any circumstance come but I want to prove that I'm born again that I am your true son you're my great father I want to be your true son I want to have as little desire for this world as a dead person had riches I heed not no man's empty praise I think most of you sang this song thou mine inheritance now and always thou and thou only first in my heart high king of heaven my treasure thou art Lord Jesus you are my inheritance now and always always every second every minute every day Lord Jesus I want to keep setting my mind on the things above many times a day I'm not defined by my job I'm not defined by my degree I'm not defined by my marriage I'm not defined by my children you are my inheritance so I will never be in a bad mood I will never be in a bad mood you have turned my mourning into dancing you give and you take away blessed be the name of the Lord you are my treasure not my health not my bank balance not how my children are doing you are my treasure you and you only last verse high king of heaven my victory one Lord Jesus you have already won the victory which means I have no glory of my own you already won it you already finished the game you already won it you already did the work so what glory do I now have any glory I have is because I'm trying to win a victory that's not the victory that Christ already won Christ has already won the victory I need to be hidden him that's what I need to do my life is now hidden Christ I don't have any glory my glory will happen when Christ is revealed but until now I have no glory my glory is hidden you because you've won the victory you are the victor you're the one who gets all the praise so my job is to hide in you and when you come in glory then they'll see me leaning on the beloved they'll see that that's where I was that's how I made it through because I kept leaning on the your brothers and sisters that's our hope we have to prove that we are soldiers if things get tougher I have no idea if things are going to get tougher or not but we have to prove that we're truly born again this is the time for soldiers to step up this is the time for Christians who are born again to say we are of a different kingdom our kingdom is not of this earth I will fight against every anxiety I'll fight against every promotion as validation of anything in me you lord alone are my portion I see the wickedness I see the great wickedness in being satisfied by food and my children being good and me having an inheritance my children and grandchildren there's a wickedness in there lord Jesus let the rest of Christendom go a different way you are my treasure for what you did on the cross for calling me your child for saying that I am that you are my father you alone are my treasure how to have simple and pure devotion to Jesus make Jesus your only portion don't cut the baby in half take Jesus all the way and he'll take us all the way through let us crawl inside of him and be hidden him but we have zero ambition zero desires to be validated or relevant may God help us