Recently I felt God speak to me about disentangling myself from the things of the earth. The everyday aspects of our life, the relationships, cares and busyness of life can subtly entangle our lives without us even realising it. Even the good things can sometimes end up entangling us; love for our partner, our children, our career, pursuing an education; our aspirations, goals, dreams and desires. Not to mention the obvious entanglements involved when we get “bogged” down in our concern for others, or ongoing problems and strife.
“But the worries and cares of the world [the distractions of this age with its worldly pleasures], and the deceitfulness of wealth [or fame], and the passionate desires for all the other things creep in and choke out the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” (Mark 4:19)
The danger in all these things is that we can focus more on the everyday things of our life, rather than on God. When we do that we are in a sense attaching ourselves to earth rather than to heaven. When we respond to Jesus and invite Him to forgive us of our sins, and start following Him and His ways, we automatically become part of God’s family. We receive a passport to heaven, and the ability to see and know the mysteries of Heaven. Our citizenship, our home is not here on earth; we are just sojourners, for our home is in Heaven.
But our affections can’t be in two places. God wants our hearts and minds to be on things above, and not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2) He knows that when we instead hold the world in our hearts it will result in entangling us in it’s delights, and distractions, pulling us out of the realms of heaven and the supernatural. Even our relationships are designed to be spirit to spirit, so that no matter where we are we are connected to one another on a higher level. We relate free from the tangled web of the world’s system, and the cares of the world.
God will reveal mysteries to us, wonders in the heavens, dreams and visions, and things to come. He will teach us how to prosper on earth, how to relate to others in love, and how to live victorious and free. But we will not be able to receive this knowledge if we do not let go of the entanglements that pull us down into the world’s thinking and way of doing things. We will remain living on a purely natural level, rather than accessing supernatural wisdom and ability.
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:13)
This quote by Rev W. Beveridge says it all. “And therefore it is in vain to think of thinking upon God until your thoughts and affections be disentangled from the world, and your hearts hang loose and indifferent as to all things here below. So that your hearts having no heavy clog on them, may freely soar aloft in the open air, without taking notice of anything of earth…. because He is infinitely above and beyond all things in the world.”
Today, think about those things that pull you away from God; that distract and entangle you back down onto earth. A whole world awaits us when we choose to live heaven focused, plus everything on earth rather than being our “all in all”, simply reminds us of the divine, and thus holds a greater richness and blessing to it.
“But our citizenship is in heaven.” (Ephesians 3:20)
“Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints and members of God’s household”. (Ephesians 2:19)
“Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2)
Prayer: Lord please help me to disentangle myself from the things that so easily pull me out of that place I can know in you. I fix my heart and mind heavenward today. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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