"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4

Set my mind on things above where my life is hidden with Christ... ...every problem, every issue, every fear, every practical matter concerning nature and flesh, to be reckoned in the light of a spiritual identity, a reality which I cannot see, a Heaven which is somewhere outside my universe. And Paul says, "Seek that!" How do I do that? How do I stretch my attention into the Heavenly realm...set my mind on things above? Of course, I want to embrace a heavenly mindset in the midst of this mad and crazy, and frightening world....for sure. What does this shift of attention, change of focus, actually involve? The answer is faith, the Word of God, and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Without these, there is no hope at all to transcend the problems, temptations, and obstacles of this present world and obtain a heavenly mindset. Brothers & Sisters, learning to live now in the light of the future glory requires the exercise of faith, the deep spiritual digestion of God's Word, and the practice of the presence of His Holy Spirit within, who imparts the mind of Christ and the revelation of eternal things. Since, in actual fact, you have died with Him, your life IS truly hidden in Christ, who is resurrected and glorified; you can lift your attention there where joy, peace, comfort, freedom, and love are hidden yet available to you in Him. SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE!

"You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day." Deut 5:15; "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God." Hebrews 4:9

The Sabbath is a experiential reminder of the FREEDOM we experience from bondage to sin. In the above passage, Moses explicitly connects the celebration of Shabbat with deliverance from slavery. Isaiah 61:1 beautifully expresses Jesus's saving work bringing good news to the poor, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to the captives, and opening the prison to those who are bound, a wonderful message of deliverance and freedom. As such, Shabbat is truly a holiday (Holy Day) set apart as a permanent and regular remembrance of the unchangeable reality that the Messiah has freed us from bondage and given us rest from our works. Brothers & Sisters, in this light, each Shabbat is like a mini-Passover celebration. Do you remember what life was like when you were a "slave in Egypt"? This (and every) Shabbat, take a moment to appreciate, even inwardly celebrate, the freedom Jesus has provided through His death and resurrection. All the cares of this world pale in the glorious light of our eternal freedom in Him. Be blessed, Shalom! RESTING IN YOUR FREEDOM!

"But they kept silent: for by the way they had disputed with one another, which one of them was the greatest. And He sat down, and called the twelve, and said to them, "If any man desires to be first, he shall be the last of all and servant of all." Mark 9:34-35

Once there was a king who decided to set aside a special day to honor his greatest subject. When the big day arrived, a large gathering took place in the palace courtyard and our finalists were brought forward. The first person was a wealthy philanthropist. This man was deserving of the king's honor because of his great humanitarian efforts. He had given much of his wealth to the poor, building orphanages, schools, and hospitals throughout the land. The second was a celebrated physician. This outstanding doctor was deserving of honor for rendering his faithful and dedicated service to the sick for many years and discovering medicines that saved many lives. The third was a distinguished judge. He was noted for his wisdom, his fairness, and his many a brilliant decision. The last person presented before the king was an elderly woman. Her manner was quite humble, as was her dress. She hardly looked the part of someone who would be honored as the greatest subject in the kingdom. What chance could she possibly have, when compared to the other three, who had accomplished so very much? The king was intrigued, to say the least, and was somewhat puzzled by her presence. He asked who she was. Then the answer came: "Well, my king, do you see the philanthropist, the doctor, and the judge over here? She was their teacher!" This woman had no wealth, no fortune, and no title, but countless lives were helped, healed, and changed through her giving. We never know whose lives we're touching. I'm sure someone prayed -- someone gave -- someone shared the Gospel with some of the greatest evangelists, preachers, and givers we know. Brothers & Sisters, let's serve the Lord by sowing unselfishly into the lives of the people he's put in our path --- so that they may become great in God's Kingdom! SOW INTO THE LIVES OF PEOPLE!

"For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous." Romans 5:17-19

Are you righteous? If you are truly a believer in the Lord, then you received His gift of righteousness! Righteousness is a gift we receive when we come to saving faith. Righteousness is not something we earn, but rather it's a gift to be received from our Messiah! According to this passage, you have received the gift of righteousness through Him. Not because we have kept the "law" or lived a holy life. It can't be bought with money, or earned through self-effort, or by doing "religious" works. It's a gift! And in His free gift of righteousness, we have right standing with God! When you walk in His righteousness, then you can approach His throne boldly – expecting the Lord to answer! The devil would love to bring up your sins and keep you bound thinking you can't come to the Lord, however the Scripture is clear, "if weconfess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS!" [1 John 1:9] Brothers & Sisters, don't let the enemy bind you in sin – but claim fresh and anew today His gift of righteousness, approach His throne with boldness, and expect the Lord to answer – because you are walking in His gift of righteousness! WALK IN HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!

"And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath." Mark 2:27-28

In this day and age, I'm convinced that it's more imperative than ever to learn to rest! The famed preacher, C.S. Spurgeon once wrote, "Rest time is not waste time. It is economy to gather fresh strength... It is wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less." Taking a day to simply rest and spend time in the Lord and in relationship allows one to recharge and prepare for the coming week's opportunities obstacles and challenges. Remember it was Jesus who said, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:" Brothers & Sisters, God, having completed the creation week, ordained the seventh day, a shabbath for us ... to rest and learn to rest in Him. Apart from being a powerful picture of our rest from works- based salvation [Hebrews 4], a serious and faithful approach to the Sabbath will prove that we actually can accomplish more in the week, quality and quantity, and be at peace in doing so. So enjoy your rest, get recharged and re-energized ... He made it for you! Shabbath Shalom! TAKE YOUR REST SERIOUSLY!

"Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:8-9

In the days of Jesus, the cross was an instrument of death, and crucifixion, a horrible method of torture. Over the next 200 years, in light of the Lord's resurrection, the cross became identified with Christian faith and was transformed into a symbol of life and hope. Jesus was able to turn it upside down, transforming an instrument of death into a symbol of life. The tomb, a house of death where His body lay for three days, became the exact location where death was destroyed forever, replaced by resurrection life, an entirely new kind of life with no decay, sickness or imperfection. In His death and resurrection, Jesus inverted the very nature of biological reality, and turned the tomb from a house of bones into an empty place of testimony to resurrection life. He turned it upside down! This "inversion" of reality is a pattern of God's activity. It is a "way" in which He works, a convention of Divine intervention into human affairs. And we ourselves are permanently invited to participate in this activity in innumerable ways. Brothers & Sisters, Jesus is, by His indwelling Spirit, through faith, giving us the authority, opportunity and power to turn things upside down and inside out. Not indiscriminately, without His explicit guidance and direction, but through discernment, wisdom, and often real endurance, we experience and participate in turning tragedy into triumph, misery into joy, failure into success, mourning into dancing, and death into life. We turn curses into blessings, loss into gain, despair into hope, and even hatred into agape love! Praise God! For by His power and will, we too can turn it upside down! TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN!

"With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Isaiah 12:3; "He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." John 7:38

Recently, Israel announced it was expanding the Pool of Siloam, which they estimated was about an acre and a half in size. The Pool of Siloam is where Jesus sent the blind man to wash [John 9:6-7] and where he regained his sight. Some scholars believe this was where the first 3,000 souls were baptized upon hearing the gospel in Acts 2. [Acts 2:41] The Pool of Siloam was also the water source for a significant ceremony during the feast of Tabernacles in the first century. On the last day of the feast the High Priest went there to draw water, leading a processional of trumpeters, pilgrims, and worshippers to the Temple. Thanks to recent archaeological discoveries, tourists and pilgrims can now follow this 2000 year old "Pilgrim's Road" path of the High Priest's processional which ended in the Temple courtyard, where the High Priest would quote from Isaiah 12:3, "With joy you shall draw water from the wells of Jesus"; (salvation). At this location during the feast, Jesus shouted, "He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." Brothers & Sisters, Israel's archaeological team is removing tons of dirt and debris from this ancient site, clearing the way for clean fresh waters in the Pool of Siloam. We also so desire the rivers of living water Jesus promised to flow from our inmost being. But is there dirt and debris clogging our spiritual channel? Don't leave it there. CLEAN OUT, LET LIVING WATERS FLOW!