If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17, 18
the world passeth away
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:15-17
The world’s pleasures are only for a transient period. Everything which men of the world lust after, and are so desirous of, is passing away. God has created us to find our happiness in himself alone. Love of the world must necessarily produce dissatisfaction and ruin. On the other hand, those who are in Christ have solid joys, considerable pleasures, riches which are durable and will outlast the world. They have an eternal inheritance; an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for them. The saints who now reside in heaven are done with the pleasures of the world. They have found something far more satisfying and replenishing. Their desire is to know more of the glory of God.
Look into the lives of men in general, and you will see that visible and temporal things appear to them the most important; unseen and eternal things the most trifling. They spend their days laying up for years to come, but take no thought for eternity. When men die, they must pass through “the gate of eternity.” The righteous man puts off the body with all its cares, temptations, and sorrows; his soul ascends to God and enters into everlasting rest, security, and joy. The sinner likewise changes temporal things for eternal things; but it is for torment and misery. The misery of hell is eternal. Our Lord, describing the day of judgment says, “The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.”
Like a flower. Beautiful, very beautiful; fragrant, very fragrant, are the summer flowers. But they wither away. So fades the world from before our eyes. While we are looking at it, and admiring it, behold, it is gone! No trace is left of all its loveliness but a little dust! O man, can you feed on flowers? Can you dote on that which is but for an hour? You were made for eternity; and only that which is eternal can be your portion or your resting place. The things that perish with the using only mock your longings. They cannot fill you; and even if they filled, they cannot abide. Mortality is written on all things here; immortality belongs only to the world to come,-to that new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Like a ship at sea. With all its sails set, and a fresh breeze blowing, the vessel comes into sight, passes before our eye in the distance, and then disappears. So comes, so goes, so vanishes away this present world, with all that it contains. A few hours within sight, then gone! The wide sea o’er which it sailed as calm or as stormy as before; no trace anywhere of all the life or motion or beauty which was passing over it! O man, is that vanishing world thy only dwelling-place? Are all thy treasures, thy hopes, thy joys laid up there? Where will all these be when thou goest down to the tomb? Or where wilt thou be when these things leave thee, and thou art stripped of all the inheritance which thou art ever to have for eternity? It is a poor heritage at the best, and its short duration makes it poorer still. Oh, choose the better part, which shall not be taken from thee!
THE WORLD PASSETH AWAY. This is the message from heaven. All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field.
THE WORLD PASSETH AWAY. But God ever liveth. He is from everlasting to everlasting; the King eternal and immortal.
THE WORLD PASSETH AWAY. But man is immortal. Eternity lies before each son of Adam as the duration of his lifetime. In light or in darkness for ever! In joy or in sorrow for ever!
THE WORLD PASSETH AWAY. What then? This is the question that so deeply concerns man. If the world is to vanish away, and man is to live for ever, of what importance is it to know where and what we are to be for ever! Horatius Bonar
treasures in Christ
It is the duty of all men to keep their hearts in heaven. Jesus commanded, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6: 19-21 Let us set our hearts upon Him who remains faithful forever.
Our Savior exhorted his disciples not to labor to be rich, not to set their hearts on the world. “He exhorts us rather to lay up our treasures in heaven. What does He mean by this? A treasure signifies something that is laid up and preserved with care for a future day. In a larger sense it signifies any riches, temporal or spiritual, which men regard as their portion. The meaning of the injunction is, Neither seek overgrown estates, nor regard your worldly possessions as your chief good; but seek first and most earnestly the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof.
Secure for yourselves the happiness of heaven, and consider God, and the light of His countenance, and the graces of His Spirit, as your most valuable treasure. Make them the supreme object of your desire and pursuit. Value as your treasure those perfections and manifestations of God which are called “the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God,” “the riches of his glory,” “the riches of his goodness,” “the exceeding riches of his grace,” “the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
Esteem the service of God your wealth, and count the very reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. Value as a treasure all the graces of the Spirit; not only the “riches of the full assurance of understanding,” but “the full assurance of hope.” Secure for yourselves that heavenly country which Abraham sought and found, that “house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens,” that “better and enduring substance” which is “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” This is the treasure in heaven…
If you consider heavenly things your chief riches, if you have, and know you have, stores of eternal happiness laid up for you above,—your heart will follow your treasure; your love, your desire, your care, your joy, trust, hope, and fear will center in God. Your soul will tend heavenward, and will keep heaven in its eye, as men are inclined to watch diligently their most valuable treasure. But, if your treasure is on earth, if you consider worldly things your chief good,—then your thoughts, your desires, your cares, joys, hopes, and fears will be earthly.” (Edward Dorr Griffin)
i will never leave thee
In Hebrews 13:5, God gives us a commandment and a promise, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” It is easy to talk of contentment in the day of health and prosperity; very few of us can remain content in the midst of poverty, sickness, disappointments, trouble, and losses.
Contentment is learned at the feet of Jesus Christ. He who has God for his friend and heaven for his home, can wait for good things, and be content with little here below. God gave us this sweet promise, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” I, the eternal Father, the mighty God, the King of kings, “will never leave thee.” The English language fails to give the full meaning of the Greek. It implies, “never—no, never—no, nor ever!” Earthly good things leave us. Health, money, property, friendship; all make themselves wings, and fly away. They are here today, and gone tomorrow. But God says, “I will never leave thee.”
The relationship between Christ and the sinner that trusts in him never ends. The apostle Paul said, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39 Truly, God will never leave us. Let every believer grasp these words, and store them up in his heart. Keep them ready, and have them fresh in your memory; you will want them one day.
The great truth upon which Paul constantly dwelt, and which was to him spiritual meat and drink, was Christ and His salvation. The things of Christ are what is meant by things unseen and eternal. Paul loved the Lord Jesus Christ, and the thought of Christ gave him indescribable comfort. He declares ‘I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord.’ ‘And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.’
But how is it that the unseen Christ gives such comfort and strength and joy? In the first place because He reminds us of the wonderful love of God which has been manifested through Him. We should never grow weary of hearing the great truth, ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.’ What a marvellous assurance He brought of divine love for fallen man! This love doubtless could only have been appreciated by us when conveyed through Christ.
Looking at the troubles of life, at our perishing and afflicted bodies, at the disappointments and sorrows connected with this world, who can rejoice or be satisfied? But looking at the unseen Christ and seeing Him as Paul did, who can sorrow? Is there not in Him the promise of all things? Is He not afflicted in all our afflictions? Are we required in the line of God’s providences to endure anything He has not endured? Does He not know the way and is He not able to guide us through all life’s perplexities? Has He not secured for us a right to the Tree of Life; and is He not the door through which we may go into the very presence of God and into the glories of heaven? What greater feast can be partaken of, or what higher joy than that which faith secures in the Lord Jesus Christ? John Craig Havemeyer
Put your all in Christ; set all your affections on His person, all your hope in His merit, all your trust in His efficacious blood, and all your joy in His presence. Join your heart to Him who will never leave you. Trust all your concerns to Him who can never be taken from you, who will never leave you, even Jesus who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Image credits: jam343; Mara ~earth light~
Knowing the Time 