“Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him” (2 Samuel 14:14).

I love this verse.

God disciplines, rebukes, and corrects those whom he loves. He has to. He cannot leave us in our sins. He cannot leave us in our addictions and our failures. God has to change us. God has to correct us, discipline us.

But, God never disciplines for discipline’s sake. God always disciplines, corrects, and rebukes in order to restore us.

I love the truth expressed in this verse.

John Calvin said that the three signs of the true church of Jesus Christ are:

• Where the word of God is faithfully preached and heard
• Where the sacraments of God are faithfully administered
• Where the discipline of God is faithfully practiced

Church discipline is a necessary marker of the church.

I will be the first to admit that the church has not always practiced church discipline well. Too often we have disciplined in order to punish instead of disciplining for correction and restoration.

But here’s the thing about restoration. The only way church discipline works is when we are humble enough to accept the discipline of the church. Too often, when we are on the receiving end of church discipline, we bolt. We leave. We say, “This is yucky. I don’t like it.”

And the byproduct of this is that we never grow. The only way we will grow and mature in our faith is to mutually submit and surrender to the discipline and correction of the church.

Friends, I pray that we are a church that practices Godly correction and discipline in order to restore people to God’s family. And, I pray that we will all humble ourselves to receive correction, rebuke, and discipline.

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).

The verse of the day today commands us to set our minds on things above.

The Greek for “set your minds” is one word, and it is written in the present imperative. That tells us couple of things:

• Present tense – this is an ongoing, never ending, in every moment we breathe and have our being, set our minds on the things above
• Imperative voice – this is a command. This is not a suggestion. This is not only a good idea. This is an order. If we are followers of Christ, we are commanded to set our minds on the things above

The reason why we are commanded to constantly set our minds on the things above, and not on earthly things is because we don’t think of things above naturally.

Earthly things we see without even trying. The tragedy of Afghanistan, the devastating destruction of Haiti’s earthquake, Hurricane Ida, the rising gun violence in our cities, the rising covid cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, the inability of our national leaders to come together to work toward what is best four our national interests, etc.

All of these things scream for our attention. We don’t have to look at them. They are in our face every time we open up the newspaper, listen to the radio, or watch television.

In fact, to not think of these things constantly, we have to avoid them.

But when’s the last time you just thought of Godly things, things above, things about the kingdom of God without trying?

See, these things, Godly things, eternal things, things that ultimately and truly matter, have to be intentionally brought up to our minds because they don’t just happen. We have to be intentional. We have to be purposeful. We have to call it up.

Take your eyes and set your minds on the things above, and not on earthly things. Be intentional about thinking kingdom thoughts. Make yourself think kingdom thoughts for kingdom thoughts are the only things that ultimately and eternally matter.

As a bonus, when you think kingdom thoughts, you’re going to have a much better day and you’re going to be a much better human being.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

The Franklin expedition to the Arctic in 1945 is well known. All 129 officers and crew died.

Annie Dillard tells of the ill-fated Franklin expedition:

That odyssey was a turning point in Arctic exploration because of its well-publicized failure. The preparations made were more suitable for the Royal Navy officer’s club in England than for the frigid Arctic. The explorers made room on their ships for a large library, a hand organ, china place settings, cut-glass wine goblets, and sterling silver flatware instead of additional coal for their steam engines. The ornate silver flatware was engraved with the individual officer’s initials and family crests. Search parties found clumps of bodies of men who had set off to walk for help when their supplies ran out. ONe skeleton wore his fine blue cloth uniform edged with silk braid, hardly a match for the bitter arctic cold. Another apparently chose to carry with him the place setting of sterling silver flatware. What must he have been thinking to take sterling silver tableware in search for help and food?

One cannot imagine that any of these sail adventurers would have said, as they neared death on the frozen landscape, “I wish I had brought more silver place settings.”

Our hanging on to things that are ultimately useless will look no less foolish.

God has no problems with wealth or nice things. The problem is when we begin treasuring wealth and nice things over God and his people.

We are to use things to serve people. Too often, we get this backwards. We use people to gain more things.

The problem is there is not a single thing we can transfer over to the kingdom of God. Things are supposed to be used for God’s kingdom. And in that context, wealth and things are good things. It’s when wealth owns us.

Someone wise once said there are three conversions in a maturing Christian:

• the conversion of the heart
• the conversion of the mind
• the conversion of the purse

Jesus made it clear. “No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

Friends, use what God has given you to bless others and to expand the kingdom of God.