Look Up Not Forward
“Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”
Titus 2:13
As we come to the end of another year I want to encourage you to look up more than you look forward and for good reason. Forward has to do more with time whereas looking up has more to do with faith. We were never promised tomorrow but we were promised heaven. When the apostle John received the book known as Revelation he had been praying on the Lord’s day and he says in Revelation 4:1, “After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” Though the events John recorded would take place in the future, he received the revelation by going up not forward.
Jesus said it best in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” The best vantage is always the highest point. If you want to see the future clear don’t try to look ahead just focus on Jesus instead. In the book of Philippians when the apostle Paul talks about how he got over his past he didn’t say he focused on his future, he said in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Notice he didn’t say forward but upward. Paul fixed his eyes upon Jesus and you and I do well to do the same. Some say, “time heals all wounds” and thats a lie. Time doesn’t heal anything. Jesus does! In many cases time just makes it hurt more. The point is this as we head into a new year, forward isn’t necessarily progress but looking up always is.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross”
Hebrews 12:1-2 (a)
I LOVE YOU!
Titus 2:13
As we come to the end of another year I want to encourage you to look up more than you look forward and for good reason. Forward has to do more with time whereas looking up has more to do with faith. We were never promised tomorrow but we were promised heaven. When the apostle John received the book known as Revelation he had been praying on the Lord’s day and he says in Revelation 4:1, “After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” Though the events John recorded would take place in the future, he received the revelation by going up not forward.
Jesus said it best in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” The best vantage is always the highest point. If you want to see the future clear don’t try to look ahead just focus on Jesus instead. In the book of Philippians when the apostle Paul talks about how he got over his past he didn’t say he focused on his future, he said in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Notice he didn’t say forward but upward. Paul fixed his eyes upon Jesus and you and I do well to do the same. Some say, “time heals all wounds” and thats a lie. Time doesn’t heal anything. Jesus does! In many cases time just makes it hurt more. The point is this as we head into a new year, forward isn’t necessarily progress but looking up always is.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross”
Hebrews 12:1-2 (a)
I LOVE YOU!
Recent
Archive
2024
January
February
How To Make Good DecisionsI Hope You DanceMove The FenceWON BY ONEWeeds or Wishes?It's PersonalDefining MomentsTake My HandThink On These ThingsYou Are God's ValentineYour Personal Love StoryA Better WayOne Extraordinary LifeAn Incentive To PrayFollow The LeaderCheck For LeaksHindsight or Foresight?The Antidote For HurtGod Hurts TooBe The MiracleWhen A Gift Becomes A Gift
March
The Power Of A Single TearMore Than A FeelingLive Like You Were DyingThe Good LifeBecoming A Rock CollectorWhen One Is Not A Lonely NumberAll You Need And MoreLove HurtsMore Than A FeelingMake A DifferenceQuit Chasing CarrotsWhom Are You Fetching For?Loves Got A Pull On MeI Can't Help MyselfYou"re Never AloneBreakfast By The Sea
2023
January
April
Categories
no categories