“The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?”
– Jeremiah 17:9

Our culture tells us from a very early age to follow our heart, trust our heart, and be true to our heart. From the videos we show our youngest children to the constant reinforcement on social media as adults, we have come to define truth based on what we feel. “You do you”. “Live your truth.” Our culture has defined morality entirely based on what pleases the heart. We have defined reality based on our emotional experience. And yet, our heart isn’t true to us! It’s lying! It’s sick!

Your heart lies to you. Sometimes your heart lies and tells you you’re much better, more justified, and more righteous than you really are. Sometimes your heart lies and tells you you’re much worse, worthless, and unlovable than you really are. These are all lies!

We must not “be true to our hearts” for they betray us regularly. We must be true to God and what He says about us. We must let His truth guide and redirect our hearts when they lies. When we’re apart from Christ, God is clear: He loves us, but we’ve separated ourselves from Him by sin and our heart impulses inevitably lead us to even more sin. When we’re in Christ, He is also clear: He loves us, forgives us, adopts us, and sees Christ’s righteousness in us, having given us the power to successfully resist sin.

Friends, don’t trust in your heart. Instead, trust in the Lord your God WITH all your heart!

“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.” – Colossians 3:1-2

For those who’ve embraced Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you have indeed been raised to new life in and with Jesus Christ! That glorious reality means that you need to change the focus of your thinking. As important as earthly matters are, your heavenly residence and the Kingdom you have joined is even more important (and more wonderful).

You must set your mind on the things above: the wonders, works, and attributes of God, the beauty and work of Christ, the exaltation of our salvation, the advance of Christ’s Kingdom, the making of disciples, the transforming of your character into Christ’s likeness, and so much more.

That doesn’t mean you should ignore earthly affairs altogether, just that they shouldn’t be the first and last things you think about each day. We’re commanded to provide for our families, so work matters. We’re called to wisely manage the resources God provides to us on His behalf. That includes taking care of our bodies, wisely managing our time, talent, and treasure, and caring for the world around us. We’re called to do the work of God’s Kingdom on earth by being concerned for the poor and vulnerable, working for justice, and proclaiming the Gospel.

However, in all these things, your thoughts, emotions, meditations, and delights must first and foremost be in the heavenly realities in which you participate. This is a wonderful command! In this world full of bad news, discouragement, disease, disability, and death it’s easy to become consumed with thoughts and emotions of deep brokenness. However, setting your mind on the goodness above helps you to rise above this mess below and be increasingly effective for the Lord here on earth. So where is your mind today – above or below?

“By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” – Colossians 2:14

One way to understand your sin is to think of it as a debt you owe God. Every sin you commit is an act of rebellion against His righteous authority as your Creator. Regardless of whether you consider it a big deal or not, rebellion is an act of war, an offense against your good God. Each person accumulates a massive debt against the Lord throughout their life. Sinning is part of our fundamental nature – it’s both something we can’t help do and also the thing we most desire to do.

This record of debt is what makes it impossible for us to ever bridge the separation between ourselves and the absolute sinless holiness of God. We can’t ever be good enough, kind enough, generous enough, or moral enough to work through our personal Mt. Everest of sin-related debt to God. Many in our culture fail to even realize that mountain of debt exists, but it does. Others are so acutely aware of it they can’t imagine ever escaping from it. They’re absolutely crushed by its weight and live in deep despair.

Here’s the good news: Jesus Christ died to erase your personal record of debt! Jesus, the innocent and eternal Son of God, was nailed to a cross on your behalf and with Him was nailed the record of your sin debt. Jesus died and rose again so that all who believe in Him are forgiven their mountain of debt by God’s grace. There’s nothing so terrible God won’t forgive it in Christ. There’s no mountain of debt too high or record of debt too long that God won’t forgive it in Christ!

The only thing God can’t forgive is dying without recognizing that record of debt and asking His forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ. Have you accepted Christ and been forgiven? What’s holding you back?

“But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” – Jeremiah 9:24

The prophet pretty much says it all! In a world that encourages us to brag and boast about all manner of accomplishments, certificates, awards, promotions, and the accumulation of stuff, there’s one thing that truly matters and is worth telling the world…. that we know the Lord AND understand Him.

To know and understand the Lord means beginning to be reshaped into alignment with His virtues, priorities, and passions. It’s to be moved and motivated by what concerns and delights the Lord. What’s that??? Steadfast, faithful love. Justice, particularly for the poor, vulnerable, and oppressed. Righteousness, true personal holiness and obedience to God’s will and commands.

These are God’s delights. These find their ultimate expression and fulfillment at the cross of Christ, when Jesus, the perfectly righteous Son of God, willingly gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins. At the cross, Jesus atoned for our sins and made us righteous in Him. These fundamental attributes of God are what Christ died for and what we’re commanded to live for, pursue, and proclaim.

Love, justice, and righteousness aren’t modern-day social constructs. They aren’t secondary concerns divorced from the Gospel. These are the things God delights in! If you truly know and understand anything about the Lord, they must also be your delight, your pursuit, your passion, and your proclamation. They must be the story of your new life in Christ. If they aren’t, then you’ve got nothing to brag about, because you’re clearly missing the heart of God!

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” – Colossians 1:13-14

Faith in Christ really is the difference between night and day! When we believe in Jesus, we are immediately redeemed from our massive debt of sin. Jesus sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for all of our sins, and we are forgiven. There is nothing in your past or present that His death and resurrection can’t cover and forgive!

In that moment of faith, our spiritual place of residence changes radically. We are rescued from Satan’s domain of darkness and moved into Christ’s Kingdom! With that radical spiritual change of address comes new realities, new hopes, new desires, new values, and new priorities. Rather than pursuing the things of the domain of darkness, we’re called to work for the Kingdom of Christ. We’re to proclaim His hope, mercy, and grace. We’re called to embody His compassion and love for the vulnerable and suffering. We’re to perform practical acts of love and healing while offering God’s love and spiritual healing through faith in Christ. We’re called to follow and I’m it’s our King.

In Christ, we’re redeemed from our past and forgiven our sins, so in Christ’s Kingdom we shouldn’t turn back to those things. We follow our King’s example, teaching, and commands and we do so in the power of His presence within us. This change of address is permanent. There’s no going back, nor should there be indulgence of the old ways, patterns, and habits of our former life in the domain of darkness.