2 Steps to a Happy Heart and Mind: Colossians 3:1-14
2 Steps to a Happy Heart and Mind: Colossians 3:1-14
The Way to A Happy Heart and Mind
Two things that most people seek, but never find: 1) Happiness and 2) Purpose. It is a common human struggle. People in every culture feel sad, depressed, weighed down with the problems of life. We wonder, why we are alive and what is our purpose for being here.
Don’t miss this teaching. Watch on Facebook.
Friday, July 31, 2020 – 7:30pm
We have a little dog. His name is Peanut. He never seems to struggle with the meaning of life. He never seems to be weighed down by troubles. Does he get bored? Oh yes. Does he feel shame and guilt? Of course. But he is quite content to chase squirrels, sleep, eat, go for walks, eat sticks, roll in dead frog carcasses or play with his toys.
But We Are Not Dogs
We are human beings. And beings human wrestle with with higher purposes. We contemplate the meaning of life and our mortality. All of us know the experience of being sad and longing for happiness.
How to Be Happy
Colossians 3:1-14 tells us that a happy heart and mind is a heavenly heart and mind. It also tells us how to possess this heavenly heart and mind.
First – Affections and Thinking
Fix your affections and thinking on heaven. Most of us we have developed mental and emotional habits that leave our heart and mind too connected to the earth. We become consumed with thinking about the future and how our lives will turn out and the past and all that has either gone right or wrong. We need to learn to live in the now.
It takes personal discipline to let your heart and mind be placed in heaven. The moment you try to do this, a family member or co-worker will come and begin to speak of all the problems, faults of others and how broken the world is. We should never avoid our problems, unwanted tasks or difficult people. But they are not worthy of the time and energy that they demand. Christ is worthy. We should place our minds and affections on him.
Paul says it this way …
HEART
Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
MIND
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:1,2)
Second – Hello and Goodbye
The second step is a common instruction that the Apostle Paul gave in his writings. We have to learn to say “Goodbye” to the past, to sin, to wasting time, to anxious thoughts and say “Hello” to the blessings of Jesus. Open the door of your life and escort the evil to the door. Push it out. Call a taxi and ship it off to the airport. While you are at the door saying “Goodbye” to the old, you will discover that there is a new thinking and emotional condition standing at the door and ready to be welcomed into the house.
Paul uses three parting phrases to describe the “Goodbye.”
- “Put to death” (Col.3:5)
- “Rid yourself” (Col.3:8)
- “Put off” (Col. 3:9)
He uses five greetings, or words to describe the “Hello.”
- “Put on the new self” (Col.3:10)
- “Cloth yourself” (3:12)
- “Bear with each other” (3:13)
- “Forgive” (Col. 3:13)
- “Put on love” (Col. 3:14)
Watch & Listen
Listen to the live stream teaching at 7:30pm on Friday, July 31, and be blessed.
