Tommy Bates Ministries

Kingdom Minded: Focusing on Eternity Kingdom Minded: Focusing on Eternity

The Bible weaves many necessary principles throughout its text. A few examples include humility, surrender, and remembering God’s faithfulness in times of trouble. Many Christians battle some of these issues their whole lives without much progress. There’s a common root among some of the obstacles in our walk with the Lord: focusing on the temporary world rather than God’s eternal kingdom.

Focusing on the problems in this life will open doors to anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. The world’s current state makes it easy to caught up in fear and frenzy. But God is still in control. Psalm 90:4 says that a thousand years is like a day to the Lord, and a day like a thousand years. He knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. He already has your future worked out.

Trying to make this life comfortable is another trap. This world will never satisfy because this is not our home! It’s quickly passing away. We will always long for eternity because it’s what we were made for. People who don’t realize this try to fill the desire with more stuff, money, pleasures, or success. It’s a losing battle. Only when we know the love of Jesus and our eternal future with Him can we live a fulfilling life on this earth. This joy is what the world wants. We need to show them where it comes from!

In Psalm 90:12, the psalmist asks God to teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Focusing on the temporary will blind us from what’s important. We’ll miss the times we should be serving someone in need, shepherding our children or encouraging someone in the faith. Satan wants us distracted with stuff like our bank account, the news, and social media. These tools can be useful, but they can also waste time. Take inventory of your time and your focus.

This world will make you crazy if you let it. It’s a mess! But Heaven is spotless. Colossians 3:2 reminds us to set our affections on things above, not on the things of this earth. This life is a tiny speck in the timeline of eternity. The kingdom of Heaven won’t have terrorists or disease. There won’t be any sadness or crying. Things won’t rust and fall apart and there won’t be any clutter. What is unseen should be our focus, rather than what is seen. Because what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.

We love y’all and we’re always saving you a seat at Community Family Church!

Pastor Tom


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