Minding God First

[Pastor Victor odero okello]

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:5-8). Being "after the flesh," and "minding the things of the flesh" simply means that someone is putting their priority on the things of this life. Same goes for being "after the Spirit." It's not a matter of what we think we're putting our priorities on, or on what we say we're putting our priorities on. It comes down to what we are demonstrating from day to day. Being carnally minded or spiritually minded is not something that is subject to opinion, it's a matter of fact either way. We are what we're conditioning ourselves to be, according to what we are doing consistently, and/or what we are not doing. The apostle Paul gave the following admonition to Timothy regarding this reality: "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all" (I Tim. 4:13-15). The point is that whatever we are really putting our priorities on is going to show up in our lives. We are being made manifest now for what we have been conditioning ourselves to become. If that is a good thing then we obviously need to continue "seeking first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness" (Mat. 6:33). If what is showing up is not so good, then we need to "repent, and do the first works" (Rev. 2:5). And we should remember the following exhortation: "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation..." (Heb. 2:1-3). Amen.