Where Do Your Affections Lie?

We are blessed to have some excellent, thought-provoking sermons Rockport Baptist Church.  A few weeks ago, one of our elders-in-training (yes, elders and deacons go through a time of "testing" here, they don't just get the job because they are related to someone, or friends with someone, or tithe big, but I digress.....) Tim Dickmann delivered a sermon titled Seeking Christ.  The text for the sermon is Colossians 3:1-4,
3:1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

I have listened to this several times, and have pondered it over the last month.  


Am I setting my mind on the things above, instead of the things of the earth?  Am I engrossed in seeking Christ?  Above all else?

Where do my affections lie?  Our affections for the world diminish our affections for Christ.  Likewise, our affections for Christ will diminish our affection for the things of this world.

Where are my affections?  Do I do a bit of Bible study in the morning and then figure I've taken care of that for the day?  Go to church on Sunday and think that I've done my job and that should tide me over until next week?

No, a thousand times no.  I want my day to be filled with seeking Christ, in all that I do.  I want my affections to be for Him alone- my husband, the children, the work (even the schoolwork) can all wait - they must be put in their place. If something else is taking the place that Christ is to have in my life then I need to be violent with that, and remove it.  Lest someone misunderstand- does that mean that I should sit in my chair with my Bible all day, while my house falls apart, my husband is neglected and my children starve?  Of course not.  But it means that my desire is for Christ and that as I go about my day, I serve in order to glorify him.  My love and care for my family is to be a reflection of my love for Christ.  Without  Christ, I am unable to truly love them.  

This ties in with some of my ponderings the last few weeks about Martha.  You know Martha.  Overworked, trying to make a perfect dinner party, while Mary sits around.  Poor Martha.  I have always thought that Martha got a bum rap.

But wait - what is this - 

Luke 10:40-42

40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Christ was not chastising her for making dinner, or even for complaining.  But Martha was distracted.  Distracted - to have her mind stirred up or confused with conflicting emotions or motives. 

Her busyness, her projects, her worldly ambitions - these things distracted her from the one thing that is necessary - Christ.  

Can I say I love Christ if I do not sit at His feet?  Or care for His word?  If I do not spend time with him?  If I do not seek to obey, honor and glorify him in all things?  If I don't show love for the brethren?   I don't want to be distracted, I don't want my affections to be diminished by a love of this world.

 All things to ponder.

If you want to hear this wonderful preaching, here is the link:

http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=rockportbaptist

I wore blue jeans to church

Yesterday I wore jeans to church.  Levis, to be precise.  I know a lot of people wear jeans to church.  There were a lot of people AT church in jeans yesterday.  My husband and sons wear jeans most Sundays.  So, I wore jeans and who cares, right?

Well, I did half-expect the building to get hit by lightning when I walked in, so that could be a cause for concern.

I don't think I have EVER worn jeans to church.  I don't mind that other people do.  Maybe it is just an old-fashioned tradition.  But I have always, since I was a child, "dressed up" for church.  I have certainly worn slacks, but they were dress slacks.  Growing up, I had "school clothes", "play clothes" and "dress clothes".  As an adult, I worked in offices that ranged from "office dressy" (pencil skirts, pumps, usually a jacket) to "office casual" (slacks, Dockers, casual skirts with low-heel or flat shoes).  But never jeans.  I did once work in an office where we could wear jeans on Friday, but someone got crazy and wore tennis shoes and that was the end of that.

Anyway, I have always LIKED to get dressed up on Sunday.  Especially now - I stay at home most days with the kiddos, and that means sweats.  The days I go into town it is jeans and a t-shirt.  When we go to any sort of event - it is jeans and whatever.  Dress 'em up with a fancier shirt and shoes, but still jeans. 

So this Sunday the parking lot at church still had a lot of ice on it, and I start thinking how ridiculous it is to try to find the right "dress shoes" to wear to walk across ice.  I need to wear casual, comfortable flats (with some traction).  Those usually don't look too hot with a dress.  So I thought.....I guess I could wear jeans.  I mentioned this to my husband.  He said, "I don't see why not, lots of people do, why wouldn't you?"  (It is funny sometimes how I can approach him with huge, life-changing issues and he seems oblivious to all that.)

Well, then, why wouldn't I?  Hmmmm, I don't know.  I like to think I always get dressed up as a sign of respect for church - that coming together to worship is worth getting dressed up for.  But I meet with other Christians all the time, and I don't dress up then.  We have fellowship every Wednesday night, with prayer, singing and Bible study, and I don't dress up for that, either. 

Could it be vanity?  A little pride slipping out?  That is a sin that God convicts me of, over and over. 

I watched a clip of Francis Chan a few weeks back, and he said he wore jeans on Sunday because he wore them every other day and he wanted to be the same person Sunday as the rest of the week.  He didn't want to be a different person when he showed up for church.  I know a lot of people who put on a "Sunday face" at church - we can all be nice and act like a Christian for 2 hours a week, right?  Okay, digressing there...but think about it - if I am to carry who I am out of that church building and into the world, if my life is not to have "compartments" (I have used a lot of " " in this post!) where I seperate the secular from the holy, then why would my closet have these same compartments?

Just some meandering thoughts. 

I will probably still wear skirts most of the time - mainly because I have a closet full of skirts and no where else to wear them!  I think the chickens would wonder what I was up to if I showed up all decked out to fill their feeders, you know.  And I just like them, especially when it gets warm outside.

But I don't HAVE to wear them.  I can wear a skirt, and a pair of heels, because I enjoy it, and because I want to, not because I feel some legalistic compulsion to OR ELSE.  I don't even feel the need to point out that they were new jeans, not particularily tight or immodest, or even bring up the safety issue of the ice on the parking lot.  Okay, so I did just bring them up, but I didn't HAVE to.  I am getting there.

Freedom.

Finding Home

In September I attended the True Woman Conference  in Indianapolis, IN.  This was an incredible weekend of worship and learning - plus I got to go with some really fun ladies.  We were having so much fun talking and laughing that first night that the occupants of the room next to us started beating on the wall at 1:30 a.m. for us to be quiet!  You know you are having fun when that happens!  We were properly chastised, though, and meekly said goodnight and turned off our lights for much-needed sleep.

Anyway, since the conference I have been following the True Woman blog and website, and this little gem popped up today, and I thought I'd share it with you.

Finding The Right Church for You

I will second so much of this.  My family left our church home of over 10 years last Spring, for various reasons that had been sort of "gelling" over time.  It was just time, and it was hard, but God has led us the whole way.  So this is a topic that is so much on our hearts right now, and the focus of so much prayer - because you know, it really is easy to see how people can start to feel like they are "shopping" for a church.  Do I like the music, what about the programs, how well did the softball team do last year (you think I'm joking?).  But we are not consumers.  I have a whole lot of deep thoughts on the state of the church in America, and some of the shallowness and worldliness that is out there, and how so often it seems to overwhelm the true work of the Church. 

But I digress.  I always go back to "What is most important" in a church home. 

Doctrine. 

If the Word is preached and taught, if it is sound, if Christ is worshipped in truth, all else will fall into place.  Whether or not there are puppets and drama (okay, those are NOT selling points for me), how busy-busy-busy the ladies' groups are with fellowships and social activities (again, not a selling point), what kind of snacks are served in childrens' church (don't even get me started) - these should not be the things used to draw members to a church - only the opportunity to hear the Word taught, to spread the Gospel, to learn and worship, to give all glory to Christ alone. 

Exiting my soapbox for this morning.  If you made it this far, thanks for visiting!