Bible League: Living His Word Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. — Colossians 3:1-2 NLT Seasickness can be a very unpleasant experience for an individual. If you have ever had motion sickness when travelling in a car or an amusement park ride, you may also be susceptible to seasickness while in a boat. The unpleasant feeling of dizziness, nausea, and fatigue is a result of a conflict in the inner ear, where the human balance mechanism resides, and the unpleasant feeling usually goes away when the motion stops. While travelling in a boat, the erratic motion on the water can cause one to be seasick. And the solution to the problem is usually to look straight ahead at a fixed point, such as the horizon. In addition, relax and breathe slowly while focusing on the breathing. It is amazing how looking straight ahead at the horizon instantly makes you feel better. Therefore, it is safe to assume that when your focus is on your immediate surroundings (the waves and the erratic motion of the boat) you feel terrible; but when your focus is on the far horizon, you are able to ride the very same unstable environment with ease. The ride of life is very similar, isn't it? Often, the wind and the waves of life can cause our souls to feel anxious, and uncomfortable in many ways. When our focus is on our immediate surroundings—problems, challenges, disappointments, and heartbreaks—the anxiety can envelop us and steal our joy and peace. The erratic motion of your lifeboat has caused you to feel seasick. But God's Word reminds us to set our sights on the far horizon, the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. God's Word reminds us to think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. We already know that we are headed to God's kingdom. We know that we are citizens of heaven; a place where there is no sorrow, no pain, and no tears. We know our God is a God of justice. We know our future is in a place where there is immense love and joy for eternity. Therefore, set your sights on the realities of heaven. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Relax and breathe slowly while thanking God for the breath. Look straight ahead at the horizon. Remember the story of Peter walking on water? As long as Peter's eyes were on Jesus, he walked on water. Amazing! Peter literally walked on water! But as soon as he saw the wind and the waves, he began to sink. Lesson learned: keep your eyes on Jesus. The apostle Paul was beaten, stoned, left to die, was in a shipwreck, thrown into prison, rejected by friends... and yet he set his sights on heaven, not the things of earth. And as a result, we have much of the New Testament that he wrote to encourage us to do the same. We live in a world full of turmoil. We live in a very volatile world where anything could happen anytime. Amidst the chaos, there are people and acquaintances who try to influence our thoughts in one way or another. But let us heed God's Word and set our sights on what we know to be true. Let us think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Life's "seasickness" has no hold over those whose sights are set on the realities of heaven. By Santosh Chandran, Bible League International staff, New Zealand Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading2 Samuel 13, 14 2 Samuel 13 -- Amnon and Tamar; Amnom Killed by Absalom NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Samuel 14 -- The Widow of Tekoa; Absalom Recalled NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 20:1-26 Luke 20 -- Jesus' Authority; Parable of the Tenants; Give to Caesar; Marriage at the Resurrection NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion A quarrelsome wife is as annoyingas constant dripping on a rainy day. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold something with greased hands. Insight Quarrelsome nagging, a steady stream of unwanted advice, is a form of torture. People nag because they think they're not getting through, but nagging hinders communication more than it helps. Challenge When tempted to engage in this destructive habit, stop and examine your motives. Are you more concerned about yourself—getting your way, being right—than about the person you are pretending to help? If you are truly concerned about other people, think of a more effective way to get through to them. Surprise them with words of patience and love, and see what happens. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Revelation 3:20 If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.What is your desire this evening? Is it set upon heavenly things? Do you long to enjoy the high doctrine of eternal love? Do you desire liberty in very close communion with God? Do you aspire to know the heights, and depths, and lengths, and breadths? Then you must draw near to Jesus; you must get a clear sight of him in his preciousness and completeness; you must view him in his work, in his offices, in his person. He who understands Christ, receives an anointing from the Holy One, by which he knows all things. Christ is the great master-key of all the chambers of God; there is no treasure-house of God which will not open and yield up all its wealth to the soul that lives near to Jesus. Are you saying, "O that he would dwell in my bosom"? "Would that he would make my heart his dwelling-place forever"? Open the door, beloved, and he will come into your souls. He has long been knocking, and all with this object, that he may sup with you, and you with him. He sups with you because you find the house or the heart, and you with him because he brings the provision. He could not sup with you if it were not in your heart, you finding the house; nor could you sup with him, for you have a bare cupboard, if he did not bring provision with him. Fling wide, then, the portals of your soul. He will come with that love which you long to feel; he will come with that joy into which you cannot work your poor depressed spirit; he will bring the peace which now you have not; he will come with his flagons of wine and sweet apples of love, and cheer you till you have no other sickness but that of "love o'erpowering, love divine." Only open the door to him, drive out his enemies, give him the keys of your heart, and he will dwell there forever. Oh, wondrous love, that brings such a guest to dwell in such a heart! Daily Light on the Daily Path 2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.Colossians 1:19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, Hebrews 1:3,4 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, • having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. Philippians 2:6,7 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, • but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Matthew 8:20 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, • whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, • and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. 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