Set Your Sights on Things Eternal
What does it mean to set your sights on things eternal. Well first let's ask ourselves what does eternal mean and what kinds of things are eternal. Eternal - Lasts through out all eternity. As in forever. Never ending. Never going away. Never fading but always remaining. Eternal things then are those things which last forever. Will money last forever? No. Will cars last forever? No. Will fame last forever? No. There are some things that are only temporary. Like pain, sorrow or fortune. The bible tell us to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Why? Well for one, those things will be there for us forever. The Bible says not to set our eyes on things that are temporary but on things that are eternal. Why? Temporary things will disappoint us and as we are spending our time focusing on what isn't going to last anyway. We are wasting so much time. Time we could be using persuing things that are eternal. Take for example spending hours a day on the internet. Or wollowing in self pity - waste of time. But what about giving of your time or money (things that are temporary) to someone in need. This need that you have fulfilled is eternal and the temporary time spent is now eternal. It's a treasure that you have just stored up in heaven. Let's take this one step further - What kinds of things do we focus on that are temporary? Things we know are not going to last a life time let alone all eternity.
Aahh haa, now to the heart of the reason for this lesson - Boyfriends and girlfriends.. Temporary or eternal? There is only one of two things that will happen in any and every boyfriend - girlfriend relationship. Either you will marry the person or you will break up. For someone who has multiple relationships there are many break-ups. Some would argue that you need to have many boyfriends or girlfriends otherwise how are you going to meet your wife or husband? I might be able to agree with that if I did not know God and know that He does not need our help in finding our spouse; If I did not rely on Him to bring the best; If I did not believe that there is someone out there that is ordained to be my spouse and only God knows who he/she is; basically if I did not trust God. See here's the thing - We have all kinds of guidance and teaching in the Bible concerning husbands and wives; Concerning relationships; Concerning love and covenant. Nothing we read points us in the direction of having boyfriends or girlfriends. A boyfriend or girlfriend is generally temporary. If God says not to set your eyes on things that are temporary why are we always looking for just that? And for the majority of you reading this right now, you know the relationship is temporary going into it. You might like to fantasize about how this guy or girl is sooooo amazing and you guys will be "together 4 - ever," but in your heart of hearts you know it is only a matter of time when it will end. Tell me how this type of living reflects the character of God. It does not. God is not in and out of relationships. He is not temporary. Giving Himself to one for a while and then to another. He is a covenant God. He is a forever God.
We do so many things because we lack knowledge. The Bible even tell us that His people parish because of the lack of it. We fail to check things out for ourselves to see what is really right. We do many things because we are just following the crowd. And mostly we do things contrary to the character of God because we are following the ways of the world. We keep God in a box and we put only the stuff that we think He cares about or has something to say about in that box with him . Have you ever stopped to ask and really listen to what God has to say about having boyfriends or girlfriends? The worlds wisdom will fail you. It will not last. You must come away from the worlds thinking. Do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind through the word of God. We have to let the word of God wash our mind sets and bad thinking away.
I'm curious, how many boyfriends or girlfriends will you have before you finally marry? And when you are standing there at the altar on your wedding day looking into the face of the one you will remain with for the rest of your life. The one you are giving your heart to forever, how will you feel assuming that your bride/ groom has lived the same way you have? How will you feel about all the girls he has spoken to the way he should only speak to you. How will you feel about all the girls he has paid attention to, girls he said I love you to or looked upon lustfully, or touched inappropriately. How will you feel about the kisses he has given another? Kisses that are meant to be shared by two people who would give their lives for each other. How will you feel about all the kisses you have given to another, about the times you have allowed other guys to touch you. Guys how will you feel standing and looking into the face of the one you say you love with all your heart, the one you would die for, knowing you did not save yourself for her? ( I'm not just talking about sex here.) You will have to face the fact that you chose to be romantic and intimate with someone other than the one standing before you now, who is about to take your name and your hand forever. Will the memories of these temporary relationships remain in your mind? And how much learned behavior from time spent in ungodly relationships will you carry into your marriage? How will it feel knowing that your bride, your groom has given their heart to others before you? And let me say right here that anything that is not of God, is called ungodly.
One of two things will happen in every boyfriend- girlfriend relationship; either you will marry that person or you will break up. I'd venture to say that at the age of 12, 13, 14 even 17, and 18 you are probably not ready to be a wife or husband. I personally know people right now in their twenties who know they are not ready to be a wife or a husband and in godly wisdom they are waiting on Him and spending their time preparing themselves for this life time covenant - time eternal, not time waisted. AWESOME!
You know it really doesn't seem to be much different in our youth groups today than it is in the outside world. Think about it. How many people do you know who have "gone out" with like, half the youth group? One week they are going out with Suzy Q or Johnny J and the next they are going out with Betty B and Tommy T until before you know it, nearly everyone has dated everyone. What is that? Is this ok with you? Is this ok with God? NO! It is not.
There are like a gazillion reasons that having a boyfriend or girlfriend may not be right. How about your heart being divided? What do you think about all time? If you are not dating you are thinking about dating.. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend you are thinking about them. Your heart becomes divided when your thoughts become divided. God is not looking for a divided heart. He is looking for those whose hearts are fully His. He does not want to compete for your time. Nor does He deserve to contend for your heart, for your love, for your adoration, for your devotion.
Go after God with all your heart your soul your mind and your strength.
Aahh haa, now to the heart of the reason for this lesson - Boyfriends and girlfriends.. Temporary or eternal? There is only one of two things that will happen in any and every boyfriend - girlfriend relationship. Either you will marry the person or you will break up. For someone who has multiple relationships there are many break-ups. Some would argue that you need to have many boyfriends or girlfriends otherwise how are you going to meet your wife or husband? I might be able to agree with that if I did not know God and know that He does not need our help in finding our spouse; If I did not rely on Him to bring the best; If I did not believe that there is someone out there that is ordained to be my spouse and only God knows who he/she is; basically if I did not trust God. See here's the thing - We have all kinds of guidance and teaching in the Bible concerning husbands and wives; Concerning relationships; Concerning love and covenant. Nothing we read points us in the direction of having boyfriends or girlfriends. A boyfriend or girlfriend is generally temporary. If God says not to set your eyes on things that are temporary why are we always looking for just that? And for the majority of you reading this right now, you know the relationship is temporary going into it. You might like to fantasize about how this guy or girl is sooooo amazing and you guys will be "together 4 - ever," but in your heart of hearts you know it is only a matter of time when it will end. Tell me how this type of living reflects the character of God. It does not. God is not in and out of relationships. He is not temporary. Giving Himself to one for a while and then to another. He is a covenant God. He is a forever God.
We do so many things because we lack knowledge. The Bible even tell us that His people parish because of the lack of it. We fail to check things out for ourselves to see what is really right. We do many things because we are just following the crowd. And mostly we do things contrary to the character of God because we are following the ways of the world. We keep God in a box and we put only the stuff that we think He cares about or has something to say about in that box with him . Have you ever stopped to ask and really listen to what God has to say about having boyfriends or girlfriends? The worlds wisdom will fail you. It will not last. You must come away from the worlds thinking. Do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind through the word of God. We have to let the word of God wash our mind sets and bad thinking away.
I'm curious, how many boyfriends or girlfriends will you have before you finally marry? And when you are standing there at the altar on your wedding day looking into the face of the one you will remain with for the rest of your life. The one you are giving your heart to forever, how will you feel assuming that your bride/ groom has lived the same way you have? How will you feel about all the girls he has spoken to the way he should only speak to you. How will you feel about all the girls he has paid attention to, girls he said I love you to or looked upon lustfully, or touched inappropriately. How will you feel about the kisses he has given another? Kisses that are meant to be shared by two people who would give their lives for each other. How will you feel about all the kisses you have given to another, about the times you have allowed other guys to touch you. Guys how will you feel standing and looking into the face of the one you say you love with all your heart, the one you would die for, knowing you did not save yourself for her? ( I'm not just talking about sex here.) You will have to face the fact that you chose to be romantic and intimate with someone other than the one standing before you now, who is about to take your name and your hand forever. Will the memories of these temporary relationships remain in your mind? And how much learned behavior from time spent in ungodly relationships will you carry into your marriage? How will it feel knowing that your bride, your groom has given their heart to others before you? And let me say right here that anything that is not of God, is called ungodly.
One of two things will happen in every boyfriend- girlfriend relationship; either you will marry that person or you will break up. I'd venture to say that at the age of 12, 13, 14 even 17, and 18 you are probably not ready to be a wife or husband. I personally know people right now in their twenties who know they are not ready to be a wife or a husband and in godly wisdom they are waiting on Him and spending their time preparing themselves for this life time covenant - time eternal, not time waisted. AWESOME!
You know it really doesn't seem to be much different in our youth groups today than it is in the outside world. Think about it. How many people do you know who have "gone out" with like, half the youth group? One week they are going out with Suzy Q or Johnny J and the next they are going out with Betty B and Tommy T until before you know it, nearly everyone has dated everyone. What is that? Is this ok with you? Is this ok with God? NO! It is not.
There are like a gazillion reasons that having a boyfriend or girlfriend may not be right. How about your heart being divided? What do you think about all time? If you are not dating you are thinking about dating.. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend you are thinking about them. Your heart becomes divided when your thoughts become divided. God is not looking for a divided heart. He is looking for those whose hearts are fully His. He does not want to compete for your time. Nor does He deserve to contend for your heart, for your love, for your adoration, for your devotion.
Go after God with all your heart your soul your mind and your strength.