Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – The Mind – Philippians 3:18-19 – Their God Is There Stomach – Growing As Disciples
For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. Philippians 3:18-19 (NIV)
Appetites
Your appetite will drive you. I’m not sure what you mean by that. If you hunger for all that the world has to offer that is what you will pursue. You will chase after money. You will be in a race to acquire things. You will live for all the comfort and pleasure that this world has to offer you. Your perspective will be colored only by what you can see in the here and now. Your mind will be set on earthly things. The world will become your idol. Your God will be your own stomach. Your end will lead to destruction. That is what I meant when I said that your appetite would drive you. I get it. You get what? I do not hunger for all that the world offers. I have no appetite for the comfort and pleasures of this world. My mind is not set on the things of this world. I’m not chasing after money. I’m not in a race to acquire things. The world is not my idol, nor is my stomach my god. I have a completely different hunger and thirst. I have a totally different perspective. I am pursuing what this world could never offer me. I want what the world could never give me. Tell me about that.
I want to know you. I hunger and thirst for you. I want to live in a close and intimate relationship with you. I want to know your will. I want to walk in your ways. I want to do what pleases you. You are the pursuit of my life. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. My eyes are not on the things of this world. My eyes are on you. I will follow you to where you lead me. I will do all that you ask of me. My end will not be destruction. No, it will not. I long for the day that I will one day come to live forever in heaven with you. On that day I want to be able to hear you say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That is why I am now living my life fully and completely with and for you. That is why the word and all that it offers does not feed my hunger or satisfy my thirst. Only you can feed my hunger and satisfy my thirst. That is why you are my pursuit. That is why I am following you. That is very good.
Lord, I no longer have an appetite for the things of the world. Thank you for giving me a hunger and thirst for you and the life you have called me to live. Thank you that it is my destiny to one day live forever in heaven with you. Amen
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