What you allow to rule your thoughts is what will determine your future! Isn’t it interesting that when people decide to surrender to the love of God and live by his grace, their life begins to be blessed, their marriage begins to be healed, and their children begin to serve the Lord? When people choose to fully surrender to the fact that God is no longer counting their sins against them (2Cor 5:19), heaven invades their life.

King Jotham chose to walk steadfastly before God and was therefore blessed by God! Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God. 2Chronicles 27:6 NLT  So, what exactly does that mean? It means that his mind was given over to thinking and acting upon God’s word! This is the key to life!

Through Moses, the Holy Spirit gave us what we now know as the blessings and curses of the law. Those blessings and curses let us know what would happen to those who would fully obey the law and those who wouldn’t.

Deuteronomy 28:1-6 (NIV) If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.  2 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:  3  You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.  4  The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.  5  Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.  6  You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go Jotham.

It is important to note that this is an Old Testament Scripture, and God is now looking for the obedience that comes from faith, not will-power or self-attained righteousness. Because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is of utmost importance that we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, not our own! Matthew 6:33

Just as no one drives their car without fuel, so we must not live our lives without being fueled daily with the word of God and prayer! Spending time with God and meditating on his truth is the best way to experience His righteousness living in you and flowing through you. What you set your mind on determines your future. King Jotham was blessed because he walked steadfastly with God! He chose to set his mind upon what God said was true.

The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that faith is what releases God’s favor, not our works! God knows that without him living through us, we cannot live righteously! Therefore, right believing always proceeds right living!

Colossians 3:1-4 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Your thoughts are the key to your future! You must set your mind on things above! “The me I see is the me I’ll be.” What you do with your thoughts today will determine where your life will be tomorrow!

Are your thoughts given over to God and his ways? I pray that this Encouraging Note inspires you to consider how important your thoughts are and that you will choose to set your mind on…

THINGS ABOVE