Monday, August 17, 2020

Unless you are Heavenly Minded

 Unless you are heavenly minded, you cannot expect to be of much earthly good. When people forget the next world, things go terribly wrong for them in this one. Unless your mind is on Heaven, you will not know how to live on Earth. The only people who know how to live right on earth are Heavenly minded people.

Those who have their minds least on Heaven tend to make this world most like Hell. Look at the most hellish people, and you’ll see that their minds are furthest from Heaven. Look at yourself when you fall into sin, and you’ll notice your mind was not on Heavenly matters as it ought to have been.

Not only that, but the person who is not heavenly minded can never get through the troubles of this world in the manner the Christian can. The person who is not heavenly minded cannot say with Paul, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18). You cannot count the pains of this world to be unworthy of being compared to the pleasures of the next world if the pleasures of the next world are not dear to you in your mind.

Our Lord Jesus Christ endured the Cross, and despised its shame for the glory that was set before Him. We must endure our burdens the same, for the same reason. We must conform to Christ as Christ is formed in us more and more. If you are born again, glory is waiting for you. It’s coming, it’s inevitable, and you must look to that never ending pleasure at God’s right hand as you walk through troubles in this world.

Stir yourself up as you anticipate your guaranteed glory. The Holy Spirit has been given to you as a first fruits of that infinite harvest. The first fruits are the proof that the rest will also be given to you in due time. -- Joshua Arnold