Colossians 3:2 - Be Heavenly Minded.
Colossians 3:2 (NIV) Set your minds on
things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:2 (NLT) Think about the things
of heaven, not the things of earth.
Colossians 3:2 (MSG) Don't shuffle along,
eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things
right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to
what is going on around Christ - that's where the
action is. See things from his perspective.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Set your mind on things above " How
might you do this?
A friend recently described to me her
daily ninety-minute commute.
"Ninety minutes!" I commiserated.
"Don't feel sorry for me." She smiled. "I
use the trip to think about God." She went on to
describe how she fills the hour and a half with
worship and sermons. She listens to entire books of
the Bible. She recites prayers. By the time she
reaches her place of employment, she is ready for
the day. "I turn my commute into my chapel."
Is there a block of time you can claim
for God? Perhaps you could turn off the network
news and open your Bible. Set the alarm fifteen
minutes earlier. Or rather than watch the TV as you
fall asleep, listen to an audio version of a
Christian book "If you abide in my word, you are truly
my disciples, and you will know the truth, and
the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32 ESV).
Free from fear. Free from dread. And, yes, free
from anxiety.
Set your mind on things above and be set
free. [You Can Count On God by Max Lucado]
COMMENTARY
Three Realities of Heaven
People have many misconceptions about
what heaven is like. You wont be an angel. You
wont have wings. Youre not going to be a
little chubby cherub, wear a white robe, or float
on clouds.
You need a correct view of heaven. The
Bible says in Colossians 3:1, 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 Gods right
hand (NLT).
So what does the Bible say about these
realities of heaven?
Heaven is where God lives and rules. The
Bible calls heaven the dwelling place of
God, the house of God, and the city of
God. As these phrases suggest, heaven is where
God lives.
But Jesus also calls heaven the
Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of heaven 31
times in Scripture. So heaven isnt just where
God lives; its also where he rules. Psalm
123:1 says, Lord, I look up to you, up to
heaven, where you rule (GNT).
Heaven is a real place. Heaven isnt a
state of mind. It isnt a state of being. And it
isnt a place where your essence floats around
like a ghost. Its a real place. In fact, the
Bible says there will be streets, trees, water,
and homes in heaven. Many Scripture passages
allude to the fact that animals are there. Youll
have your physical body, renewed through your
resurrection. And there will be a real place for your real
body to live: There are many rooms in my Father's
house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was
true. I am going there to prepare a place for each
of you (John 14:2 CEV).
And Jesus said in Matthew 6:20, Store
your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust
cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and
steal (NLT). You cant store up treasures in a
place that isnt real.
Heaven is designed for you and me. God
didnt design heaven for himself. He designed it
for his followers. The Bible says, Come, you
who are blessed by my Father; take your
inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you (Matthew
25:34 NIV).
When God started thinking about Earth, he
started thinking about heaven. The Bible says God
made the entire universe because he wanted a
family to spend eternity with. Heaven is the place
hes designed for his family, and heaven is an
amazing expression of his love.
People werent meant to live on Earth
forever. You and I were made for heaven! Hebrews
13:14 says, For this world is not our home; we
are looking forward to our everlasting home in
heaven (TLB). Once youve become a part of
Gods family, theres a whole lot more to life
than just here and now. Really, this world is not
your home; youre just passing through!
When it comes to heaven, No eye has
seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined
the things that God has prepared for those who
love him (1 Corinthians 2:9 GW). No matter
what youve dreamed up about heaven, the
reality will far exceed it! [Daily Devotional by
Rick Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
CLOSING THOUGHT
I get distracted easily. There is just so
much to think about, so many responsibilities. We
all have bills to pay, meetings to attend,
people to deal with, families to care for. No
wonder we can't keep our minds quiet during our
prayer time with God. Many times our minds get
pulled away from where they should be and focused
on what they shouldn't be, putting us at risk
of relapsing into old hurts, hang-ups, and
habits.
It happens to all of us from time to
time. It's not easy to stay focused on heavenly
things when the earthly things are making so much
more noise. The best and maybe the only way to
stay focused on the right things is to always
keep Jesus front and center. That means we
understand that he is with us throughout the day, as
close as our breath. He's always there to help us
at a moment's notice, encourage us, instruct
us, strengthen us, and protect us.
God knows who we are. He understands what
we're made of. That's why he sent his Holy Spirit
to dwell in us. He doesn't have to come from
some faraway place to hear us and help us. When
we focus on his presence within us, everything
else will fall into place.
Father, thank you for your Holy Spirit
that dwells within me, ready to help me stay
focused on those things that are most important. In
Jesus' name, Amen. [Celebrate Recovery Daily
Devotional by John & Johnny Baker]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Colossians 3:2 - Be Heavenly Minded.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220325-1012.html
Colossians 3:1-3 - How to Set Your Mind On
Things Above.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210313-0910.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
