Colossians 3:1-3 ‘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. .

DAILY READING; Luke 9:28-62; Genesis 16; Psalm 9

Colton Burpo is the son of Todd Burpo, pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Imperial, Nebraska.
When Colton Burpo was 4 years old, he suffered a burst appendix and was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery. Colton suffered through a number of complications and even his doctors thought that he wouldn’t make it. But God answered his parent’s prayers and he miraculously, pulled through and made a full recovery.
When he came home, little Colton shocked his parents as he shared an astounding heavenly adventure of being with Jesus during his surgery. At first, his parents were skeptical, but when Colton started to reveal private details about his family that he couldn’t have possibly known at such a young age, his parents, were stunned!
Colton said during the surgery, he was able to look down and see his doctor operating on him, he saw his mother in a room calling people to pray, while his dad was yelling and praying in the waiting room.
He further shocked his parents by saying he had met his older sister in Heaven who had died in a miscarriage years before he was born, this was something no one had ever told him about. To make matters stranger, Colton said that he met his great-grandfather during his time in heaven, who had died 30 years before he was born, and correctly mentioned that his great-grandfather’s nickname was “Pops.”
As young Colton Burpo shared impossible-to-know details about his family, his parents had to agree that he must actually have had a Heavenly encounter..
His story about Heaven ignited much public curiosity that led to the writing of the book ‘Heaven is Real’. The book became a number 1 New York Times bestseller and the movie of the same title was a box office success and became the second-highest grossing Christian film of all time.

Indeed Heaven is real!
It’s a glorious destination that awaits true believers in Christ Jesus.
But while living in the midst of the hustle and bustle on the earth, it is sometimes difficult to maintain a Heavenly perspective. While we recognize the need to place our affection and attention on things above, we are often confronted by earthly realities that try to derail our focus .
Because man lives in a fallen world where sin and death abound, the enemy strives to keep him struggling with problems rather than focusing on God’s promises.
But as believers we must refuse to be entangled with the yoke of bondage, of living shallow, earth-bound lives.
We must choose to rise above
and focus our thoughts and heart on things above, and on the promises of God.

Colossians 3:1-3 says ‘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.”

The Greek word used for “set” in this verse, means “to seek after, strive for, be intent on.”
In the midst of earthly distractions, we grow in Heavenly mindedness by intently seeking after God’s Word.
Moses told the Israelites to turn to God’s word “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:7).
Likewise, we must constantly fill our life with God’s Word, through listening, reading and studying it. As we do, our minds will be constantly set on things above, and we will run our race with joy with focus on our Heavenly destination.

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me renewed appetite for Your Word so that I can remain spiritually sensitive and always maintain a Heavenly perspective and not be distracted as I run life’s race in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
There is more to you than meets the eyes. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. – WORDBITE 222.