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What Does it Look Like to Set Your Minds on Things Above?

by Marci Ferrell
Christian Living Encouragement Evangelism Ministry

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Being heavenly minded will guide our earthly responses to any situations and relationships the Lord has put in our paths. @mferrell

Being heavenly minded will guide our earthly responses to any situations and relationships the Lord has put in our paths. @mferrell

This past weekend our church had an outreach at our state fair to hand out water bottles and gospel tracts. It reminded my heart how often it lacks focus on the things above. I can be more earthly minded instead of heavenly minded. So, I’m reading and pondering what it means to have minds and hearts set on things above.

It was interesting how many people were a bit surprised the water was free and how easily they accepted a tract along with the water bottles. The water was a temporary fix to their thirst as the day was a warm one, but Jesus’ words to the woman at the well rang as a reminder to all of us sharing the good news with others that day:

“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” ~ John 4:13-14

As the faces passed me by and there was an opportunity to engage in conversations or just simply hand a tract I thought how hard it is to tell who the Christians are among the crowd. We’re all just ordinary looking people; we don’t stand out in a crowd just because we’re Christians.  There were believers in the crowd, but until we chatted with one another about Jesus, they would’ve been just another face passing by.

I know salvation is of the Lord, but it reminded me how thankful I am for those in my past who shared the good news with me even when my heart wasn’t ready to receive it. At the time I may have been annoyed by them or rolled my eyes saying inside, “here they go again with that Jesus stuff.” But, seeds were being planted and watered over the many years of my life. God used each of those that was faithful in sharing the gospel with me to bring me to salvation at His appointed time. 

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  ~Romans 10:15-17

I’m thankful for the times the Lord gives us to step out and be reminded there is a lost world around us and it shows us how we can get preoccupied with earthly things. My focus has been more on the things of this earth than one that is on things that are above. I can get caught up in things like my desires, dreams, failures, my agenda, belongings, etc.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.                    ~ Colossians 3:1-2

We’ve all heard the quote that “He is too heavenly minded to be any earthly good,” but I’ve never met anyone too heavenly minded.

I needed to step away from the world, my little world, to truly see the world. I needed the reminder that this world is temporal, but His world is eternal.

I needed to step away from the world, my little world, to truly see the world. I needed the reminder that this world is temporal, but His world is eternal. Click to Tweet

So what does it mean to set our minds on things above?

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:3-4

If we’re in Christ, we have died to sin, and we’re now alive in Christ (Romans 7, Galatians 2:20). We have also been raised with Christ. We’re enabled by the Holy Spirit to set our minds on things above. We’ve been given new hearts in Christ that now desire Heaven.

This doesn’t mean we walk around acting super spiritual or chanting or in some kind of trance. It doesn’t mean that we just quote scripture at people all day or just sit and read our Bibles from morning to night. It doesn’t mean we become monks and never leave our homes or interact with the world around us.

Being heavenly minded doesn’t take away the reality that we have been given tasks to take care of on this earth. We have families to love and care for. Church family and friends to meet the needs of and the reminder that we are to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those around us. To do that we need to be out and about in the world.

Being heavenly minded will guide our earthly responses to any situations and relationships the Lord has put in our paths. Click to Tweet

Being heavenly minded will guide our earthly responses to any situations and relationships the Lord has put in our paths. 

“We will worship what we set our minds on…what we behold. So it makes sense for the apostle Paul to remind us in various ways through his letters to the churches: Set your minds on things above.”

~ Ruth Chou Simons, Gracelaced: Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons of the Heart

God has given us new hearts with new desires. Our lives are hidden with Christ. Ponder this my dear sisters who are in Christ: When God looks at Jesus He sees you and when God looks at you, He sees Jesus. 

Ponder this my dear sisters who are in Christ: When God looks at Jesus He sees you and when God looks at you, He sees Jesus. Click to Tweet

This truth alone should keep a smile on my face no matter the circumstances of my life. In Christ, I have been given God’s wisdom and power and knowledge. It is always available to me. This is a reason for loving gratitude and obedience towards my Savior. This is the reason to desire to set my heart and affections on things that are above. This is the reason for telling others about Jesus.

The word “seek” in Colossians 3:1 is in the present tense that means we should be continuously seeking.

What does this look like in our day to day lives? How do we seek the things that are above? We need to continually set our hearts and minds on the truths of scripture. We need to set our affections on Christ with loving gratitude for what His death on the Cross has accomplished for us.

To be more like Jesus, we have to spend time with Jesus.

When our minds are preoccupied with Him, they won’t be preoccupied with the things of this earth.

“The best Christian living comes from minds that are fixed on heaven.”

~ David Guzik

“Setting our minds on things that are above” is something we must choose to do as it’s in the imperative, so it is a command. The world, the flesh, and the devil want to control our minds, but God wants to transform our minds (Romans 12:2). How does God transform our minds? By the Work of the Holy Spirit within us and God’s Word.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. ~Romans 12:2

The word transformed in Romans 12:2 is in the passive voice so it’s something being done to us and it’s in the present tense so it is a continual process. “Be transformed” is also in the imperative mood (command) so we are given some responsibility in the work. What would that be? Having obedient, tender hearts that are submissive to the Spirit’s work in us.

The Scriptures were not given for our information, but for our transformation.

~ D. L. Moody

The renewal of our minds is now possible as believers. Our new mind in Christ gives us the potential to see life how God sees it. God now takes our self-centered, selfish, normal way of seeing life and gives us a point of view we would never have been able to see without the work of His Spirit within us.

This transforming and renewing of our minds comes about from intake of the living and active Word of God. God’s Word is not just given to us to inform but to transform. He’s not looking for smarter saints but saints who are growing more in Christlikeness by allowing the Spirit to work in their lives as they read and meditate on the Word.

Our world needs Christians to be what they are—heavenly people. We have true hope to share with a world that is hurting and without hope. John MacArthur described it so simply:

“Your inside lives in heaven and your outside lives here.”

Others Focused:

Those moments when I’m sharing the gospel with others my heart is focused on Christ. Self quickly fades away from the picture. I depend on the Holy Spirit to give me the words I need as I listen to them and pray before I speak. It’s in those times when the focus is off self and on Christ and others that I’m seeking the things that are above. I’m not worried about my agenda. I’m not worried about the fear of man. I’m not worried about what time it is.

My heart is steadfast on the Lord as I pray for Him to open the eyes of the lost to Christ. My heart is focused on prayer and my dependence on the Holy Spirit. I’m reminded of what the Lord has saved me from as I share the gospel. Sharing the gospel with someone else reminds my heart of the great sacrifice Christ made on my behalf. My joy is renewed. My heart is focused on truth, and there is great freedom in self-forgetfulness.

When our lives are hidden in Christ with God, then our desires will be in submission to Christ. We become invisible so Christ can become visible. Self-focused turns to Christ-focused. 

What areas of our lives are we not submitting to Him or promoting our own identity or agenda? Where are we serving with minds and hearts that are not set on things above? 

As unbelievers, we had our thoughts on things of this earth. It was all we knew. As believers, we can still get trapped in this thinking and more focused on earthly things over heavenly things. We need these reminders in these verses in Colossians 3:1-4.

I pray as we go about serving our families and others, even as we go about our mundane tasks of the day that our minds will be set supremely upon Jesus and we would have a focus to further His eternal kingdom over our temporary one.

Do we see the needs of the lost and hurting world around us and see them with the heart of Jesus? Do we respond to our husband and children with the love and grace we’ve been offered? Are our hearts others focused and not self-focused?

Jesus is everything, and I hope He is the center of our universe. I pray He will help us to set our minds above and one way we can do this is by being in the Word daily. It’s in the Word where the Lord can fill our minds and thoughts on things above.

“Do you like this phrase, when Christ, who is our life? Fabulous. He is our life. I’ve often said that Christ, doesn’t give life, he is life. He gives himself. When he appears at his second coming, we will be manifest with him in glory.”

~ John MacArthur, Living the Risen Life

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.   ~ Philippians 4:8

“Lord enable us to “take every thought captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5) so that obedience, worship, and praise might overflow from eyes, minds, and hearts set on You.”

~ Ruth Chou Simons, Gracelaced: Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons of the Heart

 

Related Resources:

Gracelaced: Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons of the Heart by Ruth Chou Simons

Living Waters Gospel Tracts

How to Preach the Gospel to Yourself

Simple Ways to Share the Gospel as a Family

Sharing the Gospel in Your Sphere of Influence

Way of the Master Student Edition by Ray Comfort (Don’t let student edition deter you, this is a great resource for all ages)

Podcast Ep 15: Prioritizing God’s Word When Life is Busy

My Favorite Bible Study Tools

 

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Related posts:

  1. How to Be Perfectly Miserable
  2. 9 Questions to Examine Your Heart
  3. Podcast Ep 49: The Benefits of Abiding in Christ
  4. Blessed are the Pure in Heart


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Marci Ferrell
Whether you're running errands, doing household ch Whether you're running errands, doing household chores, or sipping your coffee, you can do it in style, reminding yourself and others you are a Thankful Homemaker 🥰⁣
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Shop TH Gear at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image).
What do you think of when you hear the word discer What do you think of when you hear the word discernment? The dictionary defines it as making a distinction between good and evil and truth and falsehood. As believers, we all desire to be discerning and wise in our choices. As we mature and grow in our knowledge of the scriptures, the hope is we will use that information to make choices in line with God's will.⁣
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We become discerning people by not just knowing what to think but how to think. Being spiritually discerning is an ability to see the world the way God does. This comes about as we grow and mature spiritually into the likeness of Christ. It is about seeing “All That's Good.”⁣
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Read Seeking Whatever is Good at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
“Waiting exposes our idols and throws a wrench i “Waiting exposes our idols and throws a wrench into our coping mechanisms. It brings us to the end of what we can control and forces us to cry out to God. God doesn’t waste our waiting. He uses it to conform us to the image of his Son.”⁣
~ Betsy Childs Howard⁣
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Listen in to EP 23: Seasons of Waiting at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
As I’m sharing this episode, I’m finding mysel As I’m sharing this episode, I’m finding myself in a waiting room on the Lord, and it’s been a long one, and I don’t see an end near.  It has reminded me that when I gave myself to Him, I gave up my “right” to be in charge. The reality is we never were in charge anyway; we just came to that understanding when the Lord opened our eyes to His sovereign control over our lives.⁣
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Even though it is a truth I know or we know, how many times do we want to think that somehow we can effect change in our life situations?⁣
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Waiting is hard because there is no guarantee that my waiting will end in this lifetime. One thing I have learned – my waiting has deepened my trust in the Lord and has helped me to develop patience, perseverance, and endurance.⁣
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It’s also given me different eyes to see with compassion others who are in a season of waiting.⁣
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Listen in to EP 23 Seasons of Waiting at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
Six questions I have written in my Bible that have Six questions I have written in my Bible that have been a help to me over the years may be a help to you, too, to be prayerful and slow to speak. These are helpful questions not just in our friendships but in our marriages and with our children, and truly any of our relationships:⁣
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1. Is this the time to say this?⁣
2. Am I the person to say this?⁣
3. Is it necessary?⁣
4. Is it true?⁣
5. Is it kind?⁣
6. Do I need to say this?⁣
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Listen in to EP 140: Threats to Biblical Friendship at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
We all know that fostering true biblical friendshi We all know that fostering true biblical friendship isn’t easy – it takes work. Jesus told us in John 16:33 that we’re going to have trouble in this world, and trouble does touch all our lives in various areas, but this includes our friendships too.⁣
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We’ll be hurt; we’ll be the ones hurting others; selfishness is a battle; jealousy and envy raise their ugly heads; we have our fears and insecurities, failed expectations, the damage our tongues do to one another, not appropriating the gospel and these all come from hearts that are still battling sin. ⁣
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So when these threats to our friendship with one another in Christ come up, it shouldn’t surprise us that we have these issues, but what we need to keep at the forefront of our minds is how we respond and deal with them when they do come up. ⁣
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I want to walk us through some of these threats, and this list I’m working with isn’t exhaustive – there are many more threats than what I am addressing today – but these are areas that stood out to me that have been a battle within some of my friendships over the years. Sadly, it is often the sin I’m battling in my heart, and I need to get my thinking, attitudes, and actions lined up with God’s Word.⁣
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Listen to EP 140 Threats to Biblical Friendship at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
May we be women who are willing to return to the a May we be women who are willing to return to the authority of God’s Word, embrace God’s priorities for our lives and homes, and live out the beauty and wonder of womanhood as God created it to be.⁣
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Read more at The History of Modern Feminism at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
Women will never find fulfillment and satisfaction Women will never find fulfillment and satisfaction by trying to be "like" men and shedding their uniqueness as a female.  They will only find satisfaction in Christ.⁣
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Come read The History of Modern Feminism at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
“Complaining will seem increasingly ugly when yo “Complaining will seem increasingly ugly when you let the beauty of God’s Word transform your words.” ⁣
~ Ronnie Martin⁣
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Listen in to EP 24: Dealing with Our Grumbling & Complaining at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
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