Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Effective Christian Living Demands Heavenly-Minded Thinking

PHILIPPIANS 1:21-26 – For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.”

 

THEME OF THE DAY:  EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN LIVING DEMANDS HEAVENLY-MINDED THINKING.  The following story is a wonderful illustration applying today’s scripture.  It links heavenly thinking to effective living.  Though the individual was elderly and fading, a life of faithfulness was lived and linked directly to this saint’s heavenly outlook and thinking.   Here is the story.

 

An old man was very ill.  He had been ever so faithful to the Lord and his church.  One Lord’s Day, his pastor announced he would be preaching on heaven the next week.  During the week, the man wrote his pastor a beautiful letter.  The following is part of it.

 

“Next Sunday you are to talk about Heaven. I am interested in that land, because I have held a clear title to a bit of property there for over fifty-five years. I did not buy it. It was given to me without money and without price. But the Donor purchased it for me at tremendous sacrifice. I am not holding it for speculation since the title is not transferable. It is not a vacant lot. The great Architect and Builder of the Universe has been building a home for me which will never need to be remodeled nor repaired because it will suit me perfectly, individually, and will never grow old. Termites can never undermine its foundations for it rests on the Rock of Ages. Fire cannot destroy it. Floods cannot wash it away. No locks or bolts will ever be placed upon its doors, for no vicious person can ever enter that land where my dwelling stands, now almost completed and almost ready for me to enter in and abide in peace eternally, without fear of being ejected. There is a valley of deep shadow between the place where I live and that to which I shall journey in a very short time. I cannot reach my home in that City of Gold without passing through this dark valley of shadows. But I am not afraid because the best Friend I ever had went through the same valley long, long ago and drove away all its gloom. He has stuck by me through thick and thin, since we first became acquainted fifty-five years ago, and I hold His promise in printed form, never to forsake me or leave me alone. He will be with me as I walk through the valley of shadows, and I shall not lose my way when He is with me. I hope to hear your sermon on Heaven next Sunday from my home, but I have no assurance that I shall be able to do so. My ticket to Heaven has no date marked for the journey. Yes, I am all ready to go and I may not be here while you are talking next Sunday, but I shall meet you there some day.”

 

The key to effective Christian living now is to be constantly fixing our thoughts and affections on the then; when we see Jesus.  Apart from doubt, perhaps the greatest and most successful tactic the devil uses to defeat Christians and cool their affections for Christ is distraction.  If he can get our affections on the things of this world, taking our hearts off heaven and the next world, we become ineffective for Christ.

 

So, may the Lord help us to think more of the next life and seeing Christ instead of being attached to this life.  Our witness and work for Him depends on Him answering this prayer!

 

PRAYER: “Father, show me more and more of my Savior and what lies ahead in heaven with Him.”

 

QUOTE: “We will make the most impact for Christ in this world when we think more of Christ and the next world.”

 

Because of Him,

 

Pastor Jim