Heavenly mindedness requisite for readiness for the imminent rapture. ( Click here for more details. )

Heavenly mindedness requisite for readiness for the imminent rapture.

Colossians  3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Beloved brethren, our Lord Jesus Christ informed His Church of the certainity of His coming back to receive them unto Himself.

John  14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

He also informed His loving Father in heaven of His  passion to have His church to be with Him for all eternity.

John  17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

He then urged them to do everything to be ready, because His coming shall be without notice and sudden.

Matthew  24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,  24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  24:41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.  24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

To help you in particular not to be caught unaware of the imminent rapture, you must endeavour not to fall into the category of miserable professors of religion. Listen.

Luke  21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.  21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.  21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

1 Corinthians  15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Revelation  3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;  3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.  3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Our Lord encouraged His faithful followers to give priority to heavenly things in their pursuit in life.

Matthew  6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

To always ensure that their lifestyle is in consonance with God’s unfailing unchanging infallible eternal words at all times.

Matthew  4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The blessed Holy Spirit affirmed the words of Christ by urging Bible believing believers to live a lifestyle of risen Christians.

Listen again.

Colossians  3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Romans  6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Romans  6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.  6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Galatians  2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Ephesians  2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Like Christ the blessed Holy Spirit urges Bible believing believers to set their affections on heavenly things, for them not to be swayed by the wiles and ploys of satan and be ensnared.

Colossians  3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Psalms  73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

Matthew  6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Romans  8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.,

2 Corinthians  4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Philippians  3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:  3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

He gave them examples of those who have gone before them.

Hebrews  11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.  11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.  11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

The blessed Holy Spirit equally informed them where Jesus is presently sitting and where they shall sit with Him for all eternity.

Matthew  26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mark  14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?  14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mark  16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Acts  7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

Romans  8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

.Ephesians  1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Hebrews  1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hebrews  12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter  3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

To help Bible believing believers to meet Christ at the right hand of the Father the blessed Holy Spirit encouraged them on things that must characterise their lives till Christ comes.

Life time pursuit.

Colossians  3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Walking in the spirit.

Romans  8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Not loving the world.

1 John  2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

In addition the blessed Holy Spirit affirmed that Jesus will certainly appear and they should live in readiness at all times.

Colossians  3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

1 Timothy  6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Timothy  4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Titus  2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Hebrews  9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

1 Peter  5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

1 John  2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

1 John  3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Lastly the blessed Holy Spirit reveals to them what their lots shall be, when Jesus meet them in readiness.

Shinning in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew  13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Received unto Christ.

John  14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Being with Him for all eternity.

John  17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Having eternal bodies.

Philippians  3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Certainly meeting Him in the air.

1 Thessalonians  4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Beloved Brethren having these exhorations from both our Lord Jesus Christ and the blessed Holy Spirit, let us endeavour to be heavenly minded, so that when our Lord comes, we will be aware and go with Him.

Let us pray.

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