“You have in fact been raised from the dead with Jesus—into Heaven, right next to God’s throne! Start changing your thinking about all that means for you. Relocate yourself mentally and spiritually from being earthbound to the fact that you are bi-locational and are now in Heaven also. Act like you’re in Heaven! See things here on earth from your new heavenly perspective. Feast on the fact that you can now experience heavenly realities, and not be so distracted with everything occurring on earth. Quit shuffling along in earth’s darkness and begin seeing things from the bright heights of Heaven.” –Colossians 3: 1, amplified and paraphrased
The lower you are, the less clearly you can see. The higher you are, the more clearly you can see. Believe this truth: YOU are seated “high” in the heavenlies with Jesus!
Here are only two among many similar biblical references about Jesus’ authority and control over absolutely everything that occurs on this earth: “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything on it, the entire world and all who dwell therein.” –Psalm 24: 1 “The kingdoms (nations) of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of Jesus, and He shall reign for the ages of the ages!” –Revelation 11: 15
Okay, as a follower of Jesus and believer of the Bible, do you or do you not believe the truth of those references?
I have asked that simple question for this reason: the more followers of Jesus I talk with these days, the more I find so many of them are living in abject fear about all that’s taking place on planet earth. The more they are worried about events around them, the more they are confused, the more they are distracted from what the Bible teaches…the less they are seeing from Heaven’s perspective.
In person and in ZOOM meetings, I meet together during most weeks with a number of other followers of Jesus (and some pre-followers), and it seems that for the most part many of those I meet with in person as individuals or groups often choose to whine, moan, and complain about all the bad and negative things happening around them in this nation and throughout the earth. Sometimes it seems that’s all they can think about or talk about.
Their focus is on corrupt government, political ineptness and weakness, rampant immigration from one nation to the next, businesses going bankrupt, people out of work, trillion dollar “bail out” programs, armed conflicts between people groups and nations, radicalism, pandemics, global warming (or not), rising racism, big business taking over our lives, all that’s wrong with the next generation, sin among church-going people, earthquakes, the negative influence of the media, widespread corruption, arming themselves with deadly weapons to protect their families, terrorism, drones and security cameras watching every aspect of our lives, mind control…and on and on and on, ad nauseum.
Here’s the reality of what you’re seeing all around you on planet earth: “God has implanted in every human a portion and foretaste of eternity. Yet finite humans can never get a complete grasp of what the infinite God is doing. Being finite, what we comprehend of God’s working throughout human history [including current events] is always partial and distorted.”
–Ecclesiastes 3: 17, amplified and paraphrased
Even with 24/7 media coverage of just about everything occurring on our planet, generally speaking, if you’re a normal, average citizen of any nation, you don’t have a clue about all that’s really going on in your nation or in the world! Why then are you so fearful and uptight about what’s going on in your world? Your life in this small present world in which you live and move and have your being is only the tiniest fragment on the edge of eternal realities.
Constantly harping, complaining, and whining about all that’s wrong in the world and with other people isn’t wise…or witty…or clever…or insightful…or intellectual…or “cool”…or astute…or resourceful…or keen. It’s LAZY…and inconsistent with the Bible and with God’s character and nature He’s attempting to instill in his children!
I grow very weary of constantly hearing such negativism, whining, moaning, and complaining! Especially from followers of Jesus—of all people who ought to know better!—and believers in the Bible. The reality is they do not really believe such Biblical references as I cited in my opening paragraphs above…and they are believing negativism and lies foisted upon them by Satan (a liar and the father of lies) and his minions, rather than believing God’s truth as revealed in the Bible.
A dear friend of mine—a good and godly follower of Jesus—told me just two days ago that he feels he’s slowly losing his mind by seeing everything around him as bad and evil and negative and corrupt and dark. He knows God has a solution for his plight, but just doesn’t seem to know how to tap into God’s solution. He feels what is currently happening all around him is new, unprecedented, and unique in human history, likely signaling the rise of an evil one-world government under control of the “antichrist.” My friend’s remarks are primarily what prompted me to write this teaching you are now reading.
Here’s yet another way to look at what type of harm you’re doing to yourself and those close to you if you’re constantly see the bad in the world and in others. The Bible states “For your fleeting life is but a warm breath of air that is visible in the cold for a brief moment and then vanishes.” –James 4: 14
With our lives here on earth—no matter where we live, no matter our circumstances—being so very brief, why spend valuable time and effort focusing on all the bad things in the world? Instead, Psalm 27: 13 states: “I remain confident that I will see the goodness of God in the land of the living.” In effect, if you’re not seeing God’s goodness, then by default you are seeing nothing but human badness! You can’t have it both ways; The Bible teaches in James 1: 8 that “A double-minded person is unstable in all his or her ways!” Are you experiencing instability in your daily life—as if you’re on a roller coaster? Any idea why that might be happening?
I’m going to attempt to focus this teaching primarily on what the Bible teaches, and not on my own thoughts; I hope I can simply share what the Bible teaches with only some comments about that teaching—not self-generated thoughts of mine that might prove to be distracting from the Bible’s teaching. To do that, I’m going to share for the most part some pertinent references directly from the Bible in addition to the reference from Colossians in my first paragraph above.
But before I start sharing such biblical references, I want to mention a related reference: Revelation 4: 1: God said to the writer of the Book of Revelation, John, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place…” The remainder of the Book of Revelation is what John wrote from that high-up, heavenly vantage point. He saw all the horrible and tragic events taking place on the earth at that time from Heaven’s perspective…and was able to praise God and see God’s providence and sovereignty throughout the remainder of the book. That’s how we ought to be responding to all current events on earth.
There was a popular song a generation ago containing these words: “On a clear day you can see forever.” We need to be seeing forever instead of being fearful and anxious about present events occurring here on our lovely planet that is under God’s complete control!
Now let’s read and examine those references directrly from the Bible…
“Jesus spoke up and said that since you are from the earth, you think like that; you’re tied down to the mundane of this world. You think only about what you perceive with your five senses instead of what you perceive with your spiritual senses. I am from above; I am not really from the earth as you are. I live on other terms; I’m in touch with what is beyond your limited earth-thinking. I am from Heaven, a different dimension, a realm which doesn’t rely on human senses, thinking, and values. I perceive and think differently from you about reality, and I want you to learn to perceive and think differently as I do.”
–John 8: 23, amplified and paraphrased
“Your thoughts are dominated by the flesh (defined as relying on your senses, logic, and reason without the input of Holy Spirit). But those who live by impulses of Holy Spirit rise above such fleshly thinking. Obsession by what you perceive only by the flesh is a dead end. You must learn to be motivated to pursue and see spiritual realities given you by God. The mind-set of fleshly thinking kills people, but the mind-set controlled by Holy Spirit brings true LIFE and peace.”
–Romans 8: 5 and 6, amplified and paraphrased
“God reveals profound realities to us by Holy Spirit. Yes, God has revealed to us his innermost heart, thoughts, and deepest mysteries through Holy Spirit, who constantly explores and examines all things God perceives and thinks about, and decodes them for us. God’s thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by God’s Spirit. So-called religious experts that see things only in the flesh have no clue about what God is revealing to people. When we live on an entirely human, fleshly level we, in effect, are rejecting what God’s Spirit reveals to us, and they make no sense to us. What God perceives and thinks about from his heavenly vantage point can only be known as Holy Spirit reveals them to us.
-–1 Corinthians 2: 10 – 14, amplified and paraphrased
“I pray that the light of God will brightly illuminate your eyes–your thoughts, your imaginations–flooding you with light to help you think more clearly, until you experience the full revelation He wants you to receive in order to experience your new LIFE. God’s great power is fully available to you through faith. Let your lives be walking billboards advertising God’s power at work in you as He changes your thoughts and imaginations. This is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, set Him on a throne in deep Heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power in existence–in the entire cosmos and on earth–exempt from his rule! He is gloriously enthroned over everything in existence, not only now, but in the Kingdom age to come. And…guess what? You are raised up with Him and seated beside Him right next to the throne of God in heavenly places!”
–Ephesians 1: 18 – 22, amplified and paraphrased
“God’s eternal LIFE in all its fulness fills you to overflowing even though you were once like corpses, dead in your sins and offenses. It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin and ‘stinkin thinkin.’ No, it wasn’t that long ago that you lived in the dead religion, customs, and values of this world; don’t you dare go back to thinking and behaving that way! Don’t give in to your old self-life; instead dive fully into God’s new LIFE. Don’t be rebellious like you used to be. God loves us so much that even when we were doomed in our many sins, He invited is into the very LIFE of Jesus and saved us by his marvelous grace! God picked us up from where we were mired in sin and raised us up with Jesus the exalted One, and we ascended with Him into the glorious perfection and authority of heavenly realms, for we are now co-seated as one with Jesus.” –Ephesians 2: 1 – 6, amplified and paraphrased
“We are actually a colony of Heaven on earth, while at the same time we remain citizens of high Heaven as we cling tightly to our LIFE-giver, Jesus who is in the process of transforming our minds, thoughts, and our bodies, transfiguring them into the identical likeness of his glorified new Spirit-body. He’s in the process of making us beautiful and whole—body, soul, and spirit—with the same powerful skill by which He is transforming and restoring the entire universe, including the earth, and all humanity as it should be; He is continually redeeming, restoring, and reconciling—fully subduing—everything to Himself.”
–Philippians 3: 20, amplified and paraphrased
“For we have the living Word of God that is full of God’s power to transform us and reshape our bodies, minds, and spirits; it’s sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel—a two-edged sword that penetrates to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet, and reveals what’s really in our hearts and thoughts. God’s Word ends the dominance of our flesh nature that in the past has used this world’s logic, reason, thinking patterns, and values to dictate what we say and how we behave.” –Hebrews 4: 12, amplified and paraphrased
Okay, I think those references from the Bible make it quite clear that we are bi-locational, meaning that we are equally in Heaven as we are here on earth. I can’t explain how that is, but the Bible simply states that as fact. And only God has the power to make that a present reality in our lives.
In addition, God wants us to see and perceive events here on earth in real-time and real-space as He sees and perceives them from eternity’s perspective. He wants us to see events occurring on earth through his eyes. He wants us “to put on the mind of Jesus,” and think (and talk! and behave!) like Jesus. As born-again followers of Jesus, He wants us to think and behave differently from those who are pre-believers in Jesus. He does not want us to whine, moan, and complain about events occurring on earth. In Jesus, He has raised us up above all events on earth so we can clearly see them from his vantage point in High Heaven.
Where do we get the information we need to see, think, talk, and live like Jesus? From the Bible! No Bible, no heavenly perspective. No Bible, we are just like the masses that are not having their minds, thoughts, speech, and behavior transformed by the inner power of Holy Spirit. If you’re not reading, studying, meditating upon, obeying, and putting the Bible into daily practice, why do you claim to believe the Bible is the Word of God? It’s pure hypocrisy…and you don’t want to be one of those hypocrites that people talk about, do you? You must begin to see life on planet earth from God’s heavenly perspective, or—as Paul the Apostle once stated it—you are of all people most miserable!
Let me illustrate just two scenarios that bring to bear on this matter of “putting on the mind of Jesus” and beginning to see (and talk about) all of life differently.
First, let me mention music. As you well know, music—of all types and genres—has a tremendously powerful effect on we humans. What type of music to you listen to? What type of music do you sing? I’m just asking, not judging. How about listening to and singing more biblically based music? If you’re thinking the USA (or whatever your nation of residence) is “going to hell in a handbasket,” how about listening to and singing some patriotic music. For example of the latter, I have a number of CD’s of patriotic music of the USA; many of the songs have reference to God: how He was present during the founding of our nation and how He continues to preserve our nation.
Does that sound rather “hokey” to think about listening to and singing different music? It really boils down to choices and decisions about what type of music you want to fill your mind, thoughts, and emotions with day after day after day…
Second, let me mention the current immigration crisis at the southern borders of the USA. Would it surprise you to learn that it’s nothing new in our nation’s history? Let me explain… During the early years of our nation, most people (not all) who came here were white, Caucasian Protestants from western Europe. It wasn’t long into our history that Slavic people from eastern Europe and Roman Catholics began to come here. Those who were already here tried in many nefarious ways to keep out the Catholics and Slavic peoples.
They wanted to turn them back, they felt they would undermine our racial purity, they felt they would take jobs away from “God-fearing,” white Protestant Americans, etc. After all—they claimed—Catholics worshipped Mary and idols! Many of the Protestants who were already here in the New England Colonies wanted to send the incoming Catholic immigrants to some of the southern colonies to be with those dark-skinned Spanish-speaking Catholics who were already in the southern areas of our nation..to keep them with others of their own kind; the white Protestants feared the Catholic newcomers would give allegiance to the Pope and could therefore never be trusted citizens who would give their allegiance to the fledgling government of the United States of America.
Then from approximately 1880 to the early years of the 1900’s many Immigrants began to come here from Ireland. Many of the Irish were Catholic and were considered by those already here to be dirty, criminally-minded, ignorant people who would takes jobs away from “decent people,” and so they wouldn’t take food away from the mouths of God-fearing Americans already here. There were riots, clashes with police, and all sorts of trouble and confusion caused by people trying to keep out the incoming Irish immigrants. Many of the Irish were actually forced into ghettoes in some of our larger cities on the eastern seaboard.
Does any of what I’ve described in the three preceding paragraphs seem remotely familiar to you? Does it sound like some of the things happening on our southern borders right now in 2023? Dear reader, there is not much “under the sun” that’s new! Approximately 3,000 years ago King Solomon wrote, “Nothing really new happens on this earth. History merely keeps repeating itself. What can you point to in human life and behavior that is new? Year after year, decade after decade, century after century it’s the same old thing. Does someone think, ‘Hey, this has never happened before?’ Don’t get excited—it’s the same old story. Nobody remembers what happened yesterday, much less decades or centuries ago. And the things that’ll happen tomorrow? Nobody will remember them either after they happen. [The only event that will alter this seemingly ceaseless trend is for Jesus to return to earth to usher in his Kingdom!]” –Ecclesiastes 1: 9, amplified and paraphrased
In dealing with all this I’ve mentioned, the following is my personal, bottom line response; this is just me: I’m not attempting to impose my response on you.
I want to learn to see myself, my environment, my circumstances, my milieu, people with whom I interact—everything!—around me as Jesus sees them…because He and I are one in spirit. Some of such matters are not visible to my physical eyes, nor with my 5 senses. In brief, I want a “God’s-eye” view of all life. I want to perceive everything with my “spirit senses” from within me where Jesus abides eternally. I want this to become my default view, my normal view, my new perspective, my new perception of everything: my Kingdomview, because I am a citizen of Jesus’ Kingdom, not of any of this world’s kingdoms. Again, “The higher I am, the more clearly I can see.”
Finally, I want you to consider two matters. First, our main emphasis in this life is proclaimed in 2 Corinthians 5: 19: God has reconciled humanity to Himself and our main responsibility in this life is to tell others about that. Second, 1 Corinthians 15: 57 and 58 tells us that we are victors in this life in an absolute sense; victors rejoice about their victories; they do not whine, complain, moan, and live with fear and anxiety.
I hope this brief teaching has helped you to think deeply and seriously about what you are thinking, saying, and doing about events on planet earth!
Bill Boylan
leservices38@yahoo.com
Revised and Updated January 2023
LEServices 