13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
— Hebrews 11:13-16
Faith and belief are forever intertwined. You can’t have faith without believing and the deeper your belief the deeper your faith blossoms. While this is true in all aspects of life, it is at the core of our spiritual identity.
What do you believe in? How much faith do you have in that belief? What are the physical, emotional, and spiritual results of your faith and belief? The answers to these questions will affect our spiritual growth, ability to know peace in the middle of a storm, and the courage we possess to emphatically embrace the call of Matthew 28:19 while dealing daily with life’s adversities.
It is important that we believe in the truth of Heaven and the promises God has made to us about the hereafter. We also must cling to the fact that Heaven is indeed our future home and we are just passing through this place we call Earth.
When we thirst for all that God has for us, and our focus is on our homeland, it empowers us to have a greater impact in the place we are now walking.
A famous quote attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes reads like this: ’“Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.“ I contend that just the opposite is true..
If a person is TRULY Heavenly minded, then their mind and heart are on the things of God. All of Heaven is jointly concerned about every soul that walks this Earth, just as we should be. There is unfortunately a distinct difference between being church minded or denominational minded and being Heavenly minded.
As your belief in God empowers your faith and your focus becomes more like Heaven’s focus, the more good you will be on Earth.
Let’s move forward, not backward, taking as many souls with us as we can.
Austin Bishop has been a professional journalist for more than 45 years and is an ordained Assemblies of God minister. Those wishing to receive his daily devotional/Bible study notes may sign up by texting 601-938-2471 and asking to be added to either the morning or afternoon list. He can be reached by e-mail at starsportsboss@yahoo.com.
