Begin with the End in Mind - Heaven

Good morning, Five Minute Families! Let’s begin this year with the end in mind. We aren’t talking about the end of 2022. We are going to do a series for the month of January looking at different life events, but we are going to begin with the end in mind. Why? Well, for starters, John 6:27 emphasizes, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Eternal life… Heaven… A believer’s end goal. Successful people suggest that we write down our long term goals, break them down into smaller short term goals, and always keep the end in our mind when we make little, everyday decisions that add up to produce the end goal. When we focus on accumulating wealth or fame or even simple pleasures here on earth, we are setting ourselves up to experience great losses. Ed Stetzer puts it this way: “Live in a contrast between now and not yet. Paul says we “groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are” (2 Cor. 5:4). We groan because we are in this imperfect, broken, struggling reality, but we look forward to the time when that reality is replaced with something better, something greater.” Live now as a citizen of heaven. Bible.org in its article Developing A Heavenly Mindset says this: “Some have said it is possible to be “so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good.” However, when you look at the history of the church, it was those who were the most heavenly minded who did the most good.” So, five-minute families, how can we begin with the end in mind and be heavenly minded right now? First, don’t try to make heaven on earth for yourself. Matthew 6:19-21 inspires us to lay up our treasures in heaven. Specifically, it states, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is,