The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Colossians 3:2-4, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

Did you ever hear anyone say, “Now mind what you do”? My grandmother used to say that a lot.

At least, it seemed like a lot. She never explained what she meant by it; but I never questioned

her because I knew. Virtually everything is controlled by the mind. As believers, we have the

Holy Spirit indwelling us, and He, too, effects our minds and directs them upwardly.

Notice how Paul references the present, the past, and the future in these three verses. Paul

admonishes all believers to “set (our) mind(s) on the things above.” This is the present. Do it now!

Do it often! Set the focus of your mind on upward things, Heavenly things. One of the most

beneficial assets in keeping our minds thinking upwardly is to listen to good, Christian music.

The past is referenced in verse three: “You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

When we repent of our sins and yield ourselves to the LORD, we have experienced death to

the old life and our lives are hidden in the secret place of God. There’s an old hymn that says,

In the secret of His presence,

How my soul delights to hide!

Oh, how precious are the lessons

Which I learn at Jesus’ side.

Earthly cares can never vex me,

Neither trials lay me low;

For when Satan comes to tempt me,

To the secret place I go.

We all feel lonely at times. And it’s in those times that we must be extremely careful! Satan

finds us mentally unguarded, and he slips through the crevices of our mind with thoughts that

were not there when we were abiding in that “secret place” with the Father.

Finally, Paul speaks of the future: “When Christ…is revealed…, you also will be revealed with

Him in glory.” There’s a Great Day coming when we will be with Christ in Heaven! The Apostle

John says, “…abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink

away from Him in shame at His coming” (1Jn 2:28). Were you even talking about someone only

to have him or her enter the scene and over hear your conversation? Embarrassing isn’t it?

That’s why Paul and John are telling us to live as Christians ought because Christ just might

come on the scene when we’re least expecting Him.

These are some serious things to consider! Think well; think often, and always upward!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”