Be Heaven Minded -- The Only Earthly Good

One religious leader used to tell people:

"Don't be so heaven minded that you are no earthly good."

Despite the good intentions of this advice, the notion that heaven is separate and far away for the believer is not true:

"Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3: 2)

and

"And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17: 20-21)

For the believer who has received the Kingdom of God (synonymous with "The Kingdom of Heaven"), we ask God to open our eyes even more to receive the revelation of all that God has given to us:

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12: 32)

and then

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14: 17)

Indeed, Paul himself wrote by inspiration that we are to be heaven-minded:

"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 3: 20)

and

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

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Colossians 3: 1-3)

The life we live, we live by the faith of the Son of God in us (Galatians 2: 20). Nothing could be more heaven-minded than that, and yet in no other way can we do any earthly good:

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 4-5)

You are a heavenly citizen, seated in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 2: 6), and His life in you lives out to the world (Philippians 2: 12-13).

Be heaven-minded, because you are already there, and only then can you be any earthly good.