THE BEAT e134 Living with a Resurrected Heart (10 better questions for my earthly life)

This is Faith to Witness 99, motivating us to hear God and share the Shepherd.  

Season 2 Episode 134 

THE BEAT | Living with a Resurrected Heart (10 better questions for my earthly life)

Quick Take 

Hey human, in this episode we go for better questions to ask about heaven. Not one-timers. Daily questions. Why? Because we rise with the resurrected Jesus every day. He does that for us. Join us to prompt your own “better questions about heaven” for your earthly life. Let’s rise together. e134. Thanks for listening.

How are you living for a resurrected Jesus today?

I’m Kathryn Bise, your host.

I reach back twice today to previous podcasts. First, to reflect on my spiritual focus on “becoming poor” – I contemplated about “becoming poor” early this year in episode 119.

All this focus on committing to “becoming poor” has brought me to a brave, new spiritual space. Where I am learning about the intimacy of being poor in spirit:  when God gives us what we need, it doesn’t come from His inventory of attributes, his towering problem-solving skills, His wave of the God-wand, or from some warehouse of spiritual riches, managed by angels.

It comes from His nature. I am created in His image. He grows my spirit from His spirit

Let the Creator who made me, define me. I am becoming poor.

All of this inspiration from what Jesus did on earth.

Philippians 2, and specifically verses 6-8:

Who, being in very nature God,

    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

    by taking the very nature of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    by becoming obedient to death—

        even death on a cross!

I ended that episode with this question that runs on a loop in my head now:  How can I lay down my advantage today, in this moment? It is in this context I return to insights from my recent Bible study on Heaven (shared in e130). In our study we covered many questions about judgment day, what the Bible says about the new heaven and new earth, marriage, babies, suicide, pets… all to get us to the other side. A deeper perspective, and better questions we should ask about heaven. As I rallied my list, I realized it needed its own space.

That’s today, episode 134. Recently in my small group of this ongoing Bible study, we considered what we could focus more on, do spiritually better within each day. One young woman expressed wanting to think more about things eternal in nature. I was super grateful for this, because we cannot encourage each other enough on setting our minds “on things above.” Because we live in a tangible, earthy reality with all the layers of daily to-dos that cloud our destination. An earthly pollen that coats our spiritual presence. It’s everywhere.

To be mindful of where we are headed, we have to change the internal dialogue. Renew our minds. A dialogue that will change the purpose of earthly life. To prepare for a new heaven and a new earth. To prepare to be in God’s presence.

Better Questions for My Earthly Life

So, what are better questions to seek answers for in how I live my earthly life? Let’s consider a few here, with the intent that you will claim your own “better questions about heaven” for your earthly walk. These are open-ended questions that I am seeking answers by focusing on them daily.

Let’s start with a very obvious but overlooked question. 

1. How do the fruit of the Spirit anchor my actions today?

Become a spirit-pro at naming them, call them out at the beginning and the end of the day. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in bearing fruit in my day, memorize the fruit, become adept at recognizing them in each moment, create fertile ground for them.

2. How does how I care for my physical body prepare my spiritual character (my soul) for Heaven?

So, if I take a Zumba class, I am honoring that my body is a temple and honoring the people I love by striving toward good health while on earth. It also honors how God made me, and the ways he gives me joy through dance. And it honors him as the one God, that I do not idolize earthly activities that damage my earthly temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Or do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

And I bring up a fitness class because I have no problem witnessing to someone standing to my left or right in such a communal atmosphere. We are joined together by a physical challenge, but oh, there is more that comes from it.

How we treat our bodies is the door through which we enter spiritual growth. The temptations, the addictions, the spiraling habits that assault our spiritual character begin with an assault on our flesh. Ask Paul.

3.  How do I live deliberately in God’s faithfulness today, because my faith is activated by His divine persuasion of my heart?

His faithfulness to his promises is why he delivers grace and redemption through his Son. I talk a lot about coram deo, living in the face of God, in the presence of God. This is what I will be doing in heaven. How do I live in God’s faithfulness on earth to be ready for living in his presence in Heaven? Right in the glory of his promise to me.

4. What is God’s work, his Will, in eternity?

All the souls of believers have been saved. We live in his presence. We work in his kingdom. We each have a different soul – emotions, mind, free will, our Psalm 139-selves as God created each of us, and a glorified, resurrected body transformed in the likeness of Christ – so what are we doing that requires the fruit of the spirit?

5. Will there be spiritual growth in heaven? Do I keep loving God more and more when I am in his full presence? Go ahead and seek out some scriptures for this. I haven’t yet.

6. What can I do today to turn a believer toward our Creator with more intimacy? Toward her/his holy calling? Toward a spiritual character that will be truly at home in heaven.

And, Questions to Bring God’s Faith to Your Witness

And the remaining questions embody what it means to bring God’s faith to my witness. Your witness. Sound familiar?

7. How can God set someone’s soul on spiritual fire for him through my life today?

Another way to frame this is, what am I doing today that feeds my internal fire to reach out to someone? A scripture-inspired fire.

8. How can I sustain a spiritual urgency that condemnation is real.

The lake of fire is real. Being separated from our Creator, our God eternally is the final fork that happens ONLYon an earthly road for every human. One of two options. The choice does NOT happen in heaven.

Our earthly world shows everyone the lake of fire option.

Paul says in Phil 3: 18-19: 

18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.

 

How do I listen to God’s spirit today to make a connection to someone who does not think they have any need for an eternal choice. Someone who plans to just let the clock run out.

9. What can I do today that shows someone the divine option, the one that reunites us with Jesus, and His Heavenly Father? Because our salvation-based reconciliation and reunion is a return to what we were created for.

10. How do I live today to “win the prize for which God has called me” as Paul declares.

Philippians 3:14

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

By now, I imagine you have a few triggers in your head. Return to them, write them down, and affirm, commit them to your memory. Change your internal dialogue. My questions continue to evolve but they are all about spiritual growth and my final spirit-home.

Living With A Resurrected Heart

My second podcast reflection today was triggered by our Resurrection Day celebration. The freshness of honoring his glory as he ascended to the right hand of God. I wrote this about the power of Jesus’ resurrection in 2023 (episode 27).

His cross is not our cross. Our cross is to follow Him. To rise with Him.

Seek your resurrected heart. Every day. Maybe you wake up with a strong mindset and a lifted heart. I challenge you as I challenge myself, to first acknowledge your weakness, and proclaim His strength, so as not to be walking on your path, not His. Wake up and proclaim the cross of Jesus. He is the resurrected One. His cross connects us to a day so powerful we could slay 100 Goliaths. With one stone. Our God stone. I am advocating for starting each morning at the foot of His cross in deep gratitude.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says:

9 But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

 

Ask Jesus to resurrect your heart, that you rise up to His specific calling for your day.

And now, in 2025 I add by the grace of God’s work in me, bring your resurrected heart to the one who needs to rise.