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. – Colossians 3:1,2

Our Bridegroom has gone into the ivory palaces, He dwelleth in the midst of His brethren; do we not hear Him calling us to commune with Him? Hear ye not His voice, “Rise up My love, My fair one, and come away”? Though awhile our bodies linger here, let our spirits even now walk the golden streets, and behold the King in His beauty. Begin, O faithful souls, to-day the occupation of the blessed, praising God even while ye linger yet below, and honoring Him if not by the same modes of service as the perfect ones above, yet with the same obedient delight. “Our conversation is in heaven.” May you and I know what that means to the full. May we take up our celestial burgess-rights, exercise our privileges and avocations as heavenly citizens, and live as those that are alive from the dead, who are raised up together and made partakers of His resurrection life. Since the Head of the family is in the glory, let us by faith perceive how near we are to it, and by anticipation live upon its joys and in its power.

No, earth, my treasure, is not here with thee, neither shall my heart be detained by thee. Thou art, O Christ, the rich treasure of Thy people, and since Thou art gone Thy people’s hearts have climbed to heaven with Thee. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0982.cfm

(Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.) – Ephesians 4:9,10

It should afford us supreme joy to remember that He who descended into the lower parts of the earth has now “ascended up far above all heavens.” The descent was a subject of joy to angels and men, but it involved Him in much humiliation and sorrow, especially when, after having received a body which, according to the psalmist, was “curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth,” He further descended into the bowels of the earth and slept as a prisoner in the tomb. His descent on earth, though to us the source of abounding joy, was full of pain, shame, and humiliation to Him. In proportion, then, ought to be our joy that the shame is swallowed up in glory, the pain is lost in bliss, the death in immortality. Did shepherds sing at His descent, let all men sing at His rising. Well deserves the warrior to receive glory, for He has dearly won it. Our love of justice and of Him compels us to rejoice in His rejoicing. Whatever makes the Lord Jesus glad makes His people glad. Our sympathy with Him is most intense; we esteem His reproach above all wealth, and we set equal store by His honor. As we have died with Him, were buried with Him in baptism, have also risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God who raised Him from the dead, so also have we been made to sit together in the heavenly places, and have obtained an inheritance. If angels poured forth their sweetest minstrelsy when the Christ of God returned to His royal seat, much more should we…We may well say with the psalmist, in the sixty-eighth Psalm, “Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God, sing praises to His name: extol Him that rideth upon the heavens by His name JAH, and rejoice before Him.” ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0982.cfm

 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. – 1 Peter 5: 6,7

“We ought to have faith in God for our earthly affairs as well as for our heavenly business. It is only as we learn to trust in God for the supply of all our daily need that we shall live above the world. We are not to be idle; that would show we did not trust in God, who worketh hitherto, but in the devil, who is the father of idleness. We are not to be imprudent or rash; that were to trust chance, and not the living God, who is a God of economy and order. Acting in all prudence and uprightness, we are to rely simply and entirely upon the Lord at all times…Serve God with integrity, and if you achieve no success, at least no sin will lie upon your conscience. Trusting God, you will not be guilty of self-contradiction. He who trusts in craft sails this way to-day, and that way the next, like a vessel tossed about by the fickle wind; but he that trusteth in the Lord is like a vessel propelled by steam; she cuts through the waves, defies the wind, and makes one bright, silvery, straightforward track to her destined haven. Be you a man with living principles within; never bow to the varying customs of worldly wisdom. Walk in your path of integrity with steadfast steps, and show that you are invincibly strong in the strength which confidence in God alone can confer. Thus you will be delivered from carking care, you will not bo troubled with evil tidings, your heart will be fixed, trusting in the Lord. How pleasant to float along the stream of providence! There is no more blessed way of living than a life of dependence upon a covenant-keeping God. We have no care, for He careth for us; we have no troubles, because we cast our burdens upon the Lord.” ~ C.H. Spurgeon

(FB source)

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. – John 11:25

Because I live, ye shall live also. – John 14:19

From causes variable the effects are variable; but remaining causes produce permanent effects. Now Jesus always lives. Yesterday, dear brother you were exalted in fellowship with Him, and stood upon the mountain top; then your heart was glad, and your spirit rejoiced, and you could say, “I live in Christ.” To-day darkness has intervened, you do not feel the motions of the inner life as you did yesterday, but do not therefore conclude that the life is not there. What is to be your sign; what is to be the rainbow of the covenant to you? Why, that Jesus lives. Do you doubt that He lives? You dare not. You trust Him, doubt not then that you live, for your life is as sure as His. Believe also that you shall live, for that also is as sure as the fact that He lives. God gave to Noah, a token that He would not destroy the earth-it was the rainbow: but then the rainbow is not often seen; there are peculiar circumstances before the bow is placed in the cloud. You, brother, you have a token of God’s covenant given you in the text which can always be seen, neither sun nor shower are needful to its appearance. The living Christ is the token that you live too. God gave to David the token of the sun and the moon; He said if the ordinances of day and night should be changed, then would He cast off the seed of David. But there are times when neither sun nor moon appear, but your token is plain when these are hidden. Christ at all times lives. When you are lowest, when you cannot pray, when you can hardly groan, when you do not seem to have spiritual life enough even to heave a desire, still if you cling to Jesus this life is as surely in you as there is life in Christ Himself at the right hand of the Father. What? Is there such a bond between me and Christ? Is there such a link between His life and mine? Blessed be His name! Adored be His infinite condescension! ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0968.cfm