Bob Hazlett. Think Like Heaven. Whitaker House, 2015.

This book is subtitled Change Your Thinking, Change Your World. This makes Think Like Heaven sound like a Christianized The Power of Positive Thinking. There are many books out on such subjects from a variety of religious and motivational writers and speakers. This book is not like them.

This book challenges the reader to ask, “What is Heaven actually thinking about?” This depends on two things: (1) The reader’s knowledge of the Bible, and (2) the reader’s relationship with the Lord. This book focuses on the second because the purpose of the book is instruction. Item #1 is self-evident: Read and understand what God said in His book, the Bible.

The author begins by noting that any born-again believer has the Holy Spirit. That is biblical by definition. If the believer has the Holy Spirit, it ought to be possible to discover what the Lord is thinking in a specific situation.

The author uses many examples from the Bible and from his own experience to illustrate. For example, one time he was taking a taxi in a large city. The taxi driver seemed to be mishandling the author’s luggage. The author’s initial reaction was that this taxi driver was from a different region of the world and a different religion and was acting in prejudice against a Christian.

However, the author took time to pray and learned that the taxi driver was having difficulty with one of his arms. Instead of acting according to his initial stereotype, he asked the man if he was having problems with his arms. The taxi driver explained that he was.

Hazlett then asked if he could pray for him. The man assented. Hazlett prayed in Jesus’ name. The man said his arm felt better, and when unloading the luggage, there was no problem. Hazlett then told the man to give thanks to the God of Abraham—something the man could also assent to. Hopefully, he got the part about praying in the name of Jesus, too.

This illustrates the kind of wisdom that the author says is available to all believers if they are aware of what God is doing and listening for the Holy Spirit. Citing a number of verses in the Bible such as Romans 8:22-23, we are told that most people in the world desire to see God. Those of us with the Holy Spirit have an opportunity to make Him known if we listen to what Heaven is telling us.

There are a number of things the author suggests, things that he clearly had to learn. Two that stand out are these: (1) Get rid of the fig leaf, and (2) deal with fear. For us to minister the Holy Spirit honestly to people, we have to be honest with God. That means not applying “fig leaves” of self-righteousness or legalism, and being honest with God. It also means overcoming fear of man and perhaps of being wrong. The author’s advice is strong. Some may find it hard.

After every chapter, there are questions to answer before God. These could be considered exercises. I confess that it took me a long time to finish this book because I felt that I had to end each chapter deliberately. I am reminded that, like many people, I spend a lot of my life simply taking care of the mundane things of life: work, chores, eating, sleeping.

Think Like Heaven reminds me that I ought to connect with the Lord more and be more aware of what He is doing, even in particular instances where I may be unaware of having different thoughts. If we are honest, that is often the case. The Lord tells us in Isaiah 55:8, “My thoughts are not your thoughts.” So, let us learn to discover what His thoughts are.

This is a challenging book by an author who has a recognized ministry. (Two fairly well-known pastors contributed introductions to this book.) Perhaps we can recognize ourselves in this book, too. I am already thinking that it may be necessary to re-read this book. It is that kind of book. Maybe I should re-read it on my knees.