Tag: transform
Heavenly citizenship!
Scripture reading for September 4: Philippians 3
“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:17-21
Paul’s world view was contrary to the world of his day. He sought to help the Philippians to see life through the world view of heavenly citizenship. Citizens of the Roman empire had certain rights and privileges. In the world view that Roman citizens held, there were many ‘gods’ and their worship consisted of sexual immorality and gluttony. They did whatever their appetites drove them to do. Money, power and conquest were part of the currency of their citizenship. These Roman citizens living in the world view of their day were enemies of Christ’s cross.
But Paul reminded the Philippians that they should keep their eyes on him and those like him who walked as bondslaves of Jesus Christ and citizens of heaven. Heaven’s citizenship was marked by loyalty to Jesus Christ, the One Who died on the cross and rose again. He was the source of all wealth, power and victory. As a resurrected Savior, Jesus Alone promised those following Him a glorious resurrection body. His divine power was manifested in His own resurrection and His divine authority as King of Heaven provided power to accomplish all He promised. When we hold the world view of being a heavenly citizen, we can eagerly await our coming King and Savior and the transformation He promises. We live following His example in righteousness and holiness by faith in Jesus.
As you consider your own world view, what country or culture do you consider yourself as belonging? How does your world view affect your attitudes and actions and daily habits? Are you currently eagerly awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ and His promised transformation?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for adopting me into Your forever family and making me a citizen of heaven. I am increasingly more aware that I do not belong to this world system but am just passing through. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit today and give me open doors to share about Jesus, King of Heaven! Amen.
Pressing on to the goal!
Scripture reading for February 14th: Exodus 32-34, Philippians 3
Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Inside of each person is a dim knowledge of eternity. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) We are all creations of God who had our existence in God before the creation (Ephesians 1:4). When we are born again through faith in Jesus Christ and study and receive His Word as truth, we begin to understand and long for our true home and the fullness of salvation. The fullness of salvation will include a glorious body, like Christ’s resurrected body. It will not suffer from the effects of sin or pain or sorrow or sickness or disease. There we will behold God face to face in His glory, not needing the light of the sun or moon or stars. This is the goal of our faith that Paul focuses his mind and attention on. Moses had a taste of that transformation spending time in God’s presence. He refused to leave unless God went with him!
Philippians 3:18-21 “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the down-payment of our salvation, the Holy Spirit living inside of us. Thank You for the ongoing work of transformation here on earth that fits us for eternal life with You. But I long for the fullness of life in Your presence, seeing Your face and worshiping You in Your glory in a glorified body! May I reflect Your glory here on earth to those in darkness.
Exodus 34:29-30 “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.”
Adversity and the Word of God
Scripture reading for June 16th: Proverbs 24-25, Psalm 41, 1st Thessalonians 2
Key Scriptures: 1st Thessalonians 2:13-16 “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the Word of God, which is at work in you believers. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved–so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!”
Paul commended the Thessalonian believers for receiving the Word of God for what it really was. God’s Word is alive and powerful, able to transform the soul from death to life eternal. It changes attitudes and rebellious behaviors and enables perseverance during suffering. In fact, suffering in believers lives comes from the unsaved world and sometimes our own relatives. They are under God’s wrath and oppose the Word of God. Jesus was betrayed by one of His own disciples and was crucified by His own people.
Psalm 41:9 “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the Word of God. I receive it and desire its work in me for transformation and salvation. Anoint me to preach the Word of God in the face of adversity!
Proverbs 24:10 “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”