Citizens of Heaven – Ken Barnes
Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1: 27a CSB)
Paul wrote these words from a Roman prison. He found a way of framing all his life experiences, good or bad, by his vision for heaven that furthered the Gospel of Christ.
Life is all about priorities. For Christians, it is sometimes about choosing between good and God’s best. There is a difference between doing good things and the right thing. There are many good pursuits in life, but only God’s direction can bring us to the right course. We will pursue what we dwell upon. The Bible says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). I have often said that the Christian life is choosing between motherhood, apple pie, and the will of God. Families and friends may desire good things for us according to the world’s standard, but the will of God may lead us a different direction based on an eternal perspective. What will help us choose the best rather than settling for good?
We must keep our eyes on the prize. Where does our ultimate citizenship lie? It is in the world to come. We must keep our eyes on where we are going. One of the first lessons we learn in driving on a highway is to keep your eyes down the road. Whatever you focus on you will drive towards. The Bible says, “the road is narrow” (Matthew 7:13) and straight that leads to life. The pathway of good intentions often leads us on a broad, yet crooked road. Remembering that first and foremost, we are citizens if heaven will help us make decisions, not with temporal but eternal outcomes furthering the Gospel of Christ.
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