12 I know how to live when I am poor and when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing. 13 Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do. 14 But it was good that you helped me when I needed help. 15 You people in Philippi remember when I first told the Good News there. When I left Macedonia, you were the only church that gave me help. 16 Several times you sent me things I needed when I was in Thessalonica.
17 Really, it is not that I want to get gifts from you. But I want you to have the benefit that comes from giving. 18 I have everything I need. I have even more than I need. I have all I need because Epaphroditus brought your gift to me. Your gift is like a sweet-smelling sacrifice offered to God. God accepts that sacrifice and it pleases him. 19 My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus. 20 Glory to our God and Father forever and ever. Amen. 21 Give our greetings to God’s people there—to each one who belongs to Christ Jesus. Those in God’s family who are with me send you their greetings. (Philippians 4:12-21, ERV)
Though we all desire immediate gratification at times, the best things in life are worth waiting for. Live for the anticipation of Heaven’s hope in the afterlife.
“My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world.” (Billy Graham) Our citizenship is in Heaven. We are foreigners here on Earth.
How do we joyfully
live for our Heavenly prize (or reward)?
1. Leave behind your
past. (See verses 13 through 14 above)
2. Live beyond the
present. (See verses 18 through 19 above)
3. Look ahead to
your prize (See verses 13 through 14 above)
a) Focus on the
perfection of Heaven.
b) Focus on the
Person of Heaven.
c) Focus on the
power of Heaven. (See verse 21 above)
19 Some people
store up treasures in their homes
here on earth. This is a shortsighted
practice—don’t undertake it. Moths and rust will eat up any treasure you
may store here. Thieves may break into your
homes and steal your precious
trinkets. 20 Instead, put up your treasures in heaven
where moths do not attack, where rust does not corrode, and where thieves are
barred at the door. (Matthew
6:19-20, VOICE) Store your real
treasures in a Place that will be eternally safe.16 So we have no reason to despair. Despite the fact that our outer humanity is falling apart and decaying, our inner humanity is breathing in new life every day. 17 You see, the short-lived pains of this life are creating for us an eternal glory that does not compare to anything we know here. 18 So we do not set our sights on the things we can see with our eyes. All of that is fleeting; it will eventually fade away. Instead, we focus on the things we cannot see, which live on and on. Human life on Earth is small like a pebble in the ocean. Never quit, and fix your gaze on what you can’t see (the blessedness of an eternal place called, “Heaven.”
“How you think about Heaven affects everything in life: how you prioritize love, how willing you are
to sacrifice for the long term, how you view suffering, what you fear or don’t
fear.” (John Burke) [i]
[i] Inspired by the sermon “Joy in Citizenship: Unchained
Joy” (installment five) Sunday June 14, 2020, Pastor Dave Jansen, CenterPoint
Church Gahanna (All CenterPoint churches are closed due to the Coronavirus, and
are meeting online.) Join us every Sunday morning at 10am at the CenterPoint
Church Main Page on Facebook.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY 2020
No comments:
Post a Comment