CITIZENS OF HEAVEN

We are in this world, but we are not of this world. With our new birth, our citizenship changed, therefore our mental attitude must make a drastic change.

Rom 12:1-2
12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The born again child of God must truly realize that our citizenship has changed, and to be successful in this new kingdom, he must make some very definite cultural changes.

When one immigrates to a new country, he has to make some definite and sometimes extreme cultural changes or he will find himself having great difficulty in the new country that he has just entered.

The new country that he has entered is not going to change to accomodate him, but he MUST make changes that will help him to become a citizen of that country.

Too many people want the church to change to please them, but God will not change the laws of His kingdom to make the new convert happy. The new convert must change if he wishes to be a happy citizen of God's kingdom.

Ps 16:11 tell us that in His presence there is fulness of joy. When the child of God isn't experiencing this full joy, maybe he didn't make his transition into his new citizenship as complete as it should be. Hidden and secret faults will hinder full joy because there is always the fear of those thing becoming discovered. Trying to hold on to things that God has told one to release will not make a happy transition into God's Kingdom. Trying to have your own set of rules will not bring joy but it will tend to confusion and unhappiness for you in the Kingdom of God.

In America we drive on the right hand side of the road. If one went to Japan, if he does not make the proper cultural changes concerning driving, he will immediately have severe problems. He will clash with the citizens of that country that know how to drive on their highways. He will run head on with those that know the right way to drive in the country that he has just entered.

They are not going to start driving on the right hand side of the road because you've come there, but you will have to make the driving change if you want to live successfully in that country.

For anyone that comes into the Kingdom of God and does not want to change to the way that things are done in this Kingdom, he will experience clashes.  The people that are true citizens of God's Kingdom know the laws of God, and they live by those laws. But for those that enter the kingdom and want to set their own laws and standards and have their private agenda for Christian living will find themselves clashing with those of the Kingdom that are determined to live right and obey the laws of God. (Jude 3)

Our citizenship is in Heaven, therefore our goal should be to help as many as we can have a desire to become a part of the Kingdom of God.  Hebrews 11:16 tell us that Patriarchs desired a better country, that is an Heavenly. We need to let people know that the place where our citizenship is is much better than what they have here on earth. We need to make the place where our citizenship is a place that is attractive. People should want to be a part of the family of God.

Immigrants strive to come to America. Many will risk their life and bodily injury to reach this land. The reason, we've made it look so attractive. Our life style makes people want to live the way that we American's live, and that's the way we that are citizens of Heaven are to make the Kingdom of God look to those outside of His family.  People should want to be saved and become a part of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ because our life with Him should be something to be desired.

The Bible tell us that we are the salt of the earth. We all know that salt will make one thirsty. Our life with Christ should be of such quality until others will hunger and thirst for a relationship with Him.

We are citizens of God's Kingdom, and what a wonderful life it is to live in the presence of our loving, caring and wonderful Savior. It is not something that cannot be possessed. Jesus said that He came so that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly. This abundant, overflowing life can only be experienced through Him, Jesus Christ our Lord when He accepts us into His Kingdom...