Citizens Of Heaven

The moment we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives everything changed. We were instantly born again from above. God did something amazing in us. He makes us a new creation. Our spirits came aliveand we were reconciled with God.

Not only were we rescued from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. We became under the rule and reign of God, but wait it gets even better. Jesus gives us the authority to become children of God. We become adopted by God and are His son or daughter.

We have a new family and all the blessings connected to it. We become citizens of heaven. We become part of God’s own family with all the rights and privileges that go along with it.

We become children who eagerly wait for our Savior. Knowing the earth isn’t our home. We are just visiting. We are not citizens of a nation unless we make the choice to give up our citizenship to become citizens of that nation.

“This is not my home. I’m only passing through. My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me. From heaven’s open door. And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore” -Jim Reeves

Each nation has its own culture, values, practices, and atmosphere. The same is true about heaven. As citizens of heaven, we come to live in a way that is pleasing to God. As a follower of Jesus, our lives are to show the love and glory of God.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Lord, my rock, and my redeemer” -Psalm 19:14

As citizens of heaven, we should live in a way that is pleasing to God.

Heaven is the standard that Jesus sets. It’s His heart for people to experience a life that is only made available through Him. Jesus had given us the right to pray for things on earth to change. Our prayers are more powerful than we think.

We are the only Jesus that some people will ever see. The way we live the example we set can make a difference. We are part of something way bigger than ourselves. We are part of the kingdom of God. We must live a life of Jesus dwelling in us. We have only one antidote that can heal the hearts of people.

Jesus’s spirit -the Holy Spirit is in us when we invite Him and will help us through His power.

In Philippians 3:17-21 Paul encourages our citizenship of heaven.

“Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame -who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

Lessons In Proverbs

I feel like the some teachings in the Bible need more attention. Like Proverbs, it is skipped over. But there are some important lessons to learn from Proverbs.

Proverbs offers lessons on living a wise and successful life by emphasizing the importance of fearing God, heeding guidance, and living with diligence, integrity, and kindness.

These lessons include avoiding foolishness and sin, building strong relationships, being generous, and understanding that true wisdom leads to a better life.

As a child, I was not taught about God or any faith. I often wonder if that’s why my family was so broken.

Proverbs teaches that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” and that respect for God is the foundation for all wisdom.

Wisdom is presented as a precious treasure to be sought after, and a wise person embraces instruction and correction, while a fool rejects it.

Proverbs also encourages listening to our parents’ instructions because they have more experience than us and want to guide us towards a good life.

It teaches diligence over laziness. Proverbs contrasts a diligent, hard-working person with a lazy one, noting that slacking causes poverty, but diligence makes us prosperous. It even suggests learning from the ants industriousness.

Choosing our friends wisely. The company we keep matters. It is wise to walk with the wise, because being around fools causes us to suffer harm.

I seen this first hand when I volunteered at a drug and alcohol recovery center. Many people who were trying to straighten up their life’s would fall back into the same crowd they did drugs or drank and would start again. I was a vicious cycle for some. Temptation is a common struggle we all face in our lives, that’s why we are encouraged to keep our hearts focused on God.

We should do good to others and avoid unnecessary conflicts. To live with integrity and kindness. Proverbs 11:17 says, “Your kindness will reward you but your cruelty will destroy you.”

Avoid immortality. Proverbs warns us against adultery and seduction of the wicked, these actions can lead to destruction.

Proverbs also tells us to control our temper. This noon has a lot to say about the dangers of anger and advises us to keep our temper in check.

It tells us we should embrace trials and discipline. Discipline should not be seen as a punishment but as a way of refining us and bringing us closer to God.

Proverbs is a mini guide on how to live in faith. It is a book that teaches the inevitability of God’s justice and the importance of prudence and moderation.

Podcasts I Listen To

What podcasts are you listening to?

I typically listen to podcasts done by Jack Hibbs. He teaches from the Bible addressing current events, culture, theology, and Christian living.

I also enjoy watching the Joe Rogan experience. While the language is sometimes is a little saucy. He has some interesting people on there. Along with a wide variety of subjects.

School In The 80s

What was your favorite subject in school?

My favorite class in high school was English. English class then was very different that what they’re teaching now.

In the 80s there was a lot of reading. Books from Shakespeare, Dickens, and Steinbeck were read. Then sometimes a five page report on it would be necessary to pass the class.

Along with that, there was a lot of grammar and composition, and there were lots of vocabulary and spelling tests.

I remember carrying hefty literature books in my backpack home and back daily.

Towards the last years of high school we learned how to use a typewriter, and write in shorthand.

Oh, course writing book reports was my favorite part of the class. I enjoyed reading and writing I would often hand them in early.

School in the 80s was culturally different. There was strict discipline. We were expected to be on our best behavior and have formal classroom etiquette. We stood when we spoke and always use titles of Mr. and Ms. We never called teacher a by there first name.

Praising God In The Storm

The pain we endure in life is real, and our tears valid. It’s easy to have pity parties for ourselves. It almost feels natural, and praise unnatural and doesn’t feel logical. But praise is always logical for God’s children. Even in hard times, we must keep eternity in view.

It’s easy to praise God when things are going well. The true test -the harder one is whether we can learn to praise God during very difficult times. Praise is a response to God’s gracious invitation to lift our eyes to Jesus our Savior despite our feelings or circumstances.

When we praise God we feel closer to Him and more connected. We can learn to trust Him and begin to know He is working things for the best. Praising God helps us keep our eyes on Him and not on ourselves or our problems.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

We might not be able to thank God for our circumstances, but we can still praise Him for who He is -holy, living, faithful, righteous, and forgiving. Praise is not about what we feel, because sometimes we don’t feel like praising. Praise is about God’s character and the fact that He is worthy of praise.

God’s character doesn’t change by the circumstances of our lives. We may not know what to do when we are in the storms of life, but we can keep our eyes on the one who does.

Praising God in the storm means maintaining faith and giving Him thanks even in difficult to, Es, trusting that He is present and working for our good. This means shifting the focus from our circumstances to God’s character. This shows trust in God’s goodness and control, even when we cannot see the way forward.

Praising God can calm our mind and soul, and provide a sense of peace and strength to face external challenges.

It’s a spiritual discipline that helps us grow and acknowledge His worthiness of praise in all circumstances, not just good ones.

The Treasures Of Heaven

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” -Matthew 13:44

The kingdom of heaven is so valuable that if we lose everything, to have it, it is a joyful sacrifice. Instead of accumulating earthly treasures that can be destroyed or stolen we should “store up our treasures in heaven,” where they are secure, eternal, and achieved through faith, and good deeds like selfless acts of generosity and serving others. The location of our treasure is said to reflect where our heart is, which highlights the importance of prioritizing spiritual values (Matthew 6:19-21).

Screen Time

How do you manage screen time for yourself?

Every minute spent scrolling is a minute taken away from your goals. Choose wisely.

Time

Do you need time?

I break my screen time into this blog which is active time. My active screen time is productive and creative. It’s usually in the early morning hours.

The there is my passive time. This is watching podcasts on things that entertain me, things that really are not beneficial or engaging. I usually do this in the evening.

Time is a non-renewable, finite resource that we can never get back. I choose my time wisely. Managing it effectively is crucial if we want a successful life.

Why Do People Choose Lies Over Truth

People choose lies over truth because they believe information that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs, and the desire for simple narratives over a complex one. Lies can provide short-term emotional gratification. People can also be influenced by the desire to belong to a group. It can also be caused by intentional manipulation from people who spread disinformation.

Lies can be simpler to understand or presented with conviction, especially in situations where the truth would cause discomfort or conflict.

During the holocaust, it is said that a man by the name Joseph Goebbels, a minister of Adolf Hitler said, “If you tell a lie big enough and long enough people will start to believe it.” It is called the illusory truth effect. Repeated exposure to a lie can make it seem more believable, even if it’s false. The more a lie is repeated, the more likely it is to be accepted as fact.

People may not want to expend the mental energy to research information, especially if it seems easy to understand or popular.

It’s easy to think that only others are susceptible to lies. The search for truth is are rejection of lies begins with us.

We should all become passionate about finding the truth. Questioning everything can lead to growth, innovation, and a deeper understanding of the world.

The Bible commands us to “test the spirits” to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1). The purpose is to distinguish between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error, because deception is a significant problem in the world. By testing the spirits, we can avoid being led astray by false information or misleading messages.

The Paradox Of Choice

Satan never directly offers us a chain, but provides a series of links or choices that, when connected, form’s our own metaphorical chains of bondage. It’s not an obvious chain because knowing that we would reject it, instead he provides a seemingly insignificant or harmless choice.

One choice leads to another, and soon a series of bad choices builds upon the first. Through this accumulation of choices, we can essentially build our own chains of bondage through our own actions and habits.

It’s the bait and switch. A strategy that involves over promising and under delivering which can lead us to a place that we never intended to go.

To overcome the chains Satan tries to put on us we must first recognize the lie. One of Satan’s greatest lies is that we can be entirely self-detected without listening to anyone but ourselves.

We must make a conscious choice to listen to God and obey Him instead of satan.

We must resist temptation. Through spiritual disciplines like reading the Bible, praying, and even fasting along with humility we can build the strength to resist the temptations we face.

God gave us power and authority when things bring us into bondage, we can declare the name of Jesus. When we do Satan and his minions have to flee when we humble ourselves before God. Luke 10:19 says,

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy, nothing will harm you.”

It is important to remember that Satan uses us to exercise his own power. So, be mindful of the choices you make, because each one can be a link in the chain that can lead to either freedom or some kind of bondage.

Passing Time

What will your life be like in three years?

In three years I hope I will have grown and learned much more than I know now. Without growth and knowledge, the passage of time would be worthless.

Hopefully, I will have learned how to respond better to situations on my journey through life. Every circumstance allows us to reframe our mindset to ultimately make our lives happier.

Many people are focused on achieving fleeting things like wealth, success, or fame. These only provide temporary happiness. I would out of all these things I can work towards personal growth which leads to contentment.

Personal growth is about overcoming our natural tendency to respond quickly to negative situations. Controlling how we respond to any situation opens up a world of possibilities.