On Independence Day weekend, Pastor Mark Yule examines what the Bible has to say about our citizenship. As Christians, our true home is in the Kingdom of God, but for the here and now we're also citizens of a nation. What is our responsibility to live as Kingdom citizens while we reside in our earthly nation?
The book of Philippians reveals the path to finding a joy that can endure any circumstance the world might throw at us. This joy comes from a perspective shift that puts Jesus Christ at the center of our lives as we trust Him, love Him and serve Him in all we do.
God's mission for the church is to make disciples by teaching what Jesus taught and sharing the hope of the Gospel. Our participation in this mission involves every aspect of our lives, including our finances. When we view the money and resources we have as a gift from God, then our perspective of how to use it will help us align with His mission to save the world.
The secret to finding lasting contentment has nothing to do with our economic status, our possessions, or our achievements, talents and capabilities. Lasting contentment comes through being fully rooted in Christ before anything else, and finding all our strength and purpose in him.
Anxiety can come from many places, but the Bible is clear that we're not designed to carry it on our own. So how do we walk through life without letting anxiety take hold? God's design for peace in our lives is clear in Paul's letter to the Philippians, and it's a peace that's unlike anything this world has to offer.
As we walk through life, we'll encounter difficulties - and in those times, the Bible teaches us to stand firm in the Lord. But what if those difficulties involve conflict with other Christians? Or a hardship we weren't prepared for at all? The encouragement remains the same - in the Lord, we'll find our hope, our peace, and our joy.
The examples we follow can either lead us toward Christ or lead us toward chaos. As we strive toward the goal of becoming more like Jesus, it's important to have strong examples and role models in our lives to challenge us and grow our faith. Who's example are you following?
As followers of Jesus Christ, our goal is to become more like him - maturing in our faith and serving him in all we do. This maturity comes from leaving the past behind and pressing on toward the goal, knowing that it's only through Christ's strength - not our own - that we'll achieve all that God has in store for us.
We can easily get our priorities out of order when our work, family, accomplishments or goals start to crowd out our desire to follow Jesus Christ. The things our world counts as gain can actually become stumbling blocks to our higher purpose of loving God and loving people. So how do we keep our priorities in order?
Jesus established the church to bring the hope of the Gospel to the whole world. With each new generation, the church needs new leaders to carry that message and do the work of the ministry. Are you ready to make yourself available and take on that mission?
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