OUR CITIZENSHIP IN HEAVEN

Highlights from Pastor John’ Keating's message on Sunday, July 7…

Canada just celebrated it’s 157th birthday! God has blessed our country

 and it a privilege to live in one o the best countries in the world because it was founded on Christian principles. I am proud of my Canadian citizenship! We need to call on God to intervene in our country that we will be a country that follows His ways and be glorious and free from sea to sea – serving God – letting Christ be exalted in our country!

We have an earthly citizenship, but the Bible talks about another citizenship in Heaven.  In Philippians 3, the Apostle Paul writes, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”   

Our citizenship in Heaven is ours right now.  We have a goal to please the Lord – to be active in the Kingdom of God, to serve in fullness – sold out to Him; believing that what He has promised He will also perform, believing what the Spirit is saying. This is BIG! What would naturally happen, God is diverting to what He would ordain to be happening – to a hurting community in need of God.  We are privileged to be part of something so much larger than ourselves – to impact the Valley area. We can’t do it ourselves; we can only do it with the Holy Spirit directing.  He is entrusting us to partnership with Him to accomplish it; and we are trusting Him to provide.

Hope Centre is His church, not ours!  How we partnership in His vision is under His direction. We have to be listening to what He is saying.

Read Philippians 3:7-4:1 as a prayer challenge this week...

In Philippians 3 the Apostle Paul writes…

” Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship [a]God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain[b] to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already attained,[c] or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have [d]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already [e]attained, let us walk by the same [f]rule, let us be of the same mind.

Our Citizenship in Heaven

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 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.”

4:1 - "Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved."