Faithful Promises: Living as Citizens of Heaven
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound truth that God is faithful to complete the work He has begun in us. This is a declaration of faith, a commitment to believe in God's promises despite what our natural eyes may see. We are reminded that our faith is not based on our circumstances but on the unchanging Word of God. As believers, we are called to speak life over ourselves, our families, and our situations, trusting that God's promises are "yes and amen."
We delved into the importance of daily reliance on God, emphasizing that just as our physical bodies need daily nourishment, so do our spirits. We cannot rely on past spiritual experiences to sustain us; we must continually seek God and His Word. This daily dependence is crucial, especially when what we see contradicts what we are praying for. We are encouraged to persevere in faith, knowing that God has made a way before and will do so again.
The message also highlighted the significance of living as citizens of heaven. Our true citizenship is not of this world, and our lives should reflect the characteristics of the kingdom of heaven. This means living according to God's standards, not merely following what is legal or culturally acceptable. We are called to walk the narrow path, which may be difficult, but it leads to life.
Furthermore, we discussed the necessity of reading and applying the Word of God. Many believers miss out on God's promises because they do not know what is included in their "membership package" as children of God. It is imperative to read the Bible, understand it, and live by it, ensuring that our beliefs and actions align with God's truth.
Finally, we were reminded that Jesus is the only way to salvation. We cannot earn our way to heaven through good deeds or by following other religions. Our salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. As believers, we must boldly share this truth with others, living lives that reflect the gospel in both word and deed.
Key Takeaways:
1. Faith in God's Promises: Our faith is anchored in God's promises, not in our circumstances. We are called to speak life and believe that God will fulfill His Word, even when our natural eyes see otherwise. This requires a daily commitment to trust and lean on God. [45:19]
2. Daily Spiritual Nourishment: Just as our bodies need daily food, our spirits require daily nourishment from God. We cannot rely on past spiritual experiences; we must continually seek God and His Word to sustain us in our faith journey. [49:06]
3. Citizens of Heaven: Our true citizenship is in heaven, and our lives should reflect the values and characteristics of the kingdom of God. This means living according to God's standards, not merely following what is legal or culturally acceptable. [54:05]
4. Importance of Scripture: Many believers miss out on God's promises because they do not know what is included in their "membership package" as children of God. It is crucial to read, understand, and apply the Word of God in our lives. [59:23]
5. Jesus is the Only Way: Salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot earn it through good deeds or by following other religions. As believers, we must boldly share this truth with others, living lives that reflect the gospel. [01:03:21]
Youtube Chapters:
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [44:36] - Declaration of Faith
- [45:19] - Speaking Life in Faith
- [46:03] - God's Promises are True
- [49:06] - Daily Dependence on God
- [50:01] - Seeing Beyond Circumstances
- [51:33] - Persevering in Faith
- [52:27] - Walking in Freedom
- [53:25] - Blueprint Series Introduction
- [54:05] - Citizens of Heaven
- [55:27] - Impact of Kingdom Living
- [56:12] - Importance of Scripture
- [57:32] - Knowing God's Promises
- [59:23] - Applying God's Word
- [01:03:21] - Jesus is the Only Way
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Philippians 1:6 - "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
2. Matthew 7:13-14 - "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
3. John 14:6 - "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
Observation Questions:
1. According to Philippians 1:6, what assurance do we have about the work God has started in us? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on God’s faithfulness? [44:36]
2. In Matthew 7:13-14, what are the characteristics of the narrow and wide gates? How does this passage relate to the sermon’s call to live as citizens of heaven? [54:05]
3. How does John 14:6 emphasize the exclusivity of Jesus as the way to salvation? How was this point highlighted in the sermon? [01:03:21]
Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to have faith in God's promises despite our circumstances, as discussed in the sermon? How does this align with Philippians 1:6? [45:19]
2. How can believers ensure they are receiving daily spiritual nourishment, and why is this important according to the sermon? [49:06]
3. What does it mean to live as a citizen of heaven, and how does this affect our daily decisions and actions? [54:05]
4. How does the sermon explain the importance of knowing and applying Scripture in our lives? What are the consequences of not doing so? [59:23]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you struggled to trust in God's promises. How can you remind yourself of His faithfulness in similar situations in the future? [45:19]
2. What practical steps can you take to ensure you are spiritually nourished daily? Consider setting a specific time for prayer and Bible reading each day. [49:06]
3. Identify one area of your life where you are tempted to follow cultural norms rather than God's standards. How can you align this area with your heavenly citizenship? [54:05]
4. How familiar are you with the promises of God in Scripture? What is one promise you can focus on this week to encourage your faith? [59:23]
5. Have you ever relied on good deeds or other religious practices for salvation? How does understanding that Jesus is the only way change your perspective? [01:03:21]
6. Think of someone in your life who does not know Jesus. What is one way you can share the gospel with them this week, either through words or actions? [01:06:40]
7. Reflect on your daily choices. Are there any that are legal but do not please God? How can you adjust these choices to walk the narrow path? [01:09:38]
Devotional
Day 1: Anchoring Faith in God's Promises
Our faith is not determined by our circumstances but is anchored in the promises of God. This means that even when life presents challenges and our natural eyes see obstacles, we are called to trust in the unchanging Word of God. Speaking life over ourselves and our situations is an act of faith, declaring that God's promises are "yes and amen." This requires a daily commitment to trust and lean on God, believing that He is faithful to complete the work He has begun in us. [45:19]
"For the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay." (Habakkuk 2:3, ESV)
Reflection: What specific promise from God are you struggling to believe today? How can you actively speak life and faith into this area of your life?
Day 2: Daily Spiritual Nourishment
Just as our physical bodies require daily nourishment, our spirits need daily sustenance from God. We cannot rely on past spiritual experiences to sustain us; instead, we must continually seek God and His Word. This daily dependence is crucial, especially when what we see contradicts what we are praying for. By seeking God daily, we are reminded of His faithfulness and are strengthened to persevere in faith, knowing that God has made a way before and will do so again. [49:06]
"And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 8:3, ESV)
Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to ensure you are spiritually nourished daily? How can you incorporate this into your routine?
Day 3: Living as Citizens of Heaven
Our true citizenship is in heaven, and our lives should reflect the values and characteristics of the kingdom of God. This means living according to God's standards, not merely following what is legal or culturally acceptable. As citizens of heaven, we are called to walk the narrow path, which may be difficult, but it leads to life. Our lives should be a testament to the kingdom of heaven, demonstrating the love, grace, and truth of God in all we do. [54:05]
"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself." (Philippians 3:20-21, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways does your life currently reflect your heavenly citizenship? What changes can you make to align more closely with the values of God's kingdom?
Day 4: The Importance of Scripture
Many believers miss out on God's promises because they do not know what is included in their "membership package" as children of God. It is crucial to read, understand, and apply the Word of God in our lives. By immersing ourselves in Scripture, we gain a deeper understanding of God's promises and how they apply to our lives. This knowledge empowers us to live in alignment with God's truth, ensuring that our beliefs and actions reflect His will. [59:23]
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: How well do you know the promises of God as outlined in Scripture? What is one specific promise you can study and meditate on this week?
Day 5: Jesus is the Only Way
Salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot earn our way to heaven through good deeds or by following other religions. As believers, we must boldly share this truth with others, living lives that reflect the gospel in both word and deed. Our lives should be a testament to the transformative power of Jesus, demonstrating His love and grace to those around us. [01:03:21]
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the message of salvation through Jesus? How can you share this truth with them in a loving and authentic way today?
Quotes
1) "We must acknowledge him daily. We must trust him daily. Lean on him every single day. And sometimes we think we can just keep going a little further on that last meal. But you start getting all, ooh, start getting all hangry, start getting all fussy. And in the same way, our spirit man needs to eat over and over and over and over. And over and over and over. I love something that Abby said when he preached a few weeks back. He gave that example that he said to that gentleman that said, this doesn't work. He said, hey, did you have breakfast? Did you have dinner yesterday? Did you have lunch? Well, I guess it must have not worked because you're hungry again. And the reality is that we need of God every single day and continually." [49:06] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2) "But no, I will continue to press through. I will continue to fight. I'm going to stay there until my number is called. And then I'm going to testify to everyone what God has done. But God, God made a way where there looked to be no way. I'm reminded of the book of Isaiah. We read this in our daily Bible reading over the last couple of days. When he says, again, I'll make a way in the wilderness. He says, again, I'm going to make a way because he's made a way before. You're here today because God made a way. You're here today because he has spared you. You're here today because he loves you. And he did it before. He will do it again." [51:33] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3) "And faith is continuing to believe in spite of what we see. So Father, even right now in the name of Jesus, I pray for our faith to be strengthened and emboldened. To believe again. Father, to believe that me and my house will serve the Lord. To believe that we will be able to do it. To believe that we can have peace in the midst of turmoil and circumstance because you have given us peace. To believe that we are walking in freedom because Jesus has set us free and who the Son sets free is free indeed. God, I pray that our faith is strengthened and stirred this morning. To believe that you are our healer. That you're our deliverer, our vindicator, our defender, the one that restores us. To believe that you will take us out of the miry clay and put our foot upon a rock." [52:27] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4) "And the things that we've been saying over and over again is that on the Sermon on the Mount, we find the characteristics of citizens of the kingdom of heaven. And I don't know about you. Here on earth, I have a passport that says United States of America. But my true citizenship is from heaven. I am a citizen of heaven. This is temporary. This is my earth suit. And a citizen of heaven, we have certain characteristics that should make us distinguishable to the people around us. People should be able to encounter and know that we're different simply because of our behavior and our actions, the way we conduct ourselves." [54:05] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5) "Church, it is imperative that we read the word of God and that we follow the word of God and that we apply the word of God. It's imperative that you and I read the word of God because we need to ensure that what we are listening to from a pulpit is rooted in the word of God. Can I tell you? Unfortunately, there are pastors all around. There are pastors all around the globe that have made congregations dependent on them. As if we're the only ones that can hear God, or we're the only ones that can pray, or we're the only ones that are supposed to read the word. No, you are just as much as a son of God as I am. You are just as much a daughter of God as I am his son. And scripture is for you." [01:00:31] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6) "Jesus is the only way. This is what he said in John 14, verse 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one goes to my Father. I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one goes to my Father, except through me. There is only one way to Jesus, one way to God. His name is Jesus. There is only one way to God. His name is Jesus. Only one way to God. His name is Jesus. We cannot earn our salvation. Let's be very clear on that. You and I cannot earn our salvation. There is nothing that we can do to earn it. We are not good enough, nor can we be good enough, nor can we do enough good deeds to get salvation." [01:03:21] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7) "And if we firmly have believed that and believe it and know it, we must be telling and preaching the gospel to everybody, everywhere, at all times. We must be preaching the gospel. Because people are dying every single day without Jesus. And when we understand that he's the only way, and we're not sharing that. That way, there's a problem. We have to make the choice and have the boldness to share Jesus. Where do we share Jesus? Everywhere. At the grocery store, at the workplace, in the marketplace, everywhere. Share Jesus. Yes, with your words, but with your actions. With the way you conduct yourself." [01:05:48] (59 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8) "The closer we're getting to Jesus, the closer we get to Christ, the narrower the road becomes. Because we get saved, and maybe we cursed like a sailor, and now you went to say something foul, and you had read scripture that said, let no perverse word, corrupt word come out of your mouth, and the Holy Spirit gives you a little kick. And you're like, oh, I shouldn't have said that. And you start to grow. In Christ, and you start to eliminate words out of your vocabulary. There were things that we were doing before Christ that were not illegal, but when you do them, you're like, ah, I don't think God enjoyed that. Narrow path. Narrow path. And the closer we get to Christ, the narrower it gets." [01:12:42] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9) "And when we understand that we're not living lives based just on laws, but we're living lives based on the righteousness of Christ, things begin to change. Do we need to exercise our right to vote? Absolutely. Do we need to get informed about what are the things on the ballot? Who's on the ballot? Absolutely. Do we need to pray for whoever is in whatever office, whether we'd like them or not? Absolutely. Whether they're saved or not? Absolutely. Because the Bible says to pray for those in authority, for the kings and the rulers and everybody else. It doesn't say the word president, but he's the ruler of this country. It doesn't say Congress, but they're the ones making and passing the laws. What do we need to do? Narrow path. Pray for them." [01:16:18] (57 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10) "Laws are external. We must live by what God said. Laws are external. We must live by what God says. Now, church, this is not a message to bring condemnation to any of us. This is a message to stir us as believers to choose to walk every day down the narrow path. This is a message for us as believers to be able to stop and look and say, God, does this action please you? Before we say that next sentence, we actually stop and think, God, would this please you to leave my mouth? When a thought comes in, we make the choice. I'm not going to meditate on this because Philippians 4, 8 says, whatever is true and whatever is pure and whatever is praiseworthy and whatever is worthy of praise, if there's any good reported and anything that is worthy to be talked about, meditate on these things." [01:29:44] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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