Living with an Eternal Perspective in Turbulent Times
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. It's a joy to be here and share what the Lord has been placing on my heart. Today, I want to talk about the eternal reward and how the theme of eternity has been increasingly significant in my life. Growing up in a Christian home, I was familiar with the basics of Christianity, but over time, these foundational truths can lose their impact. Recently, God has been breathing new life into these basics, especially the concept of living with eternity in mind.
We are called to live for today, establishing God's kingdom on earth, but also to keep our eyes fixed on the age to come. This dual focus keeps us anchored, especially in times of turmoil and uncertainty. The early Christians faced severe persecution, yet their hope in the eternal reward kept them steadfast. Similarly, in our current world filled with chaos and instability, God is using these shakings to realign our hearts with what truly matters.
The Bible speaks extensively about the eternal reward. Paul refers to our present sufferings as "light and momentary afflictions" that are producing an eternal weight of glory. This perspective is crucial, especially when life gets challenging. The Lord is faithful and will reward those who are faithful to Him. This truth has been a source of encouragement for me, especially during these past few years of global and personal upheaval.
As believers, we must allow God to shake what can be shaken in our lives to reset our focus on His kingdom. This process can be painful, but it is necessary for authentic faith and ministry. God is raising up genuine prophetic voices, healers, and evangelists, but this authenticity requires the removal of what is false and manipulative.
In Hebrews 11, we see examples of faith that were anchored in the promise of a future reward. Abraham, Moses, and others lived not just for their time but for a greater purpose that pointed to Jesus. This eternal perspective should shape our lives today. We are part of a bigger picture, and our faithfulness now contributes to God's eternal plan.
In conclusion, let's keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and the eternal reward. Let's live responsibly but not be consumed by earthly concerns. Instead, let's focus on establishing God's kingdom and introducing others to Jesus. The shakings we experience are opportunities for God to realign our hearts and values with His kingdom. May we be encouraged to stay faithful, knowing that our labor in the Lord is not in vain.
### Key Takeaways
1. Eternal Perspective: Living with an eternal perspective helps us stay anchored in times of turmoil. The early Christians faced severe persecution, yet their hope in the eternal reward kept them steadfast. Similarly, we must keep our eyes fixed on the age to come, knowing that our present sufferings are producing an eternal weight of glory. [43:00]
2. Shakings as Realignment: God uses the shakings in our lives to realign our hearts with His kingdom. These shakings, though painful, are necessary to remove what is false and manipulative, making way for authentic faith and ministry. This process helps us focus on what truly matters—God's eternal kingdom. [44:40]
3. Faithfulness in Uncertainty: In times of global and personal upheaval, our faithfulness to God is crucial. The Bible assures us that God is faithful and will reward those who are faithful to Him. This truth encourages us to stay committed to God's call, even when circumstances are challenging. [45:45]
4. Authentic Ministry: God is raising up genuine prophetic voices, healers, and evangelists, but this authenticity requires the removal of what is false. As we align our hearts with God's agenda, we will see a more authentic move of the Holy Spirit, bringing true healing and prophetic insight. [53:04]
5. Living for a Greater Purpose: Our lives are part of a bigger picture that points to Jesus. Like Abraham and Moses, we are called to live not just for our time but for a greater purpose. Our faithfulness now contributes to God's eternal plan, and we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and the eternal reward. [01:02:00]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[39:52] - Introduction and Theme
[40:46] - Growing Up in Church
[41:23] - Basics of Christianity
[42:10] - Living for Today and Eternity
[43:00] - Eternal Reward in the New Testament
[43:41] - Early Christian Persecution
[44:40] - Shakings and Realignment
[45:45] - Faithfulness in Uncertainty
[46:30] - Biblical Examples of Faith
[47:21] - Power and Persecution
[48:18] - Aligning with God's Kingdom
[49:37] - Establishing God's Kingdom
[50:27] - Balancing Heaven and Earth
[51:14] - Encouragement for the Weary
[52:14] - Verses on Eternal Reward
[53:04] - Authentic Ministry
[54:09] - America's Need for Revival
[56:01] - Joseph's Story and God's Provision
[57:32] - Aligning with God's Agenda
[59:10] - Hebrews 11: Faith and Reward
[01:02:00] - Living for a Greater Purpose
[01:08:35] - Encouragement from Scripture
[01:14:36] - Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
2. 2 Corinthians 4:17 - "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."
3. 1 Peter 1:3-5 - "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Hebrews 11:6 say about the nature of God and His relationship with those who seek Him?
2. According to 2 Corinthians 4:17, how does Paul describe our present sufferings and their purpose?
3. In 1 Peter 1:3-5, what kind of inheritance is promised to believers, and how is it described?
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the promise of an eternal reward in Hebrews 11:6 encourage believers to remain faithful in their walk with God? [59:10]
2. What does Paul mean by "light and momentary troubles" in 2 Corinthians 4:17, and how should this perspective influence our daily lives? [43:00]
3. How does the description of our inheritance in 1 Peter 1:3-5 provide hope and assurance to believers, especially during times of uncertainty? [01:08:35]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How might viewing it as a "light and momentary trouble" change your perspective and response? [43:00]
2. In what ways can you actively seek to realign your heart with God's kingdom during times of personal or global upheaval? [44:40]
3. How can you cultivate an eternal perspective in your daily life, ensuring that your actions and decisions are influenced by the promise of an eternal reward? [49:37]
4. Identify an area in your life where you feel God is shaking things up. How can you embrace this process as a means to grow in authentic faith and ministry? [45:45]
5. Think of a time when you felt discouraged in your faith journey. How can the assurance of God's faithfulness and the promise of an eternal reward help you stay committed? [51:14]
6. How can you balance living responsibly on earth while keeping your eyes fixed on the eternal reward? What practical steps can you take to maintain this balance? [50:27]
7. Consider someone in your life who may be struggling with their faith. How can you encourage them with the truths discussed in this study, particularly the hope of an eternal reward? [01:14:36]
Devotional
Day 1: Anchored in Eternal Perspective
Living with an eternal perspective helps us stay anchored in times of turmoil. The early Christians faced severe persecution, yet their hope in the eternal reward kept them steadfast. Similarly, we must keep our eyes fixed on the age to come, knowing that our present sufferings are producing an eternal weight of glory. This perspective is crucial, especially when life gets challenging. The Lord is faithful and will reward those who are faithful to Him. This truth has been a source of encouragement for many, especially during these past few years of global and personal upheaval. [43:00]
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Reflection: What current challenge or suffering can you view through the lens of eternity today? How does this perspective change your approach to it?
Day 2: Shakings as Realignment
God uses the shakings in our lives to realign our hearts with His kingdom. These shakings, though painful, are necessary to remove what is false and manipulative, making way for authentic faith and ministry. This process helps us focus on what truly matters—God's eternal kingdom. When we experience turmoil, it is an opportunity for God to reset our focus and values. By allowing God to shake what can be shaken, we become more aligned with His purposes and more effective in our ministry. [44:40]
Hebrews 12:27 (ESV): "This phrase, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain."
Reflection: What is one area in your life that God might be shaking right now? How can you allow this shaking to realign your focus on His kingdom?
Day 3: Faithfulness in Uncertainty
In times of global and personal upheaval, our faithfulness to God is crucial. The Bible assures us that God is faithful and will reward those who are faithful to Him. This truth encourages us to stay committed to God's call, even when circumstances are challenging. The early Christians faced severe persecution, yet their hope in the eternal reward kept them steadfast. Similarly, we must keep our eyes fixed on the age to come, knowing that our present sufferings are producing an eternal weight of glory. [45:45]
1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV): "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
Reflection: In what ways can you demonstrate faithfulness to God in your current circumstances? How can you remind yourself of His faithfulness today?
Day 4: Authentic Ministry
God is raising up genuine prophetic voices, healers, and evangelists, but this authenticity requires the removal of what is false. As we align our hearts with God's agenda, we will see a more authentic move of the Holy Spirit, bringing true healing and prophetic insight. This process of purification is necessary for authentic ministry. By allowing God to remove what is false and manipulative, we become vessels through which His genuine power can flow, impacting lives and advancing His kingdom. [53:04]
Jeremiah 23:29 (ESV): "Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"
Reflection: What false or manipulative elements might God be asking you to remove from your life or ministry? How can you seek greater authenticity in your walk with Him?
Day 5: Living for a Greater Purpose
Our lives are part of a bigger picture that points to Jesus. Like Abraham and Moses, we are called to live not just for our time but for a greater purpose. Our faithfulness now contributes to God's eternal plan, and we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and the eternal reward. This eternal perspective should shape our lives today. We are part of a bigger picture, and our faithfulness now contributes to God's eternal plan. [01:02:00]
Hebrews 11:13-16 (ESV): "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city."
Reflection: How can you live today with a greater purpose in mind? What steps can you take to align your daily actions with God's eternal plan?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "The beauty of that is that in all of the chaos in the world, as believers, it feels like what the Lord is doing is shaking what can be shaken to begin to reset and refocus our eyes on what matters. And that's the tension is that we have to allow the Lord to do that. Even as believers, we have to allow him to shake things in our lives so that our own hearts can be realigned with God." [44:40] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We have to remember that we're here for a greater purpose, that we are here to establish the kingdom of God on earth. And when the kingdom of God is established on earth, that does bring good things. It brings freedom. It brings prosperity. It can bring great opportunity. It blesses. It blesses and it brings life and all of those things." [48:59] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We're not establishing it just for earthly gain, right? We're not trying to establish the kingdom of heaven so that we can all retire and have a 401k. We're trying to establish the kingdom of heaven so that we can introduce people to Jesus and so that we can tell them, hey, there's something greater to live for than what's on this earth right now." [49:37] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We don't want to be so focused on heaven that we're escaping from what's going on here. We don't want to just run away and say, oh, you know, forget this. It's all going to burn up anyways. Jesus is going to come back someday. Well, let's just focus on heaven. No, we want to have his heart for now." [50:27] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "I just want to encourage you guys to keep saying yes, keep fighting. You know, the things that you feel the Lord has called you to, to keep running with that and to keep your eyes fixed on him and know that he's faithful to see it, to reward it. He's faithful to honor it. And just knowing that we're bringing joy to his heart and we're blessing him is such a reward." [51:14] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The Lord has been, for me personally, I feel like he's been bringing this theme of eternity more and more to my mind and more and more to my heart. In the last couple of years, I would even say, I feel like a lot of the basics of things that I grew up hearing a lot about, you know, how many people here grew up in church?" [40:46] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "And that's what keeps us anchored. And that's what keeps our heart anchored is that we know that we're not just living for this age. We're actually living for an age to come when Jesus returns and makes all things right and all things beautiful. And when he comes, he's going to come with a reward. And the Bible speaks a lot about that. It's all throughout the New Testament." [42:10] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "And you can see that what anchored their hearts in that was knowing that, hey, this life is not the end, that not everything on this side of the age is all I have to live for. I have everything I'm doing, everything I'm sowing into, everything I'm living for now, being faithful to now and obeying God in now, whether I see the fullness of that here on earth or not, God, it will not be mine. He is faithful and he has a reward and he will reward those who are faithful." [43:41] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "And the beauty of that is that in all of the chaos in the world, as believers, it feels like what the Lord is doing is shaking what can be shaken to begin to reset and refocus our eyes on what matters. And that's the tension is that we have to allow the Lord to do that. Even as believers, we have to allow him to shake things in our lives so that our own hearts can be realigned with God." [44:40] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "And I feel like that goes back to sometimes we have to realign to see the power of God released that we want to see released. We have to go out, you know, and Abraham had to step out and he stepped out in faith and the Lord led him faithfully. He didn't just step out and never hear from God again and just wander around aimlessly. You know, it's not like he was just abandoned." [01:00:18] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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