“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
TEXT — Philippians 3:17-21
Message
Seeking to convey the unique attributes of heaven and what it will take to get there, one prominent minister of God said, “Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people, and they that enter shall find that they are either unknown or unexpected.”
In today’s passage, Paul presents himself and his associates as examples. He admonishes the Philippian Christians to follow them as models. Their pursuit must be heaven, and they should not be deterred by the inglorious harbingers of destruction, whose God is their belly. He expressed deep concern over their avaricious activities at the cost of the pure gospel, classifying them as enemies of the cross. He wept over their sinful conduct.
Deep concerns of this nature are common to all godly people, particularly servants of God down the ages. The Lord Jesus Himself wept over Jerusalem (Luke 13:34). However, the old tears and lamentation over hypocrisy, licentiousness, heresies, and false prophecies have long been replaced by frivolity and permissiveness on the altars of many assemblies. Immorality is now considered a weakness and, therefore, tolerated. Passion for souls has been replaced by love for money. The earnest agonising prayers for the manifestations of the fruit and gifts of the Spirit for effectiveness in ministry have been overtaken by oratory; all couched in the philosophy of men and the power of the flesh.
Our hope as saints, however, transcends this present age. We are citizens of the heavenly city whose builder and maker is God. This assurance anchors our faith in trials, tests, persecutions, denials, and deprivations. Amid tribulations, let us labour more to strengthen weaker believers, help the fallen, admonish the discouraged, and run after prodigal sons. Relentlessly, let’s unite and fight to overthrow the foundations of falsehood and heresies by faith in the all-conquering name of Jesus Christ. Do not give up. Your labour shall be rewarded. Hold on to the truth, stand for what is right, and earnestly contend for the faith.
Thought for the day
If you are heaven-bound, it will reflect in the way you relate to the present world
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
