I’m A Tourist

 Germans love their German. Living in Germany for nearly a year, I learned quickly that Germans weren’t as tolerant with non-German speakers as most other countries were. I don’t blame them of their national pride. I have been asked since I lived in Germany for so long, why didn’t I learn German. Even among the volunteers I lived with, there were some who learned the language.

You know you’re pathetic when you have an answer five years later. Although, I lived a while in Germany and enjoyed my stay there a whole lot, I never saw myself living there; therefore I was content in not learning the language. I was a tourist that was passing through.

I thought of Germany because tonight Jesus refreshed my memory that to this world from His perspective, I am just a tourist. In the aftermath of my decision to surrender my life to Christ, I became a citizen of Heaven. This world is not my home. I’m a tourist.

Jesus sanctified all His own with His blood. We have become part of His country. We remain to offer others a change to join this kingdom. 

Hebrews exhorts us in chapter 13 to sojourn as traveller, enduring all trials because we aren’t trying to settle here. For we know we are not home yet. 

“For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. (Hebrews 13:14 NKJV)

We don’t have a home here. We are anticipating the Home of God that will soon come. So if that’s the case, why am I so entangled with the culture around me?

Like why am I so anxious in creating a wardrobe that expresses my personality when Jesus says:

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:8, 10 KJV)

We should not adjust to this world that we fit right into it if we are soon to settle in a permanent residence.* We need to renew our minds so we can set our hearts on things above where Christ is (Col 3:1,2).

If Jesus is your King, if heaven is your home, you don’t live here. You are a tourist.

*And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 NKJV)

Living for Jesus Now

 To live for eternity is to accept the brevity (shortness) of life now. 

“But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.'” (‭Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭22‬ NKJV)

I don’t want to say Jesus hate funerals. Well maybe: He did ruin a couple like the ruler’s daughter (Matthew 8:18-26) and the son of the widow from Nain (Luke 7:11-17). Maybe…yes. 

But in this case, Jesus was not stopping the man from burying dead family. Jesus was refusing the man’s desire to care for his father before he followed Jesus. 

According to Jewish tradition, the man didn’t want to be excused to bury his father. In actuality, the man’s father was very much alive, and he wished to return home and care his father until he aged and died. 

Jesus didn’t want an eventual commitment. He wanted the man to follow Him now and “let the dead, that is the spiritually dead, bury their own dead” (v.22). 

Jesus understood He must urgently attend to the matters God assigned Him while the sun still shined. In John 9:4-5, Jesus taught the followers of Him that they must quickly work for the God the Father Who sent Him. 

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (‭John‬ ‭9‬:‭4-5‬ NKJV)

Knowing that it would be soon time for Him die to save the world, Jesus couldn’t waste any time. He wanted to seize every moment to further His cause. 

To follow the Son, we have to realize life here is short. We need to see life here as a temporary assignment, making the most of our time. 

Paul instructed us to “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭15-16‬ NKJV)”. 

That is, be careful how you live your life. Don’t waste it with what will be considered useless compared to eternity. Don’t live as fools who live only for here and now, thoughtlessly saying, “Y.O.L.O. – You Only Live Once” at every witless decision. 

What you do today does matter forever! 

Living purposefully sees that the days are evil: people are still hopeless and lost, having yet to walk on streets called mercy – the hope found in Christ. 

You need to make the most of every opportunity, buying your time, because the night is coming when we can no longer work to rescue others, snatching them from the flames of eternal judgment (see Jude 1:23). 

Make most of your life like if your time is borrowed. 

Loving Beyond

Loved people always love. 

We love “because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Foreign to our idea of love is God’s way of loving people. 

God wants us as loved people to always love others. 

On a mountain, Christ rallies His new band of followers. In front of a large, restless crowd who have jumbled together to hear this Nazarene, Jesus addresses Who we refer to as the disciples, giving them a different way to love: 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust”. (Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43-45‬ NKJV)

Contrary to the tradition of loving your neighbors and hating your enemies, the love Christ prescribed to His disciples was to be transcendent of maltreatment from others and consistent even to wicked people. 

Familiar with the law, the disciples were very much challenged not to avenge themselves against their adversaries but to act as children from the Father that shows compassion on the just and the unjust unlike. 

This brand of love the Father exhibits doesn’t show any bias. Christ called His followers to love as people belonged to God Who supplies sunlight and rain to the good and evil. 

This love of God intends for us is to bring our best to even people who only gives us their worst. We respond in love regardless of how people treat us. 

You love beyond the love of others, because you are a part of a family who loves extravagantly. 

Being in a family includes unique traits. As a Bell, we talk with our hands. We all do it. It doesn’t matter who is in front of us, our hands are part of the conversation. There are like extensions of the lips. 

Being children of God, it’s part of the profile to love beyond commonality. Because our Father is love. 

We reflect the love of the Father that sees everyone important despite their criminal record or attitude at the stoplight. We love, because it’s part of being in the family of God. 

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. (‭I John‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ NKJV)

Live a life of love. 

Your Heart, Home for God’s Word

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ NKJV)

Devotional author Kay Arthur has a real cozy way to explain verse:

“God wants His Word to be a home to us”.

Who is a stranger in their own house? Is there anywhere that I can kick up and relax – it’s my own home! It’s a place of refuge, security and familiarity – a sense of belonging.

Having God’s Word dwell richly within us is letting the message about Christ become a place of belonging in our lives.

It’s me opening my Bible each day with desire.

Reading the Scriptures should be just a fluid as me using the facet. I regularly use the facet because I want to use it; I need to use it; (my family likes me using it too especially I first wake up and apply the toothbrush to the tongue) and because I enjoy to use it.

The message of Christ was much at home to Timothy. Paul regarded this when he wrote to Timothy:

“…from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (II Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ NKJV).

Growing up in the Word was a part of Timothy’s life. It was home to him!

Let the Word live in your life. Make it something you delight to seek.

Don’t just read it. Welcome it home!

Desiring God vs Dating

There is such a great wealth in being content with desiring God. It is futile to live to culminate earthly treasures that will ultimately sift through our fingers when we leave earth at death.

And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. (I Timothy 6:8 NKJV)

So what about romance? There is nothing under this profile of contentment in 1 Timothy 6 that talks about being content with being single!

After all, wasn’t God who said, “It is not good that man should be alone.” (Genesis 2:18 NKJV)?

God did said that. In fact, Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.”

So what’s the problem, John? I find a wife: it makes God happy, and He even blesses me with His favor.

I interrupt the eharmony chat room only on this ground: Is she/he the upmost pursuit to win your greatest interest? In other words, is she the center of your drive through life?

If so, you might need to evaluate.

Check this out. You’ve decided to follow the Son. I mean that’s why you’re reading this blog right?…right?

Then what does this verse convey to you?

If then you were raised with Christ [dead to sin and now alive in Christ as this new creation] seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1 NKJV)

Seek Heaven’s treasures: golden streets, big mansions, loved ones and crowns. No. Seek those things which are above: where Christ is. The things we glean from above is the outcome as we set on eyes on Jesus. The focus is Christ. He is our life.

Read what follows verse three:

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3 NKJV)

This new life we have been rebirthed in is inside Christ. So we set [our] mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2 NKJV) because Christ is literally our life now.

I’m all for relationships! I just want you to see that Christ is crazy about you.

You know enough that in any romantic relationship, you need to give your everything for that person. Christ gave Himself for you that He might redeem you from sin. And it goes on. Read Ephesians 1 and see some great blessings of God you have in Christ!

He is jealous over you (Ex 34:14). In my opinion, I wouldn’t venture in a relationship, if you’re cheating on your first love!

Being content in God is great wealth in itself. Romance should never steal your heart from loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV)

Enjoy relationships but enjoy God more.

God’s Plans Override Our Ideas

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise…”(I Corinthians 1:27 NKJV)

God confounds our intellect when He uses debased things to carry out His intelligent operation. An excellent example is God’s sovereign use of Jonah to convert Nineveh.

Jonah hated Nineveh. Their people had oppressed Israel. Now God called Jonah, an Israelite, to witness to his enemies.

From start to end of the book of Jonah, Jonah carried a bitter grudge against the very people God desired to experience his mercy.

In sheer awe of God’s wrath, Nineveh immediately repents:

“Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.” (Jonah 3:10 NKJV)

God enjoyed to take pity on Nineveh; however, Jonah shared a different response:

“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry.” (Jonah 4:1 NKJV)

Hatred propelled Jonah to run to Tarshish, and hatred hardened his heart to Nineveh’s revival. He hated the idea of Nineveh receiving salvation. Yet God chose this hateful person to deliver hope.

God doesn’t choose us by our skills or talents; He qualifies anyone whom He wills to accomplish His plan to receive glory for Himself.

Jonah shows us that God’s delight to receive glory exceeds the liberty of man. God doesn’t bend His plans to suit man’s feelings. He uses whomever, whenever and however.

He used a disobedient, unreliable son to be the chosen ancestor of the Messiah to convey God’s road of glory may even include unexpected potholes.*

He used a prostitute to save the spies of Israel to show His grace confounds our reason.**

He used a false prophet to bless His chosen people to say He can even use evil men to please His wants.***

God has called all his own to serve in bringing Him praise:

“…who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”(II Timothy 1:9 NKJV)

God saved you not to be a pet in His collection of souls, but a masterpiece of His wide scale operation to fulfill His wants.

Ephesians 2:10 puts it this way, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV)

If God has determined an event that involves our participation, He may use us even with our unwilling attitudes. Let us then see that our destiny is designed by God to glorify Him. And on that thought, let us want to complete it with a willing spirit.

*Gen 49:8-10
**Joshua 2
***Numbers 22-24

God’s Pleasure for Glory

God is eager to glorify Himself. He goes as far as using providence to manipulate the course of man’s will to author a testament of praise to God.

Joseph is a classic work piece of praise to God. Joseph suffers the anguish of being sold into slavery by his own brothers, then is framed for adultery and imprisoned for 2 years. Yet it delighted God for Joseph to undergo these trials. And while we know the prosperous outcome of Joseph, we neglect to imagine the grief Joseph experiences through these circumstances for the sake of God’s pleasure.

And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (Genesis 45:7 NKJV)

At the moment Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, he comforts them by disclosing to him that his descent was purposed by God to save their lives.

God confounds the wisdom man when he uses tragic episodes of life and transforms them to handiworks of glory.

Joseph did not expect his struggles will result in being a father to Pharaoh and a ruler of Egypt. Egyptians hated the Hebrews so this is never enter into the thought of Joseph (Gen 43:32). Yet Joseph’s trauma birthed a testimony of God’s grace that forces him to glorify God.

God wants to author your life to tell of His magnificence. God does works all things together for good to those who love God (Rom 8:28), but those who are sincerely being conformed to His image (Rom 8:29) would hold their good to the good of God which is for His name to be lifted up.

God desires for the knowledge of His glory to fill the whole earth (Hab 2:14).

All the scans of the known world lived off the fat of Egypt during the global famine, and it is inevitably possible that the nations learn of Joseph’s Great God and worshipped. Joseph’s house manager glorified God at Joseph’s brothers’ curiosity of their money in their sacks (Gen 43:23). Pharaoh glorified God and set His ambassador Vice President of Egypt (Gen 41:38).

You have to give God every chapter of your life for the praise of His glory.

He is passionate for His glory, and He has commanded that you effort everything for His glory (1 Cor 10:31). Make it a delight to God to offer yourself available to His pleasing (Rom 12:1). He wants to be praised!

Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

Here’s a great book to refresh that zeal to chase after God: Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer.

Tozer in his book confronts various life transitions that permeate our lives, steal our attention in seeking God and leaves us complacent. You will find that though this book is over 50 years old, that is still very relevant today.

Pursuit of God can be a good warm up to restart your chase after God!

Phil 1:21 vs Phil 2:21 Christian

My buddy Carlo in our prayer group commented, “There are two types of Christians: A Philippians 1:21 Christian and Philippians 2:21 Christian”.

Philippians 1:21 Christian lives by the verse: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21 KJV)

This Christian understands God is passionate for His glory. He looks at the Scriptures and accepts the fact that he was created to exalt God. His life channels through this verse:

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (I Corinthians 10:31 NKJV)

This person sees and reflects the glory of God as the Spirit makes him more and more like Christ (2 Cor 3:18). He accepts that his life was predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29 NKJV).

He leaves behind the past and sees himself in the aftermath of his choice to follow Christ. He accepts that he is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17) and that the life which [he] now live in the flesh [he] live by faith in the Son of God, who loved [him] and gave Himself for [him]. (Galatians 2:20 NKJV).

To him, salvation wasn’t an insurance of eternal security from everlasting damnation, but a sorrowful repentance of his rebellion against God and a sincere acceptance of God’s offer of mercy by believing in Christ’s shedding of His holy blood, he is remitted of his sins and is imputed Christ’s righteousness.

Being born again to him is to be an imitator of God (Eph 5:1). He realizes when 1 John 2:6 says, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (I John 2:6 NKJV), he sees that he must “deny himself, and take up his cross and follow [Christ] (Luke 9:23 NKJV).

To him, he counts all things as loss for Christ (Phil 3:7). He views the mercy God had on his life, and he gives up his wants, dreams, ideas, presumptions, goals, plans, ambitions, desires, temptations to live for the wants of God (Rom 12:1). He isn’t entangled with the culture of this world (2 Tim 2:4; Rom 12:2), rather he aims for Christ always to be magnified in [his] body, whether by life or by death. (Philippians 1:20 NKJV).

Suffering for Christ is not a trifle, but a privilege (Phil 1:29).

His joy is unconditional. His delight sings the same song: Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. (Psalms 73:25 NKJV).

Death is not a dead end to him, but the obviosous anticipation to desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. (Philippians 1:23 NKJV).

The profile of the Philippians 2:21 reflects the verse: For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:21 NKJV)

His life is centered on himself. He abuses the grace that Christ dreadfully purchased for him (Rom 6:1). He lives totally to gratify himself. Although his pattern of lifestyle can be affiliated with a follower of Christ, his true colors are as the Apostle Paul describes:

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: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame— who set their mind on earthly things. (Philippians 3:18, 19 NKJV)

He is hindrance to the advance of Christ, because (pretty much) he is in the way. His religion is impure and defiled (James :27), because he lives well and sees others in need and takes no pity on them (1 John 3:17). His wealth is stored for the here and now. He is so ineffective to share the Gospel because he is so preoccupied with life here on earth. Every success he makes, he perceives it as a blessing and blames the Devil or even God for any discomfort.

He is pretty much useless to the cause of Christ (Luke 14:34-35). These words of Christ label his worship: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. (Matthew 15:8 NKJV)

He believes that he is a valuable asset to God, but he is actually nothing more than a whitewashed tomb (Matt 23:27).

What he says in his heart is what Christ condemn to the Church of Laodicea: Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— (Revelation 3:17 NKJV)

Both profess Christ, but they don’t walk the same path. Which of these profiles address to you?

…When you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.
-Francis Chan, Crazy Love

Not Made for Safety

  Hopefully, you know the quote: 

“A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are made for”.

Ships are preserved from the risk of threatening storms and others dangers if they just remain berthed at their dock. The ship I lived on, we did just that. We were berthed in Germany for 8 months.

Safe? Yes. But almost everyone and their sister were restless. As much we felt at home in Germany, we wanted to leave and sail with the news of Jesus to the world.

We were ambassadors of Christ. And if you claim yourself as part of God’s own, you are an ambassador. The point I’m getting to is that we are not made to be “safe in a harbor” (a church most likely); we are made to go and risk ourselves for the cause of Christ.

Omission is a common disease in the church. It traces from even the very beginning of our history.

Christ told His followers,“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15 NKJV). While the Apostles did preach the Gospel, they resided in Jerusalem. God had to providentially scatter them into the world in order to spread hope to everyone (Acts 8-28).

Sadly in some areas, history is repeating itself. They are some churches that depend on missionaries and pastors to share the Good News. But sharing the Gospel is not only for qualified people. We are all commanded to preach the Gospel.

Sailing out into sea, risks are likely, but ships were made to confront risks in their efforts to complete their mission.

Here is something most people don’t talk about: 

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, (Philippians 1:29 NKJV)

You were not made for safety.

Suffering is part of the profile of what it means to be a Christian. We are not just privileged to receive salvation, we are also given the privilege to suffer for the name of Christ.

Leaving Germany was bittersweet, but the relief was overwhelming. We were all excited because we were finally out doing what we came together for.

Pastor and a favorite book author, Francis Chan had this to say concerning “harbored” Christians:

Christians are like manure: spread them out and they help everything grow better, but keep them in one big pile and they stink horrible

If you’re just berthed at church, sure you’re safe, but you’re also useless to the intent of God’s want for us to make Him known. It’s time to sail out.