{"product_id":"how-to-live-as-a-citizen-of-heaven-while-on-earth","title":"How To Live As A Citizen Of Heaven While On Earth","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePhysicists from Stanford and the University of California Santa Barbara are trying to put one object in two places at the same time. This is called “quantum entanglement” and consists of heating and cooling a tiny piece of matter to extreme levels and measuring it to see if it can be detected in multiple locations. Einstein theorized it might be possible, and these researchers believe they can do it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhile this might sound like the stuff of science fiction, Christians have been in two places at once for more than two thousand years. How is this possible?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eChristians alive on Earth are citizens of Heaven (spiritually) and are living on Earth (physically). Paul tells us that even though our bodies are on earth, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“we are citizens of Heaven”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 3:20).\u003c\/i\u003e We are in two places at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBut how do we live as citizens of both Heaven and Earth? In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he tells them, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 1:27)\u003c\/i\u003e. I love that Paul almost always tells us how to do what he wants us to do. In Philippians, he gives us four ways that we need to live as citizens of Heaven while on Earth. The first one we don’t expect to experience as Christians: struggles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLIVE BOLDLY THROUGH STRUGGLE\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePaul writes, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 1:29). \u003c\/i\u003eIn one of his commentaries on the Bible, Warren Wiersbe writes, “For some reason, many new believers have the idea that trusting Christ means the end of their battles. In reality, it means the beginning of new battles.” One of those new battles is suffering.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe suffering statement is explained in light of Paul’s life, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“We are in this \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003estruggle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it”\u003c\/i\u003e (\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePhilippians 1:30, emphasis added).\u003c\/i\u003e As Paul writes here to the Philippians, he was under “house-arrest” in Rome waiting for his trial before Emperor Nero \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(see Philippians 1:7, 13-14; Acts 28:30-31).\u003c\/i\u003e Under house-arrest, Paul was chained to a wall and a Roman soldier. He couldn’t go anywhere nor could he provide for himself. Life was a struggle for him during the two years in which he wrote this letter to the Philippians.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe live as citizens of Heaven by living boldly through struggles together. While struggles focus on us and what we experience, the next way to live as citizens of Heaven focuses on others.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLOVE OTHERS\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHow many problems would disappear if people loved each other? The second way that we live as citizens of Heaven is to love others. Paul writes, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 2:2).\u003c\/i\u003e How many broken relationships could be reconciled, families restored, workplaces made supportive and friendships made stronger where selfless love was actually the norm?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePaul continues on, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 2:3).\u003c\/i\u003e One thing about loving others is that it reminds us to not think only of ourselves. It takes the focus from us so we can contribute to a just and compassionate environment by thinking of others. That’s humility.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePaul explains, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 2:4).\u003c\/i\u003e In college, I lived in a two-bedroom apartment with a roommate. I couldn’t help but hear the arguments between my roommate and his girlfriend. She would storm out of our apartment mad. When he emerged from his room, he’d say, “Christopher, she wants something. But I’m not gonna do it, you know why? Because you have to look out for #1. I’ve got to do what’s best for me.” That relationship didn’t last long.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs Christians, we too have to look out for #1. But\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eas Christians, #1 is not ourselves. As Christians we must learn to sacrifice ourselves for others just like Jesus did.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSACRIFICE YOURSELF FOR OTHERS\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNext, Paul says that we \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 2:5).\u003c\/i\u003e He explains that Christ \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 2:7).\u003c\/i\u003e Jesus was fully God and fully man, but He didn’t cling to His divine privileges.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHe didn’t use His position as God to escape death. In this way, Jesus \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 2:8).\u003c\/i\u003e He was giving up His divine privilege as God. He didn’t have to die. But He was sacrificing Himself for others in a physically painful and emotionally humiliating death.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhen we mention the word “sacrifice,” we think of excruciating physical pain, but humbling ourselves for the benefit of others isn’t often that severe. For example, someone might verbally attack us in anger, but we choose to not fight back. For the sake of avoiding a conflict, we might let another person think he or she is right when we know he or she is wrong. These are small sacrifices that we can do for others.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA word of caution is needed. Under no circumstances should we submit to people that abuse us verbally or harm us physically. And if a controlling person says, “\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eYou \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eneed to submit to \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eme\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e because the Bible says so” it is clear that person is not following Christ’s model of love as we already discussed earlier.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSHINE BRIGHTLY FOR CHRIST\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePaul gives a fourth way we live as citizens of Heaven, saying, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 2:15).\u003c\/i\u003e I love that. Live clean and innocent lives!\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEven in the Old Testament, the nation of Israel was supposed to stand out and look different than the nations around them. God had told the nation of Israel, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“You will be My kingdom of priests, My holy nation”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Exodus 19:6).\u003c\/i\u003e As John says, we are \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“children of the light”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(John 12:36), \u003c\/i\u003eand we need to show that light.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOne way to live clean and innocent lives is to \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Do everything without complaining and arguing” (Philippians 2:14).\u003c\/i\u003e This will set you apart from the rest of the world. Whether a child at home doing his chores, a member of a church serving or a professional working a job, if you are a person who does their work with a positive and friendly spirit, you will look different than everyone else.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTo shine brightly in this dark world is tough. Thankfully, God helps us. Paul writes, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Philippians 2:13). \u003c\/i\u003eAs a Christian, God gives you the \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“desire”\u003c\/i\u003e to do what He wants. But He knows it’s difficult. So, He gives you the \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“power”\u003c\/i\u003e to accomplish it. This is because it is \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“God who does the work in all of us”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(1 Corinthians 12:6).\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhat a privilege it is to be a citizen of Heaven, but also a challenge to still be on Earth. We must suffer together, serve others, sacrifice for others and shine brightly for God. I’m grateful Paul tells us how to be in two places at once.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAre you a citizen of heaven? The Bible tells us, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(Romans 10:9).\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAccept this free gift of God and enter the citizenship of heaven today. \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord\" (Romans 6:23).\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PrintMyTract.com","offers":[{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 100","offer_id":67774408065272,"sku":"lne1792699866046","price":34.65,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 100","offer_id":67774408098040,"sku":"nzk1792699866047","price":53.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 250","offer_id":67774408130808,"sku":"fth1792699866048","price":59.48,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 250","offer_id":67774408163576,"sku":"jup1792699866049","price":104.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 500","offer_id":67774408196344,"sku":"pws1792699866050","price":80.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 500","offer_id":67774408229112,"sku":"mop1792699866051","price":133.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 1000","offer_id":67774408261880,"sku":"nrg1792699866052","price":127.3,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 1000","offer_id":67774408294648,"sku":"wiq1792699866053","price":172.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 2500","offer_id":67774408327416,"sku":"njf1792699866054","price":275.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 2500","offer_id":67774408360184,"sku":"enc1792699866055","price":334.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 5000","offer_id":67774408392952,"sku":"lqt1792699866056","price":398.12,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 5000","offer_id":67774408425720,"sku":"wki1792699866057","price":560.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard (up to 3 weeks) \/ 10000","offer_id":67774408458488,"sku":"lcn1792699866058","price":791.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rush (1 week) \/ 10000","offer_id":67774408491256,"sku":"kjk1792699866059","price":1024.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0829\/2954\/9560\/files\/how-to-live-as-a-citizen-of-heaven-while-on-earth_1.jpg?v=1792699883","url":"https:\/\/opalcalfmachine.shop\/products\/how-to-live-as-a-citizen-of-heaven-while-on-earth","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}