Verse: Philippians 3:18-21
For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Devotion:
Throughout all of history, the world has been present and ready to serve as a distraction. The world has always been filled with earthly things that seem good, but in reality take our focus from Jesus and will cause destruction. Especially in the world we live in today, the world is at our fingertips. With the age of technology, anything we could dream of is pretty easily available.
The world is screaming things at us to pull our focus from the Kingdom. It is way too easy to become entangled in the pursuit of our fleshy desires and to seek the newest material possessions. Or, you might be like me and find yourself seeking fulfillment in the approval of others, people pleasing, making sure you don’t make anyone else uncomfortable. Whatever form it takes for you, we all have fleshly desires that are not in alignment with the Kingdom of Heaven.
What pulls your attention away from the face of Jesus and makes you want to indulge in the world, a little more each time?
The world is screaming at us to fix our eyes on it, instead of on Him. But, living as citizens of Heaven means aligning our hearts and minds with the values of God's kingdom, not the values of the culture around us. It means placing Jesus Christ at the center of our lives and allowing His teachings to guide our decisions and actions… even if that makes us stand out and look different. In fact, we’re told that we should look different than the world around us. (Romans 12:2). That can be so, so hard. But, it is also what makes us stand out to those around us. It’s what makes people look at us and think “there’s something different about them”. It’s what reflects the light of Jesus to the broken, dark world around us. If we can get out of our own way, we can let Him use us as His citizens.