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I Am A Citizen of Heaven
(Php3:17-21)
God is the Father in heaven (Mt5:48).
He made the heavens and all things (Neh9:6) and
He inherits to His children the kingdom of heaven.
Faith is believing Him and being proud and
The life of this faith is setting one's mind on things above, not on earthly things (Col3:1-2).
While people immigrate to a country better than their own for a better life,
Being granted citizenship is not easy and success is never guaranteed.
Heaven, according to the Bible, is not a place where one goes reluctantly after death.
Rather, it is a place where there is no mourning, crying, pains or death,
But only infinite joy, gladness, peace, rest, and glory for which
One wants to go to as soon as possible (Rev21:1-4).
It is the "third heaven," which is different from the first heaven and the second heaven (2Co12:2),
The highest heaven of heavens, in other words, the spiritual heaven (1Ki8:27).
The angels who sinned in that heaven (Is14:12-14; 2Pe2:4) were
Contained in the expanse bound by everlasting chains until judgement (Ge1:8; 2Pe2:4; Jude1:6):
The universe that will be burned up to become hell (2Pe3:7).
Deceived by the devil, Adam the ancestor of all men sinned and was
Banished from the Garden (Ge3:4-6), and
All men became restless wanderers on earth as the result of sin (Ge4:12).
God revealed through Abraham that faith is dwelling in the promised land (Ge12:1, 5)
Living in tents like a stranger in a foreign country
Looking forward to the heavenly country (He11:9-10, 16).
After their slavery of 400 years in Egypt and after 40 years in the desert
A minority of faith of the Israelites, his descendants, finally set their foot on Canaan.
Although their life of captivity continued due to their repeated defeats,
By all means they returned to the land of Canaan where the Temple of Jerusalem was.
Yeshua said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days," because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body (Jn2:19-20),
He would return the children of God (Jn1:12) in the Father's name Yeshua (Jn5:43)
To the Father's house in heaven (Jn14:2),
Not the servants in the name of Jehovah to Canaan.
Though He is the Son of Man born on earth of a woman
He is of heaven and thus prophesied that He would be lifted up to heaven (Jn3:13-14).
As His flesh tore like the veil and opened the gates of heaven (Mt27:51; Jn10:7),
He died and said, "It is finished" (Jn19:30), declaring that He:
1) Established a turning point in returning to the Father's house (Jn10:18);
2) Judged the devil who on his own left his proper position (Is14:12-15; Jude1:6); and
3) Gave His flesh and blood to all men (Jn6:54).
He resurrected and rode across the highest heavens (Ps68:33), and
Ascended to the throne where He receives praise forever.
The Holy Spirit who came from heaven testifies that
Jesus Christ is living and is seated on the heavenly throne (Ac3:21).
The Christian, in order to become fit to be a citizen of heaven,
Puts to death whatever belongs to his earthly nature,
Sexual immortally, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed (Col3:1-5).
In his mind, interest, language, action and all aspects of his life,
He is like a foreigner and stranger living on earth ready to leave any time (He11:9-13) for
When the Lord Yeshua returns he longs to have
His earthly body be transformed into the spiritual one and
Follow the Lord to be lifted up to heaven (Php3:20-21; 1Th4:16).
O Lord,
My spirit that came from heaven!
While I live on earth let me live like a foreigner and
When You appear in the air let me soar with You to heaven!
Let me only see heaven even with my eyes closed and
Let me not think of earthly things. Amen.