Q1. Homeland

[48SUGAR]

THankyou all for your words of wisdom - I too am very conscious that I need to focus on Jesus - Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Being constantly bombarded by the pressures of every day living and life can make us too 'busy' to really reflect on what we are doing - there is a real danger for christians (speaking from experience) that I am so busy/ preoccupied 'doing the Lord's work with youth in my church' that I am not focusing completely and absolutely on the saving Lord for whom I am supposed to be doing this work. DEFINITELY THE WRONG ORDER! Thankyou to everyone who so sincerely posted their views and opinions - I have learnt so much from all of you.

[gbkuntz]

I feel they are not truly focused on what our real goal should be while here on earth.

As humans I think we all fall away from time to time and I have. With the grace of God I am able to refocus and head for the goal.

[light]

Q.1 The christian that identifies with his present homeland than his heavenly one, has not yet fully understood what God has purchased for him. He has not come to the realization that God has given him everything he needs for living in this world but not being a part of it. He needs to know the love that God has for him. He loves more the things that he sees rather than the things that are unseen. Yes I have fallen but God has saved me by His grace and helped me to rely on Him. Focus on God and His kingdom. Know beyond a doubt that he has being chosen, selected by God. Know I am just passing through. Trust in God and follow hard after Him. My allegience is to the King. Don't let the affairs of this world weigh me down. Know that God is in control. Repent and turn again to Him.

[Chilimoma]

I would describe the behavior of a Christian who identifies more with his or her present homeland than his or her heavenly one as an "illegal alien." Everything -- the language, the customs, the activities, the culture -- is way too enticing, and although the "alien" longs to participate in the enticements, he or she knows deep inside that their end is deception.

Every honest believer would have to admit that he or she has been trapped while climbing under the fence that separates his or her native land from the land of his or her true citizenship.

To get our spiritual priorities straight, the "immigration authorities" must intervene. God wisely allows trials, anguish, dissatisfaction, emptiness and other hindrances to come into our lives to gently remind us that "This world is NOT our home..." Faithful study of His Word is necessary to deport us back as refugees to the realm of His residence.

[Kathern Edenloff]

I find people who are christian and walk in this world are to be continuely on guard. All can slip into the needs and rewards of worldly goods. We need to look to the heavenly home as a perment place and here on this earth we are just passing through. Christians who become to much consumed with this world need to go back to the alter and ask God for power and wisdom in their choices. We have all been given a will to make choices whether good or bad. We do have forgiviness of wrong choices that we make and should learn from them and strive to do better. We also need to know we can not due this in our own strength and need the Holy Spirit to guide us as he did in the scriptures to New Testament believers.

There is a song that says "cast your eyes upon Jesus and look solely in his face and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and Grace. So I would say look toward Jesus and do let the Holy Spirit be your leader and comfortor.

[Jude]

I have appreciated each of the other posts and with regard to this first question, at least one of the participants mentioned TRUST, which seems key to me.

I would add that one who identifies with this "present homeland" has an exclusive attachment to the things of the world, and has forgotten how transient and fragile this existence and the things of it are. I once heard that life is like watching a movie in a theatre...when the movie is over, the lights come on.

Of course, I have been caught in that loop. One time, I had become swollowed up in trying to support my family, had put my nose to the grindstone, so to speak. I had added work to my day that was unrelated to my vocation, my calling. I was working hard, even putting some of my family's needs on the back burner. I realized, (through a moment of grace, I might add) that I wasn't trusting God with the work He had given me to do.

To get back on track, I needed to take a step back, take a deep breath, and as an act of Faith, put my trust in God.

[anitafetz@charter.net]

Christians who dwell more on their earthly home land "THINGS" than their heavenly home took their eyes off of Jesus and put them on the worldly things. They are not staying true to their TRUE LOVE. The world's things will rust and may be stolen but the Heavenly things won't be. Some feel that these Christians may have back slidden and need to ask God to forgive them for being so worldly and ask God that He will help them to be true to Him. We are to be travelers in this land and not residents. We are to be looking up and not ddown. The things of this world can make you down but the Heavenly things make you up.

[Yoli]

I would call that christian worldly, living for material gradification rather than focusing on the spiritual realm.

Yes, there are times in my life, I get so busy and caught up in my own life that I take my focus off God (not good).

Going through a trial or test will draw us closer to God. When we put our focus back on God and spend time with him daily through prayer and bible study be began to see a difference in our attitude and our commitment to him.

[pastor dave]

Can a Christian think more of this place than for this present homeland than for the heavenly one? If we who say we believe in Christ give more time and worry to the reactions of the world, how can we say that we are of Him if we are not prayerfully letting our minds be on His will and path for us?

[Mary Ellen McNeill]

Until we begin to grasp that this present world is not our home, we will be controlled by it. It will drown out the Spirit's voice. It will fill us with fear or greed or envy and the peace that Christ offers will not be able to take root in our lives.

For me, so much of this has to do with focus - what I am focusing on in any given moment or day. There is so much in this present world that clamors for our attention. Of course the ultimate goal would be to focus fully on Christ in every moment. But, as we are still imperfect, it becomes a matter of returning to Christ every time we realize our focus is elsewhere, praying that the Holy Spirit would open our eyes so that we would be aware of a shifting focus, spending time in worship and Bible study to remind me of my true home.

[kas]

They are still living in the flesh. They need to focus on God's Word. They need to walk, talk and live His word. When we learn to put God as our #1 priority over all people and material things on a daily basis, our behavior should fall into line with God's will.

[Helen Williams]

A person is considered wordly when he/she identifies more with this present home than the heavenly one, our eternal home. We are just pilgrims traveling through, not here to stay. We live in this world but it's not our home. Our home is not made by man. Oh yes, we all have been in this situation, where we focus on the things of the world and not on the things of God. As I type, things of this world is passing away but the things of God will last forever. We get our spiritual priorities straight by focusing on the Word and the Holy Spirit will lead and teach us in all truth. We began to realize that we are nothing without God. He is our ever present help.

[June]

I think a person that thinks more of this world than of his heavenly home needs to repent of all his sin. Sometimes we tend to hang on to ( what some call) little sins. SIN IS SIN and there is no little or big sin. Give it all to Christ.

I have found myself leaning on my own thinking sometime,rather than giving it to God and praying for the answer.

We must die out to self. Let God be God 'cause we are not..

[shawn746]

1a. Lost

1b. I would think most of us have at many times enjoyed the homeland fruits more then our heavenly ones.

1c. Not living in the world but in the Word.

[Barry ben Levi]

For me the answer is in a midrash, or allegory, as told (to Rabbi David Bockman) by an American Indian Elder: "...Inside me are two dogs. One is kind and good. The other is mean and evil. The mean dog fights the other all the time" When the Elder was asked which dog would win, he stated, "... The one I feed the most." In Torah, we see this story within the family of Isaac; in that sense, Jacob and Easu represent, to me, what our inner nature is like. Esau represents yetzer hara, the inclination towards the physical (or, if you will -evil) and Jacob represents yetzer hatov, the inclination towards the spiritual (or -good). Now Esav need not be viewed as evil, nor Yaakov as good. We can see from this story that the "good guy" actually took unfair advantage of his bro, as in when he traded Easu for a bowl of lentil soup for birthright. Then this good guy, Jacob, actually steals the blessing! Oye! Interesting thing about the blessings - is that Isaac actually blessed both equally, although 180 degrees out. So what was the difference? Jacob sought out things of a spiritual nature, while his brother sought out those of a very physical nature. One sought something for the "moment" - the other sought something "worth waiting for". result: Esav's descendents became the Romans. Yaakov's descendents became the House of Israel, and led to the Messiah!

I can say that it's very easy to get caught up in things of "the moment", but I'm sooo very glad for the gift of salvation in the Messiah, and for the 'Spirit of Truth' He breathes into us to help us continue to seek out things that really matter. The Romans are a "dead" issue - This homeland's gonna go away. The Messiah is a living one! I think I'd rather wait a bit, and settle into something "worth waiting for" with the "God of the Living".

[gatetrek]

A Christian who identifies with this world more than Christ, is usually called a carnal

or wordly Christian. This person is really no different than the average American citizen

who is more concern with their jobs, attend their children's school activities, and even

their church activties that we many times forget want God wants us to do. He wants us to be like his son, Jesus and wants us to be an example to this world so the world

can see Christ in us but the carnal Christian doesn't have this in them. Yes, I have found myself being a carnal Christian. There is nothing wrong with these things until

they take the place of Jesus.

To get our spritiual priorities straight it may take a wake up call from God for us to

realize that our lives are not where God wants them to be. Many times God will use a

sermon, a song, bible study, a short illness or something to get our attention so we will

listen to the Holy Spirit guidiance that our lifestyle needs to change.

[Mary Beth Whittam]

This type of Christian has many care here on earth and doesn't see all the benifits we have in heaven.

(second part of this question is yes)

We need to give this to God. Learn what the Bible says to do and ask God for guidess.

[Patrick_Wong]

Greeting to my brothers & sisters,

I am new to this site (chance upon it) and really thank God for connecting up with His children. My name is Patrick Wong, 44 years of age, a born again Anglican from Singapore. My thoughts on Q1 is:-

Q1. (1:1) How would you describe the behavior of a Christian who identifies more with his present homeland than his heavenly one? Have you ever caught yourself doing this? What has to happen to get our spiritual priorities straight?

Firstly, my opinion is that those who regards their existence here on Earth as more important than heaven are "human" in that the worry of this world are far more exacting than what they are able to see compared to the glory of heaven. I must admit that living in this present fast pace age where financial security, acceptance and the pressure of bring up children are very tangible challenges faced everyday. I lack faith to believe God and follows his every word as written in the bible. This morning I was reading Eze 14:1-9 which speaks so eloquently of how the people wanted to hear only good things from the prophet and how God rebuke such people for their false security. Perhaps, if only I could internised Christ in my life, would i truly learn to focus and get my spiritual priorities straight. I want to claim Paul teaching in Phil 3:14 "I press on toward the goal ..........for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus".

Praise to God

[pastornpw]

I must confess that I often fix my gaze upon worldly things but praise God that He forgives me and draws my eyes back to Him, the author and finisher of my faith. I love the old song that goes "this world is not my home, I'm only passing through." I often use that to remind myself of where my citizenship really is.

[Julie]

As a Christian who over time backslid to their former lifestyles, for before we had the knowledge of Our Father, the world was our home, our only hope was in the world, but now we have the power and knowledge to know that this world is a place we our staying until we go home. I have filtered back in to some of my former lifestyles such as not being longsuffering, slow to anger, or a gossip, but I pray that the Lord would give me these characteristics to be more Christlike, and I have found that I am more aware, alert when I am becoming angry, impatient or about to gossip, I can then control these unpleasant and unchristlike characters.

Hello everyone It's good to be back.

[Awuta1]

Christians who identify more with their present homeland are those that have put too much significance on their secular life. Sometimes when we get too involved with our jobs, making money or just making a point, we tend to forget about God. Yes, I have found myself in this situation. If I attend church on Sunday, and have no fellowship with God the rest of the week, I have a tendency to put too much emphasis on the secular. However, when I go to bible study in the middle of the week, stay involved in church activities and study the word, I tend to keep my priorities in order.

[dcalbreath]

This is tricky, because we all get caught up in the day-to-day hassles and problems and put most of our focus on this world. However, too much focus on Heaven could prove to be off-putting to many people. I have a friend who is a deeply committed Christian, but really annoys people with his "more spiritual than thou" attitude. The sad thing is - he is not really trying to be that way.

How to keep the focus - one thing I enjoy is old-time gospel music. So, every once in a while the song "This World is Not My Home" will come up and remind me of what's really important (palying it on my guitar can serve the same purpose). Of course, if I am walking down the hall humming the bass harmony, my students may look at me a little strangely.

Don Calbreath

[Min]

A Christian who is more concerned with "this homeland" becomes consumed by the things of this world and neglects his or her spiritual life. It doesn't even have to be something bad consuming him or her. For instance, I am an avid baseball fan, and God has used baseball in my life often, beginning with the fact that I became interested in living a Christian life because my favorite player when I was a little girl is a Christian and testified openly in interviews. However, I often become so consumed with following baseball that I neglect doing more spiritual things, such as Bible Study.

[djmclaren]

Q1. (1:1) How would you describe the behavior of a Christian who identifies more with his present homeland than his heavenly one? Have you ever caught yourself doing this? What has to happen to get our spiritual priorities straight?

Peter stated that he was writing to the strangers in Asia Minor. In other words he was writing to believers who understood that they were but sojourners in this world even as the writer of Hebrews stated Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. We have received the promises that they so diligently looked for. How much more are we also sojourners?!

Any man that is called to be an ambassador to an enemy nation represents the nation which sent him and he is responsible to promote the interests and position of his country. The failure to do so amounts to an abnegation of his obligations and responsibilities and he misrepresents his country bringing reproach upon it. Worse, if he sides with the country he is sent to, he becomes a traitor to his own country and cannot be an effective represenative. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Therefore the behaviour of a Christian who identifies more with this present world will mirror the behaviour and thinking of the world. He will be indistinguishable from one who does not have his citizenship in heaven. He will no longer be salt to this world. Matthew 5:13

[Peg Crans]

If we let down our guard we can be fooled into thinking this world is all there is even though we know better, but trials and hardships sometimes cloud our reasoning by dwelling on the circumstances and not being focused on our Lord. We probably all have been there, I know I have. I know He is in control but sometimes I slip up and when I come to my senses I have to repent and know He is Faithful to forgive me. It certainly is a Spiritualy warfare we are in and we must keep in mine who we are and whose we are.