Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Not Our Home
For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.
—1 Thessalonians 2:4
The story is told of a missionary couple who was preparing to retire after many years of service in Africa. The ship they had boarded to return to the U.S. also happened to be carrying President Theodore Roosevelt, who was returning from a hunting expedition. When they reached their destination and the passengers were disembarking, a crowd of admirers waited to meet the president as a big band played in the background. But when the time came for the missionary couple to step ashore, not a single soul was there to meet them. Discouraged, the husband buried his head in his hands and groaned, "I didn't want a parade, but at least someone could have come to welcome us home!" His wife turned to him and replied, "Honey, we are not home yet."
This world is not our home. And because of that, we should always be a bit disconnected from it, not quite in sync with everything this culture celebrates, because our citizenship is in heaven. As Christians, we have a different value system because we serve a different God and have different priorities than this world has.
Yet some Christians only care about living for themselves, as long as they can get to heaven. What a waste. We should instead be asking ourselves, How can I bring a little bit of heaven to earth? How can I make a difference in the lives of those I come into contact with? How can I make a difference for time and eternity? What has God called me to do? I want to do it in a way that will bring glory and honor to Him.
May we live our lives well and wisely, because they eventually will come to an end. Until then, let's be about our Father's business.
Copyright © 2010 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
SPECIAL OFFER
Focused on events right before our eyes...
-
"I want to send you Signs of the Times in appreciation for your support of Harvest Outreach this month. Why is your support important today? Because I am convinced that the proclamation of the gospel has never been more critical, on the radio, at evangelistic outreach events, online, and through resources like Signs of the Times that are relevant and timely. We preach and teach around the clock... and it is the support of friends like you that make it possible. Your gift helps send out the call to wake up, for the coming of the Lord is near!"
—Pastor Greg Laurie
You can have your own copy of Greg Laurie's Signs of the Times in appreciation for your gift to Harvest Ministries this month. 