Hope of salvation III

ByPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 5 minutes
Good day my dear friend! I believe God prepared many victories for you today, so I pray that you are sensitive to His message and let the Holy Spirit to lead you all day long. There is no victory without obedience to His voice. Jesus once said: 
«My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.» (John 10: 27-28).
 We are still discussing three weapons God gives to us for the victory at the last days. We discoursed the importance of walking in faith and love, but now let´s talk about hope of salvation. Hope already helps us to have peace nowadays, when thinking about our future. While hope always points our attention on the future, it already has auspicious impact on our life nowadays. In order to effectively use hope of salvation as a weapon, we have to undeerstand who we are in this world and how we should you this world. Paul wrote:
 « … and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away.» (1 Corinthians 7: 31).
 It´s meaningless to cling to this world, for the mode of this world passes away and only the mode of Heaven lasts forever. That´s why all heroes of faith called themselves aliens and pilgrims in this world. 
«These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.» (Hebrews 11:13).
 Here the author describes those who live by faith not by visible things as pilgrims and aliens. We have to make it clear to ourselves who we are on this Earth and what is the nature of our presense here. Also Peter called true believers aspilgrims and aliens.
«Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having good behavior among the nations, so in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.» (1 Peter 2:11-12).
 A pilgrim is a person who stays far away from home in a strange place. Pilgrim is not familiar with the best restaurants and leading banks in vicinity, he probably belongs to a culture different to the area he lives, etc. Locals immediately recognise a stranger in him. Someone compared a stranger to a swollen finger that always draws attention. Believers do look like strangers to all the others, who have no citizenship on Heaven. 
«For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;» (Philippians 3:20).
 We must be speaking, acting and responding a different way and, of course, thinking a different way. We have different values and look at everything differently, not the way this world does. We might be called “strange people”, but we know we are the strangers, living in a foreign country. We are pilgrims on Earth. While being strangers on this Earth we have home in a different place, so we are longing for that home. Besides, we are aliens. Aliens are travellers, getting ready for another journey. As aliens we are going home, so we must be ready. Don´t let anything nor anybody to withhold you, neither to lead you astray on your way home. This world is not home for us, Christians. We are living and working here, while longing for our true home. Jesus instructed his disciples to store their treasure on Heaven, not on Earth, explaining to them where their true home is. 
«Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.» (Matthew 6:19-21).
 As believers we have to crucify our flesh and stop living for the things of this world. We have to multiply treasure on heaven, since this world is not our home anymore. Earth is not a store for our treasure! Jesus spoke about our heavenly home in the Gospel of John:
 «Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. Where I go, you know, and you know the way.» (John 14:1-4).
 What a wonderful home our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ has prepared for us! Let the expectation of the day we meet Him influence our life and values in this world! See you tomorrow!Rufus Adjiboye, pastor

Support us so we can do more

We’ll get right to the point: we’re asking you to help us support our Church online minisry. We’re a nonprofit that relies on support from people like you. If everyone reading this gives €12 monthly, Spirit and Truth city Church can continue to thrive for years.

Similar Posts

  • God’s purpose for the earth and the role of people in it III

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    Today many people mostly emphasize different manifestations, anointing, gifts, talents and personal development. All of these things are important. But if we neglect the development of God’s character in us and do not make it a priority, if we forget to draw near to God and fellowship with Him, then we are doing not the will of God, but instead carrying out our own will. And as a result we are not able to bring glory to God.

  • 26 points that confirm we need the revival

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Nowadays we often hear people talking about revival – in their own life, in the families, in the church, in the whole country. Do you need a revival? If so, how do you know about it? My today´s message contains 26 points that confirm we need the revival and need the Holy Spirit to visit us again. They will help each of us to look at ourselves and diagnose the problems.

  • Definitely write down the vision you receive from God!

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    First of all, you need a revelation from God. Learning to recognise the voice of your Heavenly Father and getting to know Him as your best friend is vitally important. God is willing to give you wisdom, understanding and revelation in every sphere of your life. Though, when a revelation and wisdom are received from God, you have to write them down in whole. Then it becomes a spring of life, that gives breathe to you and brings hope that releases faith and trust on God in you.To write something down means to record the vision a paper. We have to put it down clearly, the way it makes sense to us later. Thus, we can bring our vision into reality, so that we can expect it and put our hopes upon. This is one of the methods how to cling with the vision together and dedicate yourself to fulfil it. Prophet Habakkuk reminds us about the importance of writing down the vision you have received from God.

  • Jesus was constantly seeking the God´s will for His life

    AutorsMācītājs Rufus Adžiboije Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Reading the Bible we see how Jesus was growing and being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. Jesus was constantly seeking the God´s will for His life, in order to set a good example for us. If Jesus had got to know God´s will using His divine nature instead, He wouldn´t have set a role model to us nor we wouldn´t be able to follow his steps today. Jesus stayed longer in the Temple after the feast of Passover in Jerusalem while other people had already left for home (see Luke 2:41-51). What was Jesus doing there and why did He stay longer in the Temple? He stayed there to listen to the scribes and to question them. That´s one of His secrets where His wisdom came from. Jesus studied the Scriptures. He attended the Temple and asked questions, prayed and leaned closer to God, His Father.

  • The changes must start with us

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    «When I was young my imagination did not know any boundaries. And I wanted to change the whole world. In time I realized that I wouldn’t be able to change the world, so I tried to change my country. When I realized that I wouldn’t be able to change the country, I concentrated on changing my city. But I couldn’t change my city either. So, when I had grown older, I tried to change my family. Now when I am an old man waiting to cross over to the other side I have understood that the only one I could change was me. Suddenly I realized that if I had worked on changing myself I would have been able to really affect my family and then my family and I could have affected the city. Through the changes in the city we could have changed the country and the world”.

  • God has appointed every one of us for the ministry, so that all of us would grow into Him!

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Jesus must be the centre of everything. Every member does its share and then the Body grows in the love of God and every one enjoys and benefits from it. We will all enjoy the Church, if every one of us does his or her part to the best of our abilities. I need to do only what I am able to do and not worry about what I do not have and what I cannot do, – otherwise i will be crush under such burden. I must only concentrate my attention on how to multiply my talents.