Kingstanding SDA Church | Sabbath school | A Heavenly Citizenship |

Описание: Title: A Heavenly Citizenship

Scripture:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6,
NKJV).


Summary:

This week’s lesson concludes our study of Philippians, and it is packed with valuable
lessons and maxims for daily living. It seems that many of the high moral values that guided the apostle Paul’s life are found in the closing verses of the epistle. Similar to the teachings of Jesus, which focus on the inner person, what Paul shares with us are secrets to living a joyful Christian life.
Even when things don’t go the way we would like, which happens more often than we would like, we don’t need to be worried or anxious or discouraged. Instead, there are principles that will help us find inner strength to face the challenges that life brings, and thus we can experience a settled and lasting peace that only God can give. The present and the future are in His hands, and He will supply everything we need.
Most important, we need not place our hopes in earthly systems of government, which regularly disappoint us. As Christians, we are citizens of God’s heavenly kingdom. And with that citizenship comes privileges, wonderful privileges. And responsibilities, too.

Further Thought:

“Those only who are constantly receiving fresh supplies of grace, will have power proportionate to their daily need and their ability to use that power. Instead of looking forward to some future time when, through a special endowment of spiritual power, they will receive a miraculous fitting up for soul winning, they are yielding themselves daily to God, that He may make them vessels meet for His use. Daily they are improving the opportunities for service that lie within their reach. Daily they are witnessing for the Master wherever they may be, whether in some humble sphere of labour in the home, or in a public field of usefulness.

“To the consecrated worker there is wonderful consolation in the knowledge that even Christ during His life on earth sought His Father daily for fresh supplies of needed grace; and from this communion with God He went forth to strengthen and bless others. . . .
“Every worker who follows the example of Christ will be prepared to receive and use the power that God has promised to His church for the ripening of earth’s harvest.”—Ellen G. White, God’s Amazing Grace, p. 117.
“God knows our wants, and has provided for them. The Lord has a treasure house of
supplies for His children, and can give them what they need under all circumstances.
Then why do we not trust Him? He has made precious promises to His children on
condition of faithful obedience to His precepts. There is not a burden but He can
remove, no darkness but He can dispel, no weakness but He can change to power, no fears but He can calm, no worthy aspiration but He can guide and justify.
“We are not to look at ourselves. The more we dwell upon our own imperfections, the less strength we shall have to overcome them.”—Ellen G. White, That I May Know Him, p. 224.

Discussion Questions:

1. Think of some of your brightest instances of answered prayer. How have they
helped you experience God’s peace that surpasses understanding? What
about those prayers that are not answered? How can you still experience the
promised peace?

2. In the context of Philippians 4:8, what do you spend your time thinking
about? How well does what you think about strengthen your faith and walk
with the Lord?

3. Discuss the final quotation above. What are the implications of the
statement, “The more we dwell upon our own imperfections, the less
strength we shall have to overcome them”? What is the key, then, to
overcoming?

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