Which Kingdom Are You Living For?

The Pastor of Hermas (1st or 2nd century A.D.)

As in this world we have no abiding city, we ought to seek one to come. He. 13:14 He (the Lord) says to me, “You know that you who are the servants of God dwell in a strange land, for your city is far away from this one. If, then,” He continues, “you are aware of the city in which you are going to live, why do you provide for yourselves lands, and make expensive preparations, and accumulate dwellings and useless buildings here? He who makes such preparations for this city here cannot return again to his own. Oh foolish, and unstable, and miserable man! Do you not understand that all these things here belong to someone else, and are under the power of another? For the lord of this city will someday say to you, ‘I do not want you to dwell in my city. Depart from this city, because you do not obey my laws.’”

You, therefore, although you have fields and houses and many other things, when he casts you out, what will you do with your land and house and other possessions which you have gathered to yourself here? For the lord of this country can justly say to you, “Either obey my laws or depart from my dominion.”

What, then, do you intend to do, respecting your lands and the rest of your possessions here, when you have a law from your own heavenly city? Here is what you will do. You will deny the heavenly law altogether and walk according to the law of this city here.

Watch out lest you deny the law in your heavenly city to your own hurt. Then, if you want to return to your heavenly city, you will not be received. You will be excluded from it, because you have denied the law of your city.

Therefore, take care as one who lives in a foreign land. Make no further preparations for yourself than what is merely sufficient. When the master of this city comes to cast you out for disobeying his law, be ready to leave his city, and to depart to your own and to obey your own law where you will not be exposed to annoyance but will be in great joy.

Therefore, instead of lands, buy afflicted souls, according to your ability. Visit widows and orphans and do not forget them. Spend your wealth and all your earthly preparations which you have received from the Lord, upon such lands and houses as these. It is only for this reason that the Master makes you rich, so that you might perform these services unto Him. It is much better for you to purchase these types of lands, possessions, and houses. You will find these in your own heavenly city, when you come to dwell there. These are noble and sacred expenditures, which do not bring sorrow or fear, but joy.

Do not adopt the practice of acquiring things the way the heathen do, for it will be injurious to you who are the servants of God. Instead, adopt the practice of acquiring things in such a way that brings you eternal joy.

Do not corrupt yourself by touching what is another’s nor covet it. It is an evil thing to covet the goods of other men. Do your own work, and you will be saved. ~


A Cry From The Heart

May my life from idols be,
From chains of sin set free,
Though others all around me bow,
To idols and things fall down,
Dear Lord, please cleanse my heart from these,
And may I Thee forever please.

My life is Yours and Yours alone.
No longer I upon the throne.
For me and others far and wide,
Upon the cross you bled and died.
And THEN, my Lord, you rose again,
O'er death and hell the vic'try gained.

Now dear Lord, please let me go,
And tell the others so they may know.
Of how for them you gave your life,
The world's greatest sacrifice.
And how I no longer turn,
And to my idols incense burn.

And now, oh Lord, take down,
The idols in each village and town.
From person to people, all.
Their idols now must fall.
For God will come in might and power.
And ALL will worship in that hour.

~Nancy Esh


If God would grant us the vision, the word ‘sacrifice’ would disappear from our lips and thoughts; we would hate the things that seem now so dear to us; our lives would suddenly be too short; we would despise time-robbing distractions and charge the enemy with all our energies in the name of Christ. May God help us to judge ourselves by the eternities that separate the Aucas from a comprehension of Christmas, and Him, who, though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor so that we might, through His poverty, be made rich. Lord God, speak to my own heart and give me to know Thy holy will and the joy of walking in it. Amen. ~

By Nate Saint, written just before he was martyred by the Auca Indians in South America.

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