Time to Let Go of your Earthy Citizenship! The Shaking begins.

 

Over the past few years, I've discovered things about my country, the United States, that have really opened my eyes. I was always taught that America is a good country, a Christian nation, founded on Godly principles, but that just isn't true. However, that is not the point of this post.  Whether you are an American or German, Romanian, French, Italian, British, Indian, Chinese etc.. none of those citizenships matter anymore. Once you gave your life to Jesus, you STOPPED being a citizen of any nation on earth and were transferred into the Kingdom of God.

 

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, Colossians 1:13

 

Then, why, are so many Christians, especially here in America, so concerned about making America Great Again?  In truth, from what I know, America was never great. And besides, it is not our country anymore. God could care less about nations and politics. He only cares about one Kingdom--His Kingdom, and that He can get as many people to pour over the border into it as He can! 

 

I'm reading through Hebrews right now, and honestly, I can't see how anyone could do a serious read of Hebrews and still believe you can't walk away from the faith and give up your salvation, but I digress. It's a wonderful book, and every time I read it, I learn something new.

Remember in the Old Testament when the Israelites were at Mount Sinai and the mountain was shaking and on fire and they got terrified and told Moses to go speak to God for them because they were too afraid to hear God's voice?  At that time, God was entering into a marriage covenant with Israel, a marriage which they later defiled by their adultery. When we are raptured, we, too, are entering into a marriage covenant with God, with Jesus, our prince. But we come to a different mountain!

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered (as citizens) in heaven Hebrews 12: 22-23

Can't you just picture it? That heavenly Jerusalem with its streets of gold, crystal palaces, palatial chariots and horses, and all the angels in festal gathering?  I try to, but I know my imagination can never do it justice. 

The writer of Hebrews tells us that the mountain we come to in heaven is not a scary mountain, not one that is fiery and shaking. But he gives a warning as well...

See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Hebrews 12: 25-27

You see, God, is about to shake the earth once again. Actually, he began shaking it in 2020, separating the wheat from the tares, but He is warning us that more shaking is coming. For what purpose? He is trying to save as many as He can before He removes His Bride. He is exposing the fake Christians from the real ones, and He is opening the eyes of hte lost. 

 

Yet those who are already in the Kingdom of God cannot be shaken!

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29

That last sentence is not one you often hear in church. We hear God is love, filled with mercy, lovingkindness, and grace. All true! But God is also a consuming fire and He's returning to earth to judge the quick and the dead. 

It is time to choose which kingdom you are a citizen of. The kingdoms of this world belong to satan. Yes, even America. It is time to stop playing religion with God. It is time to worship Him and serve Him with all your heart. 

 

But our citizenship is in heaven. And from there we eagerly await the coming of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; Philippians 3:20  

 

Notice the words "from there". We are already citizens of heaven, and if we realize that, we are not looking for any nation on earth to be great, but rather waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus!

 

 I don't know what the church will see before we are rescued, but I think we will see some shaking. So, I send this with a very comforting Scripture found in the next chapter of Hebrews. 

He has said, “I will never under any circumstances desert you nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless, nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you assuredly not!”  So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say,

“The Lord is my Helper. I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6 (Amp)