1 Peter 1:17, “Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.”

Today is our last devotion on the subject of what it means to be an alien in this world. 

13. Aliens boldly confess that they are strangers and pilgrims.

Hebrews 11:13-14, “They…confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.” 

Aliens are not ashamed that they do not belong to this world. They confess it openly. They make it clear. They make sure everyone around them understands. Aliens do not sit on the fence. They know what they believe, where they come from, and where they are going.

David confessed it before God in 1 Chronicles 29:15, “For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding.” He confesses it again in Psalm 39:12. 

14. Aliens do not entertain the thought of going back to the world.

Hebrews 11:15 TLB, “If they had wanted to, they could have gone back to the good things of this world. But they didn’t want to. They were living for heaven.”

Hebrews 11:27, “By faith he forsook Egypt…” 

When God brought the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, He purposed that they would never go back there again! In Deuteronomy 17:16 TLB it says…

“For the Lord has told you, ‘Never return to Egypt again.” 

Read also Isaiah 30:1-2; 31:1; 36:6.

Egypt speaks of the spirit of the world. Jesus died to set us free from our sins and to “deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” (Galatians 1:4) Are you totally free from the spirit of this world? Or do you allow Egypt to come into your heart and into your home? Watch out for signs of Egypt. Stamp on them and oust them from your home. You have been delivered from Egypt, so why go back to bondage?

15. Aliens would rather bear the reproach of Christ than enjoy the short-lived pleasures of this world.

Hebrews 11:24-26, “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter: choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” 

The things of this world do not lure aliens. They would rather do the will of God. They know the truth of 1 John 12:15-17, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world: And the world passeth away and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

James 4:4, “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” 

16. Aliens have grace to endure.

Hebrews 11:27, “He endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”

Hebrews 11:26 MLB, “For he fixed his eye on the final recompense.”

Aliens can endure tribulations because they see beyond the trial. They see what God is doing in them as they bear up under the trial. They know that God is refining them. They know that God is working something beautiful in them that will last for eternity. They are able to endure because their eyes are upon Christ, rather than their circumstances.

Dear one, are you finding it hard to endure your present circumstances? It is too hard to endure when you look at the problem. The only way you can endure is by looking at Him who is invisible, by keeping your eyes on Christ.

Take your eyes off the visible and turn them to the invisible Christ. This is how you will endure.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Lord, please help me to keep my eyes on You. Teach me to take my eyes off the visible and turn them to the invisible. Help me to realize that the eternal realm is far more real and lasting than this world. Amen.”

QUOTE:

1 Peter 2:11, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” 

We continue again today looking at the characteristics of aliens. First of all, let’s look at the dictionary meaning of ‘alien.’ It means ‘owing political allegiance to another country, derived from another place, not one’s own, strange.’ Remember, this is who we are on this earth.

9. Aliens look for another city.

Hebrews 11:10, “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

Hebrews 11:16, “But now they desire a better country, that is a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

Aliens have their sights on another world – their heavenly city.

My husband and I have recently returned from ministering in Malaysia and Singapore and also New Zealand and Australia. Because we are New Zealanders by birth, each time we touch down in Auckland, we exclaim, "We're home!" We lived in Australia for ten years and still have family living there, and so when we land in Brisbane, Queensland, we declare, "We're home!"

Now our earthly home is in Tennessee, USA, and where most of our children and grandchildren are living, so of course we are glad to be back home again! We feel we have three homes on this earth, but none of them are our real homes. Our true home is the heavenly city.

Where are our sights? Are we “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ”? (Titus 2:13) 

10. Aliens believe in miracles.

Hebrews 11:11-12, “Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” Red also verses 29-30. 

11. Aliens know that the greatest promises are for the next life.

Hebrews 11:13, “…Not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them….” Read also verses 35 – 40. 

The Living Bible says it clearly, “These men of faith I have mentioned died without ever receiving all that God had promised them; but they saw it all awaiting them on ahead and were glad, for they agree that this earth was not their real home but that they were just strangers visiting down here.”

Aliens are more concerned about the eternal promises than promises in this life. They know that this life is only a vapor that will soon disappear, but the eternal kingdom is forever and ever. They put their hope in this kingdom. 

12. Aliens keep believing even when they see no visible answer.

Hebrews 11:13, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises… were persuaded of them, and embraced them…” 

How often have you prayed and prayed and yet not received the answer? Maybe you have prayed for a loved one to be healed and instead they passed away. You felt God let you down. Dear one, the outcome of your prayers is not your responsibility. God determines what happens. He knows what is best.  Our responsibility is to walk in faith. We must exercise faith. We continue in faith even when we don’t see any change. We continue in faith even if the person dies! We never give up believing!

Our faith goes beyond this life. 

I am always challenged by the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were cast into the fiery furnace because they would not bow down to the king. They would give their allegiance to no other than the King of kings. Listen to their confession before the king in Daniel 3:16-17, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burring fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. BUT IF NOT, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

These men exercised faith. They believed God would deliver them. But their trust was not in faith itself, but in God. They were ready to be burned in the fire if God did not deliver them. Their trust was totally in God, no matter what the outcome.

Oh that our faith would mature to the place where our faith and trust in God is so complete that our eyes are upon the Deliverer even more than the deliverance!

We will discuss the last four points about being an alien next week.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Father God, help me to trust you completely. Help me to trust you, rather than the outcome. Help me to embrace the promises, even when I don’t see them fulfilled in this life. Amen.”

QUOTE:

Psalm 119:19, “I am a stranger in the earth.”

Today we continue looking at the characteristics of an alien. 

5. Aliens do not have an itinerary.

Hebrews 11:8, “And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”

Of course we can plan our day. We can plan commitments for the future, but our trust should always be in the sovereignty of God. Our daily motto should be from James 4:13-15,  “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” Or 1 Corinthians 16:7, “If the Lord permits.” 

When I was growing up in New Zealand, most of the folk of our church would say D.V. after any plans they made. For example, “We plan to join you for Christmas, D.V.” Or, “We are planning a weekend seminar on ‘How to Know the Will of God, D.V.” D.V. was short for two Latin words meaning, God willing. I think the words must have been Deus voluntas, but perhaps a Latin student could correct me.

If things don’t turn out the way we planned, we should not be upset. God is greater than our plans. In fact, His plans are better than ours. 

Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

And how we need to be reminded of Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” 

6. Aliens look upon the world as a foreign country.

Hebrews 11:9, “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country…” 

The word ‘strange’ in the Greek is ‘allotrios’ and it means ‘belonging to other people, not one’s own, not akin.’ This is how aliens view the world. They have no kinship with it. They realize it belongs to another race.

7. Aliens live like temporary citizens.

Hebrews 11:9 AMP, “By faith he dwelt as a temporary resident in the land…”

Even Moses called his first-born son, Gerhsom, which means ‘temporary visitor, stranger, alien’ because this was his experience. Gershom was born to him while he was a stranger for 40 years out in the desert.

Aliens don’t get entrenched in this world. I am always challenged by the J. B. Phillip’s translation of Romans 12: 2, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould…”

Alien mothers don’t accumulate too much junk. They realize that this life is temporary and that they will one day soon leave everything behind. They don’t live like they are going to be here forever.

8. Aliens look upon their homes as tents.

Hebrews 9:11, “Living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs with him of the same promise.”

Aliens lay up their treasures in heaven, rather than on this earth. (Matthew 5:19-21) Our homes should not be our glory. We are not building for this world, but for an eternal kingdom.

We should look upon our homes as a temporary ark to protect and save our children in the midst of this sinful world. This is what Noah did. Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

There were three arks mentioned in the Bible. The first was Noah’s ark, which was an ark of protection against the judgment of God. We are called to build an ark of protection for our family in the midst of this crooked and deceived generation. We should put more time into building a protecting ark for our children’s souls than building a great edifice that will one day pass away. The structure of our home will pass away, but our children will live forever.

The second ark was the ark that Jochabed made for her baby Moses. Oh what faith it took to place her baby in this ark and trust God to protect him. It was also a protecting ark and as she launched it out in faith, God’s showed his deliverance. (Hebrews 11:23) 

The third ark was the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle, which housed the presence of God. More than a stately building, we must build a home of protection, and a home that is filled with the presence of God. It is more important to have our home filled with the presence of God, than to have it filled with beautiful décor and material things that will not last. We will influence this world and eternity far more by filling our home with children, than TV’s and furniture.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Dear Lord, help me to live my life in the light of eternity. Save me from developing a kinship with this world. Help me to remember that I am temporary resident here, raising temporary residents for eternity. Amen.”

QUOTE:

1 Peter 2:11 NAS, “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.”

How would you like to be called an alien? Well, that’s exactly what we are called.  As you know, we are New Zealand born and not native to America. We feel very blessed to have Green Cards and to be able to live in this great country of America and enjoy all the benefits. We count it a privilege. However, on our Green Cards are written the words, “Resident Alien”! Yes, they actually call us aliens! 

I should not get too upset though, because isn’t that what we are meant to be anyway? The Bible says that we are to live like “aliens and strangers” in this world. What is an alien? It is someone who belongs to another country. Our true citizenship is in heaven! That is our real home! Do we live according to this truth, or do we live as if this earth was our real home?

In the faith chapter of Hebrews 11, it tells us about men and women who lived like “strangers and pilgrims” in this earth. As we read about them we begin to see the characteristics of aliens.  Let’s see if we line up shall we? 

1.    Aliens live by faith.

“By faith Abel… By faith Enoch… By faith Noah… By faith Abraham… By faith Sarah… By faith Isaac… By faith Jacob…  By faith Joseph… By faith Moses… By faith Rahab…” and so it continues down the chapter. 

The heroes and heroines of the Bible were not dictated to by their circumstances. They lived by faith. They trusted God when it looked impossible. They put their faith in what they could not see.

Hebrews 11: 9 says of Abraham, “It was faith that kept him journeying like a foreigner through the land of promise.” (J. B. Phillip’s trans.) Our journey through this world is a faith journey. It is only faith that pleases God. Are you going through a time in your life when you feel you are being stripped of everything? Don’t despair. You can praise God. You are in a place when you can exercise faith. Faith is meant to be the normality of your life.

Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” 

2.    Aliens please God.

Hebrews 11:5, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death… for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” 

What an epitaph to have over our lives – “She pleased God.” That would be my greatest desire. I am sure it would be yours too.

Aliens are more interested in pleasing God than pleasing the world. Alien mothers are more interesting in pleasing God and doing what He wants them to do, than following the trend of society around them. They will stand up for God’s truth, even if the rest of the world is going a different direction. They confess, “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” (Romans 3:4)

Alien mothers raise their children by faith. They learn to lean on God and trust Him in the difficulties and challenges that they face each day.

3.    Aliens have a divine calling.

Hebrews 11:8, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would afterwards receive as an inheritance.” 

Abraham was called out of one kingdom into another kingdom.  We are also called out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. This is why we are aliens. We don’t belong to the kingdom of this world. We belong to the kingdom of God. We owe our allegiance to God’s kingdom. We didn’t just land in this kingdom – God Himself called us.

Deuteronomy 6:23 says, “He brought us out…that He might bring us in…”

4. Aliens are obedient to the country of their citizenship.

Hebrews 11:8, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called…”

Abraham obeyed God’s call to him even though he didn’t understand it, and even though he didn’t know his final destination. 

If we are living as a pilgrim, we will be obedient to God’s ways, even if they are contrary to the way of society. When the apostles were on trial for preaching about Jesus, they were strictly commanded not to teach in His name. But Peter and John answered, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19-20. 

Again when they were on trial, Peter and the other apostles answered, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29.

We have 16 points to look at on this subject, so we will continue next week.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Lord, you have said that I cannot please you without faith. Please increase my faith. Ignite faith in my heart. Help me to live by faith, instead of trusting in the resources of this world. Help me to constantly remember that I am an alien in this world. Amen.”

QUOTE:

“I am a pilgrim, a foreigner, a stranger, a sojourner, a refugee, a nomad, a passing traveler, a temporary resident, a transient, an exile, and an alien in this world.”