Racer Campus Ministry

What does it mean to live a citizens of the kingdom of heaven? How do we live a life worthy of our King, Jesus? 

Philippians 1:12-18a

Is it possible for us to see God's purposes even through our problems

Is it possible for us to see the evidence of God's presence and power, even when evil is being done around us or to us?

As citizens of the kingdom of heaven, we posture our heart toward God's purpose, even when we encounter problems. 

"Even though Paul was imprisoned, being mistreated by fellow believers, even though he might soon be executed - all he could do was praise God and be filled with gratitude for his life." - Dr. Earl Lavender

Followers of Jesus are challenged not to sit in a place of condemnation over the world, but to offer discernment and correction within relationship. There is such a danger when we try to stand beside Jesus and condemn the world. Instead, we should look for ways to live in relationship with others and offer correction and the Holy Spirit leads us toward his way in the world.

The posture of our heart and perspective of our eyes set the path for our priorities. As followers of Jesus, this is especially true for our possessions. Therefore, what practices can reorient our posture, revision our perspective and redirect our path?

What if fasting is a witness of how God is at work in his world? We fast from food to feed on the Spirit because Jesus fasted and the people of God have long fasted. Fasting also reveals our brokenness and aligns us physically and spiritually. Why would followers of Jesus not fast?

As followers of Jesus, our worth and our worry are reworked as we seek first to seek Him first. It is our pursuit of God's kingdom purpose that transforms our value as humans and the veracity of our everyday worry. How can we seek first to seek Him first and let God rework our worth and worry?

Followers of Jesus are to protect the posture of their heart by praying in private. Instead of pursing the praise of others in public, we are to pursue the presence of the Father in private. And, by praying the words of Jesus, we align ourselves with his mission in the world as children of God, bringing heaven home and unleashing the kingdom of God in the world.

Jesus assumes his followers will give to those in need. But he reminds us that it is easy for our intention to become attention. Jesus offers a directive to guard such endeavors, giving to others in private so that we will not gain from others in public. This trajectory calibrates our heart toward receiving a reward from the Father instead of receiving the recognition of humans.

God loves you. God loves your enemy. What if both of those statements are true? How might that change the way we love our enemies? Jesus followers are challenged to be people who pray for their enemy, posture their mind toward them, and practice hospitality with them. What if you are most like God when you choose to love your enemy?

Have you ever wanted to retaliate? Jesus challenges those who want to live his way in the world to create nonviolent ways to engage those around them. Followers of Jesus are to create ways to love hard-to-love people.

If the crux of the kingdom of God is for Jesus followers to love God and love people, what does that look like? In other words, what shape does love take in the kingdom of God? In the way of Jesus, we cannot be shaped like love if we are not shaped like a cross. Love-shaped people are cross-shaped people.