Devo for 7/19/2026 - Message By Pastor Clint

Pastor Clint brought the 3rd sermon in the series “Citizens of Heaven” this past Sunday.  

He pointed out we are in this world, but we are not “of” this world!   Great news, and if we embrace it, living in these tough times becomes manageable!

He drove this point home by showing the perspective of our lives here on earth that Jesus presented in John 17:1-18:

• We are not of the world

• This world is not our home

• We are here for a reason

• We are on a mission in this world

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he describes our role here on earth that puts us in a position to fulfill our mission.  He established us as ambassadors for God and His Kingdom.  But he also points out something we are called to do:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.  And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

The word reconciliation is a word that we understand when it comes to finances.  It basically means to bring something “back into balance.”  This verse makes it clear that, as new creations (through our salvation), we should be brought “back into balance” (reconciled) with God.  In other words, as we are adopted into the family of God, we no longer live by the ways of the world but by His Word as His Ambassadors.  It is also important to understand this is a continual process.  God loves us too much to give us all our stuff to work on all at once!  His timing is always perfect!

The second part of Paul’s charge is to use the message of reconciliation (The Bible and our testimony) to walk with others as they are reconciled back to God.  This may sound like a huge task, but it is not.  In this instance, God is the one doing the reconciling.  We have no role in the reconciliation except receiving it.  So our job is simply walking with others as they are being reconciled!  We do this by our testimony, our actions, our encouragement, and sometimes by speaking the truth in love.

So where are you at in your role as an ambassador?  Are you still working on your stuff as God is reconciling you back to Him?  Are you open to walking with others as they are being reconciled back to God?  These are two good questions to spend time in His presence, and let Him tell you how you are doing! 

Don’t forget to invite God into your day!

Topic for Study

• Serving Others

  • Galatians 5:13

  • John 12:26

  • Mark 10:42-45

July Memory Verse: 

John 15:12

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”