I was thinking about what it meant to have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into a new kingdom, the kingdom of light. It is a real miracle, because it means that our spiritual citizenship and our spiritual passport changes. And, unlike the years it takes to become a citizen of another nation here on earth, the transfer is instantaneous. Full citizenship qualifications immediately on receiving the Lord Jesus Christ!
Some time ago, I was talking to an older man in the park, and he asked what I did for a living, so I told him. That got him interested in talking further, which led to my telling him what it meant for me to be a Christian. He thought for a bit and then said, “ It’s good talking to you. Whenever I have talked to others, they get all religious and I can’t understand what they’re talking about. But you have made it clear to me.” Then he stopped, thought for a bit and continued, “Matter of fact, you live in a different world, don’t you?” Immediately I replied, “Yes, I do!” and then went on to explain what that meant for me. 
On thinking about it, I realized that that old man had picked up on something quite profound. Yes, as Christians, we do live in a different world. In the Bible, Paul put it this way in one of his letters. “For our true native country, our homeland, the place where we were born, is now heaven. We are really aliens here on Earth. And we can’t wait to see our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, come back from there for us.” That is my translation of Philippians 3:20. 
I remember one time going through Immigration at an international airport, and there was a sign that said, “Citizens This Way” and another that read, “Aliens This Way”. That was the way I had to go. It almost made me think that I would be treated as if I came from Mars, or somewhere. But the Bible makes it clear that when we become Christians, our citizenship changes. Our real native country, our homeland, is actually heaven. As far as this Earth is concerned, we are aliens. That doesn’t mean that we are to have nothing to do with everyday living, or shut ourselves off from the community in which we live. The Bible says that we are ambassadors, citizens of another country, heaven, living out our citizenship in an alien environment. That is what ambassadors do in the natural. Their embassy is really a little piece of their home country, transferred into the country in which they are ambassadors. And they live out the customs and laws of their home country within the embassy. 
That is exactly what Christians are to do as citizens of heaven. The Bible says that they are to live out their lives as ambassadors of heaven, following the customs and laws of heaven and ordering their lives by those laws. Just as an embassy is a little piece of the home country in a foreign land, so true Christians bring heaven to earth, and show other what it means to live as heaven’s citizens. That is a challenge to all of us who are Christians. 
Growing Deep and Strong has been designed to enable Christians to understand the kingdom of light, or the kingdom of heaven, and what it means in practical terms to live as citizens of that kingdom. You will find going through the Series will be a life-transforming experience that will enable you to live as God intended, as true citizens of heaven.  
David W Searle
Co-author of Growing Deep and Strong