
Making a Difference for the Kingdom of God
Making a difference in the Kingdom isn't something we can see the fruit of everyday, it's something we have to trust God with. But it ties directly with our obedience to Him and what He asks of us to do. Are you being obedient to everything God asks of you? Are you witnessing to others the power of Jesus and the Gospel? Are you living for God? Or are you living for yourself?
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This past week on the podcast we talked about making a difference for the Kingdom. Seems pretty simple right? As long as I read my Bible, pray, and go to church most of the month then I am doing my duty as a Christian right? While all these things are certainly a part of having a relationship with Jesus, they are not exclusive to the amazing opportunities that arise as a Jesus follower.
I believe that unfortunately, many of us have forgotten that following Jesus really is not about us… I mean do not get me wrong, of course Christ changes our lives forever and we get to live life to the full knowing we will spend eternity with God the Father. But I find far too often us Christians are caught in a cycle of selfishness and boredom. Here is what I mean:
How often do we go to church because we feel its more mandatory instead of going because we encounter God alongside his people?
How often do we purposely avoid having conversations about Jesus with others because its too uncomfortable or we are scared?
How often do we let our past sins dictate what we think we are allowed to accomplish in our future?
My friends this is not why God gave us his Spirit. Making a difference for the Kingdom is not about us and our comfortable Christian life. Making a difference for the Kingdom amazingly most often starts with stepping out of that comfort zone when God calls you.
Here’s a couple of things that God calls us to do to make a difference for the Kingdom…
· A calling over our whole life, not just our occupation
Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. -Colossians 3:17
· Speak the truth about Christ in grace
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of
him who is the head, that is, Christ. -Ephesians 4:15
· Make disciples of all nations
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20
Now let me be clear, there are SO MANY ways a believer can accomplish making a difference for the Kingdom. But I believe one of the most important and simple ways to make a difference is to preach the Gospel. Now that can sound kind of scary for person who does not like to talk in front of others or just because they have never done it before. But my friends, this is the saving message that bring life. Should preaching the Gospel not be a priority of ours? And I do not mean that every Christian needs to go up on a stage in front of thousands of people and preach, but that’s always an option.
Preaching the Gospel can be very overwhelming especially to an unbeliever. But we must be reminded that God is the one who change hearts, not us. So even if you slip up on your words or forget a part of the story, God can and will still work through your obedience. And at the end of the day, that is what we are called to, obedience.
God equips us for the good work he has, we do nothing but obey. He does not ask us to get our own armor and sword at the hardware store down the street. He gives us the armor of God.
My friends we must not put so much pressure on ourselves. Remember this is not about us. So, who cares if somebody says no to coming to church? Who cares if we look kind of funny because we sat with the kid at lunch who does not have friends? Who cares if we lose our life for the Gospel? Because at the end of the day, our lives we give for the sake of the Gospel.
Making a difference for the Gospel does not depend on you seeing the world change in front of your eyes. Of course, God is working through his church to change the world but changing the world should not necessarily be our number one priority. Changing the world is a biproduct of our obedience to Christ.
Striving to change the world for Christ is great, but that should not be our goal necessarily. Our first and largest priority is to be obedient to Christ and glorify him. If God uses our obedience for world change that is amazing! And even if we do not see visible fruit sometimes, we still obey.
My friends, what a beautiful life we are blessed with to be able to glorify our savior all the days of our life. Because he gave his life for us, so that we could have a life free to glorify him.
Next steps:
· Start finding new ways to obey Christ every day (devotionals, intentional prayer, Bible studies)
· Be reminded of the Spirit inside you and the power he gives to do the good work
· Be proactive in preaching the Gospel, whether that is to many people, or to one person who needs living water
As always, from all of us at AskUsWhy we pray you continue to learn and grow in the faith. We want to be a resource for all believers to be equipped in any stage of life, and to be able to bring the kingdom of God wherever they go.
Peace and blessings!
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