The Bridge to the Kingdom- New Creation- FRIDAY

I believe that we are to be stewards of the life God has redeemed.  He has invested deeply and individually in each of His children, and we have a stewardship responsibility to reinvest it.  This past week I addressed a group of men and shared that there are two big questions that each of us must face at some point in our life.  As I said before, the first question is what happens to me when I die.  This question must be answered or we will live with a pending dread of the consequence of sin until the end our life.  The next big question for Christians will come from Jesus Christ when He asks us, "How have you re-invested your life, the life I redeemed with my life?  Were you obedient in the things I asked you to do?"  This question is face-to-face accountability with being Christ's disciple, or being simply a follower of Him.  The question could also be asked, "Have we lived as a disciple should or have we been a distant follower of Christ, like those in His day who liked to be around Him but didn't want the commitment required to be His disciple."  There is a big difference.  Perhaps this is where the rewards question is answered?  Perhaps it is in this aspect of Heaven that rewards are given?  I don't know.  Therefore, since I do not know the answer to this, I will stick to what I do know which is the deeply fulfilling life that Jesus wants to give us in this life.  The paradox is that this deeply fulfilling life that we could have as Jesus' disciple also provides the benefit of a life with fruit and promise for rewards in Heaven.

I have discovered by my own life that all that I once saw as great and glorious for my own ego and sense of self worth is now rubbish to me.  I understand what the Apostle Paul was saying when he said the same in his own words:

"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith."  (Philippians 3:8-9 ESV)

Words like this shake our limited perspective of what is required to have a truly fulfilling life.  Instead of more, it is less.  Instead of quantity, it is quality.  Instead of being content with the things of the world to provide our happiness, we become discontent with them and want more of what Heaven provides.  We live in joyful contrast to a corrupted value system because we have a new set of eyes, a new heart, a new destiny, and a new purpose.  This magnificent transition begins at our redemption as the old man passes away and a new man emerges.  This thought alone continues to expand our understanding of the Gospel in that it is much more than our initial crossing over the Bridge to the Kingdom.  It is to enter and live in the Kingdom while we are still in this life.  It is to be transformed into a man after God's own heart, and one that we have always longed to be.  This is a progressive process into the life of a disciple and a laborer for Christ that our new life in Christ gives us.

The thought above is the fourth point of my explanation of the Gospel.  It is not only to be given an escape from our destiny of condemnation, it is also to be given the joy of heaven when we die.  It is not only to be given a relationship with The Holy Spirit Who carries us through this life to that eternal time, it is also to be transformed into a man that our inner being longs for.  To know these things about the Gospel is food to the hungry and LivingWater to the thirsty.  That is the Gospel we give to our world, so let's clearly state it.

In closing this series on my ways and means to share the Gospel, I would like to say that we must never water down both the threat nor the benefit of what we share with those "refugees" in our life.  They are in a terrible place with not knowing Christ.  They face an eternal doom if they do not accept His provision for salvation.  Deep down they live with a sense of dread, but do not understand why.  They also live with a sense of fear and lack of purpose, for the world's counterfeits does not satisfy their deepest need.  The Gospel gives them all they need if we will share all of the Gospel with them.

My brothers, I ask you to start looking around you and spot those refugees in your life.  You know who I am taking about.  They are people in your life who do not know Christ.  Begin your reach to them by prayer and look for an opening when it comes.  When the opportunity comes, simply integrate the things I've shared into your understanding of why and how to share with them the hope you have in Christ.  Then let the Holy Spirit do the rest.  It will be their decision with Him.  You will have done your part.  You will be the Influencer in their life who has pointed the way to the Kingdom through theBridge of Jesus Christ, which is your role as Christ's disciple.  You will see much fruit if you continue to abide in Christ and take that Refugee to that abiding place with Christ which you have found.

God bless you as you wade into the camp of the enemy to reach those Refugees and take them back to God's Kingdom.  They are waiting for you ... as well HE.