Seven months ago marked the start of this life changing journey that I find myself on. With each passing month I find God continually renewing my mind and revealing new things to me in Scripture. When traveling the world spreading the Kingdom, you definitely get a fresh perspective and revelation of what the Christian life is really about. Recently I had a revelation that God wants me to share.
Everywhere I have been throughout this journey (7 different countries, 2 continents) I have found one constant theme in the children of God. That theme is ministry. Almost every single believer that I have been blessed to come into contact with on this journey all the way from pastors to brand new believers have all had some type of ministry. Without fail when I ask them about their job they immediately begin to tell me about how God is using them to further the Kingdom. Their job is either their ministry or a lot of times a side gig for ministry. They don't revolve God around their busy lives and jobs, but instead revolve their lives around God. They are all full time missionaries.
For seven months I have been so puzzled by this and have been constantly wondering why all believers lives aren't like this? Before the race why was my life not completely like this? For months this has been on my mind and the answer is really quite simple. I was teaching Bible to a bunch of 6th graders and God revealed it to me. It revolves around the heart of repentance and the answer is found in Peter and Judas.
Before the crucifixion both Peter and Judas denied Jesus. Peter denied knowing Jesus 3 times while Judas essentially only denied Jesus the one time. Peter did triple the sin of Judas but how they responded determined their destinies.
Judas was filled with so much grief and remorse for betraying Jesus that he went and hung himself. He was sorry for his sin but he did not repent. When we are just sorry for our sin and don't repent we are on a road that leads to death. This leads to a life of superficial Christianity that never really births the regeneration of the renewed heart. It also produces no real sense of urgency or the need for discipleship. They live for the here and now.
Peter repented. He turned away from His sin and went on to be arguably the greatest apostle that has ever lived. Laying down his life for the Gospel. A heart of repentance leads to a life of supernatural regeneration that completely transforms a person from the inside out. A Kingdom mindset is instilled and God becomes their treasure. They understand grace and their mission is now to take as many people with them to heaven. They live and draw from eternity.
For so long I confused these two. I would find myself stuck in a certain sin and in the name of grace call it good. I was remorseful for my sin but there were a few sins that I just couldn't seem to shake. Instead of fully repenting I was only remorseful causing breakthrough to never truly come. This bred areas of lukewarmness in my life. I'd be hot one day, cold the next. It wasn't until I truly humbled myself and repented that God started to fully demolish these strongholds in my life. My life then started changing and I began having the Kingdom mindset. Joyful repentance leads you to all that God has for your life. It is key for the continual renewing of the mind.
Just being sorry for sin leads to a life of lukewarmness and half hearted commitment. The book of Revelation says that God spits these people out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16). These people don't really believe that God knows what's best for their lives or that He truly is who He says He is. They want the benefits of the Cross but they don't choose God. They say it but God is not their treasure.
A heart of repentance leads a person to receive fresh perspective of the things of God. God becomes everything. They really taste and see that The Lord is good and that fullness of joy are only found in Him. Their treasure is not of this world. These are the lovers of God. Jesus is who He says He is.
Gods will is that no one should perish. God needs His preachers and evangelists but more importantly He needs the rest of His children to spread the Love of Christ. We become an unstoppable force when we make full hearted agreement with the culture of heaven and believe Gods word.
This doesn't mean quit your job and become a "missionary", but it does mean that in your job you're called to be the Light. Wherever we are in life is our mission field. We are in the world but not of it so use whatever platform you have for the glory of God.
Jesus told us to repent, believe, and make disciples. The one who knows everything about everything lives inside of us and this qualifies us all to spread the Kingdom. Disciples make disciples.
You're only as free as the degree to which you believe the Gospel!
-Robert
Mark Driscoll: "Many have kept God as Father, abandoned God as Master, & fashioned him into a permissive parent who has affection but no authority."
