Follower of One : Missions For The Rest Of Us

Is your hope alive? Peter connects Jesus' resurrection to our hope. The fact that Jesus is no longer dead means that our hope is living. Think about the characteristics of a living being. Our hope has life. This isn't a hope that depends on luck, or on the weather. Everything we do is in God and under his domain, his area of control. What he says happens. And our hope is in him. It is alive because Jesus is alive. Jesus was resurrected. He is our hope and he is alive.

What difference will that make in your life today? Will you really live? Or will you just go through the motions? To me, our living hope challenges us to walk in the life of Christ every day. How can we make ourselves think about our relationship to him more? What can we do to be more intentional in our faith moment by moment?

Consider making a commitment for the next 2 weeks that you will think about Jesus every day. You will ask him to direct you at work; to give you ideas for ways you can do things differently just because you follow him. That's what we do on our Marketplace Mission Trip. Maybe we should call it the workplace mission trip. You will go to your same job, or whatever you do every day, but you will practice 5 daily activities that help us get (and stay) on-mission with Jesus. Tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the trip that begins on Sunday. But there is always another on on the schedule. So head over to MarketplaceMissionTrip.com and sign up. Thank you for following Jesus and allowing him to use you in your workplace.

Notice Peter is writing to people who are aliens. What does it mean to be an alien? We're not in our native land or country (or planet). We're from someplace else. In verse 2 we learn where home is for us. 

God the Father selected us for the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Think about that. You've been chosen by God, and you're being set apart and prepared by the Holy Spirit. And the purpose is that we would Follow Jesus. Peter helps us understand we were chosen to follow Jesus. 

Fortunately, following Jesus means we go against the world's grain. We give instead of taking. We give things like appreciation, prayer and service because that's what Jesus did. And in doing so, others see our motivation and the joy of our obedience (which is another strange concept). Our motivation and our joy, and our obedience are tools the Holy Spirit uses in their life to draw them closer to God. 

Since you have been chosen to follow, why not follow him as closely as possible. Do we really believe following Jesus results in great joy? If we did, we would practice following him better and growing in our faith. Why not join us on the next Marketplace Mission Trip for a focused 2-week practice. It's a daily email and, over the 2nd week, some video calls, all designed to help you follow Jesus at work or wherever you are. Why not head over to MarketplaceMissionTrip.com and check it out.

How confident are you about the future? Paul was confident that God would use the Philippian believers. God began his work in them, in the short time Paul was in Philippi. (See Acts 16:14-40). Most of their spiritual development took place without him because he left so abruptly. But Paul is confident in God.

Do we believe God is working in the lives of our friends? If so, how can you tell? Sometimes we can't. But for those of us who follow Jesus, God began a good work in us. He will complete it. Your translation may say something slightly different. The idea is that God will bring your salvation to its intended final result. We can be confident that once the good work begins in us, God will do everything to complete it. He will not be disappointed. His redemption of us will come to pass.

This letter is a thank you note to the Philippians. Paul thanks them for their financial and spiritual support. In this statement, Paul encourages them that God will grow them, even though Paul is absent. They are being pastored by God. Their growth will matter. God completes his work. Let's trust him. We tend to be too urgent about the important things, and too passive about the urgent things. God will do his job and we can trust him. He will complete his work.

All that is left for us to do it so live like we expect God to complete his work. Then persevere when we face trials, and we experience the joy of following Jesus. We trust that we are part of God's strategic plan, and we look to see him work. There are some specific ways we can integrate our faith in Jesus into our daily lives. We call those our 5 Daily Activities. We exercise our faith by practicing those activities daily, and, a few times a year, we take part in an exercise we call the Marketplace Mission Trip. One starts next week, but even if you miss it, there will be another one coming up soon. Is God challenging you to walk with him and look for him more at work? Then learn more about the Marketplace Mission Trip and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com. 

Yesterday, we touched on Mike's thoughts about "participation in the gospel" from Philippians 1:5. Do you actively participate in the gospel with the other believers in your place of business? Do you have any strategy for doing so? 

Mike defines ministry as helping others move one notch closer to Jesus. Do you pray for your coworkers? That's our first daily activity. Do your fellow Christian coworkers know you're praying for them? Have you ever asked them to pray for you? Have the two of you ever prayed for your business or for your other coworkers together? Why not start a prayer alliance with another Christian coworker? Could that be a first step toward "participation in the gospel?"

Let's trust God today. Imagine everyone you see, every person you interact with, as an opportunity to share a small piece of your life as you follow Jesus. Mike and I hope others Christians, other members of Follower of One are also partners with you in the good news. 

Would you like to expand your network and your experiences following Jesus in the marketplace? Check out the next Marketplace Mission Trip. This is a 2-week exercise to help you see and join Jesus at work. We talk about 5 daily activities you can do any day, in any job, to help others move one notch closer to Jesus. You won't look crazy to your coworkers, but you will see Jesus more and experience his joy. It takes between 5-10 minutes a day for 2 weeks, with an optional 30 minute call in the evenings of the second week. Learn more and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com

Paul had a great relationship with the Philippian church. They supported him more than once (Philippians 4:16). In fact, this reads like a grateful thank-you note. Paul is writing other believers and he expresses gratitude for their support, which is most certainly both financial and spiritual. 

They sent someone, with some money to Paul, which means they kept up with him and they thought of him. In verse 5, Paul says they participated (or partnered) in the gospel from the first day until now. The first day would have been when Paul met Lydia in Acts 16:14. And it doesn't seem that he stayed very long. The story of how we had to leave town in a hurry is told in the rest of Acts 16. 

The Greek word translated participation or partnership is a word that means fellowship. Some Bibles translate it fellowship. It is a word that means we share, we're partners, we are together. 

Sometimes we talk about sharing the gospel as talking to someone about Jesus, who doesn't follow Jesus. But sharing the gospel is so much more. Because we both have the Holy Spirit, we have so much more in common than trust in Jesus. We have the same motives, same goals. Same objectives. 

Or do we? 

What does it mean to you to share in the gospel? To me, it means to help others move closer to Jesus. We may even know him, but do we have his goals and objectives? Our joy and our fullest life come from working and walking side-by-side with Jesus. Everything we do, our work, our meetings, every facet of our job is something we can do for Jesus. And when we do, we share in his work. 

In fact, in less than a week, we will practice joining Jesus again on one of our Marketplace Mission Trips. Would you like to join us? This is 5-30 minutes a day to give each day to Jesus and watch him work. You have the time. And you have the money, because we don't charge for this effort. A generous person already paid for your ticket. Check it out and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com.

In this week's episode of the Follower of One podcast, Mike speaks with Bobby Albert. Bobby is the CEO and President of the Values-Driven Leadership company where they are focused on teaching others the growth enabling the potential of building foundational values into the company culture. Bobby has over 45 years of business ownership experience and it all started with living each day at work through Christ! Please welcome Bobby to our community. 

Episode Breakdown

1:15 - Meet Bobby Albert

4:55 - Discover Your Purpose with Bobby

8:50 - Free Worksheet to Discover Your Life Purpose

11:10 - Bobby's books

12:40 - Principle vs. Expedience

18:55 - Pay Attention to Who You Are Becoming 

22:05 - Work for the Lord First, Always

26:40 - Bobby's advice for Monday

Pay Now and Play Later

One of the key topics Bobby and Mike discuss is "Principle vs. Expediency". Through Bobby's research, he found that people are often driven by quick success and not by long term success. I am guilty of this as well but it is a very common theme in today's world. Most of us seem to not want to sacrifice in the now to have a better tomorrow and that effect will snowball over time. Making the short term sacrifice is necessary for long term gain. What have you sacrificed to reach a goal of yours? Our lives are built up of little moments that lead to one big one. Is that big moment a downhill slide or a giant leap upward? 

Introspective Alignment 

In the Follower of One's Marketplace Mission trip, we want to start and end your day with a focus on God and your duties. The goal is to think introspectively about yourself, God, where you are, and who you want to become. This rings true with how you should go to work every day as well. Bobby talks about how his Company's culture started and ended with God. His employees knew it, leadership knew it, Bobby knew it, and that help build a successful business. Consistently thinking about how you are walking with Christ is essential in your success in the workplace. "In whatever you do, do it with all your heart". How many times have you thought about where you are with God to yourself today? 

Interview Quote

"When you reap your short-term sacrifices for long term gain, you have reached a successful life. To me, living a successful life is the fruit of the spirit." 

Connect with Bobby

Bobby's LinkedIn

Values-Driven Leadership Website

Facebook

The Freedom Paradox - Free Resources (Including the Life Purpose Worksheet)

Connect With Follower Of One

Join us over in our Online Community, get social with us; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Listen to our podcast on your way to work and subscribe using your favorite podcast app. Be a part of our next Marketplace Mission Trip!

Do you find yourself quick to judge? I saw a news story today, recounted in a social media meme. It was designed to get me angry about a bill our government leaders passed. Then, I saw a note about this verse and I realized this needed to be the podcast subject today. 

In God's created order, mercy triumphs over judgment. Think about that for a minute. As you watched the bowl games think about the celebration that takes place when a winner is crowned. The bigger the game, the bigger the celebration. We spray one another with champagne. We smile, dance, celebrate, raise our hands. If you're the loser in that environment, you feel pretty bad. They get to celebrate, but we can only be quiet, take it in stride, promise ourselves we'll learn and do better next time.

Mercy celebrates like that over judgment. The Greek word here is a compound. The root word means to boast. It's used in many verses as boast or exult, which means to celebrate. But this word has another Greek word combined, meaning "over." So mercy doesn't just win. It doesn't just celebrate. It celebrates over judgment. 

Today, when we're tempted to judge, let's remember mercy triumphs over judgment. Walk off homer with a bat flip. Jesus turned the world upside down and paid for our sin by dying on the cross. Mercy will always party in the presence of judgment. Let's make sure we wear our mercy and hide our judgment. We don't want to be on the loosing team after all.

And don't forget, we're about to take another Marketplace Mission Trip. Head over to MarketplaceMissionTrip.com to sign up. We practice living our 5 daily activities in and with the people where we work. Check it out and join us.

Notice that God hides things from those who think they are wise. He reveals things to infants. What's the difference here? When we obey Jesus like a child would obey his parents, he learns the will of God. We come to know Jesus and God's wisdom through obedience, not study. Yes, we must study, but this passage tells us that even if we're wise, and even if we study, we won't get it unless we come like a child. (See Mark 10:14.)

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers suggests obedience to be the characteristic of children that sets them apart. When we do what we're told like a child, we understand God more. He makes himself more known to us. We understand his ways more. We experience his presence and we grow more in him. 

As I grow up in Jesus, I want to obey him better, more quickly, with less explanation. I don't want to argue with God in my mind, or exercise judgment over the ideas he puts in my head. The more I argue, the less he asks me to do. If you're a boss, you understand this, too. We don't want to ask certain people to do things because we get a list of reasons why it can't be done. Sometimes we want people who say yes, and go figure it out or go make it happen.

What do you need to just obey today? Ask God to give you an idea for a way to serve a coworker and then do it. Don't question or filter the idea. Execute and trust God. He will reveal more of himself to you.

Maybe he wants you to practice living your faith on our next Marketplace Mission Trip. Other people enjoyed this experience so much that they paid it forward. You can try this out at no cost to you. Learn more and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com.

Jesus can be the foundation for our actions, or not. When obeying Jesus is not the reason for our actions, we construct our life on a weak foundation. Poor decisions follow poor decisions. Over time, our life can't handle the difficulties of life in general. 

Jesus finishes his point from yesterday. If we do what he says, we will have a solid foundation. We will build a house that can stand the test of time and weather. Imagine your life is a building. What have you built? What is it based upon? What will you add today? What will you add in the next few weeks?

How you spend your time matters. The building analogy is important. When Mike was younger, he considered he could always change. Now that he's getting older, change is harder. After a while, what we build is harder and more difficult to fix. Think about every action you take as a brick, or some nails. Next year you may want to build something on to what you've built today. Every action takes us toward or away from God. How we act in our job is no exception. Will your actions today move you one notch closer to Jesus, or one farther away? If we have Jesus as our foundation, let's do what he says. we will build our house on a solid foundation.

This foundation is one of the best reasons for taking the Marketplace Mission Trip, too. Practice choosing to obey Jesus as you do the activities of your job, as you live your life. Our next mission trip begins in just a few days. Learn more and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com.

Who is your boss? Who do you work for? Mike's asked that question on the podcast and in videos before. Here is the question again, coming from the Lord Jesus. He asks, why do you call me "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?

The Jews repeated words for emphasis. When you see a double word like this in the Bible, consider it spoken with emphasis. We don't just call him Lord, we call him Lord, Lord! But if we call him Lord, Lord, why don't we do what he says? 

If he's our boss, with emphasis, do we serve others? Do we love our enemies or do good to those who hate us (Luke 6:27)? Do we bless those who curse us or pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:28)? Mike even talked about how difficult it was for him to pray for bosses he disagreed with. Our workplaces are great opportunities to pray for people who we may not even like? 

Today, like yesterday, punch in. Remind yourself you're on God's clock. What you do today, you do for him. What would he have you do? Ask the question and wait for the answer. Remember, all day, every wild idea may be from him. Every time he challenges you to pray for someone you don't like, do it. Every time he suggests you get beyond your comfort zone, do it. Our job for the rest of our lives is to live like we believe Jesus is our boss on a daily, moment-by-moment basis. Let's not claim perfection in this area, but let's ask God to show us how we can improve and then let's act. 

Need some practice? That's what the Marketplace Mission Trip is for. We practice for 2 weeks a few times each year. Our first mission trip of 2021 is coming up in less than 2 weeks. Head over to MarketplaceMissionTrip.com to learn more and sign up today. You will get an opportunity to join a group of people from all over the globe as we practice living with Jesus as our boss, too. It's much better when you do this with some other people, too. So invite a friend to join you.