Follower of One : Missions For The Rest Of Us

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Matthew 10:31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.

We live in a very uncertain moment in time. The stock market is in disarray and the Coronavirus pandemic seems to be the center of the news. It is easy to be afraid.

The most common command in all of scripture is “Fear not!” God’s power and glory aren’t very visible to the naked eye. We must look for God to see him. If we fail to believe that he exists, we will never see him. See Hebrews 11:6. We can’t even come to God without first believing that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

When we can begin with the idea that God is good and that he is in control, we can settle down a bit. And I believe these troubles are part of what we’re promised in John 16:33 above. Our world has much trouble. The trouble is a consequence of our own sin. Every person (Romans 3:23) had chosen to pursue their own glory and their own desires. We have all come up short. Therefore the world is filled with trouble.

But God is aware of even the sparrows. (See Matthew 10) He takes care of them. And he is aware of us. Romans 8:31 says that if God is for us, who can be against us. It goes on to say that he is powerful and he will not allow his children to be separated from his love.

So how might we act. I thought of a few things today that I’m praying for believers all over the world to do.

1. Remember God is in control. Everything that happens is designed to declare God’s glory. Let’s remain hopeful.

2. Submit to authorities. I can be a rebel. But this isn’t the time. To the degree possible, let’s agree to cooperate with our leaders for the good of those who don’t know God. Trust God and pray for those in authority over us and let’s be good citizens.

3. Be gracious. Reflect on the commands of Jesus in Luke 6:20-45. This is a shorter version of the Beatitudes. Jesus tells us to avoid judging, be merciful, and give. Verse 45 says “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good.” Let’s bring forth what is good.

The next verse it telling also, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” 

Let’s be people who live according to Jesus commands, especially those where we’re told to love and give. If you see me coming up short of that goal, remind me. But let’s be givers, and doers of the word (James 1:22). 

My prayer is that our Lord will watch over those who are scared and who are infected by this disease. Lord, please save and protect so that everyone would know You and the power of your resurrection. You are able to do exceedingly abundantly more than all we can ask or imagine. Please be visible in our situation and use us for Your good goals today.

Bringing Monday to Sunday with Luke Bobo, ep#22

In this week's episode of The Follower of One podcast, Mike speaks with Luke Bobo. Luke is a former engineer and current Director of Strategic Partnerships at MadetoFlourish.org. Luke has a Masters in Divinity and is currently focusing on growing the Made to Flourish network across the country. In this episode, Mike and Luke talk about faith at work and the interesting angle at which Made to Flourish approaches the faith at work movement.

Episode Breakdown:

00:53 - Luke Bobo's Story

3:28 - How Luke became apart of Made to Flourish

6:43 - Made to Flourish

11:08 - Who connects with Made to Flourish

15:23 - How to Equip Pastors to take part in the Faith at Work Movement

17:13 - Workplace Visit "Bringing Monday into Sunday"

23:43 - how Made to Flourish began

Pastors and Faith at Work

Made to Flourish is a network of pastors who are given resources to build better teaching for faith at work. Yet, not all pastors teach on the subject of faith at work. Why is that? Luke goes through the unique opportunity Made to Flourish offers pastors across the nation and why it is so important to have these teachings in our Sunday services.

Majority of our Lives

The majority of our lives are not spent in church. This fact is easy to understand but not simple. We spend the majority of our lives at our workplaces (Monday through Friday). How do we incorporate what we learn one day of the week to all the rest of the days of the week? How can our work, paid or not, allow us to reach out through our faith? Luke talks about how to do just that in this episode. The Bible talks about it, we live it, now we need to incorporate it into our everyday lives.

Bringing Monday to Sunday

One of the topics Mike and Luke discuss is "Bringing Monday to Sunday". This topic is diverse but at its core, it involves pastors not only teaching faith at work but visiting people at their place of work as well. Interestingly, it gives pastors a much better knowledge of what goes on within our daily lives away from the Church but also empowers and excites us that they are visiting in the first place. This type of experience has deep spiritual value and Luke goes into further detail about this in the episode. How can I get my pastor involved in this? What does it take to learn more about this on Sundays? Reach out to Luke or madetoflourish.org to find out more!

What is Godly vision? Only the pure in heart see God. What does it mean to be pure in heart? Integrity means pure. We want 100% of our hearts pointed to God. When we can focus totally on what God wants, that's when we get God's vision. That's when we see what He sees. Do you see God's desire for you in your workplace? If you feel Jesus wants you to leave your job, or do something else, you may be looking past the immediate. My first prayers for coworkers came about because I knew God wouldn't give me a new job today. Today, I can pray. What can you do today?

Where is your focus at work? When Peter walked on the water for a few minutes, he did something no one else has ever done. But something happened that brought it all to an end. In some translations, verse 30 begins with, "But when he saw the wind," (ESV). When Peter noticed his circumstances instead of focusing on his Lord, he began to sink. When we focus on our circumstances and our to-do lists, we lose sight of Jesus, too. Focus on Jesus and see the people around you. Notice the activities Jesus has for you and experience the joy of walking with Him.

More Than Monetary Things 

In this week's episode of the Follower of One podcast, Mike is joined by a long-time friend, Johnathan Hines. Johnathan is a marriage counselor and runs his own business calledAll Star Marriage. Johnathan takes us through how he became a believer, how we should strive for more than monetary things, and what he does each day at work that makes a difference.

Episode Breakdown:

00:45 - Meet Johnathan Hines

2:10 - Johnathan and Mike come up with an Idea

9:45 - Johnathan finds Christ

16:10 - Relationships with our Significant Others

18:35 - Changing your outlook on God and your Family

24:10 - How to get in touch with Johnathan

Mindset

Mindset. Most of our problems are directly correlated to our mindset. What can be done, overcame or accomplished simply by having the right mindset is a key facet in understanding faith at work. Johnathan talks with Mike about how the Market Place Mission Trip gave him the right mindset each and every day while going to work and even though you may miss a day, here or there, we are right there with you every morning picking back up where you left off. Focusing your mind is something that every successful person does, and to be successful during the mission trip - it takes focus each and every day. Just like honing your craft - taking time to focus on what matters during your mission trip is of the utmost importance. Try it for yourself! Sign up here!

Seek Help

We are not in this alone, God is with us every step of the way. Yet, we all are guilty of not asking for help when needed. Maybe it was pride, greed or even envy that kept you from seeking help. Regardless of the reasons, it is always important to know that God is with you and believes in you. Johnathan talks about this specifically as it relates to his counseling. "Only 30% of men will actually seek help with their problems". This leaves 70% of men with marital, psychological or systematic issues not seeking anyone - and Johnathan plans on changing that through his leadership and practice. We want YOU to know that you are not the only one going through difficult times, and if you ever need help, you should seek it. You can even start with Johnathan!

Provide More than Money

During the episode, Johnathan discusses his position on marriages and the husband-wife dynamic. He believes that a husband should bring much more to the table than money. This rings true for any relationship. Our goal is not just to bring the security of money but to also bring our relationship with God closer to our spouses and children. As a leader, you want to build a better, more rounded life for the people most important to you. Johnathan also gives a really practical example from when he was in medical sales that we know you will enjoy. How do you treat your #2? Is it by leading them to a fulfilling life with Christ?