Follower of One : Missions For The Rest Of Us

As I concluded yesterday's podcast, I mentioned our Five Daily Activities. These are the things every believer can do any day in any job that put us on-mission with Jesus. If you've taken a Marketplace Mission Trip, or listened to our podcast for a while, you've heard me talk about these activities. But today, I want to talk about number 5: Speak for Yourself.

Rather than judge, we follow. Jesus called us to follow him. In Mark 5, there was a man who had an army of demons who were living in him. Jesus instructed the demons to leave the man and they instead went into a nearby herd of pigs. The pigs ran into the sea and drowned. The people of the city came out and decided they didn't want Jesus to hang around. So as Jesus was leaving, the man who was freed of the demons asked to go along. But Jesus told him no. In verse 19, Jesus instructs the man what to do instead. "Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you."

Jesus didn't send this man back to his people to tell them what they're doing wrong. He didn't tell him to judge them or to set them straight. He told the man to give a testimony to what happened. He told the man to share his own personal experience; to speak for himself.

Out of respect for others, we learn to talk about things that are of interest to others. When we can live a joy-filled life serving others, people will notice and ask us about what they see that is different. That's part of the message of 1 Peter 3:15, too. Even in the most hostile workplaces, we can live differently. Maybe all you can do is pray for others, silently, without them ever knowing. Still, at that moment you're on-mission with Jesus. One day, when someone asks, you simply follow the instructions provided in Mark 5:19. I pray you get the chance to report what great things the Lord has done for you today.

Could you use more wisdom? James says that we can ask God. But if you're like Mike, often you want to generate wisdom on your own. We think if we read enough books, and even study the bible enough, we can somehow get what we need. When we go to the world for wisdom, it's like washing our clothes in mud. Our environment is broken so our environment can't possibly give us great wisdom. It's broken already.

God is the source of wisdom. And Jesus is the way we see God. Go to him for wisdom. Ask him in prayer, and in his word. and when you're interacting with other Christians. Listen to pastors, search the scripture. Test one thing against another. Every way you can think of to search is valid as long as you're doing it to ask God. He is the source of wisdom.

So if you'd like to be wise today, start asking. Wisdom also comes with time. The best time to ask God for wisdom was years ago. But the second-best time to ask him is today!

Sometimes we also gain wisdom from acting on what God tells us. Often the test precedes the lesson. That's why we do the Marketplace Mission Trips. You can learn more and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com

Could you use more wisdom? James says that we can ask God. But if you're like Mike, often you want to generate wisdom on your own. We think if we read enough books, and even study the bible enough, we can somehow get what we need. When we go to the world for wisdom, it's like washing our clothes in mud. Our environment is broken so our environment can't possibly give us great wisdom. It's broken already.

God is the source of wisdom. And Jesus is the way we see God. Go to him for wisdom. Ask him in prayer, and in his word. and when you're interacting with other Christians. Listen to pastors, search the scripture. Test one thing against another. Every way you can think of to search is valid as long as you're doing it to ask God. He is the source of wisdom.

So if you'd like to be wise today, start asking. Wisdom also comes with time. The best time to ask God for wisdom was years ago. But the second-best time to ask him is today!

Sometimes we also gain wisdom from acting on what God tells us. Often the test precedes the lesson. That's why we do the Marketplace Mission Trips. You can learn more and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com

Notice how God gave Job some work to do before he restored his fortunes. God instructed Job to pray for his friends and when he did, then God restored his fortunes. Prayer comes first. We must remember God. We are all capable of forgetting him and acting like we're in charge.

So our first job as a marketplace minister is to pray. Pray we begin by telling God we're his; we belong to him, and we punch in. But right after we punch in, ask him what he would have you do in the lives of the people around you. He's working in their lives. The book of Job isn't just about Job. Job's 4 friends hung with him. The first 3 of them sat with him for 7 days in silence. (See Job 2:13.) These were good friends. And they hurt for Job.

So part of this book was about fixing their theology and ours. But also part of it is seeing how God works. Some of your coworkers may be going through some difficult times. We'll talk more about listening and asking God for wisdom next week, but for now, plan to trust God, listen to your coworkers so you can find ways to pray for them.

Also, recently, some friends and I were talking and they said they would ask the person if they could pray for them. I seldom pray out loud for someone else in the workplace, but if you feel that is what God wants you to do, then ask the person and, if they agree, pray out loud for them. Try to avoid preaching to them in your prayer. Simply ask God on their behalf. But I don't even ask. I just pray silently for people while we're talking or when they come to mind. I can pray for anyone, any time. So can you.

Today, let's invest some time praying for our coworkers. I used to use my drive to work. However you do it, remember, God wants us praying for others and then he works. God designed it this way so we would depend on him.

Notice how God gave Job some work to do before he restored his fortunes. God instructed Job to pray for his friends and when he did, then God restored his fortunes. Prayer comes first. We must remember God. We are all capable of forgetting him and acting like we're in charge.

So our first job as a marketplace minister is to pray. Pray we begin by telling God we're his; we belong to him, and we punch in. But right after we punch in, ask him what he would have you do in the lives of the people around you. He's working in their lives. The book of Job isn't just about Job. Job's 4 friends hung with him. The first 3 of them sat with him for 7 days in silence. (See Job 2:13.) These were good friends. And they hurt for Job.

So part of this book was about fixing their theology and ours. But also part of it is seeing how God works. Some of your coworkers may be going through some difficult times. We'll talk more about listening and asking God for wisdom next week, but for now, plan to trust God, listen to your coworkers so you can find ways to pray for them.

Also, recently, some friends and I were talking and they said they would ask the person if they could pray for them. I seldom pray out loud for someone else in the workplace, but if you feel that is what God wants you to do, then ask the person and, if they agree, pray out loud for them. Try to avoid preaching to them in your prayer. Simply ask God on their behalf. But I don't even ask. I just pray silently for people while we're talking or when they come to mind. I can pray for anyone, any time. So can you.

Today, let's invest some time praying for our coworkers. I used to use my drive to work. However you do it, remember, God wants us praying for others and then he works. God designed it this way so we would depend on him.

Today, Mike tells us how commitment and trust work together. In this passage, we're reminded that we need to trust the Lord, but there's almost a condition. We're told to commit first. Trust is a challenging idea. You may trust a chair to hold you, but until you commit to it and sit down, your trust isn't real. It's latent, which means present but not visible. When we commit, our trust becomes visible. When we depend on God, and we have no other options, then our trust is realized. Jesus becomes visible. How can you make Jesus visible today?

Today, Mike tells us how commitment and trust work together. In this passage, we're reminded that we need to trust the Lord, but there's almost a condition. We're told to commit first. Trust is a challenging idea. You may trust a chair to hold you, but until you commit to it and sit down, your trust isn't real. It's latent, which means present but not visible. When we commit, our trust becomes visible. When we depend on God, and we have no other options, then our trust is realized. Jesus becomes visible. How can you make Jesus visible today?

How urgent are we with the message of salvation? Do you experience much joy in your daily walk with Jesus? I believe we can associate the two. If we experience the joy of walking with Jesus daily, we also experience joy and excitement when we help others experience that joy too. The women at the tomb ran with fear and joy to tell the disciples. Do we rush to serve Jesus so our friends might see him? If not, why not?

How urgent are we with the message of salvation? Do you experience much joy in your daily walk with Jesus? I believe we can associate the two. If we experience the joy of walking with Jesus daily, we also experience joy and excitement when we help others experience that joy too. The women at the tomb ran with fear and joy to tell the disciples. Do we rush to serve Jesus so our friends might see him? If not, why not?

Banking on Joy. Does joy matter in your day? Do you experience God's joy at work? The promise and the hope of it can pull us through difficulties. It also energizes us and enables us to give more than we ever thought. It makes us transform in our circumstances. The joy set before Jesus enabled Him to save us. The joy of walking with God makes us ministers in our workplace.