“This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” – Acts 19:10

While our attention is often drawn to spectacular moments and events, the reality is that most Kingdom work advances through steady, long-term faithfulness. Day after day. Week after week. Month after month. It’s difficult to measure the eternal impact of serving the Lord faithfully in that way. How many lives are touched, souls saved, hearts strengthened, and disciples taught? The world is changed by those who teach the same Sunday School class, sing in the same choir, welcome guests weekly, or visit the sick for countless years. Those who serve the Lord visibly or invisibly without losing their focus on faithfulness touch eternity!

Most of the impact you’ll have on others will come through consistent presence and long-term service. So, is that the testimony of your life? Have you found your “long obedience in the same direction”? If you haven’t yet found “your thing” please make every effort to do so. Figure out what the Lord has specially gifted and called you to do for Him. Once you know what the Lord has called you to do, do it. Do it when you feel like it and when you don’t. Do it when it seems to be going well and when it doesn’t. Do it when people appreciate you and when they don’t. Do it for the pleasure of the Lord and the glory of your Creator. #FollowJesus

“And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed.” – Acts 18:27

This verse is a beautiful illustration of how we can all play a part in accomplishing God’s mission to make disciples of Jesus throughout the entire world. Some, like Apollos, are called to boldly go to new places with the gospel. Others are called to minister to those who may be hearing the Lord’s call. They serve by helping them discern their call and faithfully answer. They provide encouragement and ongoing prayer support to those who go out. Still others have the ability to open doors in a new place of ministry or mission or to help meet the practical needs of the mission. They can use their contacts, relationships, networks of influence, and financial means to make the way for those called.

No matter their particular role, all such believers are on mission for the Lord. That’s true even though only a few actually leave their home. This is a healthy mindset for every Christian to take on. How is God calling you to be involved in His mission? Is He calling you to go somewhere? Is He calling you to help prepare and encourage those who go? Is He calling you to assist with the logistics or open doors for those heading into God’s harvest fields? Of course, every believer should be learning about what God is doing in the world and praying for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done more and more amongst every nation, ethnic group, and language on earth.

There’s always something that every Christian of every age and life stage can do to advance God’s mission. There’s no more important task here on earth! So, are you playing your part? #FollowJesus

“And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, ‘You shall die!’” – Jeremiah 26:8

When you’re faithful to share God’s truth from His Word, don’t expect everyone to be happy about it! Some will be, for sure. Some will recognize the word of God for what it is and choose life and repentance. However, many others will find the words of life and truth to be utterly distasteful. God warned several of His prophets to speak faithfully but expect only rejection and persecution. Certainly that was Jeremiah’s experience! It may be yours as well.

As a follower of Jesus, you have a role to play in making disciples. That must not be avoided simply because you’re afraid of how people will respond. That certainly involves speaking and teaching the truth of Christ’s commandments, even when people don’t want to hear it. It means proclaiming hope for sinners through submission to Jesus as Lord, even to those who refuse to bow their knee. It means telling people to crucify their flesh in order to walk in the Spirit. If you’re faithful, your words will give life to those willing to receive God’s grace while highlighting the reality of spiritual death for those who want no part of God’s grace.

Don’t let this discourage you. Don’t let it keep you from speaking as you have been commanded. Speak with love, gentleness, humility, respect, AND with unflinching integrity and honesty. How people respond to the truth is up to them. Simply be faithful, day in and day out. God will eternally bless and reward your faithfulness! #FollowJesus

“She followed Paul and us, crying out, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.’” – Acts 16:17

Demonic spirits always know exactly Who Jesus is, Who God is, and how to get saved. That makes it extra frustrating that it can be so challenging to convince humans we care about of those very same truths. Why is what’s so obvious to demons so hidden for many? Because of the world, the flesh, and the devil! These three are the long-term enemies of God’s people. They each play a role in keeping people from understanding the truth about Jesus.

The world overwhelms minds and senses with physical reality. It constantly offers the promise (or experience) of pleasures and pains. It crowds out a person’s abilities to see and understand the deeper spiritual realities of the world convincing many that there can be nothing more than what can be seen, heard, touched, tasted, smelled, or measured. The flesh desperately wants to take god’s place in ruling over lives. It does its best to keep people from embracing the True God. And the devil, who knows the truth, is a master of lies. He weaves deception into everything in order to keep people from calling on Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

As a follower of Jesus, that’s what you’re up against as you share the words of life and hope with people who don’t yet believe in the Lord. That’s what makes it challenging. But don’t despair! After all, the demons know that what you’re saying is 100% true and that Jesus alone offers the way of salvation. You can be sure you’re on solid ground and that when you share Jesus with people, you’re offering them life, hope, and rescue from their sins. Don’t grow weary of doing good or proclaiming truth in the name of Jesus. #FollowJesus

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up.” – Jeremiah 24:5-6

A terrible disaster had fallen upon Israel. Countless thousands had been forcibly taken away into exile in far off Babylon. They would never see their homeland again. They would never again celebrate the mandatory festivals in Jerusalem. They couldn’t worship in the Temple. They certainly had to have believed that God’s wrath was upon them. But they were wrong!

Those taken into exile were the ones with a spiritual future. They were the ones who would be loved and blessed by the Lord. God was going to use their time away to break their addiction to idolatry. He would use their exile to re-build them as people faithful to His covenant and covered by His love. They had a bright future and a strong hope in the Lord. It was those left behind in Jerusalem who were actually under God’s wrath. They would soon suffer the terrible consequences of their sinful lives and spiritual rot. There would be no renewal or restoration for them as their sin was complete and God’s judgment was coming.

Please, please, please remember this! Especially when false teachers lie and claim that a follower of Jesus should never suffer, never experience sickness, loss, or defeat. Never be persecuted. The truth is that God blesses and disciplines those He loves. He uses the hard seasons of earthly life to shape His people for eternal blessings. God will absolutely put you into a place of exile if it lets Him lavish more blessing upon you! He will certainly use the trials of life in a fallen world to invite you to come closer to Him and experience Him more deeply.

Comfort at home isn’t necessarily a blessing and exile on earth isn’t necessarily a curse. Just #FollowJesus