“Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.”
– Psalm 126:5-6

Have faith in God. He is always with you and will never forsake you. Trust in the promise of Jesus, that as you make disciples, “Surely I am with you always”. Be faithful, even in tears. Trust in the Lord and serve Him, even when there seems to be no fruit. Even when it hurts. Even when it feels like you simply can’t.

There may be many times in your earthly life when you feel that way. Serve Him anyway because God’s promises are sure and certain. In Christ, they are “yes and amen”. The day will come when you see the fruit of your labor on His behalf, though it may be after you enter His presence forever.

In Christ, God loves you and will sustain and empower you. He is steadfastly faithful. As you continue in faith, He will bring forth fruit, even when you sow in tears. His Word will not return void – He will produce the fruit. It may not be visible to you on this side of eternity. It may not happen on your timetable. But God will produce a harvest of righteousness. He will be glorified in your faithfulness, especially when it’s most difficult. In that, you will ultimately discover joy and satisfaction that never ends. #FollowJesus

“And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God.” – Nehemiah 9:3

Times of great spiritual revival and renewal typically feature deep devotion to reading and hearing God’s Word, zeal for worship, and total honesty in confessing sins. These things are the opposite of the more casual and shallow attitude God’s people often have toward these sacred privileges.

Does deep devotion to the Word, worship, prayer, and confession drive revival and renewal? Or does revival and renewal spark such devotion? The answer is probably yes to both as the Holy Spirit moves powerfully amongst God’s people.

What would happen if God’s people made time in their schedules, checked their impatience at the door, and prioritized these things the way Israel did in the time of Nehemiah? Could you imagine a gathering (large or small) committed to standing and reading Scripture for a quarter of the day? Committed to prayer and worship for another quarter of the day after that? That was serious about confessing sins, both individual and collective?

These things are so out of the typical patterns and routines for Christians today. But what if…. What might God do with that? #FollowJesus

“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.” – Ezra 8:21

Throughout history, God’s people have used fasting to humble themselves and seek the Lord in prayer. Fasting sharpens and focuses our prayers as we submit our flesh with all its rumbling, incessant demands to the Lord’s purposes. Is fasting in your spiritual toolbox?

Fasting was expected by Jesus (He said, “When you fast…”) though not commanded for any particular time or duration. If you aren’t currently in the habit of fasting, consider trying a fast one day soon. Skip a meal or a day of meals and let your hunger pangs remind you to pray every time they strike. Pray when you would have been preparing food or eating. Stay hydrated and stay focused on God.

Can’t fast completely for medical reasons? Consider reducing portions or limiting the kinds of food you eat to meet your medical needs whiling leaving your body wanting more or different. Let those demands and complaints remind you to pray each and every time.

When you fast, be sure to have a spiritual purpose. Have a focus for your prayer as Ezra did in this verse. He was about to lead a group of returning exiles on a long, dangerous journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. He didn’t want to ask for military protection because that would demonstrate a lack of faith. So, his group fasted and earnestly sought the Lord’s protection.

Your purpose could be to pray about a particular topic. To seek God’s guidance with respect to an important decision in your life. To confess the sins of the church or the nation. To pray for God’s Spirit to bring revival. You could pray for those in your life who are far from God or for boldness in evangelism. You could pray for the success of a mission team or an upcoming church activity. There’s no limit to what you could choose to focus your fasting and prayer on. But determine a purpose and then giving fasting and prayer a chance! #FollowJesus

“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” – 2 Corinthians 9:11

It is an enduring biblical truth that in Christ, we are blessed to be a blessing. Every good thing we possess- from out natural talents and learned abilities to our prized possessions and treasured resources – ultimately belongs to God. He simply entrusts those things to us to manage well on His behalf. In God’s Creation, we are stewards, not owners.

Full enjoyment of those things God has entrusted to us – time, talent, treasure, energy, enthusiasm, attention – is found as we are generous with them for the blessing of others. God, Who “gives generously to all without reproach” (James 1:5), expects us to imitate Him. He is generous toward us so we can be generous toward others.

When we’re generous to give away ourselves and our possessions for the blessing and benefit of others, it produces praise to God. When people see and feel Christ working through His people, it produces faith, hope, love, and praise. If Jesus has been generous to you, in any sense of that word, know that it’s so you can be generous toward others for the glory of God. #FollowJesus

“And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage.” – Esther 3:2

God’s people must never bend the knee in worship toward any person or object. Earlier in Israel’s exile, God had shown that His power was sufficient to protect any individuals (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) who obeyed the Lord rather than human rulers on this point. Years later, Mordecai refused to bow in homage to Haman, the king’s favorite official.

Mordecai’s disobedience was so infuriating to Haman that he set out to destroy all Jews everywhere. Was God’s power sufficient to stop that as well? Yes! In fact, in His perfect knowledge of all things past, present, and future, God had already made provision for His people. He’d already placed Esther on the throne of Persia, putting her in a position to intervene for His people. If she had enough faith and courage to do so…

The Lord had orchestrated everything from the replacement of the previous queen to the timing of the planned genocide. And Esther was faithful. With fasting and prayer, fear and trembling, Esther stepped forward and God used her to save His people and bring down Haman.

God’s knowledge of all things is perfect. His wisdom is perfect. His timing is perfect. His power is sufficient. His will and plan can’t be stopped. Not by hatred, not by governmental power, and not by mass murder. Believers simply need to hold firmly to the faith and to their integrity. We must never bow the knee, figuratively or literally, to people with earthly power. Always trust in God’s ability to care for His people and accomplish His will in His way on His schedule. #FollowJesus