Do you see possibilities or obstacles?   "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and sound judgment." 2 Timothy 1:7 CSB   I'm reading a list of "can's" from Victory Over Darkness by Neil T. Anderson. The third "can" asks us why would we fear when God's Word says we haven't been given a Spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound judgment.   Fear paralyzes us. Fear of failure keeps us from taking action. Fear of the future may cause us to abuse alcohol or drugs. Fear of consequences may cause us to do many things. I think I overeat because I am afraid of missing out.   Notice how Paul reminds Timothy that the opposite of fear is power. We find the power to boldly act when we avoid a focus on fear. The NET translation even capitalizes "Spirit" here to say we've been given the Holy Spirit, not a spirit of fear, but the Spirit of God.   So why would we freeze, or get anxious, or say we can't do something when we've been given a Spirit of power and love and sound judgment?   Why not take some bold action today? We are a listener supported ministry. If you enjoy these podcasts, why not make a bold gift to our ministry or to any ministry you feel God is directing you to support. God has chosen to provide for his people through their own gifts. It's one way of showing ourselves we trust God. Head over to www.FollowerOfOne.org and click the donate button in the upper right hand corner of every page.

Does God really supply all our needs?   "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 ESV.   In the book Victory Over The Darkness by Dr. Neil Anderson, this is the 2nd of the 20 "Cans" he lists on pages 115-117. I confess I don't trust this verse as much as I might like to for a couple of reasons:   First, as an American, I have trouble separating needs from wants. Second, I see many people on our planet that don't seem to have what they need. I confess, I don't see many of them first hand because of where I live and work. But I know they exist.   Third, it is very easy to think I earned a paycheck our built a business. I forget that even my breath came from God. My family came from him. When we're young, the stuff we have was earned by someone else. My parents were most of what separated me from death when I was small.   So as I work on what I can do, I want to stretch my own ideas. If God supplied everything I have, he can do more. Paul is reminding the Philippians the will supply their needs. This gives me reason to know and trust that he can supply my needs too. So why would I worry about our finances?   Finally, I confess, this is a very Western perspective. I want to believe in the biggest God. I pray that he continues to use us (his people) to make this verse visible to our world.   Please take a minute and join our online community. There you can connect with others and you will find people who can help you do what God is calling you to do. He will supply your needs. He will give you the strength. Let's chase God harder and farther than we ever have and see what happens. What have we go to lose?

Do you catch yourself getting down about what you can't do?   "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 NASB   Many people see this passage as some promise from God that we can do anything. But that's not an accurate representation of this idea based on the context if this passage. At the time he wrote this Paul was in prison. He wasn't able to do many things.   His thought was that whatever God had given him to do, he could do it because God would give him the strength. Whatever he had to face, he could face it because of who God is and what he does. He strengthens us.   This is the first of 20 "cans" that Dr. Neil Anderson laid out in the book Victory over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity In Christ. I don't like to focus on the things I can't do. Paul wasn't concentrating on them either. He was saying that whatever he faced, he could face it because of the strength given by God.   Everything God calls us to do, we can do it through the strength he provides. We know he called us to love God and others. And we can find a number of other calls in scripture, too.   What is God asking you to do today? Maybe he's bugging you to serve a coworker. Or maybe he wants you to do something unpleasant to help a problem customer. Maybe he wants you to befriend a fellow student. Today, God's action for you will be something you can do in his strength. Let's focus on the things we can do and be a blessing to the people we interact with today.   Let's do what we can by following, listening to, and obeying Jesus. The rest is his problem.   Please also remember we're a listener-supported podcast. Please consider making a gift. Head over to www.FollowerOfOne.org and click the donate button in the upper right hand corner of our home page.

How does it make sense that Jesus said we will do greater works?   "Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12 ESV   If we believe in Jesus, we will do the works that he does. That's big enough! But Jesus goes on and adds "greater works" too. How is it that we'll do greater works?   Think about how the body of Christ has multiplied. At the moment Jesus said this, it was him and a handful of others. Now, Christ's followers are all over the place. Even conservative numbers are in the hundreds of millions, each doing the works of Christ. Also, we have technology that allows us to share the Gospel online or with people who aren't in the same place or moment of time.   Today, you have at your disposal, everything you need to make an eternal difference in another person's life. You don't have to look past the person in the next cube. You don't have to go on some overseas adventure. God is busy putting his people there. Today you can concentrate on the people you will already see. Will you really see them?   Every person you interact with today is an opportunity. You can even pray for people you don't speak with. Pray for people in traffic, or in line at the airport. Pray for people in line at the coffee shop. Let God direct your moments and idle thoughts and he will use them. He is in the business of multiplying his family. You and I are part of the marketing and operations teams.

How far in advance do you plan things?   No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:18 ESV   Jesus came to die. He states it plainly right here. So if you thought Jesus was a victim, or if you thought there was some possibility of a different outcome, this verse is a problem. This whole chapter is.   In fact, in verse 31, the Jews took up stones to stone him. The Jewish Law required stoning anyone who claimed to be God. So they clearly understood his claim. He didn't present himself as a good teacher. He was here, on our planet to complete the plan.   I believe the plan was created before Adam was created. God knew what it would take for this creature, a human, to have the kind of relationship he wanted to have with us. He planned this from the beginning.   That means I can't foil the plan. I won't ruin the deal. God's doing his thing. We get to be a part of his strategy simply by trusting Jesus and living among our friends. Our job is to do what Jesus says.   Today, let's do our job. On our Marketplace Mission Trip today's lesson is about serving others. We can serve others simply because our eternal destiny has been provided. It's a lock based on who Jesus was. He had the plan from the beginning. Our job is to live differently simply because we trust Jesus. Why not join us? Head over to https://community.followerofone.org and create a profile. Join us as we inject our faith into every aspect of our daily lives.

Do you need to be saved?   "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12   If there was any other way to restore mankind to God, then Jesus didn't have to die. But if Jesus had to die, then what else would be required?   At the same time, all the work to save you or me is done by Jesus. Our job is to make a choice. We have no reason to boast. Even the power to choose came from God.   But rather than take us home when we believe, we get to stay. Our job is to be part of the marketing strategy.   Today, let's remember with humility that we have the answer. We didn't do anything to earn the answer. We don't deserve it. We're called to join our humility with confidence in Jesus. Humility is simply the knowledge that there is nothing in us that can save us.   Our testimony is to live according to this balance. Let others know your confidence in Jesus and your accurate understanding of your own ability to be right. We're called to display this confident humility. Well, it's either confident humility or humble confidence.   Jesus did the work. He loves us. He is the answer to the greatest dream we could have, to be known and loved forever.   If you don't know that answer or if you want to know more, let me know. Send a note to mike@followerofone.org or call 918-899-4239.   If you do know that answer, then do you live according to your knowledge? Join us in https://community.followerofone.org and let's help one another live a life that shows others the dream we get to live and enjoy.

Do you want to be blessed? What is a blessing anyway?   "She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed." Proverbs 3:18 ESV   I read several definitions of blessing. Basically, it's the idea that we are favored, happy, everything is going our way. To bless someone is to wish happiness and favor for them. We truly want their good. And when we speak a blessing to someone we're asking it to happen. We hope it happens.   Wisdom is a source of life. The life we experience through wisdom makes us happy, favored. We experience joy when we live by wisdom. We need to take hold of wisdom and hang on to her. "Lay hold of her" means we catch her. We tracked her down and got a hold on wisdom. "Hold her fast" means to hold closely without slack or space.   We need to grab wisdom every chance we get and we need to hang on to her. The blessing and favor don't come from a fleeting grasp or a handshake. We need to hang on. Our relationship with wisdom needs to be long-term, too.   We talked about these 5 benefits of wisdom: profit, value, life, peace and blessing. Wisdom is the ability to put our knowledge to work for God. We work toward his goals and his outcomes. We trust that his ways produce his results. And the fruit of wisdom are these 5 things, profit, value, life, peace, and blessing.   Do you pursue wisdom? Is your life marked by the search for and application of wisdom? If not, what's holding you back? Why not check out a community of people who are trying to hang onto God's wisdom all the time. We created this community for the express purpose of helping one another move one notch closer to Jesus. And it doesn't cost anything to join. Check out https://community.followerofone.org. Join us as we all reach for wisdom and chase after God. We want his life to invade ours. Check it out.

Hosanna Wong is an international speaker, best-selling author, and spoken word artist helping everyday people know Jesus for real. She preaches in churches, conferences, prisons, and at events around the world. Her newest book “You Are More Than You’ve Been Told” is available for pre-order now! I connected with Hosanna after reading her first book, “How (not) to Save the World.” In this episode of Follower of One, Hosanna shares more about her books, her spoken work, and how to embrace and truly live our true identity in Christ.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Learn more about Hosanna Wong and her mission [1:23]  Hosanna’s newest book, You Are More Than You’ve Been Told” [6:32]  What we think about ourselves determines how we live [8:27]  Hosanna’s spoken word piece, “I Have a New Name” [13:49]  Evangelism in the workplace requires being bilingual [14:19]  Why it’s important to learn to see from the lens of others [18:44]  Life is about building relationships with others [21:53]  What’s happening next for Hosanna Wong? [24:51]  Embrace the power of specific prayer [29:18]  Resources & People Mentioned Preorder “You Are More Than You’ve Been Told” (launches August 8, 2023) How (Not) To Save The World Connect with Hosanna Wong Learn more on Hosanna’s website Follow with Hosanna on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Read her books on Amazon I Have A New Name - Available now on Spotify + Apple Music Subscribe to Follower of One: A Faith at Work Podcast Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK

How important is peace to you?   "Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace." Proverbs 3:17 NASB   What is peace? It's not just the absence of violence or war. Peace is what we experience when everything is right. Peace is the outcome of everything working as designed. As humans, we have a desire for peace. We want a world where everyone wins. But in our scarcity-mindset world, often someone winning means someone else has to lose. For peace to exist in a scarcity-based worldview, the losers have to accept defeat.   Deep down inside, none of us wants to accept defeat. Therefore the search for peace is more extreme than most of us expect. We want win-win for everyone. From God's perspective, since all of us have fallen short of his glory (Romans 3:23), that is win to the power of 8 billion.   Wisdom makes peace possible. Wisdom doesn't start into the violence, war, or scarcity-based mindsets. Wisdom searches for win-win. It works for win-win all the time.   Today, ask God to increase your wisdom. Notice how your thoughts and attitudes result in peace. Let's be people who apply wisdom to bring peace. Peace is only possible when a good God works all things together for good (Romans 8:28). Let's ask God to use us to distribute wisdom and peace.   We just began a Marketplace Mission Trip. This is a 2-week exercise where we practice intentionally trusting Jesus. We practice 5 daily habits, and we connect in our online community to encourage one another. Why not join us and check it out. Your faith can be a bigger factor in your everyday life. Join us at https://community.followerofone.org and check it out.

What about life do you most enjoy?   "Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor." Proverbs 3:16 ESV   The "her" mentioned in this verse is Wisdom again. The author of these proverbs calls wisdom a lady. And in her right hand is long life and in her left hand are riches and honor.   I believe the author is talking about the enjoyment of life and riches and honor. Long life can be unpleasant. I get the sense that this long life is an enjoyable life. Stress and anxiety wear us down. A long stressful life is not good.   This verse seems to be saying that the enjoyment of life and contentment with riches and honor come from wisdom. I think about the margin that comes from joy. We get to experience more joy and to use that joy to bless others. Wisdom gives us the ability to experience joy and to have margin in our life.   When we live following Jesus, and we experience the wisdom from God, we have a minute for others. We're in a position to be more grace-filled. We're ready to share; able to bless others. We find the energy to put others ahead of ourselves. This creates margin for others, too. We bring ease and energy for others. We become givers.   Today, give life. Bring life, courage, energy to others. Be an encourager. Spend a minute longer with someone today. Wisdom comes from knowing God is our source and he has our situation under his control. We're free to help others enjoy the confidence we experience because we know our Redeemer lives and that our eternal ticket is punched. We're free to be a blessing to others because of the wisdom we have following Jesus and listening to the Holy Spirit.   Why not join us on the next Marketplace Mission Trip where you can practice intentionally following Jesus. The next one begins Sunday. Commit about 8 hours over 2 weeks to read the devotionals and join the calls. You'll see God put you to work in other's lives. You'll experience new joy. And your faith will come alive. Check it out at community.followerofone.org.