What's most valuable to you?   "She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her." Proverbs 3:15 ESV   The "She" above is wisdom. This is the 2nd episode on wisdom from this section of Proverbs.   We talked about profit and wealth yesterday. Today, we're talking about value. Value is different than wealth. We often equate the 2 because we purchase so many things with money. But there are things money can't buy. Those things can still be very valuable. Often we hear about someone who discovers something they have is valuable. But it is also associated with an ancestor or a memory. Therefore, without thought of the monetary value, they'll never sell. It's more valuable than money to them.   This passage reminds us wisdom is more valuable than money. Like we said yesterday, wisdom can be given away over and over again. Wisdom can benefit people long after the value of an idea can be realized. Joseph trusted the vision and his wisdom saved both the Egyptians and the Jews for hundreds of years.   What does God want you to bring to the world? One of those things is wisdom. We get this wisdom from God simply by fearing him (see verse 7.) This "fear" is a humility. It begins by realizing God is God and we're not. We listen to him because he knows, he created everything and sees everything. He operates in eternity. Our wealth and money and power will all stay on this side of forever.   Look for ways to be a blessing to others today. It begins with fearing God, gaining his wisdom and then serving others by applying and sharing that wisdom in the way we live. Don't hear this as me suggesting we go tell people how wrong they are. We are called to quietly live by a different standard and let them figure it out for themselves. When they ask (1 Peter 3:15) we can give them the answers.   Try that in your workplace next week on our Marketplace Mission Trip. This is a 2 week exercise we practice as a cohort in our online community. The next one starts in a few days. Head over to https://community.followerofone.org, create a profile and check it out.

What are some of the benefits of wisdom?   Blessed is the one who finds wisdom and the one who gets understanding for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. Proverbs 3:13-14. ESV   There's no limit to your ability to gain wisdom or to give it out. This passage and in other places in Proverbs, we find that wisdom is something we get from God, not just from our experience. And we can give it without limits. Our wisdom can be used to serve and bless others. But I'm talking about the wisdom that comes from God.   Wisdom is referred to as a lady. The Message says in verse 14, "She's worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary."   Wisdom comes from our ability to abide in Jesus. When we're plugged into our relationship with Jesus, and we listen to the Holy Spirit, God gives us his wisdom. We can then share that wisdom by our actions. We don't need to share it with our words necessarily.   Today, let's practice gaining and listening to the wisdom from God.   Don't forget to try this out! Our next practice begins in a few days. It's called the Marketplace Mission Trip. This is a 2 week exercise we practice as a cohort in our online community. Head over to https://community.followerofone.org, create a profile and check it out.

Are you interested in a Marketplace Mission Trip but on the fence because you won’t know anyone? Or do you simply want to learn more about what the experience will be like? In this episode of Follower of One, Cameron Baker and Jeff Harmon with Grace on the Mount Church join us to talk about their experience with a Marketplace Mission Trip. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Learn more about Cameron Baker and Jeff Harmon [1:04] Cameron and Jeff’s experience with a Marketplace Mission Trip [5:28] How Grace Church made the format work for them [8:28]  How the mission trip helped people become more engaged [11:40] Why you should learn more about Marketplace Mission Trips [15:17] Resources & People Mentioned Marketplace Mission Trip Connect with Grace Church on the Mount Grace Church on the Mount   Subscribe to Follower of One: A Faith at Work Podcast Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK

Do you consider yourself wise?   "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3:7-8 ESV   We struggle so hard to get what we want. I can get wrapped up in what I'm trying to accomplish; even so much that I get angry with other people, circumstances and situations that don't enable my own pursuits.   You probably never do that. This pursuit of what we want, even if it is some good thing, can become a serious problem for us. It can cause us health issues. We're more aware of things like stress and anxiety than any people in history. We know how bad this can get, but we still do it. I wonder if some of this unbridled pursuit of what we want doesn't create some of the mass shootings and the rage that we find in our world today.   The answer is to fear the Lord and turn away from evil. What does it mean to fear the Lord? One thing is that it means we should not be wise in our own eyes. It's so hard to consider that I might be wrong. it's hard to ask God for guidance and with humility, listen to others.   Today, let's ask God to show us where we might be wrong. Ask him where we're pressing too hard and sensing too much stress and anxiety. Let's get back to trusting God and fearing him so we can be healed and refreshed and we can help others experience that healing and refreshment, too.   We practice this on our Marketplace Mission Trip. This is a 2 week exercise we practice as a cohort in our online community. The next one starts in a few days. Head over to https://community.followerofone.org, create a profile and check it out.

Do you trust Jesus enough to enjoy negative situations or circumstances?   This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24   Is it foolish to rejoice in the Lord? After all, he made today. In the song Miracle Power by We The Kingdom, there's a line, "I may not know what the day may bring, but I know who brings the day." This is the day the Lord has made.   Joy is a choice. We can choose joy. The words, "let us rejoice," are a command to experience joy. To rejoice is to enjoy the joy. We have the opportunity, even the responsibility to live differently simply because we know who brings the day. We know he is good. We know he is powerful. If God didn't spare Jesus, what else is there? Everything else we could ask for is less. I base that on Romans 8:32. God freely died on our behalf. What else is there?   Do those thoughts inspire you to enjoy your position as a child of Christ? This is the day the Lord has made. Our joy testifies to the world that we're different. We live according to a different standard and we experience a different outcome in every circumstance. We can be joyful in everything. Today, choose joy and watch God shine your light into the dark world where your coworkers and customers live.   Would you like to do this more often than just when you hear a podcast? Check out the Marketplace Mission Trip - an exercise to help you take a mission trip every day. We have a 2-week version of the trip starting soon. Or you can get our small-group study and take the mission trip over six weeks in a small group study. Check it out at www.MarketplaceMissionTrip.com or https://community.followerofone.org.

What end of the earth are you on?   "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 CSB   Imagine all of God's people deployed all over the globe. Each one is able to share their story about how God has transformed them. The story lines up with their life.   These people are not perfect. And they're not necessarily missionaries. They're bus drivers, assembly line workers, school teachers, sales people, managers, engineers, programmers, nurses, every occupation you can imagine.   What if you got a similar story from all of them. An exciting story about how following Jesus has changed their life. What if they were ready and able to help and if they were kind and appreciated others?   Ever since I started following Jesus, I became part of the problem and part of the solution. Our dream for Follower of One is to help everyday Christ-followers to realize their life, their energy and they work are all part of God's plan to save the world.   We want to help you enjoy your faith in Jesus. Joyful Christ-followers are magnetic and contagious. We hope to help one another be the proof of scripture. We're not perfect, we're forgiven. God is fulfilling his purpose by engaging us in his work.   Why not join us? We are an online community. You can create a free profile at https://community.FollowerOfOne.org. Join us and let's figure out how to live transparently following Jesus. We don't "have to" witness. We "are" witnesses.

How do you handle disappointment?   "But many who are first will be last and the last first." Mark 10:31 ESV   We just talked about how we can know that we will receive in some proportion to what we invest. We'll also receive some persecution. Then Jesus says this. Do you ever wonder why Jesus says what he says when he says it?   I think he's reminding us that even if we think we have a great formula for understanding God, he is still wild. The next parable in Matthew, (Matthew 20:16), is the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. Jesus says the last shall be first and the first last. It is a summary of how the last people to the work received a days pay for very little work, and were also paid first. (Mark and Luke do not follow this verse with that parable.)   I believe Jesus is reminding us there are variables, but we can never understand the formula. Can we believe in a God who is big enough to make everything right? Maybe you have friends who have suffered injustice. Maybe you have friends or family who have chronic illness or who are victims of evil. Our brains can't handle the formula.   Many who are last shall be first. Can we trust a God who is so complicated we can barely understand him? We have Jesus. He is God. But even this will be hard to understand.   Today, let's trust God. Let's make the investment. Let's give up something for the gospel. We will receive a hundredfold. We will experience some persecution, but in the end, we will be eternally joyful and present with our King. What a deal!   Please join us on the Marketplace Mission Trip. Head over to www.MarketplaceMissionTrip.com to learn more and sign up.

What's the downside of following Jesus?   Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. Mark 10:29-30 ESV   I didn't mention a phrase yesterday that is in this version of this story. It's not in the Matthew or Luke versions. The phrase is in verse 30, "with persecutions."   I don't know why Luke or Matthew don't include this. But here, the Greek word used is in scripture 10 times and they are all translated "persecution" or "persecutions."   We live in a broken world. Jesus is much more aware of this than we are. We don't even know what we don't know about how broken the world is. Yet, knowing what he knows, he still promises us 100 times what we give up and eternal life.   We have nothing to lose. Persecution comes with living for the sake of the gospel. It's a package deal. Our enemy the devil doesn't want us to share about God to others. So persecution will come. Jesus reminds us. He says "There is no one who has left..."   Today, let's not let our circumstances take us out. Jesus has provided for us. We talked yesterday about how the blessings are a lock. The persecution is too, but the consequences of it aren't forever. The blessings are. Let's remember to invest in others today and not be surprised by the results.   Want to practice your faith a bit? Why not join us for a 2-week exercise to transform your work with your faith. We have created a reasonable way of sharing the gospel without being obnoxious. We practice that on the Marketplace Mission Trip. It's a 2-week exercise where we are intentional for between 15 and 45 minutes a day for 2 weeks. It will transform how you live your faith. Find out more at www.MarketplaceMissionTrip.com. Then next one begins in just a few days.

Do we really believe Jesus?   Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. Mark 10:29-30 ESV   You've heard it said that you get out of something what you put into it. Jesus is making that point here. But I want to challenge us today. There are a couple of things we need to see.   First, Jesus isn't saying we get what we invest. He's saying we get much more. It's hard for me to think that I can't lose. Is it that way for you? I think about things in a very temporal context. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul reminds us that the things we can see are temporal. The things we can't see are eternal.   In this present age, what we spend or give up in this life for Jesus sake, and for the gospel, we receive back in multiples. How is this true?   What does that do to the way we live and work today? Can we give a little more? Can we share or take a minute? What are you holding on to that you could let go of? I pray God helps us see with his eyes.   Why not practice this with us. We do a 2-week experience called the Marketplace Mission Trip. Check it out at www.MarketplaceMissionTrip.com and join us.   Also look at Matthew 19:27-30 and Luke 18:26-30 for the other times this exchange is discussed in scripture.

Reginald (Reggie) Foreman is an author, at-risk specialist, life coach, speaker, and inventor. His life is a story of loss and redemption. He’s taken his painful life experiences and uses them to help others turn their pain into purpose. In this episode of Follower of One, Reggie shares his powerful story and how he uses it to change lives. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... A powerful story of surrender [0:43]  Life can take unexpected turns [12:07]  Finding Purpose in Your Pain [15:14]  Resources & People Mentioned Live Determined: Don't Let Your Struggles Bully Your Dreams Connect with Reggie Foreman Reggie the Lion RL Coaching & Consulting Reggie’s Website Subscribe to Follower of One: A Faith at Work Podcast Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK