Are you worthy of the Kingdom of God?   "This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are also suffering." 2 Thessalonians 1:5 ESV   By saying "this is evidence," Paul is pointing back to the previous verses and we covered those yesterday. Our ability to grow spiritually through difficulty is evidence of God's judgment. Our growth is proof of his promises in scripture.   And it appears that our suffering is of of the ways God shows that we've been considered as righteous. God qualifies us for eternal life and a relationship with him and our ability to grow through suffering is proof of God and his strategy. Everyone has trouble (John 16:33). But we go through it differently, or we should, because we know Jesus has overcome the world. Our handling the difficulties in a way that makes God visible shows that we're part of his strategy.   So what? Is this only for us? No way. We live our lives as Christ-followers to show others what happens when you follow Jesus. We will all experience hardship, but in the end we will be winners. Second Corinthians chapter 4 talks about how we are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not despairing, persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:7-10).   Ask God to show you how to love others and enjoy your relationship with him in whatever situation you are in like Paul talked about in Philippians 4:12-13. We can do all things, even the hard ones, through Jesus who strengthens us. Jesus is using us in the presence of the people in our sphere of influence. You are seen by people and you experience things and they're all allowed by God so that our trust of him would be visible to others. Being thankful and growing in difficulty is one of the ways we show others, we're considered worthy of the Kingdom.   Thanks for listening and considering how your life can make an eternal difference. We're a donor supported ministry. This podcast, our online community and our activities, like the Marketplace Mission Trips are all donor supported. Please consider making a gift to Follower of One so others can hear the podcast and take part in our community with no up-front cost. Head over to www.FollowerOfOne.org and click the green "Donate" button to make a contribution. Thanks.

Carol Middlekauff is the author of the book, “Take Someone with You to Heaven,” in which she shares story after story of God working through her. Her message is simple: Anyone can share their faith with others—you just have to make yourself available. Carol joins me in this episode of Follower of One to share just how easy it can be to share your faith in natural conversations. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Learn more about Carol Middlekauff [1:00]  Sharing your faith starts by taking one step at a time [2:11]  Working with Bill Glass’s ministry, “Behind the Walls” [ 6:04] Carol’s experience sharing Christ in Austin [11:08]  Chuck and Carol’s ministry on the road [12:53]  God doesn’t call the abled—he calls the available [15:08]  Resources & People Mentioned Carol’s book, “Take Someone With You to Heaven” Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay Subscribe to Follower of One: A Faith at Work Podcast Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK

Do you whine to God?   "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring." 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4   Paul boasts about the Thessalonians because of their steadfastness in persecutions and afflictions. Their faith is growing abundantly. Their love for one another is increasing.   This unnatural result of difficulty is seen over and over throughout history. The local church seems to thrive in difficulty and it seems to deteriorate in times of ease or prosperity.   Do you thank God for hard things? Have you memorized James 1:2-4. James tells us to consider it joy when we encounter various trials. I've repeated that passage hundreds of times in my life. But I still whine. God hasn't baked it into me yet. Maybe I'm just a hard case. You know you.   Maybe you're very good at this. If we were, I believe the world would see it. Because of my career, and position, I can alleviate most of my difficulties.   But then, I potentially sidestep the design of God. I don't have to grow in my difficulties. But if I was stuck in them, I might. God becomes visible when I do, and others can thank God and take part in my suffering.   Today, Can we give thanks to God for believers in other parts of the world? Can we live in a way that honors them by not whining, but by being steadfast in the difficult things that happen?   Why not join a community of believers who want to be more intentional with their faith. Join us at https://community.followerofone.org and also join us on our next Marketplace Mission Trip.

If we're all lost, how arrogant can it be to give directions?   "Judge not, that you not be judged. For with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2   First, let's say this isn't about using discernment. We make judgments multiple times a day as to how we will act, or what we say, or what we do. This "judgment" is about telling someone else they're wrong. I would think it even implies not minding your own business. So going out of our way to pick a fight, or to tell someone else what they should be doing seems to me to be included in this definition of "judgment."   Why is this so important? Well, like I said at the beginning, if we're all lost, giving directions is a pretty arrogant thing to do. In just a few verses, Jesus will give us what became the golden rule. But even then, we can't just assume that everyone wants what we want.   In the modern workplace, or school, people are trying to figure out life. But most are not open to criticism. An Andy Andrews book, called The Noticer, one of the characters said, "All unsolicited advice is received as criticism." Our coworkers or fellow students don't want to be criticized. Our job is to live differently so others might ask.   Today, let's live following Jesus, but not like we have all the answers. Let's help others discover Jesus because we live giving our lives away, just like he did. We don't need to manipulate conversations or to argue with others. We live differently because we follow Jesus. That should make us into the trustworthy person others might ask for advice.   Follower of One is an online community where we try to help one another live an integrated, transparent faith in the real world. You can check it out and join for free. Head over to https://community.followerofone.org to learn more.

What are we trying to accomplish by living and sharing the good news?   "to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." Acts 26:18 NASB   Paul is retelling the story of his conversion, and he quotes the risen Jesus. In the January 10 My Utmost, Oswald Chambers says this is the clearest explanation of the purpose of our ministry. This is the goal of this age and of the work of the Holy Spirit and God's people in our world.   And we can join Paul in this ministry every day. In Follower of One, we talk about helping everyone we meet move one notch closer to Jesus. In verse 16, he says he's making Paul a servant and a witness. Notice how neither of these roles pass judgment on others. Our job is to serve people and to tell them about what happened to us, what we've seen and experienced.   Our job is to help others receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance. I just did a series on being an heir with Jesus. Today, would you like to walk in God's call for you? Take the position of a servant or a witness and live in such a way that others might move one notch closer to Jesus. Maybe you need to pray for them, without them ever knowing it. Maybe God will challenge you to purchase a gift card for them, or to do something to help their career. Whatever God gives you to do, find a way to do it. Solve for how. Let's not question Jesus today, but let's walk in the job he has for us.   Maybe you need some help doing this on a daily basis. Check out our online community. If you're serious about making your faith a bigger part of your daily life, you'll find others there who will help you. And you can help others, too. Create a free profile at https://community.followerofone.org and check it out.

How good do we have to be to get to heaven?   "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:20 ESV   The minimum standard to enter heaven seems like a pretty high bar in this passage. What did Jesus mean and what hope exists for us?   Yesterday, we talked about the consequences of not keeping the whole law. In Romans 3:23, we are told that, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." None of us measures up to the rule of the Law.   Jesus adds a clarification for the Jews, but it can apply to non-Jews today, too. The most "righteous" of the Jews were the scribes and Pharisees. I put "righteous" in quotes, because we know Romans 3:23.   We're not going to measure up to the Law and the Prophets. It's not doable. If we don't follow Jesus, we're going to end up in a bad situation for a very long time.   So what? For those of us who follow Jesus, we may want to use the days we have left to help others avoid this terrible outcome. We can help others move one notch closer to Jesus. Often, that's easier done by serving others and acting the way Jesus would act. We're often tempted to try and tell everyone else what to do. That doesn't often work in my experience.   Today, let's ask God how he wants us to interact with everyone we meet. If you ask God to show you how to serve every person you meet today, I bet he gives you some ideas. Do them. See what kind of adventure Jesus asks you to join. You may have a blast!

What difference does the Law make now that we follow Jesus? Why did Jesus say he came to fulfill the Law rather than to abolish it?   "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Matthew 5:17 ESV   What do you think happens when the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled? Jesus says it in the next verse, "not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished."   In just a few verses, in the same talk, Jesus says we should cut off our hand rather than be thrown into hell. The consequences of not obeying the Law are great. Everything is masked from us, I believe, to give us a free choice. If we saw God for who he is, or if we understood hell, basically, we would forfeit our freedom out of fear.   Jesus is warning two things and we're talking about the first today. He fulfills the Law. Only those who follow him will escape the judgment. Tomorrow, he will tell us our righteousness must exceed even those who seem to be the most righteous. We can't do it.   So what? I hope we realize God has given a job to those of us who follow him. Our job is to serve others so they can join us following Jesus and avoid the judgment that is to come. Often, we try to do that by judgment ourselves. But Jesus didn't come to judge. He came to serve (Mark 10:45).   Today, how can you serve the people around you? Ask God the question and then do what he says. Even if you give someone a cup of cold water because you follow Jesus, it matters (Matthew 10:42). Ask God to show you how to serve the people around you and do it. The world doesn't need us to tell them what they're doing wrong. They need us to live like we follow Jesus.   Also, please consider making an investment in this ministry. We're supported by individuals who want to help mobilize fellow Christ-followers. You can learn more by going to our website, www.FollowerOfOne.org and clicking the Donate button. Thanks very much.

Deb Brown Maher fell in love with sales when she was a kid. But when she entered the workforce and got her first sales job, she failed miserably. Why? She was expected to use a high-pressure script. She couldn’t sustain the behavior they asked of her, so she quit. That spurred her to find a way to sell that was ethical, honors the prospect, and makes money. Because Deb is a Christ-follower, she looked to Jesus. As she read scripture, the Lord highlighted certain passages showing her how they applied to sales conversations. That’s how her book, “Sell Like Jesus” was born.  Deb recently completed a Marketplace Mission Trip and had an unforgettable experience. In this episode of Follower of One, Deb shares how her prayer to appreciate the gold in others is impacting lives.  You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Learn more about Deb Brown Maher and her business [0:45] Deb’s bi-monthly group problem-solving calls [3:30] Deb’s experience on a Marketplace Mission Trip [7:38] How Deb shares her appreciation for the gold in others [15:00]  Deb encourages others to make the time to do a mission trip [21:00] Resources & People Mentioned Building Relationships like Jesus with Deb Brown Maher, #63 Connect with Deb Brown Maher Deb Brown Sales Deb’s Fine Art Sell Like Jesus Deb’s Sales Training Course   Subscribe to Follower of One: A Faith at Work Podcast Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK

Why do we think following Jesus will be easy?   So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." John 20:21 NASB   Notice that Jesus says, As the Father sent me, so I send You. What do we see when we consider the phrase "as the Father sent me"?   I came across this verse when I was recording the podcast series on 2 Corinthians 6:1-12. We see hardship. We see a call to be totally focused and devoted. In Philippians 2:9 we see that God highly exalted Jesus and gave him a name above every name. But it says "for this reason." That reason was that Jesus was obedient even to the point of death on a cross.   The call to follow Jesus has difficulty in it. How are we handling the difficulty? Don't listen to the voices in your head that say there is no difficulty if we choose to do whatever we want. The difficulties of life are inescapable. Jesus made that point in John 16:33. We don't avoid the trouble of this life by following Jesus or denying him. But we can avoid the difficulties of the next life by following Jesus.   The outcome of that choice, to follow Jesus, needs to be service. It's discomfort. We are asked to do things that cost us time or money. We are asked to serve people we don't like. Choose to follow Jesus into his calling in this life and you escape the difficulty in the next. You also get a lot of joy and peace in this life, too.   What is God asking you to do? I prayed that something would pop into your head just before or while you're hearing this. Go. Do it! Let's be people who encourage one another to follow Jesus.   See also podcast episode 627, too.

When you're worried about something, where do you go? To whom do you turn?   "The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress; he cares for those who take refuge in him." Nahum 1:7 CSB   Do you ever feel like you're in danger? Do you ever feel alone, or isolated?   Nahum spoke to the Jewish people, probably the southern kingdom, about 100 years after Jonah. Many years before this Nineveh captured the northern kingdom and they're now about to fall to the Babylonians. They were a wicked bunch who would also go on to capture the southern kingdom of Israel and take it into captivity also.   Nahum seems to be warning us that God is our only refuge. This world doesn't have a safe place. The people who won the first battle and were the victors were about to become the losers. And except for the Jews, most of those kingdoms from that time no longer exist.   God is our refuge. He's who we go to for help. He's where we go when we don't know what to do. He is that One we want when nothing else will help. Fortunately for us, he's good. He is a stronghold, a safe place. And if you seek refuge in him, he cares for you.   Today, let's remember God cares not only for us, but for everyone he created. Let's be people who point others to the safe place. What can you do today to be a blessing to others? Can you bring peace and calm to your world? Can you let your safety and security overflow into the lives of the people you meet today. I want to remember that I don't need to be in a hurry or get frantic. I work for the One who has this all under control. May the Lord build this peace into us so that others see him as the refuge that he really is.   Thanks for being a marketplace minister. Would you consider sponsoring our ministry? We're working to help every marketplace Christ-follower realize we can join Jesus on a daily mission to help others move closer to him. Don't just jump to the next episode or the next podcast in your listener. Become a partner at https://FollowerOfOne.org/Partners.