Follower of One : Missions For The Rest Of Us

Hey, it's Mike Henry with Follower of One. Today, I want to jump into the Old Testament for a couple of days to get us to think a little bit more strategically and long-term about our faith at work in the practical attitude towards how we live our lives. In Psalms 78, verses 5 and 6 says   "For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that...

How clever are you when it comes to using money?   And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, a...

Do you serve God or money?   No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Luke 16:13 ESV   If you're like me, you probably don't think of yourself as someone who serves money. I give money, but I'm also challenged by passages in scripture when Jesus is particularly chal...

What are true riches?   If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?" Luke 16:11-12 ESV   This passage and the ones yesterday and the day before were what Jesus said at the end of a unique parable. He talked about a dishonest manager. He...

What does it mean to be faithful to Jesus?   "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." Luke 16:10 ESV   I memorized this verse or made a mental note of this verse without considering its context. When I look at what Jesus said right before this and right after it, my eyes are opened a bit more.   He's been...

Ed is a storyteller, speaker, author, and coach. Ed believes that all leadership begins with personal initiative to create impact that makes a difference that matters (based on Ephesians 2:4). In this episode of Follower of One, Ed shares how he encourages Christians to take initiative, determine what their values are, and be more intentional with their impact.  You will want to hear this episode...

How shrewd are you with finances? How do we make the most of our resources?   And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. Luke 16:9 ESV   Notice how this guy was commended for stealing from the master to make friends for himself. Why would Jesus tell a story where this guy comes out ahead?   I ca...

What do you do when you're joyfully surprised?   And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 ESV   Elder heads of families didn't run in Jesus time. Running is what the immature and the afraid would do. In this parable, the father saw his lost son coming back home. He was loo...

Do you ever experience times when you know you're not thinking right?   In the story of the prodigal son, the younger son asks for his inheritance and splits. Then he blows the whole thing, and ends up with a terrible job, starving. The whole story turns on this verse.   "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of...

What does Jesus mean when he tells us to repent?   "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:5 ESV   The Jewish people were hung up on acting correctly. For hundreds of years, they concentrated on doing the right things the right way. In the middle of an interaction with a group of people, someone asks Jesus about some Jews who were killed and their blood was m...

Who do you want to win the big game?   "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Luke 9:26 ESV   I hope this isn't a one-time thing. In my past, I've missed opportunities to tell others about Jesus. Fortunately, Jesus paid for my mistakes. But if I'm not one of Jesus' people,...

Dr. Chip Roper is an entrepreneur, speaker, and executive coach who leads the VOCA Center. The VOCA Center is an organization based in New York City that serves people all over the world. They offer professional solutions to problems that are rooted in Biblical wisdom. Dr. Roper shares their mission and vision for ministry in the marketplace in this episode of Follower of One. You will want to hea...

What is your net worth?   "For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" Luke 9:25 ESV   One of the recurring questions I experience in life is what would happen if I gave more of my stuff to help others. I use the phrase "my stuff" because I grew up in the days of George Carlin. Our "stuff" is a reference to our possessions, our riches, our things. I wo...

Would you like to make the most of your life?   "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it." Luke 9:24 CSB   How can we save our life? I don't know first hand, but I'm pretty sure everyone who ever lived has transitioned out of this life. Some believe the story just ends. The Bible teaches that we have a life that lasts forever. We begin...

What does it mean to "take up our cross?"   And he said to all, "if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23 ESV   Being crucified on a cross was a horrible way to die. Actually it was more of a torture that resulted in death. The Romans had made it into a science. It was hours of excruciating pain and suffocation that only eventually e...

How often do you deny yourself of something?   And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23 NASB95   What does it mean to deny ourselves?   Our online community, Follower of One got its name from a conversation I had with some friends. The conversation was about leadership and someone said a leader was...

Should we be telling others about Jesus?   But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and raised up on the third day." Luke 9:21-22   Why did Jesus tell them to keep the secret of his true identity? I think it was because the time was not right. We're i...

I read "My Utmost for His Highest" every year and every year I take notes. So as I read through each passage the next year, I see those notes and think about how far I've come. Or, I see where I still struggle with the same problems.  When we started Follower of One six years ago, I was still working full-time. But I wanted to realize a way that my faith could take up more of my life. I was frustr...

Almost everyone who knows about Jesus has an opinion. Do you live your life according to your opinion of Jesus?   And it happened while he was praying alone , the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them saying, "Who do the people say that I am?" They answered and said, "John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again." And He said to the...

How do we join in God's vision for our world?   "Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith." Habakkuk 2:4 NASB95   Would you like to see the best you can imagine come to pass? I believe what God is doing will end up being the best I can imagine. And I know in Romans 8:28 that God causes all things to work together for good to those who...

Can you be certain about the future?   For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it testifies about the end and will not lie. Though it delays, wait for it, since it will certainly come and not be late. Habakkuk 2:3 CSB   Do you have trouble communicating the vision of things as you see them? When God gives us a vision it will come to pass. It has a time. I confess, this is a challenge for me....

How often do you write what God tells you?   "Then the Lord answered me and said, 'Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run.'" Habakkuk 2:2 NASB   Basically, the Lord tells Habakkuk to record the vision so that the runner may run. Messages were hand-carried in that day. They didn't have text messages, and email and smartphones. They didn't even have dial-up l...

How do you handle bad news?   I will stand at my watch post; I will remain stationed on the city wall. I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me and can know how I should answer when he counters my argument. Habakkuk 2:1 NET   In the previous episode, we talked about how to hear from God and how to use what we hear as part of our vision for the future. Sometimes we don't hear what we w...

What does it mean to be an image bearer? In a world where we feel like we're missing the mark if we're not called to pastoral ministry, how do we find our kingdom purpose? How do we become disciples of other disciples? These are a few of the topics Dr. Thomas (Tom) Lutz covers in his recently authored book, " Equipping Christians for Kingdom Purpose in Their Work: A Guide for All Who Make Disciple...

What's your vision for your future?   "I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me and what I will answer concerning my complaint." Habakkuk 2:1 ESV   Notice here and for the next couple of days, I want to talk about the importance of vision. Here, the prophet Habakkuk is asking God for direction. He says he will stand his post a...