“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.” –  Colossians 1:9-10.

Many Christians equate bearing fruit with winning people to Jesus Christ. And certainly, that is a big part of it. If counting each person that you bring to Christ is the fruit that God looks for and counts for eternity, then Jeremiah is going to be disappointed. He spent his life following what God asked him to do and never had one convert. No doubt there have been missionaries who have served in inhospitable places and never had a convert.

Many Christians haven’t brought many others to the Lord, yet they can still bear fruit that lasts for eternity. While winning people to the Lord is part and parcel of our job description as Christians, that job description also includes living out one’s faith and glorifying God through actions, words, and attitudes.

Wherever you are today, wherever God has you, and whatever your circumstances may be, God is bearing fruit in your life. You may not be able to see the fruit. Perhaps all you can see and feel are barren trees and infertile soil. You are praying for rain, and no rain comes. There doesn’t seem to be much fruit.

But the reality is that God has you, sees you, knows you, and loves you. He has a specific and meaningful purpose for your life. So rather than stress to find and produce His purposes for your life, focus on staying close to Jesus and keeping your connection with Him vibrant and alive. Keep Jesus first, and He will produce fruit in your life.

God wants us to grow more like Him while actively engaging with the world around us. Indeed, what we do should involve explaining the good news of Jesus to those around us. However, it also means living out the good news of the gospel through serving. God wants you to be part of what He is doing. That sounds monumental, but it can be as easy as helping that neighbor with his yard work, making that difficult phone call, or greeting and shaking hands on Sunday morning.  You can show the love of Christ and help others. You could still be watering seeds through prayer. We can still be giving to places on the frontline to get the Gospel out. We can always serve.

Jesus is our greatest example of servant leadership. In following Jesus and claiming to be disciples or Christians, we must do what He did. We must be willing to serve. God’s Word tells us, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10).

Discussion Questions:

1. Following Jesus and sacrificially serving others are inseparable. Agree or disagree and why?
2. Was there a time you sacrificially served someone? Describe the impact that you had on them and yourself. 
3. What is preventing you from sacrificially serving others…from serving the needs you see? 

“The only really happy people are those who have learned how to serve. The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” – Albert Schweitzer.

When we look around, we see a world full of needs, and there is only so much we can do. It would seem more practical and logical to have everyone take care of themselves first. That eliminates the concerns of who best to serve and how best to serve them. There is one problem with that idea. God wants us to serve others.

Not only are Christians called to be in community, they are called to serve as a community. Service should distinguish the Christian way of life at work, in the home, and in relationships. The Bible calls for people to serve their wider communities and to work for their well-being. Jeremiah 29:7 says, “And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” Jesus made it clear that those who are greatest in the kingdom of God are those who serve God and others (Matthew 20:26).

A barometer of the Christian walk is how well we serve others. As our faith in Christ deepens and grows, our view of service changes, and we begin to understand that serving is not a duty but a privilege, not a mandate but a delight.

Mother Teresa, one of the greatest servants of all time, once said: “We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love.” God is not asking us to change the world, only to serve the person that He has put in front of us this moment…and then the next…and then the next. When we are faithful to serve in the small things, God will use us in big ways. We may never know the impact of our service to God in this life. Still, we can trust His Word when He says in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

But serving others can be challenging. It requires sacrifice, selflessness, and a willingness to put the needs of others before our own. It may mean giving up our time or resources or stepping out of our comfort zone to help someone in need. Thankfully, we don’t have to do it alone. As we serve others, we can rely on God’s strength and guidance to help us. We can pray for wisdom, discernment, and a heart of compassion. And we can trust that God will provide everything we need to serve others well. Every Christ-follower should seek to be involved in some form or fashion in each area, whether through prayer, giving, or serving.

So find the time and energy to serve others with joy and humility, knowing that we’re making a difference in their lives and the kingdom of God. In that way, we can follow Jesus’ example of selfless love and service and be a light of hope and compassion to those around us.

Discussion Questions:

1. Your devotion to God is illustrated, demonstrated, and authenticated by serving others.  Agree or disagree?
2. What is your definition of servanthood?
3. What hurdles do you have serving others?

““a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor…” – 2 Kings 5:1.

Over the last few weeks on Friday, we have been looking at little-known characters in the Bible that we might, wrongly perhaps, skip over as not being particularly important. But some of these often-overlooked characters can be significant in other ways, showing us and teaching us something important through their lives, what happened to them, and how other people engaged with them. One was Naaman

Naaman was a general in the Syrian army. At his time, Syria was a military superpower. Naaman was “a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor…” (2 Kings 5:1 ESV). But the verse ends with “But he was a leper”

Now, the Syrians, on one of their raids, had carried off a little girl from Israel who worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. She told her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:2-3 ESV). She knows a man who can cure him—the prophet of the one true God of Israel, named Elisha. It was a glimmer of hope, so Naaman got on his horse and went.

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. (2 Kings 5:9-12 ESV)

Naaman thought that he deserved healing his way. If God is powerful, why doesn’t He heal me when I ask? Naaman was angry because he wanted a quick fix. He wasn’t concerned with knowing God; he just wanted to be healed at the wave of a hand to get back to his concerns. Fortunately, his officers convinced him to do what Elisha said. He followed the prophet’s instructions and was healed.

We see how God uses people and events in Naaman’s life to move him to let go of his pride and self-reliance slowly and put his faith in God alone. Naaman learns that his accomplishments, status, and wealth aren’t important to God. God wants us to trust and obey.

Naaman’s story of repentance is a picture of salvation. By the end of the chapter, Naaman has turned from his gods, put his faith in the Lord, and transformed his character.

Discussion Questions:

1. Sometimes, we come to God expecting one thing, and he gives us another. What did Naaman expect Elisha to do for him? How did God’s plan differ?
2. What was more important in Naaman’s salvation: his faith or obedience? How does Naaman’s story point you to the Gospel

“Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”“Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.” Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”-John 1:46-49.

When we look, we can see Jesus even in the ordinary moments of our lives. Plenty of activities dominate our daily routines that, on the surface, seem to have nothing to do with our life with God. The drive to work, mowing the lawn, packing lunches, paying bills, etc. These routine parts of life rarely feel like “spiritual” events. They seem separate from our spiritual life. If we are not careful, those moments can look like a momentary deviation from “business as usual,” with life quickly returning to “normal” once those moments end. God intends for our life of faith to be far more integrated and interwoven than we commonly think.

Even in the most mundane, routine parts of our lives, Jesus seeks to engage with us. As Nathanael discovered in John 1:43-51, our most mundane moments can become the backdrop for divine encounters. Nathanael, skeptical about Jesus of Nazareth, soon found himself face-to-face with the reality of who Jesus indeed was—the Son of God. This revelation came not in a grand temple or a sacred space but beneath the ordinary shade of a fig tree.

Nathanael had initial doubts, given his statement, “Can anything good come from Nazareth” (John 1:46)? Yet, his story is a beautiful reminder that God often works outside our expectations, inviting us to discover Him in the unexpected and everyday places of our lives. Philip’s invitation, “Come and see for yourself,” is extended to us daily, urging us to look beyond our assumptions and be open to encountering Jesus in new and surprising ways.

Each moment, no matter how routine or mundane, can be an opportunity to encounter God. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, Jesus is present. Nathanael’s transformation exemplifies what happens when you seek Jesus with an open heart and mind, ready to see Him in your everyday life.

It is easy to coast through life feeling like we are on our own. We sometimes forget about God when we are really busy and have a lot going on. Look for God in every situation daily. Whether it is big or small, look for Him. If you are walking down the street, look for the beautiful things He has made. When you are with your friends or family, thank Him for putting those people in your life. Notice him in the small moments of life when you would not think much of it.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you go about finding God in the ordinary?
2. Why do we tend to miss God in the routine?

“Relying on God has to start over every day as if nothing has yet been done.” – C.S. Lewis.

Most believers start their Christian journey with confidence and faith. They are highly motivated. So much so they are ready to go after Moby Dick with a row boat, a harpoon, and a jar of tartar sauce. But it doesn’t take long to start feeling the rowboat is full of water and the whale is too big for them to handle. The motivation starts to wane, and they start to rethink their decision to go rather than stay safely on the shore.

We can probably relate. Life can get the best of us sometimes. The stress of managing everyday life can make us weary, and unexpected life-changing events can shake us to our core. There are days when we doubt who we are, what we’re doing, and where we stand. Our lives are full of so many demands, obligations, and earthly pursuits that we have difficulty accomplishing all the things we “have” to do, let alone finding the time to do the things we “want” to do.

Spiritual growth isn’t just about adding more to our schedules. It’s about aligning our lives with God’s purpose, often shedding distractions and worldly priorities. We all have days when motivation wanes and distractions loom large. But it’s in these moments that small, faithful habits and a clear sense of God’s purpose can anchor us. We find the motivation to move forward when we focus on where God is leading us.

Galatians 6:9 encourages us, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Spiritual growth is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about showing up, even when it’s hard, and trusting God is at work in the little things.

Spending time in God’s Word, praying, and seeking God will significantly affect your motivation levels.  It’s not about seeing it as something I check off our to-do list. The whole day seems better when you turn to God each morning. You will feel His presence and His peace. You will learn to see your struggles and problems through His perspective. Some days, maybe just a few minutes. On other days, it may be longer. The key is to make it a daily habit.  Don’t worry if you need help figuring out where to start. Just start. Open your Bible and look into good resources to help you understand it better.

Pray. Seek God. Watch to see where He is working and join Him there. Remember, start small, stay consistent, and let God’s purpose guide you every step of the way.

We must recognize that one of Satan’s greatest tactics is to get us feeling discouraged and unmotivated because it is then that we will lack the determination to keep running the race and pressing on toward the goal. The most important thing we could ever do is decide that no matter how many times we fall, we will always get back up.

Tim Tebow said, “I’m not perfect. I’m never going to be. And that’s the great thing about living the Christian life and trying to live by faith, is you’re trying to get better every day. You’re trying to improve.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think some people work so tirelessly to make the world a better place? Where does that motivation come from?
2. Where does that motivation come from for you?
3. How will the hope of a future kingdom fuel your actions today?

“The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!” – Psalm 34:17-20.

What motivates you?  What drives you? What gets you out of bed in the morning and gets you going every day?  Is it your family, job, goals, or faith?

Many people would describe themselves as driven, but who is driving? Who is in the driving seat? We are all driven by something, but what is more important is who is driving and for what purpose.  In the days before his conversion, Saul of Tarsus was already a hard-driving achiever, but the Lord reshaped his motives and what drove him. After he became a Christ follower, Paul remained driven, hardworking, and passionate, but someone else occupied the driver’s seat. “My old self has been crucified with Christ,” Paul wrote, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

So what motivates us? The number one motivator that will keep us fighting the good fight, running the race, and serving the Lord with joy and power is to be constantly thinking of how much God loves, delights in, and takes pleasure in us. If we continually remember God’s amazing love toward us, we will be controlled by that love.  2 Corinthians 5:14 tells us, “Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.”

His love is our energy, our source of joy, and what delights us in serving. It keeps us focused on what is important. Knowing that God loves us and is always working in our lives is a great daily motivation.

This is why you must fight to remain motivated regardless of what you face. When you are motivated, you do not need constant reminders or follow-up to do what you require.We must choose to keep doing what we know to be good for our business or career, regardless of the challenges we face.

Discussion Questions:

1. How have the trials you experienced brought you closer to or pushed you further away from God? How have trials affected your faith?
2. When you read James 1:2-4, it seems like suffering is a major way God produces maturity and perseverance in us. Why do you think trials refine us so well?

“I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him.” – Oswald Chambers.   

Life is a journey. We are all traveling inevitably towards the end of our lives. We will either coast through life without direction or live lives of purpose and fulfillment. Where are you going, and what are you doing about it? In other words, what’s driving you?

Everyone is driven by something. Is it fear? Is it anger? Is it remorse? Is it ambition? The desire to please? The accumulation of possessions? God wants us to be purpose-driven people, driven by His plan, His purpose for our lives.

Jeremiah was called to be a prophet of the Lord. Despite doubting his ability to speak and showing concern about his age, Jeremiah had a calling on his life. Jeremiah 1 :4-5 says, “Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”  Humans are created for a purpose, which comes from God. He says, “I formed you … I knew you … I consecrated you … I appointed you …” God created us for a well-established purpose and gave us the means to accomplish that work. Our calling was put into place before we were even formed.

Further, verse 4 tells us exactly where to look for our purpose. “Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,…” If you want to find your purpose, spend time in God’s Word, through which He speaks to us.

Unlike Jeremiah, God probably did not appoint us prophets to the nations. But He did set us apart for service within His kingdom. We are not just a nameless face in the crowd. God knows each of us intimately and knows best where and how to use us. So the key is getting in touch with His thoughts and His ways so we know our purpose. He sent His Holy Spirit to help guide us just that way.

We need to trust God. Trying to discover your life purpose can be stressful and overwhelming. It can seem like such a big, confusing, frustrating subject. You want to move forward, but you’re not sure how. You want to find your purpose, but you feel like you’re aimlessly wandering.

But you can trust God to lead you where he wants you to go. As Psalm 23:2-3 says, “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

You may feel confused, but God isn’t.

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you believe is your purpose in life?
2. What distractions or influences keep you focused on your problem, not your purpose?

   “Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD.” — 1 Samuel 1:10.

Over the last few weeks on Friday, we have been looking at little-known characters in the Bible that we might, wrongly perhaps, skip over as not being particularly important. But some of these often-overlooked characters can be significant in other ways, showing us and teaching us something important through their lives, what happened to them, and how other people engaged with them. They were ordinary people who had cast long shadows of godly influence. One was Hannah.

Hannah is not a major Bible storyline. She wasn’t known as a popular or visible leader. She wasn’t a sought-after Old Testament leader and judge like Deborah. She didn’t catch the eye of a King, rise up in courage, and save a nation like Esther. She didn’t have a book in the Bible named after her like Ruth. But what she did have was inner strength and trust in God. We can learn from her faith.

Hannah was married to Elkanah. He had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. They lived in a remote part of Israel and made their home in the mountains of Ephraim (1 Samuel 1:1-2). The Bible makes it clear that Elkanah loved Hannah, although she was childless. One of the most important roles of a woman in those days was her ability to bear children. Despite Hannah’s deep desire to bear children, it may have seemed to her that she may never have children. Living in a time where so much emphasis was placed on a woman’s ability to have children, she must have felt very discouraged. Yet, in her discouragement, she continued to pray. She did not let her circumstances keep her from pleading and praying to God.

In the first Book of Samuel, we learn that Hannah cried out to God while she was in the temple, weeping in anguish. Eli, a priest was watching her. He thought she was drunk. He reprimanded her, telling her to throw away her wine. Hannah answered Eli, telling him that she wasn’t drunk, rather she was a “praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” (1 Samuel  1:16).

She explained she was “pouring out her soul before the Lord” (vs. 15). Eli tells her “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” (vs. 17). God heard her request. Hannah told God that if He were to give her a child, she would dedicate him to the Lord. You would think that after waiting so long and desperately wanting a child, Hannah most likely wanted to keep her son. Not knowing if she would ever have another, a great temptation may have been to go back on her promise to the Lord and not give him away. This was not the case. Hannah gave her son, Samuel, to the Lord.

Hannah could have given up at any time and declared it was just too unfair and hard. But she didn’t. And we can’t either.

Discussion Questions:

1. What did Hannah’s prayer reveal about her understanding of: a. God’s character b. God’s power c. God’s relationship with people?
2. What had Hannah sacrificed? What had she gained? What can we learn from Hannah’s relationship with God?

“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.” – 1 Peter 3:18.

There are many times when a substitute stands in for the original. A substitute teacher carries on the classwork while the regular classroom teacher is absent. Margarine can serve as a cheaper substitute for butter. A pharmacist can substitute a generic brand for a more expensive prescription drug. Sometimes, a substitute can be just as good as—if not better than—the original item. Other times, it serves a valid purpose but is simply a temporary place filler until the original is once again available.

There is one substitute, however, that has no comparison. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, serving as the perfect substitute. Jesus didn’t just die for you. He died as you. He died in your place. He became like you so you could become like Him. He was rejected so that you could be accepted. Though each of us is guilty of sin and deserving of its due punishment, Jesus willingly chose to take our place, paying the penalty that a just God requires. He became our substitute.

Jesus Christ, God’s perfect Son, was the only one qualified to be our substitute. One sinner cannot die for another sinner any more than one criminal cannot pay for another. God allowed His perfect Son to come to earth, die in our place as our substitute, and pay the punishment we deserved. It was an expression of love.

What was it that motivated Christ to give His life?  What was it that propelled Him to go to the cross?  What made the Son of God come down from heaven and be so rudely treated by men?  It was nothing other than pure love. John 15:13 says, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  Jesus embodied that love, even to those who were not His friends. That speaks volumes of Christ’s love: He would give His life to people who did not love Him in return.

This should give us pause and make us stand in wonder. The fact that Christ would give His life, the fact that God would not hold that grudge—these are reminders of the great love that He has and the great blessing it is that we may have eternal life.

If Jesus willingly endured and suffered all He did to be the perfect substitute, would you not be willing to sacrifice for Him? “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (Romans 12:1).

Discussion Questions:

1. Jesus is the only one who could act as our substitute. Agree or disagree and why?
2. What does it mean to have Christ as a substitute?

  “ Let all that I am wait quietly before God,  for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. ” – Psalm 62:5-8.

Have you ever had an inner monologue? People talk to themselves for various reasons, including problem-solving, reasoning, planning, motivation, and attention. No person is more influential in your life than you are, because no one talks to you as much as you talk to yourself. You’re in an unending, incredibly important conversation with yourself every day, especially in times of stress and worry. During these times, we need to be reminded of the power of what we are saying not just to others, but also to ourselves. We need to speak the truth to ourselves.

What are you saying to you about God and your circumstances? Do your words stimulate faith, hope, and courage? Or does your talk stimulate doubt, discouragement, and fear? Do you remind yourself that God is near, or do you reason within yourself that, given your circumstances, He must be distant? Do you point yourself again to God’s grace?  The bottom line is this: the state of our hearts is often a direct result of speaking the truth.

While we need to speak the truth to others, we need to speak the truth to ourselves.  When searching for truth their is no better resource than the Bible. God’s Word is truth John 17:17 says, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.”  We can open our Bible and find the truth at any moment, on any given day. While it’s increasingly harder to discern truth from lies in today’s information-overloaded world, we can confidently look to Scripture. Isaiah 45:19 says, “I publicly proclaim bold promises.I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.”

We need to spend regular time in God’s word, meditating and memorizing it to know God’s promises and preach them to ourselves. This will help us focus on Jesus; as we do, we will remember whose footsteps we follow.

The night Jesus was betrayed, as he went to pray in Gethsemane, He took some of His disciples aside and said to them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38). He was looking ahead to the experience of the cross. But Jesus knew that this experience was not going to be permanent. He knew that there was a resurrection coming. And so “…because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:2). That is the truth we need for ourselves.  The gospel. The death and the resurrection of Jesus, for us.

So, what have you been saying to yourself lately? Do your thoughts fit with the testimony of who God is and who we are in Christ? We cannot control what others say to us, but we can control what we say to ourselves.

Discussion Questions:

1. Is it harder to speak the truth to others or to ourselves?
2. What do you tell yourself when you’re afraid or worried? What is the truth that we need to say to ourselves? What can we say to ourselves when we feel overwhelmed by life, or fearful of the unknown?