“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?
   

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” – James 1:2-4.

James begins his epistle with wise counsel on dealing with adversity. He says that Christians should have a unique perspective on suffering. In fact, we handle suffering in a radically different way.

It comes down to the difference in your basic outlook on life.  It all comes down to one thing: God.  For Christians, God has a very distinct role to play amid adversity. We can be joyful in suffering because God is sovereign, has a purpose for it, and made abundant provisions in the midst of it.

James does not use the words “misfortune,” “hard luck,” or “tough break.” Rather, James uses the words  “trials” and “testing.” The words “trial” and “test” indicate a circumstance designed by someone.  In other words, someone else places a person in a situation pre-arranged with a specific purpose. And so, while James does not mention the Lord specifically, he is saying that God is the authority administering the adversity.  God brings troubles into your life. He is in control and is working out His good plan. We can rejoice not just because God is sovereign over our adversities but because He is active in our adversities.  He is using these troubles to achieve a greater purpose in our lives. Charles Spurgeon hit the nail on the head when he said: “When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.”

We are a work in progress. As Christians, we want heaven now. While we wait for heaven, we want a heaven-like life. While we are on earth, our goal is to submit to God’s will and love the things that He loves. Our troubles are helping us get to that point.

Troubles can be viewed as obstacles that steal energy, time, productivity, etc.  But a Christian can see that there is something good.  This trial is ultimately advancing you. It isn’t taking away from your life; it is causing you to grow.

Matthew Henry said it this way: “We must not sink into a sad and disconsolate frame of mind, which would make us faint under our trials; but must endeavor to keep our spirits dilated and enlarged… [that way we are best equipped to] make the best of it. Philosophy may instruct men to be calm under their troubles, but Christianity teaches them to be joyful.”

Discussion Questions:

1. How have the trials you have 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 have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”—  John 16:33.

At some point in our lives, we will feel the weight of stress and anxiety in our lives. It may be one thing, or it may be a series of things that have built up over the years, causing stress to build up. Stress can bend us out of shape, making us act uncharacteristically. We find ourselves snapping at people, losing patience when we need it most, or becoming depressed. If we are not careful, stress can cause us to take our eyes off God and focus only on what is causing our stress.

In John 16, Jesus is warning His disciples that life is about to get stressful. He encourages them not to abandon their faith and to remember He will always be with them. Jesus was trying to explain His upcoming crucifixion and assure them that, although He would be leaving them, He would also be returning. Despite what Jesus said, the disciples were confused and concerned. So, in verse 33, He reassures them that no matter what happens in their earthly life, they can always remain peaceful in Him.

Fast-forward several thousand years, and the presence of stress and our need for Jesus are the same. Jesus understood life would always be stressful, and His promise of peace is applicable no matter what century we live in.  The good news for Christians is that God gives us a strategy to deal with stress in a healthy way. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”  (Philippians 4:6-7).

Of course, it is not that easy. There is some irony at play here. As you prepare to deal with stress, you will probably be stressed. In those times, remember that God is with you.  “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Maybe you have tried every stress relief tactic known to humankind to no avail. That’s because none of the stress management options are as effective as the stress relief found in Jesus.

If you have been searching for peace and serenity that seems completely out of reach, maybe you have simply been searching in all the wrong places. Stress is an outward indication of an inner situation—a situation of a heart that needs the peace of Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your primary source of stress, and how does it affect your life?
2. How do you typically manage stress? What are some ways you can incorporate prayer into dealing with stress and anxiety?
3. How can you gain strength in times of stress or difficulties?

“This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives.” — Exodus 18:17-20.  

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 Jethro.

Sometimes, we become irritated when people offer unsolicited advice. It often feels intrusive and even insulting. But in many cases, you can get the best advice from the unlikeliest of sources. In Exodus 17 and 18, we find Moses dealing with the problems of leadership for the entire nation. He deals with and tries to resolve every squabble, question, dispute, and disagreement 24 hours a day. He is basically a one-man court and litigation department.

When he is at his breaking point, exhausted and stressed,  Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, approaches Moses and offers some counsel. He sees how hard Moses works to serve and lead the people, and he doesn’t criticize. Instead, he says, “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too” if you continue like this. So Jethro proposes a plan – select several trustworthy, godly men and appoint them as judges to handle the lesser disputes and questions on Moses’ behalf so that Moses will be free to handle the significant disputes and lead instead of being bogged down in the details. One of the key lines of the text is, Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions” (Exodus 18:24).  Although what Moses was doing was working, he still listened to his father-in-law because there was room for improvement.

Sometimes, we become irritated when people offer unsolicited advice. “Who are they to tell me what to do?” But God calls us to care about the people around us. Sometimes, caring means shar­ing our wisdom, and other times, it means being willing to be taught. We can benefit from the wisdom of others, even when it comes from the most unlikely source.

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received from someone? How did it impact you?
2. How sustainable is the pace you’re living? Would a wise, loving advisor say, “This is not good” to you? Speaking of advisors, who is yours? Do you have someone in your life that plays the role of a Jethro?