As we co-labor in Christ those who will think the lowest thoughts of us are likely to be professing believers, not necessarily non-believers. If this troubles us, we are too mindful of people’s thoughts. Jesus doesn’t suggest that we make disciples of His. It’s a command!

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

Oh God Who has given us passion and purity and purpose in the simple yet humbling fellowship of following Jesus all-in, may Your glory be our obsession! We labor on in the making of disciples and in so doing be Your true disciples. We can’t properly breathe unless it’s Your air in our lungs. We can’t properly take steps unless they are Your steps we are taking. My heart longs to be held by You, Jesus, my Master and my Lord! You are the only God Who has made God known to us (John 1)… This trinitarian meditation places me into a healthy place of awe, requiring me to trust You in these mysteries revealed to us, Your lowly and happy followers! We are staggered by the holiness of our God and by this very same holiness being placed within us by the atoning work of Christ on the cross! You’ve purchased us with Your blood, Jesus! We are Yours and will do whatever You call us to in this short earth walk!

Lead us on into labors of love for You, God, and for our actual neighbors! Show us how to serve and lay down our lives for our actual neighbors, Jesus, that we might draw some Home to Jesus through sacrificial love and the sharing of the hope of Jesus, the One Who came to us FULL of GRACE and TRUTH! We love You, Lord! Purify Your Bride in Your Word, Holy Spirit, and the holy fellowship of Your people in Your local churches across this globe.

My heart burns for the spreading out and yet unity of the people of Jesus. May we labor on in love and unity but also in PURITY. I’m not speaking only if sexual purity, as that is often what is thought of when we use this word. It’s staggering to think of our God as the One True God Who Himself purifies His Church / Bride across this globe, sanctifying her and washing her in the water of the Word through His people humbly and lovingly ministering the Word to one another. In many cases this is seen as the labor of a few teachers, and this is biblical, yet we forget that just because there shouldn’t be many teachers, we should all labor in love for one another to know the Lord in His Word! This means we are less often teaching one another in day to day fellowship but rather allowing the Word to penetrate us via biblical fellowship and prayer and sharing and wrestling through the Word together. Often the teachers of the Word are most susceptible to pride and needing the Word to break us and bring us in worship before our God along with the church. It’s sobering to realize how quickly pride can form, even in hearts of lowly house church pastors whose gatherings are say four to twelve people.

Lord God, You are glorious! We all as Your people stand in awe of Your grace and Your sufficiency! Jesus is truly our King and Master as we labor on in His attitude!

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. – Philippians 2:1-17