It’s not uncommon among followers of Jesus to want to get back to the basics, but what are those basics and what would Jesus have us to focus on as the basics of following Him?  It’s humbling to realize that it takes a re-visit of the four Gospels in the New Testament and following all that Jesus began to do and teach (Acts 1:1-2).  We learn there in the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) as well as in John’s Gospel of a Master Who leads us into purely following Him whatever He leads us to do and wherever He leads us to go, not concerned with these labors nor with where we must be to carry them out because?  We are with HIM, and so we are more than joyful in a friendship or a good mentorship relationship, even happier than if we were in the most romantic and passionate adventure with a spouse and lover who we can’t get enough of… In Jesus, we TOGETHER as followers of our Master can be over-joyed with passion that is of the highest quality and pleasure of the sweetest nature and purpose of the most focused sort and PEOPLE oriented around the LORD, YAHWEH.  As we worship God as followers of Jesus, we come to learn that the Master Who is our ultimate coach, leader, mentor, co-laborer is also the God-man!  We come to learn that only in Jesus can we actually encounter God’s forgiveness and fellowship!

Yesterday I was deeply honored to do what’s called Clipboarding with a newer friend of mine who is diving into campus ministry here in the Valley.  His name is Luke, and we so enjoyed our fellowship and co-laboring in the Gospel as we walked around Merced College campus to find someone to share the Gospel with as the Lord Jesus would lead through Spirit.  We met a young man who was seriously “ripe for the picking” so-to-speak.  We prayed before we went around campus together and asked God to give us His favor and for Jesus to be in the lead ultimately by His Spirit.  The young man we asked to sit with to complete a survey was warm and welcoming and allowed us to sit on the bench where he was enjoying a Japanese comic and the warmth of the sun.  He was so welcoming of Luke’s survey questions which eventually arrive at the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus.  Our new friend also showed genuine interest in not only receiving this Good News but also sharing it with others and co-laboring with us to help others encounter such a Savior!  It was certainly an unusually fast movement from meeting someone to finding out of genuine interest in Jesus and wanting to even make Him known to others.

I would welcome anyone who would like to learn more about how to “clipboard” to let me know and I can introduce you to Luke who wants to equip believers in the Valley for this work of ministry.  Luke and I intend Lord-willing to do this weekly over one of my lunch breaks and see how God leads from there!