As I was sharing recently at our Spring Retreat in Japan, I was reminded of the importance of relying on Christ. I am often tempted to live and act like “Joe Cool” one of my childhood heroes from the Peanuts series. However, as I was sharing with our team in Japan, the fruit of what we have seen the last few years comes when I am just myself and relying on Jesus. There’s nothing special about me or any of us in the A3 family! Our specialness comes from Christ! We have seen great fruit the last few years:
- Significant Spiritual Progress in Japan
- Growth into a few new countries
- Exploration of a Marketplace Enterprise
- Expansion in several key countries
Bringing me to tears was our Japan team sharing how they have seen several come to Christ the last few months. These same new Christ followers expressed how important it was to share this good news with others. They said people will want to know this great news! How encouraging to hear such tremendous reports from a place that has often been called “a missionaries graveyard”. Do you ever wrestle with these things? If you’re like me, perhaps these verses might be of help:
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- But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. - 2 Corinthians 4:7
- I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20
- I can do all things through him who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13
- I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. - John 15:5
Are you more “Joe Cool” or are you more “The Average Joe”?
Joe Average
I never was really “cool” anyway!
