ARE YOU FLOURISHING?

KICKSTART DEVOTIONAL

EVERY WEEKDAY AT 11 AM CST ON FACEBOOK LIVE

On every Mission Discovery mission trip, we begin the morning together in God’s word. One speaker is chosen to give the word of the day so that everyone else can meditate on the Scripture. Our hope is that volunteers engage in group discussions throughout the day and in their small groups.

Since the way ministry is being done has shifted, our goal is to serve by creating resources that will help others focus on God throughout the day, and influence family and small group discussion.

Join us every weekday as we explore God’s word together. We will have speakers from all over the US and the world. Here is today’s Kickstart Devotional.

Video: Gus Hernandez // Are you Flourishing?

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Are you Flourishing?

Mission Discovery Mission Trips with Gus Hernandez

Gus Hernandez is the mobilization pastor at Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He has been a friend to Mission Discovery. And like Mission Discovery, he leads mission trips to various places.

Hi my name is Gus Hernandez and I’m the mobilization pastor at Long Hollow Baptist Church. In that role, I have the privilege of mobilizing the church, to make disciples of all nations in three specific areas. One is through global missions. The second is through our local community outreach and the third is through church planting in North America. And through being a mobilization Pastor I’ve had the privilege of partnering and serving with different organizations. And I’m grateful for Mission Discovery.

We have church members who’ve been mobilized on short term trips through Mission Discovery and we have some church members who are even on staff with Mission Discovery. So grateful for what they stand for and what they do to help others come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Well, I have the great privilege of just bringing you a short devotional this morning. And I want to draw your attention to a short verse in the Book of Acts that has been instrumental to me in my life during this season that we’re in, and boy it’s been a confusing season, a difficult season for many, a painful season for some. And with so much that’s going around in the world today with the coronavirus, COVID 19, I just want to draw attention to a verse that I believe can comfort you and bring you hope during these difficult times.

And so Acts 12;24, short verse, it simply says this:

“but the word of God flourished and multiplied.”

I love that verse and here’s the cool thing about this verse, is the context in which that verse is found. The chapters leading up to chapter 12 we see the early church has come onto the scene, after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The early disciples started to spread out and become witnesses to the community of the one true message of salvation that is only found in Jesus Christ. But as they were spreading the message of the Gospel they encountered intense persecution and we see in the chapters leading up to chapter twelve, we see the first martyr, we see several believers imprisoned for their faith. The religious leaders opposing Christianity are trying everything they can to stop the movement. In the midst of all of that, you also see a famine hit the region and the early church has to rally together to provide relief efforts to their brothers and sisters affected by this famine. We see political unrest. We see religious and political leaders working together to really stop the Christian movement.

But here’s what I love about Acts 12:24. Despite all of the circumstances, the word of God flourished and multiplied. Brothers and sisters, that is good news for us today. That is hope for us, because nothing this world can throw at God and his movement can ever stop

the Kingdom of God from being established. Nothing that this virus throws at us, can stop the word of God from flourishing and multiplying. And so this verse has me asking lots of different questions. One is simply this, what is God doing today? How is he at work? Because we know he is working and we know that his silence may not always mean his absence. And we know that he is constantly working in the background.

And this verse proves to us that no matter how crazy the circumstances, no matter how difficult the season, God’s word will accomplish what he wants it to accomplish. God’s word will flourish and God’s word will multiply. So another question that I’ve been asking myself is how is God going to use me to help multiply the influence of God’s word?

How is he using it to shape me and my life as I’m growing through this season? And how is God going to use me to speak a word of encouragement to someone else? Brothers and sisters I want a challenge you. Would you pray and ask God to help you be a light in these dark times. Would you join me in praying and asking God to help you be a light in your community to be a positive influence for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You know one thing that I’ve had to realize, during this time, and very difficult season, is that I have to focus my attention on God and His Word. And I have to start thinking about my opportunities. And I’ve got to think about my surroundings differently and perspective really matters a lot in the Christian life. You know it’s easy in these tough, difficult times to just focus on the negatives to focus on the obstacles in front of us.

But I want to challenge you, I want to encourage you, would you fix your eyes on Jesus and His word and would you ask him to help you start seeing these obstacles as opportunities of sharing God’s grace with those around you. I hope this has been an encouragement to you, and would you start to see these obstacles and see them as opportunities to show God’s grace so that His word can continue to flourish and multiply during this season.

God bless.