Seeing God do a New Thing Requires Faith

It's with a sense of holy trepidation and wonder, I write this first post as the keeper of the reigns of the Daily PS blog. I have often said there is no explanation for my life except for the grace of God. This new chapter is no exception. As a leader, minister and now steward of this blog and the Good Christian Podcast, I have often had to humbly acknowledge I stand on the shoulders of giants. I want to take a moment to thank Alex Sanfilippo from the bottom of my heart for his faithful friendship through the years, his great witness as a Christ follower in our generation, and his extraordinary diligence to be a man of vision in creating these two platforms for God's glory.What do you do when God brings an incredible opportunity into your life you feel undeserving or unqualified for? When seeking wisdom, you have two choices: say no, shrink back and refuse the blessing or you can step out in faith and advance.Why would we deny a good thing in our life? Many reasons I suppose: fear of failure, fear of the work involved, feelings of unworthiness? Perhaps this is not the best use of your time based on your calling? I had to weigh that one too! The list of reasons goes on and on. Because of my life's journey, I can find 1,001 reasons to not receive good things in my life. Yet I praise God because there are always some core convictions of my faith that undergird all I do and help guide my decisions:

1. The Kingdom of God must advance. There will always be reason to not serve at greater levels of challenge and contribution. Comfort, fears, and insecurities make cowards out of the best of us sometimes. However, I love the scripture in Hebrews 10:39 that says, "But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved."
2. I am called to serve. The scriptures say that Jesus "came not to be served but to serve. And to give His life as a ransom for MANY" (Mt 20:28 emphasis added). I am committed to impacting each individual I come in contact with but I am driven by the fact that there are MANY in need of ransom unto God.
3. I want to make the most of my life. There is a scripture in Psalm 90, the prayer of Moses,  I often return to, "Teach us Lord to number our days that we may develop a heart of wisdom" v12.  I have lived long enough to know my days are numbered and I will not always have every opportunity sitting at my doorstep. I want my days to count. I want my life to count. I want my influence to count. I want the world to be better and to be closer to God because I was here. I love this quote by John Wesley, “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” I pray that we, as followers of Jesus, will be an "all that we can" type of people!
4. I am called to make disciples of all nations and equip the saints for the work of the ministry. ( Mt 28:19; Eph 4:12) Not only can I multiply my influence through technology, but I can also raise up others who can invest in the body of Christ. The more I write the more I see taking on this opportunity is a no brainier and I pray that God's hand will be on it.

I could go on but these items listed above are just a few of the core reasons I lead and serve today. These are the reasons I step out in faith to serve in greater ways; to see God do a new thing in and through my life.  These convictions are also at the heart of this blog and the podcast. I pray that people find hope, encouragement, and equipping to live well for God's glory in this world that has faced drastic change and darkness as of late. I pray God blesses us with a team of anointed and gifted writers to take us all to the next level. I pray both Daily PS (soon to become the Good Christian Co.) and the Good Christian Podcast become an extraordinary community and resource for believers the world over and a place that seekers of Truth will find answers. Or maybe at least a community of people trying to ask the right questions.May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, Lord, My rock and my Redeemer.  Ps. 19:14Exciting days ahead! May God bless you abundantly in 2022.Stay tuned :)-Joshua