Jesus, Others, You

THIS WEEK’S BOLD STEP DEVOTION

LOL, NP, and IRL. These social media acronyms used by young people today feel more like an entirely new language to some adults, including myself. For a quick lesson, LOL stands for “laughing out loud,” NP stands for “no problem,” and IRL is short for “in real life.” Surprise your teen with one of these acronyms the next time you text them and see how they respond!

When my kids were younger, I must have been ahead of the times when I taught them a simple acrostic for the word “JOY.” I wanted to make it easy for them to remember what the perfect formula for life is, which is “Jesus, Others, You.” When Jesus is first in your life, you’ll have the joy He promised His followers, which then spills over to others in your life, ridding you of any form of self-centeredness.

Maintaining an attitude of joy is not for the faint of heart. We must daily work hard to let God accomplish His work in and through us. We must also choose to eliminate negative or critical talk that’s coming at us from all sides. Always remember that the more you release joy, the more you become joyful. John 15:10–11 sums it up beautifully:

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Who or what are you putting first in your life? Are you experiencing the kind of joy Jesus spoke of? I’ll help you put Jesus and others first so you will have joy in your life when you click the link below.

Listen to the sermon series: How to Maintain Your Attitude

Part 1Part 2

Ministry Update from Mark

Recently I spoke with five men who are what I like to call “cycle breakers.” I define a “cycle breaker” as a person who determines, by God’s grace, not to repeat the cycles of dysfunction, addiction, adultery, divorce, abuse, or other brokenness they were born into. Instead, they take bold steps of obedience in faith to break the repetition of that cycle and start a new legacy in God. These “cycle breakers” start new destinies for their families and children. They allow the pieces of their old cycle to fuel their passion for a new calling. To all the courageous, faith-filled men and women breaking cycles in Jesus’ name, I celebrate the new godly legacy you are forging! Share your story with us at the “Be Bold Stories” tab at boldstepsradio.org!