I was in Tanzania on a missions trip a few months back. This was my fourth trip to Africa in two years. For a multitude of reasons, this trip was very difficult for me. But the most alarming thing I suffered from was my own fear.

I am in awe of the name Emmanuel. It’s my favorite name for Jesus. The literal translation is “God with us”. This name tells me that Jesus really wants to be with me. He wants to grace me with his nearness. That the tangible nearness I crave is aligned with his desire to be near. Awesome!

I’ve heard it said that it’s not healthy to be overly concerned with the devil. Agreed. But it’s absolutely detrimental to the soul to be clueless about him. I’ve heard it said that it’s not healthy to believe that there’s a devil around every corner. Agreed. But it’s absolutely detrimental to ignore the devil on your corner.

The Great Commission is a general command given to the church at large. As individuals, however, Jesus doesn’t ask us to do more than we are freely willing to do. He’s not a “guilt trip” Savior. But He does ask us to consider what’s next for the sake of the Gospel.

Joy should be our default mode. It should be instinct to the believer. It should be the central reality of our Christian experience. No matter what. “Count it all joy,” said James of trials. Paul said that his joy “knows no bounds” when he suffered. Joy was the motivation for Jesus to endure the cross.