A Test of Trust and Loyalty

Dr. Mike 2026, Life Tools , , , , , ,

“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.” Proverbs 17:3

What does God want from you and me now in life? Why does HE test our hearts? What is he testing us for? Does HE want us simply to follow the rules and religious ways given to us? Or is there more?

How about those two important characteristics – trust and loyalty.

Is not trust the anchor of relationships? Is not loyalty the glue of organizational accomplishments? Are not both the heartbeat of God’s desire for you and me?

Are not both trust and loyalty expressed through the faith we exercise with Jesus? Are they not the byproduct of faith in action?

Throughout Scripture, people are always being tested by God. HE wants to confirm and also for us to know the condition of our hearts. It started with Adam and Eve. One test. One very noticeable failure. Abraham was tested. Would he sacrifice his one and only son. Moses was tested. Would he face Pharaoh on behalf of Yahweh. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tested. They would rather die than disobey their Lord. Saul was tested as king of Israel. He failed. David was tested for thirteen years before he replaced Saul as king.

Jesus was even tested in the wilderness. He could have had all his earthly desires fulfilled without trusting God’s timeline. But HE chose to wait and live out HIS Father’s will. Peter was tested and failed three times when he denied Jesus. But God’s grace empowered him when he repented with Jesus on that beach after the resurrection. Judas also was tested and failed. Rather than repent, he chose the cowardly way out of the situation and hung himself.

There are many other examples.

At the end of the day, it’s not what you know nor what you even do. Instead, can God trust you? As an agent of HIS, can HE send you to the furthest corner of the universe and know you will do what is best per HIS character? If the enemy makes an enticing offer to you, will you accept or be loyal to HIM?

Trust and loyalty are character strengths that are verified through battle. Each battle is a test. Each day when temptation comes to break the trust you and HE have developed; do you go the way of Judas or Jesus? When the adversary makes you an offer to join his side of the campaign, do you sell your loyalty for personal gain?

Yes, your faith is being tested each day. Every day you are either strengthening your relationship with Jesus or not. Like a marriage for life, you commit to make the relationship work. You do not enter situations that may endanger the trust you have built with your Lover. You may not like everything about the situation you are in, but you also know you are in good hands.

You have a relationship with the Lord of Lords. It doesn’t get any better than that. His grace is sufficient to help us hang unto HIM. Everything else is secondary no matter how well package or marketed to you. Let your loyalty and trust always be only in the God-Man from Galilee.

Make HIM your spiritual sole mate and your soul and spirit will prosper. Let your trust and loyalty be found solely in HIM and nothing else.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

Click Here for more Writings Neatly Bound in Book Format Available at Your Favorite Bookstore.

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Purpose of Religion

Dr. Mike 2026 , , , , , ,

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27

Every institution started by humanity came about because of a shared need. From government to commerce, education to healthcare, people realized a need. Then they came together in cooperation. The institution of religion is no different.

Early mankind realized there is much outside of their control. Like today, they looked around and ask where did all this come from. They struggled for survival. They built huts to shelter from the elements. They grew crops knowing their need for sunshine and rain. All this makes one stop and ask the bigger questions of life. Who made all this? What influences the patterns of the natural world? Where did all this come about? When did life begin? Why does all this exist? How does one relate to the One or ones in charge of the unseen realm?

Early thinkers ask such questions and began to offer answers. As their influence grew, their ideas took hold and the community responded. Over time many of the superstitions and rituals became the norm within the culture one grew up in. As with most religions, there is always an inkling of truth mix up with a smorgasbord of illusions.

Enter the Jewish-Christian faith.

One of the earlier religions mostly forgotten was kept by a man of Ur, a Chaldean, named Abram. While many of his associates worshiped many gods, he worshiped the LORD God. (Most likely, the stories of Adam and Eve’s God was passed down and a few people continued to worship HIM). But the LORD chose this person as the starting block of the Jewish faith. From Abraham (God changed Abram’s name) we get to Joseph, Moses, David, and eventually through time Jesus. With Jesus, we have the New Covenant. A new religion burped from the fulfillment of the Jewish laws and prophets.

What Jesus taught was a clarification of the purpose behind religion. In his time, many people practiced religion as a transactional commodity. They practiced acts to appease their god. An insurance policy to protect them or reward them from the dangerous gods around them. A sort of like the Mafia protection racket. Pay your tribute to the gods and no harm will come upon you. Others simply practice from social constraints. But Jesus corrected their mindset.

HE spoke about HIS heavenly Father in the most tender terms. HE called HIM, Abba. Aramaic for Papa or Daddy. An intimate relationship between a father and his child. HE shared parables and stories describing how God runs to those who are lost. HE will go out of HIS way for one. HE spoke about the familial relationship between Papa God and HIS children. The healthy relationship between a father and his children is one who cares. Who wants to see HIS child succeed. Who wants to nourish and bless HIS children with the best. HE wants to see HIS children succeed in life, not fail. HE wants them to know HE loves them, unconditionally. Yet HE wants them to be the best they can be. HE wants what is best for them.

Religion gives one the structure to build a relationship with the Creator God. Bad structure, bad relationship. Good structure, good relationship.

This is the purpose behind religion. To worship and relate with the God who IS rather than the God one wants. The closer a religion aligns to the Truth, the more one comes to know and walk with the Creator. The more one walks with the Creator, the more one reflects HIS character and attitude. In the end, one learns to live a life with greater meaning and purpose and fulfillment.

One can go and try to create their own religious framework. But as many entrepreneurs will tell you, it is less costly to tweak a business already in existence. The same with religion. The world doesn’t need a new religion. Re-creating the wheel is a long and difficult road to travel. That is why many of us have investigated the leaders of various religions. The purpose is to grasp their teachings and see actual fruit of their ways. The end result is Jesus Christ and HIS Kingdom stands above them all.

Make HIM your reference point. Learn and grow in HIS grace and knowledge. You then have the foundation to build an intimate relationship with the Triune God. Yes, life is a training process preparing you for eternity with Jesus. This is the purpose of true religion.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

Click Here for more Writings Neatly Bound in Book Format Available at Your Favorite Bookstore.

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Faith. Family. Freedom.

Dr. Mike 2026 , , ,

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

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Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4

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Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

If you were raised in mid-America during the 1960’s, your life was built on the pillar of three important values. It didn’t matter which side of the tracks you were born on. It didn’t matter the color of your skin. It didn’t matter what religion you practiced. Faith, Family, and Freedom were ingrain within you the day you were born.

Faith was an expression of everyday life. Going to church on a weekly basis was the norm. The church service wasn’t a rock concert for Jesus. But the opportunity to meet others, listen to a man speak about God, and share time together in community.

Family get-together were a regular occurrence. Grandparents, their children, and their children would gather together for at least once a month potluck. Aunts and uncles would see one another. Cousins would play together. Family life was the norm.

Freedom was taken for granted. Children roamed the countryside and alleys until the street lights went on or the sun set over the horizon. Any government interference in the daily routine of life was frown upon. People in the community knew who you could trust and who you had to be extra careful in your dealings. Police were respected. The law was followed. If there was a policy that the community didn’t find practical, the council leaders would meet and quickly make changes for the betterment of society.

Faith, Family, and Freedom are all godly virtues held in high priority with Jesus. When you read the Scriptures, you find HIS words and actions to uphold these values.

HE lived HIS faith. HE expressed the importance of doing God’s Will. HE revealed HIS Father God to the world.

Family was the bedrock of HIS culture. Even if one didn’t have a parent, sibling, or child, HE would remind the lonely that those who do God’s Will are included in HIS family.

HIS life demonstrated the freedom one has within the Will of God. Real freedom comes from a relationship with the living God; not through rituals and rules. With God, one has the license to pursue many venues. Yet one realizes there are consequences from thoughts and actions. Real freedom comes with responsibility to serve others and glorify God through one’s choices. 

Over the years, we have witnessed the destruction of faith, family, and freedom around us. The result has shown an increased in mental health problems. The alienation of families. The overreach of governmental powers. The hostility of people between each other. The slow destruction of a healthy culture is happening before our eyes.

Yet, those who have continued to practice the importance of faith, family, and freedom show a different outcome. Ask any rural American today living in a small community what has changed. The world around them has. But their community is still practicing the old-fashion ways. Faith, family, and freedom are still the core values that all within their community practice and share.

Maybe there is a lesson we all can take from them.      

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

Click Here for these and Other Writings Neatly Bound in Book Format Available at Your Favorite Bookstore.

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message! Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved