Redemption Maze

Dr. Mike 2026 , , , ,

“And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption…” 1 Corinthians 1:30

Yes, Jesus paid the price to redeem humanity from the clutches of sin. The virus which enslaves us to the carnal desires of our heart. Yet, the journey to fully understand the benefits we received from HIS work takes awhile to sink in. At least it did me. In some ways, it was like wandering through a maze.

To redeem is to pay out. To purchase the contract. It was usually in reference to buy out a slave’s freedom. The apostle Paul used the term in multiple places. He though emphasized how Jesus paid the price to redeem us. We were all on death row. Guilty of breaking every God-ordain law. But Jesus poured out HIS blood on behalf of all humanity in exchanged for our freedom. HE redeemed us from our death sentence.

In the process now, we wait for the complete fulfillment of our redemption. But because of the work of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, God now includes us in Christ.  We are now sealed by the Holy Spirit which is our guarantee. Jesus now lives in us. HE will bring us to HIM after we pass-on from this age into eternity. We can now enjoy the forgiveness of our sins. When Papa God looks at us, HE views us as righteous through the prism of Jesus. The paperwork for our adoption into God’s family is completed.

We have been forgiven; our direct relationship with God restored. We are now included within the family of God. As we circle the maze of redemption, each truth hits home. The alienation from God is broken. We are now included in Christ. We get to taste the eternal benefits now as we wait for the redemption of our bodies.    

It has taken me years to truly comprehend the weight of glory God has given us in Christ. He has given us wisdom through the pages of the Bible and in himself. He has made us righteous before God. He is leading the Spirit in the sanctification of our soul. He has freed us from sin’s shackles. 

My brain explodes each time I think of the various avenues connected to the redemption maze. It starts with Jesus in the center. And connects with all the riches of HIS kingdom now and into eternity. I challenge you to take time out and focus on what Jesus’ redemption means to you. Gives us all something more to pray and be thankful about.

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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Fear and Love

Dr. Mike 2026 , , , , ,

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 (English Standard Version)

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We ourselves are eye-witnesses able and willing to testify to the fact that the Father did send the Son to save the world. Everyone who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God lives in him, and he lives in God. So we have come to know and trust the love God has for us. God is love, and the man whose life is lived in love does, in fact, live in God, and God does, in fact, live in him. So our love for him grows more and more, filling us with complete confidence for the day when he shall judge all men—for we realize that our life in this world is actually his life lived in us. Love contains no fear—indeed fully-developed love expels every particle of fear, for fear always contains some of the torture of feeling guilty. This means that the man who lives in fear has not yet had his love perfected. 1 John 4:16b-18 (J.P. Phillips NT)

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If we really love God, we will not be afraid of him. We cannot love him completely and also be afraid. We would only be afraid of God if we thought that he would punish us. So, if someone is afraid that God will punish them, it shows that they do not completely know God’s love. 1 John 4:18 (Easy English Bible)

Knowing Jesus means more love and confidence, less and less fear.

I borrowed this line from the J.B. Phillips New Testament. It is brief, but to the point. When God’s love lives in you through the presence of Papa God, Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit, fear is displaced. You do not deny your fear. Instead, your trust is in God’s love which assures you that HE will lead you.

Life is a training process preparing one for eternity with Jesus. One of the attributes of God we learn is love. We learn love by practicing ways to express HIS love with others. We may begin slowly and awkwardly. But we learn. As we extend our hand to help someone, love’s seeds are cast. If we are rejected, God’s grace covers us through the pain. The more we practice ways to love others, the better we grow.

You may have to walk through the fear. You may turn and run away from it. You may laugh at it. Whatever God inspires you to do, you have learned to faithfully trust HIM.

If unsure where to begin, we start with Jesus. We find ways to love HIM. Initially, we discover all the ways HE shows his love to us. Then we seek out ways to express our love to HIM.

From there, we begin to practice with those closes to us, our family. As our ability to find ways to sacrifice and support them grows, we keep expanding our reach. We have friends, business associates, and neighbors to add unto our list. And the list never ends.

As we meet strangers in the grocery store or mall, we find ways to show love to them. It may be as simple as a smile or opening a door.

Small steps. Easy gestures. Simple words. It doesn’t have to be a big moment. Just expressing small tidbits of ways to let others know you care for them. That they are appreciated.

If you are a person who is dealing with fear in your life, make Love your pathway through it. It begins by developing a deeper relationship with Jesus. Then allowing Jesus’s love be expressed through you. So let HIM be the center of your exodus. HE will lead you through your fears. In the process, your love tank will grow and dump the fears away.    

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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Tell Me About Your Jesus

Dr. Mike 2026 , , , , ,

 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.  John 21:12

This was the third time after HIS resurrection that the disciples met Jesus. This time, they were out fishing. They had returned to the business they were conducting prior to meeting Jesus. A man on the beach told them where to throw their net. When they did, the result was over 153 large fish caught at one time. A similar event occurred when they first met Jesus. (See Luke 5:1-6). They now witnessed a repeat. The man on the beach was Jesus.

How often have we repeatedly witness Jesus in the lives of others? As we experience life with Jesus, don’t we begin to catch glimpses of HIM at work with others? As we draw closer to HIM, does HE not reveal more of HIMSELF to us? Like any relationship built on trust and loyalty, the depth and width only grows deeper and deeper. We begin to see more than the outside appearance. We begin to witness the real heart and character of that person. The same is with Jesus.

You tell me about your Jesus and I will tell you about my Jesus. The more we share, the more our cup overflows of the awe and wonder of God.

I’m not talking about the academic Jesus. The impersonal God-Man found between the pages of the Bible. But the one-on-one Jesus you have come to know. The Jesus who saved you from yourself. The Jesus who interceded for you in your prayers. The Jesus who sent the right person at the right time to help solve a life-threatening situation. The Jesus who covered you with HIS love when no one else did. The Jesus who carried you through the last storm. The Jesus who inspired you to finish the project you have been working on for years. The Jesus who held your hand when your love one passed away. The Jesus who fills your cup daily with grace and peace. The Jesus who brings light into a dark situation. The Jesus who knows you better than yourself. The Jesus who shares HIS wisdom with you. The Jesus who holds you in HIS grip. The Jesus who is your hero and mentor. The Jesus who is your best friend. The Jesus who reveals to you Papa God and Holy Spirit. The Jesus who knows you better than anyone else. The Jesus who is rooting for YOU.

This is the Jesus I enjoy hearing about. This is the Jesus I like sharing with others. The personal Jesus. The Jesus who is alive and living in you and me. The Jesus who is moving history toward the culmination of a new heaven and a new earth as one. The Jesus who allows me to participate with HIM in HIS work. The Jesus who cares for you and wants what is best for you. The Jesus who steps up as an elder-brother and tells you the truth of a matter. The same Jesus who will stand up and fight for you. The Jesus who has your back. The Jesus who loves you more than anyone else.

This is the Jesus I want you to tell me about.

The real Jesus living HIS life in you and through you.

And I will share the same with you.

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)

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