Year: 2015

A Blessed Life

Dr. Mike Life in Christ ,
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”…Ephesians 1:3 ESV

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Whenever you hear or read the word blessed, how do you understand it?

Some like to think it means happy. Others think it means prosperous. Than others think it means holy. But how does Jesus define it?

For starters, the Greek word translated into the English “blessed” is “makarios.” The word means more than just happy or blissful. It literally means to have a self-contained happiness.
As a believer, a child of God, and a physical temple for the Holy Spirit who resides in us, it takes on more meaning than many people realize.

To be blessed is to be covered by the divine, unmerited grace of God.

Blessed is a state of being. A condition of eternal bliss. A mind and heart that experiences the fruit of God’s revelation and divine nature. One doesn’t work or earn to taste the blessed life. One simply yields in God’s presence and allow Him to express Himself through you.

The blessed life is acting and believing in a state of surrender to King Jesus. It seeks actions and behavior that are godlike. Why? Because to walk with God who lives in you, one needs to practice mutually submittal with each other. As we submit to God’s divine character, He openly shares His attributes with us. The two of us learn to walk together. He is the master; we are the student.

The blessed life is God bestowing upon us His divine unmerited favor. He showers us with His riches. He places His love, joy, and peace within us. He tests us. He challenges us. He renews us. We walk with confidence in Him because of the trust he has built with us over the years.

The blessed life is not about me. What I do or not do. The blessed life is what He does. He showers us with His riches. At the end of day, one enjoys His presence more than His gifts. When one comes to intimately know Him, than one comes to the place where one truly appreciates and lives a blessed life.

So if you want to experience the blessed life, simply let God’s Spirit fully express himself in you!

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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LOST

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , , ,

 

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 ESV

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Ever suffer from an identity crisis?

I think everyone does somewhere and someplace in their life. For humanity is wired to easily gravitate toward those situations and circumstances that feed the soul. When the soul is hungry and has difficulty discerning the good from the bad, it sometimes jumps unwisely into a frying pan that is softly simmering at the time. By the time the situation deepens, the frying pan is hot and getting out is more difficult than before. Sometimes it may even be too late.

Most people don’t realize they are lost until they are found. The comic who shares the joke of the father reassuring their family while driving the auto that everything is well and that they are making good time is like most of us. We are making great time but not sure where our destination is. We can’t admit we are lost. Pride gets in the way.

Generally speaking, we simply identify ourselves with what is most important in our life. We typically confuse the roles we play with our identify. And when the role ends, we go into crisis mode because our identity is taken away from us.

We see this when a person places their identity in their work. When they retire, they find themselves depressed and confused. When the children leave the nest, a mother seems lost not knowing what to do with her time. A mate places their identity with their partner and experiences a crisis when the relationship ends. When a person is identified with a winning sports team and then the career ends, what are they to do? Our identify is inappropriately placed in shifting roles which change over time.

As a believer, we are blessed to have our identity found in Christ. Our home is in Christ. In fact, when Christ died and arose again, he redeemed all humanity. He restored the relationship that was broken by Adam & Eve. Instead of wondering through the desert seeking refuge in temporary dwellings, he became our cornerstone. In baptism, we identify with him in his death, burial, and resurrection. In the breaking of bread and drinking of wine (communion), we identify with him. In the Body of Christ, we are his hands and feet, he is the head. In the age to come, he will share his throne with us. As believers, we are his royal, priestly children. Nothing will ever separate us from him.

So when you see someone that looks lost, pray for them. Pray that the Holy Spirit may lead them home. Home is wherever Jesus resides. Today Jesus resides in us via the Holy Spirit. He also resides in heaven where our reward and treasure awaits us.

We are most thankful that he came to restore and reconcile humanity with God. To give us a taste of what home looks like when we live within his domain. I’m not lost; but found. Found by Jesus who wants everyone to experience the real blessings found within the family of God. How about you? Are you still looking to return home or have you been found?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Why Do YOU Read the Bible?

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , ,
They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32 ESV

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Why do YOU read the Scriptures?

To acquire knowledge…insight…wisdom.
To prepare a message for others.
To better understand yourself.
To discover what God is like.
To learn God’s Will.
To improve your walk with God.
To better relate with God.
To figure out your purpose in life.
To act more with integrity.
To receive blessings from God.
To equip yourself with spiritual know-how.
To practice spiritual disciplines.
To worship God more effectively.
To recognize truth more accurately.
To understand God’s mind.
To listen for God’s word.
To seek God’s plan for you.
To evaluate life’s situations from God’s perspective.
To discern good from evil.
To improve making choices.
To live life more fully.
To grow in the faith.
To experience more joy.
To understand God’s position on a matter.
To learn from history.
To better serve others.
To have a better marriage.
To rear productive, responsible children.
To enjoy God’s grace.
To become a better husband/wife.
To excel in business.
To better serve others.
To make money without being its slave.
To build more wealth for the sake of others.
To share life more effectively with others.
To communicate God’s plan of redemption more accurately.
To identify God’s work in people’s life.
To know God more intimately.

Whatever your reason, most likely depends on the season of your life. No matter your reason, it is always good to read, learn, integrate, and grow in Christ. The more you read the Bible, the more you discover about God, yourself, and the people around you. The more you discover, the more your relationship with God, yourself, and the people around you improve. The more these relationships improve, the more love, joy, and peace abounds in you, with you, and through you. Yes, God becomes more alive in you. You become more at peace with yourself and those around you. A win-win-win for everyone involved. So no matter what the reason, I’m glad you do!

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!