Year: 2016

How Do You Measure Faith?

Dr. Mike Bible Life Questions ,
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit… All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” I Corinthians 12:7-11 ESV.

 

faith 6

 

Sometimes what I hear spoken among my fellow brothers in the Lord makes me cringe. Take the concept of faith. Every time I hear someone desire more faith, (like faith is a commodity sold at the church gym), I find myself jumping into a situation that I would rather not.

Jesus had a similar situation with his disciples. In Luke 17:5-6, they approached Jesus asking him to increase their faith. Jesus reply was straight to the matter.  In today’s vernacular, he may have said something like “If you had only a little faith, you have enough.”

Paul wrote in I Corinthians 12:7-11 that faith comes from God as He apportions. Some people he gives a large amount of faith (the gentile Centurion whose daughter was healed in Luke 7:9) and other times He apportions a little amount of faith (Romans 14:1 is an example of a brother with low faith as it pertains to eating meat versus only vegetables.) We all have enough faith. It comes down to whether or not we exercise it.

What is so awesome about God is He rewards us according to what he has given us. If he gives us a large portion of faith, he will expect a return on his investment. Likewise, if he allocated a small portion of faith, he likewise will expect a return on his investment. Whether one starts off with a $1,000 or $1,000,000, a 100% return is a 100% return.

Humanity generally tends to look at the dollar amount and recognize the million dollar investment and return a better deal. However, God looks at the $1,000 return on a $1,000 investment with the same level of justice. In fact, he may even lean more towards the smaller value because to double the smaller amount may take more work and effort. Only he knows where a person truly started in life and the growth that came from the process. Human’s measure only from the outside. God looks at the total picture: inside-out and outside-in.

So instead of measuring ourselves with others, maybe it is better to look at yourself in comparison with Jesus. Even when we look at where we came from to where we are today, the glory and reward is His. We only did the best we could with what we have been given. How about 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

Does a Friend need some Encouragement…Share Today’s Message!

Where is Your Faith?

Dr. Mike Bible Life Questions ,

 

He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Luke 8:25 ESV.

 

where faith 1

 

The disciples are on a boat with Jesus and are panicking because of the vast storm they find themselves battling.  Jesus awakes from his sleep and notices the frighten faces. Before he commands the winds and waters to behave, he looks at the disciples and asks the question, “Where is your faith?”

The same question may be asked of you and I multiple times as we face the challenges that life throws us. Where is your faith?

Paul writes in I Corinthians 12: 4-11 that the Holy Spirit distributes various gifts to us including faith. Likewise in Romans 12:3 he again writes that God distributes the gift of faith to each of us.

Jesus himself stated that all we need is faith the size of a mustard seed to move mountains (Mt. 17:20).

One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is faithfulness (Gal. 5:22). To be full of faith is faithfulness.

Faith is a gift from God. God has given each of us a portion as he determines. You may have been given a 100 gallon tank of faith and I only a pint. But we each have the gift of faith. We only need to exercise it.

It is also unwise to compare ourselves with someone who has a 100 gallon faith tank when we only have a pint. God knows. Like the parable of the talents, we are to be good stewards of what God has given us and invest for future returns.

For me to turn the faith pint into a faith quarter is a 100% return. For the person who has 100 gallon faith tank, a pint return is only a .125% return.

So yes the person who has been given much faith, much is expected from him. However, the person who has been given a little faith, much is also expected from him. However, their reward at the finish line will probably be as much and maybe more than many expect.

What does this all mean?

Simply this: God gives us the faith we need to operate under. Don’t compare your faith with each other. Compare your faith with Jesus’. That will keep you humble, dependent on Him, and allow you to maximize your potential as God created you to be.

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

Does a Friend need some Encouragement…Share Today’s Message!

 

 

 

Who is Our #1 Enemy?

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , ,

 

“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” I Corinthians 15:26 ESV.

risen 1

When Jesus Christ arose from the pits of the grave, he accomplished several key strategic moves for the battle over planet earth. He defeated Satan and in return took back the earthly domain from mankind’s thorn in the flesh. He fulfilled the requirements of the Jewish Law and in the process rip the curtain that hung between God and humanity restoring direct relationship between each. He also defeated death being raised by His Father as a new creation: flesh and spirit united as one eternal being.

This Easter season also reminds us who is humanity’s #1 common enemy. Whether we are believers or non-believers, male or female, rich or poor, saints or sinners, democrats or republicans, Paul writes that the last enemy that Christ will place under his authority is death.

Physical death lays at the end of life’s journey. No matter how many toys we accumulate, friends we have, children we raise, businesses we develop, money we earn, recognition we receive, and awards we are given, death comes to all.

Yet we can rejoice knowing that God in Christ broke the chains of sin’s domain and restored our fellowship with the Creator of heaven and earth. That in Christ we have died with him and in Christ we have already arisen to a new life. That in Christ our eternal home awaits us. That Christ died for all humanity so that all humanity may also live with him. On that day after our last physical breath, like Christ, we will commit our spirit into the Father’s hand and await for the time of full restoration when all who have died will be resurrected unto a new world. When the age of man will be behind us and the new age of the spirit/human will travel throughout the universe on missions representing our King.

Jesus described our future home as a large mansion with many rooms; John describes one city with gold streets; and Paul concludes that this perishable body must put on the imperishable and then death will be swallowed up in victory (I Corinthians 15:35-58).

So knowing the love, grace, and peace we have in Christ, let’s celebrate Easter and everyday as we calmly walk in Christ towards victory over the #1 enemy of mankind.

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

Does a Friend need some Encouragement…Share Today’s Message!