Bible Life Questions

Born To Die?

Dr. Mike Bible Life Questions
What man can live and never see death? Psalm 89:48 ESV.

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No one leaves this planet alive. From the day we are born, it is a matter of time before our life will come to an end. The question is “what then?”

The fact remains, if there is no accountability or purpose for living, then anything goes. As Paul wrote in I Corinthians’ 15:32, “if the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” For if there is no divine reason for our existence, and our final breath leads us to the grave, then we might as well pursue every pleasure and selfish desire without the fear of any moral consequences. However, if there is a God, who created life with a greater purpose and will hold us accountable for our choices, then what does he expect from us?

The answer comes from not looking at life from a humanistic worldview, but from a greater perspective. That perspective is through the eyes of the Triune God himself. And we have been blessed by the same Creator with a Book that reveals God’s intent and purpose for humanity.

The Bible written by 40 different authors over a 1,500 year period leaves us with a vision that no Hollywood movie could ever duplicate. Starting with Jesus Christ, who is the central figure of all mankind, retracing history back to the beginning with the first couple, and moving forward with a climatic establishment of the merger of eternity with earth, we capture a small glimpse of God’s divine purpose.

This life isn’t about accumulating more toys than the next person. It is not about the achievement of our happiness or goals. It is not even about living the perfect moral life. God in his all encompassing love is simply enlarging his family.

Through and in Jesus Christ you and I have been adopted into the divine family. Though we have not yet been fully birth, we are residing in the spiritual embryonic stage. We are matrimonially engaged to Jesus Christ. We are being molded and prepared for eternity to serve in the Family Business. Our marketplace is now limited to the planet earth. In the new age, the entire universe will be our playground.

Our purpose today is simply to learn to abide in Christ. To learn to trust the Triune God in our daily affairs. To walk through the challenges of everyday life in step with the Spirit. To allow Father-Son-Spirit to reproduce Himself in us. To become transformed into the image of Jesus Christ through His workmanship is the goal of this life. To strengthen the relationship bond between God and yourself is the end result.

This He does as we lean on Him. This He does as we walk with Him. This He does as we serve Him through our relationships, through our work, and through all our efforts.

Yes we shall all die to the flesh which we all once proud fully displayed. Yet we shall all be resurrected. A new body that combines the best of heaven and earth. That is the hope of glory Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians’ Chapter 15. Read it. Then reread it. Than infuse yourself into God’s work. Enjoy His creation. He made it to share with you. And yes, while you live life slowly physically dying, know that you are being held in the arms of a Fatherly God who loves you more than you will ever realize. That experience will only make you want more of Him as He prepares you for the next chapter into eternity.

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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What Do You Gain From Your Work?

Dr. Mike Bible Life Questions, Business & Faith ,
“What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?” Eccl: 1:3 ESV.

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Solomon was the King of Israel after David died. Blessed by God with great wisdom and knowledge, he pursued every selfish desire that money could buy. We are told in the first several chapters of the Book of Ecclesiastes, that he built large buildings, vast gardens, and fruit farms. He acquired a large estate of herds and flocks, silver and gold, and male and female slaves. He was the richest man of his time.

Yet he didn’t stop there. He acquired more knowledge. He wrote books. He pursued every desire known by man seeking to discover the meaning to life. In short, he wanted to know how to best use his time on earth. But his path and experiments led him to despair, sorrow, and even hating life. The reason: everything in this physical life is temporary.

So what was his conclusion from his life’s work? What is there to gain from all one’s effort? Simply this: The appreciation of the joy God shares with you through His creation. He repeats it three times first starting in Ecc. 2:24-26. In summary, enjoy the work of your hands being appreciative for what God has given you. Ecc 3:13 states that it is God’s gift to you. In Ecc. 3:22 he writes that one should rejoice in your work. Again in Ecc. 5:18-20 Solomon writes that to enjoy food and drink and the work of your hands. In addition, he writes that if one has been given wealth and the power to enjoy one’s wealth, to rejoice because it is a gift from God. Remember, when God occupies a person’s heart with joy, the time and life goes by fast.

In Ecc. 7:14 Solomon adds that in times of prosperity be joyful, and when times are tough consider that God made both days so our lives will be less predictable. And because of the unpredictability of life, we don’t know for sure what will prosper, so work like all avenues may succeed or fail (Ecc. 11:6).

What about making money to pay the bills? Here are a few scriptures that the Bible reminds us.

In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23.
Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. Proverbs 13:11.

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Isaiah 48:17.

Bottom-line: enjoy the work of your hands, learn to live on what you make, save a little each day, and be thankful for everything God gives 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

Encourage your Friends…Share Today’s Message!

By What Means Does the Spirit Supply?

Dr. Mike Bible Life Questions

 

“Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith…?” Gal. 3:5  ESV.

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It is so easy to fall back into the performance trap.

As a Christ-follower for many years, I am always dumbfounded when I see faith communities practice religion while they preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They usually expound that work and faith go hand-in-hand. And they are correct. The problem arises when the emphasis is on the external show rather than the internal heart.

This is nothing new under the sun. The religious leaders in Jesus’ day would constantly harass Him and his disciples because of the actions of His followers. These religious policemen rightly saw that His disciples spent more time eating and drinking rather than fasting (Luke 5:33). These religious informers witnessed His disciples plucking heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath day and thereby breaking the Sabbath law (Mk. 2:23-28). And when the Pharisees saw that some of the disciples ate before washing their hands, again they accused Jesus’ team of not performing according to their religious expectations.

Yet Jesus always used the events of the moment to teach truth. He explained what is important comes from inside a person and not necessarily from outside performance (Mk. 7:14-23). It is easier to judge outside behavior than to determine interior motives. Yet behavior is what we mostly hang our hats unto in a performance culture.

As a Christ-follower, did we receive the Holy Spirit because we lived perfectly and God rewarded us with His presence within us? Or were we so broken that God gracefully showed up and carried us through the trial? Every believer that I have met who has a close relationship with the living God has experienced brokenness. They acknowledged that their performance stunk to high heaven. Only after such a time as this did the Holy Spirit empower Himself in us. And we knew it right then and there.

Yes it takes belief and work to live the Christian experience. The emphasis though in most cases is that a believing heart will eventually heal and grow into an outward manifestation of itself. The work is only a byproduct of the inner man. Humanist teach that one can change one’s behavior so the end result is achieved. This is the focus of performance-oriented people. The inner heart doesn’t matter. The Holy Spirit is excluded from the equation.

Christian’s believe that grace changes the heart that leads to godly performance. This is what Jesus’ taught in Mark 7. Yes it takes both faith and works. The question is which one leads and which one follows? Do you intentionally build from faith or do you build from works? So what is the basis of your actions – to trust the Holy Spirit to transform your heart or to window dress the facade through manipulative performance? God knows. But do 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

Encourage your Friends…Share Today’s Message!