Business & Faith

Believe

Dr. Mike 2021, Business & Faith, Kingdom Paradigms, Life in Christ , ,

John 17:8,20-21

“For I (Jesus) have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me…I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Yes, I believe. I believe Jesus Christ is who HE claims HE IS: The Incarnate Son of God, King of Heaven and Earth, and Humanity’s Savior. I believe the Bible is a recorded narrative of God’s relationship with mankind and written for our sake. We can choose to believe or not.

I didn’t believe all this at the beginning of my faith journey. All I knew was if there was a God, he needs to intervene or this young man’s life was not going to make it through his teen years. And HE did.

Every journey begins with a set of beliefs. Our actions, decisions, and choices are based on these deeply held perceived truths. The more we exercise them, and the results come true, the more confident we become in our beliefs. However, whenever our actions repeatedly fail, we eventually evaluate our belief system and discard the unreliable “truth” for another.

Over a life time, certain beliefs become our anchor – we have proven their fundamental truths over and over again with similar favorable results. Other beliefs are still being evaluated. How many of us though purposely select and choose our beliefs?   

Our initial beliefs are indoctrinated into our souls through family, friends, and teachers. In our early lives, we are typically ignorant of our surroundings and the makeup of our soul. Even as adults, the social and news media bombard us with the latest fads and the current fear factors which we subconsciously allow into our belief safe. 

However, one day (could be late teens or now-a-days even late fifties) we start struggling with our interval belief system. We start questioning everything we have been told. When reality sets in and the realization we have been lied too, manipulated by others for their sake, and then in those extreme cases, thrown out with the bathwater, we most often find ourselves angry and hurt.

Unless we are grounded on a bedrock of fundamental beliefs proven over eons of time, the majority of us will substantially modify our belief system. The transition though is most often costly of time, relationships, and money. The best prevention is having a healthy family upbringing by parents who are grounded in solid values and beliefs. Where does healthy values and beliefs come from?

The number one bestselling book of all time is still the Bible. There is a reason. Within its pages contains valuable principles and truths which have been proven over time to work. The Book also points to the importance of having a relationship with the living God. When one walks with HIM, one slowly becomes more and more like HIM.

Per Jesus’ prayer in John 17, we become one with our Father God and Jesus Christ. When we do, we learn the foundational truths of life; gain knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to manage everyday life; and find assurance and purpose for living.

Yes, beliefs allow us to focus and put structure into our world. If we don’t believe in the Triune God, we will never seek out what HE has for us. On the other hand, for those of us who believe, our focus is to seek HIM out in every day life situations. When we do, we begin to witness answers to prayer, reoccurring solutions from an invisible hand, and broken people healed from inside-out. Like the wind, which we may not see but only witness its impact, we likewise witness the effect when God’s Spirit is engaged with others.

In summary, in regards to the Triune God, to believe opens the window of opportunity to discover HIM and the truth; but not to believe, only closes the window of ever really coming to know HIM and a life built upon lasting truth.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Author of e-Books

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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Copyright 2013-2021 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

God’s Gift of Satisfying Work

Dr. Mike Business & Faith , , , ,

Ecclesiastes 3:13

…everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

Many of us take for granted what we have or don’t have as it relates to work. When you have a career that fulfills you, rewards you, and gives you meaning in life, you may realize one day how blessed you have been. Others may admire you for your success, but you know happen chance is also a friend of yours. For most of us end up working at an occupation which we didn’t originally plan from our youth.

In my life time, I personally only know two people who knew what they wanted to do in high school, and upon their retirement lived out their youthful goals. The majority of the rest of us fell into different occupations until one of them became our breadwinner.

I myself spent the first ten years after college attempting to find something rewarding and fulfilling. I knew business was my field of endeavor and enjoyed working plus reaping the financial reward it brings, but struggled to find a niche. In those early ten years, I took roles in accounting, supervision, and even sales. In between, I delivered door samples, drove trucks, and filled vending machines. I took every role as a learning session preparing me for something else. Meanwhile, it paid the bills.

Only when I met my wife to be did I take a more strategic method to my waywardness.  Someone introduced me to the Johnson O’Connor Research Center which helps you analyze your 21 natural aptitudes and compares them with other people successful in their professional careers. This is where the doors opened up for me to pursue a career in the real estate industry. The rest is history.

When you align your God-given natural abilities with a desire to serve others for their success along with your passion to acquire knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of your field of study, you will rarely work a day of your life. You find opportunities will present themselves to you and allow you to choose the door which brings you satisfaction from work.

God created the world and planned for you and I to have the freedom of choice. People may try to steal your choice or you may even surrender your choice into bondage. Some may try to enslave you or you may choose to become enslaved. But God has already given you and I the means to make everyday special by expressing the attributes HE shares with us through the work we do. This is HIS gift to you, me, and  mankind.

If you are not satisfied in your current situation, ask HIM (pray) for help to resolve your dilemma. Then be attentive to the opportunities HE presents to you in your everyday routine. When something occurs outside the norm, pay special attention. When God is involved, the solutions are most often outside your normal think-tank. Be prudent. Not every opportunity is a prize. Some are trap doors. But you have to knock on the door and turn the knob. If it opens easily without negative repercussions, you may have your answer. If you have to force the door open, forget it. It’s not the one.

Life will present you with many opportunities. Time, experience, and history will teach you which ones may be better than others. There are no guarantees; only uncertainty. The only certainty you can count on is Jesus Christ being with you. So, whatever you face, you can lean on him and he will strengthen you and help you through the unwanted mess you may find yourself in; and also, be there to celebrate the good times with you.

God wants you to enjoy the life HE has created. The earlier we come to realize that fact and join HIM in his narrative, the quicker one comes to experience the richness of HIS life and all of creation.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2020 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Working for The Lord

Dr. Mike Business & Faith, Kingdom Paradigms , , ,


Colossians 3:22-24 (ESV)
 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

When God is the center of your life, everything changes. From how you view strangers to the management of your family, from how you select your values, to choosing your priorities, and from how you invest your time in what you study to the career you select, somewhere you will come to realize how much HE loves you and wants to share HIS life with you and others. You become HIS ambassador of HIS Kingdom, living out HIS way of life with others for HIS glory.

For most of us we will spend one-third of our daily life in our vocation. Whether it is a temporary job, a professional career, or a life-long calling, most of our waking hours will be associating with others in the marketplace. How we view the time and prioritize our values will directly impact how God’s Kingdom materializes around us.

When you realize God wired you with specific talents and now is morphing you into the character of Jesus Christ, for your sake and for the sake of others, your perspective of life and work changes. When you truly come to know God cares about the quality and impact your work has in the lives of others, your motivation increases a few notches.

All believers hold dual citizenship. We serve our God and HIS Kingdom as well as the country we live in. Our allegiance is first to HIM who owns everything and has given steward responsibilities for us to fulfill. Though our paycheck may come from an organization or person, the overall initiator of wealth is God. He is concern that you are fed, clothed, and have shelter. He is concern for your physical and mental health. He designed you to flourish. The world of economics is for you and I to enjoy his creation.

To believe God only cares for spiritual truth and not physical matters denies who God IS. HE created everything for us to share with HIM. This is HIS physical world. HE knows we need to eat and therefore wired certain people to excel at farming. HE knows we need shelter and therefore designed certain people with the naturally talents to build houses and buildings for the enjoyment of others. HE knows we need clothing for protection, so HE designed people who excel at making clothes for the sake of others. Every vocation which builds up others to flourish within HIS boundaries is to be held in honor and respected.

So, whatever your job, career, or calling remember you are serving our Lord who gladly wants to share everything HE has with you for your sake and for the sake of others. We are all stewards of HIS. Some may currently deliberately rebel against HIM. Others may ignorantly refute HIS leadership in their life, but others will acknowledge HIS authority in their lives and know who they are truly serving. Be wise and serve your Lord.    

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2019 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved