Kingdom Paradigms

Deceitful Lovers

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , , ,
“I called to my lovers, but they deceived me;” Lamentations 1:19 ESV.

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We typically recognize them after the facts. In the beginning, we are infatuated, memorized, and blinded. However, if fortunate enough to break off the relationship before severe harm is perpetuated, we can look back to realize the deceitfulness of the affair and hopefully grow more mature from the experience. We have all witnessed lives destroyed by the false illusion of deceitful lovers.

For some people the lover is money. For others power, drugs, sex, pleasure, or food. Some people become involved with others who claim to love them but use them for their manipulative purpose. Over time, no matter the means, real love is distorted; the heart becomes severely wounded; and the beauty of life disappears. To find someone who truly loves you as you love them becomes a child book fantasy. You may eventually ask, “Is there anyone in this world made for me?” “How many more wounds to the heart must I take before true love is discovered?”

For most of us in search of real love, we look in all the wrong places. We have Hollywood fantasy in our minds. Or erotic fiction as our guide. Or an educational system which has polluted reality by removing the Source of all-reality. When truth of the matter is distorted, we fail to capture the best solution to the problem. Instead, we major in the minors thinking this may be the best there is.

It takes time to learn what is truly important. It takes time to mature. It also takes time and experience to truly recognize a good thing from a deceitful one. One way to speed up the process is to learn from those who have gone before us. Those who have no hidden agenda, but a shared life of love, passion, and adventure.

That is one reason to read and study the Christian Bible. There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to the human experience. The primary difference between someone living 2,000 years ago and today is technology and fashion. Otherwise, the desires, hopes, and challenges are the same.

As one studies the Book, one is introduced to the Author of Life. One quickly discovers His desire for an intimate relationship with you. By committing oneself to Him, one discovers the Source of real love, truth, and justice. Through His Words and contagious Spirit, one also learns to live, flourish, and prosper without harming others in the process. Through this abiding relationship, one comes to easily recognize lies, phony lovers, and make believe fantasies. As you listen and grow together, He leads you to people who will truly love you as you love them.

Yes fairy tales do come true when one is walking with the Author of Life who turns visions into reality. So the real question is, “why waste time with deceitful lovers when real Love awaits 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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Copyright 2016 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Is IT ALL About LOVE…?

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , ,

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” MT. 22:36-40 ESV.

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Sometimes (maybe even most of the time) we lose our focus and pursue the latest Christian fad rather than the essence of life. Someone may write a book on the purpose of life and everyone jumps on it as “the answer.” Or a new movie comes out that makes us forget the basics of life for the more entertaining possibilities. Or another life guru appears chanting something new that the social media picks up and leads the masses toward another bubble burst.

When people now ask me what is life all about, I now give them the same simple answer that Jesus gave the lawyer. I don’t point toward heaven, salvation, or transformation.  Neither do I give them a long list of do’s and don’ts. Instead you will find me pointing toward the primary character of God Himself.

Jesus combined two statements from Scripture to capture the entire essence of what the Law is all about and the basis of what the Prophets of old stood for. Again, most of the religious leaders of His day either lost the central purpose of what God was doing or just never understood in the first place.

The purpose of life is built around the Creator of life. God is Love. Everything that we see physically around us is the end result of His Love for us. He created the universe because He loves us. He created us and shares His life with us because He loves us. He sacrificed His Son for us because He loves us. He is transforming us because He loves us. He disciplines us because He loves us. He blesses us because He loves us. Everything He does is from the position of Love. He can’t help it because His naturally essence is Love.

When Jesus stated that the reason behind the entire Law and the sending of Prophets was that we would learn to love God with our entire being and likewise love others and ourselves, wasn’t He clarifying for his chosen ones what the purpose behind God’s plan was and is?

When you break down the components of love, one quickly recognizes that everything of substantial worth and value comes from the heart of love. Jesus, salvation, transformation, eternity, marriage, family, work, enjoyment, blessings, etc. are just the end result (the byproduct, the fruit) of the life giving essence of God Himself – LOVE. Isn’t that what God wants us to learn now? How a life built around LOVE surpasses everything else.

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 Encouragement…Share Today’s Message!

When Love Is Expressed…

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , ,

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 Jn 4:7 ESV.

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Per the above Scripture, we don’t manufacture love. Love comes from God. We are simply the agent that distributes love to others. Without the spiritual essence of God, we fool ourselves thinking we love someone when in actuality we confuse love with self-gratification. We make love an emotional feeling rather than a selfless act. Real love comes from God who is the author and manufacturer of love.

If you need a good definition for love, try this: Love is a Godly attitude expressed through a self-sacrificial act for the benefit of another.  Rather than pontificate further on love, we will let a few Scriptures do the talking.

 

* For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6

* By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jn 13:35

* But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. I Corinthians 8:3

* Let all that you do be done in love.1 Corinthians 16:14

* …and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19

* And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2

* For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,…2 Timothy 3:2-4

* By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 1Jn 3:16

* Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 Jn 4:7

* Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love……. 1 Jn 4:8-12

* 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 Jn 4:18

* May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Jude 1:2

Let Love Lead.

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 Encouragement…Share Today’s Message!